Visit
the Amazing Destinations of All India Travel
- Rajasthan,
Kerala, Goa,
Delhi, Mumbai
for Adventure,
Cultural,
Wildlife, Religious,
Beaches & Rail
Tours. Find over 600 Travel Agents & Hotels Reservation Networks
for comfortable holidays of a lifetime in the Indian Sub-continent - India,
Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet & Sri Lanka.
(January/February)
Mahashivratri: A
celebration in the honour of Lord Shiva held at all the principal
Shiva templeIs, it is celebrated in Harvalem, Ramnathi, Kavlem,
Mangueshi, Nagueshi, Shiroda, Brahmapuri. Shirgao, Kasarpal, Fatorpa
and Panaji.
Rantha Saptami:
Festival takes place in February at the Mallikarujuna Temple.Maruti-Zatraat
Shri Mahalakshmi Temple is presiding deity of Panaji, Goa's capital
city.
Mahalasa Jatra or Vijayarathotsav: (Chariot
Festival)
It is celebrated at Mahalasa Temple of Mohini in Ponda.
(February/March)
Shigmotsav:
It is celebrated in all over Goa. Special celebrations at Panaji,
Mapusa, Vasco-da-Gama and Margao. A spring festival celebrated on
the full moon day of the month of Phalgun in March.
It is a grand five day festival of colour, celebrated distinctively
in the villages, corresponding with Holi or Spring Festivals. Shigmo
is universally celebrated in Goa, but specially in Panaji, Mapusa,
Vasco Da Gama and Margoa.
Ghodemodni:
Or Parade of the Horse Riders, is part of Shigmo and is found in
Fatorpa and Bicholim. Hypnotic and rhythmic music of drums and Whistles
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 week.
Rangapanchami (Gulal):
It is celebrated in Kasarpal and Zambaulim.
Festival of Gade:
The three day at Mahadev Bhumika Temple attracts huge crowds.
Kalas Utsav:
It 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.
(March/April)
Ramnavami:
It is celebrated in Partagal - Canacona.
Chaitra - Pumirna:
It is celebrated in Borim, Sanquelim, Nagueshi, Chandranath, Cudnem
and Mashem - Canacona. Gokiulashtami: Narve - Bichblim. Ganesh
(April/May)
This is home coming season for many Goan 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.
(May/June)
Mirg:
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 happy
mingling of festivals and feast days for the common good of all.
(July/August)
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.
(August/September)
Ganesh Chaturthi:
Birthday of Lord Ganesh, the most important deity in the Konkan,
and is celebrated all over Goa. Thousand return to Goa for this
festival, which is associated with good Harvest.
Novidade:
In each village, the first offering is is made to the church and
the paddy specially blessed. No farmer, will harvest his rice crop
before it is offered in a ceremony called 'Novidade' in which the
parish priest himself harvests sheaf of rice and returns with it
to the Church, Local people accompany him with music, fire works
and Jubilation .
It is a true feast day for all. Women folk of Goa's earliest tribal
settlers perform a dance called Bhandup in half second half of the
month.
Navaratra Utsav:
or the nine nights festivals associated with Lord Rama's Defeat
of Ravana, demon King of Lanka culminates in the grand festival
of Dusshera. Dusshera is celebrated by devotees of the Mother Goddess
as her festival. The Sri Bhagavati Temple is Pernem has a fortnight's
festivities on the occasion. Special celebrations for Navaratra
Utsav are held at Shantadurga, Nagueshi, Mahalakshmi and Ramnath
Temples at Ponda and at Kalika Devi Temples in Kasarpal. The Dhangar
Dance is dance of worship performed during this festival.
The Kiran Mahotsasv:
Or religious music festival takes place at Quepem in September and
is an all night celebration.
(October/November)
Deepawali:
It is the great festivals of lights . It is universally celebrated
in Goa, in homes, on the streets, in shops and of course, in religious
places.
(November/December)
Kejagiri Purnima:
It can fall early in lights. It is the full moon following Dusshera.
At Mardol in Ponda there are special celebrations to mark this auspicious
day.
Malni Purnima:
It is the festivals at Sri Devaki Krishna Temple at Marcel.
Zatra:
The deity is taken out of the temple in a colourful procession for
the day. The annual Zatra of Shri Shantadurga at Kunkoliemkarin
at Fatorpa in Quepem also falls in this month. Thousands flock to
attend the festival from afar. Zatra in all Temples, of special
importance being at Mangueshi, Nagueshi, Ramnathi, Kavlem, Madki,
Kundai, Shiroda, Khandepar, Borim, Kapileshwari, Mulgaon, Fatorpa,
Amona, Mashel, Mala-Panaji, Mapusam, Velinga, Karmali, and Calangute.
Datta Jayanti:
It is celebrated as the annual festival at Shri Datta Temple at
Dattawadi,Sanquelim.