Grape Escapade Festival

The Grape Escapade is being hailed as the best ever in terms of attendance, operations, flow and offerings. Over 50000 people will experience a blend of fine wine, lifestyle, haute cuisine and entertainment over 4 days.

Apart from being the only festival of its kind in Goa, the Grape Escapade is also touted to be the most enjoyable festival to date.

The festival brings together restaurateurs, hoteliers, wineries and lifestyle brands, all under one roof. While live music and entertainment sets the tone for the evening, wine tasting sessions by an accomplished sommelier and food connoisseur will be conducted.

Adding to the vibrancy, are special variety entertainment acts, jazz sessions, fashion shows and a beauty contest.

More than 20 wineries will pour wines, while around 15 restaurants and catering companies will offer a bounty of gourmet food classics, including barbecues, pasta, oriental cuisine and other delicacies. Vegetarian options, chicken, and meat dishes will also be available, as will a bevy of luscious sweet treats.

In addition to wine, food and art, the festival has an elaborate stage set-up with a variety of musical entertainment, which features some of the best local performers in blues, jazz, world beat, as well as dance and other non-musical performances.

The festival also adds economic value to Goa every year as it brings together restauranteurs, wineries, hospitality and lifestyle players.

The Grape Stomping, which is a tradition at the festival, is a source of much delight and fun for the visitors and is an intrinsic part of the festival this year as well.



The festival is organized and supported each year by Goa Tourism.

KONSANCHEM FEST

This feast is celebrated at the unusually named Our Lady of The Snows Church at Raia near the town of Margao in Salcete taluka. The feast is known locally as Konsachem Fest after the sheaves (konsa) of rice harvest which are cut at the time of the celebration.

Raia is a small village on the outskirts of Margao. The local church here, also known as the Raia Church is the scene of this feast which draws hundreds of Hindu and Christian devotees from all round the state.
The Church has a sickle which is said to have been specially sent across to Goa, by the Pope in Portuguese times. The local parish priest cuts the first sheaves of the season's rice harvest from the nearby fields.

He also gives blessings for a rich harvest for future seasons and the sheaves are then distributed among the devotees present. These are then used by the devotees to prepare some rice dish at their home.

The feast is also celebrated with all pomp and splendour at the Taleigao church near Panaji. Here some of the sheaves which are cut by the local priest are also sent to the Governor of Goa and the Archbishop of Goa Diocese as a symbol of love, good wishes and prosperity. On this day as per tradition, a football tournament is held at the local grounds among the clubs of the surrounding areas.

Food and Cultural Festival

Goa is a land of varied festivals and events. To taste the real flavor of Goa, you should visit the state during the days when the food and cultural festival is celebrated in the state. The food and cultural festival in Goa is celebrated annually over a period of 5 days and offers an excellent insight into the culture of Goa. 

Goa is known widely for its variety of inventive and mouth watering culinary specialties that satisfy the tastes of tourists from all parts of the globe. The Goan cuisines are a delicate combination of western and authentic Indian culinary traditions. If you are a person who enjoys seafood, the food and cultural festival of Goa will be an ideal time to plan your Goa vacation. Fresh catches from the sea are presented in the form of various tantalizing preparations. Also enjoy a wide range of meat and vegetarian delicacies that will leave you craving for more.

Everyone from housewives to large hotels take part in the food and culture festival of Goa. Most of the festivities are held on the popular beaches of Goa. A number of stalls are set up by the participating individuals including master chefs from hotels as well as locals competing with each other to offer a range of excellent seafood and other preparations. The stalls are financed through sponsorship raised commercially. Locals and tourists from all parts of the state make it a point to attend this festival to enjoy the seafood specialties as well as other mouthwatering delicacies.

In general there is a lot of partying and merrymaking that goes on alongside the gorging. Tourists are also treated to various cultural programs that are organized to pull in the crowds in hordes.
Other attractions include spectacular firework shows that are lit in the evenings to fill the sky with beautiful designs that you can enjoy as you sip on your favorite wine or beverage and munch on a tasty snack along with your family and friends.

