As the monsoon season begins in India, the rain brings with it many different festivals in Goa. While some are known, others are yet to be discovered by tourists, and this guide will help you immerse in them
In Marcel, Ponda, tradition takes a playful turn with Chikhal Kalo, popularly known as the Mud Festival. Photos Courtesy: Goa Tourism
As the Indian monsoon season gets underway, Goa turns into a totally different paradise that most tourists don't know about as they spend the summer in the sunshine state.
Monsoon in Goa is known to be a time of fertility, abundance, and joy. The state celebrates its unique cultural roots through festivals that blend Christian, Hindu, and tribal traditions and that is what makes this time of the year absolutely unique for every tourist who loves culture.
Sao Joao Festival (June 24)
Marking the nativity of St. John the Baptist, the Sao Joao Festival is one of Goa’s most anticipated monsoon celebrations. Young men leap into wells, ponds, and streams—a tradition rooted in joy and abundance. Locals don vibrant copels (floral wreaths), sing traditional songs, and parade colorful floats, transforming the villages into buzzing hubs of merriment. For visitors, it offers a rare window into Goa’s deep-rooted faith and sense of community.
Sangodd Festival (June 29)
Celebrated by the fishing communities, Sangodd in Assolna marks the feast of Saints Peter and Paul and heralds the start of the traditional rampon fishing season. Held on rivers and backwaters, canoes are ingeniously lashed together to create floating stages, adorned with coconut palms, flowers, and church-inspired motifs. These vibrant platforms become the setting for folk dances, musical skits, and community prayers—a true celebration of Goa’s maritime heritage.
Chikhal Kalo Festival
In Marcel, Ponda, tradition takes a playful turn with Chikhal Kalo, popularly known as the Mud Festival. This unique celebration near the Devki Krishna Temple involves participants joyfully rolling in mud while playing traditional village games. The revelry, rooted in tales of Krishna's childhood, is both a cultural spectacle and a communal detox, inviting everyone to shed inhibitions and embrace earthiness.
Touxeachem Fest
Held at the St. Anne’s Church in Talaulim, Touxeachem Fest—literally “the Cucumber Festival”—is a thanksgiving celebration where devotees offer cucumbers to Our Lady of Miracles. The ritual, reflecting the season’s first harvest, embodies a deep reverence for nature and fertility. The offered cucumbers are later shared with the community, reinforcing Goa’s agrarian roots and its tradition of shared bounty.
Bonderam Festival (August)
On Divar Island, the monsoon reaches its crescendo with the Bonderam Festival—a riot of colors, flags, floats, and friendly rivalry. Inspired by a colonial-era land dispute resolution method, today it’s a spirited event with music, food, and mock battles between village wards. Tourists and locals throng to witness this spectacle, which stands as a proud reminder of Goa’s enduring village traditions.
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