Gade of Sal Village

The Shri Mahadev Bhumika temple is situated at Sal in the Bicholim district of Goa at a distance of about 25 km from Mapusa. It is dedicated to Lord Mahadev, an incarnation of Lord Shiva and has Lord Mahadev as its presiding deity.
The temple complex has beautiful natural surroundings and is well known among the people of Goa as it celebrates the three day Gade festival which attracts thousands of devotees from all over.
Gade is a festival that falls in February/March or the month of Phalgun. A number of devotees attend this festival celebrated at the Shri Mahadev Bhumika temple. 

There is a concept of Gade Utsav in Sal village in Bicholim Taluka. The Sal is famous for three nights festival of Gade, considered as a game of hide and seek between Gade & Devchar.

    In morning the people of Sal village they brought the Holi (trunk of tree) in any parts of villages and set up in the place called Mand nearby Mahadev Temple.

   Gade are the residents of the village, who are clad in white dhoti and black belt around their waist.It is believed that the spirit of God enters their bodies when they start dancing around the holy accampanied by traditional music.

          It is also said that the music of dholak should not stop for the entire night and if it happens, then there is a possibility of all Gade being lost in the Jungle. 

On the last night, besides witnessing the light shown by Devchar they also get a chance to hear the sound of ghosts from the nearby cemetery.
   On the last night, gade goes to the cemetery to bring bones or wood. It is said that the ghosts give the bones to them.If ghosts deny to give them the bones, gade beat them up. 

   Many people hide themselves near the cenetery to listen to the crises of the ghosts, which resembles the cry of people who are dead from the village.

  This is the whole story of Sal Village is still going on.