The Goan Christmas beckons Goa

Its the all too familiar sight in Goa at this time of the year. The streets packed to capacity. Traffic snarls all over the city. The town painted red with with the memorabilia of Christmas. Santa Claus waving from the glimmer of paint from glass fronted shops, Christmas carols renting the air and absolutely no place to park your two wheeler, while your four wheeler has no ambitions to make to the city for a long time to come.

From music shops to food outlets, to cloth shops to gift shops and groceries to designers, from stationers to hair stylists and beauticians  to cold storages and sweet marts, there is a buzz of big time business in Goa for all merchants at this time of the year. With barely 2 days for the Christmas cheer to ring in, there is therefore the last minute scramble to fill up the missing ingredients to ensure that this years Christmas is not compromised for anything.

The prices of eggs normally soar in Goa at this time with a commanding premium. Eggs are major ingredients in many of the Christmas sweets and the Goan Bebinca which is a class favourite among Goans calls for a lot of the egg. Broken eggs or damaged shell eggs do not remain on the shelf and are quickly whipped off by Bebinca makers. These eggs are cheaper compared to normal eggs.

The prices of all essential commodities also become steep as demand rises for various food items. Cashew nuts which is also another major ingredient for many Goan Christmas sweets such as cakes and marzipan, is also in great demand. Demand for Christmas decor always satisfies the passion of most Goans and you will find the streets filled with Christmas decor of all types most of which is imported from China and has a lot of takers here. The Goan  Christmas "star" has innovated over the years and the various styles are on display. However nothing can obviously beat the home-made bamboo star which many Goans fondly fabricate till date and the same brings nostalgia to the Goan Christmas.

Goans are also passionate about their clothing and the women always prefer to ring in Christmas while flaunting the crispness of a new dress. Tailors and designers have their hands full all over Goa and you can forget about ordering for a new dress a good 15 days before Christmas and are likely to be turned down. The town is also packed with a host of mens suit shops and from ready-mades to made to order, there is one for everyone.

The cribs at home are being given their finishing touches and the Christmas tree is moving out from the gloom of its storage in the attic to the comfort of the living room with buntings all over. Kids are now expecting good ole Santa to provide them with the gifts that they have been awaiting the whole year .

The curtains are being ironed, and there is a coat of paint given to the peeling walls. The Christmas dance is on the mind and the midnight mass would be the best way to ring in the Christmas cheer for all Goans.

Goa is therefore getting ready for the Christmas flavour, heralding the birth of Christ our saviour and King.

Goa Festival "Chikhal Kalo" in Marcel

ChiKhal Kalo is yet another Goan festival which is linked to the prevailing Goan season, just as many other Goan festivals which are celebrated as per the cycles of nature and going by the revelry of the ChiKhal Kalo it is indeed not surprising that the festival is celebrated in the monsoon season in Goa as it does seem that without the monsoon the festival would not be as frolicking as it turns out to be every year at this time of the monsoon season.

The Chikhal Kalo is a virtual mud play and is unique to the village of Marcel, in the taluka of Ponda. Celebrated on the twelfth day of the fourth month of Ashadh in the Hindu calendar, the festival is dedicated to Krishna in his childhood stage which is Bal-Krishna.

This year the festival was celebrated on a Saturday 4th July 2009, wherein Goan Hindus in Marcel are dressed in only their lower body garments such as short vests and frolic in the muck (ChiKhal)  by playing some traditional Goan games or some sporting games spontaneously. The whole scene takes place in front of the Devaki-Krishna temple in Marcel.

The festival of ChiKhal Kalo is believed to have been traditionally celebrated in Marcel as a portrayal of baby Lord Krishna who loved to play with his friends in Vrindavan and in Marcel it is celebrated as a sign of gratitude to Krishna.

The idol of Devaki-Krishna is believed to be originally hailing from the island of Chorao in Tiswadi taluka and was said to be taken to Marcel to evade the Portuguese wrath in the days of the erstwhile regime's rule in Goa.

ChiKhal Kalo is celebrated in Marcel where everyone from the village comes together sinking all their differences and celebrate ChiKhal Kalo by singing devotional songs and playing a variety of games. On the eleventh day of Ashadh, a saptak or non-stop performance of devotional songs is carried on in the temple of Devaki-Krishna. No sooner  the saptak concludes, the villagers from Marcel come together at the temple and invoke the folk deity Dad Sakhal with sounds of the drums, cymbals and bells with chants of 'jai hari vithal" renting the air.

As soon as the chanting ends, the real fun begins. Everybody first applies oil on their bodies which is taken from a huge brass lamp standing in the temple hall and wearing only their lower garments, the young and the old enter the open ground in front of the temple to prance in the rain drenched muddy waters( Chikhal) .

While the participants in the whole Chikhal Kalo indulge in a spontaneous frolic with games, devotional songs and chants being sung, those standing on the sidelines under the peepal tree close-by, shower different kinds of missiles such as sweets, ladoos, puran polis and bananas to those in the muck which is a thrilling spectacle to watch and well entertaining. So it is a free for all in the muck with a variety of games played in heavy rainfall, with friends and families applying wet clay and often pulling reluctant friends forcibly to playfully participate in the mud bath. 

The whole celebration culminates when the youngsters among the revelers form a human pyramid and break the clay pot of butter tied to a branch of the peepal tree above. The whole celebration is a picture of great fun and shows the spirit of the youth and their energy levels to take part in the muck in great spirits while brushing aside their daily inhibitions and enjoy the moment presented by the Chikhal Kalo festival in Goa

Some people in Marcel still prepare traditional sweets for the ChiKhal Kalo festival  like the special pancake called "bole" which is prepared from wheat, moong dal, jaggery and copra ( shredded coconut) and is considered to be a delicacy on this occasion.

