The Bonderam festival was celebrated on 24th August 2013 on the Island of Divar. Bonderam is the festival of flags. Bonderam originates from the Portuguese word "Bandeira" meaning flag. The festival came to be cause of frequent disputes between two groups of Divar namely, Piedade and Sao Mathias. These disputes were over property issues which often led to violence and fights in the village.
To remedy these indifference's the Portuguese introduced a system of demarcation of the property boundaries with flags. The people then used to knock down these flags with stones and to remember these acts people used to make "Fotash" during the bonderam festival. Fotash is an instrument made of bamboo, and berries/peper corns were used as missiles in a mock fight between rival groups and also those participating in the festival. But the use of fotash is stopped as it used to result in eye injuries.
To remedy these indifference's the Portuguese introduced a system of demarcation of the property boundaries with flags. The people then used to knock down these flags with stones and to remember these acts people used to make "Fotash" during the bonderam festival. Fotash is an instrument made of bamboo, and berries/peper corns were used as missiles in a mock fight between rival groups and also those participating in the festival. But the use of fotash is stopped as it used to result in eye injuries.
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| Fotash Float |
