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
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