Mando of Goa

The Veigas Coutinho family singing Mandos

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

The Veigas Coutinho family

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

The Cotta family before a performance

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

Lisette Cotta and Chantale Cotta singing together

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

Miguel Cotta playing ghumatt

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

Franz Schubert playing Portugese guitar

Photo courtesy of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE)

The Mando is a slow verse and refrain song of plaintive, nostalgic love lyrics. Sung traditionally by the elite, many believe that the Mando evolved from the indigenous musical traditions of the Ovi and Dulpod. The Mando is sung with a ghummatt, an earthen membranophone, as well as the piano or violin, and accompanied by dance movements, which bear traces of many traditional dance forms of Portuguese and South East Asian countries. In recent times, the Mando has become a popular Goan genre, sung by Goans of all castes and communities, greatly promoted by the Mando Competitions which have become an annual feature. This album also features a few Dulpods, a dance music of quick rhythm consisting of two-line verses sung in Konkani. Sung following a Mando, the Dulpods reflect everyday life of the Goan Catholic community. The last song on the album is a Dekhni from the Catholic dance-song repertoire, which can be traced back to the Goan aristocracy of the 19th century. The Deknni repertoire is meant to represent the devdasi or kolvont tradition of temple dancers. It is however performed entirely by the Goan Catholics today. The songs are a blend of both Hindu and Christian music but the dancers perform movements based on local traditions.

Of the three artist groups presented here, the Cotta family and the Veiga Coutinho family are traditional Goan Catholic families who have been singing the Mando in their homes. The Kepemchim Kirnnam, on the other hand, is a ‘modern’ musical group of Goans singing the traditional Mando.