Mulgao Kelbai Peth festival to be held on March 23

Key facts

• The Peth festival of goddess Kelbai from Mulgao village, Bicholim, will be held at midnight on March 23.
• Goddess Kelbai travels once a year on Chaitra Shuddha Panchami to Gaonkarwada Mayem to meet her sister from the Maya Kelbai Panchayatan Devasthan.
• The goddess is carried in a peth, a wooden rectangular box made of cane, decorated with aboli flowers.
• The peth is carried on the head by a man called Mode who remains in a trance until reaching Mayem.
• Hundreds of Dhond devotees and the Chowgule community accompany the goddess during the journey.
• After a three-day stay in Mayem village, the goddess returns to her temple in Mulgao via the forest route.
• The traditional route for Peth runs from the forests of Mulgao to Mayem via Vhalshim, Bordem, Bhailipeth, Sonar Peth, and Pazwada.
• Devotees offer aboli flowers to the goddess on a coconut and seek her blessings in the form of kaul during the journey.