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Chikhal Kalo: the monsoon mud games of Marcel, Goa
Monsoon mud in a temple courtyard and the games of the young Krishna
Chikhal Kalo, "mud play", is held once a year at the Devki Krishna temple in Marcel (Mashel), Ponda taluka, Goa. On Dwadashi, the day after Ashadhi Ekadashi, men and boys rub themselves with oil from the temple lamp and play the games of the young Krishna in the monsoon mud of the temple ground, to the beat of Goan drums. Next date: 15 July 2027 (expected), usually in July.
The day follows the lunar calendar; the temple committee and Goa Tourism announce the programme in June.
The legend
According to legend, the young Krishna grew up among cowherds and spent his days playing with his cowherd friends.
Marcel has the Devki Krishna temple, where Krishna is shown sitting on the lap of his mother, Devaki.
Every monsoon, on the day after Ashadhi Ekadashi, the temple courtyard becomes a field of mud.
Men play Krishna's childhood games in the mud, and farming Goa gives thanks to the earth.
Customs
Oil from the lamp
Before playing, participants take oil from the temple lamp and rub it on their bodies.
Mud games
The games include chendu fali with a mud ball, wrestling, gilli danda and dahi handi.
To the drums
The games are played to the Goan drums ghumot and shamel.
Bhajans the day before
On Ashadhi Ekadashi, the day before the games, people gather in the temple grounds to sing bhajans.
Words of the festival
चिखल कालो
Chikhal Kalo
"mud play": chikhal means mud
Gopal Kala
another name for the festival, after Krishna the cowherd
dwadashi
the twelfth lunar day, the day of the mud games
chendu fali
a game played with a ball of mud
shamel
a drum that keeps the main beat alongside the ghumot
True or myth
❌ Myth. It belongs to the village of Marcel alone, at the Devki Krishna temple.
✅ True. The idol shows the child Krishna on Devaki's lap, hence the temple's name, Devki Krishna.
✅ True. The state has recognised and promoted it, and in 2025 the tourism department organised it.
What happens on the day
By the morning of Dwadashi the monsoon has turned the temple ground into a field of mud. Before playing, participants take oil from the temple lamp and rub it on their bodies. The games are the ones Krishna is said to have played as a child among the cowherds: chendu fali, played with a ball of mud, kushti wrestling, gilli danda, and dahi handi, the human pyramid that climbs to a hanging pot.
The players are men and boys; everyone else watches from the edges. The games run to the ghumot and shamel, the drums that keep the beat in Goan folk music. The busiest time is mid-morning.
For the temple and the village the day is a thanksgiving: farming Goa thanks the earth for the monsoon, and the mud stands for Krishna's playful bond with the soil.
Krishna on his mother's lap
The festival belongs to one temple. At the Devki Krishna temple in Marcel the image shows the child Krishna sitting on the lap of his mother, Devaki, which gives the temple its name. Chikhal Kalo, also called Gopal Kala after Krishna the cowherd, is held here and not at other temples across Goa.
Marcel is a village in the Ponda sub-district of North Goa, in the inland Novas Conquistas region, away from the beaches. It is also one of the places known for the Sangodd, a parade of floats built on pairs of boats.
The state tourism department recognises and supports the festival. Goa Tourism (GTDC) has run it as a three-day programme: abhang and kirtan recitals on the first day, bhajans in the temple grounds on Ashadhi Ekadashi, and the mud play on Dwadashi.
Before you go
Chikhal Kalo is a temple festival in the middle of the monsoon.
- Dates — The day follows the lunar calendar; the temple committee and Goa Tourism announce the programme in June. Next: 15 July 2027 (expected).
- Monsoon roads — FCDO notes that the monsoon brings flash flooding and landslides, sometimes with little warning. Check the weather and road conditions before driving inland.
- Temple ground — This is a place of worship and the games are part of it. Watch from the edges unless you are invited to join, and follow the lead of the temple volunteers.
- Combine it — Chikhal Kalo falls in Goa's season of monsoon festivals, with São João and Bonderam. More on the state on the Goa page.
FAQ
What is Chikhal Kalo?
A one-morning monsoon festival of mud games at the Devki Krishna temple in Marcel, Goa, recalling the childhood games of Krishna and giving thanks to the earth.
When is Chikhal Kalo 2027?
15 July 2027 (expected). It is always on Dwadashi, the day after Ashadhi Ekadashi, usually in July.
Where is Chikhal Kalo celebrated?
Only at the Devki Krishna temple in Marcel (Mashel), Ponda taluka, North Goa.
What does Chikhal Kalo mean?
Chikhal means mud, so the name means mud play. The festival is also called Gopal Kala.
Which games are played?
Chendu fali with a mud ball, kushti wrestling, gilli danda and dahi handi, played by men and boys to the ghumot and shamel drums.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.