It represents the horse (ghode) mounted cavalier, setting off to war. Ghode Modni (‘Ghode’ means ‘horse’ and ‘Modni’ means ‘gyrations and dance-like movements’) is literally a dance involving horse-like movements. It is a spectacular warrior-dance commemorating the victory of the Ranes, the Maratha rulers of the Sattari taluka in Goa, over the Portuguese.

Performance— the costume is like that of a Raj put chieftain but the head dress used is a Peshwai puggree worn by the Maratha rulers. The Kshatriya dancers also wear head gears made of colorful flowers, done in full traditional livery, fix at the waist effigy of a wooden horse beautifully bridled and decorated with colorful clothes, and carry ghungurs in the anklets. Holding the bridle in one hand and brandishing a naked sword with the other hand, the dancers move forward and backward to the beat of drums, Dholl, Tasha and Cymbals to recreate the prancing of war horses