Songs of yearning – the Mando of Goa 

Illustrated lecture by  Shubha Chaudhuri,  Associate Director General (Academic) Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology American Institute of Indian Studies

 

The Mando is a musical genre of Goa which is unique in many ways. It is a product of Portuguese Goa which traces its beginnings to around 1840 as a music and dance genre of the elite. However what makes it interesting is that it is not an import nor does it rely on borrowed melodies. Mando or Mandde were composed in Konkani by Goan composers.The Mando also provides a fine example of the influence of liturgical training through the use of harmony.  The origins of the Mando are sometimes linked to the Ovi, a genre of wedding songs in Goa. There are also obvious connections to Fado, with the underlying themes of love, longing, and “saudade”. Then again these themes are not uncommon in love songs or in other genres of music in India. 

 

The Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology carried out a project in Goa which included the Mando, through interviews, interaction and recordings of performances. The talk will include recordings from the archival collection to introduce and illustrate the various aspects of the Mando