A jam packed audience witnessed the 37th Mando Festival at the Dinanth Mangueshkar Kala Mandir, Kala Academy, Panaji on 26th November,2003. There were 6 groups in the Junior Category 1 group in the Dance Category, Of the Senior Group in the Traditional category there were 6 groups and in the Orginal category 5 groups only one group was in the operatic style. There was no doubt that top honours went to Fatordachim Fulam, and Kuddtoreachim Salkam the others that made its mark were the Mungulchim Mannkam, St Xaviers Collejecho Nad the Mando Mogi Magao the Merxechim Salkam Mungulchem Fultim Salkam Pertuities of Navelim. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar briefly witnessed the show midway. He lamented the fact that the Goa Cultural & Social Centre which founded in March 1971 and have been organising the show since the 7th Mando Festival on 3.1.1974 (the earlier ones were hosted by either Clube Nacional since 29.6.1965 and the Konkani Basha Mandal)dud not approach the Government at the beginning of the year for financial support as he claimed that his Government was keen in preserving the traditional & cultural heritage of Goa and Mandos Dulpods & Dekhnis , besides Dhalo and Fugdis. The Tourism Minister made an on the spot gratious annoucement of hiking the prize money three fold as his personal contribution to the event. The audience were thrilled by these announcements . In fact it was a plesant surprise to see the College students participate in the event which received a tumultous applause from the audience because the present day youth are slowly but surely forgetting the rich heritage of our Mandos the "songs woven around matters of the heart -- mog love --- and the dulpods -- which reflect the peasantry and traditional occupation rather the reflection of a bye-gone era. The Mandos have an elitist westernised trend and is refined and has inclination towards the upper crust of the society while the dulpods are crude and reflects the traditional cultural facets.
Most of the traditional category songs are the those that have been sung and retained in its immaculate form, while the originals are those that have been composed and sung for the first time reflecting the modern ear. The traditional musical instruments the "ghumot" violin and box guitar the latest addition have remained unchanged so also the traditional dress wear. Most of the senior category groups maintained the aesthetic out fits and stage decor and settings. The judges Fr Edmund Barretto, Ms Claudia Vaz and Mr Tony Dias had a difficult task in assessing the victors as many of these were close contest. Two stalwarts associated with the Mando festival in the last 37 years the laughing Dr Bhicaji Ghanekar and the suited and booted briefcase carrying Mr Octavio Rodrigues were presented and shawl for their yeomen services in keeping the Mando traditional festivities alive in the past years. Dr Bhicaji Ghanekar Agnelo de Borim and a female regaled the audience as the settings were being changed. The organisors a young team under the stewardship of Mr Antnio I Barreto and Mr. Milagres Fernandes the General Secretary deserve credit for the succesful conduct of the 4 hour function without waste of time. The Chairman of the Organising Committee Adv Francisco P D Souza the Minister for Information Technology Law & Judiciary was mysteriously absent on this solemns ocassion. Speaking to this writer Mr Octavio Rodrigues admitted that they had never received financial support from the Government except for a few advertisements however now things are moving and the Chief Ministers assurance comes as a boost he said. " We dont have an office of our own there is no CD or video clipplings available with the association as the costs amount to Rs.2 lacs to have a standard CD in a studio" "There have been promised from Mando lovers but the funds never flow? When questioned why the Association does not have troupes ready to perform at social cultural or dances weddings" the General Secretary admitted that they have no troupes ready as they ahve been only organising these functions annually but given the requirement they can provide the troupes. Moses Fernandes a 72 year old from Curca a regular visitor to the Festival despite his old age admitted that the Government should make CDs available and fund the same so that Non Resident Goans could use these to train the younger generation. Yet another lady Shakuntala Viegas from Dona Paula an ex resident of Mumbai was thrilled by the performances she desired that the cultural troupes should be made to perform at all weddings parties and other functions as this was the only way of promoting it . Nivea and Cidalia both NRG from Canad who flew down a couple of days ago lamented that Ministers from Goa visit Canada enjoy the hospitality and assuage our emotive feelings with promises galore but once back they go back on their assurances. The youth abroad Cidalia stated are slowly beginning to feel emotive about their roots and Mandos and Dulpods strike an emotive chord not only with the older genre but the youth as well she said. There were a numbers of TV channels cable TV reporters who took care of the days happenings which promted Dr Ghanekar to send out a message that in future these TV Channels may have to pay for the functions as the Mando Festival is sans big sponsorship. On the ocassion the book " A Garland of Mandos & Dulpods by an ex Goa Government employee Mr C. M Estibeiro a lover of Mando was sold for Rs.100/- per copy and the book No 26 won a prize of 5% of the total sales for the day. Ironically the Goa Government, Directorate of Information released the last page advertisement on a Rs 20/- souvenir brought out for the ocassion in Roman script. Perhaps it has not caught the eye of the linguistic fundamentalists. The award winners were decided on the basis of presentation on stage 15 marks selection of Mando 15 marksarrangement 30 marks performance 40 marks godfrey j. i. gonsalves borda margao goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584 ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Mobile: Download the latest polyphonic ringtones. Go to http://in.mobile.yahoo.com ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
