About Kalas Utsav |
Event | Kalas Utsav |
Location | Morjaee Temple, Morjim |
State | Goa |
Category | Festival |
Date | Dates not confirmed |
Main Attraction | Kalas Utsav is one of the best Hindu festivals in Goa. |
Overview/History | In spite of being a festival of Hindus, this famous festival of Goa is not just celebrated by the Hindu community. Being a secular state of India, this festival is even celebrated with equal happiness and pomp by people belonging to the different religious backgrounds. Sri Morjaee Temple, one of the renowned temples in the state of Goa is the main venue of this festival. This ancient temple of Sri Morjaee is located in the beautiful Christian - Hindu village of Morjim that is a part of the place called Pernem in the district of North Goa. This special Utsav of this temple is generally held during the period from mid February to mid March that is called the Phalgun month as per the calendar followed by Hindus. The date of this festival varies from one year to another though. Starting from the Shuddha Panchami of the Phalgun month, the main festival of Kalas Utsav is celebrated on the last 7 days of the month of Phalgun, once in every 2 years though the celebrations last for almost a month. |
Celebration | As the Hindu month of Phalgun approaches, the locals of the city starts preparing from the month long celebrations of Kalas Utsav. This socio-religious occasion is celebrated in the Sri Morjaee Temple of Pernem on a major level and has got great social and religious significance attached to it. The varied kinds of cultural as well as religious events held during this festival, apart from attracting locals as well as visitors from the nearby states like Karnataka and Maharashtra, gives a distinctive charm to this festival of Goa. At times, travelers from outside India even like to attend this Goan festival during their visit to the state. Many people from all over the state participate in those events. During the festival time, lots of devotees residing in different parts of the state and the neighborhood assemble in the age old Hindu temple of Goa. The main ritual of the Kalas Utsav includes the sacrifice of a goat or a wild boar that is later distributed to the different households in the area. |