Pics from Rajtilak Naik in Panaji
for Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
Panaji, Jun 25: The feast of St John the Baptist was celebrated with great enthusiam across the state of Goa on Sunday.
Youths enjoying the day, soon after they jumped into a river at Siolim
Some of the participating boats in the traditional boat festival held at Siolim on the occasion of Soa Joao on Sunday
The enthusiastic crowds
Youths enjoying in a well
People are seen with the traditional 'Copel' while they celebrate Sao Joao
A newly married couple in the Sao Joao celebration
People with the traditional 'Copel' while they celebrate Sao Joao
A man with the traditional 'copel' on his head
A man tries to put 'Copel' on the cross during the Sao Joao celebration at Siolim village
The feast, locally known and observed as 'Sao Joao' , was celebrated with great enthusiam. A unique feature which distinguishes Goa from other parts of the world is the act of jumping into the wells, ponds and rivers in contrast to the normally held church services.
Newly-married couples play a very important role in the celebration. Generally the bride carries all the goodies to be distributed among the youth of the village and the groom carries all the hard drinks like the Goan 'feni', beer and others.
The day is just celebrated with different games and traditional events like the traditional boat festival which is being organized every year at Siolim on the ocassion of Sao Joao.
People who take part in the celebration are, as a rule, made to wear on their heads a crown - traditionally known as 'Copel' - made of flowers.
Earlier report: Sunday, June 24
Sao Joao Feast Celebrated in Great Spirit
From daijiworld's special correspondent
Panaji, Jun 24: Hundreds of people jumped into the rivers, ponds and wells in the middle of incessant rains in Goa to celebrate the traditional Sao Joao festival on Sunday.
A rain festival, celebrated as the feast of John the Baptist, is a legacy left behind by the Portuguese rulers in this erstwhile colony which was liberated in 1961.
As the monsoons sets in, in this coastal state, the waterbodies are full to their capacity providing opportunity for a water jump for fun revellers.
Wearing traditional headgear made up of flowers and leaves, the people celebrate monsoons in this picturesque tourist state.
Siolim, a village located 25 kms away from Panaji, is one amongst the many villages, which celebrates the feast with much traditional fervour.
"San Joao revellers is not just a fun, it has traditional ethos attached to it... It's not just jumping in the water,'' stated Valentino D'Costa, a Siolim village elder, who himself jumps into the well for over two decades now on this day.
This year, the heavy showers added colour to the festival with people leaving no opportunity to splash water on each other.
Fire and emergency services and police departments kept their forces on alert to keep track of any possible chances of drowning, in the light of similar recent drowning cases.
"Our force is always on its toes... In monsoons, we get so many calls. For San Joao day, we are more alert,'' K Menon, director, fire and emergency services, stated.
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