Traditions in India have always been multihued, splendorous and dynamic, embracing not just the ancient but also accommodating the modern. The eco-feminist festival of dhalo which is celebrated during Goan winters is a vibrant example of the same. This year, as the women danced the fugdi to the accompaniment of folk songs, onlookers were pleasantly surprised to find mention of sanitizers and masks in the lyrics as also the neo-iconic phrase, ‘bhivpanchi garaz na’ coined by our CM. Generally songs about socio-cultural ethos, traditions, animisim and markers of tumultuous events passed down from previous generations are sung, but this time around topical events like Covid, and safety protocols were woven into the ditties to create more awareness of the same. On previous occasions too, events of the then times like Gandhi's assassination, freedom of India from the yoke of the British and the atrocities committed by the Portuguese on the local populace have been interwoven in the warp and weft of dhalo songs. Keeping true to their traditions, the good women of Goa have now immortalised the pandemic in folk lore to be handed down from mother to daughter for as long as the tradition thrives.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
