Carnival Folk Play It's sort of musical street play with brass band. It's the oldest form of Konkani Drama and still going strong. Kell Tiatr and the present form of popular Tiatr originated from here.
Those days, presenting Khell was more of showing one's talents for a little money or no money. Nowadays, it has become commercial. Those days one could afford for just Rs.50 but now you won't get it for even Rs.5000. There are so many producers, most of them regulars, some even have up to three groups under one director with 9 different groups/plays. Some even go house to house to seek any prospective customers for booking. Yet some will take on one or two stage professionals and raise the fees to up to 12K 3 plays (each about 40 mins duration) charges range from Rs.6000 to 12,000. And they stage upto 5x3 plays a day earning around 30K to 60K per day. They say their play (Parti) is of 60 minutes duration each but they know how to do the same in just 30 minutes each. They never arrive on time always delays 2-4hrs yet they are always in a hurry to go.. During Carnival festival they can perform up to 18x3 plays in 4 days i.e. sat/sun/mon/tue which means earning from 108K to 216K (av. being 120K) Music also slowly changing. Earlier, with trumpet, clarinet, banjo and drum set. Now you will see electronic keyboard too with background music etc as can be seen in this clip. Where as, there are some khell with just an electric organ with no brass band/instrument at all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1NVJFnhQfw Actors. Those days only male used to perform female roles e.g. Xalibai etc Now, young ladies are introduced including kids. Popular kellgollists of my time were - Xalibai, Bata Cotto, Koloi etc Minin de Bandar first started on Zomni voile khell with Peter de Benaulim and his two sisters etc. I still remember his 3 controversial play titles with ambiguity DI TEKA LAITANA DHORLO UBAN DILEM It seems, he has now given up on khells Audience for Khell Now, you do not see that many crowd for Carnival Khell. Carnival Floats parades to blame. Carnival Floats organized in almost all Goa cities. E.g. Panjim, Margao, Vasco, Mapusa, Calangute, Ponda, Curtorim etc. More and more cities/villages ae added every year. Youngster prefer going to Floats. TV/CABLE is also to blame. Besides Floats, there are some Tiatr too during Carnival. Recently, another form just emerged ‘ Musical Shows’ with stage/tiatr professionals. There were at least two such groups doing rounds during this carnival viz. Cony M and Lawry Travasso. Yet some films (VCDs) are also screened in some villages e.g ‘Friends’ by Joywin. If you wish to sponsor a khell it would cost you around 10,000 minimum (including say 300 chairs (Rs.1000), Sound system (around Rs.800) and other basic publicity material like posters/banners etc. However, a tiatr would cost you around 12K, plus 9K for stage/chairs 600/mike/generator/publicity etc Khell (Zomni voile Khell) are very popular in the south Goa e.g. Salcette, Mormugoa, Quepem, Sanguem etc However, I read about khell performances in the north like St. Cruz, Merces etc If I could change things (as a sole authority), I would have banned Carnaval Floats all over Goa. However, due to it popularity amongst the tourists (become a tourist attraction), I would restrict such floats to just two i.e. one in North Goa on Sunday (Panjim) and one in South Goa Saturday (Margao). Also, I would put an age restrictions to all float participants particularly girls to 18 years and above. LONG LIVE TRADITIONAL CARNAVAL or INTRUZ Now, watch this 'Carnival Khell' clip of 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1NVJFnhQfw Some pics Khell http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk17/3305125516/ Brass band http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk17/3304302317/ Local folks (the audience) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk17/3305127818/ with Kunnbi dance http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk13/2247161499/sizes/l/ Intruz - Toppio, cheppim, Rupnnim (Caps and masks) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk11/2229697865/sizes/o/ Note: There are many khell clips uploaded in the prev. years at youtube etc. joego...@yahoo.co.uk for Goa & NRI related info... http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/GOAN-NRI/ For Goan Video Clips http://youtube.com/joeukgoa In Goa, Dial 1 0 8 For Hospital, Police, Fire etc
