Get Drenched in the Colour of Spring with Holi & Shigmo

Text by Nidhi Lall | Images source: Flickr

Date : 5th February 2023 | Text by : Nidhi Lall | Images source : Flickr

Holi & Shigmo colour of Spring, the fun and pun of celebrating Holi on a beach takes on a whole new meaning. The Holi festival is not limited to North India. It is a festival that is celebrated with equal enthusiasm and thrill by the energetic people of Goa, just as in the north. Visitors to Goa during the Holi festival can feast their eyes on the rain of colours. The wondrous festival of Holi is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

In Goa, the onset of spring is marked by the festival of Shigmotsav. Just as Holi—the festival of colours—heralds the arrival of spring after winter. The same is true of Shigmotsav in Goa. The festival is celebrated mostly by the masses, who follow all religious traditions. Performances on drums and epic enactments of mythology are religiously followed. Vivid and vibrant colours of gulal and neel are abundantly used. Shigmotsav is highlighted by the performances of troupes in the form of parades and cultural dramas. At dusk, huge effigies are taken in processions, and prizes are given away.

WHERE IS THE PARTY?

This year, the festival of colours falls on the 7th and 8th of March. The events and parties are being planned, spanning all over Goa. Here is a short laundry list of the best Holi party destinations in Goa.

Calangute, Goa: Known as the Tandav Holi Celebrations.
It is the 9th consecutive year that the celebrations are going to be hosted. The never-ending parade of celebrities and artists makes this one of the most exciting Holi celebrations in Goa.
Location: Destination One, GTDC Hotel Complex, Calangute Beach, Goa.

Small Vagator, Goa: Goa’s iconic party destination The Hill Top, is a destination for trance fans and psychedelic parties. The Holi event in Goa attracts international DJs.
Location: Hill Top Club, Small Vagator, Goa

Anjuna, Goa: Popularly known as Colorland.
Colorland is perhaps the largest of the Holi festivals held in Goa each year. Nothing could be more grandiose than this event, which has big names in entertainment associated with it.
Location: Nyex Beach Club, Dmello Vaddo, Anjuna, Goa.

Ponda, Goa: Popularly known as Rangholic
A great platform for people to dance their way out of any Holi party in Goa to the tunes of budding young DJs in Goa
Location: GTDC, Farmagudi Hill Resort, Ponda, Goa

Vagator, Goa: Popularly known as The Jungle Calling Party
The Jungle Calling Festival during the Holi festival is a great way to answer the call of the wilderness in festival flavour.
Location: Origins, near Shalai Resort, Ozran Beach, Vagator, Goa

SHIGMOTSAV

While you enjoy the all-out entertainment of Holi parties at the beaches, hotels, pubs, and other tourist places, the cultural aspects come forth with the commencement of the Shigmo festival, or Shigmotsav. This year Shigmo is celebrated on 21st March 2023.

Shigmo is Goa’s spring festival, which the Konkani diaspora celebrates with great pomp and splendour. This festival takes place in the Phalguna month, according to the Saka calendar of the Hindu community living in Goa. Every year in March, this festival is held with great fun and enthusiasm.

Shigmo Holi is one of the different types of Holi, and it has two variants – the Dhakto (small) and Vadhio (big) Shigmo. While the first one is of more significance to the farming segment, for the rural people and laborers, the second one—Vadhio is celebrated by one and all. Out of the many things to do in Goa during Holi; a visit to the Shigmo celebration is a must. The Panaji Shigmotsav Samiti also organises a parade in Panaji. Besides the numerous temples around Goa, they also make special arrangements for Holi celebrations. The celebrations in Panaji, Mapusa, Vasco da Gama, and Margao are particularly interesting.

You just cannot miss out on participating in the dancing, singing, and feasting along with a large procession during Shigmo. Experience it while you are here.