‘Give us more money for Phagwa’

PRESIDENT of the National Phagwa Council of TT (NPCTT), Pundit Satyanand Gosine, has called on Government to release more funds for Phagwa celebrations in Aranguez. Gosine was speaking at the annual Phagwa celebrations at the Aranguez Savannah in San Juan, yesterday. “Each year we have more than 75 groups comprising of 20-plus persons mounting the stage to sing chowtal and we must be able to compensate these groups by giving out an appearance fee,” he said. The Government has been giving $17,000 each year to Aranguez Phagwa. This sum, he says is too small to host this large event.

Gosine said that NPCTT will celebrate 50 years with this year’s observance. He noted that the NPCTT was one of the first associations to promote Phagwa in TT. He claimed that more and more associations were coming forward to host the event in a bid to get money from the Government. “The Ministry of Culture should accommodate the associations which have been existence for more than 30 years and give them the support that is necessary,” he said. Gosine said that the NPCTT has been dwelling on traditional chowtal (folk songs sang at Phagwa). He noted that while the other associations in TT have been delving into English songs and other competitions to celebrate Phagwa, the NPCTT has stuck to traditional chowtal through the years.

From as early at 10 am, large trucks carrying the various chowtal groups rolled into the savannah with singers from the various temples and social groups in the country. The groups contain scores of young people dressed in white outfits and carrying their musical instruments — drums, harmonium (hand organ) and dhantal (steel instrument). They also carried bottles containing abeer to be sprayed on their fellow groups as part of the Phagwa celebrations. The groups will be required to sing two traditional chowtal songs when they are called on stage. This year, NPCTT is giving an appearance fee of $200 for each group. Members of the Kashinath Mandir in Fyzabad was the first group to go on stage. Aranguez Phagwa draws a crowd of more than 8,000 spectators each year.