Magha - January to February
Magha Shuddha Panchami
This festival is considered an auspicious day for Shri Shanta Durga devotees, who invite Brahmins and married women for food, for which devotees prepare Vada, Sukrunde or Puranpoli, as well as unsweetened rice kheer alongside coconut milk. As well as this, the chariot festival of Shri Shanta Durga and Shri Mangeshi are conducted in Goa, which is known as Rathotsava.
Ratha Saptami
On this festival, special prayers are offered to Lord Surya, God of the Sun. It is celebrated to honor the movement of the Sun, and is the symbolic start of spring time and the beginning of the harvest season. As well as this, it is also celebrated as Surya Jayanti, as it is the birth day of Lord Surya, hence he changes the course of his Sun chariot. Devotees draw a rangoli of a Rath, or a symbolic chariot, and keep a thali full of water over it. Customarily, three broad Plantain bark floats are prepared. Eyes are drawn on the floats using kajal, and some are decorated with Kumkum as well. These floats then float in the water on the thali, with lit cotton wicks dipped in Ghee. Normally, broken wheat Payasam is prepared for Naivedya.
Maha Shivratri
This festival is held in the honor of Lord Shiva, and represents the union between Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati, or the union between the masculine and feminine energy. In honor of Lord Shiva, a fast is observed the whole day, and the Shiva Linga is worshipped by offering Bel leaves and flowers to the Shiv Linga.