From its historical origins as a festival of ghosts, Halloween has today come a long way, evolving into a community festival full of fun. Beginning in Europe and later the USA, Halloween is now celebrated around the world, and Goa, a globally popular tourist destination also witnesses grand celebrations of this event. People associated with the tourism industry as well as youth partake in Halloween festivities around the state.
“We celebrated our first Halloween when we came down to Goa last year,” says Shraddha Shrivastava, a tourist from Delhi. “It was a nice experience to celebrate something different. All of us friends gathered and went to a Halloween party. I think the festival is especially popular among teenagers and youth because they have been exposed to a different culture, and that’s what makes this experience fun,” says Shrivastava.
Vrundawan Raikar who is public relations manager at the Entertainment Society of Goa also has a positive experience of the festivities. “I participated in celebrations of the festival at a club in Goa. It was a great experience. They even had props brought from the UK,” recounts Raikar.
Lyndon and Alnoshka Furtado, owners of popular restaurant ‘Down the Road’ in Panaji have a long Halloween tradition of their own. “We have been organising Halloween parties since 2011, and the initiative has received good response,” informs Alnoshka Furtado. “We put up the relevant decorations, have special food, and even get everybody dressed in colourful costumes in line with the Halloween spirit so that no one feel left out,” she informs. “Since last year, we have been hosting the event in collaboration with an event organiser, and this year, we have talented Goan DJs playing for the party,” she informs. DTR host its halloween party every year on October 30.
On the other hand, actor Aryan Khedekar from Panaji has a slightly different view about the festival. “I do not celebrate it myself, but it is indeed fun to watch it being celebrated. Any festival basically is designed to bring joy and excitement, and having such diverse celebrations here is quite intriguing,” says Khedekar.
As tourists from around the globe visit Goa, they bring with them their own traditions which enrich the state’s culture. It would be interesting to see whether Halloween will take on any Indian flavours with time.
