Panaji came alive with floats, music and dance performances on the streets during the Shigmo Parade on Saturday.
Photo Credits: Narayan Pissurlenkar
PANAJI
Goa has a unique culture, and its local communities celebrate many festivals with great enthusiasm. Right now, villages across Goa are celebrating Shigmotsav, a community festival that starts five days before the full moon in the lunar month of Phalgun (March) and ends on the full moon day, which falls on 29th March this year. The festival began on 15th March and has now reached its peak, with grand celebrations kicking off in the capital, Panaji. The city came alive with floats, music, and dance performances on the streets, as locals participated with excitement.
Shigmotsav marks the arrival of spring and is similar to Holi, which is celebrated across India. Each state has its own way of celebrating. The festival begins with prayers at the local temple, followed by a procession where villagers carry their deity while singing and chanting. Music plays a big role in these celebrations, and major cities host grand parades with floats, dances, and performances on the streets. Tourists gather on both sides of the streets to watch the colourful spectacle.
In rural Goa, Shigmotsav is celebrated with folk dances, feasts, and community gatherings. The festival is divided into two types—Dhakto (small) Shigmo, mainly celebrated by farmers before the full moon, and Vhadlo (big) Shigmo, celebrated after the full moon by city communities with grand parades and large crowds. The festivities include artistic performances, music concerts, dramas, and parades showcasing Goa’s rich cultural heritage.
“We love wearing vibrant costumes and either joining the parade or watching the floats pass by,” said Usha Shirodkar from Margao, whose family has attended the festival for generations. She remembers her childhood Shigmotsav in Margao, when the streets were covered in gulal (coloured powder) and flower petals, and her family played traditional instruments like the ghumot and dhol. “Nowadays, the festival has become more commercial, and the old charm is fading. However, temples still celebrate it in the traditional way,” she added.
Santosh Govekar, another festival enthusiast, noted that the themes of the parades have changed. “Earlier, floats mostly depicted scenes from the Ramayan and Mahabharat, but now we see dragons, superheroes, and other modern themes,” he said. However, he is happy that traditional folk performances like Ghodemodni (horse dance), Romtamel, Fugdi, and Dekhni are still part of the celebrations.
Holi and Shigmotsav share similarities, as both involve playing with colours and water. At Zambaulim, the temple premises turn pink on ‘Gulal’ day, as devotees of Shree Damodar celebrate by throwing coloured powder. Residents of Margao make it a point to visit the temple on this day, not just to pray but also to take part in the festivities, which bring people together and help mend relationships.
In Bicholim, three villages—Sal, Kudne, and Pilgao—celebrate Gade Utsav, where participants, known as Gades, gather at the Gadyacho Maand. As the dhol-tasha (traditional drums) play, they enter a trance and are believed to be possessed by the village’s guardian spirit, known as Rakhandar or Devchar. This is a unique ritual, and visitors are advised to remain silent and avoid using torches or flashlights, as only the sacred torch of the Devchar is allowed to light the jungle where the Gades run. The rituals at Sal and Kudne take place at night, while Pilgao’s Gade ceremony occurs during the day.
Another striking ritual during Shigmotsav is fire-walking, held at Britona and Chorao, where devotees run barefoot over burning embers in front of a crowd. In Sattari, the festival is known for rituals such as Chor, Karavalyo, Chorotsav, and Ghode Modni, celebrated near the Sateri Kelbai temple in Zarme and the Shantadurga temple in Caranzol. In Pernem, Shigmo is observed at the Panchayatan Devasthan within the Shree Ravalnath temple premises.
The Panaji Shigmo parade is particularly popular among tourists due to its beautifully designed floats. Ponda’s Shigmotsav is known for its high energy and vibrant colours. South Goa’s towns, including Cuncolim, Sanvordem, Curchorem, Quepem, Sanguem, and Canacona, also celebrate with great fervour. The festival not only marks the start of the agricultural season but also strengthens community bonds through tradition, celebration, and shared joy.
