MARGAO
Saxttikars kept the date with the Margao carnival parade on Sunday as dozens of colourful floats accompanied by music and dance, rolled onto the Old Holy Spirit Church-Margao Municipal square route for the first time after around half a decade.
Thousands of people lined up the kilometre-long route cheering the participants as the floats led by King Momo made their way into the city, to spread the message of fun, frolic and merry-making during the three days of carnival festivities. While a sea of humanity converged at the Margao municipal square to have a glimpse of the floats, thousands of others lined up on both sides of the traditional route after the Margao Municipal Council decided to bring back the parade route from Fatorda to Margao this festival.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte descended in the city to flag off the float parade at the Holy Spirit Church square in the presence of MLAs Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Sequeira, Ulhas Tuenkar, Carlos Alvares Ferreira, former minister Churchill Alemao and ex-MLA Damu Naik, besides Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar, president of Carnival committee Camilo Barretto, city fathers and citizens.
Around 40-odd floats are reported to have participated in the float parade led by the King Momo entourage. The float parade which was scheduled to commence at 3 pm was finally flagged off at around 5 pm.
To add a traditional touch to the float parade, the traditional Kunbi dance was performed by women attired in traditional costumes.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said the government is committed to taking Goa’s rich culture, tradition and heritage forward. Expressing satisfaction over the turnout of crowds to watch the carnival parade in Panjim and Margao, Khaunte said people have come to enjoy the true spirit of carnival, adding events such as carnival and shigmo bring all the people of Goa together. “We have stressed less commercial and more of tradition,” he said.
Several floats evoked appreciation and praise from the crowd, including the float presented by the Agriculture department. Agriculture officers and staff led by Director Nevil Alphonso danced and marched with the Millet float, spreading the message to grow millets, eat millets and stay healthy.
The float Pavsacho Purument was one of the first few floats that rolled down the route, which was followed by the float cautioning riders and motorists not to drink and drive.
