SIOLIM ZAGOR
If you happen to be anywhere near Remo's house in Gudem after the sun sets beyond the swaying coconut trees, it would be like witnessing a rare procession of people of all ages and vehicles of all sorts, rushing towards the beach. But the road takes a right turn before reaching the Gudem beach. Here there is a black rock, which is covered with crimson marigolds, which appear ever more fiery in the glowing light of the chunks of candles lit by the devotee around the rock. A little distance away is a chapel, Catholics as well as Hindus stop to offer candles or a prayer, and then proceed further to the temple of the Zagorio, the presiding deity of the Siolim zagor, which is celebrated every year by the Hindus and Catholics jointly. "Zagor" apparently comes from the term "zagronn" (night vigil), which it actually is. A little before midnight, a group of elders are seen crowded around a small bonfire, warming up the hides of their ghuttam-madlim (traditional Goan percussion instruments), the thumping beat of which reverberates in the village, signaling that the 'sunvari' is begun. The sunvari is like an exuberant procession of men and boys dancing with burning torches, made of dried palm leaves, while the percussion players provide the beat.
Once at the pandal, the dancers dash to the stage to dance another queer dance called "Bhorbhoria" (let's go together)--a sort of a hopping dance--before going to pay their tributes in flowers or candles to the Zagorio idol at the back of the stage and receive the 'prasad'. Of course, not many of the Catholics are seen to approach the Zagorio though they are seen helping in the arrangement, or pouring oil in the flaming torches which burn on either side of the stage. Many people come to witness the traditional zagor characters of the Bhonvor, who dances with a large headgear, which is decorated with buntings and burning candles, the king singing the praises to the saints and the local patroness, the mali (gardener) and others dancing their weird, primitive dances.
A vast fair gathers along the narrow roads leading to the temple. There are stall of sweetmeats and other eatables. Looking back at the entire, crowded event, it could be an exciting adventure for a newcomer, who would be wondering from where a sea of humanity pours into the small village so late in the night. But that's not the real essence of the rare, ethnic event. What's important is that it is being celebrated jointly by the Hindus and Catholics of the area, with definite roles assigned to certain households.
Remo's presence added a new dimension to the whole affair and it starting drawing larger crowds from the other section of the people, who either did not know of the zagor or had not given it much of thought. Remo, being busy with his music engagements all over the country, cannot make it to the zagor nowadays. But there could be quite a few people who come hoping to catch a glimpse of him performing. And so the famed zagor goes on year after year at beachside Gudem in Siolim, keeping alive a real rare Goan tradition of communal amity. Joel D'Souza |
GUDEM, the
riverine section of Siolim village suddenly gets filled as if
inundated by a flash flood of thousands of people pouring from all
sides on the night following the village feast in early January or
the last days of February every year, for the famed "Siolim Zagor".
One
'sunvari' each take of from the south and the north by saying
a prayer at the house, where they have always done it for a couple
of centuries probably. Their advent is announced by fireworks. They
halt at a few places of religious significance for Catholics coming
from the South and Hindus from the North, until they reach the
colourfully lit, and jampacked pandal of the Zagorio temple.
The sunvaris, the Christian one with the
ghumttam-madlim and the Hindu one with the dhol-taso
(larger drums), have to wend their way through the milling crowd
which gathers for the nocturnal event.
The role of
the Bhonvor, apparently the principal character of the play,
is reserved for the family of Rodrigues. With a decorated staff in
his hands, it looks like the Bhonvor rows a canoe down the
Chapora river, judging by the type of rustic movements he enacts.
The accompanying music for the traditionally dressed performers are
the loud percussion instruments, while an elderly Hindu, Daji
Shirodkar, recites the 'ovios' (religious verses). After
theperformance winds up, the traditional zagor too is over,
and the tiatr takes over. 
All the houses are lit for the occasion. Being
the Christmas season, the Christian houses are generally lit with
stars and colourful lights, but the Hindus, who from the majority of
those dwelling on the coastal strip, too decorate their houses. They
even have guests coming from various places for the annual
zagor.
Judging by
the type of entertainment we come across today, particularly since
the advent of the television in every household, it is quite
striking to find that the people are still given to the rustic mode
of the dance-drama celebration. One just cannot understand how
several generations down the centuries have kept the zagor
alive. Though there is so much of Catholic element in the nocturnal
event, the Church seemed to have considered it a pagan tradition.
Then, a few years ago, when famed rockstar Remo came to settle in
Gudem. He got excited by the happening and began joining in the
celebrations, performing on his guitar and playing the
flute.