Goan tradition and community spirit, vibrant no more

The Diwali buzz is evident with the riot of colours, sounds and smells one experiences in the markets.

From the fragrance of flowers, to the variety of sweets to the vibrant decorations, to shoppers haggling with vendors, and the excited chitter-chatter echoing through the crowded lanes, the atmosphere is resplendent with hues of the festival.

The markets transform into a huge melting pot of cultures, where people from all walks of life come together to celebrate the 'festival of lights'. And as the sun sets, the sparkling, decorative lights adorning the streets take over in true Diwali fashion.

However, Diwali is much more than just markets and materialism. It symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and, most of all, unity and brotherhood.

Diwali is much more than just markets and materialism. It symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and, most of all, unity and brotherhood.

Come any festival, and you’ll notice that the unity among Goans is of a different kind. From making tasty neureos and decorating the akash kandil to helping out in different ways, you’ll find that Catholic members of the community help out their Hindu brethren with equal passion for the festival.

But more recently, things seem to be changing. People do not seem to be as connected with each other. aren’t blending as much as they used to.

Perhaps, it is because people are busier now, more self-centred and preoccupied with many responsibilities and duties which make helping out a tough proposition.

FADING TRADITION: Back in the day, building a 'Narkasur' effigy involved the entire 'waddo'. The camaraderie, the laughter, the shared joy is an unforgettable experience.

MAKING NARKASUR: A COMMUNITY AFFAIR

As a child, making a Narkasur effigy in the waddo meant the world to us. Every member in the group was given a small duty. It could be anything from collecting hay from the neighbouring cowshed, collecting old newspapers, making the bamboo structure or even making a design.

As time flew by, the ones who would make the Narkasur found jobs abroad while others got married and became busy with . And, the Narkasur tradition involving the immediate community died a slow death.

Nowadays, there are people in the cities who sell readymade Narkasur effigies, and these are priced in the range of Rs 500 to Rs 4,000, based on their size and structure. Gone are the days when the charm of making one from scratch excited everyone in the waddo.

The readymade Narkasur effigies and akash kandils have taken over the community-bond method of making them from paper and saving the frame for the next year.

In those days, in most , you could witness children sitting together and helping their fathers make the akash kandil.

Although the readymade ones are attractive and finished well, somewhere deep down, you know it’s a commercial buy and nothing compares to what you construct with your own hands.

BITTERSWEET JOURNEY: Diwali in Goa has changed from a variety of homemade delights to a box of commercial 'mithai'.

HOMEMADE GOAN SWEETS, A THING OF THE PAST

The morning of Diwali was the best time. We, as kids, would wait for neighbours to come home with their . There used to be a variety of fov preparations, chaklis, chiwda and laddoos. It was a truly festive time for our palates and tummies.

But as time went by, the sweets sent to friends and neighbours were limited to a box of mithai, which consisted of items like soan papdi, barfi and mothichur laddoos.

Where did the special sweets like the local rawa and besan laddoos go? How is it a Goan festival without Goan sweets and savouries?

Unfortunately, it’s also a fact that not everyone has the time to make them at home these days. Going out to a store and picking up a few dozen mithai dabbas is much more convenient than those homemade round besan laddoos.

It's been a few years now since Goa has been on this trajectory of fast-paced modernity, suffering the loss of tradition and heritage.

Is this the sort of Goa that we want? The old , where unity, brotherhood and peace had a stronghold, that’s the Goa we want back.