Music and dance are as much a part of the culture of a land as its food and festivals. With its Portuguese influences, the mando has been in Goa since the 19th century, although it is seldom heard of, except around this time of the year.
The melody and rhythm of the mando will be seen on stage at the All Goa State Level Mando Festival on December 12 and 13 at Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim from 6 pm onwards.
Organised by the Goa Cultural and Social Centre, this year will be the 56th edition of the festival. The response so far has been heart-warming, says Francisco Noronha, the president of the Goa Cultural and Social Centre, which has organised the event.
Noronha further informs how there has been an increase in the participation of mando troupes. "This increase was bound to happen because there are so many mando groups in Goa," he says.
MORE PARTICIPATION
The All Goa State Level Mando Festival has five categories – Children, Teenagers, Original, Traditional and Dance categories.
A mando dance takes about 8-12 minutes. In 2022, in the Dance Category, there was just one performance at the Mando Festival. This time, there are six entries.
The General Secretary of the Goa Cultural and Social Centre, Milagres Fernandes, affirms the increase in mando groups for the festival.
"Last year, there were few groups. We should understand that we were just coming out from the Covid-19 pandemic," he points out.
YOUNG & LOVIN’ IT
Similarly, there are more entries from young mando singers. "Mando leaders are putting a love for mando in children," says Milagres, adding how this augurs well for the growth of mando culture.
"Besides the regular groups, we have new mando groups participating this year," he further states.
Fr Ramiro Luis, Director of Crescendo Community Centre for Music, Mapusa, has prepared their children's group with an original composition for the festival this time.
Last year, they made their debut performance and bagged the first place in the children's category. The children, who live in and around Mapusa, some as far as Pernem, eagerly await the festival.
THE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
Worrel D'Souza, from the 2022-mando winning group ‘De Amor’, from Sirsaim, recalls how their group came about.
"We are a group of 20 friends, who used to participate in different groups in the festival. During the last eight years or so we came together and started performing as ‘De Amor’," says Worrel.
He continues, "We have been winning prizes in different categories at the festival; but in 2022, we won the overall mando award which made us very happy."
The group members hail from different parts of Goa such as Nuvem, Siolim, Socorro, Aldona, etc. This makes it difficult to get time to practice. But, their love for mando makes it possible.
"For the mando in the Original Category, we begin practice a little earlier than for other categories. In the run-up to the festival, we meet more regularly for practice," informs Worrel.
"The mando festival is a time to understand the wealth of the cultural heritage that we have. It gives a pulse of being a Goan when we sing and dance the mando. It invigorates the Goan spirit," says Fr Ramiro, summing up the sentiment of all mando-lovers.