Goa Sao Joao Song - The Goan Sao Joao Festival

Goa Festivals : Ribandar and Candolim celebrate the Sangodd

Fishermen in Goa consider June 29th as the sacred day which has been traditionally dedicated to  their patron saint, St Peter. On this day instead of venturing out to catch fish, the fishermen of Ribandar tie three of their traditional wooden canoes  together to form the Sangodd. Palm leaves and other flora are then used to decorate the Sangodd which is made to resemble a chapel.

The Sangodd celebrations in Ribandar commence early morning at 6.30 when the parish priest of the Ribandar Church marches to the beat of the brass band along with a confraria member who clutches to a statue of St Peter and all of them board  the well decorated Sangodd which is waiting for their oncoming. The priest subsequently blesses the village and the river and prays for the fishermen and seeks blessings for their welfare while fishing.

The Sangodd later returns to the jetty and the holy mass is celebrated at the Church. This tradition has been brought down the ages and is over 100 years old wherein the faithful in the village are convinced of the power of the blessings on this day for God to protect them and also provide them with a good catch.

The Sangodd is also celebrated at Orda in far away Candolim which is also another spectacle to watch in the Candolim creek. Sangodd at Orda is known to be celebrated for the last 200 years as most people from Orda were known to be traditional fishermen. Traditionally people from this area were known to keep their daily work routine aside for the day and use their boats to celebrate the feast with a lot of pomp and gaiety.

A chapel of Santa Cruz which is over 130 years old stands by the creek at Orda and the members of the Santa Cruz chapel committee who organise the Sangodd continue with the tradition of erecting a chapel on top of the Sangodd  which was earlier done with bamboos and cloth.

However, nowadays in recent modern times, a neat plywood structure is being erected on the boat instead of a temporary structure. The Holy cross is placed at the topmost point of the chapel and a statue of St Peter is carried out from the holy cross chapel in a ceremony and placed in a small niche just below the cross.

As afternoon sets in, around 2.30 pm an opening hymn is sung by the locals of Orda and subsequently professional singers take over. This year on 29th June 2009, a large number of Konkani artists which included Anil, Olga, Socorro d e Santa cruz, Sonia, Albert, T Britton besides various child artistes and local artistes performed live on board the Sangodd.

Once the gathered crowd is entertained enough, the Sangodd moves to another location to regale another section of the crowds at another point down the creek. After the first point, five more stops are made as the artistes perform much to the excitement and thrill of the large gathered crowds. Slogans such as Viva Sao Pedro can be well heard.

In Salcete, the Sangodd is celebrated at Assolna at round 3 pm along the river sal at three different places. The first point is at the jetty behind the Church, the next one is at Collean Dando at Assolna and the third one is at Ambelim. All of them tie their fishing boats together and erect a stage on board the raft. Various artists sing on these Sangodds which are witnessed by curious crowds along the banks of the river.

Sangodd is therefore a  festival celebrated all over Goa mainly by the fishing community to invoke the blessings of St Peter and to celebrate the spirit of Goa.

Vasco celebrates feast of Sao Pedro in Goa

The feast of Saint Peter or Sao Pedro, the patron saint of the fisherfolk in Goa, termed by many as the "God of the sea" was celebrated by the fishing community at Khariwaddo in Vasco on Monday 29th June 2009 as per their annual tradition. Prayers seeking better prospects in the coming fishing season were offered on the occasion.

The feast of "Sao Pedro" is an annual affair  for the fishing community residing in Vasco's areas of Khariwaddo, Non-mon, Pixem-Dongri and other areas inhabited by the community who engage in fishing activities in the port city. This is a traditional feast celebrated by these communities and dates back to centuries when their ancestors began the tradition.

This time around, after offering prayers at the Old Cross chapel at Khariwaddo, by the parish priest of St Andrew's Church Vasco,  Fr Jose Antonio Da Costa, the members of the fishing community went towards the Khariwaddo jetty in a procession to the accompaniment of the brass band. Next they embarked into the sea in colorfully decorated fishing canoes which were adorned with flowers, leaves, balloons and coconut palms.

Here the parish priest offered prayers to Sao Pedro and also sought a blessing for the fishing community and prayed for God's protection on them when they venture out into the high seas to earn their bread.

The celebrations culminated with all the fishing community groups such as the Ramponkars, the Magkars, the Boatkars and other members of the community offering prayers and then venturing into the sea in their decorated boats.

The Goan Sao Joao Kopels

At the Sao Joao festival in Goa, the sight to watch is of the Sao Joao "kopel". The Kopel is a type of a crown traditionally made for the sons in laws and is now become a trendy headgear for all revellers at the Sao Joao festival. Innovation seems to have no limit at the Sao Joao Kopel contest with each reveller bettering the other with a Kopel constitution full of every kind of Goan plant leaves ,flowers, buds, shrubs etc. Below are some tempting 'kopels" which made it for the day on 24th June 2009.

Viva Sao Joao

The Goan Sao Joao Song

Here's the famous Goan Sao Joao song which lends the extra fervour to the Sao Joao Spirit in Goa. From the north to the south of Goa, the Sao Joao song is sung with a lot of love and emotion by Goans. The lyrics of the  song are a wonderful combination narrating the nostalgia an old rustic Goan village camaraderie which is melodious to the ears and the tune tends to reverberate the senses long after the song is sung and over with.

  

                   SAO JOAO CANTAR

Sogle ami zanvoim vortotaum, chodda tempan bhetleaum
Sao joao-chem festh mhunnon ami manvoddea aileaum
Mateak him kopelam ghalun uddok navonk bhair sorleaum
Aichea dissak voddle ami nokom khuim pauleaum.

