Goan Folk Dances and Art Forms

Folk dances of Goa

Folklores bind the present with the past and keep the continuity of civilization. The originality of folklores have pleasantly surprised even most erudite scholars and litterateurs.

 

Goa has a unique cultural heritage, rich and lively and it is known for several folk festivals and performances.

 

Many castes, sub-castes and tribes mingled in its social texture in Goa's long history and this presents a wide diversity of folk arts that incarnate its traditions, customs, convictions and culture.

 

Goa has been inhabited by many racial stocks. No other region in India perhaps has had such a wide variety of political regimes. The various rules introduced their life styles and cultural influences of which, the marks are vividly to be seen in the races and the rulers, there have been the in comers for trade and commerce and the men of the armed forces drawn from different cultural groups.

 

During the history spanning over 2,000 years of life, Goa has been shaped by the Bhojas, Shilaharas, Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Vijaynagar rulers, Adilshahi and finally the Portuguese. The changing colours of history have left their multiple and lovely shades on the Goan life. And folk art has not been an exception to it.

 

The traditional folk music and dances have continued uninterruptedly, while the influence of the Portuguese music and dance on the local culture has helped evolve new forms. This happy blending and co-existence of cultural traditions gives a unique character the music and folk dances of Goa..

 

The diversity of these cultural influences makes Goa distinctive although it shares in a general way the culture of the coastal Konkan strip. Among the innumerable folk dances and forms encountered in Goa include Talgadi, Goff, Tonya Mel, Mando, Kunbi dance, Suvari, Dasarawadan, Virabhadra, Hanpeth, Gauda jagar, Ranmale, Fugadi, Ghode Modni, Lamp Dance, Musal Dance, Romat or Mell, Morullem, Bhandap, Dhangar Dance, Dekhni and Dhalo.

 Dashavatara

The term Dashavatara refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu ('Das' means ten, 'Avatar' means incarnations). Scholars are divided into two groups as far as the origin of the dance is concerned. One group believes it to have evolved from "Yakshagana"; another group considers it to have emerged from "Kuchipudi".

Many actors believe that Dashavatara is originally a dance form from Kerala, and they worship a deity of the Walaval region of Kerala. Whatever the source maybe, the form was introduced to the Konkan region in the 16th century.

The subject of the theft of the 'Vedas' is discussed by the "Sutradhar" (stage manager), 'Brahmin' figures, women actors representing the rivers, actors playing Lord Brahma (the Creator) and Goddess Saraswati (the goddess of learning), and the demon Shankhasur.

The overture continues for about two hours, and the proper drama known as "Akhyana" begins after this. The play, concerning itself with stories from the epics and mythology, concludes at sunrise.

The red and white makeup of Dashavatara actors distinguishes them from the spectators who arrive shortly before 11.00 pm for the performance. The evening commences with prayers to Ganapati or Ganesha (the elephant-headed god), sung by the Sutradhar (stage manager).

Dekhni

Another form of popular folk dance, the dekhni represents an attractive mixture of folk culture and Western music, danced mostly by Christian girls in fully Indian dress.

The gestures in the dance appear to have been borrowed from the Kathak and Bharata Natyam.

Dekhni in Konkani language means "bewitching beauty". This song-cum-dance performed only by women to the accompaniment of folk drum "Ghumat", displays a rare blend of Indian and Western cultures. The dance enacts the life of a "Devdasi" (literally meaning servant of God) girl whose job is to perform dance in temples and social ceremonies like weddings.

The theme is of a Devdasi girl who comes to a riverbank to take a ferry to reach the other side where she has an appointment to dance in a wedding. She requests the adamant boatman for a favour and is even ready to offer him her golden earring for taking her across urgently.

The dance set to western rhythms and Indian melody, is livened up by the conversation between the girl and the boatman in the form of a lilting song, which lingers in the mind for a long time.

The dancers carry pantis (small clay lamps with a wick floating in oil) or artis. Only two or three dekhni songs, composed and scored a long time ago, are extant.

It is surmised that the dance form owes its birth to devdasis singing and dancing for their visitors. The song Hanv sayaba pailtadi vaita, popular for its attractive tune, is perhaps the most well known dekhni song.

