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(January/February)
Mahashivratri:
A celebration in the honour of Lord Shiva held at all the
principal Shiva templeIs, it is celebrated in Harvalem, Ramnathi,
Kavlem, Mangueshi, Nagueshi, Shiroda, Brahmapuri. Shirgao, Kasarpal,
Fatorpa and Panaji.
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Rantha Saptami:
Festival takes place in February at the Mallikarujuna
Temple.Maruti-Zatraat Shri Mahalakshmi Temple is presiding deity of
Panaji, Goa's capital city.
Mahalasa Jatra or Vijayarathotsav: (Chariot Festival)
It is celebrated at Mahalasa Temple of Mohini in Ponda.
(February/March)
Shigmotsav: It is celebrated in all over Goa. Special
celebrations at Panaji, Mapusa, Vasco-da-Gama and Margao. A spring
festival celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Phalgun in
March.
It is a grand five day festival of colour, celebrated distinctively
in the villages, corresponding with Holi or Spring Festivals. Shigmo
is universally celebrated in Goa, but specially in Panaji, Mapusa,
Vasco Da Gama and Margoa.
Ghodemodni: Or Parade of the Horse Riders, is part of Shigmo
and is found in Fatorpa and Bicholim. Hypnotic and rhythmic music of
drums and Whistles accompany the martial dance, which Parades down
the main street, imitating horses and their riders.
Rombat: Takes place on the second and third day of Shigmo. It
is a Procession of men in traditional dress carrying banners and
umbrellas dancing to the music of drums. Young boys wave green
twigs, signifying the arrival of spring.
Drama Festivals: Form an important part of Shigmo with most
villages staging plays during the week.
Rangapanchami (Gulal): It is celebrated in Kasarpal and
Zambaulim.
Festival of Gade: The three day at Mahadev Bhumika Temple
attracts huge crowds.
Kalas Utsav: It is celebrated on a major scale every
alternate year at Sri Morjaee Temple in Pernem. Visitors from
Maharashtra and Karnataka attend the seven day festivities which are
socio religious occasions.
(March/April)
Ramnavami: It is celebrated in Partagal - Canacona.
Chaitra - Pumirna: It is celebrated in Borim, Sanquelim,
Nagueshi, Chandranath, Cudnem and Mashem - Canacona. Gokiulashtami:
Narve - Bichblim. Ganesh
(April/May)
This is home coming season for many Goan settled away from Goa. It
is also the fruit season and Feni making season. A distinctive Goan
aperitif, Feni comes from cashew apples. In addition it is toddy-
tapping season.
(May/June)
Mirg: Mirg is on 6th June. It is the start of the Monsoon
season. The Christian Mirg is one day earlier. If the rains fail,
prayers are offered to the Catholic saints born this month-- St.
Anthony, St. John the Baptist and St. Peter and St. Paul. In Goa
there is happy mingling of festivals and feast days for the common
good of all.
(July/August)
Gokul Ashtami: Or Janamashtami is the Birthday of Lord
Krishna. This marks the beginning of Goa's harvest festival. At
Narve village in Bicholim, people gather for pilgrimage from far and
wide.
(August/September)
Ganesh Chaturthi: Birthday of Lord Ganesh, the most important
deity in the Konkan, and is celebrated all over Goa. Thousand return
to Goa for this festival, which is associated with good Harvest.
Novidade: In each village, the first offering is is
made to the church and the paddy specially blessed. No farmer, will
harvest his rice crop before it is offered in a ceremony called 'Novidade'
in which the parish priest himself harvests sheaf of rice and
returns with it to the Church, Local people accompany him with
music, fire works and Jubilation . It is a true feast day for all.
Women folk of Goa's earliest tribal settlers perform a dance called
Bhandup in half second half of the month.
Navaratra Utsav: or the nine nights festivals associated with
Lord Rama's Defeat of Ravana, demon King of Lanka culminates in the
grand festival of Dusshera. Dusshera is celebrated by devotees of
the Mother Goddess as her festival. The Sri Bhagavati Temple is
Pernem has a fortnight's festivities on the occasion. Special
celebrations for Navaratra Utsav are held at Shantadurga, Nagueshi,
Mahalakshmi and Ramnath Temples at Ponda and at Kalika Devi Temples
in Kasarpal. The Dhangar Dance is dance of worship performed during
this festival.
The Kiran Mahotsasv: Or religious music festival takes place
at Quepem in September and is an all night celebration.
(October/November)
Deepawali: It is the great festivals of lights . It is
universally celebrated in Goa, in homes, on the streets, in shops
and of course, in religious places.
(November/December)
Kejagiri Purnima: It can fall early in lights. It is the full
moon following Dusshera. At Mardol in Ponda there are special
celebrations to mark this auspicious day.
Malni Purnima: It is the festivals at Sri Devaki Krishna
Temple at Marcel.
Zatra: The deity is taken out of the temple in a colourful
procession for the day. The annual Zatra of Shri Shantadurga at
Kunkoliemkarin at Fatorpa in Quepem also falls in this month.
Thousands flock to attend the festival from afar. Zatra in all
Temples, of special importance being at Mangueshi, Nagueshi,
Ramnathi, Kavlem, Madki, Kundai, Shiroda, Khandepar, Borim,
Kapileshwari, Mulgaon, Fatorpa, Amona, Mashel, Mala-Panaji, Mapusam,
Velinga, Karmali, and Calangute.
Datta Jayanti:It is celebrated as the annual festival at Shri
Datta Temple at Dattawadi,Sanquelim.
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