Shigmo - Celebrating Colours in Goa

onlookers at a carnival parade

Shigmo or Shigmotsav is the grand spring festival celebrated annually in Goa in the month of Phalgun (read the last month of the Hindu calendar). To on-lookers, it may seem like Holi’s taken a U-turn and come right back to Goa. And honestly, why not? Goa’s the land of colourful people and we love rocking out with colours all month long. On that note, did you know, this march, we’re celebrating the month of colour at Villa In Palms, too? Reach us to know what’s in store for our guests for their March holiday.

Circling and twirling back to Shigmo. Shigmo is a blend of Holi, a harvest fest and a carnival. The common denominator being - it’s a celebration! The festival is usually spread over a fortnight, starting right after Holi.

The last 5 days of the festival is when it really gets MAD! The last 5 days of the festival is when Goa really comes to life, with people taking to the streets with grand processions. You’ll see larger than life floats inspired by characters and Gods from Hindu mythology, dance performances, street artists and the locals dancing to music, creating a riot of colours.

People celebrate Holi

If you haven’t witnessed this festival in Goa, at least once in your life, you really should. And here’s why -
  1.  It’ll be your do-over Holi. If you love Holi, this is your chance to celebrate it twice in a year!
  2.  Your jaw will drop when you see the ‘horse-dance’. No, we don’t really have horses dancing, ‘Ghode-morni’ or the horse dance is a folk dance, usually performed at dusk by performers during the celebratory processions.
  3.  It will float your boat. You may have seen the Christmas parades in the west with their iconic floats, so why not see how India does floats on this side of the coast?
  4. It’s highly - instagramable. It’s colours, costumes and did we mention colours? Every moment is highly clickable and feed worthy.
  5. Drum-roll please. Can you hear the dhol? The locals carry around dhols, dancing to their loud beats on the streets. And of course, you’re invited to join in.
  6. Alongwith the dhol, the Indian flute is also heard playing some melodies unique to Goa. And be sure, it’ll have you dancing to its tunes.
  7.  It’s a party! And aren't we always looking for a reason to party?

Person with a painted red face and moustache plays a character

Where can you Shigmo?


You can shake a leg, shimmy and Shigmo at 5 prominent cities in the state of Goa.
Here are the cities and dates for the processions to be held this year -
1. March 19th, 2022 at Ponda.
2. March 20th, 2022 at Margao.
3. March 22, 2022 at Vasco.
4. March 26th, 2022 at Panaji.
5. March 27th, 2022 at Mapusa.

Walkway surrounded by pools leading to the villa - Villa in Palms by V Escapes

Where should you stay during Shigmo?


At Villa In Palms, of course. We’re 21 minutes away from Panaji by car. And we’ll drive you there in style, too! Our fleet of luxury Mercedes SUVs with English-speaking, locally savvy chauffeurs is always available for our guests to book and go wherever they please. And have you seen how gorgeous our award-winning 5 bedroom villa is? Click here to check out the pictures.

With a private pool, boutique gym, a staff of 15 and personal chefs to cater for you - Villa In Palms is an ideal choice for a group of friends or family to holiday in Goa.

People having food in an open setting

Here’s another tip for you while planning your Goan summer break.


As soon as the Goan Shigmo festival is over the Goan Food and Culture festival begins. So it’s a good idea to plan your summer holiday towards the end of the Shigmo festivities. This way you get to take in the colourful parades and then carry on bingeing on delicious food and soaking in the culture for the remaining days.
You can always call us and our VIP Experiences Manager will be more than happy to curate a personalised itinerary for you, complete with restaurant recommendations, shopping destinations and some amazing local experiences.
Now that we've told you everything there is to know about Shigmo. Are you ready to Shig-meet us here, soon?

For bookings and enquiries about Villa In Palms by V Escapes, reach us at reservation@vescapes.com ( email ) or call or whatsapp us on +91 9372323328

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