Chorus
Sao Joao, Sao Joao gunvta mure vatt amkam dissona
Aicho dis urbecho konn konnak hansona
Choll-re pie-re tum illo ghe-re faleam kaim mevona
Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pauti enam.

Zanvoim ami festak aileaum mun ganvan bobau poddla
Mhojea sasupain tin kouxe soro addla
Tin kudvanchim sandnam keleant ani dhukor marla
Sezarchea konsu manan ponos daddla.

Chorus
Sao Joao, Sao Joao gunvta mure vatt amkam dissona
Aicho dis urbecho konn konnak hansona
Choll-re pie-re tum illo ghe-re faleam kaim mevona
Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pauti enam.

Vhooddilanchea kaiddea pormonem uddok nataum bhaimchem
Khoddegant fest hem amchem manvoddechem
Pondra diss alchenoi hangache bhorench ami ghevchem
Choll atam sao joao vhoria maguir tem pouchem.

Chorus
Sao Joao, Sao Joao gunvta mure vatt amkam dissona
Aicho dis urbecho konn konnak hansona
Choll-re pie-re tum illo ghe-re faleam kaim mevona
Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pauti enam.

Viva Sao Joao

Sao Joao celebrations beckon Goa

The feast of Saint John the Baptist is a favourite among Goans and the entire state gets set at this time of the year to get its watery act together to celebrate what is commonly known as "Sao Joao" festival in Goa. In Salcete, the feast is celebrated with a lot of gusto especially in the village of Benaulim which has the Church of St John the Baptist and the feast is on the 24th Of June. Sao Joao Day!

The Church of St John the Baptist in Benaulim is located on the  picturesque hillock situated at the entrance of Colva and towards  Benaulim. This Church also has a unique architecture and is well admired by tourists who flock to the place when they visit Colva and Benaulim. Novenas are held for 9 days prior to the feast day and the feast is celebrated with a lot of pomp and gaiety known to be part of such feasts in Goa. This time as usual there are a lot of programmes lined up including singing and dancing acts besides the prospect of watching a tantalising soccer match. Besides the  Benaulim parish, the feast is also celebrated in other villages of Goa such as Cortalim, Harmal and Terekhol in the north.

An unique tradition which runs is that the son-in-law gets invited to the brides house on the feast day. Also the newly married son-in-law wears a crown of fruits or leaves and jumps into the well. It is believed that it is for this very reason that many youngsters  jump in wells all over Goa in celebration and revelry accompanied by the sounds of the ghumot and traditional music and songs such as some delightfully sung mando's. Rivers, ponds, lakes and pools are not spared for a bountiful dip on this day and the young and the old join in the melee which reaches a crescendo towards the afternoon. Goan food, traditional drinks and various Goan delicacies make their way into this festive mood and the whole atmosphere is of fun and joy.

The chant of "Viva Sao Joao" is however not limited to south Goa alone and the north of Goa in fact has various locations where the celebrations are far more wider and louder. It is believed that St John the Baptist leapt with Joy in his mother Elizabeth's womb when she was visited by mother Mary. This is actually the basic background under which the "jumping" in the wells has become a traditional feature in Goa. Villages of Anjuna, Calangute Vagator,  and Siolim celebrate the feast of Sao Joao in a pompous manner.

In the village of Siolim, the celebration is very prominent and every village area plays its part with places such as Igrejavaddo, Gaunsavaddo, Marna and Fernandesvaddo chanting the "Viva Sao Joao ' in style. Distribution of Jackfruit, mangoes , Goan foods and pouring of water on newly married daughters-in-laws is a tradition in Gaunsawaddo.

In Siolim and in Goa as a whole the spectacle to look out for during  the Sao Joao celebrations is however the grand boat parade which has increased its followers over the years. A large number of people flock to witness this parade and this 175 year old history of celebrating Sao Joao in this village continues till date. However the event which may have started long ago on a small note has magnified in size and shape to turn out into a major attraction of Goa. The youth are traditionally known to merge from the neighboring places around Siolim coming in decorated boats wearing crowns or tender coconut leaves, singing Mandos and playing the Ghumot. After reaching near the cross in front of the church,they light candles at the cross, put a garland, light firecrackers , perform the "Saude" and dance around with the chant of Viva Sao Joao.

The boat procession is a replication of the entry of the Portuguese merchants along with the miraculous statue of St Anthony. The event was given a more organised shape in the year 1992 by some traditionally live Goans from Siolim and thus the "Sao Joao traditional boat parade" was formally christened. Later a committee was formed and since 1997 the Siolim Sao Joao traditional boat festival committee ensured that the festival was organised in a proper manner till date.

Goa's "Purumentachem Fest" at Margao today

One of the major Church feasts in Goa associated with the stocking of provisions for the monsoon season is the feast of the Holy Spirit at the Holy Spirit Church Margao, which is also fondly known all over the state as the "Purumentachem Fest" of Goa.

While there may be many such feasts close to the monsoon season, it is believed that this feast at Margao essentially derived the reputation of being the original  "Purumentachem fest" owing to its closest proximity with the monsoon season in Goa.

