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Goa Yuva Mahotsav Press Release The youth of Goa are largely peaceful, but the red soil of Goa has the inherent strength to stand up with fury to protect its identity and culture, said chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the inaugural function of the eighth Goa Yuva Mahotsav at Curchorem today morning. Around 4000 students and youth from all villages and towns have gathered at Osmitai Nagar, a huge pandal erected in Curchorem, for the Yuva Mahotsav, a festival of performing art, depicting various facets of the Goa identity. In association with the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Kaladarpan of Curchorem has organised the Mahotsav this year. Narrating a mythological story that the furious Durga settled in peaceful Goa as Shantadurga to calm down, Mr Parrikar said the red soil has this inherent quality to calm down anybody. However, he said, the same peaceful land is also capable to become furious and appealed to the youth to stand up in fury to protect Goan identity and culture at any cost. Goa is a wonderland that has created great personalities in the field, from art and culture to science. This is a land of personalities from Lata Mangeshkar to Anil Kakodkar, Jitendra Abhisheki to Raghunath Mashelkar, Brahmanand Shankhwalkar to Sunith Rodrigues, said Mr Parrikar, but expressed disgust that this tradition has suddenly discontinued. He expressed confidence that the Goa Yuva Mahotsav will set up this tradition once again, since it is not a mere festival but a laboratory of creative minds, that gives direction to the society, especially the students and youth to march forward with confidence and vigour. Eminent sportsman Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, speaking as a guest of honour, expressed satisfaction that Goa is moving on the lines of West Bengal, which not only worked consciously to preserve and protect its culture but to flourish it through different cultural and literary forms. He also appealed to the youth to concentrate on hard work to come up in life. Indira Shirodkar, another guest of honour and vice chairperson of the Curchorem Municipal Council, also spoke on the occasion. Industries Minister Ramarao Desai, chairman of the reception committee of the Mahotsav, appealed to the youth to take back pleasant memories of Curchorem, while narrating different facts of the Curchorem town that has come up due to mining industry but still a village to the core. The others who spoke included Konkani Bhasha Mandal president Prof. Sham Verenkar, working president Mr Chetan Acharya and chief co-ordinator Mr Mangaldas Bhat. Secretary Sobita Mauzo while Vasant Bhagwant Sawant compered. Around 40 groups of higher secondary schools, colleges and open groups from villages and cities have participated in the Mahotsav this year, performing different forms of art and culture at Salvador Fernandes stage in the Khapruman Parvatkar Matov, Bhalchandra Naik hall, Dilip Naik Chowk and Sadanand Rivankar stage. The mahotsav will conclude tomorrow evening, after the young blood depicts their talents through 14 different competitions. Bollywood actress Varsha Usgaonkar and Forest Minister Vinay Tendulkar will grace the concluding function tomorrow evening. -------------------------------------------------------
