The reading of Ethel D'Costa's "Heart 2 Heart" about the trees of Campal brought to my mind a beautiful poem in Konkani by Joaquim Antonio Fernandes (1889-1975) about two banyan trees on Candolim Hill - a poem which, together with my free rhymed Portuguese translation of it, has just been published in Casa de Goa (Lisbon)'s Newsletter of May/June 2003. For those who would like to read it, I am giving it forthwith, followed by an English translation as published in ManoharRai SarDessai's "A History of Konkani Literature" (Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi [2000]). I can also post my Portuguese version, upon request. This will however require the use of diacritic signs (cedilla and accents).
Jorge ------------------------------ VODD KANDOLLECHEA DONGRA VOILE Kall zale / Doria voile vatten / Agbottin ani patmaren / Goykar Mumboi gele. / Te gele ani aile / Ani soglle kall / Te dog ruk vixall / Thoich ravle / Vodd Kandollechea dongra voile. / Ani veta astanam / Desputan aple dolle / Aprub desacher laile tednam / Mhatare avoi-bapui koxe / Roddkullem ieun / Ani matim bagoun / Taka adeus kortale / Vodd Kandollechea dongra voile. / ... Kitlim zhoddam-moddam zalim / Onorthache vav ani varim suttlim / Ruk ani zhaddam umttun poddlim / Pun, he dog moujen hal'le ani dhol'le / Pavsant ghusu-ghusu nhale / Ani, jea desant mhatarponn ieta ravun / Ani bhurgeponn sorta hansun-khellun / Tea sundor desachi bhuim-kuru saun / Thoich ghott ravle / Vodd Kandollechea dongra voile. (Translation, from ManoharRai SarDessai) THE BANYAN TREES ON CANDOLIM HILL Many years ago / Goans went to Bombay / By boats and steamers. / They went and returned, / And during all this time / Those two gigantic trees / Stood where they were, / Those banyan trees on Candolim Hill. / When, while departing, / The son of the soil / Cast his glance at the wonderful country, / Like old father and mother / They bent their heads / And with tears in their eyes / They bade him goodbye, / The banyan trees of Candolim Hill. / ... How many storms came, / Violent winds struck terror, / Trees big and small were uprooted, / But these two swayed to and fro with glee, / Ghusu-ghusu they bathed themselves in the rain / And, in the country where old age comes in its time / And childhood passes in games and laughter, / As an earthly symbol of that beautiful country, / They remained there firmly, / The banyan trees of Candolim Hill. ------------------------------ ----- Original Message ----- From: Floriano Lobo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: GoaGoans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 6:21 AM Subject: [The Goan Forum d-list] COMMENTS Re: Ethel da Costa's Heart 2 Heart -Herald -Insight- 4 July-2003. Heart 2 heart By: Ethel D'Costa Herald Insight (Friday July 4, 2003) No more tears for the trees of Campal Let me jog your memory cells .. 300 odd people bobbing along the streets of Campal. Paper festoons, banners decorating the sidewalks. (snipped) ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################