Mapusa misses out again as new Ravindra Bhavans get green light

MAPUSA
In a significant cultural push, the Goa government has earmarked substantial funds in this fiscal year’s budget for the establishment and development of Ravindra Bhavans in regions such as Pernem, Sattari, Sanguem and Sancoale. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during his last month’s budget speech, detailed plans for new cultural centres and renovations, but one name was conspicuously absent yet again – Mapusa.

While the rest of Goa prepares to receive upgraded or entirely new cultural infrastructure, Bardez taluka, and specifically Mapusa, continues to be left in the lurch.

The Chief Minister announced the initiation of a new Ravindra Bhavan in Sancoale and a second development phase for the existing centre in Curchorem. He also emphasized financial provision for establishing new facilities in Sattari, Pernem, and Sanguem.

However, despite a long-standing public demand and multiple attempts to secure land, there was no mention of any progress or funding for Mapusa.

Mapusa’s struggle to set up a cultural centre has been protracted and frustrating. The initial plan was to build the Ravindra Bhavan on an open stretch of fields opposite the Bodgeshwar Temple.

However, legal complications over land acquisition led the project to be shifted to a parcel of land under the Cunchelim comunidade. Despite the comunidade granting preliminary consent nearly two years ago for the use of 20,000 sq. meters of land, a final agreement has not been reached due to lack of clarity on government commitments in return.

“The general body of the comunidade needs to approve the land transfer, but for that, the government must clearly state what it is offering in exchange,” said Michael Carrasco, Attorney of the Cunchelim comunidade.

“We can’t move forward without that clarity,” he added.

Goa currently has six fully functional Ravindra Bhavans – in Fatorda, Curchorem, Ponda, Vasco, Sankhalim and Canacona – each serving as a hub for performing arts, literature, and cultural expression.

The Fatorda centre, inaugurated in 2008, boasts a main auditorium with over 1,000 seats, in addition to smaller venues and open-air facilities.

Similarly, the centres in Curchorem (2000), Ponda (2002), Vasco (2013), Sankhalim (2013) and the recently inaugurated Canacona (2024) offer modern amenities that have enriched the state’s cultural landscape.

With the new budget allocating funds for yet more such centres, Mapusa’s continued exclusion is glaring. The lack of progress is not due to public apathy or lack of initiative, but rather bureaucratic inertia and unresolved negotiations over land. “There’s a clear lack of political will. If Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza doesn’t take a more proactive and persistent approach with the government, this project will continue to remain in limbo,” said a local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity.

As other regions reap the benefits of cultural investment, Bardez remains an outlier – an ironic twist for a taluka with deep cultural roots and vibrant artistic communities.

Unless the government prioritizes resolving the land acquisition deadlock and allocates concrete funds, the dream of a Ravindra Bhavan in Mapusa will remain indefinitely postponed.