Goa Carnival
Goa gets into its groovy best with the advent of the Carnival season. Much before February sets in and the state host the Carnival like every year, the euphoria concerning this statewide gala touches unprecedented level. Ever since the Portuguese Settlers in the
Eat, Drink and be Merry become the catch words during this 3 Day Celebration as the spirit of festivity transcends beyond the city of Loutolim, the place where Goa Carnival see its Inauguration every year. Referred to as three days of Musical Extravaganza, Carnival in Goa is the fun-filled fiesta that keeps the revelers on their feet. The charged up atmosphere, restlessness in the air, colorful mirage and oozing out of energy describe this fiesta to some extent. Tourism reaches its year high as the very essence of Goa Carnival starts to spread its infectious charm in the Beginning Of February.
Origin Of Goa Carnival
Goa Carnival, also known as Intruz, is a contemporary adaptation of the centuries old religious festival of the Christians. The festival first saw its inception in Goa in the 18thcentury when the Portuguese Populace in this coastal state took to the streets to reprise the festival that had started few hundred years back. The genesis of this Carnival takes us to the ancient Roman and Greek Civilization where ‘Harmonious Madness’ was the only way of celebrating this gala. Hedonism at its apex height, Goa Carnival takes the cue from the ancient trend of involving everyone in this undiluted festivity.
If ancient mythology is to be given the credit, then it is fair to attribute the origin of Goa carnival to Roman festival Saturnalia. 'Carrus Navalis', a boat-shaped carriage was drawn by the horses during the festival, which was held in honor of Saturn. Men and women in their fancy dresses rode the carriages. People wearing masks and singing lewd songs was a common sight. The contemporary ritual of parading the street wearing motley owes its origin to these preceding colorful events.
Goa carnival saw its humble beginning in the 18thcentury propagating the old idea of getting rid of old and the dirty prior to the Lenten fast. The festival, in its nascent stage, was more of an unruly celebration where people were seen throwing Flour, Eggs, Mud and Dirty Water on the people walking by. As a part of their ritual of doing away with anything that is foul, the celebration used to take a rowdy turn with the merrymakers resorting to throwing used Pots and Kitchen Utensils out of the window.
Taken in light spirit, the celebration demanded whole - hearted participation from the people. The process of throwing old and foul things at each other used to transform the scene into a battlefield. With mock - battle stealing the show and people gorging on feasts, the festival used to reach its climax. It is often believed that Carnival is linked to the word 'Carnislevamen', which means 'The Pleasures Of Meat'. It was during the fete that people used to concentrate on relishing meat before the period of abstinence that followed during the 40-day period of fasting of Lent.
Celebrating Goa Carnival
The Carnival, which has become a fundamental part of the Portuguese legacy in Goa, holds mirror to the indigenous Goanese Culture. The fun and frolic that represent this Coastal Beauty is truly manifested during the 3 Days of the festival. Much before the Goa Carnival sets off you feel the general excitement building up concerning this Frenzied Fete. Tour to any part of Goa and see for yourself how the locals involve in diligence to prepare for the upcoming Gambol. The festive mood in every nook and corner of Goa pulls you in and makes you a part of this Bonanza.
The festival kicks off with a Colorful Parade on the streets grabbing the eyeballs of thousands of locals and the tourists. Overwhelming presence of celebrants and The Songs and Dances add to the electrifying atmosphere. Innovative designs of The Floats displaying Jingles, Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies develop the setting for the Grandiose Show. Certainly the biggest party in Goa, the Carnival hosts Cultural Functions, Street Plays, and Shows that keep the momentum going. Colors run riot during the Goa Carnival celebration with Masks, Floats and Colorful Costumes emitting a positive vibe in the happening zone.
Unlike the unruly style of celebration advocated during the Olden Days, the contemporary Goa Carnival is a friendlier version. Instead of throwing flour and eggs, people are seen smearing color on each other as a gesture of common bondage. As you make your way through the colorful streets of Goa you behold the spectacle of multi-colored streamers and ribbons wavering and lively crowd swaying to the popular tunes. Walking around the state will be an amusing experience as the places welcome you with their fun parades. Goa’s Cosmopolitan Culture becomes obvious as people hailing from different communities come under the same umbrellas. They prepare montage representing a universal theme.
The ongoing circus turns into a vibrant show of Charade and Musical Performance retaining the idea of unrestrained mirth that has been carried forward by generations. Responsive Audience has always been the major high during the Goa Carnivals and your lively presence make it an event loaded with gaiety and high spirits. Choosing ‘A King of Chaos’ called "King Momo" is one of the preliminary decisions taken during the festival. The king is assigned the role of the chief who send "orders" to his subjects to start the Party Life. He presides over the 3 Day Festivities and also seals the fate of the participants of various street shows.
The Parade is followed by the enthusiasts as they follow the trail throughout the day, before they head towards the Buffet Dinner. Goan Cuisine grace the occasion as you stuff yourself with some of the carefully prepared items. The delicacies offer you the taste of Goa in your plate.
