MARGAO/VASCO: Following a non-unanimous decision by the members of the Margao Municipal Council, the Carnival floats parade is set to glide through the traditional route on Sunday, starting from Holy Spirit Church and culminating at the Municipal building.
This decision of bringing the floats parade back into the commercial town from Fatorda is considered a major setback to Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The Carnival floats parade will be flagged off by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on February 19.
“It was a request from several citizens of Margao and Salcete taluka to have the floats parade back on the traditional route, and
hence after a bold resolution by the council, we managed to fulfill the demands of the people,” said Camilo Barretto, Chairman of the Carnival Committee.
“Besides, the committee has also organized several entertainment programmes and traditional ‘Khell’ in all 25 wards of the Margao Municipal Council on February 20 and 21.
At the recently-held council meeting, 15 BJP-backed councillors had supported the resolution to hold the Carnival floats parade on the old route, while nine councillors backed by the Goa Forward Party and one independent member had opposed the resolution at the meeting.
The village of Curtorim is all set to celebrate Carnival in style this year, after the low-key festivities of the past two years due to the Covid pandemic.
The 14th edition of the Curtorim carnival float parade will be held on February 21, and will start at 3.30 pm, moving from Maina market to Curtorim market. This will be followed by a live Konkani entertainment programme with fire acrobats and other activities.
The Curtorim Cultural Committee emphasized that the Carnival in Curtorim is not just about the float parade, but is an ‘Annual Festival of Curtorkars’. Michael Fernandes will be King Momo for the Curtorim Carnival.
Competitions like ‘Voice of Curtorim’, ‘Dancing Stars of Curtorim’, a drawing competition etc will also be part of the festivities. Treasurer of the committee Terrance Fernandes said that people from other villages are also invited to participate in their float parade.In Benaulim this year,
Carnival festivities will include all the villages of the constituency
The Benaulim Carnival committee has announced the name of Cleeven Fernandes,36, a restaurateur and businessman, as King Momo for the Carnival float parade in the coastal constituency on February 21. For Cleveen, Carnival has been a legacy that his family has left behind in Goa. His uncle Timoteo was Goa’s very first King Momo in 1967; in fact, Timoteo started Goa’s very first carnival back in 1965 after drawing inspiration from a magazine article on the Brazilian Carnaval at Rio de Janeiro. Cleeven’s father Roque Fernandes (Tome) was also King Momo of Goa five times, after battling stiff competition during the selection rounds conducted by the Goa Tourism Development Cooperation (GTDC).
“It has always been my dream to be King Momo ever since I’ve seen my father and all three uncles, Timoteo, Lourenco and Bondo (Goa’s famous percussionist) reigning the Carnival Parade,” said Cleeven.
After coming in as the first runner-up twice, in 2021 and 2022 during the selection rounds conducted by GTDC, Cleeven is now looking forward to reign over the throne for Benaulim’s Carnival Parade. In Vasco, the four-day
Carnival festivities will feature a fusion of music, dance ,song and drama
Chairman of the Vasco Carnival Committee Leo Rodrigues added that all the programs will end by 10 pm, except for Monday, during the float parade, when the revelry may carry on until midnight.
“We will have Khel Tiatr in Vasco, Vaddem, Chicalim , Dabolim , Sancoale and surrounding areas. The grand opening of the celebration will be held on Saturday, on a stage outside the Municipality, followed by various competitions for children. On Sunday, we will have a sand castle competition and a tie-breaker tournament at Baina beach in the morning, and a dance troupe performance and Konkani musical show
in the evening,” said Rodrigues. The King Momo Float parade will take place on Monday and start from St Andrews Square and move along the Swatantra Path,he added.
