GAURESH SATTARKAR
From the kitchen to the front lines: Mirabag’s fight against the proposed bandhara on the Zuari River hasn’t stopped the village from celebrating Shigmo. By cooking for traditional Mel dancers at the protest site, these villagers have sending a clear message to the government: their cul ture and their land are inseparable. However, the festivi ties come with a stern warning—if the project is not scrapped before Holi, the protesters have vowed to take their ag itation and their tradi tions to the gates of the capital, celebrating the festival at Azad Maidan in Panjim as a mark of escalating protest. Every year during Shigmo, the ‘Mel’ groups visit homes in the village after performing tradi tional rituals and danc es, where families invite them to their houses and prepare and serve meals. However, this year, as most women are participating in the protest, cooking at home was not possible. Determined not to break tradition, the pro testers cooked food at the protest site itself and served the visiting Mel groups. The Mel mem bers also performed traditional dances and played dhol and tashe in support of the protest ers, creating a vibrant festive atmosphere at the agitation venue. Villagers said that culture and protest will go hand in hand, and they will continue to celebrate all upcoming festivals at the protest site until the bandhara project is completely scrapped. The protesters further stated that their fight will continue peacefully and their unity will re main strong until their demands are fulfilled.
