My Goa February 2015

50 FEBRUARY 2015 VOL 1 ISSUE 1 panaj i go a

goa’s finest social magazine

Luis de Menezes Braganca

Sushila Sawant Mendes’ book on the nationalist is a must read for history buffs

“We can control road accidents and save lives”

Convenor of MARG, Gurunath Kelekar fights the menace of road accidents

“Theatres should have more slots for Konkani films” Film maker Jitendra Shikerkar speaks about the growth of Konkani cinema

the thinker

Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi

Inside the mind of Goa’s most celebrated polymath

Contents

february 2015

12 First Person

Padmashree Josalkar on drama being her life

14 Cover Story

D D Kosambi was the man of ideas says Parag Porobo

18 Focus

An indepth analysis of the Mopa airport project

20 Heritage The Vasco Clock Tower needs to restored

22 Wah! Goa

Gurunath Kelekar of MARG talks about road awareness

24 National Interest

A look at how the AAP made a victorious comeback in Delhi

14

26 Art

Naguesh Rao Sardessai profiles Sadguru Chendvankar

28 Tribute

An eulogy for the multi-faceted JosĂŠ Pereira

34

30 Cinema

The making of Konkani film Mortoo

32 Bookworm

A biography of nationalist Luis de Menezes Braganca by Sushila Sawant Mendes. Books by Tomazinho Cardozo and books released by Konkani Bhasha Mandal

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34 Music

Monte Music Festival and the International Festival of Sufi and Traditional Music

38 Food

Recipes from Odette Mascarenhas’ award winning book

40 Sports

38

Tanisi Kirtani on her journey and achievements in the local, national and international level table tennis

50 Final Word

24

Dr. Francisco Colaco on the health hazards of alcohol

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MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

06 Editorial 08 Inside Goa 36 People 44 Events 46 Beautiful People

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Harsh Reality

editorial

Panaji signals the race for 2017 FEBRUARY 2015 V OL 1 ISS U E 1

Publisher & Editor Harshvardhan Bhatkuly Group Head Urvija Bhatkuly Team Akhil Prabhu Verlekar Alisha Patel Annalise Gouveia Govit Morajkar Mayur Santinezkar Pratima Achrekar Pritesh Naik Rachel Fernandes Contributors in this Issue Antonio da Costa Ashutosh Colin Savio Coelho Dr. Francisco Colaco Naguesh Rao Sardessai Parag Porobo

Office Address Editorial, Advertising & Administrative Office My Goa 409, Citicentre, EDC Patto Plaza Panaji, 403001 Goa India Tel.: 0832-2425514, 6456555 Email: mygoa.mag@gmail.com My Goa is a monthly magazine dedicated to Goan issues, society, culture and heritage.

MY GOA is published, printed and owned by Harshvardhan V. Bhatkuly at 409, Citicentre, EDC Patto Plaza, Panaji - Goa 403001 India and printed at Printek Printers, Bengaluru.

Editor: Harshvardhan V. Bhatkuly

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MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

The resounding victory of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi has sent several messages to the ruling dispensation at the Centre – one, never to take the electorate for granted and the other, to stay grounded and rooted to the reasons why you were elected in the first place. Indians do not take time to uninstall the idols that they had so ceremoniously put on a pedestal just a few months earlier.

Elections are all about promises and how one party can convince the electorate that they can deliver on their promises. As a vibrant democracy, Indians seldom get taken for a ride by their elected representatives. And more often than not, the choices made by them are out of sheer lack of choices.

The result for the Panaji assembly by-election is just out and the BJP candidate Siddharth Kunkolienkar has won comfortably. It helped his case that the former Chief Minister of Goa and now India’s Defence Minister publicly campaigned for his long time confidante. Parrikar even went to the extent of saying that with one vote; you can get 2 people – himself and Kunkolienkar. Thus, cementing the doubt that the newly elected Panaji MLA is indeed a proxy of his one-time master.

Many considered the Panaji election as a referendum on Manohar Parrikar. It would have been good if that was the case. At least there may have been some course correction on the BJP’s part. But what the polls did was to hammer another nail in the coffin of the Congress party in Goa. In Panaji, the complete absence of the Congress Party was evident on the ground level. If common logic tells you that elections are all about people, there were sadly none who carried the flag for India’s oldest political outfit in Goa’s capital.

Surendra Furtado, the Congress nominee was trudging it out alone, and it didn’t help that his own partyman, Babush Monseratte – who holds the key to Panaji City Corporation – openly sided with the BJP candidate.

Goa will be keenly watching the GPCC President, Luizinho Falieiro’s next move. Whether he is going to suspend Babush for anti-party activities or let him be, like it has happened in the case of many Congress leaders during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. This will set the mood for the future of the party in Goa.

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Just as one has to applaud the ground force and organization of the BJP in the state, one cannot but look haplessly and in bewilderment at the complete lack of organizational structure of a party that has ruled Goa for well over two and a half decades. Further reinforcing the fact that Congress has historically been a party led by individuals who pulled their own personal votes, to a fairly large extent.

Another eye opener was the fact the more than 300 people in Panaji voted for ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) and this block stood 4th in the pecking order – even ahead of Sadanand Vaingankar’s vote tally.

And if BJP and Congress had jointly polled around 14500 votes, the combined vote share of Samir Kelekar, Vaingankar and NOTA account to nearly 1100 votes. That is close to 10% of the total votes polled.

I personally see the NOTA votes as a very significant political signal – for the simple reason that more than 300 people in Panaji got out of their homes, stood in lines and voted NOTA. This shows that a considerable amount of voters are tired of the politicking of the ‘professional’ political parties.

It is perhaps time for Goa to see an emergence of a new alternative. A party with a difference.

How should this political outfit look? Unlike the existing political parties. The new outfit (and my gut feel tells me that there will be a challenge thrown at the incumbent BJP from an all new political source) has to talk the language of the common man. It should take serious issues from Goa and build an organization from the lowest level.

It should function as the custodian of people’s aspirations. And the party has to have the moral highground to question Parrikar and the BJP. The pet peeve against the BJP has been that the party does not want to work – but just wants to sit in power. A doubt that can be cleared by the ruling party by pulling up its socks and delivering the goods that they can – and not just the populist ones like Laadli Laxmi and VAT roll back on fuel (although I admired Parrikar for keeping to these promises).

Goa has landed on a cusp of political change.

And in case you didn’t realize, the conch for the 2017 elections has been signaled

We want to hear from you. Tell us what you liked and what you didn’t about us, your favourite story or section and most importantly, what you’d like to see featured in My Goa Write to us at: mygoa.mag@gmail.com Unsolicited material may not be returned. The opinions expressed in My Goa are not necessarily that of the publishers. While great care is being taken to ensure accuracy of information, the publishers are not responsible for omissions or incorrect information. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers.

Inside Goa NGT to GCZMA: Lights off after 10 pm at turtle nesting sites in Galgibaga

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to inform the electricity department to keep lights off after 10 pm at beaches like Galgibaga, Agonda and Morjim which are turtle nesting sites in Goa. Furthermore, the same shall not be operated till sunrise the next day. The decision was taken after acting on a petition

filed by ‘Poinginkarancho Ekvott’ with regard to turtle nesting at Galgibaga beach.

In their order, the Bench also stated that the concerned department should ensure that no lights around nesting pits are on after the said time.

The NGT order also asked for restriction of tourism activities around the turtle nesting pits and if such activities exist that they be stopped under the CRZ notification.

It is also understood that GCZMA had submitted proof to the NGT that show cause notices were being replied to by the private tourism parties operating on the stretch, and the necessary follow up in this regard would be done soon

Manipal Hospitals Goa observes World Cancer Day

Policemen to receive performance linked awards In order to boost policing in the state by ensuring their best performance, the Government has decided to offer a range of incentives to deserving policemen. The Police Department has, for the first time, decided to award cash prizes for the ‘Best Police Station of the Year’ and ‘Best Police Inspector of the Month’.

Besides cash awards, the department will be giving all policemen a subsidy of 20 to 30 per cent on the purchase of all household items, food grains and vehicles.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar while speaking recently at a function held to felicitate the 26 policemen involved in speedily cracking the Vasco double murder case said, “We have accepted almost all the proposals of the Home Department including setting up of new 14 police stations, starting up of subsidized

canteen facilities, providing household items, appliances and vehicles with a subsidy of 25 to 30 per cent.”

Moreover, the Government has also given its nod for the police transfer policy, he said.

“For the sake of the safety of citizens, the police department is working tirelessly day and night. When they realize that their service is being recognized by the public, they get motivated, and this motivation will help them to further intensify their service.

For the police to function effectively, they require the trust and understanding of the public,” he said.

He also said that the department has adopted several measures to gain public trust wherein police inspectors are made available at every police station for 24 hours besides DySP and SP are made available every day

Goa ranks sixth in ‘World’s Best Night Life Cities’ list

Manipal Hospitals Goa took a pledge on World Cancer Day (February 4) to raise awareness and educate the masses about the importance of early detection and the right treatment to fight the deadly disease. The event was held in the presence of Unit Head Dr Sachin Jain, Chief of Clinical Services and HOD Oncology Dept Dr Shekhar Salkar and Consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Shubha Jyothy.

On the occasion, cancer survivors shared their testimonies and were presented with a bamboo plant, symbolizing resilience to cancer and good luck.

Addressing the importance

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of preventive cure and timely diagnosis, Manipal Hospitals Goa launched the ‘Pledge Tree’ as an embodiment of promise for initiating a collective fight against cancer. This campaign will educate people on the lines of early detection of cancer which is the key to its cure. People willing to support the cause can stick ribbons pledging their fight against Cancer. For this initiative Manipal Hospitals Goa and Goa Cancer Society have teamed up to provide financial assistance for treatment of cancer patients who have been residing in Goa for more than 20 years and whose income is less than Rs 1.5 lakhs per annum

Goa’s famous nightlife is once again in the news.

This time as part of the most popular National Geographic’s list of ‘best places to party’. Placed in the sixth position, the list is topped by Dublin in Ireland, followed by Belgrade in Serbia, La Paz in Bolivia, Sao Paulo in Brazil, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Goa In India, Ibiza in Spain, Houston in Texas, Thessaloniki in Greece and Baku in Azerbaijan In the listing, Goa’s idyllic locales along its golden shores is described as the right place to be at to experience all the fun which never stops even though there are restrictions on all night fests.

While in most of the other nine night life cities on the list of being the World’s Best, the excitement revolves around

pubs, clubs, and pool party revelling. Interestingly, Goa’s night life has been described to be centred on beaches and recollection of the days of the hippie 70s. There’s a calling to global guests looking for a secluded blowhole or for all night gyration to be at Goa’s beaches. Reacting to the news, Minister for Tourism Dilip Parulekar said, “Goa is getting world recognition for several tourism related aspects. Being enlisted among the World’s Best Night Life Cities’ is another feather in our cap”

Inside Goa One School Goa hosts Goa International Photo Festival

The organizers at the One School Goa firmly believe that today, more than ever, photography brings the world together and deepens our connection with our surroundings and is one universal language. To ascertain their stand on the importance of photography, the Group recently hosted the Goa International Photo Festival (GIPF) where established as well as budding photographers, artists, writers, filmmakers, bloggers and creative people from all over the world, came together, with a spirit of sharing their passion and vision through the most powerful art of visual story-telling – photography.

The exhibition saw a large number of participants in the various workshops, panel

discussions and photo walks conducted. Among some of the noted artists and participants at the workshop were Anna Fox, Raj Lalwani, Amit Mehra, Shantanu Sheorey, David Turnley and many more.

The festival was part of an initiative to bring together photographers from all around the world in pursuance of enhancing awareness, accessibility and understanding of the art of photography. GIPF aims to become one of the most celebrated photography festivals and propel Goa as one of India’s creative hubs.

A salient feature of the festival was to discover, inspire and develop the next generation of photographers and creative thinkers

GBCN conducts bird census The Goa Bird Conservation Network (GBCN) in association with Bird Count India (BCI) has conducted the first-of-its-kind wetland bird census, described as the All Goa Waterfowl Count (AGWC).

The census was conducted in two phases, and the aim of the AGWC-2015 was to conduct a census of wetland birds at all wetlands of major importance in the State.

In all, 144 species of birds were reported from the wetlands and 9,922 individual birds were counted. 16 wetlands in North Goa district and seven in South Goa district were covered during the census.

The teams involved in conducting the census comprised of expert birders

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Government to introduce five mobile fish vans Starting next month, the Government is all set to introduce five mobile fish vans in the State, with an aim to make fish available to the public at subsidized rates. The announcement was made by Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado while speaking at the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival.

The festival which was held for the second year running, provided an opportunity to local fishermen to interact with officials connected with

fisheries. Furtado assured the public that fish sold by these vans will be sold at rates much lower than the market rate.

He also stated that at present fish is being sold at exorbitant prices despite large catches.

The mobile vans will be placed at strategic points across the State, with two each in the North and South and one in Ponda. Every van will be fitted with all modern and necessary equipment including a cold storage unit

Portuguese institution seeks setting up of Chair at GU The Camões Instituto da Cooperação e da Lingua, a Portugal-based institution dedicated to the Portuguese language has submitted a proposal to the Goa University for setting up a Portuguese Chair for expanding education as well as conducting research in the language.

Stating that the Camões Instituto da Cooperação e da Lingua desires to strengthen its association and presence in the Goa University, the President of the Institution, Ana Paula Laborinho said that apart from continuing its support to the University in the BA and MA courses and in doctoral studies, the Institute wants to extend support in linguistic research.

“For example, we can support the University in

conducting research as regards comparative study between Portuguese and local languages,” she said. Such a study would be interesting as Konkani has derived many words from Portuguese vocabulary, while on the other hand, Portuguese has also borrowed many words from Konkani and Marathi languages, she added. Already, 15 students are studying under a special educational programme as regards Portuguese language, at the Goa University.

Laborinho also revealed that the Institute has also entered into a MoU with the St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, to impart training to teachers, and even offering scholarships to teachers

‘Ghar Wapsi’ will never reach Goa: Parrikar and volunteers who covered important wetlands in the two districts counting the total number of birds. This exercise resulted in a total of 36 birders making 22 hours of observations throughout the State.

