Goa Festival News
Goa Carnival
The highlight of the four-day Carnival is the grand float parade. This year, floats conveying messages on social issues reigned supreme. A tourist attraction, Carnival in Goa has been attracting tourists for years now, but for the regulars, this year was not as interesting and entertaining. Crowds entertained themselves with just taking group selfies with carnival masks, and dancing among themselves. PICS BY: HEMANT PARAB | NT BUZZ

Celebrating Food with Carnival vibes – Goa Food and Cultural Festival 2020
The much-awaited Goa Food and Cultural Festival 2020 was officially inaugurated on 21st February at the hands of Pramod Sawant -Goa’s chief minister, in the presence of Babush Monserrate – MLA Panjim Constituency, Dayanand Sopte – GTDC’s Chairman, Parimal Rai, IAS – Chief Secretary, and Uday Madkaikar – Mayor, CCP. The venue had a carnival theme and even the beloved carnival character, King Momo, was present. There are a variety of food stalls put up selling items like wines, popcorn, shakes, urak, Goan and Indian food, kebabs, tandoori, shawarma, sizzlers, biryani, classic Goan snacks, barbeques, fish n chips, kebabs, ice-cream, honey, and more. Famous brands like Fratelli wines, Ripples, Gastro pub, Planet Hollywood, Fish by 11, Zakis biryani, Bay 15, Mog Asun, etc, have their own stalls here. The entertainment line-up: 22nd February – ‘Latin Connection with Konkani Greats’, ‘UZO- The Global Music Project’, ‘5-minute canvas painting by Sank Creations’. 23rd February – ‘Masala Coffee- Indian Folk, Rock, Blues, Reggae’, ‘Shine On’ band Venue: Campal Cricket Ground, opposite Parade Ground, Panaji Timing: 6 pm onwards on all days Picture Credit – SHIVANG MISHRA II NTGOGOANOW

Different cultures.. Different music.. One human race
The 2020 World Peace Music Festival ‘Sur Jahan’ starts today. Here are some details on what one can expect at this festival. This event is all about celebrating the uniqueness and differences in cultures. The line-up of performers is Dalinda (Hungarian folk melodies), Radiant Arcadia (all women Denmark band), Godfather of Nordic music ‘Ale Moller’, South Korean band-Coreyah and the well-known Reunion Island singer, Danyèl Waro. About the performers: Radiant Arcadia (Denmark) The band was brought together by Annette Bellaoui, who wanted to display the skills of women musicians, and the ability to work together with different traditions, languages and nationalities. The band members are from different religious backgrounds and traditions which can be seen in their Nordic and Celtic folk music, jazz, rock, Klezmer and Middle Eastern ballads. The band includes Tine Vitskov in clarinet and bass clarinet, Maren Hallberg in accordion, Anne Eltard in violin, Salam Susu in harp and vocals, Karen Jorgensen and Channe Nussbaum in vocals, Aoife Scott in vocals and bodhran (Irish hand drum) and Radia Sanchez in vocals and daff. Ale Moller and Ensemble (Sweden) Ale Moller is a professional in Swedish folk music. This version of his band will have Ale […]

Ukelele Away
On Sunday, 19th January, at Saraya Eco-stay, Sangolda, there will be a different type of music event- the Mahalo Ukelele Festival. Those who are ukulele players or any other type of musician or performer can attend the festival. Even those who just want to have a good time or experience what it’s like to play an instrument can go to Saraya. The word ‘Mahalo’ was chosen for the festival as it is the Hawaiian word for thank you and expresses the warmth and friendliness of the festival. The aim of this event is to celebrate music and share the love and joy it gives to people. There will be workshops, performances, and open mics. Shoppers can also visit the vendors who’ll be present there selling instruments, jewellery, organic foods, cosmetics and much more. Here is the line-up of performers for the festival: Neptune Chapotin Neptune Chapotin has been playing Mouth Harp for more than 15 years. He is the founder and creative director since 2013 of the World Mouth Harp Festival of India. He s also part of the band ‘Third Pulse’. Anirban Halder This Mahalo Ukulele Festival co-founder has been making music for more than 14 years. He plays with his band Electric Pulse and teaches […]

Experience the beauty of birds
The Goa Forest Department, Goa Tourism Department and Goa Bird Conservation Network are organizing the 3rd Bird Festival of Goa from January 17th to 19th 2020 at Forest Training School Complex, Valpoi. The attendees can participate in workshops by experienced photographers, enjoy guided bird walks, and watch art shows by prominent artists. Renowned ornithologists will deliver talks. Bird watching will start early morning at the Valpoi reserve forests, Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary. There will be interactive sessions and open discussions, besides a photo exhibition, live birding related demonstration and also live demonstrations on the art of drawing and painting birds. The objectives behind the festival are to promote bird watching, educate the public about birds, come up with ways to decrease the negative impact of climate change on the environment and concentrate on bird conservation. Sattari, Goa is home to various bird species like the Nilgiri wood-pigeon, Malabar parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, grey-headed bulbul, rufous babbler, white-bellied blue-flycatcher, crimson-backed sunbird, Ceylon Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, Black-backed Dwarf and Blue-eared Kingfishers, White-bellied Woodpecker and many others.

