Organic colours, local as well as national artiste lineup, summer drinks and more – party planners went all out while organising Holi events this year. A lot of the party planners foccused on using only organic colours to ensure safety for their guests and also the environment. "We wanted people to enjoy, and be safe at the same time, and also not destroy nature while we celebrate. It's a festival of colours and we wanted to spread some joy after the dark times we've been through. We had urrack, which is the flavour of the season, and had a lot of food for guests. Usually we would host a private party (only on invites), but this time we kept it open to public also (they could pay and get in)," says Kenneth Rebello, from a nightclub in North Goa. Kushal Dabolkar who hosted a Holi party adds, "We didn't allow people to carry any colours, and focussed on only using organic colours." Fred D'souza who was helping plan an event adds, "We had deals on summer drinks because of the beat wave. We had a neon party indoors, and played with colours outdoors."
Event planners had interesting artiste lineup which included some of the big local names, along with a few national artistes, to keep the crowd grooving all day at Holi parties this year. "Our goal was to get local crowd to get together and party. We focussed on local artistes at our home grown party. We are promoting our own talents, along with a few artistes from other parts of the state," says Kushal Dabolkar, who hosted Colorland Holi Party that has Akhil Tapreja, Kunwarr, Kashish and other performing, along with Goan DJs like Benz, Reonn and more. Fred D'souza who was a part of hosting Rang De Goa x Holika says, "We decided to go grand. Instead of doing tourist-centric event, we did a local event. We booked all the Goan DJs, Goan promoters. We have tied up with local promorters. Because of the heat wave, we have indoor and outdoor party." They have popular Goan DJs like Macattack, Brainwash, Navin, Ryan Nogar and others.
Organic colours, local as well as national artiste lineup, summer drinks and more – event organisers planned a weekend of celebrations after the COVID slump. Party planners hosted a gala Holi bash after a long gap in the form of day parties. Arif Shaikh who is hosting the sixth edition of Colorholic on March 18 says, "We couldn't host the event last year due to COVID, but we were excited to party this year. Our target crowd was youth, and we put out posters at all Panaji colleges, to get them to party with us. We had a proper rain dance, live music, DJs and organic colours."
After a gap of over two and a half months, Goans and tourists alike got together to party this Holi. The long weekend saw tourists flocking to Goa in large numbers, and with that party planners stepped in to host large scale parties at several event venues across Goa. Not just Goan artistes, but the crowd could witness performances by national and international artistes too. The rain dance and pool parties were a perfect way to beat the heat, while you chill with friends too. Partying after a long gap got everyone excited. Paayal Purohit who was spotted at a Holi party says, "It was a fun experience as always and fun to party now after the whole COVID episode! My friends and me had a great time." Likewise, artistes were ecstatic to play for a large crowd once again. DJ Benson Coutinho aka Benz who was playing at a Holi event says, "The vibe at the Holi party was next level. I opened the set for Kshmr. There were more than 20k people.. people who we missed the last two years. Holi parties bring together people in thousands, and it was refreshing after two years of COVID slump." Though thousands of people stepped out to party, some still had the COVID fear. Prita Pereira who was partying with her friends says, "Going back to partying again after a long time was very blissful experience, especially for working professionals like us. It was a great way to unwind and friends after such a long time. The COVID fear was still slightly on our mind, but it was just a good time being around our friends."
The varied traditions of Shigmo-related festivities in different villages in Goa have commenced, getting Goans excited for Holi and Shigmo. One gets to witness folk songs and dances, the beats of the dhol, rituals involving fire, trees and other elements of nature and more. It becomes extravagant showcase of Goa's cultural heritage over a few weeks. Similarly, devotees visit their ancestral village of Curdi (the village which usually is submerged underwater due to the construction of the dam) during the full moon night before Holi to take part in a sacred ritual – Sheni Uzo. The same ritual takes place in the village of Molcornem too, where dried cowdung cakes are used to create a fire and the embers are then put on the bodies of devotees. "It's believed to cure diseases and protect the villagers. Those who take part in the ritual maintain a fast and it protects them from the embers," informs a villager.