Dhalo

One of the most popular rural dances, Dhalo is performed by women folk on the moonlit night of Hindu 'Pausha' month. This dance is performed during the week-long festivities are held at night time and the main deities propitiated on the occasion are Mother Earth and Sylvan deity, who are supposed to protect their house-holds.

Compared to Fugdi dance, this dance is slow. The songs are in Konkani and Marathi. Normally 12 - 24 women assemble after the dinner at a pre-selected specific spot called 'Mand' in the courtyard of a house in the village.

They arrange themselves in 2 parallel rows of 12, facing each other, and in a tribal fashion form a link within themselves with an arm-around-the-back arrangement, singing in unison. Normally, two rows of women confront each other by prancing forward and backward while singing the stories of their life and the contemporary society.

The songs cover religious and social themes. The dance goes on every night for a week. On the concluding day, women sport all sorts of fancy dresses and even caricature menfolk.

Dhangar Dance

Dhangars, a shepherd community believed to have migrated from Kathiawar region of South Gujarat and settled in the hilly northwestern fringes of Goa, are very pious and worship the God called "Bira Deva".

During Navaratri (literally meaning 'nine nights') festival, the leader of the house observes abstinence and fast, takes bath at early hours in the morning, milks his share of lone one cup of milk per day and prays and dances before the family deity.

On the tenth day, after a feast, all the families take out their family idols to an open space in the village, called 'Mand' and perform a vigorous session of dance accompanied by song.

The dance begins with a slow beat and simple footwork to the accompaniment of Dhol, cymbals and a long flute called 'Pawa'. Their traditional songs centre on the love story of the Hindu God Krishna and his beloved Radha. The Kathiawari-styled white dress and turban in this dance point to their ancestral lineage.

Fugdi

This is a group dance for women, with two major variations: as danced in a circle or by a rows of dancers. Broadly, villages have a dance in a circle but forest settlements have it in rows. A few fixed steps and hand gestures and hand laps are the elements.

No instrument or musical accompaniment is found with the dance, but special fugdi songs are innumerable. The songs might be about Puranic stories, family life, complaints, rivalries or people.

Fugdis of different types are danced by women at such festival as the Dhalo or Ganesh Chaturthi - that is at both strictly at religious and folk celebrations.

A striking variation is the kalashi fugdi before Goddess Mahalakshmi during the vrata (disciplinary observance vowed to some diety) offered to that goddess. This is accompained by no songs, but the dancers carry the large vessels called kalashi or ghagar and blow into them rhythmically as they spin around. Altogether twenty-seven types of fugdi have been found in Goa so far.

A distinctive style of fugdi is found among the Dhangar (shepherd community) women. No songs go with it; two women join crossed hands and spin around together, bending and swaying to a distinct rhythm. Stylewise there is no clapping nor there are any special steps only the sway of the bodies is distinctive.

Among the more unusual forms is the naked fugdi peculiar only to Goa. A woman may vow to some deity that she would dance the naked fugdi in some boon, usually a child to a woman friend, is granted. If a child is born then, on the sixth day from the birth, in the mother's confinement room the naked fugdi is danced behind closed doors.

Ghodemodni

This folk dance is performed in some parts of the talukas of Goa, which lie near the northern boundaries of Goa. It represents the horse (ghode) mounted cavalier, setting off to war.

Ghode Modni (‘Ghode’ means ‘horse’ and ‘Modni’ means ‘gyrations and dance-like movements’) is literally a dance involving horse-like movements.

It is a spectacular warrior-dance commemorating the victory of the Ranes, the Maratha rulers of the Sattari taluka in Goa, over the Portuguese.

The costume is like that of a Rajput chieftain but the head dress used is a Peshwai puggree worn by the Maratha rulers. The kshatriya dancers also wear head gears made of colourful flowers, don in full traditional livery, fix at the waist effigy of a wooden horse beautifully bridled and decorated with colourful clothes, and carry ghungurs in the anklets.

Holding the bridle in one hand and brandishing a naked sword with the other hand, the dancers move forward and backward to the beat of drums – Dhol, Tasha and Cymbals – to recreate the prancing of war horses.

Two or eight dancers, fastened inside hobby-horses below their waist, brandishing swords, execute their war like dance to the beat of the dholak and tasha. There are no accompanying songs.

