'Carnaval Khell' of yester years Carnaval KHELL was a popular form of folk art during the 3 day Carnival and again 40 days later i.e. during Easter . More popular in South Goa, particularly in Salcette, Sanguem, Quepem and Mormugao
Khell is a sort of musical street folk play. KHELL may also be known as Partio, Fell or Hell, Zomnivoilo Khell It's either carnavala khell or Intruza Khell Men used to dressed as women to perform the female role. We could see same men in the same female role year after year There were some traditional venues where such Khell used to play year after year. e.g. Vodda-kodde (Oak Tree), Bhakra-tinga (Landlord), Ambddea-kodde (Amballo Tree), Copla-kodde (Chapel), Pasku-tinga (Pascoal) etc etc The venue, the day and the timing was the same. e.g Poile Carnuvalak (Ist day of Carnival), Dusre Carnuvalak (2nd day) or Nimannem Carnuvalak (last dayTueday) or Paskam Aitrak (Easter Sunday). No need of publicity such as posters/ handbills etc as people knew the traditional venues. It was arranged mainly through house to house contribution. Benches were also gathered from house to house for seating purpose. Only those who contribute were allowed occupy the benches. More than half would watch the khell standing behind the benches and the children used to seat on the floor close to the khellgodde. Some landlords, also organised Khell in their Verandah or within their compound walls. Khell consist of at least 3 Partio (3 different short plays), Occasionally, we even saw 4 & 5 partio. Each parti would last say about 40minutes and when they were in a hurry, they could even squeeze it to just 30minutes each Khell were meant for smaller number of audience say around 100-150 and as such there was no need for loud speakers or mics The team or the artistes (Khellgodde) used to form a circle (full circle) in the middle surrounded by the audience. Khellgodde used to sit on the ground (Indian Toilet seat style) and they rise up as and when their roles come up. To go to one person to another (one house to another house), usually a person seated opposite, a typical music used to play for a few seconds to notify this transit or travelling, the person used to go forwards and backward and to the beats of that short music.. Band consist of Drum set, Trumpet (sometimes, also Sax, Clarinet and banjo) If you could afford Rs.50, you could make them to perform right in front of your house. Then slowly-slowly it gone up to 100, then 200, 500 and so on in 2005 it was 4000. Presently, it is 9,000 and above Their composition was too good be it a song or cant and they sang it in voices something which is miserably missing in the present day khells Khell is not that popular now a days particularly with the youth, TV and Carnival floats to blame I suppose. Here is a clip from the ongoing Tiatr Academy’s First Khell Festival (24-25 Feb 2012) It will give you some idea what the Khell is all about. Happy to see large turnout for this festival and I am sure half them never watched Khell before. Thanks to Tiatr Academy for its efforts to popularise, preserve and promote this form of folk art in the North where it is less popular than in the South At Kala Acdemy, mini Open Air, Campal Video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TWuLaf1hew Some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6780010946/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6780009120/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6926125285/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6926127367/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6780008618/in/photostream/ Khell by Jack Rodson http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauktiatr11/6926124593/in/photostream/ Long live Khell [email protected] 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
