Shigmo Festival

Shigmo is a colored festival celebrated by Hindu Community in Indian state Goa in the month of “Falgun” (March month) as per Saka Calendar. It is five-day festival of colours considered as the spring festival of Goa. Its celebrations begin with the Holi, the festival of colours celebrated across the country.

• The festival commemorates the homecoming of the warriors who had left their homes and families at the end of Dussera to fight the invaders.
• During Shigmo festival ripening of the winter crop is also included as a reason for the festivities. Artists display the martial dances like ‘Ghode-morni’ or the horse dance, with main figures in display of legendary rulers of the area like the Rashtrakuts, Kadambs, Portuguese etc.
• The themes are mostly from Hindu scriptures. Sita-haran ; Draupadi’s vastraharan and Lord Krishna coming to her help; Luv-Kush taking on Lord Rama by trying to tame the horse after the Ashwamedh Yajna; the conquest of Ravana’s Lanka; etc.

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.