Shigmo: A Goan Spring Festival

Shigmo is a festival of dance, music, lights, colours and float parades. It is the most popular festival of Goa. It falls in the month of Falgun (according to the Hindu calendar) which is usually in the month of March. The festival begins on the 9^th moon day (the start of Holi) and lasts till the full moon day.

Shigmo marks the celebration of the spring festival in Goa. It is a festival of colours. People bid farewell to the winter season and rejoice the ripening of the winter crop. It signifies the abundance of nature and is a harvest festival. Shigmo is also a celebration to honour the homecoming of the warriors who left their homes at the end of Dussehra to fight invaders.

 Shigmotsav is a fourteen-day celebration. Rang Panchmi is the fifth day of the celebration. People play with gulal and other colours. It is like Holi celebrations in the north. From this day onwards, various parades are held all across the city. Huge floats that depict mythological stories capture people’s minds. People dress up in colourful outfits and sprinkle gulal. Processions terminate at nearby temples where people play instruments and dance with joy. Musical instruments like dhols and flutes are played. Traditional dances include Ghode-Morni, Fugdi Dance and Rommatamel.

Content Source:http://www.shigmofestival.org/significance-of-shigmo.html

Image: http://digitalgoa.com/goa-all-set-to-usher-in-shigmo-festival-2016/