Flower Sellers at the Ramnathi Temple, Goa

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Flower Sellers at the Ramnathi Temple, Goa

May 19, 2004 by Arun Shanbhag

Flower seller at Ramnathi Temple, Goa

In March, I posted a photo essay on the Flower Sellers at the Dadar Flower Market. These beautiful people, with little material belongings, seemed so content with their lives. That left a lasting impression.

When I visited Goa, there too I was touched by the flower sellers. We had camped at the Ramnathi Temple, Ponda. After the main puja and aarti, the temple is closed and my family settled in for a nap. I picked up my camera and snuck out. The temple surroundings were nearly deserted but for a few flower women spread out along the corridors. During this lull in the day, they were preparing for the evening rush of devotees and weaving exquisite gajras and fragrant streamers. In this pic, one is using a plant fiber vaayu to weave the gajra. As with their colleagues in Mumbai, these flower sellers have so little to call their own, yet seemed to lead so content lives. Smiling ever at all passersby. The next time you are outside a temple, pause and buy a few flowers. You will make a bigger difference than giving to any charity. Enjoy these few images.

Flower seller at Ramnathi Temple, Goa

See Other Flower Sellers:

Posted in Flowers, Goa, Temples | Tagged Devasthan, Flower sellers, Flowers, Goa, Hindu Temple, Temples, women business | 12 Comments

12 Responses

on September 21, 2008 at 7:53 pm | Reply Ramnathi Devasthan, A Konkani Temple « Arun Shanbhag

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on March 28, 2009 at 10:41 pm | Reply Mahalakshmi Temple, Goa « Arun Shanbhag

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on June 2, 2009 at 8:53 pm | Reply Mahalakshmi Temple, Goa « Konkani Kesari

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on November 2, 2009 at 4:20 pm | Reply Flower Sellers at Dadar « Arun Shanbhag

[...] Flower Sellers at the Ramnathi Temple, Goa [...]
on November 3, 2009 at 7:59 pm | Reply Maya

Wonderful post! Goans are known for their warmth and it shows on the faces of these ladies, content with whatever they have !
- on November 3, 2009 at 8:38 pm | Reply Arun Shanbhag
  
  I always have the best time in Goa! it is so refreshing visitiing the temples. The people all over Goa are so amazing, particularly the poor.
  
  And I love the flower sellers!
  Thank you!
on January 24, 2010 at 7:49 am | Reply Mandar Keny

Hi Arun
Fantastic website … I was touched by the endeavor you have taken to painstakingly maintain it.
I am also a GSB with God Ramnath being my Kul Devta .. the information on the website enlightened me.
Keep the good work going.
regds
Mandar Keny
- on January 24, 2010 at 10:02 am | Reply Arun Shanbhag
  
  Mandar:
  Thank you for your kind words and glad to know another Ramnath Kulavi! Namaskar!
  
  And every time I visit Goa or any of our temples or see our people serving the community, I am so touched by joy, that I try to immortalize it through this site. Many thanks for visiting.
  
  Dev Barae Karo!
  Arun