The recent news of the central government granting approval for the diversion of the Mhadei river water from Goa to Karnataka for the construction of Kalasa-Bhandura project sent shockwaves among Goans.
As for Goans, it is not just a river, but a lifeline that passes through 190-odd villages of Goa. Thus, it is very much part of its art, culture and identity.
This water source is also a reservoir of many stories which are now presented in a panel and part of a community art project, ‘The Nhoi — Goa River Draw’.
This collaborative drawing, of 80.6 m (by putting together 14 panels) of vibrant imagery, will be on display at the Art Gallery, Goa State Central Library, Panjim, from February 23 to February 26.
BEHIND THE ART
Prior to this exhibition, a printed version of these panels were displayed at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2019 titled ‘Nhoi — The Big Reveal’.
This project, which is initiated by Bookworm Goa Library (Panjim) and the Krishnadas Shama Goa State Central Library (Panjim) speaks about the people, the river, the biodiversity and how all this is connected through stories.
This project is based on various workshops held in different parts of Goa, initiated by Bookworm Goa library and local librarians for a hands-on, active art activity where it brought villagers together.
These workshops were held in various state-run libraries, situated along the banks of Mhadei or the Mandovi river. It included places like Sattari, Bicholim, Chorao, Kundaim, Kudchire, Ambedem, Marcel, Old Goa, Collem, Tisk-Usgaon, Khandepar, Sarvarche, Verem, Volvoi, and Panjim.
The project started in January 2018 and involved 12 communities and over 500 adults, ranging in age from 23 to 93. The focus of this project was to initiate people to draw, based on the memories they have about the River Mhadei.
The drawings also focused on the vision that people have for their river.
MHADEI IN FOCUS
“The project started with an aim to activate libraries, as there 121 state-funded libraries in Goa. During this process, we realised that a major chunk of these libraries were around the Mhadei/Mandovi river. Also Bookworm Library, Panjim, had wanted to do a community art project for a long time. So, everything just came together organically,” says Rhea D’Souza, Nhoi project architect.
This is an exhibition of reflection, love and solicitude, a magnificent illustration of the private perceptions, remembrances and visions that people hold within themselves that have been given life and form through the NHOI — Goa River Draw Project.
The drawings live and breathe as you watch them – they are as fascinating as the river they portray, and the imagination of the people who drew them resonate with passion and energy throughout the length and breadth of their display.
These panels include the regular drawings of a river, bordered with a drawing of human feet (it was part of the guidelines), fish, crocodiles, dolphins and some other drawings that define that place.
Just as in the Sarvarche village, in North Goa, an elderly lady guided the youngsters to draw a black boulder, near the river. D’Souza states that in the year 1964, this area got flooded, but the area around this boulder was saved. And so, the locals started to revere this piece of rock.
In places such Kundaim, the drawings included highways; and in yet others, there was the puran sheti, a farming method which is usually held on the banks of the river.
All these stories reflected the place, the importance of a river in their lives and how the river changed due to pollution or even construction of a dam. In villages such as Valpoi, there were many stories related to the river, probably because the village is marred by mining activities.
The one fascinating aspect was the discovery and documentation of various terms used in the local Konkani language to describe the river.
During these past two years, the project focused on the forest and the river. They conducted workshops on riparian forests (forests cover around water bodies) as the river is part of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
The NHOI project has become a multi-layered and multi-faceted documentation of the river, not only in the visual sense, but also in the growing awareness of the need to protect the microcosm of the river, its history, presence and thriving continuance.
They have now come up with a pamphlet which explains this project, and will be sent to all the libraries. They also plan to publish a book.
The ‘Nhoi - Goa River Draw exhibition’ will be inaugurated on February 23, 2023 at 5 pm at the Art Gallery, Goa State Central Library, Panjim. It will be open to the public till February 26, 2023 (11 am to 6 pm)
