In a practice that dates back generations, children from neighbourhoods across Goa come together to create an effigy of an Old Man, which is burned at midnight to mark the end of the year. Made from old clothes, hay, bamboo, and paper, this Old Man symbolises the misfortunes, disappointments, and burdens of the year gone by—everything that must be burned away before the New Year can begin afresh.
The idea behind the Old Man is rooted in the belief that the New Year is like a newborn, arriving on January 1 and slowly ageing over the months, only to depart at the year’s end carrying the weight of all that has passed. The symbolic burning of the Old Man represents this cycle of death and rebirth, the relentless passage of time, and the transition from old to new.
While I haven’t been able to uncover much information on how or why this custom began in Goa, there is reason to believe that it may have taken root during the Portuguese colonial period. Strikingly similar practices exist in parts of Colombia, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, where figures known as “Mr. Old Year” or “Old Man Gloom” are ceremonially burned to welcome the incoming year with a clean slate. In many Latin cultures, these effigies—often called Año Viejo (Old Year)—are stuffed with fireworks and set ablaze at midnight, reinforcing the idea of cleansing and renewal through fire.
In Goa, the effigies themselves are wonderfully varied. Some are carefully crafted, complete with long beards, suits, and expressive faces. Others are delightfully irreverent—lounging on chairs in full susegad style, a cigarette cockily jutting from their mouths. Many clutch a bottle of alcohol, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the archetypal village drunk. Their sizes and forms vary widely, reflecting individual creativity, and the final result rarely seeks aesthetic perfection. What matters is emotional impact—that the effigy embodies what people wish to leave behind.
As midnight approaches, anticipation builds. With the final seconds of the year counted down, the Old Men are set on fire—an act that serves both as farewell and release. Those stuffed with fireworks quite literally go out with a bang.
A happy New Year indeed!