Subject: Tradition of Mhar or Zudev celebration on 23rd June every year.
Thanks to many for participation in this discussion, some of the posts I only read today. Well, our Mhar tradition has nothing to do with ‘Mahar’ (Bamboo cane weavers) or Cobbler for that matter. Btw, Cobbler is ‘Chamar’ both being ST/SC community of Goa. I used ‘Mhar’ because if just used ‘mar’ it would mean ‘to beat or kill’ Our mhar was an effigy (stuffed with straw) formal dressed old man sitted on an arm chair with pant, shoes, shirt, suit (old coat) and not forgetting a hat (not cap) on his head. We even inserted a cigar or cigar-pipe in his mouth. His face would be like that of Carnival bearded Mask, we kept one for this occasion. Ordinary Mask with no facial hair was costing 50p, add just 10p and you got bearded one with moustache. The Chair will have two bamboo rods/poles underneath making 4 handles (two in front 2 at the back) So that 2 persons can carry the sitted mahar including carrying on shoulders. We carried him house to house, chanted the traditional slogans (see below)followed by striking of ‘pidde’. Each one was holding one piddo. On an average we got 12p per house, highest would be 25p (char anne) (Coins were available in the denomination of 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p 20p, 25p, 50p) Usually started from 3pm and ended at dusk. When the night falls, we burnt the ‘Mhar’ with firecrackers in his tummy etc.(not along with the chair, hat though). Money so collected were distributed amongst us equally and each one would get about Rs.3 Because, many villages or wards in the vicinity also celebrated the tradition, I think it has become a sort of a competition and hence the slogans criticising each other’s ‘mhar’ or effigy e.g. Amghe Mhar derantulo, tumghe mhar kerantule (our mhar is local, yours is not) Amghe mhar Kellem hata, tumghe mhar sal hata (ours eats banana, yours eat banana skin) We did not know it significance or why we celebrated in on 23rd June (until I read some comments now). The tradition was not banned or atleast were not aware of it, it died a natural death like many other traditions. It was very much active until late 70s. We also did it for money, I suppose. For many, ‘Mhar’ means a devil or Evil spirit. Tuje tokler mhar bosla kitem? Could also mean ‘tuje tokler deuchar bosla kitem?’ ‘Bhurgim nam ball, zivak poddleai zall’ itli gireskai konnak? Melo munnttoch tuji gireskai mhar-deuchar khaun oitolo. Ever heard of ‘Kannginintlo mhar’? (Scare-crow) There is also a ‘mhar-Kavllo’ (wild Crow?) Don't get confused when you hear 'Mar-coinsanv, Mar-Kiter, Mar-Santan, Mar-Feliz etc where Mar in this case is short form of Maria or Marie :-) However, we also heard ‘Mahram kastacho’ which is totally unrelated to above. After going through pros & cons of the various comments, I guess Radharao’s version is right. http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2013-June/231370.html Quote: Some one from my place just reminded me of this Atta-kitti zata Petti chavi katta Amkam kitem potta Ku ku ku (sound of opening/unlocking pett or trunk, where money is kept) Another: Amghe mhar Kell(em) hata Tumghe mhar sal hata (banana skin) ________________________________ From: JoeGoaUk <joegoauk at yahoo.co.uk> To: "goanet at goanet.org" <goanet at goanet.org> Sent: Friday, 31 May 2013 7:02 AM On the 23rd June every year, a day before Sao Joao, we also celebrated 'mhar' or 'zudev', an old man made up of straw (with pant, shirt, shoes, hat etc) sitted on a chair, we carried him house to house where we used these pidde to hit or strike the ground saying 'Mhar re, Zud re, ku, ku, ku'. This was a tradition in salcette, don't know it's significance though (Zudev also mean Judev). Amghe Mhar derantulo Tumghe mhar Kerantulo char-anne dil bhogor alna muntta derantulo Ku, ku, ku (followed by striking of pidde) There was a modern version that goes like this.. Oile bhandari, chuddit polem Xempdde dorit oddit alem Jaki bhail kit mudditu Mharachim bott(am) modditu pidde http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk72/8804831027/in/photostream this tradition died in late 70s
