Viva Carnaval -- rent the air this evening at the Pato Bridge -- and down India's longest promenade along the Mandovi. At 4.00 p.m. Dr Wilfred A De Souza Deputy Chief Minister also holding the Tourism portfolio flagged of the rally with the King Momo Mr Tome Fernandes of the Govt Printing Press doing the honours and Queen Momo Ms Lianne Texeira.
An elated President Mr Joaquim Teles in a teletalk with this writer was overjoyed at the tremendous response this year surpassing earlier records in his own assessment. To justify he dished out figures a) traditional category 23 Clubs and institutions 14 sponsored category 8 junk category 1 clown category 30 family category 8. There were foreigners also who partook in the floats. and a huge contigent of the foreigners were provide a sit out in front of the Hotel mandovi. The crowd flanked on either side of the promenade was bustling with children huddled on to their youthful mothers in a carnaval attire some tapping their feet to the strumming and beat of the parades as they past by the Old Secretariate the Hotel Mandovi the Dempo Towers the IFFI/INOX venue and wound up at the portals of the Kala Academy in Campal. The afternoon was preety hot and it was a real treat to the eye to see small children dance the almost 2.5 km route almost exhausted and drenched but excited over the event. There were some floats which were well attired but unlike the major groups the numbers were more but the punch was lacking in most of them. Even the traditional groups danced to recorded music which kills the spirit of the tradition. An interesting feature was the birds and animals that formed a part of the entourage. Even the bird flu that has gripped a district in the neighbouring state of Maharastra found mention --- with one displaying a cock pleading to be spared the scalpel. Another one of interest was by a handicapped youngster demanding that the authorities make their establishments user friendly. The Reliance India mobile which is also sponsoring the floats organised by the PANJIM TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS CARNAVAL COMMITTEE and DIRECTORATE OF TOURISM played spoilsport by displaying prominently their logo on the floats which was in bad taste according to the viewers. But as the floats were being cheered and TV channels captured live the inspiring moments and photo shots taken by almost all and sundry the one float that was condemned was that of a Catholic priest leading a funeral cortege and a full display of a cemetry with the words 'AIZ MACA FALEAM TUCA' . Fortunately this was almost at the fag end when dusk set in but earned the ire of the citizens. When this writer asked the President to explain this entry which could hurt religious sentiments he pleaded ignorance as he said that the main groups were scrutinised between 4 to 4.30 p.m and this one could have intruded unauthorisedly. However this did not appear a valid coment given that the cartoon of Prophet Mohammed had created a ruckus worldwide. Another shocking disclosure which was being discussed at the venue was the alleged remark of the Minister for Art and Culture Mr Digamber Kamat the MLA of Margao when he is reported to have stated on a news channel that Carnaval in Goa was being promoted by the Department of Tourism and not as a culture of Goa. This comment smacks of the fact that the Goa Government is clear on its intent to promote only the pre-1510 (before advent of Portuguese rule ) culture as that of Goa and slowly but surely intending to eliminate the East and West fusion which in fact is the real culture of Goa which made the first PM of India late Jawaharlal Nehru to describe Goans as an unqiue people with an unique culture --- Ajib hai. Even though the rest of the people in India too subscribe to our East west fusion which finds mention every where one wonders ---what made Mr Kamat make this out of the box remark. The next day the floats will be held at Margao followed by traditional dances --- and ofcourse the traditional Khell tiatrs at Nuvem etc But one does miss out the traditional "cocotes" assalto the powdering of girls in their compounds or the throwing of water balloons these were the things which lent humour and clean fun. But with the demographic composition of the State changing -- with a sizeable migrant (vote bank) population in each of the 190 villages or atleast the 30 village panchayats of Salcette and 31 of Bardez it will reflect adversly on our boys and girls if this fun is carried out in public. HERE ARE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS --- the same can be made available free of cost on request. GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584 __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com