Divale Koliwada brings Shri Bahirinath ashore for its Diwali sea procession

Hundreds of fishing boats converged off Divale Koliwada during Diwali as the community brought Shri Bahirinath, its village deity, ashore from the sea.

The annual ritual is believed to be about 250 years old. Local tradition holds that Bahirinath remains in the deep sea for 362 days each year, returning to the village during Diwali. Thousands of devotees, including women, young people and senior citizens, gathered for the arrival on Narak Chaturdashi.

The Tandel family, earlier known as the Gan Tandel household and locally called Devghar, has served the deity for six generations. A palanquin procession followed on November 9, with drums, devotional chants and religious ceremonies through the Koliwada.

The deity was taken back to sea on November 10.