In an ode to Goa’s diverse and vibrant heritage, Echoes of Earth, India’s greenest festival, debuted to the traditional tunes of ghode modni and the ghumot, with artists delighting the audience with lively welcome performances.
Ghode modni is an indigenous folk dance usually performed during the Shigmo festival that melds a traditional dance in a horse costume with martial arts and the ghumot, a heritage instrument of Goa, is a percussion instrument crafted out of an earthen vessel with a membrane secured across the opening.
“We are a professional troupe in the Goan folk dancing community and were very excited to be a part of Echoes of Earth. Our experience at this festival was extremely different from other places we have performed ghode modni, as the greenery around us made us feel like this is the real Goa and what the rest of Goa should be,” said Narshinv Kurtikar, president of the Saraswati Kala Mandal, Kelbal Curti, Ponda.
The thrum of the ghumot filled the air at the festival’s Chopdem site as the Rangmel Veling Goa group gave a hearty and energy-filled performance that celebrated the richness of Goan culture.
“Echoes of Earth has given us a platform to showcase the traditional Goan ghumot. All my talented colleagues are very excited to perform at the festival. This is a very green venue and I hope that other events follow the same path,” said Kanta Gaude, a performer in the Rangmel Veling Goa musician group.
“It has been lovely to see so many families and kids on day one of Echoes of Earth and the response has been overwhelming. The festival commenced with a cultural performance that highlighted Goa’s rich local heritage. The next two days are super exciting and I can’t wait for people to see what we have in store for them!” said Roshan Netalkar, founder and festival director of Echoes of Earth.
Netalkar also stated that he was delighted at the way Echoes of Earth has highlighted the Western Ghats and Goa’s rich ecology through art and sustainability.
The festival’s Greener Side Zone which facilitated workshops and activities designed around Goa and Western Ghats biodiversity conservation for children and adults, was a hit amongst children, those who were fascinated to learn about different aspects of Goa’s ecosystem.
“Our bioscope, a portable instrument with holes through which one can see image sequences, teaches people about the importance of conservation through slow storytelling and finds immense resonance with Echoes of Earth’s commitment to sustainability and conservation,” according to Sanika Dhakephalkar and Malcolm Braganza, a visual arts instructor and project coordinator for libraries and school programmes, respectively, at Bookworm Goa.
The festival’s first day culminated with attendees meandering through the lush green landscapes while admiring the art installations featuring a variety of Goan fauna species crafted from upcycled scrap material and experiencing locally curated Goan cuisines.
