With all the attention being focused on the ongoing Carnival in the State of Goa with various float parades, dance, music and colour, many villages, especially in South Goa have their own unique way of celebrating the Carnival. Khell Tiatr is their way of celebration. The Khell Tiatrs draw their own crowds as they impart important messages on society and moral values.
While these kinds of Tiatrs are held annually during the Carnival and the Easter season, Tiatr aficionados complain that they are dwindling in popularity as the number of people attending them is on a downward spiral.
Khell or Zominavolile Khell is popular in Salcete and other parts of Goa. This extravagant drama is performed in the various wards around the villages and at certain places where spectators gather to watch.
“Between 1960 and 1980, Tiatr artists would travel either on foot or on bullock carts,” disclosed Sarita Fernandes of Cuncolim. This trend has now been replaced with cars and mini buses.
Earlier, the interest would be more on dressing up and distributing fruits like cashews in the village but that trend is quickly dying.
Khell Tiatr director, Conny Dias of Nuvem mentions that he has been doing this since the 1980s. He has nearly 84 plays as of today and he performs in his hit shows for three days on the trot sometimes. “I do this for the sake of the Konkani language and to keep tradition alive. I want to give the best possible message to the society as well through this medium. My plays have focused on a life message and I try to introduce youth as well. All my actors are of Goan origin,” he said.
Another Khell director, Piety de Navelim asserts that writing Tiatrs is his passion. “I feel it is important to promote Konkani and also to provide a good message for the sake of humanity, peace, love and mercy,” he said. Over the last two decades, Piety has written almost 50 such plays and performed across Goa. His actors are mostly youth. He adds that he introduces a new actor every year as he believes that Tiatrs are the nursery for upcoming actors.
Rodrigues de Benaulim has written Tiatrs for the last 29 years and is up to 125 on the count. His plays send messages on family and he has performed all over the State. When asked the reason for his work, he said, “When the Carnival approaches, I cannot hold back on writing. I sometimes sit overnight and write an entire play. I can even do so around the year because I want to provide a good message. I even train youth to perform.”
Tiatr directors speak fondly of the Carnival back in the day. They say it used to be a riot of colour, fun and frolic and that the Tiatr was the soul of the celebration. They recall that a troupe of handpicked actors and musicians would rehearse before they took to the street and then they would begin at the doorstep of the ‘Regedor’ or the headman of the village. Every troupe was required to perform at least one or two parteos (plays) for free in the compound of the Regedor and people would flock to the show.
They also recall how troupes would move from village to village on foot with music from the brass band and wind instruments blaring. Some breathing time would be given for villagers to gather at the Regedor’s house or some open space near the house. The audience would then form a circle, with those in front sitting down. Acts began and ended with a whistle blowing.
Tiatr fans noted that the village ‘Bhatkar’ with his aristocratic and domineering ways was often the subject of ridicule and mocking during the plays. Different themes, social and otherwise, formed the crux of the street entertainment. Tiatr lovers also reminisce how a few characters became immortal in the world of Tiatrs.
Directors said that the scripting in the era gone by was rich and of top class and that cannot be compared to the scripting of today. Commercial Tiatrs, they feel have led to the slow decline of Khell Tiatr.
