Goa Tourism will celebrate a unique traditional Tripurari Poornima festival with Boat Show at Vithalapur Sankhali on 7th November 2022. Join us for the festivities. Goa Tourism Development Corporation has organized Special Tour for Tripurari Poornima on 7th November 2022 for tourists and local Goans. Plan your trip to Goa to witness Tripurari Poornima and the traditional Boat Show.

The festival of Tripurari Poornima itself is part of legend. It is said that Lord Shiva burnt down three fortresses (Puras) of demon Tripurasur, and set free the Gods and humans held captive. The Gods celebrated this event by lighting lamps. This festival is also called ‘Dev Diwali’

At vithalapur in Sankhali, there is a tradition of celebrating ‘Deeparadhana’ (lamp of fire worship) on this day. The Vithal Temple is illuminated with lamps and a Palanquin procession of Lord Vithala winds its way to the river Valvanti. After Deeparadhana, lamps are set adrift in the currents, resulting in a sublimely beautiful sight. Earlier the festival was celebrated very humbly by floating earthen lamps placed in ‘Dronas’ cups fashioned out of thick dried leaves. As times changed, and even the tiniest of villages in Goa bore the fruits of electrification, the spirit of enterprise took over the festival. The old fashioned ‘Dronas’ as a floating device for the lamps were replaced by more modern and artistic devices. People started making boats of cardboard and thermacol and in recent times of eco friendly material and illuminating them with modern electric equipments. Today this has culminated into a state level competition for the most artistic and technically superior boats. It is a matter of pride for Goans, especially from Sankhali, to take part in this boat competition.

Tradition makes way for modernity quite regularly in India, but the old ways are never abandoned. The traditional ‘Diya in a Drona’ is still given pride of place in the scheme of events. The diyas or deepas have the privilege of taking to the water first, before the boats set sail. This is followed by a series of cultural programmes and dance-drama, including an enactment of Lord Shiva’s victory over demon Tripurasur. A fantastic display of fireworks adds to the celebration as it goes well onto the moon night. And not just for winners of the boat competition, but for all humanity. We once again remind ourselves of the victory of good over evil.