Ganesh Chaturthi At Palace Of Former Goa Ruler

South Goa: The palace of the erstwhile ruler of Goa, Raje Saundekar, has been hosting the Ganesh Chaturthi festival for over three centuries. Traditionally, two idols of Lord Ganesh are worshipped in this palace, located in Nagueshi village in South Goa. While one idol is for the palace inhabitants, the other, painted in golden colours, is for the general public.

"Basically we have two Ganpatis. One is the bigger Ganpati, which is the village Ganpati. Earlier it used to be that not every household had its own Ganpati. So, being the Rajwada (Ruler), they used to keep the Ganpatis here. So, that tradition has continued for many generations. So, I am not exactly sure how many years it has been. It has probably been more than 100 years," Raje Saundekar, a descendant of the Sundekar Dynasty said. 

The Saundekar dynasty spanned from Northern Karnataka to some parts of Goa, including the current talukas of Sanguem, Canacona and Quepem. Clay Idol artisan Nandadeep Naik has created the Ganesh Idol for the palace this year.

"From this year onwards, I have taken up the responsibility that until the time I live, I will make this idol. This is because the history of the idol is such that the artisan who takes up this work, will have to make it until they die. There is a lot of history and mysticism associated with this idol. It is not an ordinary idol," Naik said. 

According to Raje, the current caretaker of the palace, the gates open to the public only during special festivals. "Ganpati is the main festival. So, it is open to the public. Even in Chaitra Purnima, that is in April, the palace is open. We have a stage here only in the compound. And, there are Natak Utsav (Theatre performances) going on for a week or so. And at the end of Chaitra, we have Rath Utsav," he said. 

Visitors get a rare chance to see the palace in all its grandeur, with various artworks and weapons on display during the few occasions the gates are open to the public.