Accepted Panels

Kalavantas were an integral part of the Goan society and religion. The community had a special place in the rituals and festivities of the temple they were attached to. The women from the families became Devadasis, and the men became Kalavant, who played various musical instruments and accompanied the Devadasis in their performances. The Portuguese colonial rule banished the Devadasis from the Old Conquest region, and this led to the outmigration of the Kalavanta families. These artists later moved to places like Bombay, where they received patronage and gained fame for the art they possessed. Some became singers of various gharanas and some gained fame in acting. The social circumstances of the Kalavant community also changed by this time, and the practice of devadasi declined. The community willingly gave the traditional art forms practised as Goa’s liberation opened new avenues of employment.  The community today is no longer exclusively a community of artists but is employed in various fields. The reasons may lie in the ever-changing lifestyle, education and social stigma attached to the community. Both the Kalavant and the practice of Devadasi, which is banned by the government, are vanishing. The various art forms which were passed on from one generation to another are no longer exclusively practised by the community. The future of the community as the artists is dim as well. The paper looks into the history of the Kalavant and Devadasi community which once was a community of artists and now has moved away from their art and heritage. The article also takes a dip into the various causes which led to this shift from traditional art to modern employment. The article also tries to sketch the future of the community in view of the young generation moving into various fields of work.