Night of song & dance with a Goan troupe

Mumbai: ‘‘Our Konkani is not brilliant but we’ve done it,” says Virginia Bras Gomes triumphantly. Gomes is part of Ekvat, a group of Goan musicians from Portugal which is in the city to perform. Their Konkani isn’t perfect as all of them are Portuguese speaking immigrants from India as well as countries in East Africa, which had large Goan populations.
The 22-year-old Ekvat, which is a wing of Casa de Goa— an organization of migrants from Goa and Daman and Diu— will perform traditional Goan songs such as mandos and dances like dekni. Gomes says that they have tried to be as authentic as possible. It’s not easy as only a small number of immigrants actually grew up in Goa. Gomes is one of them. Goans born before 1961, when the state became a part of India, and their children and grandchildren are entitled to Portuguese citizenship. Gomes left home for Portugal in 1970.
“My only possibility to see the world was to go where I had family,” says the 60-year old. While she spoke Portuguese at home, Gomes can speak Konkani as she grew up and studied in Goa. “We buy books. But basically, it’s the memories. We have shared memories of traditions and grandmothers with huge houses.”
The mando is a plaintive dance song that usually tells sad love stories. But there are also wedding mandos and political mandos that were sung when Goans resisted the Portuguese. Some like Maticha bangar are original compositions. The song, which means ‘gold of our soil’, is about memories of summer vacations.
The group also writes mandos for couples who meet through the group and get married. “This was the tradition in Goa long ago,” Gomes says. “We look for something specific in the couple to write about.”
Keeping Goan traditions alive is hard, Gomes admits, especially since the younger generations don’t speak Konkani, the language in which songs are sung. At the same time, she says, the younger ones are excited to renew their Indian ties as they are impressed by the country’s economic growth. “In these days of globalization, it’s important to have something of your own,” Gomes says.

The Ekvat group will perform traditional Goan songs such as mandos and dances like dekni

Ekvat will perform at Tata Theatre in NCPA on June 9 at 7 pm . For further in-f ormation you can call 22824567 . Entry is free.

Shubha Mudgal

Shubha Mudgal (born 1959) is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.

She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music, at the 34th Chicago International Film Festival, for her music in the film Dance of the Wind (1997), and the Padma Shri in 2000. She is also close to progressive movements like ANHAD and SAHMAT.

Early life

Born in an academic family to Skand and Jaya Gupta in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Both her parents were professors of English literature at Allahabad University, with deep interest in classical Hindustani music and Kathak. Her paternal grandfather, Prof. P. C. Gupta was also a professor at Allahabad University.

She attended St. Mary's Convent Inter College. As a young girl she started learning Kathak in Allahabad following the foot steps of her sister. She replied once to a dance examiner's routine query of "Aap kis gharaane ka naachti hain (what gharana (house/style) do you dance from?)" with the retort "Hum apne gharaane ka naachti hain (I dance from my own gharana)". She later switched to Hindustani classical music as her vocation of choice while maintaining the same individualistic attitude. Her first traditional teacher (guru) was Pandit Ramashreya Jha in Allahabad.

Mudgal moved to New Delhi and enrolled at the Delhi University. She continued her musical education under Pandit Vinaya Chandra Mudgalya at the urging of her first guru. After graduating from the university, her training continued under Pandit Vasant Thakar in Delhi, and more informally with other established singer as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Naina Devi and Pt. Kumar Gandharva.

Performing career

Shubha Mudgal started performing as a classical singer in the 80s and gained a certain reputation as a talented singer. In the 90's, she started experimenting with other forms of music, including pop and fusion varieties. She says, "I believe in music. Khayal and thumari are my favourites, but that doesn’t mean I should not experiment with other forms, Why should I curtail my musical urges?" asks the singer and adds, "I want to allow the artist in me to come through. If you are a musician, how can you say, 'this one is from devotional poetry, so I'm not going to sing it. In addition to her recordings and concerts, she also briefly ran a website called raagsangeet.com aimed at lovers of traditional Indian music.

International Performances

On october 24, 2008, The kickstart of Deepawali festival by the melodious Shubha Mudgal. She sang great songs from her latest album "Pyar Ke Geet". Packed auditorium of Sunnyvale Hindu Temple and Community Center, community, visitors, devotees enjoyed the performance. Everyone danced to touching songs. Event started with Huna Huna, a song from the depth of heart.

Personal life

After graduating from University Shubha married Pt. Mudgalaya's son Mukul Mudgal who was a promising lawyer. Shubha Mudgal got divorced from her first husband, and got married to Aneesh Pradhan. Her only son from her previous marriage, Dhawal, is a member of a Delhi-based band.

Discography

* Ali More Angana (1996)
* Classically Yours (1999) ISBN: D4HV2718
* Ab ke Sawan
* Pyaar Ke Geet
* Mann Ki Manjeree
* Kisson Ki Chadar (2003)
* Shubh Deepavali (2005)
* Anand Mangal
* The Awakening (2006)
* Jahan-E-Khusrau (2007)


Shubha Mudgal ( Classical Singer )





Shubha Mudgal Dholna