PONDA: MGP president Deepak Dhavlikar on Saturday demanded that the government declare the date for Shigmo parade in Ponda at the earliest.
He said several Shigmo lovers are upset with the government for not declaring the date for the Shigmo parade in Ponda since it is a tradition that official Shigmo in Goa starts from Ponda.
He said, “Government has declared the dates for celebrating Shigmo at Panjim and Mapusa on March 3 and 4 respectively but the date for Ponda has not been announced as yet.”
He urged Tourism Minister Babu Ajgaonkar to declare date for Ponda and clear the confusion prevailing among Shigmo lovers.
He said Shigmo should held at more than five places and on consecutive dates to ensure that there is no gap and the groups participating in float parade are not inconvenienced.
Dhavlikar said, “For first time three decades ago, Shigmo started from Ponda with former Chief Minister Ravi Naik by offering prayers to Goddess Mahalsa and the government should not break this tradition.”
It may be recalled that three decades ago the traditional Shigmo, which was celebrated at the rural level, was started at Ponda Municipality level and then former chief minister started it at State level first in Ponda, Panjim and later to various parts of the State.
