Welcome to Rotary, Mrs Mapusa
Now Rotaract has opened a new platform for married women in and around Mapusa, a small, scenic town 15km from Panjim, capital city of Goa, to showcase their skills and talent in multiple disciplines with the aim to empower them. “We feel proud and happy about their capabilities,” says Sanjali Navgenkar, immediate past president of RAC Mapusa, RID 3170.
In a novel initiative called Mrs Mhapshekan 2025, referring to married women in Mapusa, around a dozen contestants took part in a series of competitions and talent rounds spread over three months (Jan to Mar 9) that tested their abilities in diverse skills and performances. It was all about live energy and youthful vigour as they sang, danced, acted, recited poetry and much more in the talent rounds to display various forms of stage art, says Sanjali.
The talent rounds were followed by a Q&A session where the contestants had to introduce themselves in a “creative manner, narrate their aspirations and what they want to accomplish in life from a broader perspective.” During the ramp walk, they dressed up in traditional attire of Goa, and performed Fugdi, the traditional folk dance of the Konkan region. Special sessions on saree-draping, building self-confidence, and a photo shoot with women clad in same-patterned saree created a buzz at the venue. A martial art exponent taught self-defence techniques to the participants.
The contestants were given a week-long home assignments such as creating awareness on menstrual hygiene among girls, giving information about government schemes to rural women, holding cooking competition and awareness session on breast cancer, and providing monetary help to SHG women. “We celebrated Women’s Day (Mar 8) with games, song and dance, and cultural shows of our contestants,” says Sanjali.
Sushmita Karpe was crowned Mrs Mhapshekan, followed by two runners-up, Rupali Gaundalkar and Shravani Karapurkar. Pratima Dhond, wife of PDG Gaurish Dhond, Pratiksha Khalap, past president of RC Mapusa Elite, and PDRR Nishita Pednekar were guests of honour at the valedictory event. The first-ever talent show for married women in Goa was curated by Rtr Shreyas Bandodkar, and coordinated by Sohali Nagvenkar.
In the last seven years, 300 children were trained in creating clay Ganesh idols through workshops in the run up to Ganesh Chathurthi. “We teach children how to mould Ganesh idols through clay tablets instead of using Plaster of Paris idols that is harmful to the environment.” This year Rtr Ruchi Parab trained 35 boys and girls in Project Green Ganesha workshop.
Project Yunaay (powerful) saw over 500 people visiting the two-day exhibition and cultural fest leading up to Ganesh Chathurthi. “Around 25 women entrepreneurs displayed their products ranging from food items and furniture to clothing and antique jewellery at the stalls at the Shree Bodgeshwar Hall, Mapusa,” says club president Siddhanshu Salvi.
Diverse competitions such as cooking, Rangoli, Fugdi and ghumat-aarthi ritual were organised for women at the exhibition site, while children got a chance to display their singing and dance skills. During Ganesh Visarjan, Rotaractors placed 12 nirmalya kalash (flower containers) on the route of the idol procession, and “urged the marchers to put the floral waste in the containers instead of throwing it in the water bodies.”
Project Raasleela
During Navratri, a garba-dandiya musical event is organised in a grand manner at the Bodgeshwar Hall with over 2,000 residents of Mapusa gathering at the venue to dance, celebrate and enjoy the spectacle. “The one-day musical dance with a live band performance is a fundraiser for our Rotaract projects. Last year, we raised around ₹4 lakh from this garba event, and hope to attract 3,000 people this year with a target of ₹5 lakh in fundraising,” says Sanjali.
Looking back at her six-year stint in Rotaract, she says, “I have grown up and learnt a number of new things in life, besides gaining new friends.” Employed in a private insurance firm as an executive, she is looking forward to become a Rotarian in two years.