Santa’s riding to town
As part of the annual Santa Run organized by Grand Hyatt Goa in association with the Harley-Davidson Owners Group, over 70 riders dressed as Santa Claus will zip through the streets of Goa On Sunday, December 22, Goa will see the annual Santa Run organized by Grand Hyatt Goa. The event is in association with the Harley-Davidson Owners Group. The event will see over 70 riders dressed in Santa attire cruising through the Panaji city at 9 a.m. The Harley Davidson riders from across Goa along with their family members will ride through the route of Panaji, Old Goa, Dona Paula and Bambolim between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The group of Santa Claus riders will be joined by children of the charity foundation, Care and Compassion Goa along with a group of kids from Lokvishwas Pratishthan, a school for children with disabilities in Quepem.

Feeling Blue
Goa is all set to host the 2nd International Blues Festival at Arpora starting from December 19th to December 21st. The festival is a fundraiser to support the music education of underprivileged children, helping them with tuition, purchases of books and instruments. The event is organized by Foxes Retreat, Arpora along with The Guitar Bar – Goa, Axl School of Music and Technology, Goa, JoJo’s Music School and Performing Art Center, Mumbai, and Da Capo Sound, Siolim. Headlining the festival this year is JoJo’s Blues Project, with guitar virtuoso Joe D’Costa on electric blues guitar and Goan singer Joanne Fernandes, accompanied by musicians like Darin DeGama on bass, Ellister Noronha on rhythm guitar and Alister D’sa on drums. Other performers scheduled are jazz blues guitarist Sunny Lou from Russia, funk blues guitarist Steve Grove from Canada, as well as Goan musician Roque Lazarus. The festival will also offer workshops in the first half of the day, 10 a.m. onwards, conducted by Sunny Lou, Roque Lazarus, Joe D’Costa, vocalist Garfield (Gary) Oliveira, and recording engineer Aditya (Addy) Naik. Introducing the blues and its sub-genres in a seminar will be festival promoter Carl DeSouza. The festival will highlight the essence of blues, a […]

Young Goan Jazz musicians steal show at JAZZ India Circuit Goa
The Goa Jazz Academy band comprising Goan youth in their twenties gave a remarkable performance at the 6th Jazz India Circuit Goa which was held at the International Centre Goa (ICG) Dona Paula on 15th December. The band comprising of Jesherun D’Cruz (bass guitar), Swizel Costa (saxophone), Satya Nunes (guitar), Ackley Araujo (drums) and Clifton Sequeira (piano) enthralled the crowd by belting out jazz and Blues numbers. The Goa Jazz Academy, which is based at Guirim, offers scholarship programmes and long and short term courses in jazz music. Karan Khosla, director of the academy said, “The student band has been training very hard for the event and I am extremely happy that they have performed so well tonight.” Sanjoy Roy, managing director, Teamwork Arts, organisers of the event said, “The Goa Jazz Academy band performed extremely well. It is good to see young, local talent shine at the festival.”

‘Glory’ to be the opening film at Goa International Sports Film Festival, GISFF-2019
Goa International Sports Festival is all set to open with Konkani cinema’s first-ever film with a sports theme, Glory, will unveil the Goa International Sports Film Festival, GISFF-2019. The film follows the story of a Goan football team, selected for the national championship. The three-day Film Festival will be held at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao from Friday, December 13 to Sunday, December 15, 2019. It will showcase 10 award-winning international and Indian films on Football, Cycling, Running, Rugby and Chess. GISFF-2019 is the 3rd sports-themed film festival curated and organized by Saxtti Films, Carmona in association with Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. The festival will be inaugurated by track and field queen, P T Usha. These sports-themed film festivals will highlight unique issues and unusual debates concerning various sports and games Some of the other films to be screened are Algorithms, a film on Blind Chess Players, The Workers Cup, depicting migrant workers from all over the world constructing stadiums for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play. (GISFF-2019 is absolutely free for delegates who can register themselves at www.saxttifilms.com and/or www.ravindrabhavanmadgao.org.)

Feast of St. Francis Xavier (Schedule)
The Novenas for the feast of St Francis Xavier locally known as ‘Goyencho Saib’ began on 24th November 2019. The Novenas began on November 24, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. This year the feast has seen thousands of devotees in attendance, with the theme of the feast being, ‘Rooted in Christ like St Francis Xavier, go and do likewise’ During these ten days, most of the Masses were celebrated in Konkani, and other regional languages – Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi were also celebrated on different days. Masses were also celebrated in other European languages – Portuguese, French, Italian and Spanish. On December 3, Masses will be as follows: 4 am, 5 am, 6 am, 7 am, 8 am, 9 am, 10.30 am (Solemn High Feast Mass), 12.30 pm, 3 pm (Spanish), 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm (English). The Solemn High Mass on the feast day will be celebrated by the Bishop of Mangalore Peter Paul Saldanha along with the Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao along with other bishops and priests.

