One the one hand the government is spending crores to celebrate Shigmotsav by way of floats, Romtamel and traditional dances. On the other hand the traditional Shigmo mands are on the verge of vanishing from the cultural map. Every village has preserved this age-old tradition of Shigmo with over a thousand all over the state. Right from Patradevi to Pollem and from Murmagao to Sanguen one can find the traditional Shigmomels beating drums and Tashes and dancing to the traditional music by chanting old traditional folk songs.
Farmers, land less farm workers and other Hard working Tribal people as well people from Bahujan samaj are participating in this Shigmo Celebration Which goes for four days. This festival is act like a buster for the hard working farmers. They come together forgetting their worries and woes and participate in this festival of Anandotsav means festival of Happiness.
Every village one can find traditional MANDS which is an open space prepared for Shigmo. Traditional MELL menas the group of participants which participate in Shigmo, they play on the Mand and then go house to house by beating drums and Tashes and every house they have been welcomed by special way.
This tradition of Shigmotsav has been celebrated through the ages.
In South Goa especially in villages and in tribal villages this festival is like a reunion to old and young generation. In tribal villages every male compulsorily participates in this festival.
For many years this tradition has been preserved by locals. Now it is becoming difficult for some villages to preserve this tradition due to the paucity of funds. They need support from government to preserve this tradition. If government can spend crores of rupees in the name of Shigmo to organize floats why can’t government can land helping hand to traditional Mands? is a question asked repeatedly by locals. Ramdas Gaokar from Gokuldem said “Government is telling the whole world we have a rich tradition and culture but at the same time the government does little to save and preserve our tradition of Shigmo”. Anant Dessai Senior Citizen from Cuncolim says “What we see on streets on the name of floats is commercial side of tradition we want to keep our tradition alive in villages so we expect help from the rulers”
Some years back there was discussion in political circles to draw a plan to save mand culture in Goa. Unfortunately, this idea remains in cold storage. We have a very proactive Art and Cultural Minister will he come forward to save mand culture?
