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Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (SP)
Mumbai, Jul 24: Goan Review Art Foundation (GRAF), in association with Konkani Association-Mumbai (KAM), organized a Konkani seminar on ‘Mumbointlea Konknneacho Ekvott Koso Zoddop?’ and ‘Mumbointle Goenkarance Kudd ani Sonstha Koxeo Samballop?’ on July 19, 2009 at St Sebastian Goan High School Hall, Dabul at 4.00 pm. 67 people attended the seminar.
Fausto V da Costa, president of GRAF, commenced the seminar by impressing upon the audience the need to get all the Konkani speaking people of the metro together and the need to protect the Konkani Associations and Clubs (Kudd) in Mumbai.
General secretary of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Maharashtra and Konkani writer and activist Lawrence D’Souza, Kamani, the main speaker of the session said, “There are about 50 lac Konkani-speaking people in India and about 12 lac in Mumbai alone. In the initial years of 19th century, the people were mostly staying in the stretch between Colaba to Sion in the east and up to Mahim in the west. Therefore, it was not difficult to get the people together to attend functions and tiatrs, plays etc. Life was good and people got time to meet. But now, the people have spread to Dombivli and Mira Road. The life style has undergone a sea change. Travelling has become tedious, particularly after a days hard work and people look forward to relax after reaching home. The TV has further made it attractive to stay at home to watch the programmes at leisure.”
He then elaborated that Konkani language being spoken in different states is now being written in their own script. As of now, Konkani is being written in Roman, Devnagiri, Kannada, Malayalam and Urdu (Persian/Arabic). He pointed out, that each area has adopted a number of words from the local language into Konkani like Portuguese in Goa, Tulu in Mangalore, Malayam in Kerala, Marati in Maharashtra etc. As a result a dialect of any one area is not understood fully by all. He said, this has been creating a major stumbling block in bringing all the Konkani-speaking people together.
“In modern times we must particularly pay attention to the youth. Now-a-days, the youths have become computer-savvy. We must use the computer and the internet to propagate our language. One simple method is to post difficult words one by one, giving details along with it, like meaning, pronunciations etc. We have a platform in the form of Konkani Basha Mandal, Maharashtra, to promote Konkani. This has been in existence for the last 66 years and has had a chequered existence,” he explained. He pointed out that as of now, there are many Konkani associations and named a few. However, there is no unity among the Konkani-speaking people,” he lamented.
He further reminded the audience that there is a big treasure of works done in Konkani by our ancestors. “We must take advantage of this and go forward irrespective of which state we belong to,” he exhorted.
In conclusion, Fausto mooted the idea of forming a federation of all Konkani associations in Mumbai. The activities of the associations could then be controlled. He further explained that the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Maharashtra being the oldest Konkani institution in Mumbai having Goans, Mangaloreans, Sawantwadis, Karwaris, Saraswats etc., as its members, could act as the mother association to all the Konkani associations in Mumbai. The second part was the registration of Goan Clubs. The discussion proceeded with Fausto recollecting the discussions held during the last seminar on March 29, 2009. One club reported that they had a problem where the manager was not co-operating with the members by not getting the original documents from an illegal occupant who was forced to leave the premises. Members of that club were advised to call for a general body meeting of the club and get a new manager elected and also to file a police case that the documents of the club have been illegally taken away. Another club had a problem of guest members trying to take over the club and selling it. However, one senior member managed to get the support from the village in Goa including a letter from the Sarpanch, after which he got the members from Goa and held an election and formed a new committee. He has also recruited new members from the village. He was advised to register the club immediately.
Fausto clarified that GRAF will help in all possible ways in facilitating the members to register their clubs. However, it is important that the clubs come forward with their problems.
Gable D’Souza, secretary of Konkani Association, Mumbai compered the sessions and proposed vote of thanks. He reminded the audience of the World Konkani Day celebration to be held on August 30, 2009 at 7.00 pm at Anza Hall, Byculla, Mumbai, being organized by Konkani Association-Mumbai in collaboration with GRAF.