PANJIM/MAPUSA: In view of the sad demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Goa government has partly cancelled the annual Shigmo festival slated between March 21 and March 24. This means the float parades at Ponda, Dharbandora, Panjim and Mapusa stand cancelled while the event is expected to continue at other places.
The government, on Sunday declared a weeklong mourning following the death of CM Parrikar. Since the first four days of Shigmo falls during the mourning period, the Tourism Department in a meeting on Monday decided to cancel and reschedule it at a later date.
“The Department of Tourism has cancelled Shigmo festivities scheduled between March 21-24, 2019 as a mark of respect and the observance of State mourning, which has been declared due to the sad demise of the beloved Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar. The new schedule will be announced at a later date,” a press statement issued by the Director of Tourism Sanjiv Gadkar states.
The float parades at Pernem (March 25), Bicholim (March 26), Sanquelim (March 27), Valpoi (March 28), Vasco (March 29), Quepem (March 30), Margao (March 31), Curchorem (April 1), Sanguem (April 3), Cuncolim (April 4) and Canacona (April 5) will continue as there is no mention of cancelling events at these places.
Meanwhile, the traditional Shigmo parade and other programmes scheduled to be held in Mapusa on March 24 have been cancelled as a mark of respect to late chief minister Manohar Parrikar and in observance of the seven-day State mourning. The Shigmo parade in Mapusa was to kick off from Rastroli, near Cine Alankar, Mapusa on March 24. Gurudas Natekar is the President of the Mapusa Shigmotsav Mandal.
CM’s death has compelled the Mapusa Shigmotsav committee to cancel the celebrations, stated a press release issued by the committee, which has requested the participants to take note of the same.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Department has cancelled the Shigmo festivities in the State scheduled to be held this month as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
