Rajendra P. Kerkar
Betki, a village of Ponda situated on the green hilllock has one of the biggest man-made lake of Goa that remembers about the human sacrifice of sister-brother committed during the hoary past.
Betki is situated amidst a valley that has been drained by numerous springs, collectively enriches lakes once providing irrigation water for the agricultural and horticultural fields of the area. Mandodariche tolle is one of the biggest lakes of Goa that was helping to recharge ground water table of near by four villages as it has been created in the upper most region of Betki. This traditional water harvesting system by gravity survive to this day and continues to be the main source of irrigation water.
The great epic Ramayana mentions Mandodari as the wife of the king Ravona of Sri Lanka. However, this Mandodariche has no connection with Betki village and it's sacred tank. Mandodari worshipping in Betki is a local folk deity. In order to get perennial supply of irrigation water for the agricultural and horticultural fields, the villages collectively had dug the huge tank and by raising mud embankment made attempts to store water. However, all the attempts went into vain to put the embankment. That is why a son and a daughter of a poor widow living in the vicinity of the lake were sacrificed. A widow when realised about the conspiracy, she had cursed that for twenty four years no rice will be cooked in Betki.
Except very few dalit and carpenter families, there was no settlement in the village. During the sixteenth century Fadte Gaonkar who had migrated from Verna of Salcett to avoid the religious persecution, came in Betki and were fascinated to see the natural beauty of the area. With the help of Dalit and carpenter families search was carried for the widow and she was found in a near by village, the members of Fadte Gaonkar convinced her to minimise the intensity of curse and accordingly, she told them that no rice will be cooked for 24 hours. Afterward, they all returned back to Betki and religious shrines in the memories of Mandodari and her brother Narbando were built near to percolation tank. The outlet from the tank is kept open during the monsoonal rain and closed at the fag end. This enables water to be collected over an area of about five hectares. Water of this lake charges the spring below and enable villages to cultivate agriculture as well as horticultural fields.
In Betki village the role played by the sacred tank dedicated to the deity Mandodari is immense and there is a saying 'Shil savai, Betki aavai' which mean Betki is the mother of this tank whereas Savoi is the body.
Near to the embankment of this reservoir there is a shrine dedicated to Mandodari. Every year on the day of Mahashivratri the Palkhi procession come here and the idol of the festive occasion is worshipped there. This traditional once was succeeded in creating feelings of sacredness and respect for the immediate environment so that the water course was well maintained.
However, due to negligence the Mandodariche tolle have fallen into disrepair. A lot of silt has accumulated and resulted in decaying this rich water reservoir. Today, continuous neglect and apathy of the locals have erased wisdom of our ancestors and ruin our ecology, allowing this tradition to die by disuse.
Betki, a village of Ponda situated on the green hilllock has one of the biggest man-made lake of Goa that remembers about the human sacrifice of sister-brother committed during the hoary past.
Betki is situated amidst a valley that has been drained by numerous springs, collectively enriches lakes once providing irrigation water for the agricultural and horticultural fields of the area. Mandodariche tolle is one of the biggest lakes of Goa that was helping to recharge ground water table of near by four villages as it has been created in the upper most region of Betki. This traditional water harvesting system by gravity survive to this day and continues to be the main source of irrigation water.
The great epic Ramayana mentions Mandodari as the wife of the king Ravona of Sri Lanka. However, this Mandodariche has no connection with Betki village and it's sacred tank. Mandodari worshipping in Betki is a local folk deity. In order to get perennial supply of irrigation water for the agricultural and horticultural fields, the villages collectively had dug the huge tank and by raising mud embankment made attempts to store water. However, all the attempts went into vain to put the embankment. That is why a son and a daughter of a poor widow living in the vicinity of the lake were sacrificed. A widow when realised about the conspiracy, she had cursed that for twenty four years no rice will be cooked in Betki.
Except very few dalit and carpenter families, there was no settlement in the village. During the sixteenth century Fadte Gaonkar who had migrated from Verna of Salcett to avoid the religious persecution, came in Betki and were fascinated to see the natural beauty of the area. With the help of Dalit and carpenter families search was carried for the widow and she was found in a near by village, the members of Fadte Gaonkar convinced her to minimise the intensity of curse and accordingly, she told them that no rice will be cooked for 24 hours. Afterward, they all returned back to Betki and religious shrines in the memories of Mandodari and her brother Narbando were built near to percolation tank. The outlet from the tank is kept open during the monsoonal rain and closed at the fag end. This enables water to be collected over an area of about five hectares. Water of this lake charges the spring below and enable villages to cultivate agriculture as well as horticultural fields.
In Betki village the role played by the sacred tank dedicated to the deity Mandodari is immense and there is a saying 'Shil savai, Betki aavai' which mean Betki is the mother of this tank whereas Savoi is the body.
Near to the embankment of this reservoir there is a shrine dedicated to Mandodari. Every year on the day of Mahashivratri the Palkhi procession come here and the idol of the festive occasion is worshipped there. This traditional once was succeeded in creating feelings of sacredness and respect for the immediate environment so that the water course was well maintained.
However, due to negligence the Mandodariche tolle have fallen into disrepair. A lot of silt has accumulated and resulted in decaying this rich water reservoir. Today, continuous neglect and apathy of the locals have erased wisdom of our ancestors and ruin our ecology, allowing this tradition to die by disuse.
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