The dancers go as far as the village limits and return while executing this exotic folkdance. The influence behind this seems to be entirely northern. This dance is popular in Bicholim, Pernem and Sattari talukas once ruled by the Marathas. It is mostly performed during the Shigmo festival.

Goff

Goff is an exotic confluence of colorful cultural strands. The weaving of the plait - Goff - represents the quite but conscious assimilation of the impressions left behind by several dynasties, which ruled over Goa during the past centuries.

The dance is annually presented by the peasant community in Canacona, Sanguem and Quepem taluka in the Shigmo festival which is the most popular folk festival of Goa.

It is a folk dance with cords, manifesting joy and happiness of Goan peasants after a bountiful harvest. It is performed during the Shigmo Festival in the Hindu Phalgun month.

Each dancer holds a colourful cord hanging at the centre point of the 'mand' - the place of performance – and starts dancing intricately with the others, forming a beautiful, colourful, intricate braid at the end of the first movement.

The music starts again and the dancers reverse the pattern of dancing so skillfully that the braid gets unravelled and at the end of the second movement, all the cords are loose and single once again.

There are 4 different braids of Goff. The songs sung are devoted to Lord Krishna. Ghumat, Simel and other melodic instruments accompany the dance. Goff has an affinity with tribal dance forms of Gujarat.

 Jagar

The jagar is a kind of dance drama based on no continuous plot or narrative. Among The best presentation of this form is at the village of Siolim in Bardez where they have a traditional jagar.

It is presently jointly by the Hindus and Christians to the deity called Jagaryo which has a spot dedicated to it: a small, dome shaped shrine under a peepal tree, with no icon or image in it.

Hindus vow offerings of oil to jagaryo; Christians, of candles. Every house sends offerings of fow (pressed rice) with the prayer that the deity may protect the village from the river water.

Long ago, the Bardez region had twelve such jagars. About a hundred and twenty five years ago the Portuguese government of the day banned them. Subsequently the village of Siolim started facing many natural calamities and, without distinction of religion, they felt the calamities were due to the stoppage of the jagars. With the meditation of the Church and some priests the jagar was resumed.

The jagar of Siolim is performed on the first Monday of Christmas. The first naman (salutation to and invocation of presiding deities) of the jagar takes place at the mand, the appointed consecrated space.

The characters that appear to sing and dance in succession in the jagar are called Bharbharaichya, Said, Firangi-raja, mali (gardener), malani (his wife), mahar (a man of the caste of that name), his wife and their son.

The origin and the meaning of the first three are not known. The succession of dances and songs by these characters occupies much of the night. At the end of the jagar the Mahar's wife goes from house to house. Offerings of sanna (a steamed rice preparation rather like a idli), roasted gram and feni, a kind of local wine, are kept ready for her to receive on behalf of the deity and are handed over with a namaskar.

The people of the village keep up the festival as a matter of a religious feeling and custom. It is their faith that doing this averts natural calamities and quarrels among themselves.

