the goan I network
PANAJI
Amid the spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic organisers of the shigmo float parade in the capital city -- Panaji Shigmotsav Samiti -- decided to go ahead with their annual event but attendance was extremely thin. Last year, the Shigmo parades were cancelled following the demise of then Chief Minister Mahohar Parrikar and this year it has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The State government had earlier invoked the Epidemic Act and imposed a shutdown on many sectors which involve large scale interaction with the clientele but as for the Shigmo parade, the Chief Minister said the local organisers of the Shigmo parades have been given the lee-way to either cancel or go ahead with the events.
This year the flow of the float parade was efficiently maintained with assistance from the police and volunteers in the troupe. Along with energetic local crowd some foreign tourists were also seen clicking photographs and enjoying in the revelry.
This year the organizers planned to end the parade early. The parade route was shortened by nearly one kilometer and it began from the Kala Academy.
Committee chairman, Shrinivas Dempo, CCP Mayor Udai Madkaikar and ex-MLA Sidharth Kuncoliencar launched the parade which wended its way from Caculo Island, 18 June Road and turned left to culminate at the Azad Maidan. The old route along Panjim municipal garden and MG road to Azad Maidan was discarded.
The participating troupes from different villages of Goa paraded their artistic talent with a series of thundering drums and the rhythmic marching of men and women in colorful traditional dress.
Traditional dances like romtamell, Ghode Modni were performed by several troupes. Later in the evening the eye-catching floats with mythological scenes were paraded which is by far the main attraction.
