Viva Goa!
Updated On: 16 February, 2012 06:41 AM IST | | The Features Team
It's carnival time. From February 18 to 22, Goa will open its hearts to people from India and the world for this much-awaited event on the calendar. Join in the festivities as you discover the many sides to this tiny Indian state. The Guide gives you a ringside view
It's carnival time. From February 18 to 22, Goa will open its hearts to people from India and the world for this much-awaited event on the calendar. Join in the festivities as you discover the many sides to this tiny Indian state. The Guide gives you a ringside view
Thinku00a0 Carnival and images of Rio's risque extravaganza come to mind. Be forewarned. Don't step on Goa's shores expecting a similar sight.
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| A man representing King Momo (the mythical King of Carnival) rides a float depicting the coastal Indian city of Goa during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26, 2012. Pic/AFP |
Instead, Goa's version of this Portuguese tradition is a celebration of the state's culture, music and lively spirit.
Celebrated across Panaji, Vasco, Ponda, Margao and Mapusa, it remains one of the most eagerly awaited events on the calendar of this former Portuguese colony.
You should know...
The Portuguese who ruled Goa for over 500 years started the carnival in Goa in 1961. It is derived from the Latin word 'Carne', meaning meat, and 'Vale', which translates to 'good-bye'.
The Goa Carnival shows off the state's Portuguese heritage ahead of the austere 40-day period of Lent, a time of prayer and penance that precedes Easter, both of which are widely observed by Goa's Roman Catholics.
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