VASCO "SAPTAK"

The port town of Vasco is the scene of perhaps the biggest festival in Goa in terms of sheer number of vendor stalls, the crowds and the duration of its celebration. The Saptah is celebrated in the month of Shravan as per Hindu Calendar, is the only big festival in Vasco.

The word Saptah literally means seven days and the festival actually lasts for a week, although the stalls selling various items linger on for more than fifteen days. The festival which is more than a hundred years old, is celebrated in the temple of Lord Damodar in the centre of the city

Legend has it that in 1898 there was a cholera or plague epidemic in the city. With the health facilities at the time being quite poor, the local residents turned to Lord Damodar, an incarnation of Lord Shiva for help.

The residents of Vasco went to Zambaulim temple (near Margao) of Lord Damodar and brought a coconut as prasad to be installed for worship in Vasco. The initial installation was at the Old Mata High School.

As luck would have it, their prayers were successful and the epidemic died out once the worship began.

A leading business of the time, donated a part of his residence premises to install the idol of Lord Damodar. This make-shift temple is the centre of the celebrations and remains attached to the original house even today.

The Saptah starts with the main pooja being offered at the Old Mata High School, from where the anointed coconut is taken out in a procession to the Lord Damodar temple. The coconut used for the previous year is taken in a procession around the city and then released in the sea at Kharewada.

A specially selected person carries the sacred coconut. Along with him, a troupe of dancers goes around the city visiting the residences of prominent citizens. The performance of the troupe is called as Gopalkala by the locals and is a sight to behold in the pouring rain. The dancers are also drenched by water thrown by the people from the houses they visit.

After the immersion of the old coconut, the people return to the temple and anoint a new coconut amidst singing of bhajans (devotional songs). The bhajans continue uninterrupted for 24 hours.

A glittering ceremony takes place at night with specially decorated tableaux coming from various wards of the port town. These are known as 'pars'. People come here from all over the state to watch the parade.

There is also a cultural programme at night with devotional songs for which well known artistes perform.

The temple is located on the main avenue of the city, the Swatantra Path, and the biggest crowds are seen here. Consequently, the entire main road is closed for traffic for the seven days of celebration.

All along the roads and by lanes of the city of Vasco, the vendors put up their make-shift stalls. The vendors come from all over India to sell everything from trinkets and toys to furniture and the latest in fashion.

The usually drab and sedate port-town wears a festive look with gay decorations and huge, noisy crowds visiting the temple and the stalls throughout the week. Cultural programmes are also held during the weeklong festival.

SANGODD

The Cumbarjua canal comes alive with music, crackers and nearly 20 floats on boat.The ocasion is traditional "Sangodds", on which people of Marcel and Cumbarjua take their Ganesh idols for immersion in the river on boats tied together and decorated with floats depicting mythological events and popular scenes.

The boats take seven rounds in the river.People coming from all over Goa, watch from both picturesque banks. The bridge of Cumbarjua Canal, connecting the villages of Marcel and Cumbarjua also gets packed with crowds.

The major float comes from the tempel village of marcel, and until it arrives, the ceremonies cannot begin at Cumbarjua.

GOOD FRIDAY CELEBRATIONS

This is one of the Christian celebrations, observed in sincere reverence by the Goan Catholics. It takes place at the end of the period of Lent which lasts for 40 days in February and March, beginning with Ash Wednesday. Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday.

A special mass and procession take place in almost every church in Goa, but the best celebration takes place in the capital city of Panaji

The most spectacular celebration which takes place in Panaji, is in the square of the Church of Mary Immaculate Conception. Large crowds in formal clothes, gather in the square to participate in the mass and the Way of the Cross.

The priests celebrate the mass in Konkani, describing the sufferings of Lord Jesus Christ. After the mass, the special crucifix, which until this time has been kept from view, is now uncovered before the crowd for veneration.

The ceremony of the Way of the Cross takes place as a re-enactment of the path Jesus took on Mount Calvary before the Crucifixion. An image of Jesus carrying the large wooden cross is taken in a procession from the Mary Immaculate Church premises, through the nearby streets by the clergymen dressed in special clothes.

The people follow the procession in two parallel lines, in front and behind the statue. The solemn procession is watched by hundreds of onlookers, Hindu and Christian standing at the roadside.