Goa Carnival Events
Advent of Goa Carnival may be hinted days before its actual beginning but the festival sets off on Sabado Gordo, also known as Fat Saturday. Sabado Gordo is an essential element of the Carnival held on the Saturday before Lent. The natives and the tourists come together to mark the beginning with their Procession and Street Parties.
As the Goa Carnival Parade kick-starts the series of events to follow, the pomp and show of this lively street display rings the bell in you. Floats on Hollywood and Bollywood Celebrities abound during the Goa carnival events. Floats carrying thematic value make the celebration interesting. A Statue of Michael Jackson and a Character from 'Avatar' Movie were showcased during the Goa Carnival Parade 2010. The same idea is reprised every year. The contributors are also seen encouraged to stage a short play taking a dig at the establishment.
Owing to the gradual transformation of the Carnival from a Christian Festival into a Cosmopolitan One, you get the first hand experience of Goanese tradition imbibed into the process. Locals of Goa use the carnival as a platform to uphold their indigenous culture before the world. Native people including the students deck themselves up in traditional attire before they perform during the Goa Carnival Parade. Youth’s active participation in presenting a slice of Goan culture during the Carnival Parade truly reflects the spirit of this easy going and fun-loving state.
Attractions At The Goa Carnival
Goa Carnival Attractions include a long list of event and practice that coagulate to make these festive days a breathtaking experience. Goa’s Musical Groups and their attempts to wreathe some wonderful performances are more than irresistible for the music lovers. Another major draw for the travelers is the bright and gaudy Costumes. The Game Of Disguises and Masquerade go well with the colorful setting of the event. Charged up atmosphere and restless revelers are the heart of the occasion.
Fireworks are unmistakably one of the major attractions of Goa Carnival as the Evening Euphoria is brightened up in their presence. Fortune Tellers have a great role to play as the part of this Carnival. A Rich Dining Experience is the next best thing that can happen to you during the fest. To match the elaborate arrangement Goa Carnival’s attractions match the lavish preparation for feast. Be it the Bar-Be-Cue set up on the Goan beaches or the carefully prepared Seafood Delicacies like Lobsters and Jumbo Prawns in the open-air dining hubs, your day will come to a sweet end.
With passing of age, Goa Carnival has evolved into a more Goanese way of merrymaking and celebrating. You can spot a host of foreigners who tune themselves to the ongoing event and allow themselves to flow with the created milieu. Keeping pace with Rio’s Carnival and Mardi Gras, The Carnival brings together the entire frivolous tribe to make this festival a mutual success. The festivity continues to grip the whole of Goa before it concludes on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday. The Carnival calls it an end after the famous Red & Black Dance held at the Club National in Panjim.
Goa Carnival Musicis the pulsating factor in this season of festivity as some of the renowned musicians from Goa and across the country conglomerate to play their creations. The Carnival gets the Latino touch as bands and groups of musician rope in some Latin Compositions to bring back the original flavor on the occasion. Be a part of the Grand Balls arranged elaborately in the evenings. Both small and large groups are seen giving their best shot to flaunt their Salsa and Tango moves. Jazz remains the order of the day. The Carnival, which is exclusive to Goa, gets into the mood with these dance numbers spreading the mirth.
You can often spot Live Bands playing to the kids during the Goa Carnival. The musical scene is further orchestrated with the sound of drums, tins and almost anything coming from everywhere. The element of thrill lives on as the tourists find themselves in the midst of a melodious chaos befitting the occasion. The general jovial mood lurking in the state during the carnival is heightened as your eyes rest on the people playing at their swanky Spanish Guitar and rendering their soulful voice.
Goa Carnival In Goan Villages
Your acquaintance with the indigenous zest of Goa Carnival starts from the Goan Villages. As you head towards the small and rustic Villages of Goa, you break on through to the other side of this festivity and relish the quaint charm. Unlike the Urban Style of celebrating Goa Carnival, The Fishermen and Their Wives, The Farmers, Potters and Peddlers assemble to keep their Carnival a low key affair. The attraction quotient of this 3 Day long festival rises higher with every passing day of the carnival heralding a new festivity.
The village at Loutolim is a rightful successor of ancestral Goa as it has been able to preserve its distinct identity. As Goa Carnival hits the streets and celebrants brace for an elated merriment, Loutolim Village dresses itself in rural attire exhibiting the traditional Goan lifestyle and their way of celebrating. The Carnival Parade makes it way through the modest looking huts and come to Tinto, the central hub of the village. With not many musicians around, the parade mostly caters to local fishing community and its stature rather short.
Taking a short break from the partying and spending time with close ones in and around the village is an option worth considering. The thing of past makes your present happy and that is why it is highly recommended to while away your time wondering at the traditional Portuguese Architecture including the Mansion of Donna Maria in Goa. While the rest giving in to the Carousing and Partying, you steal some time and don the explorer’s cap.
