Goa

Hindu Fairs & Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi: (August/September)
Birthday of Lord Ganesh, the most important deity in the Konkan, and is celebrated all over Goa. Thousand return to Goa for this festival, which is associated with good Harvest.

Gokul Ashtami: (July/August)
Or Janamashtami is the Birthday of Lord Krishna. This marks the beginning of Goa's harvest festival. At Narve village in Bicholim, people gather for pilgrimage from far and wide.

Novidade:
In each village, the first offering is is made to the church and the paddy specially blessed. No farmer, will harvest his rice crop before it is offered in a ceremony called 'Novidade' in which the parish priest himself harvests sheaf of rice and returns with it to the Church, Local people accompany him with music, fire works and Jubilation .

It is a true feast day for all. Women folk of Goa's earliest tribal settlers perform a dance called Bhandup in half second half of the month.

Deepawali: (October/November)
It is the great festivals of lights . It is universally celebrated in Goa, in homes, on the streets, in shops and of course, in religious places.

Navaratra Utsav:
or the nine nights festivals associated with Lord Rama's Defeat of Ravana, demon King of Lanka culminates in the grand festival of Dusshera. Dusshera is celebrated by devotees of the Mother Goddess as her festival. The Sri Bhagavati Temple is Pernem has a fortnight's festivities on the occasion. Special celebrations for Navaratra Utsav are held at Shantadurga, Nagueshi, Mahalakshmi and Ramnath Temples at Ponda and at Kalika Devi Temples in Kasarpal. The Dhangar Dance is dance of worship performed during this festival.

The Kiran Mahotsasv:
Or religious music festival takes place at Quepem in September and is an all night celebration.

Kejagiri Purnima: (November/December)
It can fall early in lights. It is the full moon following Dusshera. At Mardol in Ponda there are special celebrations to mark this auspicious day.

Datta Jayanti:
It is celebrated as the annual festival at Shri Datta Temple at Dattawadi,Sanquelim.

Malni Purnima:
It is the festivals at Sri Devaki Krishna Temple at Marcel.

Zatra:
The deity is taken out of the temple in a colourful procession for the day. The annual Zatra of Shri Shantadurga at Kunkoliemkarin at Fatorpa in Quepem also falls in this month. Thousands flock to attend the festival from afar. Zatra in all Temples, of special importance being at Mangueshi, Nagueshi, Ramnathi, Kavlem, Madki, Kundai, Shiroda, Khandepar, Borim, Kapileshwari, Mulgaon, Fatorpa, Amona, Mashel, Mala-Panaji, Mapusam, Velinga, Karmali, and Calangute.