MANDO

Goan Folk Art is famous all over the world even many of the Indian film songs are composed on the Goan folk arts, there are various folk arts exists in Goa some of them are getting extinct due various reasons. Mando is one such folk art which is a musical form that evolved during the 19th and 20th century among Goan Catholics of Goa, India. It represents the meeting point of Indian and western musical traditions. The music has elements of both Indian and western culture. The males wear formal coats, showing Portuguese influence, while females wear a unique Indian costume (bazu torop or pano baju). The ceremonial torhop-baz worn during the mando dance was of velvet or silk, red, blue or green in colour, embroidered with gold (rarely with silver) threads. A white or blue shawl was worn. The socks had to be white and the slippers ornamented. This was all graced with a fan, which enhanced the lady’s mood with a secret charm during the dance.Now adays mandos are highlighted with their dance respective of their song. The plural of manddo in Konkani is mande.The major theme of mandos is love, the minor ones being historical narratives, grievance against exploitation and social injustice, and political resistance during the Portuguese presence in Goa. With grace in voice charm in costumes the performances are enhanced.

The mando is mostly a monologue, in the first person singular or plural, except for the historical narratives. In some mandos, however, one person addresses another, who in turn replies. Singing is accompanied by gentle turning sideways to the rhythm, thus creating both a visual and auditory performance. The first mando is thought to have been written down around 1840. However this beautiful form of singing has a tradition which can be traced back much further than that. Although the mando cannot strictly be classified as traditional folk song form; it has been established in Goa for many a year.