Being rich in culture and heritage, the Goans have myriads of performing arts. Drama is one of them. The highlight of Goan drama, however, is their folk drama. Jagar and Tiatr are the names of two of the chief forms. However, the list does not end there. There is more to Goan drama forms. Some of the others are Ranmale, Dashavatari, Kalo, Goulankala, Lalit, Kala and Rathkala. All the folk dramas practiced in Goa use the narrative style with the complimentary help of song and dance. The stories that they narrate are mostly those from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. However, with changing times, these dance dramas have remodeled themselves to include modern-day social issues as well.
Of all these forms of dance drama narratives, Jagar is the earliest in origin. Jagar is divided into two different categories based on the class and caste of the people who perform it. In no particular order, the first is the Perani Jagar and the second is the Gawda Jagar. The former is acted out only by the Hindus; while the latter is enacted by the Christians. The latter form of Jagar has different types and can be interpreted both by the actors and the audiences in different fashions. Most of the themes are thus derived from contemporary social life. The government in encouragement of this hosts festivals and other cultural gatherings to host a display of the arts of Goa – of which Jagar features in a prime position. As a result of this many local performers and artists can gain a platform to showcase their content and talent. Some of these festivals are:
- Artists Camp January
- Bhajan Competition August
- Christmas Carol Singing December
- Kirtan Mahotsav September At Quepem
- Konkani Drama Festival November/December
- Marathi Drama Festival November/December
- Pop, Beat & Jazz Music Festival May
- State Art Exhibition December
- Surashree Kesarbai Smriti Sangeet Samaroha November
- Tiatr Festival Novembe
