Intruzz Underway

The villagers of Copelabhat Ambaulim will be celebrating their traditional Intruz on Sunday 14th February.
The traditional Intruz which was stop since last 15 years due to some obivious reasons have been revived by some of the villagers and since last two the villagers are celebrating their traditional Intruz. The villagers have already started their Intruz preparation on Tuesday. Everyday during night time the villagers gather at their traditional place bit the traditional musical instrument and re-acell their traditional folk dances, traditional folk song on the bit of drums/musical instrument.

That since last many decades the Intruz in Ambaulim Quepem was a famous festival celebrated by the villagers in a grand way. Particularly by the tribals residing therein. In Ambaulim village within the church jurisdiction there are in all 10 wards. Except one ward each ward was having its traditional Mand which is the center place for celebrating Intruz. These Mand have now been destroyed or on some mand the villagers have constructed chapel or cross.
Every year on the earlier Sunday of Intruz the villagers of Ambaulim celebrate festival of their village deity “Our Lady of Lourdes which is being celebrated even now. Every year different ward as per their turn used to celebrate their village festival. The ward which used to celebrate the village festival used to decorate their mand by putting a pendal made up wooden poles and coconut thatches. From that week onward the celebration of Intruz used to start in the village.
Either on the eve of village festival or on the day of festival or on Monday during night time the villagers used to gather on their traditional Mand. First the village elder (Budvont) used to perform the initial ceremony of lighting the traditional lamp which they use to keep in the middle of the mand and then on the bit of “ Kaxale” the villagers in glory of god used to sing a song which is called as “choron”. One of the Chorun which related to Jesus Christ runs as

“Kitva Swamin Ankvar Moriba, Kitva Swamin Ankwar Mori,
Ankwar More Kuxi Jez Zolmolba, Ankwar more Kuxi Jez Zolmola,
Andlea Dundlea Dhol Fodolba, Andlea Dundlea Dhol Fodolem,
Doni Dhavan lok pole ko aile ba, Doni Davan lok Pole ko aile,
Rogtam Shivor utarlem ba, Rogtam xivor utarlem,
Doleako Zaleo Dhuki yo baigo, Doleako Zaleo Dhuki yo baigo,
Jez Koden ulten bolma ril ba, Jez Koden ulten bolma ril ba”

(Through Virgin Mary, Jesus was born, after his birth someone became very jealous. People hurriedly came to visit Him, He shed his blood and she had tears in her eyes.)


After which use to start playing tradition dances on the bit of kasale. The entire process which was followed on the first day on the mand called as “Toni Marop” .

The whole week on every night the villagers used to gather on their mand to reherse/practice their traditional folk dances, Folk song in order to get themself prepare for the grand day to be celebrated on the last day of Intruz that is on Tuesday. The celebration the villagers never used to call as carnival but intruz.

On the second day of Intruz that is on Monday whole night the villagers used to stay awake on mand , whole night used to sing song on the bit of drums. That on the next day that is on Tuesday ( that is the last day of Intruz) early morning the villagers with their musical instruments move in a group from their mand which is called as “ Mell” and on the bit of drum used to visit every household from their ward and pass the message of joy of intruz Festival to the villagers. The household who have celebrated their marriage festival as all the marriage particularly among the tribals of the village in those days use to take place during Intruz week used to give sweets to the participant of the “ Mell”. If any member of a household has expired instead of biting drums they used to pray at that house.

By noon after visiting all the houses the “Mell” used to return to their respective mand , keep the musical instrument at the mand and go to their respective houses. By 3.00PM all the villagers by wearing colorful dresses and cap again use to gather on the mand, after dancing on the bit of drum one ward “Mell” used to go to visit the mand of other ward in the locality. They used to sing different songs on the bit of drum, while on some of the mand they used to play traditional dances and used to pass the message of Intruz to the other ward.
After the visiting all the ward the Mell use to return to their respective ward keep all the instrument on the mand and use to go to their respective houses.
On Wednesday the closing ceremony used to perform on the mand.

This reach tradition of Ambaulim village which was born in the soil, which has a colour and smell of Goan land, without studying its concept, without knowing its history our religious vigorously attacked the same calling it as anti religious, devil thing which ultimately resulted in death of the rich cultural heritage of Ambaulim.

However since last 3 years some of the ward have revive their past tradition and are celebrating the intruz in the same mood and enthusiastic.

On the first Sunday the villager of Copelabhat in the morning session on the bit of drum will visit their ward and spread the message of joy to their ward and in the evening visit the different wards of their village.

John Fernandes