Sao Joao Festival in June

Six months before Christmas, on June 24th every year, North Goa erupts in joy to celebrate the São João or San Janv festival. It is a religious event but unlike anything you might have seen. Men, women, and kids will wear fancy dresses and jump into rivers, ponds, and lakes. They will wear masks and unique headgear. Villagers throw gifts into the water, which the kids and even the adults retrieve gleefully. There is also a unique boat festival. The boats are decorated with leaves and flowers. Many are designed like sea creatures, birds, guitar, snakes, dragons, mythical animals, and fruit baskets. They arrive from Arambol, Chapora, Anjuna, Badem and other places.

São João is a religious festival. It is a tribute to St. John the Baptist, who leapt with joy when he heard of the birth of Jesus Christ, even when he was in his mother’s womb. In Christianity, St. John is also called John the Immerser, John the Baptizer, and John the Forerunner. Later on, he would baptize Jesus in the Jordan River. In Goa, people jumping into the well and river is a symbolic gesture of St. John’s leap in the womb.

Though this is a religious festival, but in Goa, it is more of a fun event where there are wild celebrations, fancy dressing, food, music, and drinking. It is held throughout the state but it is the most colorful and interesting at Siolim in North Goa. June 24th is also the monsoon season in Goa. The rivers and lakes are all full. The summer heat is gone and there is lush greenery everywhere, which makes the event even more enjoyable.

The main celebrations are at Siolim in North Goa, close to the Siolim Church

Sao Joao – Quick Facts

The Sao Joao festival is held throughout the Christian world, but it is unique in Goa, especially Siolim, because young men would jump into wells to retrieve gifts. There is also a boat festival.

The Boat Festival

The main festival of Sao Joao in Goa is held at Siolim, which is beside the Chapora River. A unique boat festival is held on the river on June 24^th. This is the monsoon season so the river is full at this time.

Boats will arrive from Arambol, Chapora, Anjuna, Badem and other places. The boats are wonderfully decorated with flowers, leaves. They have wonderful designs like guitar, birds, fruit baskets, sea creatures, mythical creatures, snakes, and dragons. Boat decorations begin many days in advance, sometimes weeks. Many villages will represent themselves by sending these unique boats. You will see the locals wearing colorful clothing on the boats.

• The festival starts at 3.30 PM officially.
• The first boat will reach the riverside church around 4 PM.
• The last boat reaches by 5.30 PM.
• There are about 6-7 boats in the festival each year.
• Boats have names on them representing the group or village name
• These boats are not very big. They hold 8-10 people each.

Festival Gallery

Well Jumping

Young men and women jump into wells, pools, streams and the river shouting ‘Viva Sao Joao’ or hail St John. It is a treat to watch them leaping into the water and swimming in it. Many even drink from the well, though this is not always safe. Sometimes the villagers will through gifts into the water, which they retrieve. It is a lot of fun. This is also the rainy season, so the locals love to get drenched in the rain and the water they are jumping into. Many tourists are also seen jumping into the water.

The jumping is a tribute to St John, a representation of his joy when he heard of the birth of Jesus while in his mother’s womb.

The Sao Joao festival is very popular in North Goa, especially in Siolim. It is not that big in South Goa.

Dressing and Customs

The São João festival is held on June 24th because this is the birthday of St. John the Baptist. Many locals would start the day by attending the mass at the St Anthony’s Church. A parade is brought out, which in the local language is called “Sangodd”. You will see people singing religious songs and chanting mantras in the parade. Relatives and friends will exchange fruits. You will see newlywed brides carrying fruit baskets having bananas, pineapples, and jackfruit. Often, these baskets are from the bride’s mother to the son-in-law’s family. Many brides will sing “Sasumai ponos dadla”, which means, “My mother has sent me a jackfruit”.

You will see many young men and women wearing fancy dresses and uniforms. Kopel is a unique headgear made with leaves, branches, and flowers. There are people performing Mando, a popular folk dance of Goa. Cultural events are held. There are drum parties as well. The boat festival from the neighboring villages of Siolim often becomes like a competition because each village will plan and decorate their boats for weeks before the festival. Doing well at the boat festival becomes a matter of prestige for the villages.

Music, Food

Music competitions are held at some places to find and showcase new talents. There is both singing and dancing, making it a party-like ambiance. Often the music is traditional Goanese. Just outside the Siolim Church, at the parking space, there is singing from 3 PM to 10 PM in the night.

Everyone is seen enjoying delicious festive food. Many, both locals and tourists, drink Feni, the traditional drink of Goa made from toddy palm juice and cashew. There is a lot of Feni drinking during the celebration. Free fruits are also given away in some places. The newly married, those expecting a child, and people who own a well, give away food, flowers, a bottle of Feni, and seasonal fruits like mango and jackfruit. This is an old tradition of Goa.

What To See And Do At Siolim

1. Siolim Fish Market – Visit this famous fish market beside the Chapora River and just after the Chopdem Bridge. This is one of the best places in Goa to find fresh fish.
2. Thalassa – At the meeting point of the Anjuna River and the Chapora River. This is a Greek tavern offering mouth-watering delicacies.
3. Patoleo – This is a Goan traditional sweet present in a bride’s basket that she offers during the festival along with fruits, flowers, and a bottle of Feni.
4. Chapora Fort – Goa’s famous “Dil Chahta Hai” Chapora Fort is very close to Siolim. Erected by Adil Shah of the Bijapur dynasty, the fort is now in ruins. But you will get fantastic views of the sea and the Chapora River from here. Try to identify the places where Bollywood Hindi movies were filmed within this fort.
5. Vagator Beach – The scenic Vagator beach is just below the Chapora Fort. In June, during the rainy season, the beach and its surrounding areas will look even more picturesque.

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