"Purumentachem Fest" a konkani term, could easily be translated into "Feast of Provisions " is a time for people to stock provisions for the monsoons. Although the feast has nothing to do with provisions, the timing of the feast induces a large gravitational pull over the crowds who flock to the fair at this feast to net a good bargain against all kinds of vendors displaying their goods, wares, stocks and harvests. Therefore many items and provisions that do not find their way at other feast fairs in Goa can be spotted at this fair. This peculiarity of certain items being sold only at this May month feast at Margao enticed people visiting the fairs to buy stocks in larger quantities by keeping in mind the upcoming Monsoons. That factor is probably the reason why this feast has derived the strongest bond with the term " Purumentachem Fest"

Salted Fish at the fair in Margao is considered to be the best bargain and people from far and wide within Goa and outside make a special trip to Margao for the feast to help themselves to stock up various varieties of salted fish. Kite fish ( solvve) is a distinct favourite among salt fish shoppers at this market as they are considered the most ideal for a good fish pickle (parra) and would help to pull off with the best meal on a rainy day. Dried prawns are almost a must and can help in making some delicious curry. Also the Bombay ducks in salted form known as the "Sukhe Bombil" have always been considered as a quick appetizer if roasted against the fire. Therefore this feast helps to keep the dying traditions of making nostalgic pickles such as "parra", 'balchao" and "molho" distinctly alive in Goa.

Besides the salted fish there is also a sale of traditional harvests of distinct Goan onions and other vegetables which can be stocked for the season. There is the usual fair of the wooden furniture where the traditional carpenters from South Goa display their wares be it beds,sofa sets, tables, benches, stools, showcases , cupboards etc etc. The furniture is known to give the sellers a ready easy market to display and sell their goods while also sourcing new customers for their future supplies.

The Grinding stones such as the flat grinding stone as well as the traditional "Rogddo" are also in full flow at the feast and while one may think that the electric mixers have taken over the Goan homes, the enthusiasm of these grinding stone traders to market their goods, belies that theory. There seems to be still a distinct lobby in Goa which is wedded to the apparent difference in taste, rendered with the use of the grinding stones and "rogddos' in their day to day requirements for cooking various curries, masalas and sweets in Goa.

Earthen pots are still ruling the roost in rural as well as urban Goa and the testimony to the fact is the regular return of these breed of traders who faithfully ensure that they occupy a portion of the market square at this Margao feast to show off their traditional wares  which need no introductions.The "Kunnem",the "burkulo" the "gurgulet" and the gardening vases get automatic buyers at this festival owing to their traditional attachment and the utility that  these earthen wares still command from the "niz goenkar" (true goan) more out of emotional attachment and traditional love than the practical compulsion to use them.

Then there are the other wares such as copper and aluminium vessels, garden tools such as pick axes, choppers, hammers etc. There is also a distinct readymade clothesline on display although most of the clothes at such fairs are of poor quality there is always the enthusiasm of the fair which unquestionably propels the visitors to  make frantic buys. Bedsheets and tablecloths besides other cushion materials are also on display and command sizeable crowds in the evenings.

Finally, one cannot miss the "kaddio-boddio", "laddoos"  "revddios" and the random open stalls of "festache chonne" ( Grams of the feast) which can be easily spotted all over the fair with the avid "festakar"  ( feast shopper) ensuring that he/she has atleast one pottli of the "kaddio-boddio" and one or two "poll" of the "festache chonne".  Without these sweets finding their way into Goan homes, people often consider their visit to the fair as an incomplete one and therefore the traders of these eatables are traditionally known to make brisk business by urging the people to buy some sweets in memory of the feast of the Holy Spirit.

Goa's Milagres Saibinn feast at Mapusa

For the many things that Mapusa is famous for, one of them is certainly the Milagres Feast which draws huge crowds to the city of Mapusa in North Goa. Mapusa's feast of Our lady of Miracles draws people from all religions and communities besides the Catholics from Goa. In Goa the tradition of devotion to mother Mary exists profoundly and people of other communities often make a point to attend the catholic feasts of our Lady.

For the Catholics who celebrate this feast, Mother Mary is the Milagres Saibinn while for the non-Christian Goans, Milagres Saibinn is "Tulzai Sateri Devi".

Prior to the feast , a nine day novena is observed and the feast is celebrated on the second Monday after Easter Sunday and is scheduled for the 27th April this year. Somehow it has a special connection to the Shirgao zatra that usually follows the feast.

At Shirgao, it is Goddess lahirai that is worshipped and according to tradition, Lahirai and Milagres Saibinn are considered sisters. According to a very prominent publication from Goa, Goan folklore traces the lady of Miracles of Mapusa to be one of seven sisters who was converted to the catholic religion by the Portuguese. Her other six sisters are apparently worshipped at different temples in the state of Goa. Ketko is known to be the only brother who is revered by the fishing community in Chopdem in Goa.

So come 27th may, the religious divide if there is any in Goa, simply dissolves while a flock of Goans make their way to Mapusa on Monday to seek the blessings of Milagres Saibinn.

While Catholics believe in the intercessory powers of Our Lady in eternal salvation, the Hindus consider her as the incarnation of Goddess Mirabai, sister of Goddess lahirai. During the feast, Catholics offer garlands of the firecracker flower or Ratan Abolim and candles or wax replicas of body parts while Hindus also do the same while also doing an Abhishek of the statue with coconut oil.

While the Mapusa Church is dedicated and named as the Church of St Jerome, it is more popularly known as Milagres Church as it is the most popular feast of the Mapusa parish and is therefore celebrated with much pomp and gaiety while also being considered as the feast for the traditional purchase of provisions and grinding stones as per the well known Goan tradition of "Purumentachem fest" just as is done in Margao for the feast of the Holy Spirit.

There is also the interesting traditional exchange between the two supposed sisters. While lahirai sends one 'colso' ( pot) of oil on the feast day, Milagres Saibin reciprocates by sending a basket of mogrim( fragrant flowers)  on the zatra day.

