Today on the solemn and auspicious day of Easter a new tiatr season and the main tiatr season begins. On the 17th day of this month our Goan konkani tiatr completed 132 years of existence and at the same time Kala Academy celebrates the golden Jubilee of tiatr competitions.
The Kala Academy Tiatr Competition is the best thing to happen to Konkani tiatr. More than a decade ago, the participating groups met and after having deliberated threadbare the essence and format of tiatr came up with rules and regulations to be followed by the participating institutions.
Strict adherence and clear cut directions to the judges for the strict observation of these rules by the Kala Academy ensured that tiatr blossomed to the fullest as per the practices in yesteryears tiatr and with this the dying format of tiatr was resurected. We hear that one year a group that should have otherwise bagged the first place was disqualified for non observance of rules as it had not included an interactive quartet as per the format. If today Tiatr has achieved a class far higher than the commercial tiatrs performed today the credit should truly go to the Kala Academy. Our honourable Art & Culture Minister can definitely receive a pat on his back.
The organising of the tiatr competitions need a proper thinking or rather rethinking. Year after year, of late the selection of the judges is always an issue. Last year a priest who had no contribution to tiatr or music was selected as a judge. This year two judges who in the previous years participated in the tiatr competition who were notorious for forgetting lines while singing and who could not win an award were appointed as judges.
We hear that there is a coterie of some disgruntled elements who could not win any major awards at the competition decides on the judges to be appointed at a bar situated across the Mandovi River. It is the involvement of these negative minds that earn the Kala Academy a bad name in the appointment of judges.
Sources also reveal the involvement of the elected representatives of the Legislative Assembly and aspirants eying a group as their vote bank, in the awarding of prizes. This practice should stop forthwith. People in authority should not interfere in recommending any group for awards. The sanctity of the competition should be maintained.
Points that need a thought in the organising of the competition
(I) The dates for organising the Tiatr competition should be decided in advance and incorporated in the annual calendar of activities. The A and B group competition should be spaced well. With a minimum of 5 months gap between the two competition. This could result in better participation and more effective presentation.
(II) Contemporaries of participating groups should not be appointed as judges. The jealousy and rivalry should be avoided.
(III) No person from the villages of the participating troupes should be appointed.
(IV) Music is a major component of tiatr. Almost 40℅ prizes are in the field of music. Hence one judge should necessarily be a person with good musical knowledge and known for having an ear for music. Mere having melodious voice should not suffice the criteria for a judge.
(V) The judgment criteria and the marks awarded by each judge should be given to the participating troupes. A meeting between the judges and the participating troupes should be organised after the results so that the judges can explain their decision. This could bring in the required accountability and transparency in the results.
While the Kala academy is working hard to implement the format of tiatr, ironically the Tiatr Academy is not doing anything to promote the tiatr in the right format.
Take for instance the recent popular tiatr festival organised by Tiatr Academy in Sanvordem and Vasco wherein around eight so called tiatrs were performed. Not a single tiatr from those performed were in the tiatr format as far as Tiatr sideshow songs and comedy mattered.
We at The Goan will always strive to evaluate Tiatr as per the format in our reviews. We have no malice towards anyone. We stay committed to the form of Tiatr.
