Frederick Noronha ([email protected]) in his reply to Alfred Tavares wrote: ‘His untimely death came as a surprise, if not a shock, to many here, and a caller rang up from North America to enquire about the news.’
This prompted me to post the message on Goanet. Last week, I wrote a Konkani article titled ‘MORN’ for the Quarterly Magazine ‘SAM MIGUELICHO AVAZ’ of Anjuna Church, which will be released tomorrow. I thought I would share it with Goanetters. Here it is – Rough English translation follows: ‘MORN’ Devan munxeak matiecho kelo ani tantun aplea sarko othmo ghatlo. Ami zolmotanch amchea mornanchem nirmonn formailelem asta punn amkam khobor asonam kednam morn ietelem tem. Amchea mornancho ghutt fokot ekloch Rochnnar zanno. Tea pasot ami Rochnnarachea apovnneank khuimcheia vellar toiear asonk zai. Khoreaninch morn ek vhodd mister – tem gupteam eka chora porim ieta. Aiz pasun konnancheanuch umkeach vellar morn ietelem oxem sangonk zavnk nam. Ami amche girestkaiechi, bollachi, zannvaiechi ani vhoddponnanchi boddai kortanv, punn hantuntlea ekleacheanui amche velem morn vattavnk zainam. Kitlei poixe dilear, khuimcheach dotoran amkam mornantle salvar korunk zainam, karann ami sogott morn aslele; morn konnamkuch chukonam. Hea sonvsarant ami thoddeanch disanche vattsur. Ami ritea hathanim aileanv ani ritea hathanim portun veteleanv. Dusrea sonvsarant vetannam amchean koslich sonvsari vost, zoxe porim poixe, bhangar, rupem, share certificates, ghor-dar, bhattam-bensam vo jem kitem ami hangasor ghoddun dovorlam tem voronk zainam. Jednam ek munis hea sonvsarak ontorta, serkari odhikari tachea ghorcheank fokot ek dokument dita – ‘death certificate’ (mornancho daklo) - provar korunk ki to/tem hea sonvsarant zolmolo/zolmolem ani somplo/somplem. Ho daklo ditat meleleachea herdeirank sompeponn mellonk tachea ghorachi pos ghevnk ani dhan-dovlot, bhattam- bhensam, sompeponnim vanttunk. Amchi kudd, jika ami boreantle bore cheir-pavddor marun surungaitanv ani sonvsarant soglea vostum poros tachi vodik zotnai kortanv, xevttak kiddeanchem khann zavnk pavta. Kudd matiek laitanch kidde melele kuddicher raj kortat ani amchea masachem fest monoitat. Hem konnamkuch chukonam – zanv to bhattkar vo munddkar, bhikari vo bhov vhodd zannar. Kitlei ami fattim-fuddem sorlear, morn amchea darar marta tednam ami toiear asonk zai – hantunt dusri anik vatt nam. Aicho dis tuzo punn tum somzonaka ki faleanchoi dis tuzoch zatolo mhunnon. Tea pasot aichem kam’ aizuch sompadd ani Devak argam di. Dis dare voita ani rat ieta tednam tum tujea mornanchem chint – ghoddtta zalear sogllea vellar tujea mornanchench chint. Ek pavtt tum tujea bixeanner add poddlo mhunnttoch tum meloloch munis koso; konnancheanuch sangonk zainam tum tuje nidentlo dusre sokallim utt’ttolo zalear! Heach karannak lagon amchea vhoddilanim hea sokoilim supurlim magnnim amkam xikoileant jim amcho dispott’tto ters rezar korun zatoch ami mhunnttanv: ‘Othmeanche dusman kitle? Teg! Poilo sonvsar; dusro soitan; tisri kudd. Nimanneo chear vostu munxean sodankal niallun chintcheo: Poilem aple kuddichem morn; dusri Devachi nit ani munsubi; tisrem emkondd, ani chovtem sasnnanchem sukh. Dev bori rat, amkam soglleank di Saiba, asleleank bolaiki, meleleank sorga-raj, dis sorlo Saiba khoxecho, rat eilea mornanchi, kallukachi, eksurponnanchi, sokallim utton Jezu mhunnonk vachea di gha Saiba, tuje kurpechem besanv ghal.’ Atam amchem jivit itle rostin dhanvta ki amkam thambonk vo chintunk bilkul vell nam. Oxem ason hea voilea magnneancho niall aiz-kal bhov thodde kortat astele, karann amche thaim vell nam. Kednaim Santa Khursachi kuru pasun kaddunk amkam vell mellonam - sokallim utt’ttanam vo ratche nidonk voitannam pasun. Amcho dhorm Jezu Kristachea punorjivontponnancher tharailolo asa. Dekun ami toieari korunk zai amchea othmeanchi taka sasnnank sugur korunk. Hi toieari amchea dispott’ttea Igorz Mathechea sonskarani mellta – zoxe porim borem kumsar korun komunhanv xevop ani amchea jivitachi divli sodanch pettovn dovrunk jeant ami melea uprant sasnnanchem sukh bhogunk pavteleanv. Toxench ami eka-mekak vollkon ani peleacho mog korun xantikaien jieonk zai. Oxem kelearuch amcho othmo zoitivont zavnk pavtolo. Hangasor mhaka Inacio Loyolachea utrancho ugddas ieta jim tannim Francis Xavierak mhuttlelim: “Koslo faido sogllo sonvsar jikon ani apleach othmeanchem luskonn korun ghevn?” Ugddas dhor ‘Matieche amkam rochleat ani matient ami veleleanv!’ Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Gaumvaddy, Anjuna ‘DEATH’ God created man of His likeness and installed a soul in him. The moment we are born, we are destined to die but we don’t know when; the only one who knows the secret of our death is the Creator. That’s why we have to be ready for the Creator’s call at any time. Death is a real mystery – it comes stealthily like a thief. No power on earth has so far been able to forecast the exact time of death. We brag about our wealth, might, knowledge, status, etc., but none of these can help avoid death. No matter how rich you are, no doctor can save us from the clutches of death, for, we are mortal; death does not spare anyone. We are temporary strangers in this world. We are born into this world with empty hands and depart empty-handed. We cannot carry into the next world any worldly things like currencies, gold, silver, share certificates, buildings, properties or empires that we build on this planet. When a person dies, the only document that is issued by government authorities as a proof of his/her existence on the planet is a ‘death certificate;’ this is done in order to pass on the assets and properties to the heirs. The body that we adorn with the best of perfumes and lotions and care for it more than anything else in this world, finally becomes the feed of the worms which crawl and feast on us as soon we are interned, regardless whether you are a “bhattkar,” (landlord) “munddkar” (tenant,) a beggar or a genius. However hesitant we may be, we have to be ready at the knock of the death – there are no two ways about it. Today is yours but don’t think that tomorrow also belongs to you; finish what you have on hand today only and praise the Lord. When the sun sets and night falls think of your death – if possible, think of your death at all times. Once you retire to bed, you are as good as a dead person; nobody can assure you will wake up the next morning. This is why our forefathers taught us the following short prayers, which we say at the end of our daily rosary: ‘How many enemies does our soul have? Three! First: ‘The world;’ Second: ‘The devil;’ Third: ‘Our body.' ‘The last four things that one must always ponder on are: First: Bodily death; second: God’s judgment and justice; third – hell; and the fourth: eternal happiness.’ At the end of daily rosary, everyone joins hands and says the following prayer: ‘God, give us all a good night, health to the living and heavenly peace to the dead; we had a pleasant day and now we are heading for a dark, lonely night, which could be our last night. Lord, grant us grace to wake up in the morning and utter your name; bless us all.’ Life has now become so fast, no one has time to stop and think. This being the situation, hardly anyone finds time to reflect on the above prayers, for, we don’t have time. Sometimes we don’t have time even to make a sign of the cross when we wake up in the morning or retire to bed. Our religion is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves and save our soul for eternity. This preparedness is found in Church activities like confession and receiving of Holy Communion, thus keeping the lamp of our life alive forever so we can enjoy eternal bliss after our death. Similarly, we must acknowledge others, share our love with neighbors and live in harmony. Only such behavior will make our soul victorious. Here I remember Ignatius Loyola’s words which changed Francis Xavier’s life: ‘What does a man gain if he wins the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?’ Remember, ‘from dust we came and to dust we will return!’ Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Gaumvaddy, Anjuna _________________________________________________________________ Feel the heat of news, the thrill of sports, the dazzle of Bollywood and much more on MSN India http://in.msn.com
