Goa Carnival: Must Attend

Small yet powerful, yes this statement perfectly suits to the small wonderland state of India that is Goa. Being the smallest state of the country, Goa has a number of attractions for its tourists. The major contribution in the revenue of the government of this state comes from the tourism industries. Every year people from all over the world come here especially to explore the Goa carnival. This carnival is organized in February every year. It is a three-day carnival that offers great fun and enjoyment to people.

Initially, this festival belonged to Christians but with the passage of time all communities has started participating actively in this festival. The preparations of this three-day nonstop excitement and fun festival start much in advance. Young, kids, adults and olds love to take part in these pre-festival preparations.

History of Goa Carnival

Basically, Goa carnival is the heritage of Portuguese that is alive till date. During the last few years of Portuguese rule, there was a downfall in the popularity of this carnival. In that period of time it was just as a commercial party. However, with the help of the efforts of local people and governing authorities, the carnival again got its popularity back and people again started taking part in it actively. The concept of Goa carnival was given by the erstwhile rulers. The basic aim of this carnival is to retain the Portuguese culture in the heart of every person. Later this became the part of the goa culture.

Earlier, this Goa carnival was more in the form of bucolic and noisy. Here, people used to target other people with the dirty mixture of flour, oranges, eggs, mud, lemon, and dirty water. People also used to throw old kitchen utensils including pans, pots out of their windows as a symbolic gesture to abandon the dirty and old before the Lenten fast. To make this battle funnier, the weapons used by the people were eggs made up of plaster of Paris, wax lemons, beans and corncobs. The blows were replaced by the wooden spoons and brooms. At the end of the festival people used to distribute cookies, cakes, and pastries. In this way people used to celebrate the Goa carnival under the Portuguese rule.

The Goa Carnival Today

Today, people start the preparations of these tree days of non stop enjoyment at least three months in advance. There are some many things to be done. The dances and songs are composed and choreographed by the local Goa people. There are several plays also organized by the men themselves. Even the roles of women are played by the men. These plays reflect the rich history and culture of Goa. People also prepare their unique colorful dresses that they wear on these three days.

One the carnival begins, Goa is in a totally different mood. There is a riot of colors, music and dance everywhere on the streets of the city. There is huge parade headed by the duplicate king Momo leading the parade and in full command of his public. There are several functions and competitions and the winners of these competitions get prices by the king.

With the never-ending fun and nonstop music, it is difficult to restrict yourself to attend the Goa Carnival. This is truly a lifetime experience.