MAHAJANS
In Goa, temples of different Hindu religious denominations have autonomy to manage their own affairs with respect to their temples. Each temple has its own internal rules and regulations. Most of the Hindu temples in Goa are run by the patrons of the temple called the Mahajans. The Mahajans of a temple are restricted to certain families belonging to particular gotras. Gotra refers to a group of families, or a lineage - exogamous and patrilineal - whose members trace their descent to a common ancestor, usually a sage of ancient times.
The Mahajans refer to the founding families of the temple. Although the descendants of the founding members of these temples in Goa may be spread far and wide, they still make up the general body of the Mahajans of their respective ‘Kuladevata’ temples.Preference is given to the members of any Mahajan family, whose ancestors owned and managed the temple.Only those belonging to Mahajana families can enter the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and perform pujas personally.
The Mahajans look after all the temple chores. They are in charge of event management and administration of the finances of the temple. Temple management staff typically announce the hours of operation, including timings for special pujas etc.
The Prabhu Desai, BhatDev, Prabhu and RevankarDaivajna Brahmin are the Mahajans of the Shri Vimleshwara Devasthan. All theseMahajans have equal rights in the management of the temple affairs. The BhatDevare from the Rivona grama(village) and have the honorary position of being the Abhishek priest for the temple.
Daily Procedures
The daily rituals in the Shri Vimleshwara Devasthan start every morning between 6:00 to 7:00 am with the traditional “Naubat”. Naubat refers to the ritual, where the temple drummer sits and beats the drumsin the temple to the music of religious hymns and the tolling of the temple bell. The temple premises are then cleaned .This is followed by the NirmalyaVisarjan; the pooja wherein the flowers offered to Lord Vimleshwara on the previous day are brought down before starting the next day’s pooja.
TheAbhishek (holy bath given to Lord), Pooja, Naivadya, and Aarti are all performed by noon. Aarti is performed again in the evening.
The Mahajans of the Shri Shantadurga temple in Columb, belong to the Kaushikgotra.
Kaul Prasad
An ancient practice of “KaulPrasad” or consultation of the oracle is highly regarded in many Goan temples.This powerful form of divination provides a means of communication between the devotee and the Lord. Through this process, the devotee is able to consult with God and seek God’s blessings or guidance. People seek God’s permission (Kaul) and guidance on many matters – marriage proposals, business matters, troubled relationships, job offers and so on.
Kaulprasad is practiced by the priests in the Shri Vimleshwara Devasthan. The Prasad moorti in the temple is an eight sided, panchadhaatuShivalinga. Prasad Kaul is taken by applying tumba flowers at specific spots on the prasadShivalinga.Every place on the Prasad Shivalinga has its own meaning and accordingly the Prasad Kaul is interpreted.
The ritual is normally performed after paying obeisance to the Prasad Moorti.The priest performs the prayers and poses the question or makes a wish on behalf of the devotee. The priest interprets the decision of the deity on the basis of what happens to the petals stuck on the shivalinga and the order in which they fall. A knowledgeable priest can infer a lot from the dropping of the flowers.
Not only Hindus but Christians also come to the temple for Prasad Kaul which is regarded as God's Word.
Agrashala
It's a pilgrimage resthouse specially meant for devotees. The Vimleshwar Devasthanhas a sprawlingAgrashala. It serves the purpose of a convention hall and is used for the purpose of performing big poojas, havans, wedding, bhajan-kirtan, drama performances and other religious ceremonies.
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