When processions dance in tribute to myth & legend Young and old dance rhythmically to the beats of the ghumat (drum made of monitor lizard skin), shamel (small drum made of goat skin), tasha, cymbals and gongs as the tonya mell form of folkdance takes centrestage at the pandals of every household in Canacona during Shigmo.
Songs eulogizing the rich legacy of spiritualismare sung to the accompaniment of folk instruments and to artistes dancing in a rhythmic motion. This art form, practiced especially by the tribals in Goa, is a fountain of amusement that connects the past to the present. Similar to the garbha, with the exception that only men perform it, tonya mell is the preferred choice of youth and children as it requires a lot of energy. The word tonyo or toni means a stick, while mell is a troupe of dancers. The hand movements have many similarities with those used in Gujarat's dandiya raas. Rhythmic harmony of the highest quality is required when it comes to performing the tonya mell. Says Janu Velip of Mollar, "Tonya mell is an integral part of our life. Our forefathers practiced it and now the new generation is following suit. This folkdance needs a big push at the national front. Most religious festivals see the tonya mell performed enthusiastically." Babuli Mokhardkar of Poinguinim adds, "The songs help us dwell deeply on our rich cultural heritage and societal values... it is sheer amusement and a confluence of the past and the present." Taal gadi: Deities' legends come alive in Ponda Taal gadi is a popular folkdance performed especially in Antruj Mahal as the Ponda taluka is known. Taal means rhythm and gadi means men. A group of artistes perform a short play based on mythological or historical significance accompanied by drums, trumpets, cymbals, flutes, etc. This outdoor dance is mostly performed during festivals and rituals associated with spring and is noted for its elegance. The legends of prominent deities which are enshrined in our literature come alive through taal gadi, as the roles are performed in a sequential manner by the group artistes. The culture and traditions of all those who ruled Goa during the four yugas find manifestation in this art form. The dancers wear colourful costumes and dance to the beats of the ghumat, shamel, zanj (cymbals) etc. The dancers move around the village giving performances in the courtyard of every house. "We have kept our age-old traditions alive through this art form and it is quite encouraging that the new generation takes keen interest too," says Madhukar Naik of Ponda. Moral values are imbibed through the performance, he adds. Kishore Mardolkar of Ponda says, "I participated in taal gadi as a child, now I teach it to youngsters. We can learn many lessons of religious importance through taal gadi." Romta mell: When maands march in thanksgiving Romta mell is a marching procession-cum-ceremonial thanksgiving dance performed by the stakeholders of various maands (place within a village temple's precincts where the community prayer is offered). Behind a huge banner strung to poles at either end villagers dressed in colourful attire march in a rhythmic motion carrying ceremonial red velvet umbrellas, festooned sticks and batons. The procession is taken around the village. Sometimes, the procession is led by a character disguised as Lord Hanuman. Young and old also disguise themselves as mythological figures and perform before the crowd. The size of the romta mell procession depends on the number of members enrolled at the designated maands. It is the great unifying factor for the village community as they try to portray themselves as the biggest romta mell for which the presence of all members is imperative. The procession is often deafening, albeit spellbinding, as the participants march to the loud beats of dhols (huge percussion instruments), trumpets, cymbals and gongs. Divlyancho naach (lamp dance): Performing the divlyancho naach is a tightrope walk for folk artistes. It is very popular among the tribal community. Flexibility of the dancers is paramount as they balance a brass lamp on the head while their hands hold burning wicks. The accompanying instruments include the ghumat, shamel, cymbal and harmonium. The choreography includes exquisite, matching footwork. "Practices begin a month ahead of Shigmo as there is no chance for error," says Nanu Gaunkar of Gulem in Canacona taluka. "The artistes have to take care and precaution as balancing the lamp on the head and the wicks in the hands require hard work, determination and a positive attitude," he explains. Community member Saju Gaonkar adds, "We have kept our tradition alive despite all odds. In the present day, artistes