A band playing suitably somber music accompanies the procession which slowly winds its way through the main streets in Panaji before returning to the church.

St. Francis Xavier "FEAST"

St. Francis Xavier, referred to as "Goencho Saib" (Lord of Goa) by Goans, is the Patron Saint of Goa. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is a feast held every year on the 3rd of December - the day he was buried - after nine days of prayer, called the Novena. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier hosts a variety of ceremonies to honor the Saint's death. The silver chest containing the relics of the Saint is kept at the Cathedral for the veneration and kissing of devotees for he exposition.

Over 2 lakhs devotees from across the country as well as overseas attend the Feast, which has a Pontifical Mass executed by a congregation of superior clergy.

The whole set-up is changed overnight during the yearly novenas and Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Pilgrims come together on the Born Jesus Basilica from far-away Kerala and Tamil Nadu, from neighboring Karnataka and Maharashtra, as well as from the most distant corners of the Peninsula, and even from distant countries. The crowd reaches its zenith on the Feast day when all the roads in Goa lead to the Basilica. Thousands of people assemble to Old Goa on the occasion of the Feast on St. Francis Xavier and make a mock of the transport system that is provided disgustingly insufficient to cope with the rush. The gardens and wide open spaces that are generally deserted are, during these days, crowded with pilgrims symbolizing the whole mosaic of Indian races and religions. St. Francis Xavier is often conjured up by his followers for his curative powers. 

NARKASUR IN GOA

There are many legends related to the festival of Diwali in India. However in Goa the Narkasur legend of Diwali is well known and is the reason for the Diwali celebrations. Diwali in Goa is marked by Narkachaturdashi, in which huge effigies of the demon Narkasur are built and then burnt.

According to the legend of Narkasur it is known that in the ancient times, the beautiful land of Goi or Gomantak was ruled by the demon king Narkasur. Narkasura had obtained a lot of powers which made him quite arrogant and he began to spread terror, cause destruction and torture people wherever he went. He also used to kidnap young beautiful girls and this caused great unhappiness among the people of the world.

The people of Goa thus prayed and the gods asked Lord Krishna for help. A great battle was fought between Narkasur and Lord Krishna in which Lord Krishna shot his famous Sudharshan Chakra, cut off the evil head of the Narkasur and slit his tongue. Thus the evil demon who ruled Goa met his end in the wee hours of the morning and Lord Krishna smeared demon's blood on his forehead as a symbol of victory.

To wash away the blood of Narkasur, Lord Krishna was bathed and massaged with scented oils and thus the custom of early morning bathing with oil is being carried out. Also the young girls held captive by Narkasur were released and they lit lamps in their houses to mark the end of darkness and the beginning of light in Goa. This is also a reminder that good can defeat evil.

In Goa the people make huge effigies which are filled with grass, waste paper and crackers. A lot of money is sometimes spent on making these effigies as some institutions conduct Narkasura competitions and give away cash prizes for the best made one. The effigy of Narkasur is then taken in a procession and later burnt at dawn amidst a lot of firework display to begin the festival of Diwali.

Shri Navadurga Jatara

Shri Navdurga temple is situated 28 kms from Panjim at Madkai which is in Ponda .This 500-year old temple is dedicated to the Goddess Navadurga. It was renovated in 1603 AD. It was move to its present place from Tali-khol locality in Parampai-Vaddo of the village of Marcaim (Madkai) where itself it was originally brought from Ganvshi village in the Tiswadi taluka. The deity, almost four feet in height and made of stone, is in the form of Mahishashura Mardini (the killer of demon bullock). She is a fierce form of Devi and is highly venerated in Goa. 

The annual zatra or procession is held in November when thousands of devotees from far-flung areas throng the temple. Affiliate deities worshipped here are Grampurush, Narayana, Betala, Ravalnatha and Ganapati. Mahajan / Kulavis belonging to Atri, Bharadwaja, Kaunsha, Vatsa Gotra with Kamat Surname. The Palakhi of Shree is taken on Shukla Navami of every month. The annual Jatra is held in Kartika from Vadya Chaturthi to Dashami; Navaratri is also celebrated grandly.

