Goa celebrates 'Sao Joao' festival after 2-year Covid induced hiatus | See pics

Residents of the coastal state also thronged to wells, ponds and other water bodies in large numbers to celebrate Sao Joao, a popular festival of Goa.

Published on: Jun 25, 2022, 06:51:50 IST

By HT News Desk

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The people of Goa on Friday celebrated the Sao Joao festival, the feast of St John the Baptist with traditional enthusiasm after a two-year coronavirus-induced gap. Revellers across the state jumped into water bodies across the state to mark the occasion. The colourful, theme-based floats are also a traditional part of the festivities.

The celebrations were on hold for the last two years due to the pandemic, but this year festivities were at pre-coronavirus level. (ANI)

In images shared by news agency ANI, the people can be seen wearing flower and fruit crowns, and featuring colourful floats on boats. One such float featured the football sport with a FIFA trophy in the centre. India is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2022.

Residents of the coastal state also thronged to wells, ponds and other water bodies in large numbers to celebrate Sao Joao, a popular festival of Goa. Jumping into water bodies wearing crowns made of fruits and flowers, and screaming 'Viva Sao Joao' is a key tradition of the festival which has its origins in the erstwhile Portuguese rule.

The festival is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, who baptised Lord Jesus on the river of Jordan and is celebrated at the onset of monsoon. Siolim, a village in North Goa, hosts a traditional canoe parade on the occasion of Sao Joao.

Silvester Fernandes, President of the Siolim Sao Joao Committee, told news agency PTI that the celebrations were on hold for the last two years due to the pandemic, but this year festivities were at pre-coronavirus level. “Several hundred locals and also tourists arrived here (Siolim) to witness the colourful canoe parade,” Fernandes said. Goa on Friday recorded 149 new cases of Covid-19 that raised the tally of infections to 2,47,820, an official from the state health department said. The coastal state is now left with 926 active cases.

(With PTI inputs)

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