Laxmi Ravalnath Temple Marcel

The Shree Shantadurga Kumbharjuenkarn’s palki travels around Cumbarjua for 15 days. The devi ‘resides’ in her former village for 15 days annually. This Utsav is held at Gudi Padva. Three Nataks are also staged on the occasion, and at times an orchestra is also invited to perform. When it goes back to Marcel on the last day a Gulal Utsav is held outside the temple in Marcel.

There was no Hindu crematorium on this island, as cremation was banned within Portuguese terrritories. Hence, they were forced to take the bodies across by canoe to the next empire in Marcel. Except people belonging to the Gawda and the Madval communities, all the rest are still cremated at Marcel.

The main Deities Devakikrishna and affiliate deities of Bhumika Devi, Laxmi Ravalnath, Mallinath, Katyayani, Chodaneshwar and Dhada Shankar were originally located at Choodamani island (Chorao island of today).