cannot devote their time fully to this art form as the remuneration is not much and there is no support from authorities." "However," he says, "We will showcase this form of art in the future too come what may.'' Veerabhadra: When Shiva's wrath is honoured A procession of Veerabhadra is taken out in some parts of Goa during Shigmo. Veerabhadra is a mythological figure that originated from a single strand of Lord Shiva's hair at the time of devastation of king Daksha's sacrifice after hearing the death through self-immolation by Goddess Sati. Veerabhadra is a manifestation of Shiva's anger or the human form given to his fury. He is the principal gana (disciple/soldier) of Lord Shiva and is depicted as having several hands with different weapons and an angry face. He is known for his fierce look and is the slayer of demons. An artiste portraying himself as Veerabhadra dances to the beats of drums and cymbals amid chanting of 'tha-thai-ya, thak-tha' by the people around. The procession starts from a distance of 100 m from the temple and converges at the temple facade after the breaking of a coconut in reverence of the deity. On either side of the road are heaps of dry grass which the Veerabhadra sets afire through a 'torch' made from dry palm fronds. As the procession reaches the temple courtyard, the torches are replaced by naked swords. It is said that as he catches the glimpse of the village deity, divine powers enter Veerabhadra's body and he remains possessed and acts violently. It becomes an uphill task for those who hold him to control him. At the temple's doorstep, he tries to free himself from the clutches of the designated devotees who restrict his movement. In the end, a coconut is offered to Veerabhadra, after which he slowly starts to gain consciousness. He is then lifted and kept under a banyan tree for a while. Says Gurudas Gaonkar of Bandora, "The Veerabhadra procession draws huge crowd from far and wide. People gather in large numbers to witness the event. The spade-shaped cover tied to his back is worth watching. It is nicely decorated with tiny holy flags.'' "The fierce look of the gana is worth watching. It helps us delve deeply into mythology, where Veerabhadra slayed demons and brought peace to the cosmos,'' says Satyavrat Kerkar of Kodar. "It's a thrilling experience right from the beginning of the procession until the end. The flames of the torches sometimes rise so high that the people run helter-skelter to protect themselves. The maddening crowd along the procession enlivens the festive spirit,'' says Sudhir Naik of Tisk, Ponda. Veeramell: Canacona's barefoot procession against time Veeramell is a facet of Shigmo unique to Canacona. It is held every alternate year and at midnight. While the mell procession is under way, those at home, stay indoors as there is a myth that whoever comes in the way of the mell procession will meet encounter bad fate. The mell, constituting gaddes, bhagats and designated devotees holding tarangs, and travelling barefoot, visit all the gharvai (small temples of community members) in the taluka. The peculiarity of this mell is that it has to cover the entire taluka in just one hour-a tough task and beyond the reach of ordinary humans. The gaddes are believed to possess divine powers and move fiercely no matter what comes in their way. As and when the mell reaches the concerned gharvai, its caretaker offers a tali to the ganas on behalf of his community. Every gharvai has a caretaker who is nominated by the village elders and is empowered to perform the sacred ritual at the maand as well as the gharvai. The mell waits just for a second or two and then marches towards other destinations owing to the restricted time. Ghode modni: When warriors come back triumphant Ghode Modni is a dance form where the expressions of victory are depicted by artistes with the help of a dummy horse and involving horse-like movements. Ghode means horses and modni means rotations and dance-like movements. Ghode modni is the dance of warriors, portraying their brave deeds. Men at war express their feelings of victory to the rhythm of drum beats and other accompaniments. Dancers drape the carving of a colourfully-decorated horse around their waist. Wearing turbans and wielding swords, the artistes perform a dance that resembles a warrior mounted on a horse at war. Holding a strap of bridles in one hand and sporting a naked sword with the other, the artistes perform to the beats of dhol, tasha and cymbals, recreating the scene of a horse springing on its hind legs. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/When-processions-dance-in-tribute-to-myth-legend/articleshow/19208395.cms ~Avelino
