India and Festivals - Goa Carnival

Welcome back to all our readers, with more and more interesting information about India, Culture, Festivals and Places, we are trying to increase your interest to spend your time by visiting the places and attending the events and festivals. So, if you are eager or interested or even if this blogs, let’s say last few blogs have been about celebration and festivals, makes you feel the eagerness to see those places, celebrations or festivals, we would be happy to know that with your remarks on those blogs.

Today, we from Phila Tours & Travels are again giving you something worth watching and if you are enthusiastic enough, take a part too and for that, let’s go to Goa…

The beaches in Goa are the main attraction that draws travelers from across the globe but among many various and colorful celebrations and events takes place in Goa, this is one of the most eagerly awaited celebration, which falls during the month of February every year, the 4 days and nights celebration just before the 40 days of Lent is this Goa Carnival. This year the Carnival will start on 9th February and will be continued till 12th February 2013.

 The origins and nature of the carnival can be traced to the  feasts of ancient Rome and Greece. These carnivals started in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, and gradually became known for their singing, dancing and drinking. But in India this Carnival is exclusive and unique to Goa, and was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled over Goa for over five hundred years. Started by them the Goa Carnival has made a special place for itself, the cultural blend of the Portuguese and local people created a unique Culture of Goa, it has also absorbed Hindu tradition revelry, western dance forms, and turned into a pageantry of sorts. Earlier Goa Carnival festival was bounded within the local population but now it has crossed all frontiers and attracts thousands of people from all over the world.

Traditionally during Lent there are no parties or other celebrations and people abstain themselves from rich foods. The consumption of rich food in a grand party leads to the origin of Carnival. The carnival is meant to be a feasting-drinking-having fun just before the austere 40 days of Lent. Huge parades are organized throughout the state with bands, dances and floats out all night on the streets, and grand balls held in the evenings. During the days and nights of the Goa Carnival you can notice a great amount of zeal and zest among the people. The streets come alive with colors, lively processions, floats, the strumming of guitars, graceful dances and of non-stop festivity.

The carnival concludes with the famous red-and-black dance held by the Club National in Panaji on the final day, then begins the week long event, which is a time of unbridled festivity and merry-making, which has been celebrated since the 18th Century. With the end of Carnival start the days of lent and till the Easter, the fun and frolics are in limit but tourist will not stop visiting the state to still enjoy the world class beaches and how well it is said; Sun, Sea and Siesta.

With this we conclude our blog for Goa Carnival and await for your comments on this as well as earlier blogs, feel free to post the comments and also suggest you to contact us for any further information or travel plan required for visiting India and its marvels.