Goa’s history spans from its early Mauryan Empire days, through the rule of various Hindu, Muslim, and Vijayanagara empires, to its 450-year Portuguese colonial rule. After liberation by India in 1961, it became a Union Territory before achieving statehood in 1987, becoming an integral part of modern India.
The word “bonfire” comes from the term “bone fire,” referring to the historical practice of burning bones, often in pagan rituals and later in Christian contexts to burn effigies of heretics or nonconformists. In the United Kingdom, the tradition of Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night) commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, where Guy Fawkes and his associates attempted to blow up Parliament. Today, the event is celebrated annually on November 5th with large bonfires, fireworks, and the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes.