The Goa Carnival

This three-day festival was introduced by the Portuguese in the 18th century, who ruled over Goa for around five hundred years. Among all the colorful feasts and festivals that are celebrated in Goa, the Goa Carnival is the most eagerly awaited event. Full of colour, music, dance and enthusiasm, the Goa Carnival is celebrated by people from any and every religion with traditional revelries and even western dance forms.

The word Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘to take away meat’ and is known for feasting, drinking and merrymaking, prior to the austere 40 days of Lent. The carnival has been celebrated since the 18th century when the legendary king Momo took over the state and the streets came alive with music and color.

The Goa Carnival is identified by huge parades taken out all night, and the people enjoy dance performances withbands, colourful outfits and masks. You can also see people smearing colour on each other. Falling in the month of February, the Goa Carnival introduces you to the shiny edge of Goan culture and traditions.

Intruz

Dongorim etymologically means village situated on a hillock. Dongorim, a hamlet of the village of Mandur, situated 11km from Bambolim in Tiswadi taluka, celebrates Intruz from February 10 to February 16. The festival includes folk dances, recitation of folk songs to the beats of folk musical instruments by communities associated with agriculture, fishing and several other activities.
Intruz, a Christian version of Shigmo is celebrated mostly by the Christian gawdas, three days prior to the Lenten season. The Christian communities living in Tiswadi, Bardez, and Salcete who were originally converted from Hinduism during the Portuguese rule, found it difficult to break their links with the Shigmo festival and they began the tradition of singing and dancing on the beats of percussion instruments like the ghumat, dhol, taso etc.
Dongorim, a pre-dominantly Hindu hamlet that worships the deity, Shasti Shantadurga, is the only village that has Hindus celebrating Intruz. During the Portuguese rule, they were prohibited from celebrating traditional fairs and festivals. They would then obtain permission from the government to celebrate Intruz.
During the 11th month of the Hindu calendar Magh on the third Friday at the stroke of midnight, villagers begin the procession of fatyasuvari, where some of them cover their bodies with woollen carpets with music playing in the background.
On the second day, a well-decorated umbrella with crossandra flowers is taken from house-to-house in a procession, which is welcomed by every family by invoking Ravalnath, Satimaya, Sakhalyo, Golibaba. This procession continues on the third day. On the fourth day, the deity is put in to a lalakhi and is carried by devotees on their shoulders. The fifth day attracts a large crowd of devotes to Dongorim. The troupes of folk artistes with varied percussion instruments visit every house.
Relatives and friends who attend the festival are welcomed with a special dish made from local vermicelli called shirvalyo and coconut juice.
The Intruz festival in Dongorim concludes on a Wednesday every year, with the villagers sprinkling colours on each other by dancing to the tunes of percussion instruments by forgetting their caste and tribal differences. Intruz is a replica of the Shigmo festival, which has provided a forum for many generations in Dongorim to exhibit their talent and skill in folklore.

CHRISTMAS

Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle all the way. Christmas is celebrated all over the world on 25th December.Its the birth day of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was not born in a palace or wealthy household. He was born in a manger.

Christmas is celebrated in great way. Every household get their homes ready to welcome baby Jesus.

You can see people decorating the Christmas tree and making cribs. People getting ready the sweets for Christmas namely Neureos, Bibinca, Dodol, dose etc.

Children go around singing carols and waiting for Christmas father to get them gifts. Live cribs with carol singing make rounds in villages. People from all religious communities in Goa take part in the festivities of Christmas. Programs are held at the different parishes in Goa during the Christmas week. The mid night Christmas mass draws huge crowds which includes goan, people from India, as well as many foreign tourists. After the mass there are cultural events and social gatherings with each person wishing every person they meet a "Merry Christmas"

The Crib should be a cherished part of the Christmas celebration in every family. It is not only completely religious in significance but also presents to the children in a beautiful way the central event which we commemorate on this great feast. Thus it assumes the character of a religious shrine in the houses of the faithful during Christmas season. Dignified decoration might enhance its attraction and solemnity.