All the data generated during the census has been uploaded on eBird, an international bird data repository platform, and is available for wider community

Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar while interacting with a delegation of members from the Goan Catholic Welfare Union (GCWU) assured the community that the controversial ‘Ghar Wapsi’ programme of religious re-conversion would not reach Goa. The Union also voiced their concerns over the recent burning of a church in Delhi as well as the subsequent attacks on protestors by the Delhi police. The delegation which

included priests, nuns and prominent citizens submitted a memorandum and pointed out that there are apprehensions and fears among Goan Catholics that such attacks will make their way to Goa. Taking serious note of their grievances, the Union Defence Minister, Parrikar assured the delegation that he would take up these issues with the Union Home Minister on his return to Delhi

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Relish some of the best prepared Goan flavors like Modso, Prawns Recheado, Pork Vindaloo, Prawns Rawa Fry, Fish Curry and much more while swaying to a Live Band.

We’ll feature a different Goan menu every Saturday!

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REVIVAL

First Person

Padmashree Josalkar

director for School of Drama

‘Theatre offers for the exploration of complex themes’ Padmashree Josalkar, Director of Kala Academy’s School of Drama tells Pratima Achrekar about theatre in Goa and about KA’s efforts in promoting theatre in the state. Excerpts of the interview:

Acting excercise

Hawaalat

Tell us about your background and what drew you towards theatre?

I was born in 1958. I am a third generation actor on my maternal side and an educationist on my paternal side. My maternal grandfather Dr GH Veeranna, is considered the doyen of Kannada theatre. His professional theatre company – Gubbi Company had my grandmother, mother, father, aunts, uncles and even my sister acting in it. But naturally, I, too, entered the threshold of theatre at a very young age; as a crawling infant in fact.

My miraculous escape from a serious accident on-stage, during a performance, took me away from my parents and from theatre and I was put under my uncle’s guidance to pursue a convent education. My grandfather, with no formal education to boast of, was of the firm belief that theatre required educated people. That’s why my uncle, GV Shivanand took up a course at the Asian Theatre Institute, which later went on to be called the National School of Drama. By the time I was sent to this

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There is hardly any state in India which does not have theatre in some form or the other. In some states, professional theatre takes a lead, while in some, there is experimental theatre.

But, there is one thing for sure, Goa is the only state, as per my knowledge, which has introduced theatre as a regular subject at the school level with teachers especially employed to teach the subject

uncle, he had completed the course, and was doing amateur theatre.

My life went by in the Sacred Heart Girls High School singing Do Re Me, acting as an elf in ‘Elves and the Shoe Maker’, sometimes acting in Kannada films, too, but always going back to the Gubbi company during vacations and acting in all the crowd scenes. Due to a childish prank on my part, my sister left the company and came to Bangalore to pursue her formal education. With a cruel twist of fate, my mother GV Malathamma met with an accident on the stage floor, had to be hospitalized for nine months, and was permanently crippled. My father, K S Basavaraj, who had left acting to care for my mother during hospitalization, met with a road accident and passed away due to the injuries caused, but all the while reciting his lines from the play Tughlaq to be directed by my uncle.

My sister went to NSD and I would go to Delhi during my school vacations.

It is there that I met Ebrahim Alkazi, a director and a great exponent of

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everything in theatre education. He responded to all my queries and did not put them down as a teenager’s quest for theatre knowledge. There and then I decided that I would definitely join NSD. In 1981, I got selected, but Alkazi had left by then.

I graduated in 1984 and worked as an Apprentice Fellow at NSD’s Repertory Company and taught theatre craft at the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya before being invited, along with my late husband Vasant Josalkar, to start a training facility in 1987 at the Kala Academy.

What opportunities do you feel theatre offers for exploring complex themes like current affairs?

Theatre offers numerous avenues that explore complex themes like current affairs and educating the masses. It is a vibrant medium which has many forms — street theatre, forum theatre, etc which can take up complex themes and also encourage lively participation from the audience.

How does the repertory course help students?

On completion of the repertory course at the School of Drama, students are placed in a professional set-up alongside actors who help with understanding the nuances of the set-up.

What is the current strength of the students for theatre in Kala Academy?

KA’s School of Drama currently has 16 students who are undergoing training.

Students should realize that theatre has such a wide scope and circumference that one can never finish learning. It is a continuous process, which requires constant upgrading. When I was doing the course, and later while teaching, I faced many difficulties. We did not have the technological advantages that are present now. I wish I had them then!

Padmashree Josalkar viable subject.

What is your advice for aspiring students and is there anything you now wish you knew when you began your career?

Students should realize that theatre has a wide scope and circumference and that one can never finish learning.

It is a continuous learning process which requires constant upgrading.

When I was doing the course, and even later, when I began teaching, I faced many difficulties. One did not have the technological advantage that is present now. I wish I had it then!

What new courses you are planning to introduce in the coming years?

KA is making all efforts to gain affiliation from Goa University for a full fledged degree course in theatre and also with the AICTE for the commencement of a Community College. With this, there are going to be more courses.

What is the status of theatre in Goa in comparison with other states?

There is hardly any state in India which does not have theatre in some form or the other. In some states, professional theatre takes the lead, while in some, there is experimental theatre. However, one thing is for sure, Goa is the only state, as per my knowledge, which has introduced theatre as a regular subject at the school level with teachers especially employed to teach theatre

What was the theatre scene in Goa before KA began offering this course?

Before the course, there was more dependence on various professional drama troupes coming from Mumbai.

KA would organise competitions, but the outcome left much to be desired.

How does the repertory course benefit Goans?

The level of, not just the plays coming for the competitions, but also those on the village front has shown remarkable progress. It is the outgoing students from the School of Drama who are responsible for this change. And, theatre being introduced as a subject right at the school level has proved that it is a

Bhagwadajjukiam

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

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Cover Story

the thinker

D D Kosambi

Parag Porobo sheds light on the philosophies espoused by Goa’s most celebrated polymath

D

amodar Dharmanand Kosambi (1907–66) born at Kusman-Quepem on July 31st, was the son of Dharmanand Damodar Kosambi. While, the father was a great scholar and professor of Pali literature and Buddhist philosophy, the son was a polymath who made original contributions in diverse areas including pure mathematics, genetics, quantitative numismatics, Sanskrit studies and ancient Indian history. Dharmanand

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wandered thorough out his life; was fed, housed and clothed by his personal and professional networks while on the move in search of Buddhism in a country where Buddhism had all but vanished. By contrast, Damodar (henceforth Kosambi) had his early schooling in Pune and in 1918 at the age of 11, accompanied his father to the USA, who was working with the Harvard University to complete the critical edition of Visuddhimagga, a book on Buddhist philosophy. Kosambi was fascinated by mathematics, which

involved rigorous logical process independent of experimental verification and yet had clarity for results in its own domain.

Graduating with distinction from Harvard in 1929, Kosambi returned to India, to teach mathematics at the institutions that were a product of the nationalist movement such as the Banaras Hindu University (1929–31) and the Aligarh Muslim University (1931–32), and also prestigious colonial establishments such as the Fergusson

College (1933–1945) in Pune, as well as the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (1945–1962) in Mumbai. In 1964, Kosambi was appointed scientist emeritus by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and affiliated himself to the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science at Pune.

Given the fields of knowledge in which Kosambi participated, it reflects the remarkable mastery over many disciplines, in most of which he had no formal training. While engaged primarily in mathematics, Kosambi made significant contributions in genetics and the discipline of history.

In 1944, Kosambi wrote a paper titled ‘The estimation of map distance from recombination values’ dealing with mapping function in genetics in the journal Annals of Eugenics. What became known as ‘the Kosambi formula for chromosome mapping’ was an advance over the existing theory of heredity for finding distance between chromosomes, the arrangements of genes and their recombination through the phenomenon of crossing over. The mapping function that Kosambi derived is still widely used by geneticists world over for mapping of genomes.

Kosambi is primarily remembered for his work as a historian and here again he was not a professional hand, but left an everlasting mark on the ‘historian’s craft’. Even as he trained himself to be a historian, unlike professional historians of his times, Kosambi would read written records and simultaneously draw ancient parallels into living people.

Kosambi and ancient Indian history Kosambi has deeply influenced the writings of Indian history. Dying rather prematurely at the age of 58, he left behind pioneering works of historical scholarship besides several papers and articles. His major works on history are: An Introduction to the Study of Indian History (1956), The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline (was a simplified and condensed popular version of the former, 1965), Exasperating Essays: Exercises in the Dialectical Method (1957) and Myth and Reality: Studies in the Formation of Indian Culture (1962). Of these, the first and last works revolutionised the understanding of historical change in the context of ancient India.

In the 1950s, Kosambi departed from the specialised and fragmented view that saw culture, society and economy as distinct entities in the academic historian’s professional writings. At a time when Marxists would not value culture, Kosambi differed from the general run of academic historians of his times and by interweaving society and economy with culture, he made it the basis of his study. Even though he made a choice for the Marxist theoretical framework for understanding ancient Indian culture, Kosambi would find innovative ways to read literary, religious and mythical textual materials and developed a historical methodology that combined field visits with literary sources.

Kosambi’s ‘An Introduction to the Study of Indian History’ (1956) had a mixed reception. In the beginning Kosambi had few takers and more critics.

Those who were cautious with the reach of Marxism as a political philosophy considered the text as political, while ‘Indian Official Marxists’ (term used by Kosambi) were often displeased with him as an outsider. Much of Kosambi’s work took the form of a defence of the practice of historical materialism against abstract and schematising tendencies within Marxism. He would position himself against erroneous Marxist

Dharmanand Kosambi

His father, Dharmanand wandered throughout his life; was fed, housed and clothed by his personal and professional networks while on the move in search of Buddhism in a country where Buddhism had all but vanished

interpretations of ancient Indian culture and an empty formalism which had characterised Marxism.

Kosambi moved away from dynastic history and saw past in terms of modes of production. According to him, history is the presentation in chronological order of successive changes in the means and relations of productions. Kosambi’s emphasis on, “Man made himself what he is”, reminds us of a famous work of the Marxist archaeologist Gordon Childe called Man Makes Himself (1951).

Kosambi underlined the importance of what he called ‘living prehistory’ and cultural survivals that enable him to reconstruct history. Studying tribal cults or tracing a local god through village tradition offered invaluable evidences of distant past– ancient migrants, primitive trade routes and confluence of nomadic and settled life. Kosambi’s familiarity with Maharashtra’s village life and his inherited Buddhist legacy gave him insight into readings of early texts. In his essays ‘Myth and Reality’ he explored the social basis of ideological concepts leading to unique analysis of range of themes from mother goddess to microliths, pilgrimage routes, pre– eminence of cults and the Bhagavad Gita.

Field investigations were significant as they would offer new insights.

According to Kosambi, while the available Indian data in each of the fields had to be augmented by a great deal of honest and competent field work; none of the various techniques can, by itself, lead to any valid conclusion about ancient India. And, intelligent use of archaeology, anthropology, sociology and philology were indispensable for a logical historical perspective. His fieldwork in Maharashtrian countryside has led Kosambi to make some path–breaking observations regarding ‘Brahmanical Hinduism’ and ‘Folk Hinduism’. While, the ‘Brahmanical Hinduism’ signify an appeal to a corpus of Vedic texts as an authority, ‘Folk Hinduism’ is based on regional beliefs and practices – worship of regional deities and spirits through the non–Brahmin priests.

Kosambi was very critical of ‘brahmanising tendency’ whereby exclusive concentration upon brahmanical documents seems to have impaired historian’s ability to distinguish between myth and reality. Kosambi says;

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

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Cover Story “When the question of Hindu widow remarriage was being violently argued by reformers at the beginning of this (nineteenth) century, even the most scholarly (like R.G. Bhandarkar) looked only to correct interpretation of the sacred texts, from the times of Rgveda”.

The Indian society is formed out of many diverse and even discordant elements.

Kosambi saw a “process of syncreticism” as a distinguishing Indian feature – absorption of peripheral local groups and accommodation of their religious belief systems within the Brahmanic scheme of things. For instance, Kosambi observes, “It cannot be a mere accident that the pastoral buffalo–god Mhasoba is also identified with the Mahisasura whom the goddess Parvati crushes to gain her title Mahisasura–mardini”. Pastoral Gavli migrants, when they came into some of the areas of the region of earlier food gatherers – the two groups soon fused and their deities were accordingly married. An earlier form of Mhasoba – god of the Gavlis had no consort and was in conflict with the mother goddess of the food gatherers. While, Kosambi saw syncretism as harmonious acculturation and accommodation, in recent times the process is viewed other way – the mode of assertion, demanding an equal share in the local structures of power.

To understand the historical change Kosambi introduced comparative and interdisciplinary method of analyses.

While, commenting that India is a living prehistory, he would discover material relics of past with primitive societies in independent India those were more close to distant past than India of his times. He employed his knowledge of Sanskrit towards etymological analysis to explain social background of the Vedic period. The knowledge of mathematics would enable him to make a statistical study of punch–marked coins; to weigh with the utmost precision large numbers of punch–marked coins that were in use between 500–100 B.C.E. While studying punch-marked coins from hoards found at Taxila, Kosambi found the effect of circulation on any metal currency and the coins could be arranged in definite chronological order, the oldest groups being the lightest in average weight.

Coins didn’t carry the names of kings who issued them and to explore kings and dynasties Kosambi turned to

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Kosambi pioneered Marxist approach to ancient Indian history. Unlike the Marxists of his times, Kosambi didn’t see Marxism as a dogma that needs to be defended at all costs Puranic, Buddhist and Jain texts.

Kosambi also developed new insights to understand presence of Buddhism in the Deccan. By studying the Buddhist monasteries that dotted the landscape in Deccan, Kosambi emphasised their economic significance over the conventional religious roles being assigned. Departing from the notion that monasteries were inaccessible spots suitable for monks, he would show the relationship between monasteries and their locations on trade routes. And, monks were seen not as producers but consumers, related both to agricultural and non–agricultural production and distribution.

Kosambi and Marxism Kosambi pioneered Marxist approach to ancient Indian history. Unlike the Marxists of his times, Kosambi didn’t see Marxism as a dogma that needed to be defended at all costs. Kosambi’s differences with Karl Marx’s perceptions of Indian history are noteworthy. He disagrees with Marx’s arguments on India which were taken to a different level by exaggeration of the Marxists.

Kosambi finds Marxists notions of small unchanging and self–sufficient villages as “misleading”. For him, there was no mechanical application of Marx and would question Marx’s own model for India– Asiatic mode of production and Oriental Despotism. These models were characterised by a static society and absence of private property in land, self– sufficient villages, lack of commercial economy and despotism through state control over the irrigation system.

Kosambi’s intention was to formulate the stages through which the Indian society had moved and the reasons for the change that would counter the notion of timeless Indian society. He positioned Indian history in the context of an inner– Marxist controversy as to whether Marx and his ‘reinterpreters’ up to Stalin were right to exclude pre–modern Asia and in particular India, from the Marxist modes of production of slave and feudal

societies. Attempts were made to see whether Marxist modes of production could be used to explain pre-modern Indian history and thereby identifying the successive developments in the means and relations of production.

