Rashtriya Rangshala Camp, Delhi Cantonment is buzzing with artisans who have travelled from Goa to Delhi to work on the Goan tableau. The float is based on the theme, ‘Swarnim Bharat…Virasat aur Vikas (Golden India… Heritage and Development)’, and is conceptualised by Goan artist Sushant Khedekar from Ponda. This is the tenth tableau that Sushant is working on for Goa.
The fabrication of Goa’s tableau, is ongoing at Delhi and will be showcased at the Republic Day cultural parade on January 26 at Kartavya Path, New Delhi. “I have a 12-member artisan team from Mayem, Bicholim led by Sanjeev Sheth, the main modelling and structure artist. There are big statues and we have to make a model of mud. Once, the mould is ready, then casting and finishing. All that process is done here,” says Sushant.
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There is a folk group from Curti, Ponda, under the leadership of Dinesh Priolkar. The choreography is led by Nishad, who is training with 17 dancers, who just began their rehearsals.
Goan beats to lead
the tableau
With the beats of ghumot and mandalem followed by guitar, saxophone, trumpet, the theme of the tableau is played in Konkani with the song, ‘Ya ya Goya ya’. The music is designed and composed by Dr Saish Deshpande and the music arrangement is by Mukesh Ghatwal
and sung by Queenie Fernandes,
Archana Shinde, Mukesh Ghatwal and Saish Deshpande.
The duration of the song is just 46 seconds and was challenging for Dr Saish, who was working on a song for the Republic parade for the second time, “I have done a song last year, but Goa didn’t get a chance to participate. Before the selection process, we had to submit the entire piece, like the composition, the float, how it will look and everything has
to be presented as a miniature
model of the float. This year, the theme is heritage and development,” says Dr Saish.
Speaking about the challenge, he says, “The songs begins with heritage of Goa, followed by the developments that we have in the state and conclude with it being a tourist destination. It demands a lot of work because we have to present the exact theme in the limited time. We have to give justice to the theme and also to the musical heritage of Goa.”
Goa’s red soil
at the Republic Day Parade
Sagar Naik Mule, a talented Kaavi artist from Goa, has travelled with Goa’s red soil to the capital of the country. Kaavi art is a traditional form of art that originated in Goa and involves the use of natural pigments made from the earth. Sagar, who known for his exceptional skills in this art form, will be adding the Goan touch with his artwork on the tableau.
“Last year, I was invited to the Republic Day Parade as a guest and I was disappointed that the Goan tableau was not selected for the parade. I was hoping that my art would be displayed at the parade. Sushant Khedekar approached me to work on the tableau for 2025. This year, for the first time my art will be at the front of the tableau. While all the material is provided by the team, I have especially travelled with the Goan red soil for my piece, which I have to complete within four days. For the selection process, we had to submit the artworks and after corrections on the model nearly 4-5 times, we know what exactly we have to work on,” says Sagar.
