Shigmo festivities to begin in Goa from March 14 – 27, 2017

Goa’s biggest religious Hindu festival will kick-start on March 14 and will continue in various rural parts of Goa, spanning over a fortnight, with different days earmarked for celebrations in different areas. The float parade will begin at Ponda on 14th March 2017. The city of Panaji will witness the float parade on 18th March 2017. The float parade will end in Pernem and Sanquelim on 27th March, 2017.

Thousands of tourists are expected to visit the state to witness the spectacular Shigmo parades. The Shigmo parades are known for demonstrating the essence of Goa’s favorite spring festival on the streets all across the state.

Some history about Shigmotsav:
Shigmo parade is a religious Hindu festival filled with colors, music, dance and floats.Iit depicts the life of a Goan in elaborate Traditional folk dances like Ghode Modni and Fugdi performing on streets in massive troupes along the procession, showcasing the tradition of Goa. The streets of Goa during Shigmotsav are lit up with attractive décor, lively parades, delicious Goan delicacies, and music and dance performances.

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. Traditionally it was celebrated as spring’s biggest festival which honoured the homecoming of the warriors who had left their homes and families at the end of Dusshera to fight the invaders. Traditional folk dances and performing of mythological scenes is the major highlight of this parade.

The parade begins with a bang when the people of Goa dress up in colourful outfits, holding multi coloured flags and playing large musical instruments like the Dhol Tasha and flutes in processions across the cities.

Honda NAVi Goa Hunt 2017

Organized by Goa Tourism Development Corporation in association with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India

Panjim, March 23, 2017: Goa Tourism Development Corporation in association with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. announced the first edition of Honda NAVi Goa Hunt 2017. Honda NAVi Goa Hunt is a fun and adventure activity aimed at exploring the unexplored side of Goa on youth’s most loved and favorite Honda NAVi. With its unique design and vibrant color options, NAVi promises a FUNtastsic experience for the customers. The Honda NAVi Goa Hunt is a 2 day activity to be flagged off on 23rd of March by the Hon. Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Goa, Mr. Manohar Azgaonkar. The objective of this activity is to explore Goa having fun riding the Honda NAVi and reaching the final destination after surprise tasks at each location. The event will conclude with an award ceremony by felicitating its winners on 24th of March 2017.

Exploring Goa: Honda NAVi- Goa Hunt 2017
A fascinating destination known for its tranquil beaches, nightlife, adventure, sports and cuisine, it has an unexplored side left untouched by many. The event is spread over two days consisting of mysteries and challenges to be completed and become the ultimate Honda NAVi Goa Hunter. Different teams will embark on a journey to explore Goa on Honda NAVi. The teams will consist of renowned journalists and online bloggers. Different challenges including fun-filled tasks will be posed to them en-route. The teams will be decoding clues and then NAVigate their way through 10 different stages over two days. The encrypted challenges will be designed on the uniqueness of Honda NAVi and various flavors of Goa.

Manipal Hospitals is the medical partner for the Goa Hunt 2017 and is providing a fully equipped ambulance with emergency trained staff and doctors. Mr. Jayarama, Head of Sales and Marketing, Manipal Hospital Goa was present for the press conference.

Mr. Manohar Azgaonkar, Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Goa said,” An event like the GTDC Honda Navi Goa Hunt 2017 will give a big boost for tourism in Goa. Goa today is a biker’s haven and offers the right platform for promotion of hinterland tourism and discovering the hidden facets of Goa. I am extremely happy that Goa Tourism Development Corporation is organizing such events and associating with big brands like Honda. I wish this mega two day event a great success.”

Mr. Nikhil Desai, MD, GTDC said, “This is an interesting concept introduced by the GTDC to discover the hidden treasure of Goa. We are confident that this event will help in a major way to showcase a unique element of Goa. We are glad to be associated with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and are thankful to them for their extended support. This is also an interesting promotional and marketing activity and we are confident that it will help in the enrichment of the state.”

Speaking on the association with GTDC, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior Vice President- Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Honda 2Wheelers holds the No.1 position in Goa and enjoys a market share of 45%. Currently a big buzz amongst youth in Goa, Honda NAVi with it’s unique design and endless customization possibilities provides an extra dose to youngsters who have appetite for adventure and FUN. It personifies the spirit of vibrant Goa and exploring Goa’s unknown side on the NAVi will be a FUNtastsic experience. We are excited to associate with GTDC for the Honda NAVi Goa Hunt and wish all participants good luck in their quest to become the ultimate Honda NAVi Goa Hunter.”