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.