IFFI 2019 to open in presence of Big B and Rajini
Curtains will rise on the golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India, at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium on November 20, in the presence of the iconic film personalities, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. On the occasion, Rajinikanth will receive the ‘Icon of Golden Jubilee’ award. Coming out with this information Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant said that the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar and the Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Naik will also attend the inaugural ceremony. The opening ceremony will be conducted by filmmaker, Karan Johar, while film personalities such as Ramesh Sippy, Priyadarshan and Isabelle Huppert will attend the event. The Italian film, ‘Despite the Fog’ is the opening film of the festival and will be screened at Kala Academy, at 7 p.m. The Chief Minister also informed that around 9,300 delegates have registered for the IFFI 2019, while 7,000 have already confirmed their presence. “We have a special Goan film section, ‘The Goan Story’ curated by the Directorate of Film Festivals, which will showcase six Konkani movies,” he added. Mini-Movie Mania, a short filmmaking competition of the ESG, which will give away `9 lakh in awards, is one of the […]

India Bike Week gears up for its sixth edition
The sixth edition of India Bike Week will be held in Goa on December 6th and 7th at Little Vagator Hills, Vagator. This year the festival will feature four separate timed bike racing adventures- Flat Track Timed Trials, Hill Climb, Big Rock Enduro Training Academy, and MOTO MOB. Flat Track racing is one of the oldest and most iconic racing formats in the Harley-Davidson kitty. India Bike Week, in association with School of Dirt will also present an Enduro Hill Climb – one rider, one machine, one hill. Enthusiasts can also experience the thrill of ADV motorcycling and get training from the off-road experts from Big Rock Dirt Park. As part of MOTO MOB and inspired by the moto-mafias of Mexico, the track features stripped-down, naked machines that will test the skills to the limit. Celebrated bikers like celebrity stunter Rok Bagoros, international freestyle motocross team FMX 4 EVER, Aishwarya Pissay (the first Indian athlete to win a world title), Rajini Krishnan (the first Indian winner of the Asian Road Racing Championship) and Simran King (the national champion for JK Tyre 1000 CC Category), will be showcasing their talents and coming together at the Big Trip for a session on ‘Careers in Motorsport’. […]

Iffi’s Golden Jubilee : Venues & Activities
Festival Venues ESG Premises – Multiplex, 2 ESG Audis Kala Academy SPM Stadium Joggers Park – Open Air Miramar Beach – Open Air Inox Porvorim – Additional 3 Screens Art Park Children’s Park Campal Ground Mandovi Promenade – IFFI Mile Fringe Activities Art College of Goa curated section on Festival Mile Programs at Children’s Village Cultural Program in Art Park Food and Handicraft stalls on the Festival Mile Exhibitions on Film and Entertainment State Pavilion for promotion of Film, Tourism and Culture Film Screenings and cultural programs in remote Talukas of Goa New Initiatives Proposed Helpline number with a dedicated Call Center Ticketless Entry system through RFID enabled Delegate Cards GMA Dashboard for better coordination between DFF and ESG HOHO Bus Service and increased 3-wheelers Use of Glass bottles instead of Plastic 3 extra Screens and One extra open-air theatre Plan to Reduce/eliminate Rush Line Mini Movie Mania- Short Film Making Competition Goan Film Section (Curated by State Government of Goa and ESG) Goan Premier & Non-Premier Section Jury for Goa Section Anant Vijay (Convener) – National award-winning film critic and Cultural editor of Dainik Jagran Kamakhya Narayan Singh (Member) – Movie Director and Director of Travel XP […]

Mrs. Goa 2019 Season 3 pageant crowns Sultana DeSouza
Mrs. Goa 2019, a beauty pageant calling forth women from different walks of life to participate completed their third successive season. The pageant was held at Crown Goa on the 3rd of November 2019. The event was presented by Bally’s Entertainment and managed by MediaWaves. A total of 17 participants competed this year and the participants walked in two sequences in the finale in Ethnic costumes and Evening gowns. Sultana DeSouza was crowned as Mrs. Goa 2019 and won a trip to Sri Lanka with two nights three days stay at Kingsberry Colombo by Bally’s Entertainment. The winner also won a gift voucher from Champions Yacht Group worth Rs One Lakh. Sultana was also awarded the subtitle of Mrs. Perfect Figure. Heather Fernandes, Mrs. Goa 2018, crowned the winner in the presence of Mr. Johny Pereira –Vice President Bally’s Entertainment, Mr. Rajesh Dempo- MD Vision Dempo Group, Mrs. Bhakti Dempo – Director Vision Dempo group, Roshni from Champions group. The jury panel consisted of SonamMorajkar – Cine actress, Newton Dias- Fashion choreographer and Heather Fernandes- Mrs. Goa 2018 comprised the jury panel. Subtitle Winners: Best Talented: Simran Shariff and Sanjana Sakhalkar Most Popular: Daisy Serrao Popular Face: Roopali Desai Beautiful […]

