Good Times At The Goa Carnival - 2015

Me and my wife love visiting Goa, simply because of the fact that this beach city has a unique feel to it, always vibrant and ever-ready for a party. There is one or the other celebration happening in any nook or corner. This year we decided to attend the Goa Carnival, an amazing, colorful and vibrant festival. The dates were 14^th February to 17^th February. We had heard a lot about this much-awaited festival and so were really excited. Since the hotels are jam-packed during these days, we booked our tickets and rooms well in advance. 

After settling in the hotel, we went out to enjoy the fun. One of the locals informed us a little about the Carnival. The celebration of this carnival had started in Rome and Greece around 500 years old and later in Spain and Portugal. It got introduced in Goa by the Portuguese rulers and since then it is celebrated with much fervor and enthusiasm. It was actually a Christian festival but now it is celebrated by all on a large scale. 

This carnival is celebrated before the traditional festival, Lent,  a 40- day festival. During these days, there are no parties and the locals desist themselves from eating meat and even dairy products. “Now, why is that?’ I asked. She furthered that there is an explanation in the Bible that during these days,  Lord Jesus had spent his time in the wilderness.  Because of this, the whole community follows the same. 

During the Goa Carnival, the streets of the city came alive with everyone indulging and rejoicing while singing, dancing and eating. Huge parades were also organized. There is a belief that this is the time when the legendary king of Chaos, Momo takes over the whole place. Although celebrations happen everywhere – Margoa, Vasco, Mapusa- but the carnival celebration in Panjim is the most-awaited one. The festival came to an end with  red-and-black dance which was held by the Club National in Panajim on the last day of the carnival. 

The preparation of the festival starts from December itself, where along with music, dance and food, there are small skits also that showcase the culture of Goa. There were performances by both local and national artists. If I am asked to sum it up then I would  say that we celebrated good times at the Goa festival.  It was great time fun and an unforgettable experience.

Explore hotels in Goa or browse through Goa tour packages to plan your trip and attend Goa Carnival 2015.