Your three days in this Goan village can be a blend of Frantic Pace and a Languid Life. The travelers putting up at this part of the state switch from the vibrant side to a rather tranquil part in order to strike a balance between the restlessness and the craving for peaceful environment. Feasting at the humble restaurants and the Taverns are far from the Grandiose Style evident in almost every urban place during the Goa Carnival, yet the marked difference in this village is no less enjoyable.
Goa Carnival Cruise Tour
With a series of Goa Tour Operators offering exciting Carnival Tour Packages, you will be flooded with options. Your good life begins with the Goa Carnival cruise tour as the all inclusive trip to this beach destination comes with a host of surprises. Most of the liners offer you the rare chance to get the best of Goa. The excitement begins with your life-time experience of cruising along the Arabian Sea and renews once again when you find yourself in the midst of festivity. Most of the cruisers leave from Mumbai and by the time they reach Goa the travelers have already had their share of adventurous cruising.
Goa Carnival Package Tour
Almost a Week Long trip, Goa Carnival tour is packed with endless scope for discovering the festival in style. Majority of the Tour Operators start off with their Journey to Goa from Mumbai. Board a flight to Goa and reach the "Land Of Floats", merrymaking and musical extravaganza. The lively celebrations catch you unaware as you. Your first tryst with Goa Carnival is in the form of attending a party in the night based on Portuguese Theme. The day comes to an end after an extravagant buffet dinner at the end.
As the revelers take the Carnival to the Stellar Height of success you take some time off to travel length and breadth of the state. With enthusiasm as your companion you embark on a Tour To North Goa and traverse Beaches, walk though the Paddy Fields and climb the Wooded Hills. Your taste for history and architecture finds a retreat in the Portuguese Churches, Forts and Shrines. You are still left with exploring south Goa and joining the passionate merrymakers taking the parades forward.
After the nightlong partying, travelers head towards South Goa to catch a glimpse of the Beaches like Colva and Benaulim. On their way to these beach destinations, the travelers come across Hamlets and Local Communities who try their best to enliven the ongoing festival. Live performance of local singers and dancers makes up for the hectic day they had. The next day of the Goan Carnival Tour is all about letting oneself flow with the course of events and be an active reveler. The first-timers in Goa find the local cuisine appealing and enjoying Barbecue Party on the beach is their way of relishing every moment during the carnival.
Goa Christmas Carnival
Being in Goa during the Christmas is a good bargain. The Christmas Carnival that perhaps is the last of the series of festivities rocking the state, come with the similar pomp and glory resembling that of the Goa Carnival. Celebrations begin around mid - December with the entire state being revamped and decked for the occasion. Goa Beaches get into the Christmas mood as travelers from across the world flock prior to the carnival and make these beaches look ever happening.
Walking down the streets of Goa and watching the Christmas Trees dressing to their glittering best is an experience to cherish. With the people on the lookout for Santa Claus in his red attire, The Churches in Goa go for a complete makeover. Churches and Colorful Houses are adorned with lights and nativity scenes. The characters from the Christmas story and the painted scenes awaken the right spirit of Christmas. Visiting any of the famed churches like, Basilica De Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral gives you a fair idea of the religious connotation that Goa Christmas Carnival has.
Traditional Midnight Masses during the Christmas Carnival are weighty and poignant representation of the root idea of this celebration. The Church of Our Lady of Rosary and The Church of St. Anne see a huge influx of Christian and non-Christian populace raring to be a part of the masses. Being a part of the Church proceedings is rarely a missed opportunity as every reveler in Goa huddle close to these churches and observe the occasion with sheer devotion.
Time is ripe during the Goa Christmas Carnival for shopping and enjoying the night life. Once you hit the Market Places in Goa you understand the richness and diversity that these makeshift and flea markets in Goa offer. Not to miss out the delicious Cakes and Pudding especially prepared for the occasion. The travelers find the Souvenir Shops in and around the cities and beachside destinations having all the items you may carry home with you as a piece of Goa. The lesser known places in Goa are also touched by the high spirits of Christmas and they offer a rather quiet backdrop for the festival.
Unlike the Goa Carnival, Christmas in this state is a family affair. Christmas Carnival in Goa may not take you to the streets with Parades on the move and floats flouting restrictions but it will tempt you to be responsive attendees in Night Parties attended by the tourists. It is a common sight to spot the carol singers touring the restaurants and the eating hubs in Goa with an expectation of making some money. Staying close to relatively undiscovered Beaches like Benaulim gives you easy access to the heart of Goan festivity.
Goa Carnival : Expectations Galore
Goa goes extra miles to make itself a traveler’s paradise during the Carnival. Popular for its endless stretch of Beaches, forgiving people, cool clime and the air of restlessness, this coastal state welcomes its patrons and vacationers with full hospitality. Goa Carnival comes with a tinge of thrill opening before you the scope to go feral and untie your bindings. From Mapusa to Margao and Calanguteto The Chapel of St Lawrence, the general mood speaks of hedonism during the carnival week. Music, Feast, Unabated Energy, Colors and Masquerades create a mlange attributable to this February Festival.
