One of the most celebrated events in Goa is the Shigmo festival. It is celebrated all through Goa in a grand manner. The Shigmo festival in Goa lasts almost a fortnight and is celebrated with much joy and fervor among the Goans. The Shigmo festival is known as Shigmotsav in Goa. It is similar to the festival known as Holi that is celebrated in north India. People enjoy this festival by playing with colored powder and water with friends and relatives.
The Shigmo festival is celebrated around March every year and the dates vary according to the Hindu calendar that is based on lunar cycles. It is celebrated just before the Catholic time period of lent during which fasting and abstinence from alcohol and other vices is observed. Since the period of lent lasts almost a month, the Shigmo festival is celebrated to indulge in merry making "one last time". The Shigmo festival starts with the appearance of the moon on the ninth day and ends on the full moon day.
Shigmo festival is celebrated by organizing large fairs and parades in Goa. Many small communities and groups of people come together and prepare colorful tableaux. They dress up as colorful characters and take part in the processions actively with much enthusiasm. Most of these tableaux are based on mythology and many popular legends. Some tableaux also depict important happenings depicted in the holy epics. It is basically a time to enjoy to the hilt and indulge in true festive spirit of Goa.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, May 4, 2009
Adventure in Goa
If adventure is what you seek in your holiday, then Goa will offer you that and much more. The 'sun, sand and and sea' title of Goa does injustice to this holiday destination as you get the feel of Goa as a laid back place. However, the truth is different. There is so much adventure at sight and hidden that you can explore and have a different experience on each day of your vacation, that too full of adventure. With a long coastline dotted with beaches, water sports is an obvious activity in Goa. And not just the sea but the rivers and lakes also make it a perfect place for aquatic fun. Para sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, you name it and Goa has it. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, wait till you come to explore the adventure yourself. Its not just the water but the land of Goa is also for you to explore, go trekking, hiking or river crossing in the air and explore the untouched terrains of Goa. Apart from the water and land activities there are other options like dolphin and crocodile spotting, island trips etc.
Government and Politics in Goa
The Government and politics in Goa became operational after the state attained its liberation from its Portuguese colonizers and became a part of India. The Government and Politics of the state of Goa operates mainly from the capital of the state of Goa – Panaji. However, though Panaji is the official political base Porvorim takes over as the state’s legislative base. Porvorim also happens to be the place which houses the Goa assembly. However, the highest judicial seat of the state of Goa is located outside the state, in Mumbai. Yet though all judicial transactions and decisions are delivered from and by the Bombay High Court, there is a representative panel from the High Court in Panaji. The legislature of the state of Goa is unicameral in nature– meaning that it has only one house, the Legislative Assembly. As in every other state in India, the Legislative Assembly in Goa operates under the leadership of the Chief Minister of the state. The Government and Politics in Goa is chiefly operated from the capital Panaji – it is also the administrative capital of Goa. The Government and Politics in Goa has its legislative capital in Porvorim. Porvorim is the seat of the Goa assembly. The state's judicial capital, however, is beyond the state borders in Mumbai. All judicial transactions fall under the Bombay High Court. A bench of the High Court is present in Panaji. Goa contributes two seats to the Lok Sabha and one to the Rajya Sabha, in India's bicameral parliament. Goa has a unicameral legislature and has forty members in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly is headed by a Chief Minister who wields the executive power. The ruling government consists of the party or coalition garnering the most seats in the state elections and enjoying the support of a simple majority of the House. The governor is appointed by the President of India. The governor's role is largely ceremonial, but plays a crucial role when it comes to deciding who should form the next government or in suspending the legislature as has happened in the recent past. After having stable governance for nearly thirty years up to 1990, the government and politics of Goa is now undergoing a spell of instability – it has seen fourteen governments in the span of the fifteen years between 1990 and 2005. In March 2005 the assembly was dissolved by the governor and President's Rule was declared. Since the recent by-election in June 2005, the Congress has been in. The Congress party and the BJP are the two largest parties in the state. Other parties include the United Goans Democratic Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party is the oldest in the state. Unlike the other states in India, which follow the British Indian model of civil laws framed for individual religions, the government and politics in Goa follow the Portuguese Uniform Civil Code, based on the Napoleonic Codes.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Night Life In Goa
Goa has always been known for its 'Happening' culture. Nightlife of Goa is a major attraction for the tourists. The beaches are a hotspot for organising parties. Alternatively, hotels, pubs, bars and casinos are also a party spot. Party culture in Goa is supposed to be started by the Hippies during there visit to Goa in 1960s. They found the beaches of Goa perfect for resting in solitude. Nights on these beaches under the moon along with water on one side prompted them to party during night time. Since then, Goa has come a long way in terms of the manner of the party. Earlier parties were organised on festivals, get togethers and at celebration times. Now a days parties have become a sort of compulsions on the beaches of Goa. Tourists and locals need no excuse for a party and music & dance go on for whole night.
The Rave Parties The Rave parties of Goa are also said to be started by the Hippies. One of the main form of entertainment of the tourists, the Rave parties are gaining more and more popularity every passing year. Earlier Rave parties meant Loud music, Boozing, and Addictive Drugs abuse. The hippies had a kind of life style which required alcohol, drugs and other illegal consumable items. Slowly the craze of these kind of parties started building up in the youths and the visitors of Goa. Later on, with government interventions and regulatary norms, Drug abuse came down as these were declared illegal by law. In the current scenario, Rave parties in Goa mean 'Goa Trance music', Dance, Live bands, great food and occasional boozing. The local music bands of Goa have developed a unique style of music, which is refered to as 'Goa Trance'. The Rave parties of Goa are also refered as Trance parties.
