Among the unique and lesser known festivals of Goa, Sheni Uzzo is one of the most exciting ritual with fire in South Goa. Every year, on the first full moon night after Shigmo, the village of Molcornem in Quepem, Goa, hosts a unique and ancient ritual called Sheni Uzzo. This ceremony serves as a tribute to the founding fathers and beliefs of the village, as well as a celebration of the spring harvest festival.

Despite living in a fast-changing modern world, the villagers of Molcornem take pride in utilizing the gifts of nature for their traditional ritual. During Sheni Uzo, they use dry cow dung cakes, known as sheni and leaves to create sparks called uzzo by striking them against each other. Villagers dance around the fire created by these sparks, while bare-chested men carry areca nut tree trunks from selected plantations near the Mallikarjun temple.

The men who undergo a strict vegetarian diet prior to the event gather in three rows to form a passage for the villagers to walk through. They do this inside the Sheni Uzzo tunnel. Afterward, these same men climb tree trunks while carrying the sheni on their backs, enduring the sparks with pride. According to the villagers, they train these men from a young age and consider this ritual a matter of honor and great pride.

A Matter of Pride for the Villagers to Participate in Sheni Uzzo

Every year, select families provide the areca nut tree trunks from their plantations for the ceremony. Carrying them around the temple is a significant aspect of the event. As the trunks are thrown into the air and caught, a distinct drumbeat specific to their village customs accompanies the spectacle.

During the ceremony, some men carry a single trunk while others carry two, completing an average of three rounds. The event commences with the creation of sparks at all the shrines in the village starting with Zalmi’s shrine. Zalmi’s shrine is considered the village’s founding father.

What adds to the mesmerizing quality of the event is the contrast of the sparks against the darkness, as the ritual takes place in an unlit area.

As part of the ritual, a person climbs a Madi (palm tree), while others throw burning coal at them as they attempt to descend. This act is believed to purify negative energy within them, as the coal doesn’t harm their skin but burns away negative energy within. Sheni Uzo illuminates a corner of Goa every year, showcasing the timeless tradition and rich culture of the village of Molcornem.

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