“Congottchim
Lahram” an elite prize winning group of
Manddo from Calangute under the leadership of one elite Mandoist Mr. Fausto
Andrade, a landlord from Khobravaddo Calangute was a regular participating
Manddo group in the Manddo Festivals.
Most of the participants in this group were from outside of Calangute
village including few girls from Candolim but except my wife Fatima, Souza Giao and few
others who were from Calangute. On one
fine evening while we were in a group discussing topics of village importance,
I asked the elder respectable man from Candolim, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro,”how
about forming our Manddo group from Candolim”? He said “who will compose and
who will lead? We don’t have acknowledged Mandoist in our village”. Then I
uttered the name of Tomazinho Cardoso for which he replied saying “he is just a
Tiatrist”. But ultimately, he turned out
to be much better than many of the recognized Mandoists.
Then I spoke to
Tomazinho Cardoso who when showed his little ignorance of Manddos and Manddo
Festival, I encouraged him to take up the challenge of composing Manddos,
however, before this I advised him to first go to see that year’s Manddo
Festival and learn from that Manddo Festival
certain finer points. Besides I
have also paved the way for him to join the Congottchim Lahram group where my
wife was participating and get some knowledge
of Mandos from Fausto Andrade the leader of that group. I had full confidence in him that he will do the justice to his new
job and ultimately he did not only win just prizes in his first attempt but won
first prizes in original segment as well
as in other segments. It was a defeat for those who were under the impression
that Manddo culture is an inborn ingredient only of elite class of Goans.
Both photos in Kuwait. 1st Photo of children Manddo. Many of them are already married now and become mothers. 2nd Photo of Adults winning second prize.
Then I came to Kuwait
in March 1975 and embarked on promoting Goan culture thru holding Mandos
enactments and Mando Festivals on behalf of Kuwait Konknni Kendr which was established
by me with the support of my friends. We
had the unique distinction to organize Manddos and Manddo Festivals first time in Kuwait and that too in the Five Star Hotels. Thus Manddo culture was first time introduced
in Kuwait and it was warmly embraced by the Goans, Mangaloreans and other
Konkani people residing in Kuwait.
Besides, we under KKK started sponsoring and financing Manddo Festivals
in Goa.
First Prize winning Manddo group in Kuwait.
The first Manddo
Festival we organized in Kuwait was on 26th May 1989 at the
prestigious Five Star Hotel, Hotel Meridien with the attendance of elite
attendees. It was not an easy task to
organize such a gigantic function in Kuwait but ultimately we succeeded in
organsing it with the participation of 7 groups one of them was of Children
Cover Page of the Souvenir released for Manddo Festival organized in Kuwait.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.
