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Bonderam Festival
The main Bonderam festival
is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of August. Bonderam is listed as a
Hindu festival yet the morning starts with a large catholic population
engaged in the ritual of cutting the first sheaf of rice in the paddy
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Christmas
Like elsewhere in
the world, December 25 is celebrated in India too as the
nativity of Jesus Christ with traditional joy and gaiety. In
fact, it cuts across the limits of the Church to spill over
into the streets for all to participate. |
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Feast Of Three Kings
Perched high on a hill in
Quelim, Salcete, stands the little centuries-old stone chapel of Nossa
Senhora dos Remedios or Our Lady of Cures.
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Food & Cultural Festival
Of Goa
This 5-day festival held at
Miramar beach close to Panaji in November/December offers a rich
experience of Goa's unique cuisine - a creative blend of the western and
Indian palates. |
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Ganesh Chaturthi
One of the most popular Gods
in India, lord Ganesh or Ganpati is considered a symbol of wisdom and a
bringer of good luck. It is said that his elephant head epitomises
everything related to wisdom-small shrewd eyes, long ears that miss
nothing, a long nose that can smell out anything fight and his vehicle,
a mouse.. |
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Good Friday/ Easter
Good Friday is observed in India in April
every year, generally on the pattern adopted worldwide. Christians from
all stratas of society trip the Church to attend the Mass held on this
occasion. |
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Sao Joao Festival
Sao Joao is the feast of St.
John the Baptist observed all over Goa on 24th June. Newly wed
sons-in-law celebrate at their mothers-in-law's home. On this occasion
the mother presents the daughter a basket full of fruits like
jackfruits, mangoes, pineapples, etc. |
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Shigmotsav
Generally known as Holi, the
month of Phalgun signifies the onset of what in Goa is known as Shigmo.
Celebrated mostly by the masses in the close religious association of
religious rites, the festival of Shigmo is accompanied by the fanfare of
drum beats and the epic enactions of Mythology.
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The Goa Carnival
The joy returns every year
for less than a week-five days in Brazil, four nights in Goa-before Ash
Wednesday, the beginning of Lent which was once a dreary season of
penance and abstinence-40 long week days preceding Easter Sunday.
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St. Francis Day
The body of St Francis
Xavier lies in a silver casket in the Church of Bom Jesus in Goa.
Ceremonies to honor his death are performed on December 3, the day he
was buried. St Xavier was a great Catholic missionary, who preached the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Asia. |
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