Bailo from Goa

Philip G Veerasingam

Bailo from Goa - When my wife Ramya and myself went on a Cruise ship early last year we disembarked at a port in Goa. There was a musical band which sang songs at the pier, to welcome the tourists. I recognized the melody and beat as the same as a Sri Lankan Baila. When I asked them about the song they called it 'Bailo'. The Portuguese controlled Ceylon from 1505, their first accidental landfall, and later1597 to 1658 as part of their empire. Their headquarters was in Goa in India. They invaded Goa in 1510. They heavily influenced Goan culture, cuisine and architecture. Their control over Goa lasted till 1961 when India took over control. The music of the Baila, Bailo, is derived from the musical expertise of the Portuguese. Wally Bastian helped in the revival of this music in Ceylon, in the early 1950s.

 
Portuguese ‘Bailo’ from Goa

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