In Goa and around the world Christmas was celebrated with lots of fun and joy

Feast of the THREE KINGS

Feast of the three kings or the Epiphany is one of the most popular festivals in Goa. It is celebrated on January 6 every year in the village of Cansaulim and Chandor in South Goa and the village in Verem in North Goa. Christians as well as non Christians celebrate this festival with great fervour. The feast is held at the Our Lady of Remedies chapel or chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios located at Cuelim.

To declare the start of the festivity, trumpets and the kettledrums are played early morning. The otherwise sleepy villages buzz with activity and come to life. The celebration continues for nine days with a lot of dancing and music. On these nine days of celebration, people visit the Our Lady of Remedies chapel located on top of a hill in Qualim, Salcete. Although an excellent road has been arranged, people still prefer walking up the steep hill to attend the Mass held in this chapel and to recite the Rosary. The beautiful statue of Mother Mary is decorated with jewellery by Hindus and Christians alike on the day of the feast. Many offerings are made to thank Mother Mary for fulfilling their wishes. During these nine days, the chapel resonates with songs by church choir.

On the last day, i.e. on the day of the Feast of the Magi on January 6, three boys from Arossim, Cansaulim and Cuelim are selected to dress up as Three Kings. These kids carry gifts—frankincense, myrrh and gold—for the infant Jesus, just like the Kings. The boys travel towards the chapel on horseback and with a band.  Dressed as Kings, the boys reach the chapel to offer their gifts. The procession is led by little children playing kettledrum and trumpet. The three kids dressed as Kings and the whole procession celebrates the three Kings’ journey to see baby Jesus.

The feast is followed by a fair. An extensive fair is held near the chapel. Complete with fun rides and makeshift shops selling everything from clothes to toys to trinkets, the fair is a must visit. One of the most peculiar things about the Feast of the three kings is that as soon as the festivities are over the buntings and flags are removed and the crowd goes home immediately. By midday, you will not find anyone around the chapel.It remains closed until the next feast as no priest reside in it.  The reason behind this is that the place is believed to be haunted by Maratha King Shivaji and his troops.

Sao Joao

The Sao Joao Festival is most pompously celebrated in Goa amongst the Catholic community and is dedicated to St. John the Baptist which is celebrated on 24th June every year. This occasion marks the celebration by the local youth in the villages of Goa who normally get drunk and jump into wells according to the existing tradition of Sao Joao festival.

They consume plenty of fruits on this occasion and are virtually unstoppable when they indulge in revelry. Specially in Salcete taluka, different types of folk dances or Mandos are held which are popularly known as Sangodds. Fruits and other eatables are exchanged between friends and relatives.

It is an existing tradition wherein anyone who owns a well and has a girl who is newly married exchanges pleasantries and food items to their in-laws as is the custom in every Goan village.

It is a real treat to watch the local youth with crowns of leaves and varied fruits on their heads going out in processions carrying Goan liquor along with them and jumping into wells to have fun. Later, they enjoy a lavish feast of meat and seafood marking the end of the festival. The rainy season is a perfect foil for the Sao Joao festival as most of the people enjoy it more when its raining heavily.

LAIRAI JATRA

This is one of the more famous and more unusual Jatra (Hindu temple festival) celebrated in Goa Shirgao is a small town in Bicholim taluka, east of Mapusa. The Shirgao Jatra is famous among devotees and tourists alike for the celebrated walk on hot coals raked frombonfire.Lairaee Jatra

The Jatra takes place in early part of May, when thousands of devotees of Devi Lairai descend on the small town and religious rituals and poojas dedicated to the Goddess are performed throughout the auspicious day.

Hundreds of people from the villages in surrounding areas, also take part in these celebrations.The festivals is celebrated by the tribal communities living in the area although the devotees come from all over.

The festival begins early in the morning and continues throughout the day. Men and a few women who participate, take a ritual bath in special water tanks located near the Temple. The devotees then walk all the way uphill to the temple as an act of penance, endurance, and worship of the Goddess.

Most of the devotees wear a peculiar type of dhoti (Hindu traditional dress) especially for the festival, a white t-shirt, a colorful cape around the shoulders, and a scarf-like cloth around the waist. Special flower garlands made from jasmine and other local flowers are worn by the devotees around their necks.

