GRAF Celebrates 'World Konkani Day 2008' in Spectacular Style
By Ancy Paladka
The Goan Review Art Foundation (GRAF) celebrated 'World Konkani Day 2008' in
the metro at the Goan Institute Hall, Thakurdwar, Dabul, on Saturday, August
23. GRAF is the cultural body of the Konkani-English bi-monthly 'The Goan
Review', whose editor and publisher is the renowned Goan Konkani writer
Fausto V Da Costa.
This celebration commemorated the inclusion of Konkani in the eighth
schedule of the Indian Constitution on 20th August, 1992. This day is
popularly known as 'Konkani Maneotaye Dis,' along the Konkan belt.
The programme started with 'Sobit Amchem Goem', a dance-song conducted by
Agnes Fernandes. Renowned Goan classical musician Milind Raikar was the
chief guest while Konkani litterateur J B Moraes was the guest of honour.
Konkani journalist Navin Kulshekar and tiatrist Nevis Oliveira were honoured
on the occasion for their contribution to Konkani literature and tiatr.
Renato Pereira Patron member of GRAF and Alex Silveira, President, Goan
Institute were also present on the dais.
GRAF's president Fausto V Da Costa gave an emotional call to all Konkani
people to respect their mother tongue and to use it while talking, reading,
and writing. 'Konkani has achieved great heights these days and it has
brought in top honours; but it simply doesn't matter to Konkani people who
are not proud of their language. They query about the benefits they stand to
gain from Konkani. Only people who benefit financially from Konkani and
people who can make an issue out of it to further their political career use
and misuse Konkani," stated Fausto.
He further added that the Konkani people in Mumbai, decades ago, were
responsible for promoting Konkani movements, tiatr, and Konkani periodicals.
He credited these Mumbaikars for Goa remaining a separate state with Konkani
as its language, since they contributed abundantly to Goa's opinion poll.
Fausto lamented the fact that today it becomes difficult to find a pure
Goans in Goa. He cautioned that forgetting one's language was equal to
losing one's identity.
J B Moraes beautifully explained 15 milestones of Konkani as follows:
1. 'Zagor' and 'Tiatr', 2. 'Kudd' of Mumbai, 3. Konkani periodicals, 4. Work
of Shennoy Goem Bab, 5. Konkani Parishad, 6. Konkani Bhasha Mandal of Mumbai
established in 1942, 7. Konkani radio progarmmes 8. First Konkani novel
'Anjel', 9. Opinion poll in Goa, 10. Sahitya Akademi's recognition for
Konkani as an independent language, 11. Konkani becoming the state language
of Goa, 12. Konkani entering the eigth schedule of our constitution, 13.
First Vishwa Konkani Sammelan, 14. Kalangan of 'Mandd Sobhan', and Vishwa
Konkani Bhavan, 15. Konkani singing entering the book of Guinness records.
Between these milestones there are thousands of furlongs which are not
listed here, he said.
Renato Pereira welcomed the gathering and proposed the vote of thanks.
Octaviano Fernandes, Secretary, GRAF, introduced the honourable guests,
while GRAF's chairman Gable D'Souza compered the programme.
Milind Raikar, Yadnis Raikar, Beni Alfy D'Souza, and John Cardozo, gave
violin and guitar presentations. Neves Oliveira rendered a melodious song
giving a clarion call to Goans to safeguard their land and property, while
'mando-dulpods' highlighting the rich Goan traditional culture, presented
by GRAF members under Renato Pereira was one of the highlights of the
evening.