Kosambi developed an advanced concept of feudal mode of production to Indian history, which opened up new perspectives on the nature of the state, changing economies at different times and linkages between religious and social groups. The two separate chapters in ‘An Introduction to the Study of Indian History’ on ‘feudalism from above’ and ‘feudalism from below’ may be regarded as the first conceptual definition of Indian feudalism. Feudalism from above was a state wherein an emperor or powerful king levied tribute from subordinates who still in their own right did what they liked within their own territories as long as they paid the paramount ruler. The next stage was feudalism from below where a class of landowners developed within a village, between the state and the peasantry, gradually to wield armed power over the local population. Indian feudalism was not devoid of its own ideology. In his papers on Bhagavad Gita, Kosambi shows how this sacred document served the purpose of sustaining feudal society by propagating unquestioning faith, personal loyalty and devotion to a deity. He argued that the essence of fully developed feudalism is the chain of personal loyalty, which binds feudal relations.

Kosambi never regarded past as a dead entity, but saw it in the light of the present. A. L. Basham (1914-1986), well–known historian has remarked that Kosambi seemed to have “only three interests, which filled his life to the exclusion of all others – ancient India, in all its aspects, mathematics and the preservation of peace”. From 1950– 1962 Kosambi was seriously involved in the World Peace Council and was passionately committed to the peaceful uses of atomic energy and solar power in a developing country like India

D.D.Kosambi Festival of Ideas from February 17

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Arun Maira

Alyque padamsee

he Directorate of Art and Culture had initiated the D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas to commemorate the birth centenary of the legendary Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi Indian mathematician, statistician, historian, and polymath, who contributed to genetics by introducing Kosambi’s map function.

The 8th D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas, which hosts best of minds from various spheres of life, is here. This year, the Festival will be held from February 17 to February 21 at Dinanath Mangueshkar Kala Mandir, Kala Academy, Campal, Panaji. On the inaugural day, February 17 at 5 p.m. there will be a talk by former member of Planning Commission of India and former India Chairman of Boston Consulting Group, Arun Maira, on the topic, ‘Shaping our Future: One Country; One Destiny.’

On February 18 at 5 p.m. there will a talk by ideation specialist, a renowned Indian English theatre personality and CEO of AP Advertising Private Limited, Alyque Padamsee, on the topic, ‘Ideation : The wildfire that is sweeping the world.’

February 19 at 5 p.m. one will witness lecture by IIM Ahmedabad professor and founder of Honey Bee Network Executive, Anil Kumar Gupta, on the topic, ‘Mining the Minds for a Meaningful Future: Lessons from the Honey Bee Network.’

On February 20 at 5 p.m. Governor, Reserve Bank of India and economist Raghuram Rajan, will speak on ‘Democracy & Free Enterprise: Concurrence & Contradictions.’

On the concluding day, February 21 at 5 p.m. former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), K Radhakrishnan, will speak on ‘Mathematics and Space Missions.’

SPEAKERS Arun Maira: He is a former member of the Planning Commission chaired by the

Anil kumar gupta

raghuram rajan

Prime Minister of India. He is the author of several books, which include “Shaping the Future: Aspirational Leadership in India and Beyond”. He was a member of the Tata Administrative Services and worked in several senior positions in the TATA Group in India and abroad for 25 years until 1989. He has advised Governments and international agencies on leadership processes to accelerate development.

Alyque Padamsee: He is a multifaceted genius who wears three hats.

One, as the brand father of modern Indian advertising. Two, he is the guru of English theatre in India. Three, he is very committed to Public Service work, and is currently guiding the Bombay Police Force in a campaign against eve teasing and sexual molestation on the city streets. He has worked as communications advisor to Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, where he creatively supervised the presentation to President Bill Clinton and also Prime Minister Tony Blair. His best-seller book on Advertising entitled ‘A Double Life’ is prescribed in business schools. Internationally, Padamsee is famous for his portrayal of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Sir Richard Attenborough’s film ‘Gandhi’. He is also the only Indian to be voted into the International Clio Hall of Fame, the Oscars of World Advertising.

His current revival of the musical ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is breaking all box-office records in Mumbai.

Anil Kumar Gupta: Gupta earned his PhD degree in management from Kurukshetra University (India) in 1986 after his masters in Biochemical Genetics in 1974 from Haryana Agricultural University, Haryana. He is currently a professor in the Centre for Management in Agriculture. His unique work of analysing indigenous knowledge of farmers and pastoralists and building bridges to science based knowledge has led to the

k radhakrishnan

honour of being elected at a young age to India’s National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and recognition through Pew Conservation Scholar Award of USD 150,000 (1993 to 1996) from University of Michigan. Biodiversity conservation through documentation, value addition and dissemination of local peoples’ innovative resource conservation practices is the thrust of his future work. His desire to develop a platform to recognise, respect and reward local innovators was the stimulus behind the creation of the Honey Bee network.

Raghuram Rajan: He took over charge as the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on September 5, 2013. Prior to that, he was the Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and the Eric J Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School.

He was also Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund (20032006). Rajan had chaired the Indian Government’s Committee on Financial Sector Reforms (2007-2008). He coauthored, ‘Saving Capitalism from the Capitalists’ with Luigi Zingales in 2003.

He then wrote ‘Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy,’ for which he was awarded the Financial Times-Goldman Sachs prize for best business book in 2010.

K Radhakrishnan: The former Chairman of ISRO and current Chairman for the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology; is a technocrat par excellence; a dynamic and result oriented manager with very fine personal and inter personal qualities; an astute Institution builder with a strategic vision. He has had a distinguished career adorned with accomplishments that spans beyond 40 years in space technology, applications and space programme management.

The D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas is open for public

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

17

Focus

Mopa: The saga continues Colin savio Coelho elaborates on the recently concluded Public Hearing on the Environment Impact Report of Mopa where the new airport is proposed to be constructed

The Mopa plateau on which the airport is proposed to be constructed

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he Mopa airport saga has blown into the fore once again. This time the issue has been the recently held ‘Public Hearing’ on the Environment Impact Assessment Report (EIA). While groups supporting the construction of the airport and groups opposing it were present in large numbers, there have been many fallouts of the meet.

Prominent anti-Mopa activist Siddharth Karapurkar has a few points to raise on the issue. “The meeting was chaotic. This EIA report is nothing but a cut, copy and paste from various other EIA reports from all over India,” he contends. He supports this with the fact that in the list of affected animals the ‘Bengal Fox’ is mentioned. He says in Goa we only have the local foxes, known as ‘colo’. Never have there been traces of a Bengal Fox in Goa. On the other hand, Dr Vasudeo Deshprabhu counters this saying, “The hearing was very peaceful. Around 60 people got a chance to put forth their views and concerns, both for and against the

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During the monsoons, many creatures, such as frogs, snakes, cattle, goats, deers, sheep, leopards, bison, hyenas, rabbits and porcupines, come to the top of the surface of the Mopa platueau.

The EIA report, however, mentions only a Bengal Fox, mouse, rat, cattle and mongoose siddharth karapurkar airport. In his view, there is absolutely no adverse impact on the environment.

He reveals, “This is an 84 lakh square meters of land that has 120 inch of rainfall every monsoon.” This in turn precipitates around 200 million litres of water per day that flows as waste into either the Chapora or the Terekhol River.

Besides, the anti-Mopa team claims there are many ground facts that have been hidden. There are a number of fresh water springs along the slopes leading downwards from the plateau, and also cashew and coconut plantations.

According to a claim in the EIA, during the monsoons, the slopes act as a drain for rain water. However, it is the contention of the anti-Mopa team that these are not drains but actually fresh water springs.

Even the presence of jackfruit trees along the slopes have been blanked out of the report. What is claimed is that the locals carve a living out of the fruits borne by these trees. Dr Deshprabhu however has a different opinion, “I am one of the biggest landlords in the area. I can tell you that there are absolutely no springs in the land.” He, however, mentions that there are around five watershed regions in the land. “I have proposed five different water harvesting techniques and these have been accepted,” he reveals.

“This is nothing but a pack of lies,” claims Karapurkar. The data used in this EIA is claimed to be data collected by the Congress government in October, November and December 2011. “Are both Congress and BJP tied up in this?”

Karapurkar questions.

Some additional issues brought to light by the anti-Mopa group are those like the plateau not being completely flat.

There are meadows and small hillocks of around 20-25 meters in height. There are a few depressions also that get filled with rain water during the monsoons and then dry up after a good three months or more. Therefore, this is not a naturally flat plateau. But none of this finds mention in the present EIA report.

In 2006, a Rapid EIA was done by L&T, a reputed company. A normal EIA has to be done over a time-span of one year, as per the norms, thus covering all weather seasons. A rapid EIA is done in a span of three months only to ascertain the ground reality. In the L&T report, hillocks of 20-25 meters, and the depressions find clear mention. Another interesting point in the L&T EIA report is that, to completely flatten the plateau to make

www.google+/My Goa it suitable for an airport, a whopping 50 lakh cubic meters of earth will have to be excavated. Karapurkar has a startling revelation, “In layman’s terms, this kind of area means, in approximation, a distance from Margao to Colva (five kilometers) in length by a distance from Margao Town to Old Market Circle (one kilometer) in width and a distance of six meters underground in depth. To give credence to this point, Karapurkar mentions how, during the monsoons, many living creatures come to the top of the surface of the earth. There are frogs, snakes, cattle, goats, deer, sheep, leopards, bison, hyenas, rabbits and porcupines residing in a 10 kilometer radius around the plateau. These actually enhance the ecosystem. “But the EIA report mentions only a Bengal Fox, mouse, rat, cattle and mongoose,” says a surprised Karapurkar. When asked how he could say there are so many animals for sure, Karapurkar supported it with a fact that around a few months ago a couple of bison were electrocuted around the area.

Dr Deshprabhu also speaks on the

Pernem is a backward taluka. The airport will completely change its socioeconomic pattern. It will be win-all for the people

Dr. deshprabhu

issue of noise pollution. He states that on take-off, the aircraft is on the Goa side only for three seconds, then it moves into Maharashtra and on landing it is a six second time sequence. “With modern technology all these issues can be easily handled,” he proposes.

Pernem is one of the backward talukas of Goa. Dr Deshprabhu emphatically claims that the airport will completely change the socio-economic pattern of Pernem. He justifies this saying, “The daily turnover will increase and it will be win-all for the people of Pernem.” He feels it will certainly increase the resources and economics of the many poor people of Pernem. The anti-Mopa group, however, have another

take on the issue of development of Pernem. Siddharth says, “Development of the local populace is the actual way to develop Pernem.” He wonders why the Mundkar and Tenancy Act are not applicable in Pernem? That would have actually helped develop the area, he contends. This is, however, denied by Dr Deshprabhu who says both the acts do apply to Pernem as well.

All and said and done, the antiMopa group say there is also a good take away from the report. The EIA report clearly states that until 2040, Goa does not need another airport. But Dr Deshprabhu asks a question, “When will you start looking for an airport? After 20 years? After 50 years?” The present airport was earmarked in 1989. But till today the foundation stone has not been laid. In fact the EIA was not done then because it was not mandatory. The EIA is made compulsory since 2007 or so.

The opposition and support to the Mopa airport has gained momentum once again. What will the EIA finally bring out? Will Goa emerge victorious in the end? Only time will tell the answer

The Voice of Business in Goa Business Goa is Goa’s only business magazine. Focussed on trade, commerce, industry and policy, we have been highlighting business stories and profiling entrepreneurs for nearly six years, now. Get up close and personal with all the happenings on Goa’s business landscape. Read Business Goa.

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FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

19

Heritage

New lease of life for Vasco Clock Tower?

PRATIMA ACHREKAR speaks to MMC Councilors, historians and residents of Vasco about the restoration of Vasco Clock Tower

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asco Clock Tower was built in the year 1938 in the heart of the Vasco city. “It was part of the Mercado (market in Portuguese) and is the only unique clock tower in the whole of Goa. It needs to be preserved because it is a distinctive piece of architecture and modelled on European lines. It has a lovely dome and art motif on it,” says heritage activist Prajal Sakhardande.

According to locals, this clock tower was the only source of time in the golden era as the tower, which has dials on all four sides, and was the only structure

The Vasco Clock Tower has been showing time to Vascokars since 1938. Time is a very important factor, especially in a commercial city like Vasco Tejas Pandit 20

Resident, Vasco

MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

We need to restore our ancient heritage sites. The Vasco Clock Tower is in a bad state, on the verge of collapse and it is the need of the hour to restore it. In olden times this clock tower, which could be seen from far and near, was a meeting point for Vascokars. We are now in the preliminary stages of restoring it. Once we get an NOC from the municipality, we will immediately start with the work Krishna Salkar

from where people could observe the time no matter how far they were.

However, it ceased functioning some years ago. Ever since, there have been plans by history lovers to protect and restore this heritage site.

Surrounded by the blue Arabian Sea, the beautiful city of Vasco da Gama, its name given by the erstwhile Portuguese rulers, flaunts various important locations including the naval defence site, shipyards, the famous Mormugao Port and Goa’s only airport at Dabolim.

After 450 years of Portuguese rule, we have been left with many Portuguese

Councilor

monuments which remind us about the era gone by. “One such beautiful historic monument is the Vasco Clock Tower which was built in 1938 in the heart of the city. We Goans should be proud of this clock tower, but unfortunately, it lies in a pathetic and dilapidated condition.

It is located in the hub of the city and below the tower lies the Vasco market where the traders have been running their businesses successfully for many years now,” says Yogesh Nagvenkar, President of the History Lovers Group Recently, on Goa Liberation Day, the History Lovers Group, as a mark a

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The Vasco Clock Tower is one of the few remaining heritage structures in Vasco. It is in a dilapidated condition and may collapse, causing damage to life and property Rohan Bandekar

Resident, Vasco

respect, initiated a drive to clean the Mormugao Fort. “We also paid respect to the forgotten Goan freedom struggle hero Karnail Singh, a martyr of the Goan freedom struggle. After seeing the pathetic condition of the clock tower, we decided to initiate the movement for its restoration,” Yogesh informs.

He adds, “Having taken the municipal authorities and traders from the market into confidence, Tejas Pandit and Rohan Bandekar, two young and enthusiastic members of the group, along with the electronic media,

explained to the people why there is urgent need to restore the Vasco Clock Tower to its former glory. Noted historian and social activist Prajal Sakhardande had started the restoration campaign 14 years back and now, the members of the group have given it a further boost, as they feel the restoration of the tower will be a matter of pride for, not just the resident of Vasco, but for generations to come.”

