Thursday, July 2, 2009

When all the village was a stage


When all the village was a stage
24 Feb 2009, 0328 hrs IST, TNN



Decades ago, when there were no floats, no music systems and even no decorated vehicles blaring loud music, carnival entertainment was through skits
that would take place in the yard in front of the village VIPs' houses.

Groups of persons dressed in colourful costumes, men dressed as women, accompanied by the ghumat (Goan percussion instrument) and performing skits laced with sarcasm, are memories of carnival that residents of Goan villages still carry.

"The skits were sarcastic and there was a lot of song and music in them," remembers writer Joel D'Souza of Assagao.

The skits, called khell (literal translation: play), were usually enacted at villages. The bhatkar (landlord) with his aristocratic and domineering ways was often mocked and ridiculed in these skits, with the social divide between the bhatkar and mundkar (tenant farmer) often the theme.

Recalls Maria Coutinho, "I remember one where the mundkar's daughter used to cook at the bhatkar's house, which resulted with the bhatkar's son falling in love with her and the opposition to the marriage."

"In the traditional khells, there would be at least three partes' to the khell. There was one parte which was called the Gaudiam parte' about the Gawda community, another called Raksa parte', about a monster and a third that could be the Bomboichi parte' where the scene shifted to Bombay," explains tiatr writer-director Roseferns.

There were no curtains, sets or props. Not even a stage. So the khell earned the synonym of being a zomnir khell (a play on the ground).

"I don't remember any props. They would say atam bomboi chollon' (Now I am going to Bombay) and the scene would change just like that," recalls D'Souza.

"The songs were written, but the script was not often written. One person would describe the scene, for instance if it was Bombay, he would say there are so many big buildings and cars on the roads. The khells were done that way," says Roseferns.

Yet, the khells didn't just happen. There would be songs and a script and the actors and musicians, always an all male troupe with men enacting female roles, would rehearse before they took to the streets.

"The troupe would move from house to house in the village and go to the homes of the richest people, who would in a way sponsor the khell. It was enacted in the compounds of the wealthy families," remembers D'Souza.

The beating of drums announced that a troupe was ready to perform. The audience would form a circle, those in front squatting on the ground, the others standing. A whistle would announce the beginning of an act and everybody would quieten down to watch the skit.

The first performance, befitting his position, was at the house of the village regedor (headman) and out of deference he would not be charged. From there the troupe would move to the homes of other landlords, who could afford to pay for the performance. The number of skits, or acts of a longer play, performed in the courtyard of each house, depended on how much the troupe was paid.

Over the decades the khell evolved and in the middle of the last century the khell's presented in Panaji were more sophisticated. "They would set up a small stage and a bed spread would serve as the curtain, which was held at the respective ends by two men. One of them had a whistle which was blown to mark the beginning of the act," says Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues, a researcher and writer on Goan history and traditions.

There are few carnival khells happening now and Salcete is the only taluka where these can still be found.

'Gomant Vibhushan Award' announced by Goa's CM

CM announces 'Gomant Vibhushan' from next year
19 Jun 2009, 0434 hrs IST, TNN


PANAJI: Chief minister Digambar Kamat said that the state will institute a new award known as the Gomant Vibhushan Award' from next year, which will recognise persons who have done Goa proudboth at the national and international level.

Speaking at the State Cultural Awards function at the Kala Academy on Thursday, Kamat said that the award will not be restricted to personalities only from certain fields.

"This award will be given to Goans who will do Goa proudboth in the country and around the world. It will not be restricted to any fieldbe it in art, culture, literature, science etc," he said.

Kamat also said that the government had implemented a scheme making police stations people-friendly. "We have just started reception rooms at Panaji and Margao police stations. They will have facilities such as drinking water and TV for the common man," he said.

Meanwhile, the Goa state cultural awards for 2008-2009 went to 16 individuals. For the first time, the government also bestowed the state cultural award on an institution.

The state cultural award is given to a person above 55 years of age for valuable contribution in the field of art and carries a cash prize of Rs 20,000, a certificate, "shripal" (headgear), a Nataraj replica and a shawl.

This year's awards were given in eight categories. The highest number of awardsfivewent to literature. Winners in literature included Gopalrao Mayenkar, Uday Bhembre, Ramesh Veluskar, V B Prabhu Desai and Bonaventure D'Pietro.

Three persons were awarded the cultural awards in music. These were Tulshidas Navelkar, Bernardo Cota and Conceicao Diogo da Silva alias Connie M.

In drama, the awards were given to Vijay Thali and Tulshidas Lotlikar. In folk art, the awardees were Amelia Dias and Eupsiquio Eusebio Antonio Ligorio Fernandes.

Other winners included Eusebia Feleciana Pereira alias Sabina (tiatr), Saida Apte (kirtan), Pundalik Kalangutkar (bhajan) and Kamlakant Chari (craft).

Govt declares state cultural award winners
9 Jun 2009, 0357 hrs IST, TNN

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PANAJI: The state government has announced 16 individual winners for the Goa state cultural awards for 2008-2009. For the first time, the
government has also awarded the state cultural award to an institution.

The award is given to a person above 55 years of age for "valuable contribution" in a field of art and carries a cash prize of Rs 20,000, a certificate, "shripal", a Nataraj replica and a shawl. The awards will be presented to the winners on June 18, 2009 at Kala Academy.

The names of the winners were announced at a press conference by chief minister Digambar Kamat, who is also the minister for art and culture at his official Altinho residence on Monday.

This year's awards have been given for eight categories but the highest number of five awards went to literature. Winners in literature include Gopalrao Mayenkar, Uday Bhembre, Ramesh Veluskar, V B Prabhu Desai and Bonaventure D'Pietro. Three persons have been awarded the cultural awards in music. These are Tulshidas Navelkar, Fr Bernardo Cota and Conceicao Diogo da Silva alias Connie M.

In drama, the awards have been given to Dr Vijay Thali and Tulshidas Lotlikar. In folk art, the awardees are Amelia Dias and Eupsiquio Eusebio Antonio Ligorio Fernandes. Other winners include Eusebia Feleciana Pereira alias Sabina (tiatr), Saidas Apte (kirtan), Pundalik Kalangutkar (bhajan) and Kamlakant Chari (craft).

Gomant Vidya Niketan, Margao, has also been awarded the state's first ever cultural award for an institution. The chief minister announced that the government has from this year implemented a new scheme"State cultural award for institution for outstanding performance in the field of art and culture". Gomant Vidya Niketan will be given a cash award of Rs one lakh and a memento.

Under this new scheme, the government will give the award to any Goan institution working for Goan artistes for a period of at least five years and has given valuable contribution in the field of art and culture.


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A big e-welcome to you. Tumcam Maie-mogacho ieukar. Enjoy Life - This is not a rehearsal! Konkani uloi, boroi, vach ani samball - sodankal. Hich Goenchi osmitai ani amchem khalxelponn. Goenchi amchi Konkani bhas! Ekvottachem saddon Goenkaranchem. This is Gaspar Almeida from Parra, Bardez, Goa, based in Kuwait and am connected with the www.goa-world.com website created by Ulysses Menezes, and as Moderator of the famous first of its kind Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter (since 1994) and The Goan Forum and several Goan and Indian associations and forums and e-forums in Goa, India, Kuwait, The Middle East and worldwide.