It is ‘Viva Sao Joao!’ all over in Goa on June 24

Every June, the Sao Joao festival is celebrated with grandeur and gaiety in Goa. The festival is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Sao Joao is a Portuguese word that translates to St. John. The festival honours St. John the Baptist, as the one who baptised Jesus. Every year, June 24 is celebrated with great joy and reverence, especially by Goa's Catholic community. The celebrations include villagers jumping into wells, streams and ponds. This jump is to signify the joy that St. John felt when Jesus Christ was born.

The boys are found merrily jumping into the water to commemorate the leap of joy, which St John is said to have taken in the womb of his mother, St Elizabeth when Virgin Mary visited her. The festival also includes playing the traditional ghumot (percussion instrument). It also sees revellers wearing the kopel (the crown of fruits, flowers and leaves), parading in villages and often hopping from one place to another as they chant, “Sao Joao! Viva Sao Joao”.

Goan music and dance are an essential part of the Sao Joao celebrations. Traditional Konkani songs fill the air, and groups perform lively folk dances. Of course, no Goan festival is complete without feni and so it is with these festivities. The beats of drums, violins, and ghumots set the rhythm as people break into a spontaneous dance, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Local bands and musicians take centre stage, entertaining crowds with energetic performances and classic Goan melodies. With music, dance, and feni flowing freely, Sao Joao transforms into a grand carnival of joy and unity. Families prepare a delicious feast featuring traditional dishes like sorpotel, sannas, bebinca and fish curry-rice.

Sharing food with family, friends and visitors is a big part of the celebration. Homes are filled with the aroma of freshly cooked seafood, rich spices, and coconut-based curries, making it a delightful affair. Many communities organise festive buffets and set up food stalls, allowing visitors to savour the authentic Goan flavours. Eating together fosters a sense of togetherness and hospitality, making Sao Joao as much about food as it is about festivity. Incidentally, Sao Joao is an occasion for the family and the villagers to get to know husbands of their newly wed daughters a little better.

Jubel D'Cruz,Mumbai