The release function of Filomena's Journey was set for 5.30 pm on 4 December. Since Dona Aurora had sent a personal invite to me, I thought it would be infra-dig to not be present.
However I calculated that 5.30 - 6.00 would be chai-pani session and 6 - 6.30 would be introductions and bhashans by the high and mighty. So if I reached at 6.15 I would be fine. I calculated wrong. The first speaker was apparantly Alito Sequeira who was the one I most wanted to hear but by the time I arrived Sunil Sethi the television anchor was holding forth. Then there was a desultory discussion going on between Sethi, Maria Aurora and Ranjit Hoskote. Everything was very hunky dory with each of them asking polite questions and making genteel observations. When the time came for Q & A nobody wanted to volunteer. I actually wanted to ask Dona Aurora whether her book would be glorifying her Saraswat forebears like Goa: A Daughter's Story did, and was waiting for the Q & A to get warmed up a little first. But no one asked anything and so Maria Aurora abruptly started her vote of thanks. The amazing thing about this book release was that it was a tour de force for Dona Aurora. The whole huge Menezes Braganza auditorium was full. The Bamon and Chardo Bhatkars were there; the Saraswats were there in force; the writers were there; the artists were there; the journalists were there; anybody who has any pretentions to be anybody was there. Even I was there. You say you weren't there? Bah!! I think only Dona Aurora can get an auditorium full like this for a book release and I raise my *chepem* to her. Cheers Augusto P.S. I hope Alito sends me a copy of hiis speech as I requested him, so I could enlighten you about it. I'll let you know what I think of the book later when I have a look at it.. -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal Moira, Bardez Goa, India E [email protected] P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350