Krishna (Daji) Salkar, the Vasco councillor, too, has backed the initiative of the History Lovers Group for the restoration drive. Members of the Group, along with Yogesh Nagvenkar,

The Vasco Clock Tower is an integral part of Goan architecture, not just for what it is, but because like every other facet of Goa and its unique gems of culture and heritage, this tower, too, was lovingly built by hands that were Goan. It is an aesthetic edifice which needs our care and love, just like the elders of our family Sanjeev Sardessai

Promoter, Hands on Historian

Heta Pandit to speak on Kaavi Art at Gallery Gitanjali on 7th March Unknown and unnoticed by most people, Goans included, there is, in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, an ancient architectural art that is in danger of extinction. This architectural art is locally known as ‘kaavi’ and is a description for etching on walls with traditional materials – kaav, charcoal and red soil.

Samples of the art are prevalent in both Hindu and Christian sacred spaces in the Konkan. Sadly, the art is seen in Sawantwadi, Goa and Uttara Karnataka in rather poor conditions. Most temples that have the renderings are small family owned and therefore not economically able to maintain the structures on which the art is rendered. Lack of funds, the absence of traditional artists and deliberate vandalism has resulted in the art being highly endangered. Research and documentation of this art of the

Prajal Sakhardande, Tejas Pandit and Krishna Salkar also had a brief meeting with Jagannath Bhingi, Chief Officer of Vasco Municipal Council.

“The restoration and conservation ideas were put forward to Bhingi and he has pledged full co-operation to get the tower restored. He also informed us that, since the municipal council did not have enough funds for restoration, the same could be taken from external sources.

When we spoke to the traders in the market area, they gave their full support to us to save the pride of Vasco,” says Yogesh

Konkan needs to be done urgently if the art is to be restored.

The art and the technique is fairly simple, the materials used in kaavi are locally available. Kaavi is always done on the walls and column surfaces of sacred spaces. There are two known methods of rendering the art: 1. When the wall is plastered with lime first, the design etched out and then filled with the deep red-coloured kaavi paste. This paste is made mainly of kaav, charcoal and the Konkan red soil. The etched or scratched design is then scooped out, filled with kaavi and polished with a soft cloth.

2. The wall panel is made with an application of kaavi paste. The design is then drawn out on the panel of kaav, and the non-figure and non-motif elements are removed and filled with lime. The

end effect is a textured surface in a startling red oxide-like colour on an off white background.

Goa Heritage Action Group, with the assistance of Fundação Oriénte and other scholars like José Pestana and restorer Miguel Mateus has conducted a few preliminary studies on kaavi. The Group has even restored one kaavi art temple at Advalpale in the year 2006. Clearly, the effort was not enough. Their first set of studies has not given enough information to date the emergence of kaavi art and its period of use. However, one sees it on churches, chapels, temples and homes – some of which may be over 450 years old, and we also see it on temples that are no more than 150 years old.

Writer, Co-founder of Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG) and architectural historian, Heta Pandit will speak on the nuances of Kaavi art at Gallery Gitanjali on 7th March 2015 at 6 pm

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

21

Wah! Goa

“Traffic can be controlled.

Accidents can be curbed” In the backdrop of the Road Safety Week that was held from January 12 to 17, Pratima Achrekar spoke to MARG convenor Gurunath Kelekar on their various efforts to increase Goa’s road sense

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Literature published by Marg to enlighten people about road rules and the perils of not following them

reedom fighter Gurunath Kelekar, who has seen tremendous changes in post independence Goa, is, however, saddened by the fact that roads are not given due importance. They are seen neglected and the number of road accidents are on the rise. So he, along with three other freedom fighters Vasant Karapurkar, Madhukar Mordekar and Vasant Molio started a movement called ‘MARG’ (Making Amity with the Roads in Goa) to maintain roads, obey traffic rules and thus, curb accidents.

“In 2014, though the graph of accidents was on the rise, around 525 less deaths were reported. Though the number of fatalities decreased, that was not solving the major concern. For example, if a bus carrying students meets with an accident, then the number of fatalities can increase in no time,” says Kelekar, adding, “The

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government has collected revenue of almost `3 crores from those breaking traffic rules. This itself proves that the government is incompetent, that they cannot implement the law properly.

Implementing the law does not mean imposing fines, instead it means ensuring that traffic rules are obeyed.”

He rues that driving licenses are issued to virtually anybody. “God intended for us to walk. These vehicles are machines, for some a means to earn their livelihood and others, a facilitator.

“In the Middle East, Europe, USA, etc it isn’t so easy to obtain a driving license and one is subjected to several tests, both written and on the road. Here, driving schools are only interested in their turnover and pay scant concern to teaching road rules and safe driving habits,” he says adding, “Walking is your natural right while driving a vehicle is a privilege that facilitates you getting to your destination quicker.

Hence, one should drive as if they are holding an AK47 in the hand. In an accident, sometimes, families are killed or shattered by the loss of a member.

However, the culprit either gets away or seeks help from the advocate and with false statement or insufficient evidence, are released on bail. This should not be allowed to happen.” He goes on to cite the example of Lal Bahadur Shastri, railway minister who had resigned from his post following the rail disaster. “If he could do it then why can’t us?” questions Kelekar.

Kelekar talks about how, in places like the Middle East or Singapore or France, there are CCTV cameras installed everywhere, thus ensuring that responsible citizens obey the rules. “One doesn’t see police, there only signals.

Similarly, traffic rules are applicable even to the US President and he follows them,” Kelekar says.

“Here unfortunately, corruption

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is rampant due to the greed for money. We want government jobs only because of the good salary and perks.

We then resort to bribing. To become responsible citizens, one it should prick our conscience to indulge in any kind of corruption. Only then is there hope of the system changing.”

Currently there are about eight lakh two wheelers plying on Goan roads.

Another 10 years down the line, this number will increase to 30 lakhs.

Kelekar reminisces about how roads have played a major role in civilisation, since time immemorial. “During Ashoka’s regime, the Chinese travellers would rest under the roadside trees. Along the road, in between, there used to be water facilities. In Goa, there were dovorne (a small raised platform on the side of the road) used to unload their luggage on the road. This reflected the importance of roads. Today, however, we see that they are absolutely neglected and thus resulting in accidents and related deaths,” he says.

“It is written in ancient scriptures that three things should be taken care of – trees, animals and roads. Maneka Gandhi works for the welfare of animals, while trees are taken care of by the government. What about roads? We Goenkars felt that it was the need of the

Government has collected revenue of about Rs 3 crores from those breaking traffic rules. This itself proves that the government is incompetent and cannot implement the law properly. Implementing the law does not mean imposing fines, instead it means ensuring that traffic rules are obeyed Gurunath Kelekar hour to give this matter our attention.

Hence, we started MARG. Now we want to carry this movement across the country. We have five basic rules – we won’t dirty roads, we won’t break traffic rules, we won’t allow noise pollution, we won’t fight on roads and we will sustain pleasing scenic vistas. Besides this, we have also published a book, a guide to 100 traffic rules and is beneficial for any age group,” says Kelekar.

“To inculcate citizenship at the

grass root level, we have also started an institution called ‘Institute for Citizenship and Civic Sense. There is difference between ‘adami’ and ‘insan’.

It’s high time that we start behaving as responsible citizens who look at the government as appointed caretakers. It is we who vote for our government and we should ensure that they in turn work for our benefit, to improve our lives and better the facilities around us,” says the Gandhian Kelekar

Cynosure 2015: 11th All Goa Inter-collegiate Literary Festival

Cynosure ‘15 poster and winners pic of 2014

Cynosure is an annual event hosted by the Department of English, Goa University. The event is dedicated to the study of English literature and language and held for the nine affiliated colleges from North and South Goa that offer English Literature in their curriculum.

“This year Cynosure is celebrating its 11th anniversary and the Theme is ‘Cynosure 15: Conquer the Comic Cosmos!’

This year’s festival will be cantered around nine chosen comics which the participants have to use in different

events such as literary quiz, comic strips, fashion show and skit.

The events will test the participants’ knowledge of the syllabus as well as the comics allotted,” says Divya Desai, one of the on-stage coordinator for the event.

The event will be held at the Goa University Campus, Taleigao on February 20 and 21 between 9am to 5pm. Cynosure 2015 is likely to be attended by academicians, researchers, scholars, post-graduate and graduate students and literature enthusiasts from across the state

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

23

National Interest

Yes, we did!

AshutosH

H

istoric. Yes, history has taken a decisive turn. The Delhi elections are finally over and the results are out. Many myths have been busted. The leader often described as most popular and most powerful has been humbled. The aura of invincibility is broken. The impossible has been achieved. The Aam Aadmi Party has won. The BJP has lost.

If we had predicted something like this a few months ago, people would have laughed at us and called us a bunch of loonies. I still remember how just some weeks after the parliamentary elections, people in Arvind Kejriwal’s constituency shut doors on his face.

He once told me how a local guard, seeing him walk by, had commented sarcastically about wanting to be the PM. His reference was to Arvind going to Varanasi to contest against Modi, then the darling of the masses.

The last Parliamentary elections were the worst thing that could have happened to any party or leader other than the BJP! AAP had lost all the seven seats in its pocket burrough of Delhi. It had contested more than 400 seats and its candidates had lost their deposits in almost 90% of the seats. The Party was ridiculed as ‘zamaanat zapt’ party (the party which has lost its deposits).

Arvind Kejriwal was ridiculed no end. He was badly bruised. Experts had written his obituary. AAP as a party was declared dead despite improving its vote share in Delhi by 4% and winning four seats in Punjab.

We were all down. We knew elections in Delhi were due and could be announced any moment. We had to pull ourselves together and above all, we all had to believe that though we

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How AAP found its way back in Delhi The writer, a backroom boy who fired the Aam Aadmi Party’s victorious campaign in Delhi Assembly Elections, tells it all Arvind Kejriwal pulled off a miracle victory

“The 2015 Delhi elections will go down in history as the turning point. They proved that clean and affordable politics is possible. AAP did not have the money to match the BJP, but it had the moral edge.

Indians are fed up with traditional politics of money power, muscle power and manipulation.

They are looking for an alternative”

had lost the battle, the war was still on.

For the first time, I saw Arvind shaky and vulnerable. He was not the same person. He seemed tentative. But like a General, he slowly gathered himself and decided to face the miseries of life with courage and made plans on ‘how it could be done’. For us, it was a door-die situation. Victory was the only alternative. A plan was chalked out. We identified our negatives and listed three major ones: 1. We realised that the people of Delhi were very upset. They felt cheated.

They had wanted Arvind to continue as the Chief Minister. He should not have resigned. So Arvind openly admitted

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AAP supporters going ecstatic post results

that he had committed a mistake. He admitted he should have continued despite his failure to make the Jan Lokpal a law. He was still considered honest.

His integrity was unmatched. He tried assuring people that he would not resign again. He asked for forgiveness.

2. As a party, AAP has been accused of specializing in ‘Dharna’. Our record as a party of governance was very poor in the eyes of the intellectual class. We looked for a framework. ‘Delhi Dialogues’ was one such idea. It broke the myth that manifesto-making is a one-day phenomenon. AAP decided to bring back the equilibrium. AAP had to prove it could be a party of governance. The party unleashed a policy framework; it took the discussion about Delhi development to the people, the ‘common man.’ It was decided to make the campaign ‘positive’, to keep the development of Delhi as the main focus.

3. During the last assembly elections, our volunteer base was very strong but it did not have a structured shape. It was decided to augment the energy of the volunteers and strengthen the organisation to the booth level. More than ten frontal organisations were also created. By the time elections were declared, AAP was already a well-oiled engine. And Arvind had already toured every constituency twice.

Once the list of negatives was made, the effort was to overcome these with an open mind. It was tough but not

Kiran Bedi

“Kiran Bedi was declared Delhi’s Chief Ministerial candidate. At AAP, we were all a little apprehensive. But we knew that if she started talking to cameras, she would be a great asset for AAP. She delivered.

Our script was complete. Bedi could not control herself” impossible. Arvind was of the opinion that AAP, as a matter of strategy would not participate in any election, be it assembly or municipal outside Delhi.

Some of the leaders did not like the idea.

Arvind was adamant. He did not want any adverse impact on Delhi elections.

Energy was to be consolidated.

By mid-December, we had regained our confidence. We knew it would be a tough contest but we would pull through. Modi was the only hitch. We

waited for Modi to address his rally at Ram Lila Ground. The rally flopped. We were ecstatic. The BJP’s trump card had failed. The BJP became desperate and started looking for someone who could be as credible as Arvind. It could not find one in its party. It had to borrow from outside. Kiran Bedi was declared the Chief Ministerial candidate. We were a little apprehensive. But we knew that if she started talking to cameras, she would be a great asset for AAP. She delivered. Our script was complete. Bedi could not control herself.

The BJP committed another mistake.

In trying times, it resorted to negatives and abuses. We were careful and decided to stick to our development plank. We talked about eradication of corruption, providing electricity at half the current price and water free of cost.

Free Wi-Fi was another hit. The poor and marginalised were strongly with us.

Minorities joined us as the Congress was nowhere in the contest. The middle class which was disenchanted with us due to our shrillness when we were in government, got disillusioned with the BJP’s negative campaign. The BJP’s personalized attack on Arvind put them off. Big promises but zero delivery broke the myth that Modi was in any way different from Manmohan Singh.

We wanted these elections to be a referendum on Arvind and in the end we succeeded in doing so.

These elections will go down in history as the turning point – a gamechanger. They proved the point that clean politics and affordable politics is possible. AAP did not have the money to match the might and resources of the BJP, but it had the moral edge over its opponent. People of India are fed up with traditional politics of money power, muscle power and manipulation. They are looking for an alternative.

AAP’s massive victory will start a new alignment of forces; a new dawn has appeared. It will make politics cool. The common man can now afford to enter politics and succeed. It will no longer be a game of only scoundrels. A small step

by AAP, but a big leap in politics Ashutosh joined the Aam Aadmi Party in January 2014.

The former journalist took on former Union minister Kapil Sibal and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the national election from Chandni Chowk in Delhi

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. My Goa is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of My Goa and my Goa does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. This article was first published on the NDTV website

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

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Art Sadguru Chendvankar

Artist, mentor and free soul

naguesh rao sardessai

Sadguru Chendvankar is a quintessential artist with flowing beard, golf cap and sling bag dangling over his shoulder. A living institution, he is a beacon to many aspiring and established artists in Goa

“We must be a beacon of hope, because if you tell people there’s nothing they can do, they will do worse than nothing.”

