The Goans have never needed an excuse to celebrate – to sing, to dance and to feast. However the Goa Carnival does have a reason behind it. The forty day lent is a period of fasting and abstinence. So naturally a three day festival of excess is in order – to satiate the body and the mind completely, to indulge to one’s heart’s content, before the self-denial starts.

The Carnaval as it is called in Portuguese can trace its origins to ancient Rome, in the Roman festivals of hedonistic pleasure.

When the Portuguese brought the Carnaval to India, it was primarily a Christian festival and designed to let off social pressures. For these three days, masters could act like slaves and black slaves brought in from Africa could masquerade as their white masters.

This spirit of the festival, where your social class and standing doesn’t matter, has endured through the ages. Noblemen could fraternise with commoners, rich tradesmen with paupers, on an equal footing. As the Carnivals of Goa evolved, they started imbibing more and more Indian elements in its celebration. However the last few decades of the Portuguese rule saw a decline in the carnival. Independence and merger with the Indian union however revived this queen of Goa sightseeing attractions.

Encouraged by the ministry of tourism and participated by thousands of willing travellers from around the world, the carnival of Goa has received a fresh lease of life.

Tourists come pouring in days in advance (so if you are planning to come, book your hotel well in time). And there is a hush of expectancy in the air, as Goa prepares for this three day fiesta, now famous around the world.

As any Goa travel guide will tell you, for these three days ordinary rules don’t apply. The mythical King Momo takes over. And he has only one diktat for his loyal subjects – party.

So come February, you too should start making your plans for your trip to Goa. Pack your bags with the bare essentials and don’t forget to bring along your sense of fun and frolic.