Celebrations of San Joao in Siolim

With the onset of the monsoons in Goa things can get pretty drab as far as activities go. But you can bet on Goans to celebrate the even in the thick of the rain season.

One of the first festivities associated with the monsoon is the feast of St John the Baptist or San Joao as he is known in the local language. John is believed to have baptised people before Jesus began his public life, by immersing them in the river Jordan. He is also said to have baptised Jesus. Villagers all over Goa jump into rivers and wells to commemorate John's baptisms.

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In the village of Siolim, villagers wearing the traditional copel (a headgear made of flower, fruits (and virtually anything), meet outside the chapel of John the Baptist and jump into the Siolim river. After that they share fruits and sannas (a type of steamed rice cake) singing with the traditional gummots (a musical instrument that's shaped like a clay pot with a piece of lizard's skin on the mouth. The instrument is struck on the mouth to produce various tones).

Besides this traditional celebrations, the Siolim Boat festival also draws huge crowds annually. Siolim's favourite son, Remo Fernandes never misses this event.

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