Gõyant Romi Lipyecho Itihas (History of Roman Script in Goa) Compiled by: Pratap Naik,s.j. TSKK, Porvorim September 3, 2005
**1 - 26 = Comments by S. M. Borges FIRST PHASE: **1. 1510 - 1550: The European Catholic missionaries burnt down all the temples that existed in Ilhas, Bardez and Salcete. They instigated the new converts to steal books from their neighbours. They also raided the houses of Hindus and confiscated chests of books therefrom. All these were then destroyed. This was done albeit with the good intention of keeping the converts reverting to pagan doctrines and thus ensuring their salvation. 1556: 6th September First printing press in India was brought to St. Paul College, present day Old Goa by the Jesuits. Since fonts in local languages were not available books were printed in Roman script. Between 1556-1561 Doutrina Christã a catechism book in Konkani in Roman script was printed. No copy of this book is available. 1560 -1600: During this period Jesuit missionaries from oral sources recorded Konkani Mahabharata and Ramayana stories in Roman script. These manuscripts are now preserved in the Public Library of Braga, Portugal. **2. The "oral sources" were learned Brahmin converts who recited the stories from memory because the written sources, from which they had read them prior to their conversion, were already burnt down by the missionaries for fear that they might contain pagan doctrines. These manuscripts were later used as the raw material for compilation of vocabularies and grammars. What is found preserved is only a fraction of what was collected/recorded. 1560: The inquisition was established in Goa. To escape this many Goan Catholic and Hindu families migrated to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. **3. The inquisition was established on the express demand of the missionaries. The consequent exodus of Goans to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala is at the very root of the plethora of scripts that Konkani language boasts of using today. 1563: By 1563, a Goan seminarian of St. Paul College, whose name may be Andre Vaz prepared the first grammar of Konkani. **4. The text of instructions would naturally be in Portuguese but the Konkani part must have been in a local script because as late as 1575, the Jesuits were learning Konkani in the local script. (See "Oriente Conquistado"). 1563: Garcia da Orta's book "Coloquios dos simples, e drogas he cousas mediçinaes da India" (Conversations on Indian plants and drugs referring to the medicine of India) was printed in Goa. It contains Konkani botanical terms. **5. Any botanical work written in Portuguese/ English would obviously contain local Konkani names of plants etc. in the Roman script. Such is also the case with a much larger work, "Hortus Indicus Malabaricus" written by Van Rheede and published in 1675 i.e almost two decades after the last of the missionary works was printed in Goa.. This by itself does not prove that the Roman script was being used for the Konkani language. In fact "Hortus Indicus Malabaricus" contains a testimonial in Konkani written in Devanagari script! This goes to show that even in the seventeenth century Konkani was being written in the Devanagari script. The testimonial was issued by three Goan physicians (vaidyas) one of whom was familiar with the Roman script; he provided the Portuguese translation of the testimonial. Yet, the Konkani testimonial was not written in the Roman script. 1565: Jesuits started Konkani schools to teach Konkani in Roman script at Old Goa and Chorao, Goa. Later on such schools were opened by the Jesuits in Salcette. **6. These schools were not for instructing the locals but for teaching the language to the missionaries. It has been very clearly stated in "Oriente Conquistado" that they were taught the language using the local characters and not the Roman script. 1570: Through Jesuits' letters we know that already in 1570 Konkani grammar, Konkani-Portuguese and Portuguese- Konkani vocabularies were written by Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. **7. Script is not mentioned. But Fr Thomas Stephens and other Jesuits are on record requesting their superiors in Rome to send experts for casting the local fonts. Two of these did arrive but they died one after another before their task was completed. If the Roman script was already being used, why this requisition? 1622: Jesuit priest Thomas Stephens' 'Doutrina Christã' catechism was printed at Rachol, Goa. Copies are found in libraries of Lisbon and Vatican. **8. This was a posthumous publication. Earlier to this date and before Fr Stephens expired, the Portuguese rulers had already banned the use of the local script for official documents. Therefore the missionaries had no other option but to use the Roman script. Later a few Konkani books in Roman script were printed at Rachol. **9. A list of the volumes printed, together with information like number of pages and the number of copies still extant in original and where, would have helped. Also titles of works of which at least five printed copies have been found. 