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The ‘Rakhandars’ are walking from village to village
Developing
In Short: Since June, a group known as the Rakhandars has been walking from village to village in Konkan as part of the Rakhandar Yatra, addressing local environmental and social concerns.
The yatra began at the Mauli temple in Kankumbi village on the Goa-Karnataka border. In each village, the group starts at the local temple, symbolizing the protective spirit of Vetal, who is seen as a guardian against threats to the community.
Satyajit Chavan, coordinator of the yatra, highlighted the villages in Dodamarg and Banda, which face threats from mining and unplanned development.
The Rakhandars spend four to five days every month traveling through villages in one area, raising awareness and discussing issues with residents, farmers, and fishing communities.
In July, after covering villages along the Goa-Karnataka border, the yatra expanded into Maharashtra.
What's still developing
- Since June, they have been walking from village to village as part of the Rakhandar Yatra, meeting residents, farmers and fishing communities and discussing local environmental and social concerns.
- “Vetal is a protector, who is always alert with open eyes, ready to shield the deities and resemble human behaviour. When the village is in danger, Vetal awakens. We felt it was the apt symbolism in today’s time as whenever the villages in Konkan are threatened with forced developmental projects, the locals rise,” Indulkar said.