Every time someone mentions Ganesh Chaturthi, the first thing that comes to one’s mind is the grand celebrations in Maharashtra. But little do you know that Goa also celebrates this festival with great fervor and enthusiasm. Yes, you read that right! Every year, Goa also celebrates the festival of Ganesha Chaturthi, and it is known as Chovoth in the local Konkani language. Unlike Maharashtra, this is a deeply intimate, community-focused version of the celebration. So let’s understand and know how Goa celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi.
Chovoth: Goan Ganesh Chaturthi
Chovoth is one of the most important festivals in Goa. The festivities run for several days, at least one and a half days. It can stretch up to 11 days, and in some community celebrations it runs for 9 to 11 days. The festival is celebrated during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, which in 2026 falls on September 14, Monday.
The name comes from the Konkani language, Chovoth, which means the fourth day. It refers to the specific day of the lunar month. The festival’s name is hence quite literal, marking the sacred fourth day of the month.
What Is Matoli?
At the heart of a Goan Chovoth is the art of Matoli. Matoli is a wooden framework that is suspended directly over the Ganpati idol. It is decorated with the local monsoon produce of the landscape. While you would see flower garlands adorning the idol everywhere in the country, Matoli establishes a connection to the agrarian roots.
The Matoli is created using wild flowers, fruits, berries, roots, and medicinal herbs that are gathered from local fields and forests. A traditional Matoli can include agricultural produce from 50 to 200 distinct flora, which converts the altar into a canopy of biodiversity. The key elements of Matoli are:
Berries and Wild Flowers: Bunches of betel nuts, wild bananas or ganti, kanga, nagol, meddle, breadfruit, and coconut flowers.
Agricultural produce: tender paddy, fresh vegetables harvested at the end of teh rainy season, and sugarcane.
Roots and Medicinal Herbs: Forest vegetation like bhirand (kokum), kama, karvanda, and various tubers known in Ayurvedic medicine, which boost immunity during seasonal changes.
Tying this entire Matoli is a huge task, which is done using jute strings. In many villages, people host competitions where participants have to identify the botanicals and tie them. The one who has tied the most botanicals wins!
Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: 5 Best Places In Maharashtra To Experience Ganeshotsav
The Culinary Feast With Modak & Nevryo
No Chovoth can ever be complete without the grand festive thali, with, of course, Ukadiche Modak and Nevryo being the main characters. All Goan homes compulsorily prepare these two distinct culinary treats for the festival.
Ukadiche Modak: Ukadiche Modak are basically steamed sweet rice dumplings. It is the quintessential offering during the first day of the Chovoth Puja. They feature a smooth and thin outer shell made out of steamed rice flour. The filling inside is made out of freshly grated coconut, organic jaggery, a hint of nutmeg, and a little cardamom mixed together. They are then shaped into neat, plated drops and placed on banana or turmeric leaves. They are then steamed to perfection and served with ghee drizzles on top.
Nevryo: Nevryo is basically Goan Karanji and is a sweet that is prepared in large batches. Though modak takes the center stage, this sweet is shared with everyone who visits the house or with those you will be visiting for darshan throughout the festival. These crispy, deep-fried pockets are shaped like crescents. These pastry pockets are filled with semolina, dry coconut, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and chopped nuts.
Unique Traditions Followed During Chovoth
On Chaturthi morning, the idol is brought home by wrapping it in a silk cloth. A priest or any elderly person in the home chants mantras to invoke life into the idol. After this, the idol is placed in the designated place and decorated further with flowers.
Evenings are very vibrant with traditional aartis and devotional songs being played. The ghumor, a Goan percussion instrument, is an important part of Goa’s Chovoth aartis. This combination gives the prayer a nice, rhythmic sound along with cymbals and drums.
For visarjan, the idols are taken to the village’s river in a peaceful procession. Unlike Mumbai, Goa hosts an intimate and quiet farewell procession accompanied by the chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya”.
On the eve of Chovoth, women observe the Hartalika fast and worship Goddess Parvati. They use wild green leaves for worship, which is believed to bring marital bliss.
Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Date, Puja Muhurat, Visarjan Dates & Complete Calendar
Note: This list was compiled after verifying current publicly available business information.
Summing Up
Goa’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have ecology, devotion, and cultural heritage taking center stage. From delicious ukdiche modak to the beautiful matoli, the celebrations are very different than the ones in Mumbai or Maharashtra, yet have a lot of similarities too. If you wish to witness a different side of Goa away from being the party capital, Chovoth is the right time!
