Shirgao, Goa
Shirgao is a village in the Bicholim sub-district (''taluka'') of Goa, which is popular for its annual temple festival that includes fire-walking traditions. Festival of the ''Lairai dhondachi zatra'' The festival is known as the '' Lairai dhondachi zatra'' and usually occurs around the months of April or May each year. In keeping with the syncretic urban legend in this area of Velha Goa, the goddess Lairai is considered as a "sister" of the ''Milagris Saibinn'' (Virgin Mary) in the Milagres Church of Mapusa, some or so away from the area. The village is estimated to have 350 houses, 70 wells and 32 springs. But the area faces a water shortage due to rampant mining nearby. Fire walking On the night of the ''zatra'', an estimated 20,000 ''dhonds''—men and women from diverse parts of Goa and the nearby Konkan region—walk through the ''homkhan'', over a burning charcoal bed. Shrigao has shrines dedicated to a number of deities (14, according to one count) including Santer, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Bicholim
Bicholim, pronounced (), also known as Divchal and Dicholi, is a town and a municipal council in North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is the headquarters of the ''Concelho'' (district) of Bicholim, one of seven that make up the Novas Conquistas (New Conquests), territories added to Goa comparatively latter than the first three of the Velhas Conquistas. The town is located about 30 kilometres from the capital Panjim. It is in the mining heartland of Goa. History As per '' Hiregutti plates of Bhoja Asantika'', a locality named ''Dipaka visaya'' in the copper plates dating 5th century CE, is identified with modern-day ''Divchali'' or Dicholi. It was under the rule of an independent Warlord (PrabhuDesai's of Sankhali/Sanquelim) It was taken over by Portuguese in late 18th century as part of New Conquest. Geography Bicholim is located at . It has an average elevation of 22 metres (72 feet). Demographics India census, Dicholi had a population of 16,986 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Zatra
Zatra(जात्रा) is the Konkani language term for the pilgrimage festivals celebrated at Hindu temples in Goa, India; the equivalent of '' yatra'' and '' jatra''. In Maharashtra the alternative term Urus is used as well. During the zatra, the idol(s) or murtis of the Hindu deity or deities are taken out on special procession either in a " Palkhi" (sort of a Palanquin) or in a large, multi-storied chariot called the Rath. Traditionally, every temple observes this festival once a year on the traditional day. All zatras usually occur after Diwali in October and continues until the Shigmo or Holi festival in March. The most famous zatra of Goa is that of the temple of the Hindu deity Lairai at Shirgao, a place located roughly 30 km away from Panaji when people walk on burning coals with bare legs and that of deity Goddess Shantadurga at Village Fatorpa in Quepem Taluka; approx 50 km from Panaji and 18 km from Madgao. These Zatras can be compared to Mela (Hin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
North Goa
North Goa district is one of the two districts that constitutes the state of Goa, India. The district has an area of , and is bounded by Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra state to the north and by Belgavi district of Karnataka to the east, by South Goa district to the south, and by the Arabian Sea to the west. Historical background At the advent of the Portuguese in AD 1510, all of today's northern territories (Ilhas, Bardez, Pernem, Bicholim, Antruz, and Sattari) were part of the Bijapur Sultanate. Ilhas and Bardez were annexed by Portugal after their successful conquest and the region is now called '' Velhas Conquistas'' (Old Conquests). After the fall of the Deccan sultanates and rise of the Marathas in the late 1600s, the remaining region eventually fell under the control of the Maratha Kingdom of Sawantwadi until AD 1783. These territories were seen as safe haven for the Hindus, Muslims and new-Christians who fled the Portuguese Inquisition taking pla ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Assonora
Assonora is a village located in the Bardez taluka of Goa, India. It is located in North Goa, away from Mapusa and away from Panaji. The church of Assonora is St Clara's. Education institution The Educational Institution at Assonora, Goa St. Clare's High School, run by The Poor Sisters of Our Lady (PSOL), based at Infant Jesus of Prague Convent, Auchit Waddo, Assonora, Goa. See also * St Clara's Church (Assonora) Church of St. Clara, also known as the St. Clara of Assisi Chapel, is a Roman Catholic church in Assonora, Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highla ... References Villages in North Goa district {{Goa-geo-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Fire Walking
