OLD GOA
The first installment of the annual flag festival 'Bonderam' in the island of Divar will be celebrated on August 16, with a host of cultural, fun and festive activities lined up throughout the day.
The Bonderam festival will be hosted by Sam Mathias Sports Club Malar.
Addressing reporters on the programmes lined up for the day, Club Vice President Remy de Almeida informed that the Bonderam will start from 11 am onwards.
"In the morning, Dr Aaron Lobo will cover the topic on 'Xitt Kodi' and its preservation. It will be followed by talk by Dr Glenis Mendonca on Goan folk dance and songs and the Principal of Goa Agricultural College Dr Suresh Kunkalikar will speak on backyard gardening," Almeida informed.
He stated that workshops on Rotecao and Mollam will be also undertaken on the sidelines with an acoustic band comprising local youth entertaining the gathering.
"In the afternoon, there will be traditional food served at the 'Bonderamchem Jevonn’," Almeida informed and stated that the evening session will see the 'Bonderamchi Passoy' where a street play will also be staged.
"It will then be followed by the 'Bonderamchi Parade' with each ward from the village presenting the floats and finally after the end of the float parade, there will be entertainment with bands and DJs in attendance," Almeida added.
Meanwhile, former president of the Club Ivo Azavedo scoffed at the idea of having a unified Bonderam as he said that it is just not possible as the very essence of celebrating the festival will then be lost.
"Earlier, there used to be three Bonderams celebrated by three comunidades namely Goltim, Navelim and Sao Mathias which later got restricted to two Bonderams," Azavedo stated.
"And the Bonderams are related to the marking of the boundaries of each Comunidade. So if a combined Bonderam is celebrated, it defeats the very purpose of the origin of the festival," Azavedo opined.
He then stated that there is nothing called as 'Dhaktim Bonderam' and 'Vhoddlim Bonderam', terms which are commonly used nowadays.
"But these are called as 'Poilim Bonderam' and 'Dusrim Bonderam'," he said.
