Farmers Celebrate Indias Spring Festival
- 14 years ago
Farmers in India's coastal Goa state celebrated the ancient “” festival, marking the onset of spring with a colorful parade on Tuesday.
The celebrations included vibrant street floats, folk music and dances, sword dances and a lively spraying of dry colors.
The five-day festival began on Monday with celebrations for Holi, the Hindu festival of colors.
Shigmo was celebrated in ancient times to welcome home warriors who left their homes and families to fight invaders. In modern times, it is celebrated by rural farmers every year to coincide with the ripening of the winter crops.
[S. S. Pilgaokar, Event Organizer]:
"This festival starts after the harvesting is over and this festival is celebrated traditionally by Goan farmers. They celebrate their harvesting. They go to each other's houses first and thereafter their groups, which are called 'Rommatamel', visit each other's villages and then they celebrate it. This is the significance behind the celebrations of Shigmo."
Although the festival has its roots in Hinduism, it has become a symbol of communal harmony, with members of all religions taking part.
The parade also includes martial art dances like 'Ghode-morni', or the horse dance which is popular in the region.
The celebrations included vibrant street floats, folk music and dances, sword dances and a lively spraying of dry colors.
The five-day festival began on Monday with celebrations for Holi, the Hindu festival of colors.
Shigmo was celebrated in ancient times to welcome home warriors who left their homes and families to fight invaders. In modern times, it is celebrated by rural farmers every year to coincide with the ripening of the winter crops.
[S. S. Pilgaokar, Event Organizer]:
"This festival starts after the harvesting is over and this festival is celebrated traditionally by Goan farmers. They celebrate their harvesting. They go to each other's houses first and thereafter their groups, which are called 'Rommatamel', visit each other's villages and then they celebrate it. This is the significance behind the celebrations of Shigmo."
Although the festival has its roots in Hinduism, it has become a symbol of communal harmony, with members of all religions taking part.
The parade also includes martial art dances like 'Ghode-morni', or the horse dance which is popular in the region.