Folk festival in Goa fills streets with dance, music and colours

Goa is celebrating its annual colourful street festival of folk songs and folk dance, 'Shigmo Festival' - a social carnival with a religious core.

The 15-day-long festival, customarily spring's biggest festival, commemorates the homecoming of warriors of Goa who fought the invaders. It also bids adieu to the season of winters.

The festival fills the western state with colours, music and dance with huge processions being carried out. Men clad in elaborate costumes and holding heavy props depict the life of a resident of Goa through folk performances.

"It is a very traditional event of Goa. It has been taking place officially, and it has been declared as the state festival of Goa by the government. We are celebrating this for the 26th year this year," said a priest at the celebrations, Sandeep.

Scenes and episodes from mythological Hindu stories are performed during the larger-than-life event.

Traditional folk dances like 'Ghode Modni' and 'Fugni' are performed by artists who march the streets dancing and playing musical instruments as the carnival proceeds.

The festival, which also promotes Goa's art and culture, also saw the presence of tourists from various other countries, leaving them mesmerised.

"It's an amazing event. Actually, a great festival, we are very surprised by that and amazing function. It was impossible first to believe that we can see this. Thank you, thank you Goan people," said a tourist from Russia, Daria..

The festival began on March 16 and will conclude on March 30.