ROMAN SCRIPT THE SOUL OF KONKANI
Nelson Lopes
R. Venkatraman, the former President of India, advocated the use of Roman
script for all Indian languages. His noble vision was unity of script and
National Integration. It would also facilitate the learning of Indian
languages. Take the case of a person who wants to learn Tamil, but is
unfamiliar with its script. It would be next to impossible for a non Tamilian
to learn Tamil. First of all one has to master the script and then the
language. A person who is familiar with the universally widely used Roman
Script would learn Tamil or for that matter any Indian language if it is
taught in Roman script.
In this age of Internet and information technology, where the whole world
has been reduced to a global village, the Roman script is gaining wide
acceptability world-wide. It is a simple linear script and is computer and
user friendly. Turkey, Swahili in Africa and the Indo-China region states
have all resorted to the use of Roman script for their languages. The
Chinese, Japanese, Punjabi, Sindhi and Kashmiri are using Roman script for e-
mail correspondence. Therefore it becomes easier for any tourist visiting
Malaysia or Vietnam, to read the sign boards and his destinations, though in
the local languages but written in Roman Script.
Take the case of India where there are hundreds of languages and dialects
written in various scripts, wouldn't an Indian traveling from North to South
find it easier to travel if all the sign boards were written in the Roman
script? The Indian Army uses Hindi, written in the Roman script to instruct
its recruits. As the army recruits come from diverse regions speaking
different languages, can anybody dare to call the Indian Army or President R.
Venkatraman, antinational or divisive? Have both the Indian Army and the
former President deviated from the cultural mainstream of India? or become
less patriotic? Is our nationalism dependent on the script we use for a
particular language?
Ever since the Dalgado Konknni Akademi was established to unite and
motivate the sidelined Konkani writers, readers and speakers of books written
in Roman script and enthusiasts, who sacrificed their life for the cause of
Konkani, but denied any benefits. Loud noises are heard from self proclaimed
defendants of Konkani, they accuse the efficient bearers of the DKA as
divisive elements and antinational. They also label them as activists
alienated from the cultural mainstream of India. By the way, where is the
unity amongst the Konkani forces? Why are lakhs of rupees spent on Konkani by
the Government used by only a few? A coterie of script fundamentalists whose
only aim is to share the booty amongst themselves.
Though the language bill was passed in the year 1987, Konkani as the
official language remains only on paper. The bill has never been implemented
and never will. Majority of government schools and private schools run by
the majority community continue to promote Marathi and not Konkani. The
Antruzi dialect Konkani that is foisted on the unwilling public has not found
wide acceptability. Only a small percentage of Goans speak and use Antruzi
Konkani dialect which is spoken by Saraswats, whereas the majority abhors the
use of Antruzi as they feel it is not their language. The Antruzi Konkani can
and will only survive with the government support. If the government
financial support is withdrawn, the written Antruzi will die a natural death
and it only will remain as a spoken dialect on lips of these small percentage
of Goans. At present it is mainly kept alive by government grants. In Goa
there is more readership and support for written Marathi than Konkani written
in Devanagari script. The most of the religious rituals of the majority
community are held in Marathi and not in Antruzi Konkani dialect. This itself
proves that the majority community does not support or encourage Antruzi
Konkani dialect in religious, cultural and educational fields.
Take the case of Roman script Konkani, which uses the Bardesi dialect.
Ninety eight percent of Goans understand this form of Konkani. Literature in
this variant existed right from the sixteenth century. The Tiatrs that uses
this Bardesi Konkani is highly successful and today its turn over is in multi
crores. Hundreds of cassettes of Kantaram are released every year. VCD'S of
Tiatrs are flooding the market by the hundreds and are bought by the people
over the counter. Vavraddeancho Ixtt weekly and monthly magazines are sold by
the thousands by paper vendors. Novels written in Roman script sell like hot
cakes the moment they are released. Religious hymns, Bible readings, masses
and other religious literature and church bulletins are in the Bardesi version
Konkani. This shade of Konkani is sought to be suppressed and eliminated by
the Devanagari fanatics. They have succeeded to a great extent in denying
government support to the people's Konkani and vociferously oppose any
government grants or efforts to revive the Roman script Konkani literature.
Are these people really supporting the real cause of Konkani? or are they the
true enemies from within?
The Bardesi version of Konkani continues to survive and thrive, without any
Government support. Had there been Government grants to the people's Konkani,
one can imagine to what extent it would have flourished and prospered.
