Ponda: Thousands of devotees and shepherds participated in the traditional Chikhalkalo (mud festival) at Marcel on Sunday, joining the centuries-old mud dance at the Devkikrishna ground.
Following the onset of the monsoon, the ground was specially prepared by retaining rainwater to create the mud arena for the traditional ritual.
The celebrations began with customary rituals and a procession from the Gopal Krishna temple, followed by folk performances, mud games and the symbolic mud dance involving devotees of all ages.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte joined the festivities, while the absence of local MLA Govind Gawde was noticeable.
The celebrations concluded with the traditional ‘dahi handi’ and the distribution of mahaprasad.
