Tripurari Poornima Festival at Vithalapur Sanquelim

by RAMESH SAVAIKAR
Posted on 2008-11-12
Tripurari Poornima, is the festival of Hindu people celebrated in most of the states of our country. In Goa it is celebrated as state level festival at Sanquelim by the Department of Art And Culture in collaboration with Information and Publicity department, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Goa tourism department and local saumstha –Deepavali Utsav Samiti, Vithalapur Sanquelim.
Tripoorari Poornima, which comes on the last day of first fortnight (Shukla paksha ) of Kartik month is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil by killing a effigy of demon Tripurasur who was killed by God Shiva according to the legend from Hindu pooranas. Thousands of Hindu devotees take dips in holy rivers at various places on the occasion of Kartik Purnima festival or the full moon day in the auspicious ‘Kartik’ month of the Hindu calendar.
The demon tripoor after Tapacharya for one lakh years at Holy thirth place ‘Prayag’ got the blessings of Lord Brahmadeva who gave him “Var” that deities, man, woman, devils and diseases would not be able to take away his life. After getting blessings from Brahmadeva, Tripoor became mighty and began troubling God, Godesses, from the trilokas. He had three Pure (Nagar).
The Gods and deities went to Lord Shiva and prayed for their survival from the mighty demon Tripoorasur who was later killed by Lord Shiva on the day of Kartik Poornima, which is celebrated with gaiety by performing Shiv poojan and lighting the traditional lamps.
It is a custom to take darshan of Kartik Swami, God Kartikeya also known as Kartinath and lit the ‘Tripoor Vati’ (lamps) at late evening in the temples and by Hindu people in their houses.
In Goa ‘Tripoorari Poornima’ is celebrated by performing pooja of the deities like Vithal, Krishna and other Godesses in their temples respectively by the devotees. The Deepa malas are lit to mark the happiness and gaiety on the occasion of killing demon Tripoorasur.
In Northen parts of the country, specially in Uttar Pradesh, the Tripoorari Poornima is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Skandh (Skundh Jayanti ). The people worship the idol of deity Skandh and lit lamps. While in southern India this day is celebrated as Kruttika Mahostsav. The devotees perform Shiv pooja, lit lamps and also perform ‘Agni Prajwalan’ (lit fire ) on high Stnambh.
The Tripoorari Poornima is also the concluding day of Tulsi marriage - Tulasi Vivah or Laggn. The Hindu people perform the Vivah of Tulasi plant which is planted in the Tulsi Vrundavan with Lord Krisna (Balkrushna). The Tulasi Vivah celebration is also known as ‘Vadli Diwali’ by the people in Goa state.
The Deepostsav begin in the wee hours of the Narak Chaturdashi after burning the effigies of demon Narkasur, the Deepavali festivities conclude on Tripoorari Poornima.
The Tripoorari Poornima is celebrated with variety of religious and cultural programmees at Vithalpur-Sanquelim. The Hindu festivals have adopted traditional-cum modern form of celebration to enrich its features. On this occasion, there will be a procession of Lord Shrikrushna at 7.00 pm on Wednesday November 12, followed by sailing of lamps in the Valvanti river to mark the deepostsav. At 8.00 pm musical vocal performance ‘Fite Andharache Jale’ by renowned vocal artiste Shridhar Phadke from Mumbai will be held.
At 11.00 pm the palanquin procession Vithal-Rakhumai idols will be held. The main feature of Trupoorari Poornima – killing of demon Tripoorasur is at 11.30 pm followed by released of ‘Saranga’ in the sky, marking the profound happiness due to victory of good over evil. At 12.00 am midnight, the most attractive part of the festival takes place, the sailing of different types of decorated boats in the Valvanti river water and boat competition followed by prize distribution ceremony.
In most of the temples in Goa, deepas of the high deepastnambh and deepamalas are lit to mark the celebration of Tripoorari Poornima in late evening hours of this poornima. Besides religious rituals like abhishek, pooja, aaarati, palanquin procession of the respective deity are also held as the part of this festival which is celebrated with gaiety, pomp and religious and traditional fervour.