If there was ever a festival that embodied the spirit of Goa in its merrymaking, Goa Carnival would be it! A festival that dates back to the Portuguese era, the annual Goa Carnival is the Indian version of the Mardi Gras — and in Goa is marked by festivities alongside a colourful procession, masked men and women thronging the streets, fashion shows, fancy dress competitions, food and live music and much much more! This year, Goa Carnival 2020 is going to be celebrated between Feb 22–25, around 3pm onwards all across the state (Panjim on Feb 22, Margao & Quepem on Feb 23, Margao & Curchorem on Feb 24 and Mapusa & Morjim on Feb 25).
The festival was resurrected in Goa in 1965 by a local Goan musician, Timoteo Fernandes and it usually starts off on Fat Saturday (known as Sabado Gordo) and concludes on Fat Tuesday (known as ‘Shrove Tuesday’). The 4-day long festival concludes just before Ash Wednesday and the first day of the Catholic season of Lent. The festival is celebrated throughout the cities of Panaji, Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa and the core idea is to revel in Goa’s fun and frolic, before lent starts. In Panjim, the festival is often complemented by “Grape Escapade”, a local wine festival, and live music and dance at Samba Square in the Panjim Municipality Garden (Garcia De Orta).
This year, the festival will be marked by theatrical installations, processions that will parade through each of the cities on one night making its way from Margao to Mapusa. Led by the legendary King Momo, the procession will be flocked by dancers, bands of troubadours dressed up as fortune tellers, hawkers, women, and older men in funny clothes. The festivities end with the famous red and black dance where women dressed in red tops and black skirts and men in red shirts and black trousers dance with bands in a colorful procession.
So if you’re in Goa this weekend, catch yourself the spirit of the Sunshine State! If you’re in North Goa, we suggest heading to Panjim on Feb 22 to see the carnival floats being walked from Miramar Circle. If you’re closer South, Margao or Vasco is where you should head.
This year, even though Section 144 has been lifted, the government ruling has forbidden the consumption of alcohol in the carnival processions.
