> STREET CANAVAL IN GOA The Goa Govt. has rightly decided to reduce funding for the carnaval bash in Goa .It is wrongly presumed to be a Christian festival prior to the period of lent and penance. It is the state that has exploited this tradition by excessively allocating state resources to attract the tourists and give it a economic angle too. It has therefore, succeeded in creating an image of fun and street revelry .The festivities are promoted further by sponsoring it in major towns and cities of Goa. Along with the carnaval, the otherwise quiet shigmo celebration received a shot in the arm. In fact the shigmo parade revives history by artistic, elaborate display of mythical characters thus conveying a pure message of culture religious ,tradition of significance .This custom and festival of sorts of merry making has albeit benefited the hotel industry ,transport business, alcohol and beverage manufacturers, traders et. al. It is perfectly justified now, for the state to withdraw itself limiting public funding and let the beneficiaries foot the bill. Of course, care must be taken that it is not completely commercialized and there is an element of culture and entertainment in a right proportion. The prices of all daily commodities escalate to astronomical levels ,affecting the locals at the time. For sometime the Catholic church asked the faithful to disassociate themselves with it as totally unchristian because of vulgarity displayed, attracting and corrupting young people with vices of drugs and alcohol. It was a damper for a while. The original carnaval was confined to villages only and mostly in the south Goa .It was time for country plays staged in different villages, sometimes centralized through local contributions The plays were staged free at residence of Regidor for censorship by Portuguese Govt.The use of cocotes (powder missiles, and sprinkling of quality powder) was an annoyance to the fair sex considered as licence for proximity and, tolerated in good spirit of fun. People used to dress up colorfully, go on serenading, wear masks, distribute sweets, also collect money by sales. IT was a festive atmosphere in the houses.To unmask the weares, identity of individuals was a challenge enjoyed as fun. People flocked to this entertainment of country plays for 3 days and spreading into late nights to control outside crowds There were two famous dances in south, Orlim, Navelim that were a huge draw and very popular attractions .The govt. capitalized it as street tamsha on the lines of carnaval in Brazil to exploit its potential for tourism purpose and thus corrupted the original tradition by drawing the villagers on the streets of towns, creating unprecedented traffic problems and crowd management. The reign of King Momo and his decree of 3 days of unrestricted merriment of food and drink was a small affair and limited to the city of Panjim. The state by high jacking peoples simple , pure joy and merriment has injected communal divide and portrayed it as the state festival and as having loose morals and dubious standards of living, where wine, women and lasciviousness are the order of that season . THE STREETS and junctions are colorfully decorated. A Variety of masks and head gear are on sale and are not of local origin or design.Carnaval is exclusive western tradition magnified to give a Goan flavour to commercialize. Fancy dress competitions and khell are sponsored events at public costs.Khell are performed on stages with sound system seating attangements and no more on the ground with crowds surrounding it in a circle.The artists including the band used to travel on foot and even cooked food in citu To _days carnaval is not a shadow of what it used to be and hope it will revert as people festival without interference and exploitations as it was before Carnaval now with floats on the streets is aping Brazil having uprooted it from village origin to main towns and cities and commercialized it by drawing hordes of spectators on streets creating traffic chaos , accidents
Fortunately in recent years there is a change in hosting carnaval festivities in many Villages apart from major towns and cities Simultaneously. It has all the trappings of celebrations of major towns.The floats from cities also participate provided time permits etc The village carnaval has King Momo, parades floats, declaration of best couples , musical entertainments fancy dress , etc on a miniaturised scale The trend to localise celebration dilutes attendance Pressure of crowd management , safety and security at crowded float parades at Mapusa, Margao, and Panjim. Panchayats, municipalities too plan carnaval festivities all over Goa in collaboration with Govt Depts Hence the villages and major towns provide celebrations to retain the crowds.It also eliminates menance of drugs, alcoholism and abusing of females under the guise of licence of Carnaval freedom. Porformances of Khel tiatr at Mands is major attraction.Dances too are springing of late and so tiatr hostings .A welcome trend that carnaval is moving back in villages where it always belonged and other small commercial towns making carnaval once again a people's affair Thus local talent , organisers , bands singers, dancers performers get an opportunity to participate .Welcome to carnaval at village level all over Goa Nelson Lopes Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Nelson Lopes Chinchinim https://lopesnelsonnat.wordpress.com
