Goa mud festival ‘Chikhal Kalo’ celebrates connection between farmers, Mother Earth

The traditional mud festival ‘Chikhal Kalo’ pays homage to the profound bond shared between the farming community of Goa and our nurturing Mother Earth

A video of people in Goa celebrating the traditional mud festival has surfaced on social media. The 3-minute 21-second video clip shows locals in Goa's Marcel village celebrating the traditional mud festival locally known as 'Chikhal Kalo'.

This celebration pays homage to the profound bond shared between the farming community of Goa and our nurturing Mother Earth.

Chikhal Kalo, a religious festival exclusive to the village of Marcel in Goa, is a rare combination of devotion and enjoyment. It occurs annually on the 11th day of the Hindu month of Ashadh, held within the expansive grounds of the Devki Krishna temple, mentions the website of Goa tourism department.

The arrival of the monsoon ensures that the temple premises are transformed into muddy terrain, which becomes a vital component of the ensuing excitement.

In addition to lively dancing, the festival features traditional games like chendu fali (resembling cricket) and gilli danda. The slippery mud surface induces participants to tumble and become coated in mud repeatedly--an integral part of the ritual, hence the name Chikhal Kalo, mentioned the website further.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.