Margaret Atwood

Booker Prize Winning Writer

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adguru Chendvankar lives this quote. Enamoured by enthusiastic students and passionate artists, he goes overboard to guide and encourage each of them with unbridled joy. That’s not all, a large number artists flock to him, not just for advice, but also to partake in the wealth of guidance that he has to offer.

“It was my mother, who was an art teacher herself, who spotted my artistic talent,” says Chendvankar explaining the genesis of his foray into this creative field. Encouraged to boldly practice, experiment and discover the finer aspects of art, Chendvankar’s interest in art was fuelled by his maternal uncle’s involvement in the field of professional photography. These aspects added to his resolve to take up art as a full time profession. In the early 1970s, when he decided that the paintbrush would put daily bread on his table, art, as a profession was neither in vogue, nor was it lucrative.

Armed with GD Art in Painting and Post Diploma in Art Masters from the prestigious Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai, Chendvankar could have safely plunged into professional practice.

However, going against the norms, he accepted an invitation extended to him by the Kala Academy, to teach at the newly established Art College. The college latter went on to establish an

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MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

Sadguru Chendvankar

independent identity before it was finally re-christened the Goa College of Art. Having a close link with Goa – ethnic as well as familial, Chendvankar originally hails from the extremely beautiful and nature endowed Konkan region. He spent his early life in Mumbai before settling down in Goa. He prefers to paint what fancies him, remaining oblivious to the current fashion and trends.

With over four creatively enchanting decades of service in the field of art as a professor and a practicing artist, Chendvankar has left an indelible mark. His thirst for new avenues and experimentations with varied media, genre and styles keeps his mind agile and his paintings fresh and visually palatable.

“By indulging in painting, graphics, ceramics and other such genres, I have derived pleasure and the artistic experience has been very fulfilling,” he says. Chendvankar has been expounding the virtues of treading the path less travelled – stylistically and technically.

He has achieved success with his ideas and encourages young aspirants to do the same.

Varied hues play a significant role in his works, infusing meaning besides adding beauty. Each of his work is to be enjoyed for the interesting patterns that the juxtaposed forms create and for the riot of mesmerizing hues. Chendvankar expects onlookers to enjoy the beauty in his paintings and comprehend its meaning for themselves. The intention is to guide the viewers into the maze of patterns and a sprinkling of hues with pure and unconditional submission and then, touch a chord and strike a conversation that stays with them for long.

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“By indulging in painting, graphics, ceramics and other such genres, I have derived pleasure and the artistic experience has been very fulfilling,” says Chendvankar With folk elements strikingly visible, Chendvankar admires tradition and culture. All things traditional and of heritage value – be it theological or architectural – finds a place in his paintings. The stylized forms mutate to satisfy the taste of the contemporary viewer.

Colours play a significant role in his paintings and each hue – shade and tint – help to create the multi-coloured emotional drama that viewers can then

derive aesthetic pleasure from.

An accomplished exponent of graphics and ceramic art, Chendvankar has conducted several workshops and demonstrations in the hope of spreading awareness. His deep interest in Indian culture, philosophy and text is amply reflected in his works. Sinewy lines, typically moulded forms and interesting hues give a glimpse of his attachment to his motherland and everything that is Indian.

He is undoubtedly one of the noted figures in the contemporary art scene with numerous awards and commendations. Chendvankar has, to his credit, several one-man shows and group shows in painting and graphics that includes ones at Mumbai, Nagpur, Lucknow, Udaipur, Bangalore, New Delhi and other places. The Artefact Group Show at Providence, Rhode Island – USA is notewothy.

Chendvankar has received several State Art Awards including the prestigious Lalit Kala Academi Award. He has also been honoured by the Government of Goa for his long-standing contribution to the field of art.

Having taught art at Goa’s premier art institute – the Goa College of Art, Sadguru went on to head the department of painting before superannuating from Government service to take up art fulltime.

Friend, philosopher and guide to many aspiring and established artists, Chendvankar remains a beacon that will lead the art community in Goa

Kama, Interrupted to feature 18 artists

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ama, Interrupted is a multimedia art exhibition featuring 18 artists based in Goa. The artists invited to be part of this exclusive exhibition represent a cross-section of the most talented working in Goa today and are Vamona Navelcar, Nirupa Naik, Francis Desousa, Verodina Ferrao, Rajeshree

Thakker, Katharina Kakar, Mohan Naik, Viraj Naik, Vitesh Naik, Pradeep Naik, Praveen Naik, Vasudev Shetye, Osborne Carvalho, Shripad Gurav, Aadhi Vishal, Manjunaath Naik, Kedar Dhondu and Ramdas Gadekar.

Kama, Interrupted is the outcome of a project which started in August 2014. Working with its curator, Apurva Kulkarni, an artist, art historian and independent curator, the artists invited to be part of the show have extensively reinterpreted the Kamasutra. The Kamasutra, written in the 3rd century CE by Vatsyayana deals with a scientific approach to sex and sexuality and its integration into daily life. The two words in the title mean ‘desire/love/pleasure/ sex’ (kama) and ‘a treatise’ (sutra). The Kamasutra is the oldest textbook of erotic love and is about the art of living – about finding a partner, maintaining power in a marriage and also about the positions on sexual intercourse.

The erotic science to which these texts belong, known as kamashastra (‘the science of kama’), is one of the three principal human sciences in ancient

India, the other two being religious and social law (dharmashastra) and the science of political and economic power (arthashastra).

The curatorial strategy employed was simple – Apurva Kulkarni asked the artists to reinterpret the Kamasutra exhaustively and broadly. The resulting drawings, paintings, sculptures, assemblages and installations interrogate extensively and persuasively the notions of love and desire. The ‘interruptions’ alluded to in the title of the exhibition are both thematic and representational. The outcome is Kama, Interrupted, a unique event exemplifying the unbridled power and authenticity of the best talent in Goa today.

The curated show will display more than 75 artworks and will be inaugurated by Dr Sudhir Kakar, celebrated psychoanalyst and writer at the Gallery Gitanjali, Fontainhas, Panjim.

The exhibition has been supported and endorsed by Panjim based businessman, collector and art lover, Gautam Suresh Amonkar. The exhibition will be on till February 17

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

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Tribute

A tribute to Dr José Pereira, Goa’s Michelangelo

An artist, painter, scholar, teacher, author/writer, historian, linguist, musicologist, Dr José Pereira’s love for Goa and Konkani showed in most of his works writes priest from Tempe Arizona, Antonio da Costa

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n January 31, 2015, Dr. José Pereira, a humble, unpretentious man, yet one of the most brilliant minds and personality of Goa, India and the world in general, was laid to rest after a poignant funeral mass and services at the St. Margaret of Cortona Church in Bronx, New York, USA. He died at the age of 84 on January 26, 2015, India’s Republic Day. There was an outpouring of love, respect and appreciation for his lifetime’s work and the special tribute at the Xavier Centre for Historical Research. Dr. José Pereira has been described as ‘Goa’s intellectual giant’, ‘Goa’s Michelangelo’, ‘Goa’s Da Vinci’, a theologian, ‘an Indologist’, ‘a singular Indian of his generation’, an artist, a painter, a scholar, a teacher, an author/writer, historian, a linguist, a musicologist, etc.

As my farewell to Dr. José Pereira, I will share with you my life experience with him in Goa, and New York. To me José (and he was very particular to have the accent on top of the vowel e of his name) was first and foremost my dear cousin. They have their ancestral home in Corjém, Curtorim, but they lived in Bombay where José was born on January 22, 1931.

As most Goans do — or did till very recently — the family came to Curtorim in the month of May each year for holidays. As far as I can remember, José was always seen with a book in his hands, reading, learning, and interacting with me and my siblings with jokes and anecdotes. We lived close by in the next “vaddo of Xennoybhag”.

It was from him that I first learned that my ward was called such because it was the garden of Xennoy Dessai, my pre-Christianity ancestor. He was always keen on imparting lessons of history.

José had a phenomenal ability to learn languages in a very short time.

He spoke 13 of them. But he did not

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MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

Dr. José Pereira

Dr José Pereira loved everything related to Goa and India. His multiple books and articles witness this fact. He loved Konkani and spared no effort to defend her against her enemies who wanted to deny her identity know Portuguese until around 1959. He was studying at the JJ School of Art in Bombay between 1957-1958, and was very interested in learning more about the architecture of Goan Churches and mansions.

I believe, in early 1959 he was in Panjim making sketches of the beautiful Panjim Church. When the Portuguese police spotted him and suspected him of being one of the Satyagrahis. They arrested him, and kept him in the jail for a few hours until somebody identified him and vouched for him as not being a spy. He went back to Bombay, and within four months he taught himself to speak Portuguese fluently and secured a job in

Lisbon to teach at the “Instituto Superior de Estudos Ulatramarinos”.

He taught there for only one year.

In September of 1960, he returned to Goa for holidays. A special event was arranged to welcome him back as a distinguished son of Goa and he was to give a lecture on the Music and Literature of Goa. The hall was packed and the Governor, Antonio Vasalo e Silva embraced José enthusiastically as he came in and took his seat. It was a brilliant talk, but the Portuguese and the Governor could not accept the truth when Dr. Pereira stated Goa had its own rich culture and music independent of Portugal and through no merits of its influence over Goa. The Governor and his entourage furiously turned their backs on Dr. Pereira and left the hall. “A Vida”, the daily in Portuguese in those days, was censored and forbidden to print the speech. It was published by the late Fr. Lucio da Veiga Coutinho on the second day following the liberation of Goa. Once José returned to Portugal he had to flee to London to escape reprisals

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José had met with harsh treatment from Goans as well. He did not care about his appearance when he went knocking on the doors of people in Curtorim, Raia, Loutulim, Margão, Macasan, Chandor, Benaulim regarding his acquiring the mandos-dulpods-deknnis. He travelled dressed in shorts and sandals with a bag on his back. People took him as someone coming to rob them, asked him if he had come to tune the piano, or simply ignored him by shutting the door on him. A few times they let us in because I was dressed in my Seminary uniform. However, José let his works and deeds speak for himself and never bothered to go after his detractors.

Due to the inspiration he provided me, I tried to carry on the work, safeguarding the originality of our music by means of broadcasts over Radio Goa, and two festivals of Mando in Pune. José also introduced me to the late Maestro Micael Martins who eventually became

my music teacher.

José’s biggest joy of researching this subject was his find in the ArchivOrientalni, Prague, Czechoslovakia: A grammar of standard Konkani in Latin Pincipia Linguae Brahmanicae written between 1748 and 1761 by Karel Prikryl. S.J. José edited it with an introduction in English in 1969 and presented me with a copy.

It is a highly scholarly work which I will always cherish.

José wanted to learn about everything and then share his knowledge with others. He had a phenomenal memory. He would read something once and then he could remember what he read for ages. He would recite verses in Sanskrit appropriate for the moment. He could recite inscriptions from anywhere.

I remember him reciting with great pride the inscription on the main door of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican which lists Goa as one of the four Patriarchates of the West which I verified myself when it was my turn to visit the Vatican.

Finally, because of José’s profound love for Goa, he spared no sacrifice in order for him to express this love in art form via the frescoes on the ceiling of the sacristy at St. Joaquim Chapel in Borda, Margao, Goa. It is a masterpiece for which he prepared and worked for five years, and, in the final year, he took his sabbatical, uprooted his wife and children from NY to Goa, and laying on his back for six months, completed this work for posterity.

José, my dearest cousin I am eternally grateful for your love for Goa and everything Goan. Thank you for the encouragement you gave me to love, understand and preserve our Goan musical treasure. I will carry the torch to the best of my ability. Thank you my cousin and friend. Keep on singing the mandos in Heaven with your parents and mine and our aunts who taught us how to sing and love mandos

Very Goan

Viva Carnaval to kick off on Valentine’s Day

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arnaval in Goa is the most looked forward to event. Tourists as well as Goans settled outside visit Goa specially to witness the extravaganza that is now become a tradition. “The Carnaval is a four-day festival that is celebrated before Lent season – a 40-day period of fasting and penance before Easter Sunday.

‘Carnaval’ means ‘value of meat’. During

Lent, most Catholics abstain from eating meat,” says Francisco Martins, who has been part of Carnaval since 1974.

For the four days of Carnaval, a float parade is held in four different cities — Panjim, Mapusa, Margao and Vasco. The floats usually depict traditional Goan occupations and lifestyle. Over the years, there have been subtle changes in the celebrations and the floats have evolved through the times. Nowadays, many of them aim at sending out social messages on issues of grave concern including environment preservation, AIDS, Swine Flu, domestic violence, etc. That apart, advertisements have also found their way into the parade.

Reacting to claims of commercialization Martins says, “What is not being commercialized in today’s world? Even I-League has been commercialized. The media should not sensationalise by projection only pictures of semi dressed girls, all the aspects of the carnaval should be highlighted.”

Martins, who has won the first place a number of times at the Republic Day parade, has an idea about designing the advertisement floats. “Advertising floats need not be direct. For instance, we have bikes and alcohol brands advertising. If I had to advertise an alcohol brand, I would make a clown of a man shaped as a bottle,” he says.

In olden days, the merriment of Carnaval was slightly different. “There used to be band that would go door to door singing and blowing trumpets and mandolins. During, those days we would sing songs and throw balloon,” says Francisco, adding, “Government has put ban on these activities because rowdy boys would throw balloons with stones in it”

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Cinema

Film maker feels that Multiplex theatres should compulsorily make slots available for Konkani films

Filmmaker Jitendra Shikerkar and producer Atrey Sawant of the film Mortoo in conversation with Pratima Achrekar on how the trend of Konkani cinema has arrived and why multiplexes must support it

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usinessman Atrey Sawant and passionate filmmaker Jitendra Shikerkar have joined hands to contribute to their beloved Konkani language by producing a film Mortoo. The film has an interesting subject which will tickle the funny bone of the audience. While most of us are familiar with stories centred around birthdays or weddings, has anyone heard of one based on a funeral? Mortoo is about cremations.

While it may seem to be a serious subject, the filmmaker has shown it as a satirical black comedy. “There is a thin line between dealing with such sensitive subjects and comedy. We have taken utmost care while handling it to give it a twist,” says Jitendra.

The storyline is based on a villager who is involved in performing cremations and how he eventually goes through bad times. The character who performs cremations, along with

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I wanted to do something for the Konkani language.

When Jitendra approached to me I was impressed and thought if Konkani nataks can run 400-500 shows, then why not a film?

ATREY SAWANT the help of his brother-in-law converts this hobby into a profession and soon starts an event management company.

They start taking advance money for performing final rites. “Only the family members are seen mourning while for others, the ceremony is just a get

together where they can chat on other issues and sometimes crack jokes even outside the house,” says Jitendra.

