During the last few days, while most people were enjoying the Carnival festivities at the float parades and parties, a motley group of nostalgic Goans gathered at Manora-Raia, to enjoy traditional khell tiatrs.
This, in fact, was the scene across most of the villages in
South Goa. “We youngsters like the modern carnival floats, but it is quite
endearing to see how these traditions showcase Goa’s culture and identity. I
have watched khell tiatrs before and I am in awe of the artistes who
perform so confidently on the ground, surrounded by the audience, with no
stage, no curtains, only accompanied by a brass band. They are so entertaining.
We must definitely preserve this art for posterity,” says Prinoy D Costa from
Cansaulim.
“Khell tiatrs are held every year during Carnival and
Easter and are performed in public spaces, sometimes on private properties that
have space to accommodate a large gathering,” informs John Fernandes from
Navelim.
Though held without much fanfare or propagation, these plays
take place quite regularly, that too with full audience from the villagers of
that area. But there was a time when khell tiatrs reigned supreme. “The
Carnival of yore was a riot of colours, fun and revelry, and the khell was the
soul of the celebration. A troupe of hand-picked actors and musicians would
hold several rehearsals before taking to the streets to perform. Every khell
troupe had to perform at least one or two parteos (plays) for free in the
compound of the regedor – the headman of the village – and people would flock
to see the show,” a tiatr director explains.
Lourenco Trindade Fernandes from Utorda clearly remembers this
practice during Carnival time in his childhood. He adds that khell tiatrs were
compulsorily first staged in the front yard of the regedor and while commoners
would watch the performance standing in the streets, old families would watch
from the balcao of their palatial homes.
In those days, when public transport was not really a thing, the
performing troupes would walk to the neighbouring villages and their families
would accompany them to cook for them during their three-day travels. The
troupes moved from village to village on foot, with the lilting music of the
brass band and wind instruments.
Khell tiatr fans say that the village bhatkar, with
his aristocratic and domineering ways, was often mocked and ridiculed in the
plays. Different types of themes, social and otherwise, formed the crux of the
street entertainment. There used to be one part called raksa parte,
which involved a monster (a masked man who did weird deeds) who was usually
always killed in the end. The people cried and cheered in entertainment. “A few
characters became immortal in khell folklore; these included Battagotto (grain
of boiled rice), Coli (tin) Shalibai, (a male playing a female
role) and many more,” says an avid tiatr lover from Carmona.
“The actors were simple people and some of them could not even
write. But you cannot compare those scripts with the ones we have today. Those
scripts were so rich,” adds another villager.
Before tiatr was born, the Goan masses were entertained by folk
dramatic forms, namely zagor and khell. Zagor was popular
in North Goa, whereas khell, which was also known as fell, was popular in the
south.
Dionisio Sardinha, one of the active organisers (of Zominvoile
khell) from Curtorim, says that when Carnival approaches, he feels good because
it is an ideal time to promote and hence preserve Zominvoile Khell traditions.
He feels that the Carnivals of yore were more natural, with the brass band, etc
and these traditions should be incorporated into the Carnival of today.
“Earlier, all the artistes used to perform to show their art/performance,” he
adds.
Philip De Orlim, a director of folk plays, believes that
maintaining these traditions would go a long way in promoting the Konkani
language.
Most
of the villagers who attend these tiatrs point out that these khell tiatrs,
while take a satirical tone of present trends, do leave the audience with that
feel good feeling and have social value messages. Folk play director Salvador
Afonso says that in his 37 years of presenting folk plays, the topics he has
chosen have revolved around Jesus Christ, the Lenten season, values for a good
life, etc.