SACHI NAIK | NT BUZZ
On a cold night, February 13, the villagers of Cavorim, Chandor, dressed up in a white kurtas paired with a dhoti and a black jacket, with gungroo on their feet (ankle bells) and a colourful turban on their head, with and a musall (pestle) in their hand gathered at St Anthony’s Chapel, Cavorim to play the annual Musall Khell.
Musall Khell is played by Kshatriyas in the village (Hindus and those who converted to Christianity) since ages. On this day, around 12-15 villagers gathered at around 8.30 p.m. They lit candles at the cross and prayed for the well being of villagers. After the prayers, the dancers marched and danced in a circular formation, taking alternate rounds- clockwise and anti-clockwise. At every step they stopped and tapped their musall in the centre of the circle they had formed. There were musicians who played the ghumot and taall (hand cymbals). All of them sung a Konkani sacred song in the village dialect.
After dancing, they went to houses near the chapel, where people would rush out happily to see their dance and listen to a Goan melody. The dancers sang the same song and danced in the same manner. On completion of their dance at every house, they tapped their musall faster and left for the next house. Villagers joined in and accompanied the troupe to several houses, even at midnight.
At St Sebastian Chapel the dancers changed their steps to the three-step dance, where they stopped and tapped their musall only after marching three steps in a circular formation, more common in our Goan folk dances.
Ghumot player at Musall Khell, Avelin Coutinho mentioned that they do not dance outside homes that are mourning the death of a family member. Instead they pray for the departed soul and dance only if the members insist.
President of Musall Khell Committee, Andrison Antao, secretary, Menino Gomes and treasurer, Anthony Antao also performed at Cavorim. They told NT BUZZ that this ritual continues till midnight covering around 60 houses in the village. Musall was used as a war weapon by Kshatriyas previously and hence this dance is performed only in the houses of Kshatriyas. Musall Khell at Cota, Chandor was held one day prior to being held in Cavorim.