With the onset of the monsoons, Goa comes alive each year on June 24 with the celebration of São João, a spirited festival dedicated to St John the Baptist. While the nativity of St. John is observed worldwide, Goa marks the occasion with unique customs that merge Christian beliefs with deeply rooted local traditions.
The biblical inspiration for the festival stems from the Gospel story where John, still in his mother Elizabeth’s womb, leapt with joy upon Mary’s visit. In Goa, this moment is symbolically reenacted by young men jumping into wells, ponds, and streams—a highlight of the festival and a joyous expression of spiritual exuberance.
Locally referred to as ‘Zanvoiamchem Fest’, or the son-in-law’s feast, the day holds social as well as religious significance. Newly married sons-in-law are warmly invited by their mothers-in-law for a grand meal, greeted with firecrackers and welcomed at the family oratory. Traditional Latin litanies and hymns are sung in honor of St. John, followed by a sumptuous lunch of sanna, vindalho de porco, verdur, and the much-loved sweet delicacy patolleo—a coconut and jaggery-filled steamed dumpling wrapped in turmeric or plumeria leaves.
In the afternoon, the celebration spills into village streets as groups of young men—once exclusively male participants—visit homes, singing songs of São João while beating coconut palm stumps on the ground to announce their arrival. Homes offer gifts of seasonal fruits, sweets, and local liquor. The youths wear vibrant floral headgear made from a seasonal creeper called São Joãoanchi vall, featuring bright red blossoms, a nod to Goa’s harmony with nature.
In several villages, particularly in Siolim, Anjuna, Benaulim, Assolna, and Pilerne, the festival reaches its most colorful and animated form. Boys carry symbolic effigies known as Judeu or Māru, made from dry leaves and hay, from house to house before eventually burning them at the village cross or chapel. Accompanied by the beat of traditional instruments like the ghumott and kansallem, their songs pay homage to the saint amid the pouring rain.
As evening descends, sons-in-law return home with a traditional ‘ojem’—a bamboo basket filled with goodies like jackfruit, bananas, patolleo, and other sweets such as muttleo, filos, and mandos. The basket is placed at the home’s oratory, a prayer is offered, and its contents are shared with fellow villagers—a symbolic gesture representing that marriage unites not just two individuals, but entire communities.
While once intimate and community-based, São João has increasingly become commercialized. Pool parties, resort events, and politically sponsored celebrations now dominate parts of Goa’s festive landscape, turning the once sacred and rustic festival into a tourist magnet.
Despite the evolving nature of the festival, for many Goans, São João remains a heartfelt celebration of identity, faith, and joy—a reminder of their enduring connection to tradition and nature.