Arambol: Hundreds of artists will gather at Goa’s Arambol beach in the last week of February, displaying their talent during a non-conventional Carnival parade, that is being hosted annually by locals and international tourists who arrive here.
The “Art of Carnival”, a unique celebration which involves the spirit of Carnival and also experience of artistic expressions like installations will be held during last week of February at Arambol beach in North Goa, 40 kms away from here.
Holland based musician ZouZou who conceptualized this unique festival one and half decade back said that this year, the theme for the event would be “Ocean.”
“It’s 15 years back when it started. Carnival is an age old tradition here. Portuguese were here for 450 years and therefore Carnival became part of their world.
Somehow I felt like a wonderful idea. It is a wonderful,
amazing and positive experience,” he said.
He said that initially the Carnival used to happen on the street of Arambol and walk to the beach. “But from third year onwards, it was shifted to the Beach exclusively,” ZouZou said.
“Unlike other Carnival parades, at Arambol it is the people who move, not the objects. Usually, in rest of the parades, the people are stationary alongside the road,” he said.
“We have a clear idea of what the purpose is. The purpose is for everyone to express their own joy and this gives the opportunity to express their own joy. Having competition works against it. No contest, no winners, no losers, everybody is a winner,” the musician added.
“There is no king. Everybody is a king and a Queen,” he added.
ZouZou said that the participation for the event is wonderful. “Every 300-400 metres there is artists’ installations on the beach. Each of the art installation there is a small performance. To bring the crowd from one art installation to the next, there is a big Cart which has a very large and extraordinary art object. Next to the Cart there are drummers. That gives public a chance to move with the beat,” he said.
State based conversationalist firm Greenwaves Environmental Solutions Goa has joined hands with the organizers to ensure that the beach is kept clean and also message about environment is passed on to the participants.
“We are very lucky. It is basically unites the fun of carnival with the vision of green world. That is really extraordinary. The fun generates fantastic energy and that energy could be channalised towards greener world,” he said.
P Unnikrishnan, Director, Greenwaves Goa, said that every year there is a different theme for the carnival and this year it is ocean which also means environment,.
“That is why ZouZou group wanted to get associated with Greenwaves to create environment as a part of Carnival and make it eco friendly,” he said.
“We will try our best to art work into ecofriendly. We are giving the support of waste management for the event,” he said.
For the first time, the students from schools around would be participating in the event.
State tourism department official said that though the event is not formally recognized on the event calendar, it helps to generate more footfalls.
“Armbol Carnival has become an annual event for which tourists wait for. That helps the Tourism sector to grow,” he said.