The mesmerising beats of dhols and tashas – participants decked in traditional attire like the dhoti, jacket, feta (head gear), saris – set the mood for the revellers who came to witness the display of various floats, folk dances and larger-than life effigies portraying various mythological characters at the Shigmoparade at Vasco on March 22 and Ponda on March 19. “I’m watching Shigmo after almost three years and it’s very exciting. Due to the pandemic, everything was restricted and it feels amazing to be able to witness these floats,” says Praveen Naik from Vasco. The foot-tapping beats of the drums and dhols is what keeps everyone grooving. Mohan Naik from Ponda has always been fond of the dhol beats and its rhythm. “I only attend the Shigmo because of the beats. They are so uplifting and it brings in a different kind of energy. I love listening to it.” However there there very few who were spotted following the COVID protocols at the parade.
Staff ReporterMargaoBenaulim locals continued to raise their demand for the Western Bypass passing through their village to be built on stilts, with a silent protest at the site on Saturday. Current MLA Venzy Viegas said there was lack of political will in the past that he felt helpless as the work of land filling of fields has begun and they were ready to fight the issue in court.Residents from Benaulim and neighbouring villages gathered at the site where the contractor for the work has begun the process of land filling under police protection. In the past several days, locals along with the MLA forced the panchayat to take a resolution to appoint a lawyer and raise the issue in court again with the hope of getting a stay on the work.However, taking into account the Holi holidays and the weekend, the panchayat was unable to present the people’s demand in the court. With the work of land filling already begun, the worry is that it will be too late next week. Residents gathered in the presence of lawyers to ensure they registered their protest within the ambits of law.“In the past, there was no political will. At the last moment, the panchayat took the resolution but by the time it was taken and given to the lawyer, the Holi holidays came up. By the time we take it to the court now, the fields would have been filled with mud. There are plans to take it to the Supreme Court as well but it will go only after the NGT case. We will have to intervene after that. Right now, the political will has to be first. We would have been in a better position had we gone sooner. I feel helpless to see the gyres and fields being filled up and we can’t do anything even though we have our lawyers with us. We just have to watch. Development in the name of destruction is not required, we respect the judgement of the High Court but the judge must also look at the ground,” said Viegas.The difference, he said in putting the stretch on stilts was an additional `170 crore to the existing cost of `218 crore, adding that it would go a long way in securing the future generations from flooding. Viegas also took to pointing out that fields through which the work is to pass is being cultivated and the crops will be destroyed.Ward member Felicia Noronha meanwhile said the panchayat too had done all it could. “We are not against the bypass and we took two resolutions, one to appoint a lawyer and second to get a stay order. Farmers who are currently cultivating the fields are the ones who are most at risk and they will also have to take their concerns to court. We had taken resolutions before and had met with the PWD minister also,” she said.
Staff ReporterMargaoThe demand for construction of the western bypass on stilts has again come up with Benaulim residents appealing to the newly-elected MLA Venzy Viegas to take up theissue.During a discussion held in Benaulim on Wednesday, Viegas said he would do everything he could, while also urging the panchayat to pass a resolution on the people’s demand.The residents for years have been demanding that the western bypass, passing through their village, be built on stilts to prevent inundation of the low-lyingareas.Earlier this week, following the High Court order to restart the work by putting in place box culverts, contractors had begun the work but locals objected to it.After discussing the issue with the residents and panchayat members, Viegas asked the panchayat to obtain a resolution as soon as possible.“One of our villagers moved the High Court and the NGT, and after a hearing, the HC has ordered to start the work. It would require an estimated additional Rs 400 to Rs 600 crore for construction of the bypass on stilts and it will take two to three more years to complete, so the court had said that box culverts should be installed. However, the box culverts will not be enough, the stilts will have to be there,” said Viegas.He added, “We will try everything on our side, which may include moving to the Supreme Court also. By spending Rs 600 crore, it will save the people’s lives. We will try to speak with the chief minister. The government must also understand that it is about saving people’s lives.”
