
Goa gears up for Siolim São João 2025
The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, in collaboration with the Siolim São João Traditional Boat Festival & Cultural Organisation, has announced the celebration of Siolim São João 2025, June 24 onwards.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
This much-awaited cultural extravaganza will take place in the vibrant riverside village of Siolim, opposite St Anthony's Church, and promises an afternoon filled with tradition, colour, and community spirit.
This year's edition will witness the distinguished presence of Rohan A Khaunte, Minister for Tourism; Nilkant Halarnkar, Minister for Fisheries; Dr Ganesh C Gaonkar, chairman of GTDC;. Delilah Lobo, Siolim Constituency; Michael Lobo, MLA, Calangute Constituency; Sanjeev Ahuja, IAS, Secretary Tourism; Kedar A.
Naik, director of Tourism; and Kuldeep Arolkar, managing director, GTDC.
Speaking about the event, Director Tourism, Kedar A Naik, said, 'Siolim São João is not only a celebration of Goa's vibrant monsoon culture but also a reminder of our deep-rooted traditions that bind communities together. Through such festivals, we aim to encourage community-driven tourism experiences that honour local identity while offering engaging experiences for visitors.'
Rooted in Goan heritage and celebrated with unmatched zeal, the Siolim São João Festival is one of the most distinctive monsoon festivals in the state. This year's celebration will commence with the grand traditional boat parade, where beautifully decorated floats and participants in festive attire will glide along the waters in a captivating procession that draws thousands of onlookers every year. Goa Tourism will also feature in the Boat parade with a specially designed boat & a monsoon mascot which will be followed by a themed dance performance that has been specially composed for this occasion.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The festivities will also showcase traditional Goan folk dances and live music, bringing together artists and performers from across the state. As part of the cultural traditions, the symbolic leap into wells and streams will be observed with joy, continuing the legacy of São João celebrations in Goa.
Other highlights include the age-old Oze and Dhali traditions, the Kopel competition, and engaging performances that blend the festive spirit with modern vibrancy. This year's line-up features an energetic performance by the youth band Clay Jars, along with a special musical act by Johnny B Gud with Reza.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Goa gears up for Siolim São João 2025
The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, in collaboration with the Siolim São João Traditional Boat Festival & Cultural Organisation, has announced the celebration of Siolim São João 2025, June 24 onwards. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This much-awaited cultural extravaganza will take place in the vibrant riverside village of Siolim, opposite St Anthony's Church, and promises an afternoon filled with tradition, colour, and community spirit. This year's edition will witness the distinguished presence of Rohan A Khaunte, Minister for Tourism; Nilkant Halarnkar, Minister for Fisheries; Dr Ganesh C Gaonkar, chairman of GTDC;. Delilah Lobo, Siolim Constituency; Michael Lobo, MLA, Calangute Constituency; Sanjeev Ahuja, IAS, Secretary Tourism; Kedar A. Naik, director of Tourism; and Kuldeep Arolkar, managing director, GTDC. Speaking about the event, Director Tourism, Kedar A Naik, said, 'Siolim São João is not only a celebration of Goa's vibrant monsoon culture but also a reminder of our deep-rooted traditions that bind communities together. Through such festivals, we aim to encourage community-driven tourism experiences that honour local identity while offering engaging experiences for visitors.' Rooted in Goan heritage and celebrated with unmatched zeal, the Siolim São João Festival is one of the most distinctive monsoon festivals in the state. This year's celebration will commence with the grand traditional boat parade, where beautifully decorated floats and participants in festive attire will glide along the waters in a captivating procession that draws thousands of onlookers every year. Goa Tourism will also feature in the Boat parade with a specially designed boat & a monsoon mascot which will be followed by a themed dance performance that has been specially composed for this occasion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The festivities will also showcase traditional Goan folk dances and live music, bringing together artists and performers from across the state. As part of the cultural traditions, the symbolic leap into wells and streams will be observed with joy, continuing the legacy of São João celebrations in Goa. Other highlights include the age-old Oze and Dhali traditions, the Kopel competition, and engaging performances that blend the festive spirit with modern vibrancy. This year's line-up features an energetic performance by the youth band Clay Jars, along with a special musical act by Johnny B Gud with Reza.


Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Indians' Europe holiday faces a visa traffic jam
Live Events Getting a Schengen visa remains a challenge for Indian travellers looking to spend their summer holidays in exotic locales in in Schengen visa approvals are continuing for the fourth straight year in 2025 amid soaring demand from Indian tourists, and staff shortages at embassies and consulates, travel companies has persistent appointment availability issues, while the processing time for Netherlands is officially up to 45 days, according to travel industry executives."We have not experienced any applications processed before the turnaround time," said a travel agency executive requesting anonymity. "We are told the challenge is that visas are stamped in India, but the embassy staff needs to wait for an approval per case, and that comes from the Netherlands. We are hearing that Croatia and Finland also require an approval from the headquarters and that is causing delays," the person said.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)People said visa-related appointments for Italy are currently unavailable due to 'Jubilee2025'. They said applicants could face delays across locations as the embassy and consular staff are busy supporting a special 'Tourism-Jubilee' visa for those participating in pilgrimages to Rome organised by local scenario this year is quite similar to that of 2024, noted Karan Aggarwal, director at Cox & Kings. "Italy and Germany continue to face delays. Countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary are increasingly becoming better choices because of faster appointment availability, and can be smart entry points into Europe," he Alapatt, president and group head for marketing, service quality, value added services and innovation at Thomas Cook (India) said Europe continues to witness "strong" demand this summer as well. "Most of our visas are applied for Switzerland, France, Hungary and Spain. The current position indicates available slots within approximately a week for all the above missions across India, with a processing time of 10-15 days," he Batra, founder of travel services provider Travexo, said applicants are facing challenges for Italy. "Visa processing could take up to 60 days for Croatia, while Estonia has a rejection rate of 37-38%. Mid-April onwards, it becomes difficult to get appointments because of the summer rush, and this year is no said France and Switzerland have faster processing times with most visa approvals within a week, but the Netherlands is facing issues. "I have clients in Bengaluru, and it took them 45 days to get their visas for the Netherlands. Delhi is facing delays too," he Aggarwal, joint managing director, BLS International, which handles visa applications for Spain, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Germany and Czech Republic, said while some Schengen countries may be experiencing delays, travellers can avoid the rush by following 'key' guidelines."Visa applications can be submitted up to six months in advance-early planning ensures better appointment availability and a smoother experience," he said. "Several countries also offer priority processing or mobile biometrics, particularly for groups and corporate travellers."Europe is also dealing with its own set of challenges. Some European residents are protesting against the rising tourist traffic. Louvre, the world's most visited museum, shut down on Monday, as per reports, after its staff went on a strike against mass tourism.


NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Siddhant Chaturvedi Turns Food Vlogger To Capture Mom's Delicious Litti Chokha At Home
Siddhant Chaturvedi's love for food is no secret. Like many of us, a meal becomes even more special for the actor when it is made by his mom. This time, his mother, Meenal Chaturvedi, prepared a beloved Bihari dish for her son. Can you guess what she made? Litti Chokha, which is perhaps Siddhant's most favourite dish from home. The actor shared a video on Instagram, capturing his mother cooking the dish in the kitchen. In the brief clip, his mother can be seen making the baked wheat flour balls called litti and a spiced gram flour filling. She also gives her son a little bite to taste before it is cooked. Next, she roasts tomatoes for chutney and prepares the vegetable dish chokha. The video also includes close-up shots of the litti cooking on the stove. Finally, she serves litti chokha with a side of tomato chutney, green chutney and oil. In the caption, Siddhant wrote, " Aaj hogi Litti Chokha/ Futehari Party." See the post here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Siddhant Chaturvedi (@siddhantchaturvedi) Last year, Siddhant Chaturvedi took a trip to Goa where he indulged in authentic Goan cuisine. The actor shared a glimpse of his culinary adventures on Instagram Stories. His table featured a mouth-watering spread, including two bowls of matta rice, dal, and aloo gobi, alongside perfectly fried fish garnished with fresh coriander leaves. We could also spot kismur, a traditional dry prawn dish, served on a separate plate. Siddhant wrapped the meal with Bebinca, a classic Goan-layered cake topped with a single cashew nut. Sharing the photo, he wrote in the caption, "Goan thali. Kinda cheat day." Read the full story here. Before this, Siddhant Chaturvedi teamed up with internet sensation Orry, aka Orhan Awatramani, for another gastronomic adventure. In a video shared by Orry on Instagram, the duo was seen enjoying drinks from clay cups, commonly known as kulhad. A closer look at the video reveals gin and whisky bottles on the kitchen counter, suggesting the boys bonded over their shared love for good drinks. Orry captioned the post, "Drank a shot out of a matka for the first time!" Click here to read the full story. We await more mouthwatering foodie updates from Siddhant Chaturvedi.