-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM, MARCH 16: After a gap of almost 16 years, villagers of Narve-Bicholim will perform a rare homage to Goddess Toko Dev or Wadlo Dev, as it is popularly known, on March 15. Toko Dev, which has been kept at some secret place in Shree Devi Kankeshwari Shantadurga Panchayanat Devasthan for the last 16 years, will be brought out for a procession in the village on March 15. The legend has it that hundreds of years ago, a person while plucking coconuts saw a bright shining idol of a goddess on the tree near the river at Narve. The idol, which was entirely of gold, was brought down and after taking it to the village gave it to a goldsmith. The goldsmith tried to take out some gold from the idol and to do this he sought the help of a carpenter from the village. A curse is believed to have fallen on them and family members of the goldsmith and carpenter began to die unexpectedly. A few panic-stricken family members who survived the curse fled from Goa and settled in other parts of India. The Toko Dev idol was later placed in the temple. “This is indeed a unique event, as in most of the other temples the procession of goddess is held every year, but here it is held after about 16 years,” Pandurang Prabhu Narvekar, an elderly person from the village, told Herald. During the event, flowers and other items to decorate Toko Dev are brought from the four surrounding temples, including Saptakoteshwar Devasthan, Piso Ravalnath Devasthan, Ram Devasthan and Chavdeshwar Devasthan. After this, Toko Dev is brought out from its hiding place and decorated. The procession which starts from the temple goes to the Saptakoteshwar Temple and later is taken to the nearby river, where it is believed the goddess was originally found. From here, the goddess is brought back to the temple. “It is a grand event and during the procession, it is believed that the person who carries the idol of the god virtually floats as he runs at a very fast speed,” said Anuradha Krishnanath Narvekar. “Villagers stand on both sides of the road with water in their hands and sprinkle it on the idol as a mark of respect,” added Narvekar. “Villagers donate generously to this god, as it is believed that if you give anything it gets doubled the next year. The villagers have also collected huge money for the fireworks and other items during this festival,” said Narvekar. “This year, we are witnessing the event after 16 long years and preparations are in full swing,” he said. “Since the time I got married in this village, I have seen the event only once and this is the second opportunity that I’ve got to witness this rare festival,” she claimed. “We have never seen the entire idol, neither those who know tell us where exactly it is kept in the temple for so many years,” said Narvekar. It is believed that goldsmiths and carpenters never stay in the village with the fear of their death as the curse of the god on the community is still present. “Just some years ago, two carpenters stayed overnight in the village but died. Such as the concern among villagers, that even their tools were later dumped near the Mashnadevi temple,” she added.
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