The presence of a Tulsi plant at the entrance of the home is believed to ward off evil spirits and negative energies and provide spiritual protection to the household. Even the soil around the plant is considered holy.
The unique designs of Tulsi planters have an individual stamp of creativity, indicative of the family’s social status, traditional means of livelihood, and idiosyncratic style.
Versova's colloquial name is Vesave, which derives from the Marathi-Konkani word for rest (as in, a resting place for ships and seafarers), likely connected to its importance as a harbor.
The Kolis are one of the early inhabitants of Mumbai, and their Koliwadas are among the oldest continuous settlements in the city, having existed for centuries.
Individual families bring coconuts to Versova Beach by placing them in a kalash (pot) and carrying the pot on their heads. Though Narali Purnima is primarily a festival observed by sea-faring fishing communities, other communities also offer coconuts to the sea on this auspicious occasion.
The coconut, symbolizing life and fertility, is tossed into the sea as an offering to the Sea God Varuna, whom the Kolis call Darya Raja (king of rivers).
During the monsoon season, a government-imposed fishing ban lasts for two months. Fishing restarts on Narali Purnima, with the offering of coconuts to mark the auspicious beginning of the new fishing season.
Narali Purnima is celebrated on the purnima (full moon day) of Sravana (the fifth month of the Hindu calendar), which begins in mid-to-late July and ends in late August according to the Gregorian calendar.