Milagres saibinn is also considered as a deity who cures ailments and the sick come to her seeking her intervention.Meanwhile the temple of Shree Lairai Sateri at Shirgao which is located around 2 kms from Assonora on the Panaji-Valpoi Highway will come alive with its Sirigao or "firewalkers' zatra on April 29th.

Goa Wedding plans hit hard due to dry election spell

The weddings in Goa which were planned much more in advance to the schedule drawn up by the election commission had to face the unreasonable brunt of dry days with the commission refusing to grant permission to couples getting married in Goa to serve liquor for the ensuing celebrations.

The excise authorities which received 14 applications from all over Goa from couples with impending wedding celebrations slated for the 21st and 22nd of April had to face the denial by the excise authorities  as the election commission turned down their proposal to grant temporary licences to serve liquor to guests at the reception venues of the wedding celebrations.

Couples tying the knot were therefore a disappointed lot, after the election commission rejected their proposal to authorise the Goa government to issue temporary licences to couples planning wedding celebrations.

However it has to be noted that these couples had planned the weddings at least a year or more in advance to the election commissions declaration of election dates and therefore it was a hard pill to swallow for all the couples who had petitioned the government to grant permission. Tuesday saw nine weddings in the state of Goa with six of them in Salcete , two in Bardez and one in Taleigao.

Meanwhile a number of people gathered in front of the office of the Chief electoral officer on Tuesday morning to register their protest against a comment made by an official that the affected wedding parties could cancel their weddings or postpone it to a later date if they were feeling troubled by the restrictions. Citizens complained that the weddings were planned a year in advance and such comments were uncalled for.

Meanwhile after declining the permissions there were raids conducted on many wedding venues in Goa and the wedding parties were advised to refrain from serving liquor at all costs.

Goa celebrates Easter!

Goa joins the rest of the world in celebrating Easter, the joy of the risen Christ.The whole state of Goa witnessed midnight masses signalling the rise of the eternal King from death after three days as promised in the holy scriptures.

Easter is indeed the sacred celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead and is the oldest and holiest Christian festival the climax and centre of the liturgical year and the holy day to which all other holy days point. The Easter day comes on Sunday which is two days after the Good Friday and is celebrated with tremendous joy and thanksgiving in Goa.

For Christians the foundation of the Christian faith is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ lived the righteous and perfect life that we, because of our fallen and corrupt nature, are not able to live.He suffered the penalty for our sins by taking our guilt upon Himself and dying a horrible death on the cross. He rose bodily from the dead that first Easter morning ensuring that we who have  been baptised into his death and resurrection will rise again in glorified bodies on the last day. This is the great pascal mystery that Christians have celebrated since the earliest days of the Church.

In many parts of Goa as also the rest of the world, the Easter egg has become synonymous with this day. The story about the Easter egg is that many ancient cultures ago eggs were a common symbol of new life and immortality. In olden times, Christians adapted the egg to their own religious devotions by abstaining from eating eggs during lent and resuming it after Easter. Eggs came to represent the Lord's resurrection -- just as Christ broke out of the tomb on Easter morning, the yolk of the egg breaks out of its shell when cracked. The decoration of eggs for Easter is a part of the folk traditions of many cultures, although it has no religious significance.

Goa observes Palm Sunday!

The holy season of Lent is about to come to an end and it is the last week in the 40 day period of penance. The period ends with the day of Easter which is preceded by religious rituals such as Palm Sunday followed by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Palm Sunday is a symbolic remembrance of the day when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem just before Passover, the Jews waved the palm branches to welcome him. Goa observed Palm Sunday today when the priest representing Jesus is followed into the Church by people with palm fronds. Earlier people are given  the palm fronds when they come to the Church and some even weave the fronds into decorative crosses.

Later in the week, the faithful observe Maundy Thursday when they symbolically recreate the last supper of Jesus and 12 men are chosen to be his disciples. During the mass, the priest removes his vestment, ties a white cloth around his waist  and bends down to wash and clean the feet of the 12 men.

Goa Cuisine : Goan Sannas

"Sannas" are commonly known as the Goan rice cakes in the world outside Goa. But to the traditional Goan foodie, Sannas are an inseparable part of any festivity be it the  Church feast, birthday party, anniversary, christening, communion, or simply a bash, the sannas have to be decorating the table.

Sannas, are essentially a substitute for bread and are made from steamed  rice and coconut toddy and is a spongy, white,  and warmly sweet Goan speciality . Many outside Goa consider  Sanna to be a Goan variant of idli  a south Indian dish which is made from rice, udad dal( for fermentation), but without the coconut or the toddy. So while sannas may appear to resemble idlis on the outside, they are completely different in texture, as well as in taste. The difference between the two is like chalk and cheese.

Sannas are a distinct Goan delicacy, often  served as an accompaniment to a meal or as a starter in itself . It is a steamed-bread made from fat ground rice, fresh coconut, salt, sugar and toddy. Toddy forms the most essential part of the sannas and contributes to its distinct taste while also making it light.

Sannas are extremely popular among native people of Goa and also among migrated Goans such as the Mangalorean catholic community or any Goan community settled abroad. Sannas  are  popular among Goan Catholics and Hindus alike and prepared by them on several special occasions.  

Traditionally, among Goan catholics, Sannas are served with a Goan pork dish called Sorpotel which is widely popular. The preparation of Sannas entails gentle grinding wherein there is no heat generated during mixing, resulting in a healthy mixture full of vitamins . Sannas are wheat free, gluten free and fat free and because they are steamed, their appeal is absolutely distinct in taste.

