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Goa's Folk Drama Lives On in Karnataka Forests
18 Oct
Summary
- Ranmale, a Goan folk drama, is performed during Navratri by forest dwellers.
- Ancestors migrated from Goa to Karnataka to escape religious persecution.
- The tradition is vital to the cultural and religious life of the communities.
The folk drama Keri: Ranmale, originating from Goa's Shigmo festival, is presently performed during Navratri by forest-dwelling communities in Karnataka's Joida taluka. These communities, whose ancestors migrated from Goa to escape religious persecution, consider staging Ranmale for at least one night during Navratri a cultural imperative.
In villages like Deriya within the Kali Tiger Reserve, forest dwellers performed Ranmale on the seventh night of Navratri. Artists enacted roles such as Ganapati and Saraswati without masks, following ancient customs. The performances included folk songs based on the Mahabharata and Ramayana, accompanied by traditional music and singing, symbolizing the victory of truth.
Tribal researcher Sanjay Gaonkar noted that Ranmale deeply reflects the socio-cultural and religious life of these forest dwellers, with strong cultural connections to Goa evident in their folk recitations and music. Other villages inhabited by these Goan communities also stage Ranmale during Navratri, drawing attendees from neighboring areas.
