Family of 500 meets annually on Ganesh Chaturthi

BACK TO THE ROOTS: Family members say they are only following tradition laid down by their forefathers.

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Keywords: Family, Goa

Panaji: The Raikar family in Ponda taluka of Goa comes together only once a year.

The family, which includes almost 500 people, gathers during Ganesh Chaturthi.

“It's been about 300 to 350 years since this is being done,” says a senior family member, Motiram Raikar.

The festival is celebrated for five days and even the ninth generation of the family is present for the celebrations.

“We are just following tradition laid down by our forefathers. We are not doing anything new. The tradition will be followed forever,” says Secretary, Organising Committee, Somnath Raikar.

The family members who are spread in places like USA, England, Qatar, Gulf, and Pakistan make it a point to return to Goa on this day at least. And for all of them it’s all about praying together before their favourite deity and taking forward the tradition, which has been established for generations now.

And they all strongly believe that a family, which prays together, also stays together.