The myth that Konkani can only be expressed well, in Devanagari script, has
been shattered by the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy. A Statuary
Government Body. The KKSA recently adopted on 30th May 2005 the Kannada script
as the official script for Konkani in Karnataka. Children in Karnataka will
learn Konkani in Kannada script and in the dialect that is universally
acceptable to all. Why are Goans who used Roman script Konkani for centuries
willing to kill the goose that lays golden eggs and adopt an archaic, three
tier cumbersome Devanagari script?
Are the Goans ready to transform a Tiatr into a Natak? a Kantar into a
Bhavgeet, a Mando into a natyageet? or a Dekhni into a Dhalo? Why can't both
the Bardesi Konkani and the Antruzi Konkani co-exist and bloom independently
and side by side? Take the case of the omni present English where there are
several versions. For example: The Queen English, the American, the
Australian, the Afro-American and the Indian Hinglish. No one version claims
superiority or works to subdue and obliterate the other. It is predicted that
Indian Hinglish will dominate the world in the years to come.
The church schools should switch over to the Roman script Bardesi Konkani
with immediate effect. The minority schools have a right to teach their
children in the script of their own, under article 29(1) of the Constitution
of India "Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or
any part thereof having a distinct language or culture of its own shall have
the right to conserve the same." Let us avail of this fundamental right to
teach Konkani in Roman script to our students from the next academic year
onwards. The students would find it easier to understand and grasp the
subject, when they find the Konkani with which they are familiar is in their
books.
It is a well Known fact that the Devanagari fanatics do not teach their own
children in Konkani. Die hard so called Konkani pundits educate their
children in Marathi and English Medium. So far whom is the Devanagari Konkani
meant for? Only for the minorities and to a handful of majority community?
The Devanagari Antruzi Konkani pundits find it economically wise to learn
Marathi. Employment opportunities are easily available to them in the Marathi
print Media, Marathi folk art, nataks and bhajans.
Why should only church schools continue to use the unwanted Antruzi
dialect? Isn't the alternative Bardesi Konkani more appealing and profitable?
Or are the church schools unwilling to experiment. Though it was argued that
government jobs would go to those who learn Konkani in Devanagari script,
statistics available with the writer speaks otherwise. No catholic has been
given a government job purely on the basis of Konkani. Take the recent postal
recruitment case. The vacancies were put into cold storage, moment the postal
department made the knowledge of Konkani mandatory. What is the use then
opting for Konkani at the S.S.C, H.S.S.C. and degree level when you are unsure
of getting Government jobs?
Political leaders who galvanized the masses, during the Konkani agitation
are back in power. Konkani lovers were stabbed in the back by the adoption
of the Antruzi dialect in Devanagari script, thereby alienating true Konkani
lovers. It is not too late to undo the damage done. Let the Goa Konkani
Academy be headed by representatives of both the communities in rotation. Let
the Kala academy revive the literary awards and all other schemes which are
available to Konkani in Devanagari script, to Konkani written in Roman script
as well. Let also the Kala Academy subsidize the hall booking charges for
Konkani Tiatrs. Let a Roman script Konkani wing be established in the Kala
Academy to look after the interests of Tiatrs, Kantaram, Mandos, Dulpods and
other genuinely Goan art forms. Let also travel grants be given to Roman
script writers as they are at present given to Antruzi and Marathi writers.
Recently adopted resolution in the Government Assembly during the BJP
regime may be put to effective use by releasing government grants to the
Dalgado Konkani Academy, which is a Registered Society under the Societies'
Registration Act XXI of 1860, set up to look after the interests of Konkani in
Roman script.
The Directorate of art and culture could also be revitalized and
reorganized. Presently it favours culture and art forms of the majority
community. The funds earmarked could be judiciously and equitably utilized by
also encouraging upcoming Tiatr artists. Tiatr could be promoted at the
national and international level. Government should sponsor Tiatr groups and
Mando groups to put up shows in different States of India.
The Catholic community has been emotionally blackmailed in the name of
Konkani over the years. They have received no tangible benefits in return.
Whereas, the Devanagari activists enjoy Government support and occupy
positions and jobs at the expense of Roman script supporters. They
conveniently switch their allegiance and loyalties to Marathi and Konkani as
and when it suits them.
Now the time has come to demand our pound of flesh. We have waited for
twenty long years, and to wait for even more years will be foolish and self
defeating. Roman script Konkani is our Konkani. Therefore it is not shameful
to patronize it and demand what we rightfully deserve. The Congress
Government which treats the catholic community as its rightful vote bank
should deliver and deliver now. It is time to watch your promises with
actions, for actions speak louder than words.