Elaborating on the issues that they faced during the making of the film, producer Atrey Sawant says, “We went on floor April 2013. The budget for producing the film has totalled to almost Rs 80 lakhs. It was not supposed to be this expensive. However, sadly, our main actor Bharat Ganeshpure fell sick in the midst of shooting and we had to call it off completely. Consequently, the entire unit was sent back to Mumbai and once we were ready to shoot, we had to ferry them back to Goa. We initially wanted to wind up shooting in just 12 days.

However, this schedule, too, had to be extended. While post production took its own time, the Censor Board took about four months to clear the film.”

Making a film is just one aspect of the film’s journey. A much bigger challenge lies in getting it adequately screened so that a larger numbers of people can buy tickets to watch it. This is where the filmmaker and producer faced another hurdle – getting a multiplex slot for it.

Throwing light on the scene of Konkani film release in Goan theatres, Atrey says, “We didn’t get a slot to screen in Inox Multiplex. I do not understand why our Konkani films don’t have compulsory slots booked for screenings. They have four screens, so one screen can easily be provided. In neighbouring states like Maharashtra, it’s compulsory in the clause mentioned, that one Marathi film has to be screened. We don’t get our rights because we don’t raise our voices for it. Goenkars don’t pelt stones in protest and screen owners should not try our patience. There is huge number of youth who can easily be brought out on the road to protest if time forces us to do,” says Jitendra.

“On a serious note, the Konkani

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We didn’t get a slot at Inox Multiplex. I don’t understand why our Konkani films don’t have compulsory screening slots. In Maharashtra, it’s compulsory that one Marathi film has to be screened. We don’t get our rights because we don’t raise our voices for it JITENDRA SHIKERKAR

Mortoo, a Konkani black comedy on a villager who cremates the dead, was screened at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) in Australia 2014. It was also premiered at the International Film Festival of India 2013 in Goa. The movie is currently running in seven theatres in the state — Cine Ashok (Panaji), Cine Vishant (Margao), Z Square (Vasco), Cine Jai Mahalsa (Ponda), Cine World (Marcel), Hira Talkies (Bicholim) and Nandi Cinema (Pernem)

film industry is steadily making it mark.

If three Konkani films — Nachoiea Kumpasar, Home Sweet Home and Mortoo can run parallel in theatres, then we will, more or less, have the strength to produce 12 films a year. We are not implying that the theatre must chuck out Home Sweet Home and replace it with our film, but, we should be getting a slot, too. As for prioritizing movies, let audience take their pick. In near future, more multiplexes will be set up. My request to them is to please include a clause making it compulsorily to screen at least one Konkani film,” adds Jitendra.

Watching Konkani movies is suddenly become fashionable, what with the standards of these films rising with each movie. Jitendra says, “We have observed that Goans do not want anything serious, they just want to relax for the two hours that they are watching a film or tiatr or natak. The trend of Konkani movies has also picked up, we need to capitalise on that,” he concludes

SRE’s 2015 calendar based on good ol’ Goan life T

he SRE Group’s new calendar, featuring illustrations portraying quintessential facets of Goan culture, is nothing short of a visual treat. The illustrations have been done by the talented Teamea Costa. This year Yogesh Naik and Atul Virginkar, coowners of SRE Group wanted their annual calendar to be different from the usual.

Talking about taking the concept to fruition, designer Lynn Barreto Miranda says, “For the last three years, I have been designing their calendar. This year I had discussed the concept of ‘Then and Now’ (photographs taken then with current scene of that spot). Yogesh, however, wanted the calendar to be designed in a unique way this year. He had got some illustrations circulated by his friends via WhatsApp and rather impressed with them, he decided to use them for the calendar. He asked me to contact the illustrator, Teamea Costa.

Teamea told us that she already had a

piece of illustration on the Goan life. We decided to go ahead with the existing illustrations and I went on to design the 2015 calendar.”

Talking about how she

Very Goan

conceptualised these local flavoured illustrations, Teamea says, “The ideas have been accumulating in my head and on bits of paper for a very long time. It all stems from the need to put forward what I see and know to be the essence of Goa, way beyond the popular image that is portrayed.

The illustrations for the calendar are actually part of the ‘I Love Goa’ range of products by Blu Toad which retails at eight stores.”

Teame says that she got to know about her selection for the calendar at the end of December. How excited was she about the offer? “It was quite out of the blue, so it was pretty cool.

However, the shot notice didn’t give me adequate time to improve the illustrations in terms of adding more detail,” she says.

Teamea is currently in the process of creating a new range of illustrations for the ‘I love Goa’ range. That apart, she is also working on developing other product ideas for Blu Toad

FEBRUARY 2015 MY GOA

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Book Worm

Sushila Mendes’ book pays homage to the ‘Tilak of Goa’

(LoR) Prasad Lolienkar, F.O.Hashmi, Dayanand Mandrekar, Shekhar Gupta, Maria Aurora Couto and author Sushila Sawant Mendes at the launch of Sushila’s book on Luis de Menezes Braganca

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hushila Sawant Mendes’ book on Luis de Menezes Braganca titled ‘Luis de Menezes Braganca — Nationalism, Secularism and free-thought in Portuguese Goa’, was launched recently at the hands of eminent journalist Shekhar Gupta.

Talking about the book, the former Editor-in-Chief of Indian Express and current advisor to the India Today group, who was the Chief Guest at the function, referred to Menezes Braganca as the ‘Tilak of Goa”. Describing Goa as an island of peace and calm, he went on to speak about how, with ‘such a small population’, the state has left an indelible imprint on India. He also mentioned some of prominent Goans who have made it big in the country. Talking about Menezes Braganca, he extolled his liberal thoughts and how the man fought with the foreign establishment, at a time when the freedom movement in Indian

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The book will introduce Luis de Menezes Braganca to many who have not read about him or even heard about him had not “infiltrated” Goa as much as it had in other parts India.

Maria Aurora Couto, who reviewed Sushila’s book said, “The book will introduce Luis de Menezes Braganca to many who have not read or even heard about him.” She added that it was a timely book for the new generation that, despite technological advances which has put knowledge at their fingertips, know so little about the past. Commenting that today, Indian journalists are cautious about what they write, and that the country is in need of fearless voices who thunder, Couto said that caution would have enraged Menezes Braganca.

Speaking about the book, the author said, “Luis de Menezes Braganca is a part of our intellectual heritage and his thoughts must go on as the nationalism that Menezes Braganca espoused is the same that is enshrined in the Indian Constitution

about the book This book discusses the role of Luis de Menezes Braganca in the emergence of political consciousness in Goa. His life span (1878-1938) saw three discrete and dramatic political chapters in the history of Portugal: The Constitutional Monarchy, the Republic and Salazar’s Estado Novo. This study analyses their impact on Goa and Menezes Braganca’s reponses to these changes.

Much of what Menezes Braganca wrote or did, kindled the flame of nationalism, mostly after his premature demise in 1938. He was deeply convinced that Goa’s struggle for political sovereignty had to be linked to India’s own fight for freedom from the British.

The response to his writing reverberated in local resistance that was also fanned by the freedom movement that was gathering momentum on the national stage. A whole generation was motivated by Menezes Braganca’s freethinking oeuvre. He rallied against caste, the collusion of the church and the state and the regressive impact of religion on education. He made a strong case for a home-grown model of education and was outspoken against Salazar’s oppressive Acto Colonial. As Menezes Braganca wrote only in Portuguese, his ideas are little known within and outside Goa. Indian historiography, which tends to be north-India centric, has overlooked the role and contribution of this thinker to anti-colonial resistance

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Tomazinho Cardozo pens new book on tiatr

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iatr – Goychea Somazacho Arso’ authored by veteran tiatrist Tomazinho Cardozo was released recently. It has five volumes having 20 tiatrs written by Tomazinho over a span of 40 years.

The book was unveiled at the hands of St Andre MLA and writer Vishnu Surya Wagh. Others present were Joe Rose, Vice-President of Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) and Premanand Lotlikar, President of Dalgado Konknni Akademi. Wagh said that theatre is a mirror of human life and that Goa has a deep history

with this form of performing art.

He also expressed his reservation about the state of theatre today in Goa. He said, “Literature that doesn’t allow one to think is of no value. There is too much of selfpolicing in theatre these days. Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword and one should know how to use it.”

Highlighting on the work of Tomazinho Cardozo as a tiatrist, Wagh said, “He was the first tiatrist who brought cross and tulsi vrindavan together on stage.

He brought two communities together on stage and also removed the tag that tiatr is restricted to Catholics only.

Through his tiatrs, and now his books, he has paved a new way for tiatr. Also, by writing these books in Romi Konkani

script, he has given acceptance to this script.” He added that this book will help future generations, as in the last 122 years of tiatr’s history there is hardly any documentation of tiatr scripts.

Premanand Lotlikar said that the Dalgado Konknni Akademi is willing to support any tiatrist who wants to write a book on tiatr. “We give 90 per cent financial assistance to writers,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his address, Joe Rose said that Tomazinho’s tiatrs are not less than text-books on the traditional format of tiatrs. He further suggested that workshops for youngsters on this form of tiatr should be conducted to make people more aware. He demanded that Tomazinho should receive a national award for his work in the field of tiatr.

Meanwhile, expressing gratitude to all tiatr lovers, Tomazinho appealed to all tiatrists to document their tiatrs. “For me, late tiatrist Prem Kumar is a great tiatrist. When he passed away, I thought of publishing his scripts. I managed to get five of his scripts which were not only well kept but also illustrated, especially its titles,” he said

KBM releases books, music CD and a magazine K

onkani Bhasha Mandal’s (KBM) program titled Petul that saw the release of several educational items for children received immense response from children and book lovers alike.

Released at the programme was a children’s song CD titled Shanni Masti 2. The first issue of a Konkani quarterly magazine for children, titled Chirput, a book of Konkani nursery rhymes for KG 1, titled Mannkulyanchi Kavana, an EnglishKonkani and Konkani-Konkani primer, titled Chitrabodh and Educational charts in Konkani for children Takate were also released.

The ceremony was attended by Prasad Lolienkar, Director of Art and Culture, Dr Usha Sharma – Associate Professor at NCERT, Sujata Noronha, literacy educator at Bookworm-Goa, Mukesh Saglani, Chairman of Gujarati Samaj School for Deaf and Dumb, Sister Valentina of Little Heaven, Colva, and Narendra Kamat and Suhas Desai of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Lolienkar stressed on the need to

preserve the innocence of children that is diminishing fast these days. “Children have a different perspective. However, we kill it and force them to grow faster”, he said. He emphasised the need to teach children in their mother tongue and appreciated the efforts taken by KBM to promote Konkani amongst young minds.

Chetan Acharya, President of KBM spoke about their efforts to work in the field of children’s educational literature.

“If children opt for Konkani in their primary education, then we need to create suitable environment for the same,” he said while expressing displeasure that government constituted bodies like Goa

Konkani Academy set up for the promotion of Konkani language and education are not taking up the educational work that KBM is doing. “KBM shall continue to fill in the vacuum,” he said.

During the function seven institutes from different parts of Goa – Nirakar High School Mashem, Vivekanand Vidhya Mandir, Keri Sattari, Tiny Tots, Quepem, Sur Nandan Bharati, Ponda, Manovikas High School, Bhatikar Model High School and Nritya Sankul, Margao performed a specially choreographed song sequence from Shanni Masti 2 at the function.

The programme was oriented towards children from pre-primary and primary section, KBM’s focus area. The magazine and books of children’s songs is the outcome of continuous workshops held by KBM with the children as well as renowned children’s writers in Konkani over the last several months. The magazine has been designed, by KBM keeping in mind the psychology and needs of children

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Music

Music and heritage meet at the Monte Music Festival

Satish and Naresh Madgaonkar

Gavana

Cadenza Kantori

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onceived to bring together Western and Indian classical music, the Monte Music Festival has become one of the highlights of the discerning music lover’s calendar. The festival links heritage with culture by bringing together classical traditions of both worlds while providing an ideal opportunity for music lovers to enjoy and collaborate in promoting Goa as a cultural destination. The Monte Music Festival is held in the courtyard of Capela da Nossa Senhora do Monte (Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount). Located on a hillock in Old Goa which boasts a panoramic view of Old Goa, the Mandovi River, the islands of Divar and Chorao as well as the Arabian Sea, a perfect venue

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for the sunset performances. Every year, the festival features a wide range of artistes showcasing their musical talents to complete perfection. From sitar and harmonium recitals to vocal and baroque performances, the festival has the perfect mélange of East meeting West. The festival is thus a treat for music enthusiasts in a breathtaking ambience.

This year, the festival, which concluded recently, brought together artistes from different parts of the country as well as Portugal and the United States of America. Leading the way for what was a weekend of elegant and timeless classics, noted Assamese violinist Sunita Bhuyan wowed the audiences with a fusion jazz, folk and classical performance. From the

Chelsea and Chloe D’Souza

reputed Oberlin Music Conservatory, USA, Chloe and Chelsea D’Souza left crowds enthralled by their vocal and piano recital.

The Manipuri Dance Recital by Padmashree Darshana Jhaveri and her troupe gripped the audiences while the Portuguese Guitar and Clarinet Recital

by Luisa Amaro and Goncalo Lopes had music lovers begging for more.

Drawing to a close, the third and final day of the festival saw a full house throng to watch Santoor maestro Naresh Madgaonkar mesmerize the crowds while Cadenza Kantori put on a riveting performance of original sacred and religious Indian acapella works.

Rounding up the Festival was traditional Goan folk music by the GaVaNa group, who brought the house down

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International Sufi and traditional music festival gets rave reviews

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eople from all walks of life headed towards Kala Academy’s Dinanath Magueshkar Hall to attend the three-days long International Festival of Sufi and Traditional music. Initiated in 2011 by banglanatak. com, a social enterprise, Sufi Sutra has now evolved into an annual music festival in Kolkata and New Delhi. In its fifth edition this year, Sufi Sutra was held at Goa on an experimental basis for the first time at Kala Academy.

Sufi Sutra is a peace music festival to bring about a convergence of ideas on truth, harmony, peace and divinity.

“The festival aims at connecting Indian folk artistes to the world through cultural exchanges and to promote cultural pluralism.

Cultural dialogues develop mutual knowledge on different musical traditions and thus, create scope for developing new collaborations,” said Arnab Bhattacharya, the founder of banglanatak.com and organiser of this fest.

Musicians from Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, Morocco, Spain and India presented some soulful music. In all, nine teams participated in the programme which included six international groups – Projeto Sarava from Brazil, Serenas from Denmark, Mawlawiyahh from Egypt, Hadarrattes Souiriyattes from Morocco, Mechket from Tunisia and Zikr from Spain.