India’s Jazz Festival is back in Goa this year
The Jazz India Circuit (JIC) is all set to come to Goa on November 30th and December 1st at the International Centre Goa (ICG) Dona Paula. The JIC is a one-stop destination to hear the newest and most diverse jazz acts. The event is organized by Teamwork Arts and has a stellar line-up of jazz artists. Other than that a series of music workshops, interactive experiential spaces, a bustling flea market, and a vibrant food court with flavors from all over the globe and a feast of art and craft activities. Speaking about the Goa leg of JIC 2019, Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, said, “The JIC celebrates the best of contemporary jazz bringing new idioms and the innovative spirit of jazz to the forefront for Indian audiences. JIC Goa showcases experimental jazz that blends diverse genres like punk, funk, hip-hop, folk and world music.”
Plant Utsav to be held on November 15
The botanical society of Goa has been a part of many programs which include hikes, workshops, and seminars. The Plant Utsav is another such program. The program is scheduled to be held from the 5th to the 17th of October 2019. The event is in partnership with the Corporation of the City of Panaji. The event will have stalls put up by many plant nurseries and garden input providers. Apart from this, there will also be knowledge stalls on disseminating information on vegetables, medicinal plants, gardening techniques, organic pest, and disease management, etc. Apart from this, competitions in potted plants, on-the-spot petal rangoli and a drawing competition for students.

LaLaLand festival makes 800 Tickets available worth Rs. 4 lakh in return for Trash
The LaLaLand ‘trash for cash’ collection has commenced on the 24th of October 2019. The program is supported by Michael Lobo, Minister of Waste Management, Government of Goa and will be launching 800 tickets worth 4 Lakh. The tickets can be collected at select venues across Goa. In order to get the tickets, one will have to collect 15 newspapers and 20 empty cigarettes or chip packets (clean). “We should be encouraged to take part in sustainable solutions to keep Goa clean and green,” says director Noreen van Holstein. “Therefore, LaLaLand Festival calls companies and of course the people from Goa to bring Trash to the collection centers. We need the community to make the Trash4Cash program a success. “What we throw away is seen as waste. We need to change this mindset. Waste, if treated properly, has value. It can be turned into new products and energy,” says Michael Lobo, Minister of Waste Management, Government of Goa, who endorses the Trash4Cash program The Trash4Cash program is an initiative by festival director Noreen van Holstein. LaLaLand is the only festival in the world where visitors can buy tickets in exchange for trash. The collected waste will be produced into attractive […]

Celebrating the spirits of Goa
Goa Tourism in association with the Goa Feni Distillers and Bottlers is all set to organise the second edition of The Spirit of Goa Festival 2019 from April 26 to April 28. The three-day event revolves around Goa’s much loved possessions: the coconut and cashew, in a variety of products, cuisines, beverages, handicrafts, etc showcasing the traditional aspects and the goodness associated with this produce including homegrown spirits ranging from local brews, homemade wines and more. The festival will also have live demos on distilling of the cashew juice into Goa’s much relished heritage brew, feni. Besides authentic Goan food, coconut and cashew will also be the key ingredients in the cuisines and beverages prepared and served during the three-day festival. A cashew stomping competition will also be organised along with masterclasses and cooking demos conducted by mixologist Karl Fernandes and chef Avinash Martins and Tiz Martins who will showcase some authentic yet innovative Goan cuisine. A variety of exciting programmes, workshops, competitions and more will be scheduled to enthrall the audience. From timeless Konkani and Portuguese classics to modern day English Latin styles with jazz and funk rhythms, the festival’s lineup boasts of well-curated large format ensembles with full […]

Costumes, floats, music, and fun- Viva Carnival!
People of different nationalities and ages flocked to Miramar to get in on the carnival festivities. Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar, tourism minister, flagged off the parade. Over 50 floats gave a splash of colour to the streets and one could see that a lot of thought was put into the making of them. This year, many floats backed up social causes like formalin fish, Kerala floods, the inclusion of differently-abled people, suicide, terrorism, and more. People sang songs, danced, sold carnival masks, and dressed up as characters like Mahatma Gandhi, superheroes, and Narendra Modi. King Momo (William Anes) told everyone to enjoy and be merry. Pics Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

It’s Wine o’ clock at Grape Escapade 2019
Grape Escapade 2019- the wine festival of Goa- was inaugurated yesterday and was accompanied by a fireworks display. Tourism minister, Manohar Babu Azgaonkar, inaugurated the festival at DB Bandodkar Grounds, Panaji. The other dignitaries present for the occasion were Mr Parimal Rai, Dayanand Sopte (GTDC chairman), and Vithal Chopdekar (Mayor C.C.P). Shine on duo performed ‘I’m in love’- an original song. Darryl and Troupe kept the audience mesmerized by their synchronized acrobatic dance. Raul with Raagas 2 Riches provided the people with live music for the evening. There are many types of wines available there such as amla, jambul, mango, cashew, ginger, anar, apple, pineapple, coconut, beetroot, white wine, red wine, Sauvignon blanc, etc. To complement the wine, there are food stalls selling interesting items like tandoori chicken, biryani, fusion food, burgers, chicken cafreal, ice-cream, xacuti, kingfish fry, shakes, prawn cutlets, berry pulao, kebabs, mutton chops, shawarma, and more. Pics Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM (Grape Escapade will continue till 3rd March 2019- 6 pm onwards) For more details click here.

