Gadyachi Jatra Festival In Goa Is Devoted To Demons & Ghosts

In parts of Goa, villagers get together and celebrate the festivity called Gadyachi Jatra (rally of the gade) as part of the Shigmo Festival that expresses gratitude to the demons and spirits that protect the land. Gade is a white dhoti that men from villages of Sal, Borde-Bicholim, Pilgao, Kudne, Savai-Verem villages adorn while performing the rituals. Gade are referred to the men who don the dhotis, who are considered to be the mediums who are possessed by the spirit of the deity. It is only these mediums that can participate in this unique festival.

The demon that is worshipped is Devanchaar who has no evil connotation for the villagers. Popular Gadyachi Jatra is performed in the Sal village that attracts visitors from the neighbouring villages in Goa, Maharashtra & Karnataka.

On Holi Poornima, full moon night, the trunk of a mango tree is erected as Holi right in front of the Mahadev Temple that is located in Sal. Then the place where the trunk is erected is known as Mand. Lord Shiva aka Mahadev is known to be the God of the demons and spirits according to Hindu mythology.

After the erection, at midnight  the villagers gather around to invoke the spirits with the chants and songs called Gharanes. As soon as this starts, the gades (men as mediums) enter a state of trance. They are now able to see Uzzvde, a light/fire that is shown to them by demon Devnachaar. There is a game of hide & seek played between the gade and Devanchaar. The spectators also see the light or fires in the forests.

The gades enter the forest and then return with Karyoo (mud pots). But not all of them return. Devanchaar hides some Gade in the forests. When the headcount is done and the missing gade are identified, they are looked for by the remaining gade. The missing gade are also shown by Devanchaar by starting a fire in parts of the forests. The gade that are held by Devanchaar, when found, are found lying stiff. They are carried back to the mand and are revived. This festivity is held for three nights.

At the end of the third night, gade who are still in the trance go to the nearby cemetery and bring back bones, logs, or objects, and rituals are performed around the mand. It is after three days that the gade come to their conscious state and when they do, they have no memory of the last three nights.

During the festival, all the gade should be brought back before the third night gets over. If any gado is left behind in the forest and not brought back at Holi before dawn, then that gado is considered dead.

The mysterious festival cannot be documented or witnessed by people if they are hiding in the forests. No photos or videos can be taken of the festivities. There are many in the past who have attempted but have gotten nothing.

The festival is celebrated in the grandest form in Sal Village in Bicholim, North Goa during phalgun month in February or March each year. It is also celebrated at the Betal temple in Poinguinim village, South Goa. Here, the celebrations differ a bit and gade are suspended by hooks on a rotating wheel. The festival here is celebrated every three years once in April.

The locals celebrate this festival and invoke the blessings of the deities who protect their villages. Earlier 64 gade used to participate at the Sal village festivity, now only 52 do.