The three Indian groups that performed at the festival were Sidi Goma from Gujarat which comprises of 11 members who presented an overview of Sidi ritual performances. The Langas from Rajasthan led by Kasam Khan who is famed for his performance of folk songs revolving around the lives of Rajas and Maharajas and Bengal Goa: East West Local, a team of eight urban and rural musicians of West Bengal and Goa, including included Elvis Lobo, Carlos Gonsalves and Steven Francis, who have performed in various parts of the world.

Apart from the performances, the festival also saw workshops by the international groups in the Black Box of Kala Academy as part of the event

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People

Padma Shri to Lambert Mascarenhas

Centenarian Lambert Mascarenhas popular as a journalist, freedom fighter and writer, has been awarded the Padma Shri 2015 for literature and education.

Mascarenhas was the first editor of The Navhind Times.

Three years later, he successfully founded his own monthly magazine Goa Today.

Reacting to the news about being awarded the Padma Shri, Mascarenhas said that he was very proud and honoured to be bestowed with such a prestigious award. “I never expected it. I don’t think I have done anything exceptional to deserve such a high award. But, I am grateful to the Government of India for honouring me,” he said.

Mascarenhas has five books to his credit — The First City, Sorrowing Lies My Land, In the Womb of Saudade, The Greater Tragedy and Heartbreak Passage.

Mascarenhas, who turned 100

last year, was awarded Goa’s highest civilian award – Gomant Vibhushan, in September 2014.

Mascarenhas also significantly contributed to India’s freedom movement through his writings. While at the Goan Tribune in Bombay, he wrote numerous articles against the Portuguese colonial regime in Goa. In fact, while on a visit to Goa, he was arrested and jailed by the Portuguese for his articles. He was later released on bail and expelled from the state.

Mascarenhas had vowed not to marry until Goa was free. He kept the vow and days after Liberation, he tied the knot with Dr Jolly, who he had met during his activities in the Liberation movement

Atmaram Deshpande awarded President’s Police Medal It was a proud moment for IPS Superintendant of Police (Training) Atmaram Deshpande, at this year’s state level Republic Day celebration as he was presented the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service at the hands of Governor Mridula Sinha. Incidentally, the medal was announced way back in 2013, but presented to Deshpande only recently.

This prestigious award has been bestowed upon Atmaram for the yeomen services rendered by him. Reacting to the honour he proudly said, “I feel honoured and recognized on being presented with President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service. The title of the award itself says it all. This is a very special award because it’s a national level accolade and very few officers out of the thousands receive it.”

When asked about whom he would dedicate the award to, Deshpande said, “I wish to express my gratitude, first to my family, especially my wife, for supporting me all throughout and then to my senior officers and colleagues and to God for keeping me blessed. I dedicate my medal to people of Goa.” Deshpande has been appointed on higher posts in Goa Police. He is presently posted as Principal, Police Training School, ballpoint and SP GRP. He is also looking after the Legal and Vigilance

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This is a very special award for me, because it is a national level award and very few officers out of the thousands receive it Atmaram Deshpande being presented with President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service at the hands of Governor of Goa Mridula Sinha at State Republic Day function

branch at headquarters and State Crime Records Bureau. He is also the Nodal Officer for police computerisation and CCTNS project.

Deshpande is an IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre. His earlier postings include Superintendent of Police, CID Intelligence Branch, Superintendent of Police (PCR, Communication &Wireless), SP Traffic, etc.

Besides rendering laudable service to the Goa Police, he has been actively conducting sessions on ‘Cyber Crime and You’ at various groups and colleges as part of Cyber Crime awareness campaign.

He was also involved in educating the public on traffic and road safety in his earlier stint as SP Traffic Goa.

In 2011, he was awarded the Chief Minister’s Gold Medal (Police) for meritorious service. Atmaram was highly praised by the media for his achievements. Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande, who while working in state Intelligence Branch in the state, bluntly wrote in his weekly column in a vernacular daily Gomantak, “There is a disturbing increase in number of instances where massage parlours and beauty salons are being used for prostitution. People are getting restive.”

He was also forthright in his views while handling Traffic Police of the state.

During his tenure Traffic Police and traffic management of the state had seen a sea change which is still relevant

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Sushant Khedekar, man behind Goan float at R-Day Parade This year, out of 17 entries, Khedekar’s tableau was shortlisted to represent Goa at the Republic Day Parade at the Rashtrapati Bhavan This year’s Republic Day parade at the Rajpath was all the more special for Goans as son of the soil and now Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar got the opportunity to share the stage with US President Barack Obama, who was the Chief Guest.

And when it came to the eagerly anticipated float parade, Goa didn’t disappoint there either. The tableau designed by Sushant Khedekar, depicting the Goan fishing community, with an animated crab, a fisherman and dancers clad in the traditional ramponkar attire, that made its way down Rajpath Marg.

Talking about the tableau, Sushant, who is the Vice-Chairman of Kala Academy excitedly said, “When our

float was passing by on Rajpath Marg it received a standing ovation from the various ministers from Goa present at the parade as well as the other guests and spectators. Among those present at the parade from Goa were MP Shantaram Naik, Suresh Toraskar and Suresh Prabhu.

Elaborating further, Sushant said, “One of the national channels NDTV complemented our float saying though Karnataka’s float was the first to take off the float parade, it was actually led by Goan float.”

When asked whether the Goan tableau is now stereotyped, Sushant said, “Not at all. One particular subject can be shown in different ways. Goa is

basically known for its fish curry and so, I tried to project seafood. The entire float was executed by taking every minute detail into consideration like the crab had animated movements, as was the tail of the big fish and the ramponkars pulling the fishing net. By the side of the float were the traditionally clad fisherfolk dancing.”

Speaking about the process of tableau selection, he said, “At first I had to send the proposed artwork on paper. After it got shortlisted, I made a 3D model followed by the actual tableau.

The selection committee at the Republic Day parade can drop the tableau anytime if they don’t like it. We had to keep it in sync with the original drawing”

Manguirish Pai Raiker appointed on National Board for MSME Manguirish Pai Raiker, Co-Chairman of National council for SME, ASSOCHAM has been appointed on the recently re-constituted National Board of MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises). This is the National policy making body for the micro, small and medium industry formed under the ministry of MSME. Manguirish is the Immediate Past President of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He was also the Chairman of South India Chambers and Association Network (SICAN). Currently he is the Chairman, RCPR School of Agriculture, Savoi Verem,

Goa, Chairman, Green Triangle Society, Chairman, SENA (State Ex-NCC cadets Association), Co-Chairman of the Governing Council of the Goa Engineering College, Chairman of Community Development through the Government Polytechnic, Mayem, Goa, member on the Board of Trustees of the International Centre Goa, a member on the Board of Vocational Education, Government of Goa, member of the Board of Indian Red Cross Society, Goa Chapter besides several other educational, cultural and sports organisations.

Manguirish, is the Chairman and

Managing Director of Brown Packaging System Private Limited, a small scale unit operating from Corlim. A first generation entrepreneur, he started his career with Accumulator Manufacturing Company. He is also a visiting faculty to management colleges, and has conducted various trainings and workshops program on VAT in various states across India. He has trained SAARC Academy members in India and other SAARC countries, and for ZDH-Sequa in Germany. He was a guest speaker on the ‘Growth of Indian Economy’, at Krakow University, Poland.

He has also spoken at the Vocational Education Seminar at Michigan State University. Recently he was invited to talk at the National convention of the Cost Accountants at Hyderabad

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Food

Goa: her heritage through her food

Pics: Nolan Mascarenhas

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Noted cookbook writer Odette Mascarenhas’ opens up about her latest book, the journey of completing it and shares some prized recipes

he is one of the more popular names on the Goan culinary scene, with award winning cookbooks, food columns and a popular food show to her credit. She is also a founder member of the Goan Culinary Club, a group of die-hard foodies passionate about saving Goa’s dying culinary traditions for future generations. And Odette Mascarenhas’ latest offering, The Culinary Heritage of Goa recently won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award for 2014 in two categories – Historical Recipes and Self Published. “The book is quite literally my newest baby. It took me nine whole months to put it together. It is exciting and thrilling that it has won such high honours in an award that is considered to be the Olympics of cookbooks,” she says.

The interesting feature about the book is that it is more than just a cookbook. The Culinary Heritage of Goa is like a tour of Goan heritage through her various food traditions. The book covers each taluka, giving a glimpse into its history, social traditions and how these have influenced its culinary heritage. From meeting village elders who recount their younger days and the evolution of food traditions that they have witnessed, to speaking to the young and raring Goan chefs who are celebrating traditional cuisine with their own modern twist, to digging into the treasure troves of some of yesteryears’ culinary gems, to giving a glimpse into the simplicity of village life in Goa, the book is a pleasure to leaf through. Each image, carefully planned and photographed by Odette’s son and photographer Nolan speaks more than just a thousand words, capturing not just the essence of the dish, but also the picturesque hinterlands of the state.

Her able assistants on this amazing culinary journey has been hubby Joe who confesses that the response to the endeavour was so overwhelming, and most people so welcoming and willing to share information, that they in fact, have matter for two more volumes of the book.

Here are some of recipes from The Culinary Heritage of Goa:

Galinha de Reichade Ingredients Broiler chicken - 1.2 kgs Ginger/garlic paste - 2 tsps Lime - 1 no Salt to taste For cooking Onions, tomatoes, chillies and oil For the pulao Rice - 1 kg Chicken stock - 1.7 litres

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Oil - 100 mls Butter - 100 gms Onions - 150 gms Tomatoes - 100 gms Cloves - 6 nos Cinnamon - 2 pieces (1” each) Cashewnuts - (optional) Browned onions - (optional) Salt to taste

Method Pre-preparation: Take a medium broiler, prick with a fork on the inside and on the outside. Apply salt, ginger garlic paste and like juice. Marinate overnight.

Preparation: - Remove the broiler from the fridge.

Chop onions, tomatoes and green chillies fine.

- Heat the oil. Add onions and stir till brown. Sear the broiler in oil to seal the juices. Then cook on a slow fire till the broiler is cooked and golden brown.

- For the pulao rice: Wash and soak the rice. Heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, onions and tomatoes and fry.

- Add the chicken stock and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir and allow to cook on a slow fire. Put off the fire and cover.

- Before stuffing, the rice should be garnished with fine chopped cashewnuts or golden brown onions or olives.

- Now stuff the broiler with the pulao from the rear end. Stitch the end to seal.

- Put the broiler upright in an oven dish and cook for 20 minutes at 120 degrees.

- Prick with a tooth pick to see if done.

- Remove and serve on a platter.

Garnish with French fries

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Goan Mutton Curry Ingredients Mutton cubes - 500 gms Onions (big) - 4 nos Tomatoes - 4 nos Garlic paste - 1 tbsp Yoghurt - 2 tbsps Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - ½ tsp Coriander powder - 2 tsps Ginger - 1 inch Green chillies - 4 nos Garam masala - 1 tsp Coconut milk - 2 cups Bay leaf - 1 no Cumin seeds - ½ tsp Vinegar - 1 tsp Vegetable oil - 2 tsps Method Pre-preparation: Cut the mutton into cubes. Grind the coconut, extract the milk. Keep the coconut paste aside.

Combine yoghurt, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garlic paste and coconut paste. Add cubes of mutton in

Beef jirem mirem

this and keep for 2-3 hours Preparation: - Chop the onions, ginger and green chillies. Make a tomato puree.

- Heat oil, add the bay leaf and cumin seeds and sauté. Add ginger and green chillies, sauté. Add onions. Fry the onions and add puree of toatoes. Mix well. Add salt, coriander pwder, garam masala

Ingredients Beef - 1 kg Black peppercorn - 2 gms Cloves - 1 gm Garlic - 50 gms Ginger - 30 gms Oil - 100 mls Vinegar - 50 mls Tamarind - 10 gms Green chillies - 2 gms Cinnamon - 1 gm Turmeric powder - 2 gms Onion - 200 gms Cumin seeds - 2 gms Salt to taste Method: - Wash and cut the meat into 2 inch pieces, apply salt and keep aside. Chop the onions and green chillies.

- Grind cumin, turmeric powder, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, garlic with vinegar to a fine paste.

- Heat the oil and fry the onion and chilli till light brown. Add the beef and allow to cook. Add the ground masala and tamarind juice when the beef is half done. Cook till tender

powder and vinegar. Add the mutton.

Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes on a low flame. Stir continuously.

- Add the coconut milk. Increase the flame for 2 minutes. Adjust salt and chilli powder. Fry continuously until the mutton starts turning brownish red. Simmer and cover the pan. Bring the mixture to a few boils and cook until the mutton in tender

Matmatem

Ingredients Dry (sukhe) bangda (Mackerel) - 4 nos Onion - 1 no Coconut - ½ no Red chilli powder - 1 ½ tsp Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp Ambli or raw mango - 1 no Salt to taste Method - Lightly steam the dry bangda. Clean and shred the flesh into tiny slices.

- Grind the coconut. Chop the onion - Grind the coconut, chilli, turmeric powder and onions to a paste.

- Heat the sliced bangda with the ground mixture.

- Add the ambli. Cook to get a thick consistency. Adjust seasoning.

- Ideally served along with rice gruel (kanji / pez)

“The book covers culinary traditions and recipes from all sections — Saraswat, Portuguese, Portuguese influenced Catholic, Goan Hindu and Goan Muslim. Dishes in each cuisine wary in not just cooking styles, but also some core ingredients that give it that differentiating factor. It is difficult to standardize recipes in Goa as each one has their own family versions. But I have tried my level best to convert the usual ‘mooth bhor’ and ‘illeshem’ into quantifiable amounts to as to be able to preserve these treasures for the future,” says Odette

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Sports tanisi kirtani | TABLE TENNIS

Paddling her way to international success In a chat with Neshwin Almeida, Tanisi Kirtani reveals how she was drawn towards table tennis

1

2-year old Tanisi Kirtani is still basking in the glory of her 2014 Lusofonia Games ladies team gold medal, besides ending the year ranking as India No 2 in the cadet’s category after winning four bronze medals and one gold medal in various All India championships last year. While she trains hard and prepares to enter the sub-juniors category this season, she looks back at her young playing career reiterating how her sporting journey began.

“We were in USA, six years back when I was six years old and my dad and uncle would play table tennis in the basement.

I decided to join them. The minute I started playing, I realised I loved this game and wanted to continue playing. I came back to India and pursued table tennis ever since,” she explains excited to share her thoughts on table tennis.

Tanisi, who otherwise loves to draw, sketch and spend time irritating her younger sister Ruchi, has little or no time for leisure as she focuses on a hectic training schedule to make it to the top. Her father, Nilesh, is her pillar of support as he has cut back time from his business and profession to devote attention to Tanisi’s growing table tennis career.

