| More than sun and beaches |
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Shwetal Kamalapurkar
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Maria Aurora Counto�s Goa - A daughter�s story, made for some interesting book-reading in the City recently.
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The moonlight streamed through the leaves of the coconut palm, the cool breeze danced to vibrant Portuguese music at the Opus on Friday night.
It was an evening in Bangalore where Goa was brought alive by none other than the fun-loving Goans themselves.
The evening, however, was not a showcase of �beaches and booze� dimension of Goa. It brought to the forefront intellectuals and literary icons who had gathered to hear Maria Aurora Couto speak about Goa and her well-acclaimed book, Goa � A daughter�s story.
A different Goa
The book reading and discussion was organised by the Karnataka Goan Association (KGA) as part of its cultural agenda. Talking at the event, Francisco Saldhana, president KGA, expressed his delight at having an opportunity to show Goa in a different light through Maria�s book.
The event was truly star-studded with Girish Karnad moderating the reading and discussions and Shashi Deshpande introducing Aurora and her book.
Also, present at the occasion, were many of Aurora�s childhood friends whose pride and delight at her book being an international bestseller was obvious.
In his introduction to the book and the author, Karnad said, �The book is a strong answer to the notion of Hindutva, which is a manufactured identity.�
Karnad, who has known Aurora ever since school,
also traces his roots to Goa and was pleased to have a book about the history of Goa, that was scholarly and yet, personal.
Introducing Aurora, Shashi said that one could see �the real Aurora in this book.� She said that there was a personal quality in the book and yet, it was not self-indulgent.
Shashi and Aurora have been classmates in school at Dharwad, where both spent their formative years.
Sitting under the thatched roof with multi-coloured lights flashing on the dais, a composed and elegant Aurora spoke about the Goa behind the picture postcards and the Bollywood projection.
Her intense involvement in the book and passionate love for understanding the history of Goa were evident. The indepth research and fact finding involved in making the book happen spoke for itself, while she answered questions with the expertise of one who is well read. Talking about the book, she said that it was �her personal search for the Goan identity within the larger
Indian identity� and that, through this book, she has tried to �comprehend the complex historical background of Goa.�
She was emphatic as she said that the Goan image projected was �stereotype� and that there was a lot more to the place than was shown.
Varied influences
Her book draws up the influences that have touched all Goans alike � the Luso-Indian culture; conversion and Inquisition; political and cultural changes in Europe; folk traditions, music and the Konkani language; freedom and integration with India. All of these, she says �have shaped Goa.�
To her, Goa is a land of �deep spirituality, rivers, fields, coconut plantations, beautiful landscape� et al. The greenery and environment of Goa is the one thing that she cant do without. �Village Goa is a garden,� she says.
To most present at the occasion, the following lines sum up the book, the idea behind it, the author�s love for it and almost every conceivable question about the
book, �We have our language. We have our state. We now have to recover our souls.� |
(Deccan Herald)
- Forwarded by http://www.goa-world.com
WHAT'S ON AROUND WITH THE GOANS IN THE GULF:
MAY BALL 2005
Date: 12-05-05 Organized by Goan Welfare Society (GWS)-Kuwait
Venue: Safir Palace Hotel, Riggea Band: Stepping Stones
Highlights: Crowning of the MAY QUEEN 2005.
YGC BAHRAIN MAY QUEEN BALL
Date: 05-05-05 Organized by: Young Goans Club, Bahrain
Venue: Palace Inn Hotel Highlights: The YGC May Queen Contest
ANNUAL MAY QUEEN BALL
Date: 05-05-05 Organized by Goan Welfare Associate(GWA), Qatar
Venue: The Diplomatic Club. Highlights: Crowning of the May Queen.
UPCOMING EVENT IN GOA:
FRUIT FEST 2005 http://www.goa-world.com/goa/fruitfest/
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