Team Herald
MARGAO: “Shigmo which is celebrated only in Goa is a part of our tradition and it is not of any particular community but of all Goans,” said Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai after flagging off the Shigmo float parade at Margao.
He said Shigmo is actually a harvest festival and, in present times, drives home the message that we have to return to agriculture, he said.
Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar who was also present said that Shigmo celebration showcases Goan art and culture in the form of the dances performed for the festival and opined that the Opinion Poll Square is emerging as an important venue for such festivals.
Vijai along with Babu in the presence of Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Dr. Babita Prabhudessai flagged of the float parade at 6 pm and then they all walked to the stage that was set up near the Fatorda Stadium.
The Shigmo float parade saw less crowd than the one present for the Carnival float parade. “People usually come late for the Shigmo floats and besides the higher secondary school examinations are scheduled to start tomorrow,” said Vijai giving reasons for the thin crowd.
The Shigmo float parade had four different categories namely Chitrarath, Romtamell, Folk Dance and Fancy dress in three sections sub-juniors, juniors and seniors.
12 groups participated in the folk dance category with three performing the ghodde modni. This category was judged by Ajeet Painginkar, Sudesh Naik and Ranjan Naik while Kanta Gawde along with Nitin Mardolkar and Narayan Naik judged the 10 groups participating in the Romtamell category.
The 29 chitrath were judged by Sunil Shiva Naik, Gajanan Talavnekar and Mahendra Alvares while the fancy dress competition was judged by Avadhut Sahakar, Damodar Deulkar and Kiran Fatarpekar. While 18 contestants took part in the senior category of fancy dress, 15 registered in the Sub-Junior category and 20 in the junior category but three did not participate.
The prize winners will be declared by the Tourism Department at a later date.