Special CorrespondentPanajiThe swearing-in of the new government, in all probability, will now take place on March 22, after the end of the Holashtak, an ‘inauspicious’ period linked to the Holi festival. The event is expected to take place at the Campal Ground in the city.The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Sadanand Tanawade, on Thursday said the central observers of his party would be arriving in Goa after March 21, following the Holi festivities, and the leader of the BJP legislature wing would be announced thereafter.Interacting with the media, Tanawade said, “These 2-3 days would go in the Holi celebrations; the government formation is delayed, as the BJP central leadership wants to form governments together in all the four states where the party has won the recent assembly elections.”He also informed that the swearing-in ceremony would be held on a grand scale with the national BJP leaders in attendance.The state BJP president, however, avoided speaking on the induction of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) into the BJP-led government.Meanwhile, Tanawade and the state BJP general secretary (organisation), Satish Dhond, met the Governor, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, on Thursday noon following news reports that efforts are on to form a non-BJP government in Goa.Later, speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, Tanawade said that he and Dhond went to the Raj Bhavan on a courtesy visit to the Governor. “The Governor would be leaving on a visit to Karnataka, and we wanted to pay him the courtesy visit before his departure,” he added.The caretaker Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, also told the pressmen that the new government will be formed after the Holi celebrations. “There is no infighting in BJP,” he asserted.Incidentally, the Valpoi legislator and one of the aspirants for the post of chief minister, Vishwajit Rane, got upset when the media asked him about the delay in deciding the chief ministerial candidate in Goa. A visibly upset Rane reacted sharply by stating that he should not be asked such silly questions.Several national media outlets have already reported that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has approved Pramod Sawant as the next chief minister, and it is merely a formality left to announce his name for the coveted post.It may be noted that Sawant, along with the local BJP leaders and the desk in-charge of the party for Goa, C. T. Ravi, had met the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Wednesday and briefed him on the success of BJP at the recently held Goa assembly polls.Tanawade and Dhond were also present on the occasion. Sawant, along with the local BJP leaders and Ravi, also met the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.Sawant and Tanawade also met the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
Panaji: Swearing in of the new government in the state will take place after Holi, BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Monday. However, the new legislative assembly will be constituted on Tuesday after the newly-elected members of the house are administered the oath, but the tenure of the current assembly will end on March 15. The state party president said that central leaders are considering holding the swearing-in-ceremonies of all four states on the same day after Holi. BJP on Monday evening appointed Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Union minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying L Murugan as central observer and co-observer respectively for the election of the leader of the legislative party in Goa. After appointment as the pro-tem speaker of assembly, the newly-elected Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar was administered the oath of MLA by governor P S Sreedharan Pillai on Monday. Gaonkar will administer the oath to all the newly-elected members of the house. The governor has summoned the assembly at 11.30am on Tuesday for the purpose. The governor dissolved the state legislative assembly with immediate effect on Saturday evening. Pillai on Saturday appointed Pramod Sawant as the caretaker chief minister following his resignation as the chief minister. BJP emerged as the single largest party after securing 20 seats in the 40-member assembly. It has secured support from three independent MLAs-elect and MGP. In 2017, BJP won 13 seats, and with the support of MGP, GFP and independent MLAs, it formed a coalition government under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar. Later, former health minister Vishwajit Rane, who was elected as a Congress MLA, resigned and got re-elected as a BJP MLA. In 2018, two more Congress MLAs, Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar, joined BJP and got re-elected after contesting byelection. Sawant took over the reins of the state in March 2019 after the death of Parrikar. Soon after, two former MGP MLAs, including former deputy chief minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and former PWD minister Deepak Pauskar, merged the MGP legislature wing into BJP, taking the total number of BJP MLAs to 17. BJP’s numbers further increased to 27 MLAs after former deputy chief minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, along with nine other MLAs, merged the Congress legislature party into BJP.
