Goans celebrate Sao Joao festival with splash

Thousands of Goans jumped into water bodies and revelled in Sao Joao festivities on Saturday to mark the feast of St John the Baptist. People dressed in colourful clothes, sporting crowns made of flowers, known as ”kopels”, sang traditional Konkani songs and jumped into wells and ponds as part of the festivities.

Sao Joao is celebrated on June 24 every year at the onset of monsoon throughout the coastal state. Heavy rains lashed the state on Saturday adding to the celebrations.

The festival is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, who baptised Lord Jesus on the river of Jordan, said Inacio Pereira, a resident of St Cruz village near Panaji. Though consuming local liquor ”feni” is quite common during the festivities, people are advised against jumping into water bodies in an inebriated state.

The festival has been recognized as a state event and the tourism department this year organized a Sao Joao party at Old Goa.

“The festival is an important occasion on our tourism calendar and it attracts tourists,” state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said, adding that the department has been promoting local festivals to increase tourist footfall.