Feast at Grape Escapade 2019
The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa will host its premier food and lifestyle festival, Grape Escapade from February 28 to March 3 at D.B. Bandodkar Grounds, Campal, Panaji. To be inaugurated on February 28 at 6 p.m., the 4-day festival will bring together a host of professionals from the tourism and hospitality industry; hoteliers, restaurateurs, wineries and manufacturers to showcase their premium offerings. Grape Escapade 2019 will showcase over 40 exhibitors which include wineries comprising of international, national and local wine producers. To complement the wines, several food stalls will be set up to offer gourmet delights. Some of the participating wineries include; Sula Vineyards, Grover Zampa Vineyards, Big Banyan Wines, Ocean King Distillers, Tonia Wines, Good Drop Wines, Santanse Wines, Pomar de Frutas, Fratelli Wines, Indus Wines, and others. Goychi Chul, Bay 15, Yellow Chilli, Anandashram, Temptations, Sua Casa Restaurant, Hungry Hatz Grill, O’ Coqueiro and Tinge, Toro Toro will also be participating in addition to many other food outlets. An exciting line up of entertainment has been chalked out. A fashion show by Anusha Shaikh, dance routines by Dance-o-Philia and Goa Institute of Performing Arts (GIPA), and musical performances by Shine On Duo – Sidney and Silvina, […]

Carnival is a medium to promote our cultural heritage: Tourism Minister
Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Wednesday released the official theme song ‘Carnival Sobovya’ for the annual four-day Carnival float parade to be held in Goa from March 2 to 5, 2019. The theme song is composed, mixed and mastered by Mukesh Ghatwal, who has also sung the song with Queeni Fernandes. The lyrics of the song are written by Ghatwal and Roque Lazarus. The main float parade of the festival will be held in the capital city of Panaji on March 2 followed by parades in other towns across the state. The float parade will be held in Margao on March 3, Vasco, Ponda and Curchorem on March 4, while in Mapusa, Morjim, and Shiroda, the float parades will be held on March 5. “We are promoting Carnival worldwide with fun and fervor; tourists should come to Goa to witness our unique culture. They are invited…Khao piyo aur majja karo (eat drink and be merry),” said Tourism Minister while addressing a press conference in Panaji. Ajgaonkar appealed to Carnival revelers to stay away from drugs and instead enjoy ‘cashew feni’ claiming that it has medicinal importance. He informed that well-known entertainment icon and ace dance performer, William Anes has been […]

A Delicious Start- Goa Food and Cultural Festival 2019 inaugurated
The Goa food and Cultural Festival 2019 was inaugurated at DB Bandodkar Ground Campal, Panaji. Food is essential for our bodies and it is also a great way for people from different walks of life to come together and enjoy various flavours and cuisines. The chief guest was the minister for tourism and sports, Manohar Ajgaonkar, who declared the festival open. The Valentinos with Marlette entertained the crowd with music. Some of the bands that will perform over the next few days of the festival are Lulu Fortes with The Rhythm & Blues, Frontline, Laury and the Lace, and Altitude. There are many stalls set up which are serving lip-smacking delicacies such as fish in a banana leaf, Goan style BBQ chicken, coconut water, Alphonso mango wine, kachoris, fusion food like gol gappa platters, Spanish beer, shawarmas, urrak, seafood, stuffed poli, sandwiches, juices, tandoors, and more. Some of these stalls belonged to Flamingo, The Yellow Chilli, Mahou India, Sammy’s Kitchen, Zakis biryani, BBQ corner, Café Ave Maria, Temptations, Pan Asian Hut, etc. The stalls will be competing for the ‘most eco-friendly stall’ award. (The festival will continue till 10th February- 6 pm onwards) Pics Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT […]

Reflecting on the life of St Francis Xavier
Every year on 3rd December, people flock to Old Goa for the feast of St Francis Xavier- the patron saint of Goa. He was a God-fearing man who spread the Gospel and served the sick and poor. He is dotingly hailed as ‘Goencho Saib’ as his life story inspires people even today. His relics are in the Basilica of Bom Jesus. This year, the theme of the feast is to live life according to the Beatitudes which Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. Living according to the beatitudes means always longing to know more about God, being merciful, bringing peace wherever you go, etc. ‘Like St Francis Xavier, let us live the Beatitudes and be Holy’- those at the feast were taught that it’s not enough to just follow certain religious duties, but you have to have a loving relationship with God and obey His commandments. There were masses in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, French, Italian, Portuguese, Marathi, Telugu, and Spanish. The feast fair was buzzing with activity and sold items like sweets, accessories, toys, etc. The St Francis Xavier 2018 feast also had a 3D stage which made the people feel like they were in an indoor cathedral […]

