08 Dec 2019  |   05:08am IST

ACACIO TAVARES – RIBANDAR’S MAN OF THE MOMENT

 

It’s a proud moment for Ribandar as

multi-talented Acacio Tavares has been selected for this year’s Goa State Cultural Award in Western Music. For Acacio, the strumming of his guitar, which began as a hobby, later turned into his profession with a passion. Acacio first stumbled upon an opportunity to play for a band called Moody Blues in 1971. He later played for Planets, Chain Reactions, Diffusions and Modulators.

In 1985, everything changed for the better when Acacio set up Purple Rain with his fellow Ribandar musicians. Purple Rain has been ruling the music arena for over three decades, enchanting the audience all over. Besides playing across Goa, ‘Purple Rain’ has performed at Kolhapur, Manipal, Hyderabad, Cochin, Bangalore, Bombay, Indore and Calcutta. Internationally, they have performed in Abu Dhabi for Manglorean Day, in Kuwait for Goa Day and on four occasions in Dubai for Goa Carnival.

Purple Rain, led by Acacio, also plays for dances and live shows and has the distinction of playing for weddings of parents and their children too. Purple Rain has played at State sponsored cultural and food festivals, the famed ‘Bonderam’ in Divar besides the New Year celebrations at Vasco for the last 25 years.

Acacio’s varied talents knew no bounds. Besides playing for the band, Acacio was a part of the cultural troupe Alegria, which performed on government and private boat cruises besides performing at the 5 star hotels and in various states in India and abroad. Being part of the troupe, Acacio has had the privilege of performing before distinguished international dignitaries like the then Pope John Paul II, King Hussein of Jordan, this country’s dignitaries the then President of India Zail Singh, then Vice President of India Shri Venkataraman, then Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi and cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma.

In addition to being a very talented musician, Acacio has been an avid football enthusiast and organised the once very famous ‘Bala Bala Football Tournament’ for the villagers of Ribandar from 1982 to 1995.

Acacio has never missed taking part in the Ribandar’s local festivities, during the village carnival of yesteryears, dressed in various costumes. He would play his guitar while the folk would join in singing during the ‘Passoi’ held on the last day of Carnival.

With his heart and soul fully immersed for Ribandar, Acacio though not a professional actor has since 1985 been taking part in traditional Ribandar Tiatr held every January near the Fondvem Chapel.

In his entire journey, his wife Lalita and daughters Wanda and Eunice have been his strongest support system. If music be the food of love, then long may Acacio play on.