Sao Joao

San Janv or São João is an annual Catholic festival celebrated on June 24 in Goa. It is a celebration of the birthday of St John the Baptiste. The feast of São João in Goa coincides with the time of the year when the monsoon usually has commenced, there is fresh greenery and flowers in the surroundings, and wells and other water bodies are full. The celebration has apparently evolved to incorporate elements of celebration of the rainy season. The people from all over Goa jump in the ponds and wells which is symbolic of the baby leaping in the womb. The feast of St John is celebrated across the Catholic world on the same day but Goa is the only place where it is celebrated by jumping into wells. On this day, groups of people go around singing traditional songs accompanied with instruments like ghumot, mhadalem and kansallem. Men and women wear kopels made of flowers on their head, and other adornments and vestments made from plants is which a nod to the fact that St. John wore natural coverings instead of clothing made of fabric. São João is also a celebration of thanksgiving for newly-weds, and for families with babies born during the preceding year. The festival is very popular among tourists both from India and abroad.