KONKANI ENTERS THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA VIA THE 71ST AMENDMENT,
THE GUINNESS BOOK VIA KONKANI NIRANTARI BUT IS STILL THE CINDERELLA IN GOA!
This day [20 August] in the year 1992, the Parliament of India [Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha] passed the 71st amendment to the Constitution of India. Konkani,
Manipuri and Nepali languages were recognised as "Indian Languages" and placed
in the Schedule-VIII of the Constitution of India that lists the languages.
The relevant amendment reads. "Entry at Sr. No. 7 will be renumberd as 8 and
the entry 'Konkani' will be entered at Sr.7." KONKANI was recognised as a
LANGUAGE in India, not a dialect OF ANY OTHER LANGUAGE. As far as the
Constitution of India and the law of the country is concerned, there is no
issue of SCRIPT. The script is an issue that needs to be sorted out in literary
panels [that continue to be dominated by the Devanagri ONLY coteries], the Goa
Legislative Assembly [that passed the Official Language Bill, 1987 that
stipulates the script in the definition of the language to make Konkani written
in Roman, Kannada, Malayalam or Perso-Arabic scripts illegitimate in GOA,
though all these scripts are available for other Indian Languages as per the
Constitution of India and the most commonly used language in India today is
English written in the ROMAN SCRIPT, the script in which the Constitution of
India is written and laws are enacted, even in Goa]
Irrespective of the script controversy, today is the day that Konkani gained
the respect of the Nation as an offically recognised language. Today is WORLD
KONKANI DAY, celebrated by Goans all over the world since 2000 thanks to Rene
Barreto's tireless efforts .... no matter who conceived the idea and no matter
who funded the first "World Goa Day"
Today is a good day to remember what can be done if we can work together. A
flash back to Republic Day [26 January], 2008
The KALANGANN at Shaktinagar, on the outskirts of the booming city of
Mangalore, played host to a successful attempt to enter the name of Amchi Bhas
Konkani in the Guinness Book of World Records. Do not say the record is not
worth a song: more than 640 songs were sung over a period of 40 hours by 43
groups of more than 30 persons each to achieve this record! To Eric Ozario and
the Mandd sobann goes the credit for having the vision, faith and perseverance
to achieve this feat.
The air was festive, with good will and cheer oozing from everyone present at
the venue. As the songs said it so beautifully, there was no Goan, Mangalorean,
Karwari or Mumbaikar here ...just so many Konkani people. The Konkan is aparant.
A brief inaugural ceremony preceded the title challenge. Bishop of Mangalore,
Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D' Souza, sprinkled the frankincense on hot coals and let
the fragrance fill the venue symbolizing the spreading the fragrance of Konkani
globally. Keith Pullin, the designated Chief Adjudicator of Guinness World
Records was present on the spot. The crowd joined Keith Pullin for the final
countdown as excitement filled the venue and then the SRA Sisters [nuns of the
Mother of Apostles order] group burst into a hymn of praise "Somyak
Dhinvasumya" (O give thanks to the Lord).
Singing is a vocal art. A happy heart, a voice and some words are all one needs
to sing. The words need not be read as one can learn a song by word of mouth.
Songs were sung in Antruzi, Bardezi, Karwari, Mangluri, Malwani and the typical
Mumbai Konkani dialects. There were groups of singers from Maharashtra, Goa,
Karnataka and Kerala states of the Indian Union. There were two groups from Goa
that participated in the “Konkani Nirantari” one was predominantly of the
Maratha-Bhandari-Saraswat communities named “Bhangarallem Goem” ably led by the
Konkani Bhasha Mandal’s incumbent President, Purnanand Chari, with Bindiya Vast
Naik lending a hand in the direction and the other was predominantly of
Catholic, the “Kepemchim Kirnam” led by Elvis Goes.
The Chari-Naik combine imparted a unique flavour to the singing marathon by
having the two genders working shoulder to shoulder, together. There were
groups led by women but no other of the 43 groups was led jointly by the two
genders. Kepemchim Kirnam were given the penultimate slot as they were expected
to mesmerize the audience. Dressed in the traditional Mando attire of Pan-baju
[Sarong and blouse] and tail coats and the only group to sing in voices [alto,
soprano, tenor and base], they did not disappoint.