Method of preparing Sweet Goan Sannas
Ingredients needed for the preparation:
2 1/2 kg Goa rice ( traditional Goan rice is best)
2-3 large fresh coconuts
11/4 kg sugar
1 ½ bottle fresh toddy
1 tbsp salt or to taste
Method:

Soak the rice overnight. In the morning grind the rice to a fine paste. Grate the coconuts and grind them. Take the toddy and strain it separately to remove any particles or sediments.

Now mix all three, i.e the ground rice, the coconut and the toddy. Add the sugar and mix the entire mixture. Add little water and salt to the mixture and pour it into a large container and keep it aside till the mixture begins to rise which should take a time of around 4 hours.

Next water is kept to boil in the "kompro", a large copper vessel with an air-tight lid used for cooking sannas. Take some saucers and pour the mixture into each saucer known as "vanttleo" ( which are made of stainless steel)and arrange them on the kompro stand and keep for steaming for around 25 minutes on high heat.

The time could be more depending on the size of the "vanttleo". After the first batch of "vanttleo' mixture is ready into steaming sannas, the next batch is ready for cooking.The freshly made Sannas are often oozing with a lovely aroma and are spongy-soft in their texture and absolutely delicious.

Have a Sannnatastic meal!

History of Goa Velha's "Santachem Pursanv"

The Santachem Pursanv is one of the two traditional processions still alive in Goa. In olden times Goa used to see many religious processions conducted by the various religious orders existing in Old Goa.However due to various reasons many of the processions did not survive.

The processions included the "Corpus Christi' procession which was held on the first Thursday after Low Sunday,the procession of the Rosary by the Dominican fathers, the procession of the flagellants, and that of the " bones of the Hanges" by the Confraternity of Charity

In passing times of Goa, most of these processions were either banned or simply died out in the last couple of centuries. However the ritual practices of Lenten tableaus which were practiced in olden Goa, are still continued with fervour till this day.

The two processions that still continue till this day are the procession of the "Capas Magna" at the Se Cathedral in Old Goa which is most commonly known in Goa as the "Xeppdeanchem Pursanv" on Good Friday and the procession of the "Santachem Pursanv" held at Goa Velha on the Monday after Passion Sunday ( 5th Sunday of Lent) . Goa is the only other place besides Rome to have these processionsas of date.

The objective of the "Procession of Saints was to inculcate a sense of spirit of prayer and penance into the hearts and minds of the faithful, taking the saints as  role models who actually were simple people belonging to this world and who devoted their lives to Christ and thereby sanctified themselves.

This penitential  procession of the Franciscan third order, had originally 65 images of saints in their original life sizes and vestments which originally used to leave the Pilar convent Church and pass through neighbouring villages and return to the convent with people from different walks of life , the rich and the poor being present for the event.

However in 1835 there was a change of guard as Queen Maria II of Portugal issued a decree abolishing religious orders in Portugal and its colonies due to to which there  was a stop to the procession in an interval when nothing happened  and many images and vestments were destroyed.

Interestingly until 1935, the procession was traditionally held on Monday of the first week of Lent.However with the new church when the procession came to Goa Velha and since then is being held on the Monday following the passion Sunday.

In the years 1889 and 1895, there were new images added . Santa Angela Monica was offered by the villagers living in Bombay. However the original number of 65 was never restored and on todays date only 30 saints are part of the procession. They are, St Francis of Assisi, Pope Innocent III, St. Michael, Cardinal St. Boaventura, St. Clare of Assisi, St Francis of Assisi with St Lucy and St Dona Bona, St Pascal Bailan, St Rose of Viterbo, St Roque, St Isabel, Isabel of Hungary, St Antonio of Lisboa,Cardinal St Peter Pdamiao, St Bernardo, St. Louis IX King of France, St. Filipe, St Ina of Assiz, St Roa of Lima, St Francis of Assissi and St Domnic, Immaculate Franciscan, Ecce Homo, the Divine Nazarene, the martyr of Golgota or the man of sorrows embracing St Francis of Assisi, St John Evangelist, St Mary Magdalen, St Angela Marcia, St Francis of Assisi.

The lead tableau has a cross with two hands crucified, one representing Jesus and the other St Francis of Assisi and they form the arms and symbol of the Franciscan order. the final tableau is one depicting St Francis of Assisi on his knees seeing a vision of Christ being crucified and on the hands, feet and the chest, the wounds of Jesus Christ are visible.

Goa witnesses traditional "Procession of saints"

Goa Velha a beautiful village near Pilar, sprang to life yesterday, just like it does every year this day, as it was the day for the Christian tradition known as the "Procession of Saints" or better in Konkani, "Santachem Pursanv".

This event is part of the lenten season in Goa observed by catholics with consideration to the liturgical practices followed by the Church and which have come down through the centuries after having been introduced by the Portuguese in Goa.

The "Santachem pursanv" is an event which is held on the fifth Monday of Lent and draws people from the neighborhoods as well as from many pats of Goa and begins in the evening with mass in the compound of St Andrew's Church Goa Velha.

Before the mass is held, Catholics make their way inside the Church and kiss and venerate the statues kept inside while whispering their prayers and wishes as they touch the feet of the statues. Subsequently the mass begins at around 4 pm and just before the sun goes down, the life sized images of saints dressed in different vestments and mounted on tableaus are seen emerging from the Church to mark the beginning of the "Santachem pursanv".

There is a particular order followed as the tableaus are carried by four Confraria members dressed in distinguishable ceremonial robes which are known as the Opa_Murca. The first tableau consists of the Tau and the crossed Arms, which is the logo of the Franciscans and depicts one arm each of Jesus and one of St Francis of Assisi while the last tableau has St Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata on Mount Alverna. 