Kunbi Dance

Kunbis, the earliest settlers of Goa, are a sturdy tribal community mostly settled in Salcete taluka, who though converted to Christianity, still retains the most ancient folk tradition of the land. Their songs and dance belonging to the pre-Portuguese era are uniquely social and not religious. The fast and elegant dance by a group of Kunbi women dancers, wearing traditional yet very simple dresses, lends a colourful touch to this ethnic art form. An example of a Kunbi song: "The coy bride is filling the pitcher in the ankle-deep water of the rivulet and the fish (called) Thigur is winking at her." Mando The first mando is thought to have been written down around 1840. However this beautiful form of singing has a tradition which can be traced back much further than that. Although the mando cannot strictly be classified as traditional folk song form; it has been established in Goa for many a year. The mando is very popular among the Christian community in Goa. In the grandest of traditions, the mando-singer was invited specially on occassion of a wedding or some grand celebration. There he would often compose special mandos in honour of the bridal couple, whose qualities were described in detail in the mando. Expert musicologists opine that the dhulpad, a part of the mando, with a very quick tempo, came into general use first and the mando with the medium tempo later. The dhulpad was sung simply as a relaxation to the sole accompaniment of the ghumat (traditional Goan percussion instrument); the violin and the guitar which are now regular components were incorporated later. The dhulpad has its roots in Goan folk music and the mando as a whole has evolved and developed from these traditional folk music roots. The mando-dhulpad singing thus has the original nature of folk songs from Goa but has evolved with the music brought by the Portuguese. The lovely mixture of Goan folk music and Church music that makes up the mando is still very popular in Goa. There is a special Mando festival held every year which attracts a large number of entries from all over the state along with appreciating audiences. Muslam Khel It is certain that the Pestle dance came into Goa during the Kadamba dynasty, established in Goa A.D. 980 and 1005. There is a belief that it was first performed before the gate of the fort in their capital of Chandrapur (modern Chandor), in celebration of the victory of the Vijayanagar prince Harihar over the Cholas. The Christians of Chandor keeps up a tradition by performing this kind of dance annually. Their costumes for the occasion are in the Yadavas style. The Shivalinga symbol is brandished and waved in the dance, dancers with burning torches accompany it. At the end of the dance, a devdasi girl dances up with water and brooms and sweeps the ground danced over and smoothens wet clay or cow dung over it. She receives a customary fee. All this is at the main, public location of the dance; but the troupe proceeds, like the mel troupes in the Shigma, to perform in the courtyard of one house after another. They sing a verse that announces the coming of the dance to the house and ask a lamp to be brought out. Though Chandor is almost entirely Christian in population, it retains memories and vestiges from the Hindu regime of the Kadambas, seen on the occasion of the Musalam Khel. Perni Jagar Except for Satari, the form of folk drama known as perni jagar was prevalent in the earlier days almost throughout Goa. The special caste of the pernis, who live by performing such dance drama, alone perform perni jagars at festival times in certain temples. The folk drama is played by women, who dedicate themselves to this service and remain unmarried. They are a sub-group of devdasis and undergo the shensa-vidhi. The perni jagar includes dance, music and prose and verse dialogue. Each character wears a mask, about forty are needed for the performance. An important character is the old woman representing adimaya (primal illusion or nature on the highest meta physical level; the ultimate Mother). Other characters include representations of some local deities. These characters come upon the stage individually and perform their song and dance routine, appropriate to their types. Other characters are the Tiger and the Horse, also represented by the means of masks. Some masks are worn not over the face but the waist of the actor. There is a sutradhara (not in traditional costume) who introduces each character and its functions in verse. The performance opens with the entrance of Lord Ganesh, the Brahmin who offers him puja and Goddess Saraswati. The orchestra consist of the dholak (a two sided drum used in folk music) and zanj (hand cymbals). Central to theme are the events leading to the creation of the world. Vishnu destroys the demons Madhu and Kaitabha and the earth is formed from their flesh. Ranamale This is a form similar to the Ramlila in the north of India. It renders the story of Rama in its particular way. Ranamale does not extend beyond Sattari taluka and some parts of Sanguem taluka Indeed the mass mind does not seem to carry a strong impression of the story of Lord Rama. Apart from songs related to wedding ceremonies, folk songs seems to be full of the story of Krishna, of other tales of the Mahabharata and of Vitthala and Rakhumai. It is said that the episode of Rama's killing the demoness Tratika is rendered in some places, the performances are found nowhere but the the temple of Mhalsa at Mardol. There is a little dancing; there is however, a special dance in a martial mood for battle scenes. The accompaniment is shamel (a wooden percussion instrument) and zanj (a kind of cymbals); occasionally the ghumat is added. The form is thoroughly influenced by the Yakshagana of Karnataka. The Sutradhara enters first; in this form he is called a Bhagavat. Next comes a humorous character called Kodangi; it is traditional for this jester to dance the phugdi. These two characters remain on the stage throughout the performances and the shift properties of the scenes. The plot moves forward through their dialogue. The costumes are colourful and picturesque. The dialogues are more verse than prose. Neither form of khel admits women; females role are played by men made up like women. It is held that the dramatic form of tiyatra (from "theatre") on the Konkani stage today evolved from the khel.  