GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Gokul Ashtami or Janamashtami is the Birthday of Lord Krishna. This marks the beginning of Goa’s harvest festival. At Narve village in Bicholim, people gather for pilgrimage from far and wide.

GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Mirg is on 6th June. It is the start of the monsoon season. The Christian Mirg is one day earlier. If the rains fail, prayers are offered to the Catholic saints born this month – St. Anthony, St. John the Baptist and St. Peter and St. Paul. In Goa there is a happy mingling of festivals and feast days for the common good of all.

GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Shigmotsav or Shigmo is a grand five-day festival of colors, celebrated distinctively in the villages, corresponding with Holi or Spring Festival. Held for one-week up to the full-moon day in March, Shigmo is universally celebrated in Goa, but especially at Panaji, Mapusa, Vasco-da-Gama and Margao.

Ghodemodni or parade of the horse riders is a part of Shigmo and is found in Fatorpa and Bicholim. Hypnotic and rhythmic music of drums and shistles accompany the martial dance, which parades down the main street, imitating horses and their riders.

Rombat takes place on the second and third day of Shigmo. It is a procession of men in traditional dress carrying banners and umbrellas, dancing to the music of drums. Young boys wave green twigs, signifying the arrival of spring.

Drama Festivals form an important part of Shigmo with most villages staging plays during the festival week.

Holi is celebrated as Gulal or Rangapanchami at Sri Damodar Temple in Zambaulin.

The three-day festival of Gade at Mahadev Bhumika temple attracts huge crowds.

Kalas Utsav is celebrated on a major scale every alternate year at Sri Morjaee Temple in Pernem. Visitors from Maharashtra and Karnataka attend the seven-day festivities, which are socio-religious occasions.

GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

This is homecoming season for Many Goans settled away from Goa. It is also the fruit season and Feni-making season. A distinctive Goan aperitif, Feni comes from cashew apples. In addition it is toddy-tapping season.

GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Ram Navami or the birthday of Lord Rama is celebrated at Ramnath Temple.

Chaitra Purnima is celebrated at Sri Mahalakshmi Temple at Panaji, and during the nine days preceding the full moon, at Sri Vithal Temple in Sanquelim. It is also widely celebrated at Nagueshi, Chandranath, Cudnem and Mashem in Canacona.

GOA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Mahashivratri, a celebration in honor of Lord Shiva held at all the principal Siva temples, such as the Rudreshwar, Mangueshi, Nagueshi, Sri Mahadev – Bhumika and other temples. Ratha-Saptami festival takes place in February at the Mallikarjuna Temple. Maruti-Zatra at Sri Mahalakshmi Temple is important, as Mahalakshmi is the presiding deity of Panaji, Goa’s capital city. Mahalsa Jatra or Vijayarathotsav (Chariot Festival) is celebrated at Mahalsa Temple of Mohini in Ponda.

Foods in Goa

Food in Goa is a very serious matter and capitalizes on the range of food products available here. Goa boasts of many different cuisines - the Konkan, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. The fruits of the sea are used lavishly in Goan food different types of fish, prawns, mussels, oysters, crabs and many more.