Iffi ends with the hope of a grander festival
The much loved International Film Festival of India drew to a close on 28th November 2018. The closing ceremony ended with the promise of a bigger, grander Iffi the following year. The hosts of the evening were actress, Sophie Choudry, and actor, Arjan Bajwa. Many prominent dignitaries graced the event like Anil Kapoor, Mridula Sinha (governor of Goa), and Vijai Sardesai (Minister of Town and Country Planning). Sardesai said: “There couldn’t be a better place for Iffi. Goa has usually been on the minds of filmmakers. Regional cinema has to find a place in national cinema. We would like to encourage Goan filmmakers to come forward and make films.” He also apologized to all the delegates who suffered inconvenience. Indian celebrities such as Anil Kapoor, Rakul Preet, Chitrangada Singh, Diana Penty and Keerthi Suresh walked the red carpet. The ceremony had dazzling performances by X1X and Vipin Aneja. The 8 days of Iffi 2018 had various film screenings, master classes by celebrities, and panel discussions. The number of delegates for this year had increased a lot more. Mr KJ Alphons (Tourism minister of India) said: “People today are very fond of Indian cinema.” He encouraged the audience to tour India […]

49th edition of IFFI takes off
The much hyped opening ceremony of the 49th International Film Festival of India got off to a delayed start sans the glitterati at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium. After much anticipation, it began with a Bollywood dance sequence, beating of the dhols, some aerial stunts on numbers from Bajirao Mastani, Bahubali, etc. Secretary of Information and broadcasting, Amit Khare welcomed the dignitaries and cine enthusiasts present for the 49th edition of the film festival that first began in 1952. He also congratulated the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Dan Wolman. Praising Indian cinema’s progress, with films like Padman and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, he said: “films are becoming strong messages of social change. The entertainment industry is providing revenue and growth and generating employment.” It was at least half an hour into the ceremony at this point, when superstar, Akshay Kumar and producer and director Karan Johar walked in to some cheering from the audience. The cast and crew of the opening film, ‘The Aspern Papers’ were called up onto the stage after a trailer of the film – it will have its world premiere here. Playback singer, Shilpa Rao with her troupe enthralled the audience with some romantic […]

Registrations for 49th edition of IFFI gets underway
The delegate registrations for the 49th edition of IFFI will commence on October 8 from 7.00 p.m. onwards for all cine enthusiasts and professionals on payment of Rs. 1000, whereas the students will be registered free. The applications of the delegates who are registered with IFFI for the last 2 years will be approved within 24 hours and new applications will be approved within 48hours. While briefing the media about the preparations of the festival, vice–chairman of ESG, Rajendra Talak said that: “all our activities are going as per the schedule and this being my second term as the vice–chairman of ESG; I can say that we are much ahead of the schedule. The entire programme will be finalised by October 30.” There will also be a Goan section for the unreleased Goan films in this edition of IFFI, added Talak. The opening and closing ceremony of the festival will be held on November 20 and 28 respectively at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, with the opening film being screened at Kala Academy, Panaji. While Bhupal Ramnathkar who has offered his service to assist Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) for décor finalisation of the festival is appointed as a design […]

Flags, Floats, and Fun- Bonderam Festival
The usually tranquil Divar Island turned into a place of celebration for the famous ‘Bonderam’ festival. Years ago, the Portuguese tried to prevent villagers from taking over nearby land by putting up flags to mark those areas. The villagers started knocking down these flags. The ‘Bonderam’ festival celebrates their protests. The festival started with a flag parade followed by a fancy dress competition where children and adults entertained everyone by acting out the character they were dressed up as. Many colourful floats were brought out for public viewing. Whoever took part in this celebration had a great time. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Villager’s of Raia reap the first ‘Konnos’
The feast of Our Lady of Snows (Neves Saibinn) also known as ‘Konnsachem Fest’ was celebrated at Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia on Sunday with a festive fervor. The feast symbolises the act of seeking the blessings from the almighty for a bountiful harvest season. Four masses were held in the morning at 5.45 am, at 7.00 am, 8.15 am and the high mass at 9.30 am. After the third mass, Assistant Parish Priest, Fr Pedro Costa along with the members of confraria and fabrica led a procession from the church to the ‘Saibinnich Kongi’ where the paddy field was first blessed by Fr Pedro Costa by saying a prayer and sprinkling of holy water. This was followed by Fr Costa using the silver sickle to cut the first corn, and there on the first sheaves were taken to the church with a procession to devote it to the almighty. The devotees then collected the blessed sheaves of paddy and took them home to place it on the altar. The high mass was celebrated by Fr Allen Tavares, Manager of the Pillar college at 9:30 a.m. AUSTIN DIAS | NT GoGoaNow Pic Credits- Vipul Rege

