Shigmo Festival

In recent years,the state government has been offering its support for public Shigmo parades,made up of traditional folk and street-dancers and elaborately built floats depicting scenes from regional mythology and religious scenes. Meanwhile, Shigmo festivals also continue in diverse rural parts of Goa, spanning over a fortnight,with different days earmarked for celebrations in diverse areas.This festival is celebrated around March each year, is linked to the lunar-based Hindu calendar,hence its date according to the Gregorian or solar calendar varies.

Variations

Shigmo is generally celebrated by agriculturists, the labour class and rural population while, the Vhadlo Shigmo is celebrated by all the classes coming together Timing of the festivalDhakto Shigmo begins some five days before the full-moon day of the Indian calendar’s month of Phalgun and ends on the full-moon day in the Old Conquests areas of Goa.

Folk songs and dances, temple festival

The first day of celebration is called Haldue and the second is Dhulvad or exchange of Gulala. On the first,the village deity is bathed and dressed in saffron robes thats called Chaur ani Haud. After th offering of food,the feast is held. Puja celebrated in the temples of Jambavali, Phatarpya, Kasarpal, Dhargale are very famous in Goa and the neighboring states and attract a large number of  devotees and tourists.