PANAJI
The riot of music, dance, fun and frolic -- Carnival -- kicked off on Saturday with a colourful float parade in the capital city with thousands, locals and tourists, lining up to watch on either side of the route along the DB Marg on Saturday.
Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant along with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate and other dignitaries, including film star of Goan origin Varsha Usgaonkar, flagged off the float parade.
One of the most vibrant of festivals which for nearly three decades is being officially promoted by the State as a tourist attraction, Carnival has however come in for criticism from some quarters in recent years for extensive commercialisation and distinct lack of spontaneity in participation from the local population.
This year, the traffic mayhem which usually clogged the capital city during the float parade in past years, was absent. Traffic cops were deployed at several vantage points in the city and brief vehicle jams were few and far in-between.
Sawant, meanwhile, at the brief flagging off ceremony said that the government has been working to better tourism in Goa and festivals like Carnival help, attracting both Indian and foreign tourists.
He said the float parade, in a way, showcases Goa's culture and welcomed all who had thronged to witness the celebration.
Khaunte on his part said that the carnival float parade is reflective of the State's famed communal harmony as well as its vibrancy.
Float parades sponsored by the tourism department will also be held in Margao on Sunday and in other towns until Tuesday even as smaller traditional carnival festivities will be held in scores of Goan villages and towns, simultaneously.
The parade began at 5 pm and dozens of floats, several with troupes dancing atop trucks to bands playing live music threaded the nearly 2 kilometer route from the Patto bridge to the Kala Academy junction.
The Tourism Department's official float from where this year's King Momo, Cleevan Fernandes read out the official decree calling on everyone to break into fun and frolic until Tuesday, led the parade.
Float parades will be held in Margao on March 2, Vasco on March 3 and in Mapusa on March 4.
Meanwhile, Bollywood and famed Marathi actor, Varsha Usgaonkar went nostalgic about the carnival saying she has several memories of the festival she witnessed as a child.
Usgaonkar, who has a big fan following in Marathi cinema, did her education living in Panaji before moving to Mumbai to pursue her career.
“I have several memories related to the carnival float parade. As a child, I always craved to be a queen on the float parade,” Usgaonkar said, adding that Carnival synchronises with Goa.
