|
|
|
Festivals of Goa
|
January to Mid-March |
Festa dos Reis
(Jan 6).
Christians flock to Remedios Hill, Quelim (near Cansaulim,
Salcete) for the state's main Epiphany celebration, during
which three young boys, decked in brocaded silk and wearing
crowns, ride to the hilltop chapel on white horses. Similar
processions take place in the Franciscan church at Reis
Magos, near Panjim , and at Chandor.
Bandeira festival (mid-Jan)
Emigrant workers from Divar island return home for the local
patron saint's day, and inarch through the village waving
the flags of then-adopted countries and firing pea shooters.
Republic Day. India's national day is marked with military
parades and political speeches. Public holiday, Ramadan
(Jan). The start of a month when Muslims may not eat, drink
or smoke from sunrise to sunset, and should abstain from
sex. Id-ul-Fitr (Jan/Feb). Muslims feast to celebrate the
end of Ramadan.
 Carnival
(Feb/March).
Three days of/mi-induced mayhem centring on Panjim marking
the run-up to Lent. Shigmo (Feb/March).Goa's version of the
Hindu Holi festival - held over the full-moon period to mark
the onset of spring - includes processions of floats, music
and dance, in addition to the usual throwing of paint bombs;
these can permanently stain clothing, so don't go out in
your Sunday best.
Shivratri (Feb/March).
Anniversary of Shiva's creation dance (tandav), and his
wedding day. Big pujas are held at Shiva temples all over
the state, and many Hindus get high on bhang - a milk and
sugar preparation laced with ground cannabis leaves.
|
|
Mid-March to May |
Easter
(March/April).
Christ's Resurrection is celebrated with fasting, feasting,
and High Mass held in chapels and churches across Goa.
 Procession
of the Saints (March/April).
Twenty-six life-size effigies of saints, martyrs, popes,
kings, queens and cardinals are paraded around Goa Velha on
the first Monday of Easter week. This solemn religious event
is accompanied by a lively fun fair.
Our Lady of Miracles (Milagros)
(April/May)
Mapusa's main church is the venue for a big tamasha, or
fair, held sixteen days after Good Friday and connected with
the Hindu goddess Lairaya, whose worshippers also flock here
to pay their respects.
Igitnn Chalne (May).
Dhoti-clad devotees of Lairaya enter trances and walk over
hot coals in fulfilment of thanksgiving vows. This famous
fire-walking ritual only takes place in Sirigao, Bichoiim
taluka.
Music Festival (May).
Local rock, pop and jazz bands strut their stuff at the Kala
Academy, Panjim.
|
|
June-August |
Sanjuan (June 24).
The feast day of St John, or Sao Joao (corrupted in Konkani
to "Sanjuan"), is celebrated all over Goa, but is
particularly important in the coastal villages of Cortalim,
Arambol and Terekol (Pernem). Youngsters torch straw dummies
of "Judeu", representing St John's baptism (and thus the
death of sin). In addition, the day includes processions of
revellers in striped pants, and lots of drunken diving into
wells to retrieve bottles of/era.
 Sangodd
Slap-up sorpotel (roast pig) suppers mark the festa of St
Peter, the patron saint of fishers. Boats are tied together
to make floating stages on which extravagantly costumed
actors and musicians perform traditional dramas for
audiences assembled on the river banks. The biggest events
take place in the villages of Orda, Saipem and Candolim,
Bardez taluka.
Independence Day (Aug 15).
India's largest secular celebration, on the anniversary of
her Independence from Britain in 1947. Public holiday.
Janmashtami (Aug).
Ritual bathing in the Mandovi River off Divar island , near
Old Goa, to celebrate Krishna's birthday.
Ganesh Chaturthi (late June).
Giant effigies of the elephant-headed Hindu deity Ganesh,
god of peace and prosperity, are displayed in elaborately
decorated household and neighbourhood shrines, then taken
through the streets to the river or sea for holy dips.
|
|
September-December |
Dusshehra
(Sept/Oct).
 A
nine-day Hindu festival (usually with a two-day public
holiday) associated with Rama's victory over Havana in the
Ramayana, and the goddess Durga's over the buffaloheaded
Mahishasura. Celebrations include the construction of large
effigies, which are burnt on bonfires with fireworks, and
performances of Ram Ltia (the life of Rama) by
schoolchildren.
Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday (Oct 2).
A sober commemoration of Independent India's founding
father. Public holiday.
Fama (Oct).
Colva's miracle-working "Menino Jesus" statue, normally
locked away in the village church, is exposed to large
crowds
Diwali (Oct/Nov).
Five-day "festival of lights" to celebrate Rama and Sita's
homecoming - an episode in the Ramayana. The event features
the lighting of oil lamps and firecrackers, the giving and
receiving of sweets, and the hanging of paper lanterns
outside Hindu houses.
 Liberation
Day (Dec 17),
The anniversary of Nehru's expulsion of the
Portuguese from Goa in 1961 is a low-key public holiday,
with military parades and the occasional air force fly-past.
Christmas (Dec 24/25).
Goan emigrants return home for the state's most important
festival, which is celebrated by both Hindus and Christians.
Missa de Galo, Midnight Mass (literally "cockerel mass"
because it sometimes carries on until dawn), marks the start
of festivities. Meanwhile, tourist ravers party in Anjuna.
Christmas Day is a Public holiday.
|
|
|
Festivals In Goa
| |
|
|
