5 Fun Goan Catholic Traditions We Love

If you have attended a Goan wedding you know what all the inside drama, fun and the snazzy details. For the uninitiated or first-time Goan wedding attendees, read along to know what we’re about to unfold through this blog. 

Goan weddings are not necessarily celebrated in Goa but the fun of the wedding lies in the traditions that have stemmed from our dear beach town and the people. The celebrations can be humorous and super exciting for both sides of the family. 

Goan wedding traditions are simple but the most entertaining because Goans celebrate these occasions to the fullest. In addition to these traditions, it is the Konkani music that adds life to these traditions and of course the locals that have been guarding the fort of culture for years! 
So let’s dive into these traditions

1. Chuddo 

Image Source: Alisha Fernandes Photography 

This tradition is celebrated within the Goan family from the girl’s side aka ladkiwale. The family invites a local bangle seller known as volaror kankonar who fits 8 to 9 bangles on the right wrist and 7 to 8 on her left. These delicate bangles are a sign of the bride’s beginning of a new life. A few female relatives also get these bangles fitted on their wrists for the fun of it. Goan folk songs like ‘Tambde Roza’ along with a few other songs that indicate the bride’s sending off are also sung during the ceremony. 

2. Bhium Jevon

The families of the bride and groom distribute food to the underprivileged in the village in memory of the deceased members of the family and in honour of God to express their gratitude and support for their union. 

3. Roce Ceremony 

Image Source: Focus Studio Udipi

This is the Goan equivalent of the haldi ceremony. The tradition is deeply rooted in Goa’s regional supply of coconuts from which the milk is extracted. The bride and the groom celebrate this ceremony separately at their respective homes with their relatives. The relatives of the bride and the groom apply this ‘roce’ to their skin with a blessing. The roce normally takes place a day or 2 before the wedding so that the skin gets soft and glowy. 

4. The Gatho 

Image Source: Arpora Hills 

This tradition is where the relatives pull the groom’s leg in front of the wedding crowd by tying a handkerchief on the bride’s thighs for the groom to untie with his teeth. The tradition is the groom’s first public display of affection for the bride and a chance for all the relatives to have a blast! 

5. Porthopon

Image Source: Navdeep Soni 

The bride’s family invites the groom’s family for a get together on the second day so that both the families have a chance to interact and get to know each other. The bride wears a bright red gown or a sari with a gajra in her hair on this day, which is followed by another set of fun ‘sending away’ songs. 

These traditions are incomplete without a good Goan meal and dancing that gives both the families a sweet chance to mingle on the dance floor. 

Time To Put On Your Goan Dancing Shoes!