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Mangalore: Sahitya Akademi Should Recognize Other Scripts of Konkani - Ozario

  •   Sat, Jun 30 2012 02:19:56 PM

Mangalore: Sahitya Akademi Should Recognize Other Scripts of Konkani - Ozario

Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)

Mangalore, Jun 30: "A petition has been filed in the high court against Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi by Global Konkani Organization (Jagotik Konkani Songhotton) urging recognition of five scripts including Devanagari for Konkani awards, assignments and projects," informed Eric Ozario at press meet here on Saturday June 30.

So far, the Akademi has been considering Konkani works written in Devanagiri script for awards. The petition urges recognition of Kannada, Roman, Perso-Arabic and Malayalam scripts as well, all of which are employed to write Konkani.

"Although Devangiri script is the third most prolific script after Kannada and Roman, it is being used as the official script," Ozario said.

"Since the very beginning, the Sahitya Akademi has been presenting awards, assignments and projects to literature in the Devanagiri script only. Even after repeated appeals there was no positive response, hence, I along with Valli Vagga and Marcel D’Souza on behalf of all Konkanis approached court appealing for recognition to all the five scripts of Konkani language in granting awards and all other purposes," he said.

On the other hand, even as the court is considering this petition, the Karnataka State Konkani Linguistic Minorities Institutions has filed an application to implead the Organization in the case, pleading to consider ‘only Devanagiri for recognition’.

"They also issued a press statement (published on June 12) with wrong information that the Constitution has given importance to Devanagari script and if any other script is used, it's importance will diminish," said Ozario, emphasizing that importance should be given to all the five scripts including Devanagari.

JKS treasurer Roy Castelino, vice-president K K Utharan, linguist Dr Pratap Naik,  Vally Vagga among others were present.
  

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Comment on this article

  • antony arun d'souza, Dubai

    Mon, Jul 02 2012

    Dear Eddie sequeira you are right.you are a best artist and actor from mangalore.your article was very good about konkani.you just tell us is there anything in this world above OUR GREAT WILFY BAB.no one can beat him.....even if he is nomore..........just impossible

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr. Cajetan Coelho, Goa, India

    Sun, Jul 01 2012

    Post-colonial Goa is beautiful. From 1961 to 2012 people from J&K, UP, MP, HP, AP, TN, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Bengal, Punjab, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Haryana, Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal, Manipur, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep & Minicoy have all made Goa their permanent home. Many of those older generations have made efforts to learn Konkani. Their younger generations are fluent in “Amchi Bhas”. They love reading Konkani. Many even write. They use Devnagri. As far as Goa is concerned Konkani will be kept alive by those who have become Konkani lovers by choice. Long live Konkani.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Eddie Sequeira, Mangalore-Doha

    Sun, Jul 01 2012

    Good move by the JKS so that many celebrated authors of our region can get recognition which is overdue. At the same time I am afraid that we are forgetting the next generation writers and speakers of Konkani. I am not a linguist or expert in scripts. I enjoy when our children speak good, correct sounding Konkani and for this purpose (not just to get awards) I feel our children should be encouraged to use Devnagari. My observation
    In the Gulf I had the opportunity of listening to Konkani with different pronunciation, especially when they read out from the written Romi script text. It sounds quite different from the one which they converse regularly. I was also editing a Newsletter for our Parish Konkani Community. Few articles and poems used to be in Konkani from Goan and Mangalorean writers. There too I found the Goans using Romi script, write/spell words in many different ways and while reading pronounce it as it is written. When I wanted someone to write in Romi a poem from a Mangalorean writer they said only one of them writes correctly.
    Recently at one of our programme Wilfy Rebimbus Day, a small girl read a beautiful Konkani poem which was appreciated by all. I have heard her talking beautiful Konkani at home but when she read the poem refering the paper in her hand written in Romi script, her pronunciation was not good. Then this Friday during Mass another little girl did the reading in Konkani, she sounded excellent, sweet as it should be, and she was reading out from the paper in which she had written in Devnagari. The reason I think because in Devnagari you can write exactly what you pronounce or sound (same with the Kannada Script). Now as the children have to study Hindi in school, it will be easier for the children also it will save the beautiful sounds.
    I gifted the little poetess a book of Poems of late Wilfy Rebimbus in Devnagari script. Hope she becomes a great Poetess and continues to regale listeners with proper, correct sounding Konkani poems

    DisAgree [2] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • antony arun d'souza, Dubai

    Sun, Jul 01 2012

    Dear Rodney i fully agree with you.Instead of creating more chaos,let's accept the things as they are today.So far it was ok with Konkani...why take more troubles?is it a kind of freedom struggle like Gandhiji's?

