For decades, Siolim’s Sangodd parade has brought music, decorated boats and community spirit to the Chapora River. NT BUZZ speaks to the locals keeping this Sao Joao tradition alive
SHERYL GONSALVES
June 24 marks the Feast of St. John the Baptist who leapt with joy in his mother Elizabeth’s womb when Mother Mary announced she was expecting Jesus. To commemorate this leap for joy, Goans have a unique custom of jumping into wells, rivers and other water bodies. However, besides this, in the village of Siolim, famed for this celebration, locals also come together on decorated boats for the unique Sangodd parade that meanders its way through the Chapora River. This boat tradition carries with it generations of memories.
Caraciol deSouza, one of the organisers, recalls how the tradition began with elders from neighbouring villages coming to pay their respect to the Sao Joao cross. “Our elders from Chapora, Wadi, Badem, Assagao, Vagator, used to come with their canoes to put a garland for the San Joao cross near the Siolim church, sing mandos and then go,” he says. Over the years, the simple gathering grew into a larger celebration. In the 1980s, famous Goan cartoonist Alexyz, along with some others, started a small programme where prizes such as cakes and fruits were given to the best decorated boats. As interest grew, so did the scale of the event. “As the prize money increased, the boat members did their best to get the prizes,” says deSouza.
This year, around 12 to 15 boats are expected to participate in the Sangodd. The Tourism Department has also increased the cash prizes, with Rs 50,000 for the first prize, Rs 45,000 for the second prize and Rs 40,000 for the third prize. Other participating boats will receive Rs 10,000 each as consolation prizes. The department also supports the stage and band arrangements, while locals continue to perform traditional cultural dances.
Behind the colourful boats involves a good amount of planning. Fermin Augustino Fernandes, a local participant, explains that the process begins with ideas and themes. “We start by thinking of two or three rough ideas, and then we begin painting and decorating the boats,” he says. Some groups also keep their floats focused on the religious significance of Sao Joao, placing St. John the Baptist at the centre. Last year, Fernandes and his group highlighted the impact of tourism on marine life through their float. “We showed how waste was being dumped because of the boom in tourism which affected the seabed. It depicted a goldfish coming out and asking for help,” he says. The float won them the second prize.
The journey of the boats begins at the Chapora jetty. From there, the boats travel along the Chapora River towards the backwaters before reaching the entrance of St. Anthony Church, Siolim.
“Along with the boat ride, we sing Sao Joao songs and perform whatever we have planned on stage,” says Joel Monis, for whom Sangodd is about the experience of being together on the river.
After the programme, the boats return towards Chapora, but the journey does not end there. Along the way, participants stop at four crosses and place the ‘koppel’, a traditional garland on these. Monis says his group keeps the decorations simple, using oil paint on the boat because they do not have large funds and do not seek sponsors. “But the vibe is always there,” he says. However, he feels some aspects of the celebration have changed over the years. The traditional music played on instruments like the ghumot, which remains a childhood memory for him, has slowly been replaced by DJs, bands and commercial music.
For others, participating in the Sangodd is about continuing a family legacy. Cyril Colaco says taking part is a way of continuing his grandfather’s tradition. He remembers a time when boats were smaller, had to be rowed, and decorations were made using coconut tree leaves. Mathias Manuelinho Luis Fernandes from Badem has also been participating in the festivities for over 65 years. Every year, he comes up with new ideas for decorating his boat, with support coming from local sponsors and his own contribution.
But as the celebration grows, some worry that the deeper meaning behind Sao Joao is getting lost. Fernandes feels that many people now focus only on the fun aspect of the festival without understanding its religious significance. “Basically, the whole tradition was venerating that cross out of respect because the entire idea behind this is Jesus dying on the cross and resurrecting,” he says. For him, jumping into the water is not just a celebration. It represents baptism and renewal. “When you jump in the well and when you are inside the water, we die with Christ. And when we come out of the water, we are coming as a new creation,” he explains. He says the cross, the ‘koppel’ and the water celebrations are all connected to remembering the message of St. John the Baptist. He also recalls an incident last year when some people misunderstood the festival and believed “Sanju Baba” had arrived, referring to a rumour that actor Sanjay Dutt was visiting. For Fernandes, it showed that some people were enjoying the celebration without knowing its true meaning.
Even though some things have changed, the Sangodd continues to bring people together. “We are doing this as a community. A lot of Hindu friends of mine are involved,” says Joseph William Fernandes. The group spends almost a lakh on preparations, but he says the reward is not the prize money. “We are not doing it for a prize. We just do it because we want to keep our culture alive,” he says.
