Panaji, February 14 The Goa Carnival, the famous street festival of the coastal state, began on Saturday with 'King Momo' (a symbolic king) leading the parade.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant inaugurated the four-day event on D B Bandodkar Road, along the Mandovi River, in the capital city of Panaji. Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Panaji Mayor Rohit Monserratte were also present.
The parade was led by King Momo's float, designed by the Goa Tourism Department.
More than 30 floats participated in the parade, giving it a traditional flavour, according to a senior official.
Speaking to reporters, Sawant called the Carnival a celebration unique to Goa.
He said that the parades, scheduled to be held across the state over the next three days, will be witnessed by lakhs of people.
Various government departments participated in the float parade, including the traffic police, which aimed to raise awareness about road safety.
The parade began near the Old Secretariat building and culminated near the Kala Academy after covering more than 2 kilometers.
People lined both sides of the road to witness the parade.