‘Sangodd’– Festival of Togetherness
On June 29 the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul who are considered as the pillars of Christianity. In Goa, this feast is celebrated by the fishing community of Goa as a tribute to St. Peter who was a fisherman by profession. The festivities are marked by making a ‘Sangodd’, which is made by joining 3-5 canoes which symbolises the contribution of St. Peter and St. Paul towards the building of the Catholic Church. On this day the fishermen offer prayers to the Almighty by reciting prayers and litany, and also remember their colleagues who have departed. NT GoGoaNow gets you the festive celebrations of ‘Sangodd’ held in Candolim (Sangodd de Candolim). Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Viva Sao Joao !
The Sao Joao festivities were celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm across the state. On this day the Catholics enact the biblical tale of -John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother, Elizabeth’s, womb when she was told of Jesus’ conception. The tradition of jumping into the well is considered to be a representation of the saint leaping into Elizabeth’s womb. NT GoGoaNow captured the traditional festive celebrations of the Saints birth at Siolim. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Milagres feast celebrated at St. Jerome’s Church
The annual feast of Our Lady of Milagres (Our Lady of Miracles) was celebrated at St Jerome’s Church, Mapusa, on April 16; the feast is celebrated on Monday following the third week of Easter. The feast portrays the communal nature of the state wherein a Hindu’s along with other devotes throng to St. Jerome’s church to venerate and seek the blessings of Milagres Saibinn. ‘Milagres Saibinn’ is also believed to cure various ailments and many devotees from different religious communities make vows, pour coconut oil over the statue of our Lady of Milagres and offer wax figurines in repayment of favors received by them. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Seeking the blessings of the Saints
The ‘Ordem Terceira’ also known as the ‘Santachem Pursanv’ or the Penitential Procession of Saints was observed on the fifth Monday of Lent, on March 19 at Saint Andrew Church in Goa Velha. Thousands of people from all walks of faith thronged the church to be a part of this celebration and seek blessings through the intercession of the saints by passing under the charols and also ask for penance for their sins. The procession of 31 life-size statues that are centuries old were led by the Tau Cross – Coat of Arms, the insignia of the Franciscan order and was followed by other 30 charols shouldered by the confraria members of the Church. The main celebrant of the Eucharistic service was parish priest of St Andrew Church, Fr Emidio Pinto in the presence of assistant parish priest, Fr Socorro Colaco, Fr Ubaldo Fernandes, Fr Benjamin Victoria, Fr Augusto Dias, Fr Salvador Rodrigues, Fr Salvador Fernandes and Fr Pedro D’Costa. In the homily during the mass Fr Emidio spoke on the theme, ‘Santa bhokta baxen mogan jieun jezuchea utrak zaiti follam diunk ani tachem utor dusreank shikounk dev amkam apoita’ (God calls us to live and spread his word like […]

Following in the footsteps of the Saints
The procession of saints, also known as ‘Santachem Pursanv’ or ‘Ordem Terceria’ will be held at St Andrews Church at Goa Velha on March 19, the 5th Monday of the lent season. There will be a Eucharistic celebration at 4.30 p.m. which will be followed by the procession. Since this event is held during the lent season, it is actually referred as a ‘Penitential procession’. This is only of its kind procession in the world which is carried out with life size idols of the saints. The procession was also observed in the Portuguese colony of Bahia de Todos os Santos in Brazil, but was later banned. Though there were 65 statues when the procession was first started their number has been reduced to 31 now as some of them got damaged due to disuse after Queen Maria II of Portugal along with Portuguese ruler, Marquis of Pombal, banished all religious decrees from Portuguese colonies in 1835. The procession was thereafter revived in the late 19th century. The procession of saints is led by a frame carrying the ‘Veil of Veronica’. The 1st charol that comes out of the church is the ‘Tau cross’, the insignia of the Franciscan order, […]

Shigmo parade in the capital city
The annual floats parade for this year’s Shigmotsav in Panaji were held on March 10. The float parade were held from Goa Science Centre, Miramar, to Harley Davidson showroom, Caranzalem. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Gulalotsav- marks the beginning of Shigmotsav festivities in Panaji
Holi or ‘Dhuli Vandan’ the festival of colour, was celebrated in Goa along with rest of the country on March 2. The main city function, ‘Gulalotsav’ –organised by the Panaji Shigmotsav Samiti, began at 9:30 a.m. with a prayer offered to the city deity, Mahalaxmi, at Shree Mahalaxmi Temple, Panaji. This was followed by a procession of Romtamel from the temple to Azad Maidan. The ‘Gulalotsav’ marked the beginning of the Shigmotsav festivities in the capital city. The floats parade for this year’s Shigmotsav in Panaji will be held on March 10 and the cultural activities organised by the Panaji Shigmotsav Samiti will be held from March 7 to March 11 at Azad Maidan from 7 p.m. onwards. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

