An evening dedicated to Mother Mhadei

A unique and first-of-its-kind people’s initiative, ‘Mhadei Amchi Mai’ will be held as thousands of likeminded Goans are expected to unite at the Mandovi riverfront and form a seven-kilometre human chain on May 20 from Santa Monica to Miramar. The stretch will be divided into seven zones, each with different activities

Published on:

19 May 2023, 1:29 am

The fate of Goa’s beloved Mhadei River, a lifeline for its people and ecosystems, is facing significant peril in wake of the ongoing attempts to divert water from its basin by a neighbouring state. The Earthivist Collective, in association with the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG) and the Save Mhadei Save Goa Front is calling on Mhadei’s children to become her guardians (Rakhondar) by joining a community engagement festival called ‘Mhadei Amchi Mai’, a creative celebration of the intrinsic and critical relation between the river, the land and its people.

On May 20, 2023 at 4 pm, a human prayer chain will be formed along the banks of the river, extending from Santa Monica Jetty in Panjim to Miramar Beach, covering a distance of seven kilometres. This event will offer people from all over Goa an opportunity to come together and connect with the river, its history and its soul. Interdisciplinary artist and curator Miriam Koshy, founding member of the Earthivist Collective, says, “The intention is to bring together people from all talukas of Goa, citizen groups concerned about Mhadei, along with people from all walks of life, especially those whose livelihoods would directly be impacted, to stand together as one voice. To show their support for the festival, the Collective is also calling upon artists to create art interventions, in the form of paintings, poems, songs, installations, performances and sand drawings that celebrate and pray for the river, during the human chain formation at Miramar Beach and the six other nodal points along the banks of Mandovi in Panjim.”

“The Earthivist Collective, GHAG and the Save Mhadei Save Goa Front are calling on everyone across the State of Goa, their friends and their family to join in this festival and show their support for this vital ecosystem,” says Heta Pandit, historian, author, independent researcher and founding member of GHAG. A tree walk by Arati Das, co-founder of Tree Walk Goa and SketchForMhadei meet by
Urban Sketchers Goa were held
as a prelude to the Mhadei Amchi Mai festival.

At Zone 1, Mandalas for Mhadei will be facilitated by Dr Maryanne Lobo, PlantwalksGoa from 4 pm to 6pm and from 4 pm to 4.30 pm, a drum circle with the Mhadei’che Rakhandar installation be carried by hand from point to point of the chain, along the beach and Youth Hostel-Kala Academy-Art Park Promenade. At Zone 2, SketchForMhadei will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm. Participants will sketch the river and its banks, capturing the essence of the natural and cultural heritage of the area. The event is open to all sketchers who want to join in and support the conservation of the Mhadei River, regardless of their level of experience. At Zone 3, noted singer and lyricist, Hema Sardesai will perform her Mhadei song from 4 pm to 4.30 pm at the MusicForMhadei performance.

At Zone 4, Pushpanjali Sharma accompanied by Gautam Nima on the guitar and vocals will present ‘Mai and Me’, a Prayer, veneration, celebration through song, movement and dance, from 5.30 pm to 6 pm. Pragya Bhagat and Salil Chaturvedi will recite their poems at the Poetry Reading for Mhadei at 4 pm followed by SingForMhadei- MoveForMhadei: ‘Aun Tuzo Rakhandar’ at 4.30 pm at Promenade, behind Swimming Pool Parking lot, Campal. Dr Saish Deshpande and team will present ‘AdiMaya’, an Ovio and theatre performance by Abhivyakti Group in interaction with the Mhadei’che Rakhandar at 4.30 pm. This will be followed by a river dance by Impana Kulkarni and team at 5 pm and a Mhadei poetry reading by Salil Chaturvedi 5.45 pm. JazzForMhadei will also be performed from 4 pm to 6 pm at Mandovi Promenade behind Panjim Gymkhana, led by Italian musician, drummer, percussionist and composer, Matteo Fraboni with a band specially formed including Xavier Peres on keys, Dennis Petukhov on bass and Laura Santana on vocals.

At Zone 5, MhadeiRiverDraw facilitated by The NHOI Project/Bookworm will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Promenade behind Kala Academy with a live, free, and collaborative river draw for public participation. The NHOI movie, and a river-themed display with the NHOI book and other books from Bookworm Library’s diverse collection will be on view.

At Zone 6, PoemsForMhadei facilitated by That Book Store will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm. River Dance by Impana Kulkarni and team will be performed at 4.30 pm to 5 pm followed by poetry reading for Mhadei by Pragya Bhagat and Salil Chaturvedi at 5 pm. ‘AdiMaya’ an Ovio and theatre performance by Abhivyakti Group in interaction with the Mhadei’che Rakhandar by Dr Saish Deshpande and team will be performed from 5.30 pm to 6 pm.

How can one participate
in the festival?

Attendees are urged to wear clothes with white and blue colour representing the shades of the river and carry a blue or white scarf along. Select any one of the seven assembly points and be there to support the movement.