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Konkani 'Tiatr'
originated in Bombay - by Flaviano Dias
Tiatr,
a popular stage art form of the Goan Catholic masses, is facing a challenge
in its centuary year. Like other stage art forms, tiatr was looked down
by the elite and the middle class Goans in Bombay, where it originated
in the last centuary. However tiatr survived on the patronage of
Goan working people in Bombay, Pune and far away Karachi (which was part
of the Bombay province then). The theatre movement got a new direction
when the British residents of Bombay set up a play house at Grant Road
(locally known as PILA HOUSE and now falls in the red-light area and mostly
stages Marathi Tamashas). Here Parsi and Marathi dramas were also
being staged. Later Royal Opera House was constructed in Girgaum
area.
Govind Narayan Madgoankar who wrote his 'Mumbaichem Varnan' gives vivid
picture of the first 25 years of the British regime in Bombay around 1820.
He denounces the theatre and states it would spoil the youth. He
says while the dramas written in English were by educated persons, in
Bombay, they were being staged by the illiterates. Most of the dramas
contained vulgar fun. Even in England he says drama actors are not
considered respectable. His views were generally shared by most
of the middle class persons in those days.
Like Marathi dramas, the tiatr took inspiration from operas staged in
Bombay. While the Marathi theatre introduced songs in their 'sangeet
natya' following opera style, the Goan tiatrist rendered funny songs in
between two parts of the 'tiatr' and called them 'clowns'.
The Parsi theatre too had such funny characters coming between two acts
of their plays while the stage settings are being changed. Goans
saw these stage performances when they went with their employers to these
shows. Another factor that helped the tiatr development are the
Goan bands.
In those days, when silent films were being shown in some cinema houses,
Goans bands used to provide the musical interlude. These bands became
useful for tiatr and later to the Hindi film industry too. Goan
migration to Bombay had increased by then and several residential clubs
(cudds) were set up on village and caste basis. The women too established
separate clubs for Goan girls working in Parsi, British and other rich
persons' houses.
There were about 500 such Goan clubs mostly situated at Dhobitalao, Mazagaon
and other areas of Bombay. This was the ready audience for tiatr in addition
to other Goan families staying in South Bombay.
Tiatrists too were working persons and were able to stage their dramas
only during the weekends at Bhangwadi Theatre, where Konkani, Marathi
and Gujrathi dramas were regularly staged. The century old Bhangwadi
Theatre now closed, and Goans stage their dramas at Dinanath, Birla Matushree,
Damodar Hall and other suburban halls. By now the Konkani tiatr
is also being patronised by some Mangaloreans and East Indians in Bombay.
In suburban areas of Bombay, Goan tiatrists and others organized
their shows at the time of feasts or other cultural occasions.
However in all these tiatrs, males used to perform female roles as in
other theatres in India. But the Marathi stage got out of this development
much faster than Konkani tiatr(?). Only when film actress like Mohana
came on the stage, a new era of girls was opened up.
While other theatres including Marathi followed the western form of three
acts, the Goan tiatr continued their six or seven curtain (pordde) form.
Strangely, the audience still gives more importance to the songs
rendered in between parts of the tiatr rather than the plot or story of
tiatr itself.
Development of film industry, affected the other theatres more than the
Konkani tiatr probably because of the songs composed on diverse issues
and subjects. During the freedom struggle of goa, nationalists tried to
stage patriotic tiatrs but they could not pass the hurdle of the Portuguese
censorship. In addition to the pre-censorship, the Portuguese sent
their police and informants to hear the songs which might have been changed
at the last moment. The Portuguese propagandists also tried to use
'tiatr' medium for denouncing 'Jai Hindists'.
Even after 100 years, the tiatr is still marching along the same trodden
path though some attempts has been made towards change after liberation.
The plots of tiatr have changed, performance has improved but the
huge cost of stage settings and even of staging tiatrs is keeping it behind
other threatres. The other difficulty of tiatr is its limited audience
of Goan Catholics compared to, say the Marathi stage, which has a wider
appeal.
The spread of education in Goa has led to changes in the villages, and
likely to affect popularity of tiatr. The entry of TV and now Star
& BBC has changed people's demand. The video parlours have opened
up another vista for the village folks, some of whom have petro-dollars
to burn.
The danger is now to the entire cultural being of Indians (and Goans)
because of the cultural intrusion in homes through these new media forms.
The Goan mandos and other folk songs are already replaced amongst upper
classes by pop, rock and other western forms of music. Slowly, the
western forms are percolating into the life of the masses too in rural
ares.
'Tiatr' started with the inspiration of the western Opera form can last,
if it is able to assimilate the rock form of music as the Hindi film industry
is trying to do. Or provide something different that would hold
people's attention.
A study made of the different information medium has indicated that the
major audience size is being cornered by monthly and weekly magazines,
newspapers, radio and TV. Theatre receives less patrongage than
even books, movies(?).
The Goan public must see the danger and take steps with the help of the
authorities not to allow the local cultural forms in this new information
age.
(Courtesy: Goa Post)
Questions or Comments? Please write
to us at: thegoanreview@goa-world.com
Special
Thanks for the arrangements: Gaspar Almeida
with Fausto V. Da Costa. {Amchea kerit dhinvas Gaspar
Almeida ani Fausto V. Da Costa-k) - Goa-World Team
(Kuwait).
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