Fairs & Festivals of Goa

Category : - All India Travel Tourism > Goa > Fairs & Festivals

Throughout the year, every month, you will find fair and festival of one kind or the other. These are mainly religious and social in nature. But purely artistic festivals are also organized such as Kala Academy's annual festivals, which draw artists and art lovers from all over India.

The dates of religious festivals are decided according to respective religious calendars. Some festivals like Shigmo and Carnival though have religious origin, but with mass appeal have become the festivals of the whole state and society. Some festivals are celebrated all over Goa, while some take place at particular places.

The Hindu festivals celebrated all over Goa include Makarsankranti, Maha Shivaratri (worship of Lord Shiva), Holi or Shigmo (the Festival of Colours), Gudi Parva ( Hindu New Year), Ramnavami (Birthday of Lord Rama), Nagapanchami, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami (Birthday of Lord Krishna), Ganesh Chaturthi (worship of Ganesha, the God of omen), Dussera (the victory celebration of Lord Rama over Ravana, the King of Lanka), Narakasur and Diwali (the Festival of Light).

Other Hindu festivals relate to annual worship and celebration of various temple deities at different Hindu temples spread all over Goa. These are marked by colourful palanquin processions (jatra) and known after the name of the place where it occurs. Examples include Bodegeshwar Jatra, Marcela Jatra, Kavalem Jatra, Shri Hanuman Jatra at Kavalem, Manguesh jatra, Mardol Jatra, Santeri Jatra at Pale, Fatorpa Gulal, Zambaulin Gulal, Lairai Jatra at Shirgao, Vasco Saptaha, Dindi at Margao, Borim Jatra, Nagueshi Jatra, Madkai Jatra and Shri Datta Jayanti at Sankhali.

The major Christian Festivals are the Feast of Three Kings (Quelim, Chandor and Reis Magos), Procession of All Saints ( Goa Velha), Feast of Our Lady of Miracles (Mapusa), Sao Joao (all over Goa), Feast of Assumption of Our Lady (Panaji), Novidades (all over Goa), Fama de Minino Jesus ( Colva), Feast of St. Francis Xavier (Old Goa), Feast of the Lady of Immaculate Conception (Panaji, Margao) and Christmas.

The Muslim festivals include Idul Fitra and Muharam.

The most popular public festivals are Carnival, Shigmo and Food Festival