Know why people celebrate harvest festival in Goa

GT Digital

FIVE-CENTURY-OLD

For over five centuries, Taleigao in Tiswadi taluka celebrates Konsachem Fest or harvest festival that is all about exuberance transcending time. It's held in different locations on different days across the State in August.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

HARVEST FEST

The festival is about thanksgiving and deeply rooted in nature as it makes offerings of sheaves of paddy for blessings and good harvest.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

TALEIGAO HONOUR

Unlike other Tiswadi villages, Taleigao harvests the first sheaves of paddy on August 21, a tradition that has been kept alive by the Gaonkars of the village.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

FARMLAND SYSTEMS

The festival has continued through different agricultural land systems over centuries - from Gaunkari to Communidades. Under the Portuguese, the tradition of cutting the paddy sheaves came to be known as Novidade or Festa de Espiga.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

NOVEM MEANS NEW

The term Novidade is derived from the word ‘Novem’, meaning new - symbolising the offering of newly grown sheaves of paddy or the first harvest.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

FEAST PRESIDENT

Following tradition, the feast president is chosen in rotation from the families of Mendonca, Viegas, Martins, Luis, Gomes, Faria, Almeida, Falcao and Abreu.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

CHOSEN ONES

This year, Lourenco Falcao was chosen to cut the paddy sheaves and the Eucharistic celebration was led by the auxiliary Bishop of Goa and Daman Archdiocese Simião Purificação Fernandes.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

UNIFYING FEST

The festival serves as a unifying force, bringing together devotees from all communities, to offer prayers for continued blessings and a bountiful harvest.

Goa | Harvest festival | Paddy | Culture | Heritage | Photo: KD

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