GOA CARNIVAL Celebrated in : Late February and Early March Rejoiced in Memory of : Ancient Rome and Greece Celebrated As : Red and Black Dance Other Attractions : The float Parades

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Goa Carnival

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Despite centuries of alien incumbency, Goa's cultural traditions have displayed amazing resilience. The symbiosis of Portuguese and local strains has created an eclectic cultural fusion which is different from the rest of India. And yes, the best part is that you can mingle in the colour of that fusion too. Celebrated just before Lent in February/March, the Carnival can simply be defined as the festival of fun. Change the course of your holiday vacation with the colourful parades of music and lavish floats, that gifts the sun kisssed sands of Goa a new life for three days. There must be something that attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, an inescapable aroma of solace. Come, splurge in...

Walking Down The Memory Lane

Dictionaries endorse that the roots of the word 'Carnival' is derived from Latin 'Carne' (meat) and 'Vale' which carries the essence of 'good bye'. Ask the locales and they will define it with a light heart. They say it is related to 'Carnislevamen' ('the pleasures of meat'), a last burst of revelry on meat after which Catholics are expected to fast and pray. Another school of thought suggests that the word originated from 'Carrus Navalis', the horse-drawn, boat-shaped carriage that was once an inexorable part of the Roman festival Saturnalia, consecrated in honor of Saturn. You can still see elated men and women, adorned in fancy dresses and colourful masks, dancing to the tunes of bygone melody, that once put the Romans on their feet.

People Celebrating Goa Carnival

Hey! Is This Called Life?

In Goa's towns, Carnival is a colourful affair. Wake up in the morning to the ringing of cymbals and euphony of bagpipes. Peep through your balcony only to see an amazing parade, a highly organised pursuit embellished alluring floats, that makes its way down the main street. If you happen to be in Panjim, you can have the pleasure to behold a whole new world. Huge masquerades are organized with live performances of bands and dances all night long on the streets of the state capital. Grand balls are held in the evenings. Believe us, you will be drowned in minutes of overwhelming fun. Don't miss the last moment festivities at 'Clube Nacional' that winds up the Carnival with the exquisite Red and Black dance.

Drive to the coconut graced villages of Goa, and you will see a completely different demeanor of the Carnival. In some parts of Goa like Banda on the Margao-Betul Road, the 'mell', a group of village youth dances in front of the main cross of the vaddo. They dance to the beat of drummers around an oil lamp and sing songs in praise of their generic ancestors. The tempo of the drumming is stepped up and some get into a trance. Gradually, the pleasure augments with liberal doses of feni.

The people of Goa start their preparations for the grand Carnival from the end of December. They compose and rehearse short plays of history to be enacted during the carnival. The plays are generally enacted by men, dressed in bright colourful attires and uncanny headgears, who perform the roles of women as well.

Drive Your Way

The Goa Carnival was an integral part of the Portuguese celebration, and has now became a rich heritage of the state. The festival epitomizes the fun-loving culture that is a signature of Goa in all seasons. The festival today has no religious undertones and has come to be a cultural highlight of the state, rather than of the sanctimony. The government affords special tour packages to major destinations and it is indeed a memorable moment to enjoy during your vacation.