Carnival in Goa

The carnival or carnaval as it is also known is Goa's most famous festival and has been celebrated since the 18th century. In the early days it was meant to be a feasting-drinking-merrymaking orgy just before the 40 days of Lent - a time of abstinence and spirituality. Huge parades with bands, floats and dances are organised in the main cities over three days. In the evenings there are carnival dances all around the state. The final day concludes with the famous Red-and-Black dance held by the Clube Nacional in Panjim.

The origins of Carnival are apparently the hedonistic feasts of ancient Rome and Greece. It made its appearance in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, where it metamorphosed into the very Latin singing-dancing-drinking bouts. The festival attracts thousands of tourists from all around India and the world.

The exciting and fun-filled three-day non-stop extravaganza of fun, frolic, song, music and dance that is uniquely Goan is a Pagan festival popular in Latin American countries that were colonies of Portugal at some point in time. The Carnival is uniquely Goan and is not celebrated in such a way anywhere else in India.

The Carnival is presided over by King Momo, who on the opening day orders his subjects to party. The highlight of the exotic frenzy of merriment is the appointment and arrival of “KING MOMO” and his retinue to the capital city Panaji on "Fat Saturday", the eve of Carnival. They form the head of a parade of colorful floats and troupes of masked revelers attired in gorgeous costumes singing and dancing in gay abandon to lively music that is usually performed live. The best floats are given handsome prizes.

The floats have in recent years been mostly commercially sponsored. Carnival is also celebrated in the Goan countryside by the Christian populace and is called ‘Intruz’. It assumes a unique form of creative spontaneity wherein folk songs/Cantars are sung from door to door in villages by troupes of mainly Christian farming folk inviting everyone to join in the celebration.

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