The decision to host the 39th Mando Festival organised by the Goa Gultural and Social Centre earned the criticism of most of the audience and mando lovers in the State.
This evening at 6.00 p.m the festival got underway, at Hotel Majestic at Porvorim but several affecianados of the Mando were deprived of this annual function which otherwise is held in Kala Academy in Panaji. Not only was the function held in the suburbs of Panaji but it was also late in the evening as the area around the pool side was a open venue and one had to obviously wait for the sun to set. Worse was yet to come the participants did not have proper arrangements to dress up most had left places as far as Velim Navelim Fatorda. There was no refreshments provided to the participants, and even if one had to pay for it the cost of refreshments was Rs 20/- and snacks at Rs.60/- When the participants were pressing for some water to drink the organisors would play the vanishing trick and pass the buck to another. This writer spoke to the Treasurer Mr Octavio Rodrigues, Mr Rodrigues bluntly stated that the decision of the President Mr Antonio I Barreto (en employee of the Department of Electricty Govt of Goa ) and the Vice President Mr Issac H Dias to commercialise the event was condemnable. He stated that in the past the festival used to be held in Panaji VascodaGama and Margao in short North and South for the benefit of all. But since the above two do not wish to travel beyond the limits of Panaji they try to supercede his decision and ahve their way. Fr Romaldo Gonsalves who is a veteran Mando Festival participant heading the "Fatordachim Fulam" Fatorda Group which participated in the "Traditional" and "Dance Category" told this writer at the venue that the organisation was in shams. He launched his tirade against one Mr Colin Savio Coelho iCOE Creative Resources who is believed to have spoken to him arrogantly, when asked for refreshments free or at costs for his group. Incidentally Mr Coelho is the entertainment group along with nother Hype Entertainment both from Margao that took upon the organisation the entire function. In the presence of Mr Octavio Rodrigues he threatened to withdraw his group from the function but finally cooled down when Mr Octavio promised to pay for the drinks. Meanwhile Mr Luisinho Faleiro Minister for Education assured a sum of Rupees one lakh for hosting the same function preferably in the villages (apparently he had not taken kindly to the festival being held in a private hotel) Mr Digamber Kamat the Minister for Art and Culture assured that the amount of Rupees one lakh for the festival had been sanctioned this year. He also assured the organisors that after assessing the potential groups they could perform in places like Mumbai Delhi etc to promote this traditional Goan culture and all expenses will be borne by the Government. Ironically however niether the Department of Art and Culture nor the Kala Academy have framed the "Policy guidelines on what constitutes Goan culture". In the absence of this policy which essentially is a fusion of East and West constituting the pre 1510 era and the post 1510 era until Liberation in 1961, but as already reported successive Governments have clandestinely promoting only the pre 1510 Indian culture as Goan culture. This year with the agressive movement for recognition of Konkani in the Roman script as well gaining full steam and support from all quarters. Mr Luisinho Faleiro and Digamber Kamat both MLA's as well as other MLAs nearly 25 of them from the Velhas Conquistas fear a backlash from the voters and hence spare no ocassion to support the true Goan culture which makes this State unique in the eyes of the whole world. The Groups which participated were Mungulchim Fultim Salkam Margao --Junior and Original Holy Rosary Convent Nuvem --Junior Vellechim Salkam Velim Junior, traditional Dance and Original Perpetual Succour Convent H School Navelim Junior Merxechim Salkam Merces Junior Traditional Dance and Orignal Fatordechim Fullam Fatorda Traditional Dance and original Mando Mogi Margao Traditional and Original Curtorechim Salkam Curtorim Traditional Original St xavier Collejicho Nad Traditional Dance The presentation was good and upto the standard though many needed to improve upon their rehearsals before public presentation. The settings was atune to star hotels -- by the pool side atmosphere. Several cable operators and news media personnel covered the function. For many of the inhouse occupants of the Hotel Majestic it was a treat albeit 'sponsored by the State Government' while others had to pay Rs 100/ or Rs 50 / for surprisingly first come first serve sitting arrangements. A 26 page souvenir was released and sold for Rs 30/- with hardly any worthwhile literature therein t appraise the audience of the festival. Except that the first festival was held on 29.8.1965 under the auspices of the Clube Nacional later alongwith the Konkani Bhasha Mandal and finally the present organisation a registered body (without an office premise of its own) have organised the same since 3.1.1974 till this 39th show. Last year Mr Manohar Parrikar ex CM promised them a premise in the city and the organisors were also asked to look out for one but this did not materialise. This year too the same demand was made by the Vice President Mr Issac H Dias and it is to be seen whether this materialises. According to Mr Dias Ministers make promises but never fulfill them. This obvious as the funds need to be budgeted for Ethnic Goan culture but this is not done. The Hotel Majestic is believed to have provided the venue for the function free of charge, obviously for them this festival has come as a marketing strategy. The 40th festival is being organised at Margao. But there were others who had their axe to grind with the organisors. It is the same set of organisors many of them who have an archaic mindset. Most are government employees and hence are reluctant to meet Ministers and depend on doles rather than fight for their rights. Mr Octavio Rodrigues pleaded with this writer to join the organisation to give it a new direction with a hope that commercialisation as seen this year will not destroy the festivities. Both Mr Issac and Mr Octavio thanked this writer for the amount sanctioned by the Goa Konkani Academy, who for the first time sanctioned an amount of Rs 10,000 at short notice. This Academy has been sanctioned nearly 1.30 crores in the current budget but most of it goes for propagating literary works relating to pre 1510 culture, in the Konkani mai bhas. Another 44 page book diary size released was "Mando" and its presentation (the Goan cultural heritage ) by C G M Agapito de Miranda. For the records it is not clear who composed the traditional mandos of yesteryears but it is truly the fusion of rich oriental and occidental - east meets west with the Lusitanian and Goan culture interwined. Mandos are love songs while dulpods are a reflection of daily social events laced in sarcasm bringing out guffaws of laughter. The lyrics have depth and meaning of the issues involved and the music helps in its presentation. Traditional mandos dulpods are those of times immemorial whose lyricists were unknown. They are interspersed by Portuguese and Konkani words -- felicidad adeus feliz etc Original mandos dulpods are the ones composed recent years with present day settings. There is a need to promote this orginal mandos so that along with the traditional ones the culture is assimilated with the changing Goan society but still retaining the essence of our unique culture. Prof Lucio Rodrigues Dr Lucio de Veiga Coutinho were veterans who kept the spirit of Mandos and Dulpods alive. The symbolic costumes tailcoats top hats handkerchief the gold bordered velvet saris folded scarf red velvet slippers the violin the ghumot the mandolin the tambourine are all the traditional items that blend with the Mando. Thus far the Curtorechim Salkam (with brother of Mr Francisco Sardinha Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly) the Fatordechim Fulam (with Fr Romano Gonsalves) the Merxechim Salkam vie for top honours. The audience had many prominent persons, Timoteo Fernandes of "Tuna Sparks" cartoonist Alexyz, ex photographer of Herald Mr Lui Godinho of CHOGM 1983 fame (who is now based in UK) Mr Herculano Dourado, Ms Heta Pandit Mr Jose Lourenco and several others. With some groups still to perform it could well strecth midnight, unlike earlier when the show would commence at 1500 hrs so that the entire function was over by 2000 hrs. Pictures and results follow later. >From the Hotel Majestic Porvorim GODFREY J I GONSALVES [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584 __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com