Vasco’s Damodar Saptah, starting this week, is one of Goa’s biggest devotional fairs. The week-long event gives business to scores of vendors and generates income for the local economy, writes Ruvina Khan
This year Vasco will be celebrating the 126th year of the Lord Damodar Saptah, starting from July 30. From humble beginnings way back in 1898, to becoming one of Goa’s biggest fair, the Saptah is popular.
The fame and religious significance of the week-long festival is growing each year. Visitors from across Goa and from neighbouring states make their annual visit to Vasco, to participate in the religious celebrations and enjoy the fair which is an integral part of the saptah.
Increasing visitors to the fair has created tremendous seven days of business opportunities to hundreds of vendors who are flock to the port city. The saptah committee expects that, on the first two days of the fair when the religious ceremonies take place nearly 50 thousand devotees will visit the temple alone. Besides thousands of shoppers are expected to throng the Swatantra Path, Marg, which is the main venue of the fair.
Popular lore dates the saptah to the year 1898, when the shreefal was brought from Zambaulim and kept at the Joshi family house which is in the heart of the city. The ritual was repeated every year to thank the deity who helped Vasco recover from the adversity of plague.
Initially the fair began with traditional khajekars and chanekars sitting outside the temple to sell their sweets to the devotees who visited the place. Vendors selling flowers, coconuts and other puja material also sat along the temple road. Slowly, local shopkeepers mostly selling utensils and other household materials followed.
Today, the commercial activity has progressed so much that both major roads- St. Joseph Vaz road and Swatantra Path are flooded with different kinds of stalls, officially making the authorities close the roads for traffic. The entire traffic of Vasco is pushed on the FL Gomes road, creating lot of traffic congestion and chaos. However, people from every community wholeheartedly enjoy and co-operate during the week.
The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) is responsible for running the seven- day fair with the help of the Police, Traffic Police, health department, the Fire Station, as well as private companies which contribute in the form of CSR. While the Shree Damodar Bhajani Saptah Committee looks after the rituals in the temple.
Revenue from the saptah to the MMC is increasing every year. In 2023, the corporation collected Rs 98 lakh revenue, which was almost the double the income of the previous year, explains MMC, chief officer Depeesh Priolkar.
He says that, previous the revenue collection was in the range of Rs 45-50 lakh annually, after which the income trend changed as the fair became popular. In 2024, MMC set a record by collecting Rs 1.10 crore, revenue. It was first of its kind collection in Goa for a fair. This year, the MMC intends to break its own record.
MMC chairperson, Girish Borkar says, “The number of vendors asking for licences is increasing annually. There is not a year when the numbers have gone down for the saptah. So far this year we have issued trade licenses to nearly 700 vendors and expect it to easily cross 1,000 licenses.”
The saptah is a revenue generator to the state, but Arvind Naik, who has a stall every year, says that, only 25 per cent of vendors are actually Goans. The percentage could be even less. “More than 75 per cent of the stalls are run by non- Goans. There are many non-local vendors who dominate every fair in the state. They come together to participate in the saptah happening here and bring their workers too from native villages. Some shop keepers from Vasco put up stalls in the fair or sell by the roadside,” says Naik.
The stalls sell every household item except for electronics. Chaitanya Gandal, a resident of Vasco who is getting married in October, says, “Saptah is a big event for the people of Mormugao taluka. Last year my friend got married and did all her shopping for household items from here. This year I will be doing the same. From bed sheets, to utensils and clothes to purses you get all variety here. The vendors are also known to us, as they come annually and have their fixed spots.”
The maximum stalls are of clothes and fast food. Hotels in Vasco also get jam-packed and do good business during the fair. The vendors book nearby lodges and hotels in advance for themselves and their workers during the fair.