1640: Thomas Stephens' Arte da Lingoa Canarim (Grammar of Konkani language) was printed at Rachol. This is the first printed grammar of an Indian Language. 1667: Jesuit Missionary Ignacio Arcamone's 'Sogllea vorussanche vangel' (Gospels of the whole year) was published. Most likely, this is the first attempt to translate any part of the Bible in an Indian language. **10. The Mss is in Rome. But there is no printed copy nor any record of this work having ever been printed. The last printed Konkani work of the missionaries was "Devachim Ekangr Bolnim" by Fr. Joao de Pedrosa (1660). 1684: 27th June the Viceroy of Goa, Dom Francisco de Tavora Conde de Alvor issued a decree which imposed Portuguese language on the people and suppressed Konkani. 17th March 1987 the King of Portugal approved this decree. **11. This decree, like the Inquisition, was also issued on the express request of the missionaries. After this date, Goans were forbidden even to speak in Konkani and those who did not know Portuguese had to use an interpreter for making their confessions! 1745: Archbishop of Goa Lourenço de Santa Maria made it compulsory to all Catholics to speak Portuguese only, or else their sons will not be allowed to become priests. 1759: Jesuits were expelled from Goa by the Govt. The work of Konkani in Roman script came to end. **12. What work was done by the Jesuits in Konkani between 1667 and 1759? and where is the result/fruit of this work? Since the language was banned even from speaking, what was the necessity or raison d'être for such work, anyway. In fact, the "work" had come to a halt almost a century earlier. What is not mentioned is that Pombal, the progressive Prime Minister of Portugal, who expelled the Jesuits also issued an order to teach the local languages in colonial seminaries but this was largely ignored by the ecclesiastical authorities in Goa. Could this possibly mean that it was the Jesuits who hindered the use of local languages? 1778: Archbishop Assunção de Brito ordered that all religious instruction should be given in Portuguese only. SECOND PHASE: 1812: Archbishop of Goa Manoel de S. Galdino forbade the use of Konkani in parish schools. Many Goan Christian families began to speak Portuguese in their homes and called it their mother tongue! Konkani was considered a stranger in its own land by its own people! Inquisition was abolished. 1831: Govt. started schools in Goa. In these schools Konkani was excluded from the curriculum. **13. These were the Portuguese Primary Schools where, for the first time, Catholic children, especially those from the lower castes, learned the rudiments of the Roman script with Portuguese phonetics. Although they did not learn much of the Portuguese language (and they knew of no other script), the phonetics helped them to somehow correspond in Konkani with their family members who had emigrated to other lands in search of livelihood. This is really the turning point where the foundation of Konkani in Roman script was laid. Since the Portuguese language does not possess all the sounds of Konkani, they wrote the words as approximately as they could; and the reader also understood, by approximation, whatever the message was. They did not use, nor were they aware of, the elaborate phonetic system which was developed and used by the missionaries of the seventeenth century. It is also pertinent to point out here that this phase of printed Konkani began outside Goa, thus emphasizing the role of the emigrants. No Konkani writer of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was even aware of the missionary literature. 1840: Mando came into existence in Salcette. 1847: Archbishop Jose Maria Silva Torres, forbade the use of Konkani in the seminaries. 1853: The Govt. press purchased Devanagari types from Bombay, for use in printing advertisements and other notices in the Govt. paper Boletim do Governo. the first notice printed in Marathi appeared in this periodical on May 27, 1853. **14. 1858: Dr. J. H. Da Cunha Rivara published his "Ensaio Historico ..." in which he gave a clarion call to Goan youth to revive their mothertongue. He also described how the missionaries had systematically destroyed the Konkani literature that existed prior to the arrival of the Portuguese. Why is this important milestone omitted? 1868: First printed Konkani dictionary 'Diccionario Portuguez - Concani Composto por um Missionario Italiano' (Dictionary of Portuguese - Konkani composed by an Italian Missionary). Now we know it was compiled by Frei Francisco. **15. Were any Konkani literary works (including religious but excluding vocabularies and grammars) in Roman script printed during the 200 years prior to this date? Which was the first literary work in Roman script Konkani that appeared subsequent to this date? 1869: The first English - Konkani vocabulary 'Um Novo Vocabulario em Inglez, Portuguez e Concanim Vulgar em Bardez' ( A new vocabulary in English, Portuguese and Bardes popular Konkani) was compiled by Anicete Maria de Souza. 