Gõyant Romi Lipyecho Itihas
(History of Roman Script in Goa)
Compiled by:
Pratap Naik,s.j.
TSKK, Porvorim
September 3, 2005
FIRST PHASE:
1556:
6th September First printing press in India was brought to St. Paul College,
present day Old Goa by the Jesuits. Since fonts in local languages were not
available books were printed in Roman script. Between 1556-1561 Doutrina
Christã a catechism book in Konkani in Roman script was printed. No copy
of this book is available.
1560 -1600:
During this period Jesuit missionaries from oral sources recorded Konkani
Mahabharata and Ramayana stories in Roman script. These manuscripts are now
preserved in the Public Library of Braga, Portugal.
1560:
The inquisition was established in Goa. To escape this many Goan Catholic
and Hindu families migrated to Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala.
1563:
By 1563, a Goan seminarian of St. Paul College, whose name may be Andre Vaz
prepared the first grammar of Konkani.
1563:
Garcia da Orta's book Coloquios dos simples, e drogas he cousas mediçinaes
da India (Conversations on Indian plants and drugs referring to the
medicine of India) was printed in Goa. It contains Konkani botanical terms.
1565:
Jesuits started Konkani schools to teach Konkani in Roman script at Old Goa
and Chorao, Goa. Later on such schools were opened by the Jesuits in
Salcette.
1570:
Through Jesuits' letters we know that already in 1570 Konkani grammar,
Konkani-Portuguese and Portuguese- Konkani vocabularies were written by
Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries
1622:
Jesuit priest Thomas Stephens' 'Doutrina Christã' catechism was printed at
Rachol, Goa. Copies are found in libraries of Lisbon and Vatican.
Later a few Konkani books in Roman script were printed at Rachol.
1640:
Thomas Stephens' Arte da Lingoa Canarim (Grammar of Konkani language) was
printed at Rachol. This is the first printed grammar of an Indian Language.
1667:
Jesuit Missionary Ignacio Arcamone's 'Sogllea vorussanche vangel' (Gospels
of the whole year) was published. Most likely, this is the first attempt to
translate any part of the Bible in an Indian language.
1684:
27th June the Viceroy of Goa, Dom Francisco de Tavora Conde de Alvor issued
a decree which imposed Portuguese language on the people and suppressed
Konkani.
17th March 1987 the King of Portugal approved this decree.
1745:
Archbishop of Goa Lourenço de Santa Maria made it compulsory to all
Catholics to speak Portuguese only, or else their sons will not be allowed
to become priests.
1759:
Jesuits were expelled from Goa by the Govt. The work of Konkani in Roman
script came to end.
1778:
Archbishop Assunção de Brito ordered that all religious instruction should
be given in Portuguese only.
SECOND PHASE:
1812:
Archbishop of Goa Manoel de S. Galdino forbade the use of Konkani in parish
schools. Many Goan Christian families began to speak Portuguese in their
homes and called it their mother tongue! Konkani was considered a stranger
in its own land by its own people!
Inquisition was abolished.
1831:
Govt. started schools in Goa. In these schools Konkani was excluded from the
curriculum.
1840:
Mando came into existence in Salcette.
1847:
Archbishop Jose Maria Silva Torres, forbade the use of Konkani in the
seminaries.
1853:
The Govt. press purchased Devanagari types from Bombay, for use in printing
advertisements and other notices in the Govt. paper Boletim do Governo. the
first notice printed in Marathi appeared in this periodical on May 27, 1853.
1868:
First printed Konkani dictionary 'Diccionario Portuguez - Concani Composto
por um Missionario Italiano' (Dictionary of Portuguese - Konkani composed by
an Italian Missionary). Now we know it was compiled by Frei Francisco.
1869:
The first English - Konkani vocabulary 'Um Novo Vocabulario em Inglez,
Portuguez e Concanim Vulgar em Bardez' ( A new vocabulary in English,
Portuguese and Bardes popular Konkani) was compiled by Anicete Maria de
Souza.
1889:
2nd February the first Konkani periodical 'Udentechem Sallok' was started by
Eduardo Jose Bruno de Souza in Pune.
1892:
17th April the first tiatr 'Italian Bhurgo' of Lucasinho Ribeiro was staged
in Mumbai.
1904:
In João Agostinho Fernandes' tiatr 'Bhattkara' his wife Mrs. Regina
Fernandes acted. She was the first lady to act in the tiatr.
1905:
31st July the first Konkani novel 'Kristanv Ghorabo' was written and
published by Eduardo Jose Bruno de Souza.
1915:
In Karachi Fr. Ludovico Pereira started Konkani monthly 'Dor Mhoineachi
Rotti' (Monthly bread). It still continues from Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa.
Fr. Moreno de Souza, s.j. is the present editor.
1933:
Pilar Society started Konkani weekly 'Vauraddeancho Ixtt' (Workers' friend).
It was edited by Fr. L.A. Fernandes. At present Fr. Peter Raposo is the
editor.
1949:
Ms. Shalini Mardolkar was the first Hindu lady to act in tiatr 'Bhau' of
Anthony F. Coelho.
1950:
24th April first full length Konkani film 'Mogacho Aunddo' produced under
the banner of ETICA
