Stage set for a lively carnival

Those heading for the ‘Goa Carnaval 2014’, which is scheduled to begin on February 28 in Goa, can get ready for lots of fun, good food and great music. The festivities will begin with the inauguration of the ‘Food and Culture Festival’ and will wind up on March 4. This year, the carnival will reverberate with larger-than-life decor, mask installations and the food and cultural festival.

Elaborating on the activities at a press conference in the City recently, Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa, Dilip Parulekar said, “The ‘Goa Carnaval’ is the highlight of our annual calendar and we want to ensure that this will be an unforgettable experience for locals as well as visitors to the state. Our vision is to see that ‘Goa Carnaval’ becomes as popular as the legendary Brazilian Carnival.”

The highlight of the celebrations this year include a feature street-play performance by musicians at various vantage points across the state and a ‘King Momo Contest’. Keen to promote the State as a place for celebrations, the Minister added, “Goa is a place that induces a contagious celebratory spirit, right from weddings to festivals.

Everything here is celebrated with pomp and fervour. This is why we are also promoting and packaging festivals and events like the ‘Carnaval 2014’ followed by the ‘Cashew and Coconut Festival’ and ‘Goa International Travel Mart’. This is our effort to preserve the heritage and cultural lineage of our state.”

According to the Minister, Goa has geared up itself to accommodate over 2.5 lakh tourists during this time. Pointing out that around as many as 3.5 to 4 lakh visitors head to Goa from Karnataka every year, Dilip Parulekar said, “The festival will feature participation from other states. To add an element of glamour and excitement to the proceedings, a Brazilian troupe will be especially flown in for a Samba performance. Prominent musicians including ‘Raghu Dixit Project’, ‘Strings’ and some home-grown bands will perform at the festival too. A fashion show and a fire display are also expected to be included in the celebrations.”

Ensuring the safety of visitors, Nikhil Desai, MD of Goa Tourism Development Corporation and director of Tourism, Government of Goa said, “We have taken measures to ensure 100 per cent safety for everyone and have increased the deployment of police force at tourist spots. We will also have night patrolling on the beaches. Besides, an all-women taxi service is in the process of being launched.” He added, “We are also in the process of increasing room inventory for tourists.”