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What Dotor bab, is saying about Marathi lovers being sidelined and the
exhortation to relocate to Maharashtra, would do with some
clarification.
Dotor bab, you are indeed entitled to your thoughts; all I am asking
for is some understanding. Would you be be agreeable to fleshing out
your thoughts a little bit. Here we have two individuals Pravin Sabnis
and Kamalaksh Chari who have graciously posed very kind questions to
you. Hopefully others will not take issue with their kindness and
raise the interrogative bar. Surely Manohar-bab would not agree to the
idea of Marathi being sidelined, or are you aware that there is a new
white paper circulating somewhere? Perhaps you mean smething else,
some other metaphorical concept which you will soon explain. Correct?
I also hope that your thoughts do not end up exciting other Konkani
Christians to blurt out their own demons or imps as the case may be. I
am also aware that there are Konkani Christians who converse and live
largely within the Marathi idiom, but are proud to be Konkanis. But if
you really mean that Konkani must have a better and more defined
footprint, that is laudable.
>From the little that I am aware of Konkani, and to cite an internet source:
There has been always SIBLING (emphasis are mine) rivalry amongst
Konkanis and the Marathis. The Marathis have condemned Konkani as,
".. a branch of Marathi; it has neither script nor literature; it is
not a language." But, history has established that even when Konkani
language had reached maturity, the Marathi language was not even born.
There is an inscription written in Konkani dated 1187 A.D. whereas
even the earliest Marathi manuscripts are of 16th century. It is no
surprise that when poet Jnaneshwar wanted to create his masterpiece
Jnaneshwari, he had to take up study of Konkani which was very
prevalent (1209 A.D.) After 16th century both Marathi and Konkani have
taken their own developmental course and it is natural that today they
appear as two separate languages.
(http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/konkani/konkani.htm)
But AGAIN, that does not mean that Marathi lovers have to be
sidelined. We should be doing our utmost to share the affinity of
minds in the two languages. And learning like crazy. One just has to
go to Tukaram (not a Bamon), Changdeo, Namdev, Nivruttinath, Sopandeo,
Muktabhaii, Gora Kumbhar, Chokhamela (the list goes on) and hear their
words and in Marathi. This is a very specific area of thought, there
are other areas. Besides, even the most nonchalant mind should not
consider sidelining Marathi. To do so requires a very ruthless
opportunism (remember Ruth from the Bible). By and large Konkannis are
not such people. But people can be socially engineered. THIS IS A REAL
CONCERN. A wrong painting move on my part could conveniently lead to
mayhem. It does not mean I am stupid or powerful, just that I do not
have the power to control peoples actions. But many others thrive on
such issues. So in such context, I ask.
Goans simply would not be able to take opportunity even if Goa were to
have only Konkani (meaning, if hypothetically everyone embraced it).
To large majority atlk about Konkani as an emotional anchor, but
forget that it is rusting. Only a few polish it and work and think in
it, make love in it, raise their children in it, aor thrive in its
embrace. The Marathi speaker would still have depth even if he/she
voluntarily discarded all loans words from the Marathi into Konkani,
an dentirely gave up Marathi. Although hypotheical, this does not need
any major quantitative research. One just has to observe the scene in
Goa. It is true that the talk is always in terms of vote banks. In
politics any cloying concept is used to divide. At least the politics
that eventualy sells land and pride, and the social ethos to the
highest bidder in various names. Bit it needs partitioning. The
division has to almost always do with bettering ones lot and grab
power. This is certainly a concern. Any concept that keeps the
electorate from not really understanding ISSUES is acted upon. The
division generated between Konkani and Marthi seems to have deepend,
but allows specific people get jobs, contracts, make connections,
becuase they are from a specific side and any given season. What would
be helpful is some way to bring parity and fairness to both languages,
while understanding that Konkanni is the mother tongue of that land,
although this seems to not have much credence. Its devastation in past
centuries, as well as a reticence on the part of its speakers requires
that it sees more love and affection from its people, including its
immigrants. But pushing Marathi way is one way to keep animosity
simmering.
I will revert to Marathi her, but have translated into English below.
Please excuse Romi Marathi spelling.
Hea baptit, amhi saglle/ane vichar karayla, mhun lavala tar bara hoil.
Jya bhumiunt Konkani mansanche/strianche vichar, shakti, geet/gayan,
kala, ani itar ghun fulle aahet, tichea matru bhashela kharach
man--kahi hya bhasheche adchanne asel, ani apulki dakhavli ashi hea
bhumichi asha. Bhumbi amhala ratri zagvun asle ghosti sangnar nahve.
He amchya manachea dolleanea pahu, asa apli iccha rahili pahije. Jasa
shan, shan phuddhe houn kal nirmand hotah, and tya phudde yug zalma
gheto, tya prahmane kalpana samajyala adaharit huave ashi ghatt asha
parastut keli paahije. Nahin tar svatala Konkani ya Goeamche
Konkanast-he nav gyala, ek lajjaspad ghost ahe.
In this regard, we should ponder and apply our minds. The Konkani
earth which has fructified the thoughts of its men and women, their
energy/sexuality, song, art, and other qualities; needs its mother
language to be truly respected--whatever its afflictions, and that it
be be shown fondness/kindness--is the desire of the land. The land
(Goan earth) is not going to wake us at night and tell us this. We
must see this in our minds eye. As a second, leads to a another second
that is time, which gives birth to an era, similarly our thoughts
should aid society--this is a desire that must be strongly projected
(made into a reality/prescence). Otherwise to call oneself a Konkani
or a Goan Konkani--to take that name, is shameful (a shameful story.
I leave you with three thoughts, one in Konakani and two in Japanese
(since it is appropriate) that encapsulate what I took so long to
write:
Chintlelem ghodlellem zalear melelim ghara etelim aslim.
Saru mo ki kara ochiru. (Monkeys also fall from trees.)
Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru. (Dust also(eventually) become a
mountain (gathers towards being a mountain.)
Venantius J Pinto
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> Dr. Carmo D'Cruz wrote:
> We should not have any Marathi Lovers in Goa ! The Marathi lovers in Goa
> should all be sidelined. Goa should be for Konkani lovers only ! Marathi
> lovers should relocate to Maharashtra !
