GOA > Festivals

During the colourful Procession of Umbrellas at Cuncolim, south of Margao, a solid silver image of Shantadurga is carried in procession over the hills to the original temple sight wrecked by the Portuguese in 1580.

The Christian festivals in Goa are –

DATE	FESTIVAL
January	Feast of Three Kings at Reis Magos, Cansaulim and Chandor
February	Feast of Our Lady at Candelaira at Pomburpa Carnival
Feb/March	Carnival
Monday after 5th Sunday in Lent	Procession of the Franciscan Order at Old Goa
1st Sunday after Easter	Feast of Jesus of Nazareth at Siridao
16 days after Easter	Feast of Our Lady of Miracles at Mapusa
August	Festival of Novidades
1st fortnight October	Fama de Menino Jesus at Colva
3rd Wednesday of November	Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
December	Feast of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa
December	Feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception at Panaji and Margao
25th December	Christmas

Hindu festivals are harder to date because they depend on the Indian Lunar calendar. They are -

MONTH	FESTIVAL
January	Festival of Shantadurga Prasann at the small village of Fatorpa, south of Margao in Quepem province. There is a night time procession of chariots bearing the goddess and as many as 100,000 people flock to the festival. The Shri Bodgeshwar zatra, or temple festival, takes place just south of Mapusa.
February	The three day zatra of Shri Mangesh takes place in the lavish temple of the same name in Ponda district. In the old Fontainhas district of Panaji, the Maruti zatra draws huge and colorful crowds.
March	In Goa, the festival of Holi is called Shigmo. There’s a parade in Panaji and numerous temple festivals around Goa.