After moving the statues out of the Church, the tableau pauses at the podium where a brief narration of the life of the saint is read out in konkani. The tableau bearers along with the people and the devotees then proceed along the traditional route with each of the thirty tableaus following the procession.

There is also a peculiar ritual followed by devotees during the procession. Devotees stand in queue and duck under each tableau in the belief that this act is capable of absolving them of sin and also grants them the blessings of the saints. The procession finally winds up with with each tableau being kept at a particular place inside the church square.

The priest then preaches his sermon and subsequently the images are carried back into the Church where they are kept for three days for veneration. This marks the beginning of a pompous fair with various food items, toys, clothes and other such articles occupying the outside area.

In the Olden days it was a tradition to travel on foot or by bullock carts to be a part of the "Santachem Pursanv" and the pilgrims used to find a place to rest anywhere in the village.

Goa celebrates Gulalutsav in Zambaulim today

It is best described by the colour pink which is the colour in vogue at Zambaulim, a picturesque village on the banks of the river kushavati about 21 km from Margao which comes alive today by extending Goa's version of Holi to mark a centuries old tradition of Gulalutsav during the festival of Shigmo in Goa.

Goa's commercial capital of Margao therefore wears an unusually deserted look with many business establishments take the day off to celebrate Gulalotsav in Zambaulim.In earlier days this festival used to last atleast for a week with shops shut down in Margao . However in modern times the festival is mainly is a day long affair for the citizens of Margao. However the festival still goes on for a week in Zambaulim.

The deity which is called "Lord Damodar' is worshipped predominantly by the Saraswat Brahmins among  the Hindu business community and on this day they make it a point to feast and worship while also colouring each other in gulal( pink colour).

According to belief, during the early conquests of the Portuguese in the 16th century, it is believed that the deity of " Lord Damodar" was taken from the city of Margao and sheltered in Zambaulim. Before taking it to Zambaulim it was briefly kept at the Keni house in Comba Margao.Till this day, a coconut is first worshipped at this residence where thousands of devotees gather before proceeding with religious fervour to Zambaulim. Owing to the origin of the deity and the whole shifting from Margao to Zambaulim, the people from Margao consider it their obligation to take part in the Shigmo celebrations biggest ritual in Goa, the gulalutsav all the way to Zambaulim.

The week long festivities start with a coconut puja on Wednesday or Thursday from the Keni house and the religious procession leads to Zambaulim where the mahajans of the deity "Lord Damodar" hand over the running of the temple to the Madgaokars ( residents of Margao) for a week and take it back on the last day of shigmo during the Dhul-bhet celebration. Thousands of devotees are also offered meals throughout the week.

Plays, Humourous one-acts and skits are performed by devotees from Margao while the deity is brought and kept in front of the temple.Before the start of the plays, certain prayers are recited which has a kannada narrative style with some words in the kannada language which clearly traces back on the influence of the southern state of Karnataka on ancient Goa.

While the annual "natak" starts at around 2 am in the morning on Tuesday, in the afternoon, the deity's palkhi  is taken to the Ramnath temple situated nearby at around 3 pm and the deity is smeared with gulal by the members of the sabha thus marking the beginning of gulalutsav when devotees shower paint balloons or paint bombs on each other as the entire place becomes a sea of pink and red.

One of the most important rituals on gulalutsav is the ritual of the navro vakal which is a unique marriage performed at every Shigmotsav in Goa and may be a depiction in satirical form of current events or common events.

Donations also pour generously during this whole event and run into lakhs of rupees with traditional donors from Margao donating every year on a faithful basis. The otherwise quiet village of Zambaulim suddenly comes alive with this festival with fairs and eateries springing up with devotees flocking to the temple for the next 10 days after the gulalutsav.

Shigmo showcases Goa's folk dances

The festival of Shigmo has a special place in the hearts and minds of many Goans who believe that it is a form of reflection of the rich cultural heritage of the state of Goa.

In the olden days, Goa was dependent on agriculture very much and Goans used to personally work in the fields to ensure that the agricultural growth is nurtured and nursed to give the desired results of good crops. The winter season was a time of the "Vaigann" crop in Goa and after toiling hard the whole day, the Shigmo celebrations were a mode of entertainment.

Although the festival was a predominantly non-Brahmin ritual, in modern times even the Brahmins in Goa have begun to take part in the festival.

The Portuguese were instrumental in enforcing a ban on the celebration of Shigmo during the old conquests and while the rest of Goa celebrates Shigmo in the month of Phalguna, only Dongrim village in Mandur celebrates the festival by coinciding it with the Carnival which is attributed to the catholic community.This festival in Dongrim is known as "Intruz" which may have been borrowed from the Portuguese word "entrudo" meaning Carnival. The Shigmo which was banned by the Portuguese therefore survived in Dongrim in disguise of Intruz which is celebrated by the farming community of Dongrim just in the same way as Shigmo.

The people of Dongrim have therefore maintained their old age traditions descending to them from their forefathers and have continued to celebrate the Shigmo to keep up to their cultural heritage.

In Goa we have two different types of Shigmo celebrations known as Dhakto Shigmo and Vhoddlo shigmo. The Dhakto Shigmo is known to be celebrated by the people of Goa who live around the Zuari river side whereas the Vhodllo Shigmo is attributed to celebrations from people living by the Mandovi river .

Folk songs form a large part of the Shigmo celebrations and in Canacona, villagers invoke their deity by singing folk songs in praise of their gods.The folk songs are very common and are sung with the tunes inherited by these people from their ancestors and are known by practically everyone in the village.

The villagers come together with a variety of folk performances on the full moon day. in he Poinguiinim constituency, including Loliem and other villages of Canacona. The Velip and the Bhagat family faithfully observe the "Viramel" every year. The "Viramel" is a peculiar martial art form which is observed form the ninth day of Phalgun to the full moon day.

