Goa Carnival 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Goa Carnival takes place four days prior to Ash Wednesday, a day of obligation which marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent, in the Christian calendar. Lent marks the period of 40 days before Good Friday, when Jesus Christ was crucified and killed. People generally prefer to mark this period with fasting and abstinence from meat and alcohol.

This year, the Goa Carnival was to be celebrated from February 18 to 21, 2012. The Carnival is celebrated with a march of floats in the cities of Margao, Panjim, Mapusa and Vasco. It is celebrated in the villages too, but not on that grand a scale.

The Carnival is patronised by people of all castes and creeds. People come from far and wide to partake of the merriment and revelry, by singing and dancing and even cross dressing.

The carnival was first introduced to Goa by the Portuguese, the erstwhile rulers of Goa. Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule only in 1961. The Portuguese word for Carnival is “Intruz.”

My mother recollected that in pre-Liberation days, Goa used to celebrate the Intruz by singing and dancing. Families used to attend the events and enjoy themselves thoroughly.

Every year floats are floated by communities from various parts of Goa to celebrate the festival. Unfortunately, of late, the Carnival, and the floats, in particular, have become very commercial with a number of companies advertising their products via floats. This takes away the essence of the traditional floats.

This year there were rumours that the carnival would not be held on a grand scale as the Goa State elections were approaching and campaigning was on in full swing. But something far more unfortunate happened.

The Goa Carnival got cancelled because of a school bus which accidentally plunged in the waters of the River Kalki at Aldona Calvim, thus taking the lives of four children and two adults. The Carnival was cancelled on February 18 to mourn the deaths of the innocent children and the hapless adults.

Here are photos of the Goa Carnival 2012. A special thanks to Hithakshi Kotyan for the same.

Tiracol Fort

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Tiracol Fort also known as Terekhol Fort is located near the Tiracol river in Arambol in Pernem in Goa. This fort is located on the border of Goa and Maharashtra. 

The fort was built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi in the 17th century. The fort was built to keep a watch over the Arabian Sea. The fort was later conquered by the Portuguese in 1746 after a war with the Raja of Sawantwadi.

Walls of Tiracol Fort

Goa is the closest getaway for Mumbaikars. The beaches here are swarming with people on weekends. Goa is a hotspot not only for us Indians but also for foreigners. There are many who came here as tourists to catch the sights that Goa has to offer, then fell in love with the place and decided to spend the rest of their lives here.

Tiracol fort in a distance

Being a native of Goa, I go there once a year. It is a good opportunity to meet family and friends and feel connected to my roots. I also feel that Goa has much to offer as far as my love for exploration is concerned. Goa is not only a land of beaches but also houses many historical monuments. There is a lot of history associated with this little state. Goa was a Portuguese colony until 1961. Later it became a union territory and then a state of India.

Boats in the waters

I asked my cousin Sholto to accompany me on a visit to Tiracol Fort, a fort built by the Portuguese. Tiracol Fort is located at Arambol which is 32 km from Mapusa. The fort now houses the Tiracol Fort Heritage Hotel.

Inscription at the entrance of Tiracol Fort

We decided to travel by car to see the fort. It was necessary to cross the river along the way. We left home in the morning around 9 to see the fort. It took us around 2½ hours to reach the jetty at Kerim beach. The roads of Goa are very interesting as well as picturesque. We drove along the beaches of Ashvem and Arambol to reach Kerim beach in order to board the ferry. After alighting on the other side, it is a 10-minute drive up the fort. The view from up here is very nice.

Alternatively this fort can also be reached from Sawantwadi in Maharashtra. Not sure about the route though.

Entrance to Tiracol Fort

Main Door at Tiracol Fort

Spears put on display at the entrance of Tiracol Fort

There are coconut trees all around. The sun shining down on the water gives the sea a beautiful silvery effect. There is a Cross in the middle of the water which can be reached when the tide is low. Unfortunately, there is not much to see in the fort as it has been converted into a hotel. There is a chapel inside the fort painted white. In Goa, interestingly, all chapels and churches are painted white.

Chapel at Tiracol Fort

Statue of Jesus at Tiracol Fort

We had a few refreshments at the fort and then headed back home.