The Feast of Miraculous Cross
Thousands of faithful from across the state thronged to the Monte de Boa Vista, Old Goa on February 23 for the annual feast of Cruz dos Milagres widely known as ‘Khuris Milagr’. The novenas in preparation of the feast had commenced on February 14, and the theme for the feast was, ‘Kristacho Khuris Devik Mogachi Zhor’ (Christ’s Cross: A Spring of Love). The day also marked the 399th anniversary of the apparition of Jesus Christ on February 23, 1619, on a three-and-a-half-feet cross which was erected at the site. The apparition saw red flags miraculously flying above Boa Vista Hill. There were rays of bright light were seen emanating from the sky and falling on the cross. Later on a crucified figure was also seen on the cross with his body covered was with wounds. At that point of time the cross which was three and half feet tall grew to approximately six feet. The news of the miraculous incident drew many including the sick, who were healed. Later, on March 5 1619, a water-spring also gushed out at the barren rocky site and more miraculous healings took place. A few months later, the then Archbishop of Goa, Cristavo de […]

Shigmotsav festivities to begin in Ponda from February 27
Ponda, the cultural capital of the state will witness Shigmotsav programmes from February 27 to March 4 The festivities will begin with paying obeisance to Goddess Mahalasa at Mardol-Priol. The Shigmotsav float parade will be held on March 3, Informed president of Shigmotsav commit-tee Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar. Addressing the gathering after a meeting in Ponda recently, Dhavalikar said that this is for the first time that a meeting is held with the sarpanch and panch members of all the village panchayats in Ponda and Zilla Panchayat members along with the members of the Ponda Municipal Council. “When we say ‘Ponda Shigmotsav’, it should include everyone. From this year, panchayats will play an active role informed Dhavalikar. While informing about the competitions, Dhavalikar said that the prize money has been increased in order to give credit to the creativity of the ar-tistes. Ponda taluka values art and artistes, hence, the prize money is revised. There will be three com-petitions. For Chitrarath float competition, the first prize is Its 85,000, second prize of Its 65,000, third prize of Its so,000 along with consolation prizes and honorarium. For Romtamel competition, the first prize will be Its 65,000, second prize Its 45,000 and third […]

Viva Carnival ! Viva Goa !
On Saturday King Momo, Bruno Azaredo, along with his queen and colorful royal entourage announced his reign by proclaiming the mock rules of Carnival festivities i.e Eat, Drink and Enjoy over the next four days.The floats in the capital city were held on Dr. Jack Sequira road, Miramar. The Panaji carnival witnessed a total number of 48 floats based on various themes such as preservation of Bondvall lake, gender equality, Goan folk festivities and other social issues. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW.COM

Ajgaonkar: decision to hold Carnival parade in Pernem is aimed at promoting tourism
Alleging that politics’ is being played by a group of people opposing Carnival parade in Pernem, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, on Monday, said that the government’s decision to hold Carnival parade in Pernem is aimed at promoting tourism in the Med. “There is a section of people who are spreading the rumors. Carnival is not about casteism. We are holding the Carnival in Pernemwith an aim to promote tourism. But unfortunately some people are relating other issues with Carnival,” said the tourism Minister while speaking to pressmen in Panaji. “Carnival parade is being held every year in Panaji, Margao, Mapusa, Vasco. Besides these, another parade is held in Shiroda, which will not be held this year there and as such we want to hold it in Pernem. As Tourism Minister and representative of Pernem taluka, I want to put Pernem on tourism map by holding the Carnival parade there,” he said. A group of people has labeled the Carnival parade as the legacy of the Portuguese and has warned that it will take to the streets if the government does not cancel the parade in Pernem. Meanwhile, Ajgaonkar held a meeting of the State Level Marketing and Promotion Committee (SLMPC) in […]

Soulful Music at Monte Music Festival
For over 16 years, Fundação Oriente along with Cidade de Goa have been initiating the Monte Music Festival that takes place at the Chapel of Our lady of Mount, Old Goa. This year as Fundação Oriente completes 30 years. They are putting efforts in taking the festival to the next level and as part of the occasion. There will a be performance by internationally acclaimed Portuguese fadista’s – Pedro Moutinho accompanied by Andre Dias (guitar), Tiago Silva (fado guitar) and Daniel Pinto (acoustic bass) who will give voice to 25 poems that explore the various dimension of fado. The opening performance for the festival will be a traditional Odissi dance recital by Mitali D’Souza and her two daughters, Diya and Risa. The day will end with a performance by the Aradhon Choir from Goa who will give a new perspective to Konkani hymns by creating vocal and instrumental arrangements around the melody. Giving details of the performance during a press conference held on Monday, director of Fundação Oriente, Maria Inês Figueira says: “On February 3, folk singer Mangka along with the Laihui Ensemble will delight the audience with traditional songs from the State of Manipur and also a programme of sacred music […]