goa carnival

» Time : The festival is held in the month of February. The carnival had its origin in the 18th century.

» Duration : The Goa carnival is held over a period of three days and nights. This festival usually starts on Sabado Gordo (Fat Saturday) and concludes on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday).

» Venue : The colorful Goa carnival is held in the entire state. However, the carnival concludes in a grand way with the famous red-and-black dance held in Club National in Panaji on the final day.

Goa Carnival Events

The Carnival is the most important festival of Goa. Unlike other festivals where religious rituals dominate, it is fun and frolic that mark the festivities The festival had its birth in Goa during the era of King Momo. He had introduced the Goa carnival just before the Lent season. Lent is a period of fasting and penance in the Christian calendar.

Goans begin preparations for this grand carnival from late December itself. The participants rehearse very hard for the plays to be enacted during the Carnival. The plays usually have a touch of history to it. Women do not participate in the plays and men dressed up as women make up for their absence. On the first day, the streets of Goa are filled with colorful processions and lavish floats. It all continues for three days and nights. Music

reverberates the air and all the participants dance throughout the procession. Most people are dressed in combat uniform and could be seen throwing potatoes or colour powders on fellow participants. Even huge trucks full of young people stage various tableaus or simply throw coloured water at the spectators.

In the three days of celebrations, cultural festivals and various types of competitions are regularly held. Distinguished people from different professions are invited to judge the competitions. On the final day, prizes are distributed among the winners. It is interesting to note that a person dresses up as King Momo and presides over the carnival in Goa for all three days. King Momo then

distributes prizes to various contestants for putting in excellent performance during the carnival in Goa.
The Goa carnival has become a unique part of Goan culture. Initially a Christian festival, the carnival is merrily participated by people belonging to all religious denominations in present times.