Goa - Fairs and Festivals


Since the majority of Goans are from the Hindu community, Goa celebrates a number of festivals celebrated by the Hindus in other parts of India. This seems quite strange, since Goa was under the Portuguese rule for over 400 years. Apart from traditional Hindu festivals, Goa celebrates a number of other festivals like Christmas, New Year and Easter. Goa Carnival is another festival that Goans celebrate with much pomp and glory.

If you are in Goa in the month of February, don't miss the Goa Carnival. Goa comes alive with the sound of music bands and pulsating rhythm of the Sitar for three days during the carnival. Though celebrated by the Christians in Goa, the carnival witnesses the participation of the people from other communities as well. The carnival is quite popular among tourists in Goa. The festival starts with a large procession on the fat Saturday evening. The carnival is one of the best times to be in Goa. The festival symbolizes care free and fun loving nature of Goa.

Goa starts buzzing with tourists from the last week of December to celebrate Christmas and New Year. This is the time when most tourists hit the beaches of Goa. Christmas is a grand affair in Goa. Preparations for Christmas start as early as in October or November, when hotels and resorts in Goa get in the festive mood by organising cake mixing ceremonies. The Christmas celebrations in Goa do not remain confined to Christian homes and hotels only, but almost every Goan home also celebrates the festival in their own ways. The Christmas fever charges the atmosphere and soon after, people start preparing for the New Year celebrations.

Festa Dos Reis is another well-known festival in Goa, which is celebrated in the month of January. During the festival a number of devotees offer prayers at the stone chapel of Nossa Dos Reis to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. The otherwise quiet hill, which does not witness much of human contact through out the year springs to life nine days before the festival when people starts coming to the hill for preparations. The festival reaches at its climax on 'Feast of the Magi' day, when three little boys are selected as kings from three neighbouring villages.  More..

Some other festivals celebrated in Goa include Deepawali, Shigmo (which is Goan Holi), Easter and The Feast of Our Lady of Miracles, which is celebrated 16 days after Easter.  More..

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