Goa is also a land of festivals like Rajasthan. Except the rainy season or monsoons, the Goan calendar is always overwhelmed with fairs and festivals. With a majority of Hindus (60%) followed by the Christians (30%) and other minorities (10%); most of the Hindu and Christian festivals are celebrated in Goa with great religious fervour. So one should plan a Goa tour to actively participate in fairs and festivals of Goa.


Festivals in Goa

The major Hindu festivals that can be enjoyed and attended by tourists during their Goa tour are Mahashivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa, Dussehra, Diwali, Holi, Rakshabandhan, Ramnavmi and Krishna Janmashtami. Due to the dominance of Maharashtrians; Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa are the most important festivals. Some of the Christian festivals that mark the calendar year of Goa are Christmas, Good Friday, Margao Feast, Procession of Saints, Feast of Saint Peter Paul etc.


Fairs in Goa

The Carnival is the most remarkable event in Goa since the 18th century. It is known for its fun, frolic, feasting, dance and music. The word Carnival is derived from the word "Carn" that means flesh and "Leavare" that means to remove. This festival lasts for three days before Ash Wednesday signifying the initiation of Lent - the 40 days fast that precedes the Easter Sunday. The huge parades are organized in the cities accompanied with bands, floats and dances, and balls during evenings. The fair concludes with the famous Red-and-Black dance on behalf of the Clube Nacional in Panjim.

The other fairs and festivals in Goa include the Shigmo festival played with colours (the Goan counterpart of Holi played in North India); Seafood festival, Konkan fruit festival and Fontainhas Festival of Arts. The Goa tour turns more colourful if it gets coincided with the fairs and festivals of Goa making your Goa tour memorable in every way.