Ermida do Senhor da Pedra at Aguda

Two train journeys from Aveiro and we were at Aguda. Delfim , our professor had invited us for lunch and what a beautiful lunch it was. His house right on the beach has a garden full of beautiful roses, lovely ramblers which smell delicious, nothing of those artificial insipid hybrids. These are the La France and Cardinal which grew in my grandmother’s garden.

A good lunch, a nap would have been just right but Prof. Delfim being an outdoors person decided a walk would do us good; we were to visit the Ermida do Senhor da Pedra which is commemorated in the Cantiga de São Simeão, a canto which dates back centuries and speaks of a damsel waiting for her lover, waits and waits and ultimately is drowned by the waves of the incoming tide…..

 
Sentada na ermida de São Simeão
Cercaram-me as ondas, que grandes são!
Eu atendendo o meu amigo!
Eu atendendo o meu amigo!

Não tenho barqueiro nem armador
Morrerei formosa no mar maior!
Eu atendendo o meu amigo!
Eu atendendo o meu amigo!

This long trek was on the shore, the sea rough, the wild wind blowing sand playfully, the sea crashes angrily on the rocks, and the rocks shelter the visitors. Parents sleep whilst little children play the age old game of building sand castles. The trek would have been rough had there not been board walks that stretch for miles, that really makes the trek easy and gave us plenty of time to admire the dune parks. That was something new for me, all manner of weeds and tiny plants allowed to live in peace, nobody tramples them. Somebody mentioned dune treks, lovely.

The small chapel, Ermida do Senhor da Pedra, is built on rocks centuries ago and many say it was built on  a Celtic site of worship. The Ermida is truly surrounded by a very angry sea and the damsels lament can be heard as the sea rises higher and higher.

Inside the chapel has a well decorated altar with a Christ crucified but why is the entire altar bathed in an eerie green light? I am still wondering

On the way back we took a road away from the shore, on the banks of a tiny rivulet, so clean, so fresh. Great care has been taken to train the river into tiny waterfalls, weeds growing and flowering plants completes the serene picture.

The Boardwalk allows a comfortable trek.
Courtesy. Claro Oliveira

Ermida do Senhor da Pedra; Courtesy Joao Paulo Coutinho

Capela do Sr. da Pedra courtesy Joaquim Oliveira

Festival of Lord Ganesha at Pune

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Ganesha or Ganapati is the most beloved of the Gods, particularly in Maharashtra and the Konkan. His arrival is awaited with great excitement and love.  Mandals or the places where He will installed for worship are lovingly created days in advance.

In Pune, if you would go down the Laxmi Road on the morning on the First day of the Festival, the excitement, the anticipation, and the love for Lord Ganapati is palpable. Families haggling over the price of the idol, little children all dressed up for the occasion, tiny shops full of the fruit and vegetables required for the canopy. You see above the place where the Lord Ganapati is to be placed a canopy of fruits, vegetables and herbs is erected. Ganapati after all comes after the heavy monsoons, when the earth is green and clean, full of fruits and vegetables. Lord Ganapati is taken ‘home’ with his eyes covered so that when he opens his eyes he will see the family members first and will bestow his blessings and his love on them

Although Ganapati is a festival for families, Lokmanya Tilak got the public involved so that Hindu customs and traditions could be honoured and respected, so Ganapati is also a community festival. Massive Ganapati idols are installed on practically every street corner. Mandals, the dais where the Lord rests, are theme based and take at least a month to build.

Pune has its own traditions. It has five Ganeshas - Ganapatis, which are the oldest and the most honoured. These massive idols have first preference during the Immersion or Visarjan. It is only after these five are immersed that the other Idols can be immersed.

First Ganpati of Honor in Pune. ‘Kasba Ganpati’
Established In 1893 Kasba Peth, Pune.
This Ganesha has the honour of being the first idol in entire Pune to be immersed before any other idol. This honour dates back to 1894.
An idol of Lord Ganapati was found near the house of Shri Vinayak Thakar, in its honour he then built a beautiful temple and this is the 'GramDaivat' of Pune Shri Kasba Ganpati. 

Second Ganpati of Honor in Pune. ‘Tambdi Jogeshwari’
Established In 1893, Budhwar Peth,Pune .
This Ganapati has historical significance as being one of the Ganapatis which Lokmanya Tilak started in connection with social uprising. This mandal completes more than a century. The idol of Lord Ganesa is unique in that Lord Ganesha resembles an African elephant and not an Indian one

Third Ganpati of Honor in Pune. ‘Guruji Talim;’
Established In 1887, Ganpati Chowk, Laxmi Road , Pune
This mandal can be considered to be the oldest in Pune, and has celebrated its centenary. It was established in 1887 even before Lokmanya Tilak started this festival. It was established as a symbol of Hindu Muslim unity.

Fourth Ganpati of Honor in Pune. ‘Tulsibaug’
Established In 1901, Tulshi Baug Ram Mandir, Pune..
This is the oldest and famous Ganesh mandal in Pune, and is known for the size of its Ganesh idol. This is the first mandal to have a fibre glass idol of Ganapati. Every year a new 15 feet high idol is created by Mr.D.S.Khataokar.

               Fifth Ganpati of Honor in Pune. ‘Kesariwada’

               Established In 1893 Narayanpeth Tilakwada, Pune.

               Lokmanya Tilak established this idol in the year 1893. This mandal is known for taking up

               social and cultural trends of society. During the festival shows of renowned artists,

              speeches of great personalities as well as  various activities and competitions for children

              and women are organised

        Although not one of the Ganapatis of Honour, the Ganapati of the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik  Ganpati Trust, is a great favourite as well as the grandest of the Ganapati Mandals in Pune. It was established in the year 1893 and has completed a century.

Surely you do not expect Lord Ganapati to be brought to his temporary residence on a beautiful Mandal with no fanfare. Oh no! We followed his journey on Jangli Maharaj Road, Pune. Lord Ganapati installed on a trailer very beautifully decorated with marigolds proceeded slowly down the road. In front of the truck was a company of professional drummers, the beat given by the small drums was taken by the huge drums, this was relayed to the massive cymbals wheeled on their stands, heading the procession dancers in white and saffron did an intricate dance with a huge steel pole. The most amazing part was that the drummers as well as the dancers had a great many slim girls. How did those girls swing those massive drums was amazing. Maybe the kind eyed Ganapati smiled their way. He must have. 

Ganapati of the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik  Ganpati Trust

 Inputs: http://www.binscorner.com

The Drummers accompanying Lord Ganapati to his temporary abode. The girls look amazing