1889: 2nd February the first Konkani periodical 'Udentechem Sallok' was started by Eduardo Jose Bruno de Souza in Pune. 1892: 17th April the first tiatr 'Italian Bhurgo' of Lucasinho Ribeiro was staged in Mumbai. **16. This is no undoubtedly a major event in the history of Goan Art and Culture. But what has the staging of a tiatr (an audiovisual art form) to do with the Roman or any other script? Was it also printed and published? **17. 1893: Monsenhor Sebastião Rodolfo Dalgado's Konkani-Portuguese Dictionary was published from Bombay. It has Konkani entries in both Devanagari and Roman scripts but the lay-out is on the Devanagari pattern. Therein (in Introdução) he also unambiguously explains why Devanagari script is to be preferred for Konkani. 1904: In João Agostinho Fernandes' tiatr 'Bhattkara' his wife Mrs. Regina Fernandes acted. She was the first lady to act in the tiatr. See **16. 1905: 31st July the first Konkani novel 'Kristanv Ghorabo' was written and published by Eduardo Jose Bruno de Souza. **18. 1908 - 1915: Mr. Vaman R. V. Valaulikar alias Shenoi Goembab wrote and published eleven tales in Roman script Konkani. These were adaptations based on Shakespearean plays. They are distinct from other contemporary Konkani works in two major respects. They use the native syntax, instead of European, and maintain phonetic fidelity. 1915: In Karachi Fr. Ludovico Pereira started Konkani monthly 'Dor Mhoineachi Rotti' (Monthly bread). It still continues from Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa. Fr. Moreno de Souza, s.j. is the present editor. 1933: Pilar Society started Konkani weekly 'Vauraddeancho Ixtt' (Workers' friend). It was edited by Fr. L.A. Fernandes. At present Fr. Peter Raposo is the editor. 1949: Ms. Shalini Mardolkar was the first Hindu lady to act in tiatr 'Bhau' of Anthony F. Coelho. See **16. 1950: 24th April first full length Konkani film 'Mogacho Aunddo' produced under the banner of ETICA (Exchange Talkies of India, China and Africa) was released at Dasharata Cinema at Mapuça. It was directed and produced by Mr. Jerry Braganza of Mapuça. See **16. THIRD PHASE: 1960: In 1960's Mr. Joaquim A. Fernandes was convinced that for historical reasons and the ease and universality of Roman characters, Konkani should be written in Roman script as it was done by the missionaries. Therefore, he introduced the current orthography to write Konkani in Roman script. His book 'Konknni Nad-Xastr (vo Romi Lipient Konknni Borounchi Rit)' was published in 1972. 1975: 26th February The General Council of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi recognized Konkani as a literary language. No script was mentioned in the resolution. **19. The General Council (akin to the "General Body" of any Society) of the Akademi only endorsed the resolution which was placed before it by its Executive Board (akin to "Executive Council" of any Society). It was the Executive Board which had done all the necessary investigative spadework in this regard. 1981: The Advisory Board ( which had maximum number of Devanagari supporters) of Konkani of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, recommended to Sahitya Akademi to accept Devanagari script as the official script of Konkani. **20. 1982: The Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi issued a clarification regarding the script that has been recognized by the Akademi for Konkani. (No. SA 71/I/10700, dtd. 22 Oct. 1982). It is the standing practice of the Akademi to place all the intervening correspondence before the General Council whenever it meets. Therefore, it goes without saying that this matter must also been placed before the General Council when it met at a date subsequent to 22/10/1982. 1983: Fr. Freddy J. da Costa started Konkani monthly 'Gulab'. After Fr.Freddy's death his brother Fausto da Costa is the editor and publisher. 