On Sunday evening, several Mangaloreans enjoyed an evening of Konkani culture. At the event, Norbert Gonsalves was awarded with the Eighth Kalakar Puraskar set up by Thomas Stephens Konkani Kendra, the Carvalho Gharane, and Mandd Sobhann for having presented 600 performances on musical instruments many of which are no longer in use.
A music programme titled “Geet Mandovi Zuarichem” (“songs from the Mandovi and the Zuari”) followed. Led by Ramananda Raikar, the Goa-based group, consisting of Shwetha Manjrekar, Ashish Gaonkar, and Mangesh Shetye, sang Konkani songs.
Also part of the event was an exhibition of currencies from a collector who presented notes from 220 countries. Richard Lobo, the collector, said it included currencies from countries which no longer existed such as Biafra and Guernsey, countries that had changed names such as Zaire (erstwhile Congo), Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Burma (now Myanmar). There was a Rs. 100 note issued in India in 1951 and a 100 trillion note from Zimbabwe. Louis Pinto told The Hindu that on December 2, a theatre festival would be held at the same venue where “Kalakul”, a Konkani theatre group floated by Mandd Sobhann, consisting of 10 artistes, would present plays in the evenings from 6 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
Also, he said that to encourage young talent and popularise Konkani dance, “Jagotik Konknni Songhotton”, “Konkani Prachar Sanchalan”, “Nach Sobhann”, and “Mandd Sobhann” are organising “Yaya Indi-ya Mayaya”, which the organisers claimed as the first all-India Konkani dance contest. The semi-finals would be held on May 18 and the finals on May 19 next year at Kalaangann, Mangalore. Anyone could compete and only the song for the dance has to be Konkani. The auditions will be held in Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Honnavar, Kasaragod, Udupi, and Mangalore. There are two categories: group and duet. For details, call 8147265859 or www.manddsobhann.org.
