28th Annual Festival of Plants & Flowers
This is a much-awaited annual festival organized by Green Heritage Eco-Club of St Francis Xavier’s School, Siolim. This year’s theme is biodiversity of food plants and sub-theme is composting. Also take pleasure in exhibition of various plant categories, display of art and craft, traditional artefacts of bamboo, paintings, much more. About 25 schools are participating in competitions to do with food biodiversity, composting designs, self-irrigation pots, salad making, drawing and food preparation by students and school PTA. Side attraction: Exhibition of medicinal plants of Goa by State Medicinal Plants Board and Aquaponic unit by Peter Singh. Buy your gardening needs from nurseries setting up stalls here. Venue: St Francis Xavier’s School, Siolim. Date: Saturday/Sunday/Monday, Aug24/25/26. Time: 9am to 6.30pm. Not to be missed!
FESTIVALS
ISKCON Janmashtami Celebration: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Goa Branch) is all set to celebrate Janmashtami at various places around Goa. Spiritual speakers Shyam Rasika Das and Achyut Gopal Das will speak at the main celebration on `Demystifying Krishna Lila’. Public is invited to join in bhajan, kirtan, abshishek, pravachan,mahaprasadam, aarti. Venue: Taleigao Community Centre, Taleigao. Date: Aug26. Time: 7 to 9pm. Details: 9822125871/98232244496
EXHIBITIONS
World of Craftwork: A fair curated and hosted by Monica Dalvi and Aaira Mirchandani. This second edition of the fair focuses on accessories handcrafted by locals artistes. Some 15 participants will showcase their skills in handcrafting various things like jewelry making with eco-friendly threads, leather, fabric, also metal, ceramic, paper. Some techniques used are crochet, hand embroidery, quilling, macramé, kumihimo, enameling, ceramic, resin. See jewellery section of upcycled old cards, soap cartons, plastic bottles, t-shirts, tailor waste. Also bags of upcycled denim totes, sling bags, printed cotton bags, quilted pouches, knitted coin purses. Knitted beanies, booties, scarves, also hair accessories like hairbands, combs wih floral embellishements and so on. Venue: Art Gallery, Old GMC complex, Maquinez Palace, Panaji. Date: Aug 23 to 25. Time: 11am to 7pm
Mogubai Memorial Photo Exhibition: This is the 13th annual photo contest and exhibition of photographs by students of CMYK Academy of Photography, Mapusa. Venue: Big Foot Art Gallery, Loutolim. Date: Ongoing till Aug31. Time: 9am to 6pm
WORKSHOPS
Eco-friendly Ganesha: Learn to make Ganesha idols which will not harm water bodies or poison Mother Earth! The need of the hour is to be eco-friendly every day and especially vis-à-vis our festive celebrations. Venue: Taleigao. Details: 9764003074/7387096407
Clay Ganesha: Learn how to make clay Ganesha with Ramdas Gadekar. Venue: Carpe Diem, Majorda. Date: Aug 30. Time: 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Details: 8888862462/2881035
Eco-friendly Ganesha: A workshop by Gowomania on how to be eco-friendly while celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and how to make your own Ganesh idol. Venue: Bachpan Play School, Mapusa. Date: Sunday, Aug 25. Time: 3pm to 5pm. Fee: `500
Waste Workshop: A dry waste collection drive followed by a composting workshop for wet waste management. Registration compulsory. Venue: Vimla Kare Hall, Comba. Dae: Sunday, Aug25. Time: 10am to 5pm/10.15 am to 12 pm respectively. Details: 9923470769/7511749241
Waste Management Session: Women Connect has organized this session on best practices in waste management, it’s a practical approach and open to all members of the public. Venue: Carmelite Monastery Hall, Malbhat, Margao. Date: Sunday, Aug25. Time:4.30pm
HEALTH TALK
Cervical cancer prevention: A health talk by consultant in obstetrics and gynecology Shivani Jain. Open to all. Venue: International Centre Goa, Dona Paula, Panaji. Date: Aug 30. Time: 4.30pm to 6.30pm
ART
Ordinary Superheroes, Tales from the Animal Kingdom: Sunaparanta is hosting this unique solo show by Goa-based artist Viraj Naik. The exhibition feaures an evolutionary archive of human portraits, illustrated mutilations where men disfigured into beasts, monsters, grotesque creatures. Venue: Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panaji. Details: 2421311/info@sgcfa.org
SENIOR CITIZENS
Activities for Senior Citizens: At the BN Melvani Recreation Centre there is a health camp — `Prakruti Parikshan’ — by Ayurvedic physicians Minal Joshi of Urban Health Centre and Sameer Sadekar of Asilo Hospital, plus interaction. Venue: BNM Recreation Centre, Fontainhas, Near Peoples High School, Panaji. Date: Saturday/Aug24. Time: 9am to 12 noon. Note: Talk by member-secretary, Goa State Biodiversity Board, Pradip Sarmokadam, on Monday, Aug 26, 5pm; and monthly social is on Tuesday, Aug27, 2pm
MARKETS/BAZAAR
Chavath Bazaar: This is the Goan Foodomania bazaar. Venue: Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. All are welcome. Date: Sat/Sun, Aug24/25. Time: 11am to 7pm.
Tarang Chavath Bazaar: With the celebration of Lord Ganesh’s birthday coming close take a look at the bazaar here offering all kinds of useful traditional sweetmeats and savories, silver and handmade jewelry, babies linen, women’s clothing, and much more. Free entry. Venue: Caculo Mall, Panaji. Date: Sat/Sun, Aug24/25. Time: 10am to 6pm.
ADVENTURE
YHAI Monsoon Trekking: YHAI Margao unit is organizing a 1-day trek to Gadbale Wadi, Talekhol, Maharashtra. Date: Sunday, Aug25. Time: Special bus leaves from KTC Margao Bus Stand at 8.30am, return is same day. Fee: `700. Details: Call 9822484874/7798604188/9822488450
GTDC Trekking: The Sunday trekking this time will take you to Bhupar Cascade. Please carry whatever you need including an extra pair of clothes, wear comfy shoes and carry your own water bottle and whatever else you need. Date: Sunday, Aug25. Time: Transport arrangements from Mapusa Residency at 7.45am, from Paryatam Bhavan, Patto, Panaji at 8.30am and Margao Residencey at 7.45am. Pick up facility also from Cortalim, Verna, Chinchinim, Cuncolim and Navelim. Fee: 800. Details: 9422057704 /8379022215 or goa-tourism.com
REST&RECREATION
Goan Saraswat Pop-Up Feast: A special feast presented by Goan Stories by Tease in collaboration with Shubhra Shankhwalker, you will love this Goan feast for the senses and palate! It’s on till Aug 25. Details: Call 6633636