PANAJI: The four-day Goa Carnival began on Saturday, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and actress Varsha Usgaonkar flagging off the Carnival Parade in Panjim. The Goa Carnaval, also known as Carnival, is a vibrant and colourful festival that takes place annually in the state popular with tourists. Panjim Carnival float parade will be followed by parades in Margao on March 2, in Vasco on March 3 and in Mapusa and Morjim on March 4.
At the Carnival festival, the procession is led by King Momo Cleeven Mathew Fernandes, a mythical figure who is said to be the king of Carnival. King Momo is a central figure in the Goa Carnival celebrations. He is a mythical character who is said to be the king of Carnaval and is a symbol of joy, merrymaking, and excess. Also, during the Carnival, King Momo flags off and leads the float parade.