MONDAY, MAY 06, 2024
Team Café
Everyone visiting Goa wants to take away an experience of being surrounded by the colourful and elegant looking Goan homes either in the form of a photograph or a video. One of the most visited places in Panjim, Sao Tome and St Sebastiao in Panjim’s Latin Quarters has a charm of its own. Being in the Capital city itself among the hustle and bustle, it still oozes calmness and the closeness of a community. From walls painted in eye soothing colour combinations, homes adorned with blooming flower pots, intricately designed niches with centuries old
altars and blue and white painted azulejos at the entrances of homes, every single detail of the Latin Quarters leaves one in awe.
Finally, here is a festival where one can admire all these features and enjoy great music and food along with the experience. For two days, a people’s festival aims to revive the city’s communities and celebrate the spirit of Goa. Festa do Povo will be held on December 9 and 10 from 6 pm to 10 pm. On December 9, it will be held at the St Sebastiao ward from 7 pm-10pm and at the Sao Tome ward on December 10 from 6 pm-10 pm.
The festival is supported by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and is crowdfunded through contributions by well wishers. St Sebastiao ward will have music performances by Ekchar and Trilogy.
Stalls offering delectable food inspired by Indo-Portuguese influences will be set up by residents from the vicinity. Goan and Portuguese flavoured dishes like feijoada, apa de camarao, pasteis de nata besides traditional Goan snacks like delicious Goan breads generous filled with beef, pork and vegetarian fillings will be available.
Art will be at the forefront as nearly 20 Goan artists will be exhibiting their works at an open-air art display. Students from the Goa College of Art will also display their works of art at the festival.
Yolanda de Sousa Kammermeier, a renowned Goan artist will curate an array of artwork at St Sebastiao ward on December 9, which will include her works as well as those by her daughter, Sarah. Other artists will include father-son duo Mohan Naik and his son Mohit, Francis DeSousa, his wife Verodina and daughter Nadia, who are also reputed artists, Nirupa Naik and son Ishan, Rajendra Usapkar, Vitesh Naik and Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwal. “The artwork of all the artists will portray figurative elements with a connection to Goa,” says Yolanda.
The festivities will continue on December 10 at Sao Tome beginning with a children’s choir ‘Ektaal’ trained by Nayantara Mascarenhas De Lima Leitao performing Christmas carols. Bands like ‘Still Waters’ will revive old vibes by playing jazz music and ‘Sound of Music’ will belt out retro music, an old-time favourite, ‘The Riffs’ will perform Konkani and Portuguese hits.
At the Gomes Pereira road, the duo, Sancho e Tasha, will perform old school English and Konkani classics, “Our music stems from our old traditions. Old school English classics, popular Konkani songs and our main musical essence is our love for Portuguese/Spanish bailas and Latino beats, which unknowingly runs within us. No better way to connect the festa (feast) with the povo (people) than with rhythmic tempos and nostalgic moments of what used to be,” says Natasha Abreu, who goes by the stage name Tasha.
Food lovers can enjoy an array of mouthwatering dishes to choose from like Goan chicken Xacuti, Goan-Japanese poee sandwiches, pork and cherry vindalho dimsum, Goan pork chorizo bao buns, jackfruit cafreal, shroom-balls recheado, barbeque, Middle Eastern dishes with a Goan touch such as chorico hummus and cafreal shawarmas, Portuguese-inspired delicacies like sorpotel, sanna and stew, Goan snacks like sausage bread, forminhas, rissois and local sweets like alle belle.
The Sao Tome ward will showcase the works of talented Goan artists curated by Rajesh Salgaonkar, who specialises in marine-themed and fantasy artwork, capturing the essence of the sea in his creative pieces. Goan-influenced artworks depicting figurative and subjective art will be displayed by brothers Vishvesh and Jayesh Chari. Etching (printmaking), drawings inspired by Goan-Portuguese architecture will be showcased by Swapnesh Vaigankar and artists including Hitesh Pankar, Aadhi Vishal and Siddharth Gosavi will have their art exhibited at the heritage locality.
“The Festa do Povo provides an excellent platform to exhibit the artistic endeavours of aspiring and well-known artists," says Rajesh.
What better way to bring a community together than over food and music with an added dose of art.
