Eugene Correia writes: Naresh's piece is good reading at least for many who were not aware of the role of Goans in Mumbai's music world.
Comment: Great and informative piece by Naresh Fernandes. This was a very well researched article. From the responses, the Bombay Goans were very nostalgic. And those Goans, who left Goa and Bombay bypassing all this culture, got a lesson on Goan culture in Bombay. One of the reasons why Goan culture in Bombay flourished and prospered- perhaps more than in Goa was because of the market place. In Bombay there were the financial resources of the listeners and the clientele who appreciated that music and dance. Most of the clientele for these Goan Musical Greats were rich Bombaywallas who frequented the night clubs, other club houses, ritzy eating establishments and Bollywood. But before the Goans became Greats in Bombay and in Naresh Fernandes' article, the 'not so rich' Goans supported and nourished the Goan artists. Here may be a learning lesson for the current Goan Diasporas. But before we get to that, the breeding ground for young musically inclined Goan boys to develop and polish their act were the Goan functions - weddings and dances (through out the year and specially Christmas and New Year season) hosted by the Catholic Gymkhana, Byculla Mechanics, the Bandra gymkhana etc. The foremost to stimulate the spirit of competition and excellence were the "Teens and Tunes" musical and dance competitions. The article did not mention about this institution and whether it still exists. Perhaps some GoaNetters form Bombay may enlighten us on this. In the seventies, we had the high school and college 4-5 member band groups with names like: five stars, Caravels, Drifters, Gay Dukes, Gemini four to name a few, among many others that vied for the annual top three spots in the young Goan music world. These young boys were basically home grown without fancy/expensive equipment that struggled and were motivated to learn and master the art. There were no school or college music departments as we have in the USA. In the Goan Diaspora, with all the support system in the schools and in the home, we have not been able to stimulate many young Goan boys and girls into music. And those that made it did so on their own without much Goan community support. The only time the Goan community appreciated these artists was after the world at large gave them accolades and recognized their talent. Perhaps Toronto has some Goan young music groups. But to the best of my knowledge New York City and Chicago do not have any. How can the community nurture that talent? Every Indian function I attend has performances by 7-15 year-old boys and girls on Indian music and dance and that is great. This is a call to action by the Goan community in the Diaspora!!! ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################