1987: 4th February Goa Assembly passed the Language bill. Thus Konkani written in Devanagari script became the State language of Goa. 14th March TSKK called a meeting of Konkani writers in Roman script at Jesuit House, Panaji to discuss how to introduce Devanagari script for writing Konkani. During this meeting a few important leaders of Konknni Porjecho Avaz (KPA) and writers expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the Language Act 1987. Since then TSKK began to find out from various people the reason for dissatisfaction. TSKK realized to foster Konkani in Goa Devanagari and Roman script are essential. Therefore TSKK took the lead and contacted Fr. Freddy da Costa and Mr. Tomazinho Cardozo and discussed the course of action and decided to call a meeting of Roman script writers, readers and well-wishers. **21. This means that the "dissatisfaction" surfaced within a month of the Official Language Act being passed by the Legislature and assented by the Lt. Governor i.e. even before the ink had dried. Is this where the sabotage began? It is worth noting here that Mr. Tomazinho Cardozo undertook the assignment by Goa Konkani Akademi to prepare an anthology of lyrics of Tiatr songs (Cantaram) but has not completed the work even after fourteen years. In spite of reminders, and assuming that he was too busy, he did not excuse himself from the task either. Thus he has effectively blocked the work. Otherwise the task could have been assigned to someone else and the same would have seen the light of day long since. There are persons who can accomplish this task in six months flat. Was this done deliberately to lay a foundation for his charge that the GKA is meting step-motherly treatment to Roman script Konkani? 1988: 17th July a seminar of Roman script Konkani writers was called at Instituto de Piedade, Panaji. During the seminar Fr. Pratap Naik, S.J. of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr (TSKK) proposed to Roman script writers and readers the idea of establishing Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) to promote Konkani in Roman script and submitted a master plan for Konkani in Roman script and proposed to start. 28th August a seminar was held at Loyola High School. Margão. Here Fr. Pratap Naik once again stressed the need of starting DKA. Participants accepted his suggestion and DKA was established. Fr. Pratap Naik made it clear to the members that he will not accept any office of DKA. Hence an ad hoc managing committee was elected. Fr. Freddy J. da Costa was chosen as the president, Mr. Agnelo Pires as the Vice-President, Mr. Tomazinho Cardozo as secretary. Mr. Thomas C. Fernandes as Jt. Secretary, Mr. Prabhakar Tendulkar as the treasurer. Mr. Zito Almeida and Fr. Eusebio Ferrão as members and Fr. Pratap Naik was nominated as the advisor. Fr. Pratap was enrolled as the first member of DKA. DKA appointed a special committee headed by Fr. Matthew Almeida,s.j. to prepare Konkani orthography in Roman script. It was published by DKA. 1989: 2 July DKA General Council elected new Managing Committee. President:Fr. Antimo Gomes, Vice-President:Fr. Planton Faria, Secretary:Tomazinho Cardozo, Joint Secretary: Mr. Vincy Quadros, Members:Cajetan Vaz, Mrs. Berta Menezes and Mr. Tarkeshwar Naik. 1990-2004: June 1990 to 23 March DKA remained dormant due to various reasons. Meanwhile TSKK persuaded the office bearers either to revive DKA or if it is not possible to close it down. **22. Have the funds collected been properly utilized and accounted for? This question arises from the fact that, over 15 years after he ceased to be its President and over a year after his tragic demise, Fr Freddy is being accused of misusing the funds. This charge has appeared in a Konkani periodical edited by a member of the Managing Committee which was elected on 2nd. July, 1989. No member of any of the Managing Committees (especially Mr Tomazinho Cardozo who has been continuously there and, therefore, should be in the know of things) has thought it fit to counter this charge. Obviously, therefore, some defalcation has definitely occurred and a dead person is sought to be made the fall guy, because he is not here to defend himself. A clarification in this regard is certainly called for. 1992: 20th August through an amendment to the Constitution of India Konkani was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. 2004: 25th March Fr. Pratap Naik took the initiative to revive the DKA. He discussed this matter with Fr. Freddy da Costa and Mr. Tomazinho Cardozo. Subsequently two times Fr. Freddy, Mr. Tomazinho and Mr. Prabhakar Tendulkar and Fr. Pratap Naik, s.j. met at Gulab office at Panaji to discuss the matter of Roman script and DKA. 12th May Romi writers and readers were invited at T.B.Cunha Hall to discuss the matter related to Roman script. It was officially decided once again to revive DKA. Fr. Freddy was chosen as the convener. Secretary and treasurer remained the same as before. Wilmix Mazarello, Cipriano Lopes, Cosma Fernandes, Dr. Olivinho Gomes, Jose S. Fernandes, Fr. Peter Raposo, Fr. Ave Maria Afonso, Wilfred Menezes, Willy Goes, Andrew and Fr. Pratap Naik, s.j. were nominated as members of the ad hoc managing committee. 17th May Fr. Freddy died. 19th June Mr. Tomazinho was chosen as the convener to lead DKA. 16th July Dr. Wilfred de Souza raised a Private Member's Resolution in the Goa Assembly, which was amended and adopted unanimously and then passed as a resolution by the house. 2005: 8th May 150 years of Dalgado's birth was celebrated at Caritas Hall Panaji. Fr. Vasco do Rego, S.J. was conferred with the first Dalgado Konknni Puroskar of Rs.50,000/- Archbishop Filipe Nerri Ferrão was the chief guest. 