Romta Mel This thanks-giving ceremonial dance-cum-procession performed during the Shigmo festival is known as Romat in the northern Goa and Mell in the central Goa. It is an extremely crowded, noisy and colourful affair. Romtam Mel is a marching procession cum ceremonial thanks giving, dance. It is crowded, and colorful, with banners and umbrellas of ceremonial build, festoons, sticks and battens with team of dancers from various sectors of the village population, with the biggest banner in the lead called gudhi. The dance and march is accompanied with nerve-wracking beats of huge percussions. The whole procession marches towards the temple of the presiding deity of the village. Teams of dancers drawn from different sections of the village dance and march martially with huge banners, ceremonial umbrellas, festooned sticks and batons towards the temple of the presiding deity or to the house of the landlord. The cacophony emanating from deafening beats of huge 'Dhols' and 'Tashas' and a prolonged, vigourous dancing procession displaying colourful dresses leave the spectators spell-bound. DIVLYAN NACH or LAMP DANCE Balancing brass lamps with burning wicks (Divli) on heads while indulging in slow dance movements is another form of entertainment typical to some South Goan villages. The Divlyam Naach re-supposes cohesion of movements on the part of all the members of the group. It calls for tremendous self-discipline. This dance derives its name from brass lamps used in the dance during the Shigmo festival. The accompanying instruments include Ghumat, Shamel, Cymbal and Harmonium. The performers indulge in a slow dancing movement, balancing brass lamps with burning wicks on the head and the hands. The balancing act controlled by tremendous self-discipline and exquisite footwork matching with the rhythms of the traditional folk songs are eye-catching. This group dance is popular in the southern and central Goa.  Veerabhadra The veerbhadra is the festival of performance in an entirely South Indian style. One actor is made up to represent veerbhadra, who according to Hindu mythology, was created from the matted hair of Shiva at the time of devastation of Daksha's sacrifice. He dances with two swords in his hands; two main supporters dance at his side; and a whole group supports them with dancing and musically timed shouts. The dholak and the tasha (respectively a two sided wooded drum and one sided copper drum played with sticks) are the percussion accompaniments. The costumes are Kannada style and the turbans are Mysore style. The beat is marked during the dance in characteristically southern style with syllables such as tha-thai-ya, thak-thai-ya. Veerbhadra is performed once a year, as a religious observance, in some parts of Ponda district and some of Sanguem. Apart from these veerbhadra is performed only in Sanquelim. On the night of the observance, the play Dakshakanya Sati is performed and towards the end, as a final part of the play, veerbhadra enters. As soon as he does the characters run off the stage, leaving the actor to perform. Other Folk Dances CORREDINHO A Portuguese folk dance and a beautiful example of Portuguese cultural influence, this elegant dance is highly popular among Goan elite youth. Corredinho Marcha de Fontainhas, a song-cum-dance, is famous for its rhythmic and exquisite footwork where normally six couples take part. The colourful costumes are a feast to the eye. TONAYAM MEL Rhythmic harmony of the highest order is required when it comes to performing Tonayam Mel – a popular folk dance form. ‘Toni’ means a painted stick and ‘Mel’ means a dancing group. As the frequency of the beat rises it has to be matched with faster footwork, and that too, without sacrificing the grace of footwork. VIRAMEL A peep into Goa’s primeval cultural heritage is provided by Viramel- a symbol of masculine courage and determination. This is a ritual performed in only a few atmosphere. This marshal dance form is enacted by a group of persons, who wield sharp swords and bear the agony of the self-inflicted blows. Blood oozes out in plenty from their bodies. But the faith seems to heal the wounds speedily. That is why the participants observe abstinence for days before performing Viramel. TALGHADI Talgadi is a dance expression of pure pattern of human movement, energy and pure joy and is therefore a clear folk expression. The dancers wear typical flowers and colourful costumes and dance to the beats of folk percussion instruments like Ghumat, Shamel, Zanj etc. The dancers move around the village giving performances in the courtyard of every house which is witnessed by a large number of village folk. GAULAN KALO This folk theatre form is related to the story of Lord Krishna. Along with Krishna there are many characters like Radha, Gopis , peasant boys and donizons of Vrundavan. The play highlights the childhood of Krishna in Vrundavan. It includes his friends Gopis and his childhood pranks, right from the mother beating Lord Krishna for robbing the butter of the neighours, playing with the Gopis, his love for Radha, killing of serpent Kalia, lifting of Govardhan mountain, killing of demoness Putna and other Asuras. The play is presented in the premises of the village temple on festive occasions.