GOA YUVA MAHOTSAV
Our Lady of Lourdes Schools Ground, Valpoi
25-26 January 2002

ARTICLES | COMPETITIONS | ENTRY FORM | PICTURES

What’s Goa Yuva Mahotsav ?

Goa Yuva Mahotsav is primarily a festival of Performing Art.

It is not a Konkani festival but a festival of Konkani people. Its emphasis has always been on developing cultural and literary talent among the students and youth, without suppressing their creativity and wild imagination, but in a disciplined manner.

Perhaps this is the reason, Goa Yuva Mahotsav has attained an honour of being the BEST FESTIVAL of students and youth in Goa.

It’s creative. It’s challenging. It’s thought provoking. It’s serious, yet a freak-out fiesta!!!

At the core of it is the concept of Asmitai (self-identity) of Goan hearts and souls. Rather than imbibing a fanatic linguistic or regionalist outlook in the young hearts, it develops within you a pride of being a Goan, who is also a proud Indian, having a Global perspective.

It not only develops cultural talent within you but helps tremendously in making you confident and educated enough to face the competitive world.

Who participates in it ? Well, any student of the higher secondary school or a college. Don’t worry if you have passed out. You may form your own group – call it anything – and join the festival – of competitions. Yah, it’s like Goa University’s festival or Happenings or Chaos – but still, it’s much much different.

There are usual competitions like Rangoli and Posters, in painting category. There are theatrical performances like Mime and Street Play too. But there is also a little more creative theatre like presenting Advertisements - Ad Mad Show.

Oratory is one field in which you can excel here, if you do not believe in making your speech by heart. Fatafat is an extempore speech contest – you are given a topic last minute and go and speak for one minute. There is another one – Patekar –, which tests your wild imaginative power when you tell the crowd all unimaginable tall tales, yet in a convincing manner.

Solo singing is an opportunity for any good (even bathroom) singer, but strictly in Konkani. Trio, a singing form of three persons (nowadays becoming alien even in Tiatr), is however a thing where you have to think of a day-to-day situation, put it in poetical form of dialogues and just sing it out – again in Konkani (Because it’s a speciality of Konkani Tiatr stage).

There is one more Konkani in it – Konkani Pop. Oh no, Pop means not western, but simply Popular. It’s experimental, with choreography. Add your literary as well as musical talent and dance dance dance…

Dance is not a new concept, it’s there for generations together. We call it folk. No, not only Choltaim Choltaim Zalim Mhaka Rati…, many more nights you spend with villagers and you will find much more ethnic, real, pure folk. Experience it, learn it and perform.

Have you minutely studied the folk instruments as well ? Please do. Dhik Thaiy is just that. The Jugalbandi, but only of the traditional instruments. Need to apply your mind a bit, that’s all.

How much do you know about Goa ? Come on, let’s participate in a unique Quiz – only on Goa. No, not impossible. They make it possible, why don’t you then ? Of course, reading is a must, from newspapers to Goenkar and Amchem Bhanagarachem Goem ! But if you love literature, and Konkani too, then there is another sort of a quiz – Budvont Vachak (Scholar Reader).

And then comes the highlight of all – Mushtaiki. It’s a real Fashion Show, of traditional costumes of a couple – husband & wife. Sorry, not a fancy dress. It’s much more. You need to speak their language too, in their accent, style, culture and customs.

Isn’t it a challenge ? A real challenge for any youth, which has guts. Come on, show your guts. Fill the entry form, form your group, go around and study a bit and perform.

You know, every year it’s a new place, a new village, which you might have not visited also. Spend the night there, make new friends. They come from all corners of Goa. Meet senior artists, performers, writers and also other prominents.

Get the REAL experience of it. Come on…