Firewalking is the act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones. It has been practiced by many people and cultures in many parts of the world, with the earliest known reference dating from Iron Age India . It is often used as a rite of passage, as a test of strength and courage, and in religion as a test of faith. Modern physics has explained the phenomenon, concluding that the foot does not touch the hot surface long enough to burn and that embers are poor conductors of heat. History Walking on fire has existed for several thousand years, with records dating back to 1200 BCE. (livescience.com) Cultures across the globe use firewalking for rites of healing, initiation, and faith. Firewalking is also practiced by: * The Sawau clan on the island of Beqa, to the south of Viti Levu in the Fijian Islands. The phenomenon was examined in 1902 when it was already a tourist attraction, with a "Probable Explanation of the Mystery" arrived at. * San Pedro Manrique, a vi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. The term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Old Persian which derived these names from the Sanskrit name ''Sindhu'' (सिन्धु ), referring to the river Indus. The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent around or beyond the Indus River, Sindhu (Indus) River. By the 16th century CE, the term began to refer to residents of the subcontinent who were not Turkic peoples, Turkic or Muslims. Hindoo is an archaic spelling variant, whose use today is considered derogatory. The historical development of Hindu self-i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Goa Tourism
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast. It is India's smallest state by area and its fourth-smallest by population. Goa has the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times as high as the GDP per capita of the country as a whole. The Eleventh Finance Commission of India named Goa the best-placed state because of its infrastructure, and India's National Commission on Population rated it as having the best quality of life in India (based on the commission's “12 Indicators”). It is the third-highest ranking among Indian states in the human development index. Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. The historic city of Margão in Goa still exhibits the cult ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Parvati
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi in her complete form. She is also revered in her appearances as Durga and Kali.Suresh Chandra (1998), Encyclopedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, , pp 245–246 She is one of the central deities of the goddess-oriented sect called Shaktism, and the chief goddess in Shaivism. Along with Lakshmi and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi. Parvati is the wife of the Hindu god Shiva. She is the reincarnation of Sati, the first wife of Shiva who immolated herself during a yajna (fire-sacrifice).Edward Balfour, , The Encyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, pp 153 Parvati is the daughter of the mountain-king Himavan and queen Mena.H.V. Dehejia, Parvati: Goddess of Love, Mapin, , pp 11 Parvati is the mother of the Hindu deities Gane ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Mapusa
Mapusa (म्हापशें) is a town in North Goa, India. It is situated 13 km north of the capital Panaji. The town is the headquarters of Bardez Taluka. It is located on the main highway NH-17, linking Mumbai to Kochi. In Portuguese, the town is known as Mapuçá. History Mapusa is a small town clustered around the Mount (Alto). The name Mapusa is thought to be derived from the Konkani word for a 'measure' - 'map' and the phrase fill up - 'sa'. Ancient Goan agrarian community had a well established '' Gaunkari'' or Community Farming System, where villages formed associations, worked on community land and shared profits. Market day was a major event, with goods brought in from every district to one central area. Mapusa has thus remained a prominent market center for many centuries. Geography Mapusa is located at . It has an average elevation of 15 metres (49 feet).It lies on the banks of Mapusa River. Mapusa has a tropical climate with temperatures ra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Fire-walking
Firewalking is the act of walking barefoot over a bed of hot embers or stones. It has been practiced by many people and cultures in many parts of the world, with the earliest known reference dating from Iron Age India . It is often used as a rite of passage, as a test of strength and courage, and in religion as a test of faith. Modern physics has explained the phenomenon, concluding that the foot does not touch the hot surface long enough to burn and that embers are poor conductors of heat. History Walking on fire has existed for several thousand years, with records dating back to 1200 BCE. (livescience.com) Cultures across the globe use firewalking for rites of healing, initiation, and faith. Firewalking is also practiced by: * The Sawau clan on the island of Beqa, to the south of Viti Levu in the Fijian Islands. The phenomenon was examined in 1902 when it was already a tourist attraction, with a "Probable Explanation of the Mystery" arrived at. * San Pedro Manrique, a vil ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Milagres Church (Mapusa) , a Catholic church in Mangalore
{{Disambig ...
Milagres Church may refer to: * Milagres Church (Kallianpur), a Catholic church in Kallianpur * Milagres Church (Mangalore) The Milagres Church ( pt, Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Milagres, en, Church of Our Lady of Miracles) is a historic Roman Catholic Church situated in the Hampankatta locality of Mangalore. The church was built in 1680 by Bishop Thomas de Cast ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is a central figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, various titles such as virgin or queen, many of them mentioned in the Litany of Loreto. The Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Theotokos, Mother of God. Other Protestant views on Mary vary, with some holding her to have considerably lesser status. The New Testament of the Holy Bible, Bible provides the earliest documented references to Mary by name, mainly in the canonical Gospels. She is described as a young virgin who was chosen by God in Christianity, God to annunciation, conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |