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One of the most popular festivals of India, the Goa carnival, a three-day fest, had its birth in Goa during the era of King Momo. He ushered in the Goa carnival just before the Lent season (Lent is the period of fasting and penance in the Christian calendar and corresponding somewhat to the Mohammedan fast before Ramzan Id).
This festival of Goa usually starts off on Sabado Gordo (Fat Saturday) and concludes on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday)-the eve of Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of the season of Lent.
Carnival in Goa is much tamer when compared to the carnival in the other countries, but a madness of sorts nevertheless.
Until a few years ago it was promoted by the state authorities as a Christian festival and large and small manufacturing and trading corporations, ever eager to use any means to sell their products literally took over the processions of Carnival floats, balls and street dances. In fact, for those four nights and three days they ruled over Goa. Manufacturers of beer, liquor, cigarette, and other consumer products used and abused the Goan Carnival to sell their wares. The church and social activists then suddenly took energetic initiative to put an end to the reckless exploitation of Carnival and adolescent boys and girls. As a result, carnival in Goa is now what it was meant to be: a people feast. And no more a spectacle to lure tourists and consumers.
Carnival is in essence a spring festival, like holi. The Romans celebrated the Saturnalia spectacularly with floats, tableaux, clowns, vamps, contortionists and pranksters. Before then, the Greeks had a festival in honour of Kronas, one of the Titans and the father of Zeus. With the advent of Christianity, notwithstanding the Church's fierce opposition, Latin Europe began to celebrate three days of ribaldry in anticipation of forty days of sackcloth and abstention-entrudo, as the Portuguese say.
Gorging before fasting has been a custom in Christian communities. A 1000-egg omelette is eaten on Friday before Lent at Ponti in Italy. Eggs and butter were consumed in large quantities on Shrove Tuesday, popularly known as Pancake Day in Britain and Mardi Gras which means Fat Tuesday, in France. The Germans celebrated the Fastnacht or Eve of Fasting. Some of the pre-Lenten gorging festivals last for as much as a fortnight. In Portugal, the pre-carnival celebrations are known as assaltos, when masked groups "raid" their friends' houses and are treated to the best of food and beverages, amid much singing and dancing. A few aristocratic Goan families still follow the custom.
» More on Origin of Goa carnival
History of Carnival
Origin of Goa Carnival
What Happens at Goa Carnival
Forts of Goa
Villages of Goa
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