Regulations The growing drug abuse in these Rave parties faced heavy oppositions by the government officials, environmentalists and the local media. Since last few years, they have joined hands over the drug abuse issue and to put a stop to the easy availibility of these drugs. Now it's only during Christmas and New Year that one can be guaranteed an organised rave on a scale to match Ibiza, Thailand or Miami. For the rest of year normal dance and music Trance parties go on.
The Rave Parties The Rave parties of Goa are also said to be started by the Hippies. One of the main form of entertainment of the tourists, the Rave parties are gaining more and more popularity every passing year. Earlier Rave parties meant Loud music, Boozing, and Addictive Drugs abuse. The hippies had a kind of life style which required alcohol, drugs and other illegal consumable items. Slowly the craze of these kind of parties started building up in the youths and the visitors of Goa. Later on, with government interventions and regulatary norms, Drug abuse came down as these were declared illegal by law. In the current scenario, Rave parties in Goa mean 'Goa Trance music', Dance, Live bands, great food and occasional boozing. The local music bands of Goa have developed a unique style of music, which is refered to as 'Goa Trance'. The Rave parties of Goa are also refered as Trance parties.
Regulations The growing drug abuse in these Rave parties faced heavy oppositions by the government officials, environmentalists and the local media. Since last few years, they have joined hands over the drug abuse issue and to put a stop to the easy availibility of these drugs. Now it's only during Christmas and New Year that one can be guaranteed an organised rave on a scale to match Ibiza, Thailand or Miami. For the rest of year normal dance and music Trance parties go on.
Goa Cuisine
The Goan identity is rooted, among other things, in deep enjoyment of food and drink. Thus when a Goan writer becomes nostalgic, he or she usually ends up reminiscing about the taste of their grandmother's sorpotel, the texture of a perfect bebinca, or the aroma of a large glass of feni.The basic components of Goan cooking are, not surprisingly, local products.
The claim that every part of the coconut is used for something is not an idle one. Coconut oil, milk and grated coconut flesh flavor many dishes, while toddy, the sap from the coconut palm, is also used to make vinegar and to act as a yeast substitute. Another important product of the palm is jaggery, a dark colored sweetener that is widely used in preparing Goan sweetmeats.
Goan cooking generally involves liberal amounts of spices, too, giving dishes a strange taste and distinctive aroma. The most commonly used include cumin, coriander, chilies, garlic and turmeric. Another local ingredient used to flavor fish curries is kokum. Particular combinations of spices have led to a number of styles of cooking, which have subtly differing flavours-masala, vindaloo and balchao being some of the most famous. For the main content of the meal, seafood of all varieties is eaten, and pork and chicken are the most commonly used meats. The Portuguese influence in goan cooking cannot be ignored.
Dishes such as racheiado, caldeirada and cabidela reflect the legacy of the state's colonial heritage. Goan cuisine does not naturally cater for the vegetarian, and as compromise various cooking styles like xacuti, caldinha etc., are sometimes used in the preparation of vegetables. Two vegetable dishes, however, are mergolho, which is made from pumpkin and papaya and breadfruit curry.
The claim that every part of the coconut is used for something is not an idle one. Coconut oil, milk and grated coconut flesh flavor many dishes, while toddy, the sap from the coconut palm, is also used to make vinegar and to act as a yeast substitute. Another important product of the palm is jaggery, a dark colored sweetener that is widely used in preparing Goan sweetmeats.
Goan cooking generally involves liberal amounts of spices, too, giving dishes a strange taste and distinctive aroma. The most commonly used include cumin, coriander, chilies, garlic and turmeric. Another local ingredient used to flavor fish curries is kokum. Particular combinations of spices have led to a number of styles of cooking, which have subtly differing flavours-masala, vindaloo and balchao being some of the most famous. For the main content of the meal, seafood of all varieties is eaten, and pork and chicken are the most commonly used meats. The Portuguese influence in goan cooking cannot be ignored.
Dishes such as racheiado, caldeirada and cabidela reflect the legacy of the state's colonial heritage. Goan cuisine does not naturally cater for the vegetarian, and as compromise various cooking styles like xacuti, caldinha etc., are sometimes used in the preparation of vegetables. Two vegetable dishes, however, are mergolho, which is made from pumpkin and papaya and breadfruit curry.
Know Goa
Goa is a land that redefines holidays, with its exquisite mix of sun, surf, and beaches; Goa has become the ultimate tourist destination. It is a tiny emeralds land with its natural’s scenic beauty, attractive beaches and temples, famous for its architecture, feast and festivals and hospitable people with a rich culture. So get swept away by the spectacular sunrises and sunsets and rejuvenate yourself.
Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.
Panaji (Panjim) is the state's capital, Vasco da Gama (Vasco) the largest city, while the historic city of Margao still exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture. Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century, and annexed it soon after. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years (one of the longest held colonial possessions in the world), until it was taken over by India in 1961.
Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. Goa is also known for its temples and world heritage architecture including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, which makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia.Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.
Goa is India's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast.
Panaji (Panjim) is the state's capital, Vasco da Gama (Vasco) the largest city, while the historic city of Margao still exhibits the influence of Portuguese culture. Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century, and annexed it soon after. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years (one of the longest held colonial possessions in the world), until it was taken over by India in 1961.
Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. Goa is also known for its temples and world heritage architecture including the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, which makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia.Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.
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