6th July DKA sent a letter to Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi and demanded to give equal recognition to Devanagari, Roman and Kannada scripts. 7th July DKA decided to call a meeting on 14th July at Pilar of a few institutions which are working for Konkani in Roman script, especially the tiatrists. **23. In what way do the tiatrists work for Konkani in Roman script? Of the hundreds of plays that they have successfully staged, (and some with centuries of performances!) how many have been published in the Roman script? Do they, in any way, help the Konkani periodicals in the Roman script? Even their advertisements appear only in English papers. So what attachment can they claim to have to the Roman script Konkani? 14th July DKA executive members and a few tiatrists met at 4.00 p.m. at Pilar and discussed issues related to Konkani in Roman script. During the meeting two decisions were taken. a) to send a memorandum signed by various Konkani institutions to Sahitya Akademi (SA), New Delhi demanding equal status for Devanagari , Roman and Kannada scripts of Konkani. b) to call a larger meeting at Margão of readers, writers and artists of Konkani in Roman script at Margão. **24. What is the meaning of "artists of Konkani in Roman script"? 14th July TSKK sent a memorandum of 14 demands for Roman script to Mr. Luizinho Faleiro, the Education minister. 15th July DKA executive members met Mr. Luizinho Faleiro at Secretariat, Panaji and submitted him a few demands of DKA and financial assistance to DKA. He promised to help. 20th July DKA submitted a memorandum to Mr. Luizinho Faleiro. 20th July TSKK wrote a letter to Mr. Pratapsingh Rane, the Chief Minister of Goa to appoint the president of Goa Konkani Akademi by turn from Roman and Devanagari groups. 25th July DKA executive members met Mr. Luizinho Faleiro at his residence to request him for office space to DKA. He promised to help. 8th August DKA organized a public meeting at Grace Church Hall, Margão to discuss issues related to Roman script. During the meeting Fr. Pratap Naik proposed 12 points of action for Roman script. At the end of the meeting 13 resolutions were unanimously passed. It was decided to send these resolutions to all MLAs and MPs of Goa. 12th August DKA executive members met Dr. Wilfred de Souza at his residence and submitted the memorandum. Dr. Souza is not in favour of amending the Act. But ready to support RLA's other demands. **25. Wherefrom this new outfit (RLA)? Who set it up, when and for what? 15th August DKA organized a function at Grace church Hall to release TSKK Romi Lipi booklet. Mr. Ullas Buyanv was the chief guest. He said that the catholic community made a mistake by forgoing their right for roman script during the language agitation. 20th August DKA president posted DKA memorandum to 40 MLAs and 3 MPs of Goa. DKA organized a programme at Majorda on the occasion of World Konkani Day. 23rd August met the Chief Minister at Goa Assembly complex and submitted him the memorandum. He was not ready to do anything for RLA. He said that whatever the high command says he would do it. He advised DKA to speak to his high command and party president. 27th August DKA executive members met Mr. Eduardo Faleiro at his residence at Raia. He fully supported RLA. Same day DKA members met Mr. Alex Sequeira at his residence. He too promised his full support. 29th August DKA executive members approved the name Romi Lipiyecho Avaz (RLA) for the Roman script movement. Cosma Fernandes and Godfrey Gonsalves met a number of MLAs and demanded to discuss the issue of roman script in the assembly during the zero hour. 30th August Mr. Jeetendra Deshprabhu introduced the issue of Roman script during Demands. Fr. Vasco do Rego, S.J. has written a letter to Archbishop of Goa to intervene and to obtain justice to Roman script. 31st August new Managing Committee of DKA was chosen unopposed. President:Mr. Wilson Mazarello, Vice-President 1: Mr. Cyprian Lopes, Vice-President 2: Mr. Vincy Quadros, Secretary: Michael Gracious Asst. Secretary: Jose Salvador Fernandes, Treasurer: Mr. Cosma Fernandes, Asst. Treasurer: Mr. Rupesh Jogle. Representatives of four institutions have been nominated as members of Managing Committee: Kala Mogi, Candolim, Konkani Non-Stop Tiatristanchi Sonvstha, Margão, V. Ixtt, Pilar and TSKK, Porvorim. 1st September Konknni Lipyancho Ekvott (KLE) met Mrs. Victoria Fernandes and briefed her about the demand for Roman script. KLE Co-ordinators sent its demands through e-mail. **26. Wherefrom and what is this new outfit (KLE)? 2nd September KLE co-ordinators met Mrs. Margaret Alva, General Secretary of Congress Party at Cidade de Goa and submitted its memorandum. At the Chief Minister's office a memorandum was submitted by KLE. - Forwarded to Gaspar Almeida, Associate, http://www.goa-world.com