The Department of Art and Culture has been organising the Dhalo-Fugdi Festival since 2002 in different locations in Goa, with an aim to promote and preserve Goan traditional folk dances such as dhalo and fugdi. These folk dance forms are normally presented by woman artists, groups, mandals, etc.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the festival was not organised for the last three years. This year the Dhalo-Fugdi Festival is scheduled on December 4, 2022.
In the year 2002, the festival was organised in one area with 20 groups of women. Since the number of groups was increased, the venues have also increased. However, the performance time was reduced from 15 minutes to 8 minutes. To increase the time limit of the performance of participants it was decided to increase the venues of the festival. The festival will take place once in two years and, therefore, in 2022-23, the festival will be organised at 11 different places with an allotted time of 10 minutes to perform for each group on December 4, 2022.
The venues are as follows: Shree Mahalasa Narayani Devasthan Old Mardol, Verna, Salcete-Goa; Shree Sateri Devi Jalmi Devasthan, Davconn, Dharbandora-Goa; Shree Shantadurga Devasthan, Khandola, Goa; Shree Swami Samarth Math, Siolim Bardez-Goa; Shree Kulmaya Devasthan, Karapur, Sarvan, Bicholim-Goa; Shree Devi Bhagwati Devasthan, Parcem-Goa; Shree Brahmadev Devasthan Temple, Brahmakarmali, Nagargao, Valpoi, Sattari-Goa; Shree Kshetra Pimpleshwar Datta Mandir Trust, Chincholim, Panaji-Goa; Shree Shantadurga Devasthan, Colamba, Sanguem-Goa; Shree Sateri Shantadurga Devasthan, Desai wada, Paroda-Goa; and Shree Mallikarjun Temple, Shristhal, Canacona-Goa.
This is a unique festival being organised at different places in Goa by the department of art and culture to promote and preserve the rich folk traditions of the state and to give a platform to artists, groups, mandals, etc. Groups have to perform the Goan dhalo and fugdi dressed in traditional costumes. Participants cannot be part of more than one group. The performance duration will be a minimum of 8 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes for each group. The participating groups will be paid incidental charges for their participation by the department. A maximum of 15 and a minimum of 12 participants are allowed in each group.
Entry forms can be collected from the office of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto, Panjim, during office hours. These have to be submitted to the department at the above address on or before November 25, 2022. There will be no entry fee and the entries will be considered on a first come first serve basis. No spot entries will be accepted, as informed by the Department of Information and Publicity.