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Stephen Quadros Permude, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 01 2012

    A serious student of Indian History with a keen eye and deep observation can discover the one in the many, individual in the aggregate, the simple in the composite. Beneath the manifold diversity of physical and social type, language, custom and religion can still be discerned a certain underlying uniformity of life from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin.Unity of India is better served byrespecting and considering the diversity of India. We, since the time of Vedas-Upanishads and Puranas to this Costitution and even today have respected the vividity and given importance to decentralisation.
    Those who argue that Nagari is the script of may please read the history of scripts, history of Nagari and history of Konkani(List of scholastic works on this regard will be made available on request)Now please see Article 29 and the VIII schedule of the Constitution of India.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossie Mascarenhas, Bajpe / Dubai

    Sun, Jul 01 2012

    It is now too late to have one single script because people using this sweet language to verbally communicate have spread across too many regions of this globe using different scripts, mainly those five. It is totally impossible and if imposed will result in faster demise of this slowly dying language. Who would insist on their children to learn another script (it may be one as common as Hindi but it is totally a different story to use it to communicate Konkani) in today’s busy world unless it is academically necessary? Would I, after using Kannada all my life, start learning how to read and write in another script to pass my ideas or thoughts to others? Have we learnt to seriously write in Hindi script although it was there in our school curriculum? The sincere answer to all the questions is NO. For me, when I think of Konkani it is the one in which I used to get letters from my mother.

    So, we have to take a middle path which our Eric Baab has taken which we all should support. That too when most of the Konkani promotions are undertaken and happening in our part of the world, then surely the Sahitya Academi must consider this request. It is not with the intention to win a dispute but it is with the clear love of this language we must include all scripts and try to form a force to reckon with. And when that happens the recognition becomes easy. So much of rich literature written in scripts other than that one script goes unrecognized. I feel this is a highly worthy endeavor embarked upon.

    What I would further suggest is - I don’t know if it is already in place or not - let the Academi appoint translators for all the scripts to analyze and evaluate the treasure literature from all scripts and choose the winners each time when it comes to awards.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • John Tauro, Mangalore / Kuwait

    Sat, Jun 30 2012

    According to historical records Devanagri is the original script of Konkani, since it is one of the Indo-Aryan languages originated from Prakrit and Sanskrit. Romi was forcibly imposed by the Portuguese in Goa with the sole objective of obliterating local culture. Kannada and Malayalam were adopted by the Konkani migrants in the south who fled Portuguese oppression in Goa. Persian -Arabic was adopted by the Muslim converts of the Konkan region. Now will using five different scripts for the language, spoken by hardly 6 million people, bring about unity and promote integrity among the different communities speaking the same language? Today as Konkani literary works are printed in five different scripts by different communities and regions, there is no exchange of publications across these different regions and communities. Therefore, I believe that a unified script is a must for the development and promotion of the language and more importantly for the unity and integrity of the different communities living in different regions of the country.
    In this respect, I agree with Mr. Robert, Mangalore/Dubai. Every educated Indian is familiar with Devnagari since Hindi is taught in each and every school across the country. So by adopting Devanagari the original script of Konkani, people in different parts of the country will have no difficulty in learning the language and exchanging literature, thus promoting the language and bringing about integrity. Finally what will be the identity of Konkani without a unified script?

    DisAgree [3] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vinod, Mangalore

    Sat, Jun 30 2012

    Good Move by the JKS. Go head we are all with you. Sahitya academy will recognise all the scripts very soon. No option left to them.

    DisAgree [16] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • John DSilva, Karkala/Mumbai

    Sat, Jun 30 2012

    Konkani is rich language. Because it is written in five scripts. Language should be given importance and not the script. Kankani is written in five scripts for ages. There is no point in giving awards and recognition to only one script. Recognising one script has not helped the language. On the contrary it is a big impediment to its development. Sahitya Academy and Government should recognise all the five scripts. There is rich literature in all the scripts. Eventually over a period of time devnagari script can be developed to get qualified for unification. Let us hope that good sense will prevail and Sahitya Academy consider the just demand of all the scripts.

    DisAgree [12] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Robert, Mangalore/Dubai

    Sat, Jun 30 2012

    Today, a vast majority of Indians are familiar with Devnagari Script. It would be good if Konkani utilizes the Devnagari Script for its overall development. There is a huge proportion of Konkani speaking individuals in Bombay from Mangalore origin who would not understand Kannada or Malayalam script. The options would be Devnagari or Romi but Marathi and Hindi are written in Devnagari Script and many would find it easier to go for Devnagari. It would be best if one uniform script is dedicated for the development of Konkani otherwise the young generation outside Karnataka will not bother even to speak in Konkani.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [36] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rodney Vaz, Dubai/UAE

    Sat, Jun 30 2012

    Why does Mr.Eric Ozario is insisting on multiple scripts for Konkani? Is this to create more chaos? In order to have further recognition, there ought to have an unified script in Roman for the current and the coming generation.

    DisAgree [13] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse


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