
Divine bond: Two sisters bring two faiths together
Panaji:
The jatra in Shirgao in honour of the goddess Lairai brings together two faiths — Hindus and Catholics — as the goddess is said to be one of the six sisters of
Our Lady of Miracles
of Mapusa. Both feasts are celebrated within a couple of days of each other. Very rarely — just three times in over 50 years — has the feast and jatra been celebrated on the same day.
'Our Lady of Miracles (Milagres Saibinn) was one of the seven sisters who was converted by the Portuguese to the Catholic faith. She is called
Mirabai
,' writes the
Jesuit priest
Father Apolinario Cardozo in the book, 'When Goa Celebrates'.
The two sisters are also believed to visit each other on the day of their respective festivals.
'There is the tradition of gifts sent by the sisters to each other. While Lairai sends one 'couso' (pot) of oil, Milagres sends one basketful of flowers. These gifts are sent on the day of the feast and the jatra, respectively,' writes Maria de Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues in her book, 'Feasts, Festivals and Observances of Goa'.
On Monday, the feast day of Our Lady of Miracles, both Catholics and Hindus offer candles, oil, money, and even miniature body parts made of wax, in exchange for favours granted.
At the
Shirgao jatra
, it is not uncommon to see Catholics pay their respects.
'The (Our Lady of) Milagres (Miracles) feast is celebrated on the third Monday after Easter,' Vasudev Joshi, priest of the Shirgao temple, told
TOI
on Saturday. 'We believe she is Mirabai, sister of goddess Lairai. Some 60 years ago, we used to send flowers and oil from here to Milagres. It is believed that the feast should always be on a Monday and should not clash with the Shirgao jatra.'
He said that it is believed that once, the jatra and feast happened on the same day, and a bench in the church caught fire. 'However, over the past 60-65 years, since I know of it, no exchange has taken place between the temple and Milagres. Though we believe they are sisters, the younger priests do not believe in it,' he said.
A temple dedicated to Mirabai was located at Mayem, until the Portuguese, during the later part of their reign, captured the areas further north. Mirabai's temple is believed to have been destroyed in the process, but she took on the form of Our Lady of Miracles for devotees.
Mirabai's six sisters, who were worshipped in different temples, are believed to have been Lairai at Shirgao, Mhamai at Mayem, Kelbai at Mulgao, Monai at Morjim, Mahalasa at Mardol and Adiadipa at Anjediva. Khetko is their only brother.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Devotees throng Lord Hanuman temples in Sangam city on last Bada Mangal
Prayagraj: On the occasion of fifth and last Bada Mandal, thousands of devotees on Tuesday offered special prayers to Lord Hanuman at city-based Lord Hanuman temples, including the Sangam-situated Lete Hanuman Temple and Rajapur Hanuman Temple, seeking deity's blessings. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Locals also took a holy dip in the Sangam and organised Bhandara on this pious day. Devotees started flocking to city-based Lord Hanuman temples, particularly the Sangam-located Lord Hanuman Temple, also known as Lete Hanuman Temple, Rajapur Hanuman Temple, and Civil Lines Hanuman Temple, early on Tuesday, and the flow of devotees continued until late evening. The idol of Lord Hanuman was decorated with flowers on the occasion. Noted religious scholar Dr Amitabh Gour told TOI that Bada Mangal, or Budhwa Mangal, are the five most powerful Tuesdays that fall in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha. He added, "June 10 was the fifth and last Bada Mangal (Tuesday). All these five Tuesdays are extremely auspicious, strong, positive, and have energy that devotees of Lord Hanuman can harness." On the last Bada Mangal, the strength of devotees increased at temples, and they were spotted chanting Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarkand path. Some of them organised Bhandara (community feast) and engaged in donation and charity. Priests also claimed that Bada Mandal day was considered auspicious for worshipping Lord Hanuman, who is believed to bring peace, joy, and prosperity. On the occasion of Purnima on Tuesday itself, scores of devotees first took a holy dip in the Sangam and performed puja at Lord Hanuman temples. Meanwhile, cops maintained strict surveillance at all prominent city temples and regulated the flow of the crowd.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Nurdle spill from sunken ship hits Dhanushkodi flamingo sanctuary
Ramanathapuram: The plastic nurdle spill from the sunken container ship MSC ELSA 3 has now reached the newly declared Dhanushkodi greater flamingo sanctuary. This has triggered alarm among conservationists and local authorities over the threat posed to sensitive coastal ecosystems. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Liberian-flagged cargo vessel sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago, spilling large quantities of plastic pellets (nurdles) that travelled across the Arabian Sea and into the Bay of Bengal. Initial traces were spotted along Kanyakumari's coast late last month. Now, about 80 bags — estimated to weigh around two tonnes — have washed up at key locations in Ramanathapuram district, including Dhanushkodi's old church ruins, Irattaithalai, and Mugandharayan chathiram. Speaking to TOI, district collector Simrajeet Singh confirmed the launch of a full-scale beach clean-up operation and said, "The recovered bags are being secured and kept at a safe place. Other beach clean-up activity is ongoing as per the SOP issued by the govt. Sanitary workers from Rameswaram and nearby local bodies are engaged, along with Aapda Mithras, and an all-out effort to clean the coast is underway. The impact on the ecosystem — both short-term and long-term — is also being studied by an expert agency engaged by the govt. " Forest officials and environmental teams are on high alert as the sanctuary lies within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. It is home to 128 species of birds, including greater and lesser flamingos, and supports a variety of marine life such as sea turtles, molluscs, crustaceans, and fish. The region's fragile sand dunes, salt marshes, and seagrass beds also lie along the Central Asian Flyway, used by thousands of migratory birds annually.


Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Goan feni is GI-tagged: A milestone for this homegrown spirit
Goa has achieved a milestone moment as Ozzo Feni, produced by Cazcar Distillery in Nanora village near Panaji, has become the first-ever feni to receive a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in India. This means that feni is now recognised for its unique preparation in a specific geographical location (Goa, in this case) and protects it from other imitations and increases its marketability factors both domestically and internationally. Feni is a traditional Indian spirit, well-known in Goa, made from the fermentation and double distillation of either cashew apples or coconut sap. It's a strong, clear liquor with a unique flavour profile and a history spanning centuries. Feni was introduced to India by the Portuguese missionaries in the 1600s when they came to trade. They brought with them cashew plant trees and also the method of distillation, which was then passed on to the locals. The people who made feni were called bhatikars, who used earthen pots or bhatis under a fire. Today, copper pots under the coil method are used to make Feni. The juice is fermented naturally for 72 hours, and then distilled twice. Receiving the GI tag means that feni is now recognised globally and placed at a status comparable to Scotch in Scotland or Champagne in France. The brand, which makes it strictly adheres to all the regulations of GI certification, sources the cashew apples from Goa, and all utensils used are stainless steel, copper or glass. The condensation of feni takes place in earthen mud clays called launi. Darjeeling tea was the first product in India to get a GI tag in 2004 and is known for its special aroma and light taste. Alphonso mangoes from Maharashtra, famous for their sweet and rich flavour, were awarded the GI tag in 2018. Bikaneri Bhujia, a crispy and spicy snack from Bikaner, Rajasthan, received its GI tag in 2008. Other GI-tagged foods include Kashmiri saffron, prized for its deep colour and strong aroma, which was granted the GI tag in 2020. Manipuri black rice, known for its rich nutrients and beautiful purple colour, earned its GI status in 2020.