When people think of Goa, the first image that comes to mind is parties, sea side, beaches, drinking and the like. But hidden from view is Goa and certain traditions that have been around for centuries, helping people and locals to live peacefully.
And while most people visit Goa hoping to have fun and spend their time partying and enjoying themselves, some Goan rituals and traditions get overlooked and don’t get the recognition and love they deserve.
Pedniachi Punau
In the range of festivals and traditions that Goa hosts, there is one that caught my eye. This tradition is “Pedniachy Panov”, which is celebrated on the night of Kojagiri purnima In Pedn Taluka, this ancient ritual is believed to rid people of any evil, black magic, witchcraft or evil energies that may be affecting them.
Since the night of the full moon is considered holy and auspicious in India, the temple is dedicated on the last night of Dussehra Lord Rawalnath and Lord Bhutnath.
Defenders
A Pednyachi panav dedicated to Lord Ravalnath and Lord Bhutnath, two guardian deities who help people and deliver them from evil. Lord Rawalnath is worshiped as a guardian against evil and is depicted as a warrior, while Lord Bhutnath is known as the Lord of Spirits. Both of them are housed in the same temple in the Sri Bhagwati temple premises and it is said that Lord Bhutnath shares the temple space with Lord Rawalan.
Ritual
The main ritual in the temple begins at 12:00 at night and continues for 4-5 hours. According to sources, people who feel that they have been possessed by evil come here with their families, their hair parting wide and as soon as they enter the temple premises and the puja begin to behave strangely, almost as if the spirit in theirs is by controlling them.
“broken mass”
On the night of Kajagiri Purnima, the “Kaddas” or religious people who are believed to embody Lord Bhutnath and have some figures of their power are both resistant to the forest and the devotees follow them to appease them. Legends say that the Gaddas do this to express Lord Bhutnath’s anger for not having his own temple and sharing the site with Lord Rawalan, and he demands that the temple be built overnight. The devotees then run after him and chant in the regional language to pacify him that the temple is under construction.