The Mandd Sobhann is an organization that was co-founded by Eric Ozario and
Melvin Rodrigues under the guidance of Konknni Sahitya Kala Ratan, late Chafra
da Costa. It took wing in 1986 with a musical experiment at Hotel Woodlands.
The aim was to 'explore Konknni type of music which was until then totally
under the influence of Western style of music by blending Konknni Janapad music
and Indian type of music.' It dreams big and sets out to do the impossible.
Since then, Mandd Sobhann has never looked back! Its cultural programme,
“Mhoinealli Manchi” (Monthly Theatre) is held at Kalangann and the 73rd edition
was held on 06.01.2008.
The President Mr. Ronald Mendonca has simple advice, “Motivate people to speak,
sing, discuss, debate and write in Konkani. Each one must do what one can. All
fingers are not equal. Each one has its purpose and role to play.” The group
from Bantwal perhaps had the right words to put his ideas into a song,
“Konkani ami, Konkani ulonv-ia;
Konkani bhaxechem bonder fulonv-ia.
Konkani bhas amchea bhurgeank xikov-ia!”
The Konkani Nirantari is the brainchild of Eric Ozario the “Gurkur”. The
currently Mumbai-based Fr. Ramesh Naik Bandodkar from Guirim, Bardez-Goa, is
its Chief Patron. Fr. Bandodkar proudly told me of his days at St.Anthony’s
High School, Monte de Guirim, from where he passed SSC in 1969.
There is an old saying which goes thus, “Failing to plan is the same as
planning to fail.” Eric Ozario did not leave anything to chance. If he ensured
that the Goa troupes had prime slots for their performances, he gave the
privilege of breaking the 36-hour record of “Communidade Evangelica Luterana
Sao Paolo” to a group named “Jeri Meri Mumbai”. This group of 23 men and 25
ladies sang from 5.25 P.M. to 6.20 P.M. Half an hour before 36 hours of
non-stop singing, the Bethany Sisters made a graceful exit and the Jeri Meri
Team from Mumbai took centre-stage, and the 'golden moment' of breaking the
record at 6.01 P.M. forever belongs to them!
Hardly had they finished singing the song with the motivational verse,
“Konkani amchi Mai, Konkani amkam zai.
Konkani bhas uloi, ti sodankal uloi.
Main amkam xikoilloli Konkani bhas uloi!”
and launched into the next song, on 'Blessed Mother Teresa', when the timer
showed 6.01 P.M. [18.01 hours on the digital clock on stage]. The audience
erupted in a well choreographed standing ovation. The record was broken and the
privilege had gone to a group from Mumbai. That is well planned magnanimity
that one rarely finds in Goa. Hangasor, aplench tambdem!
After the record was broken, the performance moved on like clockwork as before.
The Madanthyar group was followed by SAC Ladies Hostel group. Kepemchi Kirnam
added their voices and a Goan flavour as the penultimate group and handed over
the stage to the host group of Mandd Sobann to set the new world record for
marathon group singing …forty full hours …in Konkani!
The Konkani Nirantari brought together the young and the old, the rich and the
poor. Gritia Jenifer Mascarenhas of St. Victoria Girls High School, Puttur,
aged 14years, was the youngest participant amongst 1711 singers. Rev Dr.John
Fernandes, 71, of Shanti Kiran, Bajjodi, perhaps the oldest participant had
this to say, "Breaking the record is not the sole aim. But this event also
brings people together and that's worth it."
The group from Gurpur had the right words for us,
“Tu-ui zanna, hanvui zanna, te-ui zanna;
Konknni bhas amchi, ami sogglim ullonvk zannaum:
Tori-i ulloi-naum!”
With the awakening of the Konkani pride anew with the Konkani Nirantari, this
will perhaps change for the better.
Mog asundi.
Miguel Braganza.
.
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