Caridade Damaciano Fernandes >From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search
Caridade Damaciano Fernandes (1904 -- 7 October 1948) was a prolific Konkani-language novelist and a pioneer of prose fiction writing in that language. He has been called "the father of Konkani novels".[1] Caridade Damacian died on October 7, 1948, but his legacy is still remembered and celebrated.[2] Contents 1 Achievements 2 Works 3 Other contributions 4 Life 5 Works 6 Legacy 7 External links 8 References Achievements At a function held in October 2019, he was celebrated as a "novelist, journalist, song composer and celebrated literary son of Goa" and also called the "Romansincho Bapui" or Father of Konkani Novels.[1] This function was held in the parish hall of his village of Aldona in Goa.[1] Caridade Damacian was also editor of the English-language weekly published in Bombay, called The Emigrant. [1] D'Lima identifies The Emigrant as being a "Konkani-English weekly" published by E.C. Carvalho.[2] Caridade Damacian died on October 7, 1948, but his legacy is still remembered and celebrated.[3] Caridade Damacian has been called one of the "gems" of Aldona, a North Goa village from the sub-district of Bardez, which became known as the village of priests, nuns and tiatrists (Konkani dramatists). Alfred Rose, also from Aldona, called Fernandes the Romansincho Pai (The Fahter of the Konkani Romans Novels).[2] D'Cruz quotes the noted Indian Express former editor Frank Moraes as saying He has only to pick a page and a pen and ideas from his imaginative mind flow to his pen in a cascade.[2] Works Caridade Damaciano Fernandes' first book was Armida, published in 1931. For some years, he wrote and published a small book every week from the Victoria Printing Press in the city then called Bombay. The book was published each Wednesday, and priced one anna (or six paisa), one-sixteenth fraction of a rupee.[2] His last book was Goenchem Colvont, or The Goan Prostitute, written in the year of his passing in 1947, and printed by the Mapusa-based Tipografia Laxmi. His birth-date is unknown.[2] It is believed that after writing his work, he would consult with the three medical-doctor Elvino de Souza brothers. Brazinho Soares Kalafurkar, a Santa Cruz, Goa, based collector of the Konkani printed word, has said that Fernandes wrote and (probably self-published) around 101 romans novels.[2] Other contributions Caridade Damacian is known to have composed diverse songs for the plays staged by village youth for the Christmas season, usually between December 26 to January 6.[2] He is credited with having started the Bhurgeanchem Fest (Feast for Children) at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, in honour of St Luis Gonzaga, near his home in his ward. He composed a hymn which is still sung by people of his ward on the occasion.[2] Life Caridade Damacian was the only child of Manuel Fernandes (from Maina, Goa) and Maria M Mascarenhas (from Corjuem). Caridade Damacian was from the Maina ward of Aldona, and the son of a farmer.[2] His mother was a cook, who went from house to house offering her services at cooking and making Goan sweets.[2] He became a seaman, married Maria Luisa de Souza, and had no children. He lived for most of his adult life in Bombay, and rose to literary fame in the 1930s. He was married to Maria Luiza de Souza of Parra, and after her husband's death, she worked as a cook in other people's homes to earn a living.[2] Their home was in front of the Sacred Hearts of Jeasus and Mary Home for the Aged, and they were childless.[2] Their original home has been sold and a new one taken its place.[2] When he died, he was just 44 years of age, and was buried in the Aldona cemetery. In that short time, he wrote over a hundred Romans, as the Konkani action novel has been called.[2] Works Caridade Damacian edited the Bombay English-Konkani weekly The Emigrant. He wrote around 100 novels and novellas. Many were around thirty pages and sold for the low price of one Indian anna.[4] Their content focused on gripping tales of adventure and romance, featuring stereotyped characters, love-scenes, and endings characterised by poetic justice.[5] His most noted novels are Julus Patxai, Armida, Ankvaricho Cheddo, Rio Rita, and La Beatrice.[5] His last work was Goenchem Kolvont, published in 1947.[4] Legacy It was announced in 2019 that Caridade Damacian would have a street named after him in Aldona.[6] External links Translation of a magazine cover story on the author, written by Felix D'Cruz, translated by Sonia do Rosario Gomes References Desk, N. T. (27 October 2019). "DKA remembers the father of Konkani novels". The Navhind Times. Retrieved 11 January 2021. D'Cruz, Felix (January–March 2019). "Caridade Damaciano Fernandes Taka 'Romansincho Pai' Mhunn Pachartale. Translated by Sonia Do Rosario Gomes". Goycho Pormoll: 67 onwards. "Remembering son of soil". The Goan EveryDay. Retrieved 11 January 2021. Paul Fernandes, 'A Forgotten Konkani Novellist', Sunday Times of India (Goa Edition) (22 December 2019), p. 2. ManoharRai SarDessai, A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992 (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 2000), p. 228. 'Aldona VP to hold special gram sabha on Sagarmala project', The Navhind Times (21 October 2019). India flag icon Stub icon This article about an Indian writer or poet is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caridade_Damaciano_Fernandes JOIN THE WIKIPEDIANS OF GOA group, and help build share-able global info that anyone can use related to Goa https://chat.whatsapp.com/LgWaEdtQ6O2ELZmO7LIUwl -- FN* फ्रेड्रिक नोरोन्या * فريدريك نورونيا +91-9822122436