MAPUSA
Mapusa came alive in the wee hours of Saturday as women and men dressed in traditional attire played the drums and took part in the lezim dance while taking part in the traditional procession to celebrate Gudi Padwa.
After two years of subdued celebration on account of Covid, Gudi Padwa also known as the spring festival was celebrated with pomp and gaiety in Bardez.
From 5 in the morning, women and men wearing the traditional attire and carrying pancharati and saffron flags and marshals wound their way through the main streets in Mapusa and congregated at the taxi stand.
The main square of the town wore a festive look with the reverberation of the drum beats and the performance of traditional dances.
A 45-minute programme was later held at the Mapusa taxi stand which was kicked off with the hoisting of the “Gudi” by the noted director and actor of the film, Uri-The Surgical Strike, Yogesh Soman.
It was followed by his discourse on the topic, “Bhartiya Itihasachi Soneri Pane”.
“For the last two years, the celebration was held in a very low-key manner due to the Covid situation in the State and the country. This year people came out on their own although much of the credit goes to the organisers who took the initiative to hold the procession,” a participant told The Goan.
Women, youth and students came out in large numbers and took part in the event in a big way.
Later in the evening, a musical programme ‘Swar Vardan’ sponsored by the Directorate of Information and Publicity was held at the Mapusa taxi stand.