The tradition of the Bhagat community is to wear a white dhoti and a turban while holding a sword and carrying a broom of a peacock feathers . Their procession  visits every house to the beat and tune of the "dhol", Jaghat", "taso" and a horn known as "shing", in a performance which is a ritual.

The "tonyamel", "Talgadi" and "Goff" are the other rich folk dance traditions mainly performed by the male artistes, at the Shigmo in Canacona.

Shigmotsav - Goa's brand of holi

Holi a pan-India festival of our country India, which is a riotous celebration of colours has begun to dissolve state boundaries and  although it was prominently celebrated in Northern India, it has successfully made inroads inside Goa.

However while urban Goa may have finally fallen for the charm of Holi being the universal Indian festival of colours, the Goan brand of Holi continues to reverberate and grow stronger every passing year with the sound of drums echoing in villages and wards of Goa.

While Holi is a day long celebration, Shigmo or Shigmotsav in Goa spans for atleast a fortnight and is considered as one of the prominent festivals of the Goan Hindu community.

In some places in Goa, Shigmo is celebrated by the rural masses in the close religious association of religious rites with the festival accompanying the fanfare of drumbeats and imitations of mythological characters.

While some consider it as a harvest festival. others consider Shigmo as a festival bidding adieu to winter and welcoming the onset of summer on Goa. Spelling fun and frolic, the Shigmo festival has its unique identity in Goa and is celebrated on the full moon day in the Phalguna month( March), the last month of the Hindu calendar.

On the fifth day of the festival, is the Rang Panchami day- the Holi. Historically only red and blue colours were known to be thrown at each other in Goa on this day. However, now with the advent of influences from the Indian version of Holi, other colours have also made their way.

Goa's traditionally rich culture of the ancient times is known to be best showcased in this festival and the dance forms such as romtamell and ghodde modnni are in full flow. Places such as Quepem in the south and Sattari in the north are traditionally known to be the toppers in the list of shigmo celebrations with the maximum revellers in these areas.

In some communities like the Velips of Canacona, the Shigmotsav festival starts with "naman" when the villagers offer a complete obeisance from the 9th moon day to the full moon day and abstain from any kind of non vegetarian food or intoxicating drinks. On the 11th day upto the 15th moon day the villagers dress themselves in colourful clothes and celebrate different hues of spring by displaying multicoloured cloths, torans, flags and red diwjas.

Dancers of all age groups march from door to door  with Dol and tasha or drums with people offering them arthi and money to these dancers and the dancers later sing a song for the donor of the house.

The villagers normally play folk forms like tonyamel, chaurang, Aarati, Fugdi, Ghode Moddni, Goff dance, Mussal khel and romel dance which people identify easily.

These rustic rituals are therefore embedded very deeply in the Velip tribe of villages in Goa and the dancers are often accorded a huge reception  by the villagers.

The float parades is another facet of the Shigmotsav festival when the mythological floats take centre stage for the rest of Goa to witness the various depiction of characters and living styles etc.

So as Goans sprinkle colours and revel in the Shigmotsav celebrations, it has to be remembered that it is the Goan version of a much larger scaled celebration against the pan-Indian celebration of Holi.

The Goan Shigmo

Shigmo is celebrated in  Goa with the usual Goan fervour that Goans are so proud of. It seems to be a festival which is celebrated in a transition period of Goan climate when the winter season in Goa ends and the vagaries of summer begin to take over with various creatures which had laid low in the winter emerging out of their hibernation to partake in the joy and merriment awaiting them with  colours, fun and frolic.

While the rest of India celebrates the festival of Holi in full spendour, with different groups and teams singing and dancing to folk songs and folk dances, with drums and cymbals to give the desired effects, Goa on the other hand celebrates its own distinguished brand of holi known as "shigmo"which is unique to Goa and Goans.

Some opine that the word Shigmo is a clear derivation which has evolved from Sugimha or Sugrisha which means a "pleasant summer time".

The advent of summer with the goodbyes to winter actually marks the festival of Shigmo as if the change of the season had brought in merriment and fun accompanied with it. So the Shigmo essentially is a heralding of happiness and merry, signifying the change of the winter season to the advent of the summer.In Goa, all d ifferences of caste and creed or status is set aside to celebrate all kinds of feasts and the same goes with the Shigmo, with people from all strata of society partaking in the celebrations wit a spirit of festivity. The folk dances , folk songs and the cultural beat is the backbone of the rich Goan cultural heritage which Goans are very proud of.

With a unique identity that the Shigmo has, it was also the hotbed of natural eco friendly methods of fun. The colours used in the shigmo festivities were very natural in the olden days and were made from dried wild flowers which never caused any problems or irritation to any revellers or passers by. Also the traditional colour, Gulal made of rice mixed with turmeric powder was also sprayed in Goa on the revellers partaking in the festival.

There were innovative natural ways to spray the colours with the older generation using jet sprayers mad of bamboo sticks which were very effective while being eco friendly. Also the colours being safe and natural nobody  bothered about the ill effects of the  colours. In contrast, we see modern times where colours are normally included in chemicals which can be quite hazardous.

The festival of shigmo has always been one which has seen unique traditions specific to each village or area. While the festival is celebrated across the length and breadth of Goa very actively, unlike Carnival, it is not observed on a fixed day but rather on different days with each village or area having its own tradition of celebrating it. However there are certain disciplines followed in the celebrations which forms the essence of the festival.

The Shigmo is therefore a true Goan festival which has survived the times and can be traced centuries back showcasing the unique identity of Goa, Goan character and the rich Goan culture.