A special stick, about 6 feet long, made from twisted vines is carried by the worshippers throughout the rituals of the day. The sticks are made by the devotees themselves and decorated with coloured yarn which symbolises the flowers used in festivals of previous years.

Late into the night, as midnight approaches, the devotees perform a frantic dance inside the temple which is all lit up for the occasion. The dancing takes place to the rhythm of drum beats, in a tight circle in front of Goddess Lairai. While chanting and moving in a tight circle the devotees hold the special sticks clashing them against one another.

The dance sessions end around midnight when all eyes are on the huge pile of wood kept in a large clearing near the temple. The final and most spectacular part of the Jatra then begins, when a specially chosen person races from the temple to the wooden pile and lights a massive bonfire with a blazing torch.

The chanting and dancing then continues around the massive bonfire with the devotees touching the holy fire with their sticks. The devotees believe that the closer one comes to the fire, the more devotion and courage is demonstrated.

In the early hours of the morning when the fire has slow down, the raking of the coals begins. The devotees await their turn to walk on the holy path of hot coals. Around 4 a.m., the actual ritual starts, with the devotees running through the hot coals carrying their sticks and shouting the name of Devi Lairai.

Those who have finished their run, then remove and throw their flower garlands onto a nearby Banyan tree and return home. The Jatra reaches its conclusion as the sun rises in the distant hills.

Bonderam

The "Bonderam" festival is celebrated on the Island of Divar on the fourth Saturday of August every year. The word "Bomderam" originated from the involvement of flags. "Bandeira" is the Portuguese word for the Flag. It is stated that during the Portuguese rule in Goa there were frequent disputes between two sections of the Divar village, namely Sao Mathias and Piedade over property issues. These often led to violence and fights in the village. To find a solution to this problem, the Portuguese introduced a system of demarcation of boundaries with flags.

The rival groups used to knock down the flags with stones. In memory of the during the Bonderam festival people used to use the “fotash”, an instrument made of bamboo, and berries/peper corns were used as missiles in a mock fight between rival groups and also those participating in the festival. However, today this practice is stopped as it used to result in eye injuries etc. The festival is a memoir to the protest by the local villagers against the Portuguese while trying to resolve the property ownership disputes.

The island of Divar comes to life on the day of the Bomderam festival. Divar being situated at a distance of 12 kilometers from Panjim is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Bonderam festival starts with a flag parade from the main Divar junction which is accompanied by the brass band and then the declaration of the "Bonderam" festival open. Later there is a fancy dress competition which is followed by the traditional float parade. Divar village has six wards and each ward of the village has a float at the parade. This is followed by a live band performance by the famous music bands of Goa. This is a very popular monsoon festival in Goa and it draws huge crowds from all parts of Goa and world over. Viva Bonderam.

Shigmotsav

The Shigmo Festival in Goa is a colour festival celebrated in the month of Falgun as per Saka Calendar. During this festival period famous temple Yatras are held. Processions are carried out at temples by throwing gulal and dancing with god and goddess umbrellas and Dindis. This festival celebration is organized in different cities to attract tourists. Processions are carried out in cities with traditional goan dances and modern floats. People are honored for best performance in the procession and best float decorators. 

Being celebrated in the villages, the "Shigmotsav" or Shigmo festival, a grand five-day festival of colours, is also considered as the spring festival of Goa. Its celebrations begin with the Holi, the festival of colours celebrated across the country on Thursday. The festival commemorates the homecoming of the warriors who had left their homes and families at the end of Dussera to fight the invaders. 

During Shigmo festival ripening of the winter crop is also included as a reason for the festivities. By the time it was dusk, artists displayed the martial dances like 'Ghode-morni' or the horse dance. Floats depicting the themes from ancient Hindu scriptures came to delight the crowd. Meanwhile, the visitors were enthralled at the grand celebrations. "It's really good to watch people enjoying and having a great time and fun," said Sarah, a tourist from England. One of the features of the ceremonies was a cavalcade, which was carried out into the streets of Ponda in Goa. 

And the people participated in it while performing the 'Rommatamel' and 'Fugdi' dances. Shigmo festival is celebrated by villages after farming. Now, we have introduced some new features that include some competitions.