While I have not had the chance to attend before, I have learned a lot about it, and I look forward to attending in February!
This is a four day celebration which takes place prior to Lent. Since Lent is a 40-day period of solemnity and fasting, Carnival is seen as a chance to indulge prior to this somber period of the church. What we know as "Fat Tuesday" is referred to as "Shrove Tuesday", here.
This tradition is connected to the environment as it is the largest Carnival in India, and it is one of the few celebrations of this kind in Asia. The festival was initially introduced to Goa during early Portuguese rule. Towards the end of the colonial era, Portugal severely limited freedom of assembly, causing the end of the celebration. After Goa achieved independence, a Goan musician named Timoteo Fernandes brought back the festival. Using the Rio Carnival as the model, he believed this would help bring tourism to Goa. The warm climate of Goa lends itself to a lively and colorful celebration. Additionally, as this is a celebration which ushers in Lent, it is unique to Goa due to the high number of Catholics living here compared to in the rest of India.
