A Slice of The Sunshine State >From football to food, everything that's quintessentially Goan will be on show at Mumbai venues all this month
This year, the month of October has an extra dash of the festive, thanks to a 'Goan Fiesta', a month-long promotional event by Goa Tourism to display the art and culture of the sunshine state. Part of the 'Explore the Incredible States' programme of the India Tourism Mumbai office, Goan Fiesta promotes art, culture and tourism of the states in the Western Region (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh). And, true to Goan tradition, the first day of the fest saw a colourful carnival float parade at Kala Ghoda on Sunday. Sujata Thakur, regional director (western and central region), Indiatourism said: "The Goan Fiesta has been designed in a way that will help Mumbaikars visiting Goa live the true Goan style by offering glimpses of the state." Apart from Goan food and jazz festivals and Konkani plays, the fest will also host a 'veteran football match' between former players who have represented the state of Goa and renowned football stars from Mumbai on Monday at the Cross Maidan. Elvis Gomes, director of tourism and managing director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), said: "Tourism being the backbone of the Goan economy, we want to ensure that Goa provides the best holidays to its tourists. In the recent past, there have been a number of misconceptions regarding safety. We want our visitors to know that Goa is a safe and vibrant holiday destination." Lyndon Monteiro, vice-chairman of GTDC, said: "Government of Goa has started a number of programmes to ensure safety of tourists like the integrated bit safety management scheme introduced for the first time ever in India, 24-hour surveillance on beaches, development of basic infrastructure, etc. We want more and more tourists to visit Goa." Also present at the inauguration was actress Varsha Usgaonkar, a Goan herself. 'Explore the Incredible States' was started to 'augment the awareness of the culture and traditions of the different states to Mumbaikars'. The fest concludes on October 30. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/A-Slice-of-The-Sunshine-State/369924 ~(^^)~ Avelino