Contract the writer [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Delhi News Feed by Dr Brian Mendonca in Delhi) -----------------------------------------------------------
Book Release in Delhi Goa: A Daughter's Story by Maria Couto "We have our language, our State. We have to recover our soul." Maria Couto It seemed like the Kala Academy, Miramar, for the sprinkling of Goans gathered at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 22 April 2004, for a discussion to mark the publication of Maria Couto's book Goa: A Daughter's Story. At the end of two hours of forays into aspects of Goanness by the panelists, it was more easily possible to see the Goan as a product of ones unique historical circumstances, quite apart from the Indian mainland. After all, wasn't it Panditji who said "Goa ke log ajeeb heh". Taking off from stereotypes of Goa -- rave parties, skirts at the Republic Day parades, and beaches -- the speakers meandered from the genesis and inspiration for the book (Couto), why the BJP is in power in Goa (Rajdeep Sardessai), the popular notion of what Goan Christians are like (Shobhana Bhattacharjee) and the Common law code vs the civil law code in Goa (Fali Nariman). Dilip Padgaonkar who chaired, provided nuggets like what Bakibab Borkar said should be done after he died - "Throw my body into the sea. For all my life I have eaten fish. Now let them eat me." Couto's canvas is large i.e. from 1510, when Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa to the present. She dwelt on the shaping influences on her by Bakibab Borkar and Pissurelekar in the 60's and the latter's haunting words 'Amchem kanni boroi'. (Write our story). Goa: A Daughter's Story is about the author finding her own voice apart from, as she puts it "my husband's wife and my father's daughter." Knitting her memoirs across Bihar, Delhi and Dharwar, Couto understandably finds her peace in Aldona, where she finds the quintessence of the Goan personality i.e. where Goans live in harmony, united by shared traditions and a common language. She has also dealt sensitively with the issue of conversions. "It is only when we comprehend our past, can we go beyond it." As Rajdeep eloquently observed, written at a time when secularists feel there is no hope the book tells us that in its microcosm "Goa provides the perfect example why the idea of India will endure." And it is not for this reason alone that Nehru's Discovery of India needs to be read, remarked Fali. Rajdeep also mentioned other stereotypes associated with Goa like "fish, feni and football", what Goan catholics used to be called in Bombay, i.e. "maka paus" and "put through" after what they used to say while asking their mates to pass the ball to them while playing football. The BJP is in Goa more because of the moral bankruptcy of the Congress and the erosion of MGP's ideology than anything else, he said. Shobhana said we need to move away from the stereotype of the (Bombay) Goan-Catholic girl who says, "Hum God se ek wish maangta heh". A scratch poll which Rajdeep conducted revealed that 8 out of 10 thought Christianity was the dominant religion in Goa. (Christians only comprise 23-30%). This too is a stereotype because of the myth-making and promotion Goa is subject too. Rajdeep was even asked how he could be a Goan since his name was neither Gonsalves nor D'Souza! Fali praised Couto for her lucid style and for retaining the "dignity of history" a phrase by Thucydides. He quoted Rajgopalachari censure of the "liberation" action in 1962 and Will Durant's rhetorical questioning of the decline of Portugal after Magellan. Discover the river, Couto advises, in Goa. It is in its eddies we discover our true selves. -Dr Brian Mendonca, New Delhi ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################