Shigmo or Shishirotsava, is a spring festival celebrated in the Indian state of Goa

Goa

Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...

, where it is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community. The Indian festival of Holi

Holi

Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...

 is part of it.

Etymology

The Konkani word Shigmo derives from the Prakrit

Prakrit

Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...

 word Suggimaho and the Sanskrit

Sanskrit

Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 Sugrishmaka.

Shigmo now

In recent years the state government has supported public Shigmo parades consisting of traditional folk and street dancers and elaborately built floats depicting scenes from regional mythology and religious scenes. Meanwhile, Shigmo festivals also continue in various rural parts of Goa, spanning over a fortnight, with different days earmarked for celebrations in different areas. This festival is celebrated around March each year. It is linked to the Hindu lunar calendar, hence its date according to the Gregorian calendar varies.

Variations

There are two variants of Shigmo festival: Dhakto Shigmo ("small Shigmo") and Vhadlo Shigmo ("big Shigmo"). Dhakto Shigmo is generally celebrated by farmers, the labour class and the rural population, while Vhadlo Shigmo is of greater consequence and is celebrated by everyone together.

Timing

Dhakto Shigmo begins some five days before the full-moon day of the Indian lunar month of Phalguna

Phalguna

Phalguna is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Phaalgun is the twelfth month of the year, beginning on 20 February and ending on 21 March .In lunar religious calendars, Phaalgun may begin on either the new moon or the full moon...

 and ends on the full-moon day in the Old Conquests areas of Goa (the areas that were under Portuguese colonial rule for a longer period of time, starting from the sixteenth century). On the other hand, Vhadlo Shigmo is mostly celebrated in the New Conquests areas, beginning on the full-moon day of Phalguna and continuing for five days.

Terminology

Naman are songs sung in chorus during the festival, when villagers assemble at a fixed place. Jot is another kind of song. Dances include Talgadi, Hanpet, Lamp Dance and Gopha. Dhol and Taso are drums, some of which can be huge, which people carry from door to door, dancing to their sound. Money is placed in a plate carried by the performers, in response to which they sing a song called the Tali, wishing the donor well. On the last day of the festival, it is believed that a spirit known as the Gade padap enters the dancers. Mand davarap refers to a collective bath taken after the festival comes to an end.

Folk songs and dances, temple festival

Dhakto Shigmo can be considered mainly as a festival of folk songs and folk dances, while Vhadlo Shigmo is considered a festival performed in the village temple. It is celebrated in different temples on different dates around the same period. The first day of celebration is called Haldune and the second is Dhulvad or exchange of Gulāla. On the first, the village deity is bathed and dressed in saffron robes. After the offering of food, a feast is held. Shigmo celebrated in the temples of Jambavali, Phatarpya, Kansarpal

Kansarpal

Kansarpal, in the Konkani language, Kasarpali is a town in the Bicholim region of Goa, which is in the North Goa district. It is about 14 km from the town of Mapusa and is the site of the 800-year-old Shri Kalikadevi Temple...

and Dhargale are very famous in Goa and the neighboring states and attract a large number of devotees and tourists.

External links

• Shigmo procession in Goa
• Goacom.com page on the Shigmo festival