This lockdown is as good a time as any to check on the books that I possess but haven't read. I'll tell you about a book that I set out to read but actually didn't. As the subject line says it's name is Mahabharot (Adi Porv which means first part) and if I remember correctly it was given to me by Tensing Rodrigues.
The book actually is a transcription of a handwritten manuscript of the Mahabharat in Konkani which was stored at the public library of Braga in Portugal. Around 1950 Dr Mariano Saldanha became aware of the presence of some codices containing manuscripts of medieval times in the Braga library and informed Goan scholars like Dr. A. K. Priolkar and Dr. P. P. Pissurlenkar. Dr Jose Pereira too came to know about these manuscripts and publicised their existence. When Fr Antonio Pereira S. J. was on his way to Portugal Prof. Lourdino Rodrigues, Tensing's father who used to teach French and Portuguese at Dhempe College and was an authority on medieval Konkani requested him to get copies of the manuscripts back. Prof. Rodrigues then got the manuscript printed in 1986 with help from the businessman Avertano Furtado. He has written an Introduction to the book in English and Konkani where he explains the Konkani language used. There is also a Foreword by Dr Sheikh Ali than V.C. of Goa University and a Preface by Fr. A. Noronha s.f.x. Well I tried to read the stories in the book which are in the Roman script and which were probably transcribed from oral sources by Portuguese missionaries. But after struggling through one or two of the stories I found the Konkani too difficult and gave up. However the book does give an idea of what the Konkani of the 16-17th century was like. If you ask me (and I was surprised to learn this) it appears to sound more like the Konkani spoken by Mangaloreans. For instance here are the first lines of the Ads Porv."Astinapur nanv nogor tethim Santanu Chokrovoti Raei rajeo kori. Tem raeachie strie nanv Gonga; ti stri raei melloitana bolo soteo sukrut hounu ti raeichi stri zali; ... (In the city of Hastinapur the king Santanu Chokrovoti ruled. This king had a wife named Gonga. She had become the king's wife because she would speak honestly and had a good conscience.) Or so I think this is what it means. Although there is a large glossary at the back compiled by Prof. Rodrigues the Konkani is pretty difficult for me to understand. Anyway I just thought of posting this here in case anyone with more Konkani skills than me might be interested in working on this book. Augusto