Mastana Bahar : the longest running (45 years) local TV talent show in Trinidad and Tobago

Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine 2015

The theme of this year’s edition of our magazine is “Mastana Bahar.” This magazine captures the history and evolution of Mastana Bahar [Joyful Season] which is unquestionably the longest running, locally-produced TV talent show in Trinidad and Tobago, and perhaps even in the Caribbean. It is the longest running talent show when compared to competitive and non-competitive, Indian and non-Indian cultural TV programmes. Its closest competitor is Scouting for Talent which ran for 30 years (1963 - 1993) hosted regularly by Holly Betaudier. Mastana was first produced by Sham Mohammed on July 4, 1970 on Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT).

Renowned US musicologist Peter Manuel (2000) stated that “Mastana Bahar has evolved into an institution in Trinidadian culture.” And in her book entitled Music in Latin America and the Caribbean (2004), Malena Kuss wrote that since the 1970s, the local talent TV show has been a central feature of local cultural life.

At present, Mastana is aired on GISL TV 4 on Saturdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Thursdays from 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is also broadcasted on IETV Channel 1 on Sundays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

May-June 2015

11 x 8 ½ inches

72 pages with advertisements and articles

ISSN 1683-4143

Glossy pages and cover

About Indian Arrival Day in Trinidad and Tobago
Mastana Bahar – The longest running (45 years) local TV talent show – Editorial
Greetings from the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago – The Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar
Greetings from the Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration – Dr. The Honourable Rodger Samuel
The Arrival of Mastana Bahar
Sham Mohammed - The visionary
Memory of the First Show
Early Viewing of Mastana
Auditions in the 1970s
Sham Mohammed’s Death
Volunteers after Sham’s Death
The New Producer, Khayal Mohammed
“Pick-a-Pan”
“Sundar Capra” and Other Audience Activities
The “Miss Naturally Fair Mastana Bahar Queen” Contest
Auditions Today
The Audience
The Mastana Bahar Volunteers
The Mastana Bahar Family
Children of Mastana
Stars of Children of Mastana
Contribution of Past Participants to the Show
The Recording Venue in Penal
Private Sponsors
Government Sponsorship
Rehearsals with the Orchestra
The Orchestras
Selection of the Panel of judges
Sub-titles on Mastana Bahar
The Indian Cultural Pageant
Mastana Bahar’s Travel Club
Other Competitive Talent TV Shows – Indian
Other Non-Competitive talent TV Shows – Indian
Other Talent TV Shows - Non Indian
A Vision for Mastana Bahar
Indian Songs More Popular than Calypsoes
Popular Indian Music and Mastana Bahar

Kumar Mahabir

is a full-time anthropologist at the University of Guyana (UG) and Fellow of The Eccles Centre for American Studies, British Library (2022-23). He is a former Assistant Professor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). He obtained his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Florida (UF). As a doctoral student, he won a Florida Caribbean Institute Award, an A. Curtis Wilgus Grant, and an Organization of American States (OAS) Fellowship.
Mahabir received a National Award (Hummingbird Silver Medal) for his contribution to education in his country in 2011. He was among 50 recipients who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the UWI Alumni Association.
Mahabir is the author of 12 books to date.