Carnival

Then & Now

By

Marsellus Carvalho

David Sequira

Trevour Nunes

Geneive Fernandes

Olivia Rodrigues

Zico Rodrigues

Introduction

Carnival as celebrated in Goa is a typical festival of Roman Catholic countries but it is not a Christian religious festival as such, buy rather could be traced to a relic of several pagan festivals of pre Christian times such as the Spring Festival in honor of Isis, the nature God in Egypt, Dioysius. The actual origin and basis of celebrating Carnival among Christian apparently began soon after St. Teleports a pope who reined from 142 to 154, ordered red a 40day period of fasting to be observed in commemoration of Christ’s fasting which later became the Lenten period of abstinence and self denial. Austerity being the key note of lent, people went all out to indulge in a gay time in preparation duration of fast and penance.

Rome has always been the headquarters of carnival and though some popes made efforts were many other that were great promoters and patrons of it. There is however little doubt that this period of license and gaiety represents a compromise which the church was always inclined to make to adapt herself to winds of change and pagan practices, hence the joint appeal issued by the priests on not banning Carnival but celebrating it with human dignity and decorum.

What is Carnival:-

Carnival – A Goan festival has its physiological derivation from ‘Carnem Levare’ which means to take meat or to remove meat. This is a concept that coincides with the fact that carnival is the final festivity before the commencement of ascetic forty days of lent (fasting of 40days) during which abstinence from flesh is observed amongst the Catholics.

Actually colour and pranks is the name of the game. Carnival is a celebration that takes place in many countries in last days of preLenten season. Goan carnival is best known all over and Goa is the only place in the vast sub – continent and perhaps in the...