“Dad is always there to drive me from our home from Margao to Panjim for practice, or accompany me for a tournament or play with me through the week. He’s been an awesome support.

Mum, meanwhile, takes down my lessons, keeps tabs on my homework, wakes me up in the morning for skipping and exercise and monitors my diet,” Tanisi says elaborating on the crucial role played by her parents on her journey to pursue her dream to represent India in the Olympics one day.

Tanisi, who hails from Margao and studies at Manovikas High School, starts

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Dad is always there to drive me from our home in Margao to Panjim for practice, or accompany me for a tournament or play with me through the week. Mum, meanwhile, takes care of lessons, homework and monitors my exercise and diet tanisi kirtani her day at 6 am to do her exercises. She climbs up and down her 3-storey building six times as part of her workout. Once done, she then heads to school. She then returns early from school to head to Panjim to train for two hours. Her back-and-forth commute itself takes two hours.

“There was a time, just ahead of the Lusofonia Games and the International Table Tennis Championship held at Taleigao in 2014 where she bagged one gold at the former and two bronze medals at the later, that this daily commute began taking a toll on Tanisi and the youngster would complain of backache. So, we shifted to Panjim for four months and lived away from home,” remembers Nilesh who was glad that the sacrifice paid off, but unsure about how long they will do all this for Tanisi.

Tanisi’s biggest challenges this year will be the fact tha she will move into the sub-juniors category where she will have

to play in a bigger league.

“Tanisi was born on December 30, 2002 and hence, misses out on a category by every year. For example Under-12 is cadet category, under-15 is sub-juniors, while under-18 is juniors and under-21 is youth category and beyond that is seniors in table tennis. You got to be that age as of January 1 and because her birthday is at the year end, she is denied playing in a category until the next year which is sad,” asserted Nilesh.

He further says that West Bengal is the powerhouse of Table Tennis and that Goa, unlike other states, lacks the requisite infrastructure and coaches to develop a player. “We hardly have any champion India players here to coach the kids and neither do we have adequate infrastructure, especially in Margao. It’s difficult to help her improve her game at this rate. Till now its luck and sheer hard work from Tanisi that has taken her to where she is,” he says.

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We hardly have any champion Indian player to coach the kids and neither do we have adequate infrastructure. It’s difficult to help Tanisi improve her game.

Till now its luck and sheer hard work that has taken her to where she is nilesh kirtani Tanisi recalls how at Bangkok, where she participated in the Thai Open, she was the only child with no coach but only accompanied by her father. “The other players would laugh at me. During the games, my parents cheered from the stands and we found it pointless to pay an additional $1,000 to have dad sit beside me as a coach. I played alone, without any support, while my opponents would have two coaches each. Despite

TANISI’S WINING STREAK • Currently ranked No1 in Table tennis in Goa • Sports Ambassador for the Dempo Group of Companies • Won the finals in all her 3 categories in the All Goa major ranking State Championship in 2015 National Performance • Won 4 bronze and 1 gold in all India championships 2014 • Clinched a gold medal in Siliguri North Bengal • Became India’s No. 2 in the cadets category • Bagged gold medal at All India School Nationals in 2014 • Won 4 bronze medals at All India TT Championship all that, I made it to the semi finals and won a bronze. It’s so difficult sometimes,” laments the youngster.

Tanisi has been representing her school in all inter-school tournaments as captain in the under 14 years category and has won gold and silver medals

International • Youngest participant at Lusofonia Games in the senior most category in Goa • Member of the gold medal winning ladies team at Lusofonia Games • Won bronze medals in cadet girl’s team and cadet girl’s doubles at Taleigao • Represented India in the World Junior Circuit and won a silver medal in 2014 held at Bangkok Thailand • Currently being coached by state coach Irwin Cordo in the indoor stadium in Panjim • Has worked closely with Agnelo Naik and former champion Diljeet Velingkar in 2012-2013 for the school single-handedly. She is currently ranked No 1 in all categories in table tennis in Goa including the ladies category. She is currently coached by state coach Irwin Cordo in indoor stadium Panjim who has been instrumental for her performance last year

‘Dojo de Goa’ inaugurated in Panaji

Dojo de Goa, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to Karate, was officially inaugurated by Sensei Richard Amosm, Chief Instructor, WTKO from NYC USA, recently in Panaji. Also present at the launch were were Sensei Sattrajit Chowdhury, Chief Instructor, WKSF, India (former National Champion and a Bronze

Medallist in Kata and Kumite in the 2004 World Championship), Karthik Kashyap Superintendent of Police and Sensei Joseph Rodrigues President TKAG.

This facility is the brainchild of third generation businessman, Suraj M Caculo, an ardent Karate lover himself and who earned his black belt at the age of 17 years. In fact, he has been striving to create this facility and infrastructure for Karate in Goa since a while.

Situated on Level 7, adjacent to the sprawling office of the Caculo Group, Dojo de Goa is spread across a massive 5600 sq. ft area. Well lit and ventilated, all equipment here are of international standard with each element such as the Tatami floor, audio visuals for self-correction and viewing of international experts. The facility

also includes a section that will retail recommended gear for the sport.

Dojo de Goa is trying to create an umbrella under which all styles of karate are taught and learnt. It invites instructors in Goa to contribute their talent to the growth of this sport. The facility will have international and national trainers for special camps and will start regular training for Goans under different instructors.

To begin with, training will be under the senior and most experienced sensei in Goa – Sensei Joseph Rodrigues. There will be batches scheduled every morning and evening. In addition, separate batches will be held for women and children.

Suraj M Caculo has invited all Karate enthusiasts to make maximum use of the facility for their personal development and has assured all assistance which he will personally ensure is available immediately

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Sports Buzz

India’s U-17 World Cup team to train in Goa

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed that the Indian team which has been selected for FIFA’s under-17 World Cup 2017 will train in Goa. The news was confirmed by AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das. Talks have also been held with the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) and although there is no confirmation about the Trinity Ground in Benaulim, the

AIFF remains confident that the ground will be made available to them. “The AIFF wants exclusive use of the ground for training.

This will be the training ground for the India team,” said one AIFF official. The SAG, though, has already agreed on allowing the dormitories at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda to be used by the India under-17 squad. A decision on the Trinity Ground in Benaulim, one official said, will be communicated by the SAG between February 16-20.

The AIFF has its Elite Academy in Goa since 2013 and is based at the AIFF Training Centre in

Fatorda. The under-14 squad is also training in Goa at the moment. Both teams train at the Chowgule artificial turf ground.

Meanwhile, German coach Nicolai Adam spent a couple of days in Goa and is now meeting AIFF officials about possibly taking over as India’s under-17 coach. “Adam is an excellent coach and we want him to take charge of the under-17 squad.

He is in Goa looking at the setup and will later hold talks with us.

He has not signed any contract with us as yet,” said the AIFF General Secretary

Leon, Aditee emerge chess champions Leon Mendonca and Aditee Prabhugaonkar emerged winners in the open and women categories respectively at the State Team Chess Championship 2015 held at Vivekanand Sabhagraha, Porvorim.

Eight-year-old Leon, a brand ambassador of Geno Pharmaceuticals, scored 6.5 points out of eight rounds.

Shane Braganca, too, scored 6.5 points but after the tiebreak, stood second. M Barath claimed the third position with a score of 6 points.

In the women’s category,

Aditee Prabhugaonkar scored 4.5 points out of five rounds to clinch the title.

Aishwarya Thorat scored 4 points to finish second, while the third and fourth places went to WCM Swera Braganca and

WCM Gunjal Chopdekar, who scored 4 points each.

Alaina Pereira finished fifth with a score of 3.5 points.

Guru Pawaskar, Chairman of Sanjay School Porvorim, was the Chief Guest and also distributed the prizes in the presence of Sachin Desai, Vice-President of Kreeda Prabhodhini, Vinay Tendulkar, GCA President, Kishor Bandekar, Joint Secretary AICF and GCA, Mahesh Candolkar, Sandesh Chodnekar, Santosh Kamat, Balakrishnan V. Tanay Kaisare and Arvind Mhamal

Angela appointed taekwondo competition director Goa’s Angela de Abreu Naik, an international gold medalist and international referee in Taekwondo, was appointed Director of competition for Taekwondo at the 35th National Games that were held in Kerala.

Angela was appointed by the Taekwondo Federation of India President Renu Mahant.

Angela has been donning the colours for Goa and India since the introduction of Taekwondo in Goa in 1986. As an international referee, she was the only official selected to represent India at the 2013, 2012 and 2011 WTF

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World Senior, Junior, Cadets Taekwondo Championship, held in Mexico, Egypt, Bali, respectively. She has also refereed the 2014 Asian Taekwondo championship held at Taskent, Uzbekistan, and 2013 Asian championship at Hochi Min City, Vietnam.

Besides this, she participated at the selections and training of international referees for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Angela, who has bagged two consecutive gold medals in Taekwondo at the 1994 and 1997 editions of the games held in Pune and Bangalore respectively, holds the National Games record in Goa. She bagged a gold medal at the 5th Commonwealth Taekwondo Championship. She has also represented India several times at the World and Asian Taekwondo championship, the first one being in 1990

Goa fails to impress at 35th National Games held at Kerala Talasha Prabhu

In a rather dismal performance, Goa managed to bag just two bronze medals at the recently concluded 35th National Games held at Kozhikode in Kerala. Goa’s swimming champion, Talasha Prabhu, who finished third in the 100 m freestyle, won herself a bronze medal. This is Talasha’s first major effort after recovering from a shoulder injury and long layoff. Earlier in the Games, the Goan beach volleyball team comprising of Rama Dhawaskar and Pralhad Dhawaskar, helped open Goa’s medal account by clinching the bronze medal on their debut

Sagun Kamat attracts top bid at GPL 2015 auction Prolific left-handed batsman Sagun Kamat got the highest bid of Rs 4 lakh from defending champions Dempo Cricket Club at the recently concluded GPL T20 2015 auction conducted by the GCA at Porvorim. Meanwhile, new entrants Caculo bought Goa captain and former IPL player Swapnil Asnodkar for Rs 1.9 lakh. Interestingly, it was under Sagun that Dempo won their maiden GPL T20 crown in 2013 while their second triumph came last year when Swapnil was at the helm.

This year’s GPL T20 edition is scheduled to commence from February 21 with the final slated for March 6. A total of eight teams will take part in the mega event with two matches being played, at the GCA Academy ground, Porvorim on a daily basis

Events

16th Lokotsav held recently at Kala Academy

The 16th Lokotsav was held recently at Darya Sangam, Kala Academy, Panaji.

The chief guest at the inaugural was Dayanand Mandrekar, Minister for Art and Culture. Also present were Furqan Khan, Director, West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, Prasad Lolienkar, State Art and Culture Director and Faizi O Hashmi, Secretary for Art and Culture.

Speaking on the occasion Mandrekar said, “This festival has been organised for many years now by art and culture department in association with west zone Udaipur. This throws an open platform for artisans and artistes to showcase their talent.”

Furqan Khan, Director, West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, said, “For the last six years I have been closely associated with Goa. It is a vibrant state filled with art. Festivals like this add more colours to the artistic soul of the state.”

He added further, “Initially, there were only 65 artisans and 17 stalls. However, today, more than 1,000 artisans and artistes are showcasing their talent at

this festival. The festival has been hugely successful only due to the tremendous response it has been receiving from artisans, craftsmen, artistes and public.

Of late, we have also observed that not just the locals, numerous foreigners also flock to see this festival.”

Darya Sangam at Kala Academy was indeed an apt location for the festival.

Rustic house presentation on the backdrop and artistes performing folk dances from different states such as Bengal, Rajasthan, Goa, Gujarat, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Orissa and Chattisgarh added to the vibrancy of the festival that received a very positive turnout

20th Yuva Mohotsav trophy lifted by Govt. College of Quepem

Around 6,000 youngsters from colleges, clubs and organizations participated in the 20th Yuva Mohotsav organised by Konkani Bhasha Mandal in association with Rotaract Club of Mapusa.

The two-day youth festival, which was held at Mapusa’s famous Peddem ground saw several competitions and events including canvas painting, street play, contemporary dance, folk dance, etc.

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The entire venue reverberated with the beats and strains of dhols, tasha and shenai for the duration of the festival.

Adding to the colours were the various flags representing specific groups and colleges. Youngsters rooted for their groups with whistles and loud cheering.

The tough battle between all the participating groups saw the Government College of Quepem lift the 20th Yuva Mohotsav trophy by scoring 90 points.

The runners up, meanwhile, were Antruz Gudiyo. The prize for the well disciplined group was bagged by CES College, Cuncolim.

On the concluding day of the festival, businessman Gurudatta Bhakta rewarded the winners. Speaking on the occasion he said, “Youth should not always run after the government service; rather they must focus on making a career out of what they aim to pursue”

www.facebook.com/mygoa

Miramar plays host to International Kite Fest

The two-day International Kite Festival received enthusiastic response, even as a large number of Goans visited the city to witness the event at Miramar beach.

International kite fliers from different countries entertained people of Goa, where 19 international teams from 11 nations displayed their skills.

The festival was organised by the Parivartan Group, Belgaum, under the leadership of former Belgaum MLA Abhay Patil and was supported by Goa’s tourism department.

International kite flyers from countries including Ukraine, Poland, United Kingdom, Russia, Estonia, Argentina, Indonesia, Belgium and Malaysia participated in the festival.

About 40 Indian kite flyers from Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka and West Bengal also displayed their skills during the festival in Goa. Kite fliers from various parts of India and abroad were seen enthusiastically

creating a riot of colours in the clear skies at Miramar beach. Participants from Turkey taught locals some tricks to fly unique kite that they had designed.

There were kites in various shapes and sizes, including birds, butterflies, animals, faces of deities, fish, sea shells, cartoon characters like Tom and Jerry, Chotta Bheem, Angry Birds, etc were seen. The festival continued well into the night with the illuminated kites that were on display in full glory.

Talking about the festival Raymond from Netherlands for whom kite flying is a hobby said, “I do not participate in the competitions. I travel to different kite festivals in India just for fun. When the kite is air bound, we are cut off from the rest of the world and concentrate only on flying.”

“Most kite festivals in India happen on grounds or from the roof. But this is probably the first time it is happening on a beach which makes it even more

exciting,” said Dilip, President of the Golden Kite Club, Mumbai. Abdul Halim from Malaysia has been flying kites since 1988 and had turned up at the festival with his personal collection of wind kites said, “In Malaysia, not only is kite-flying a favourite pastime, but is also a part of our tradition. People usually get together, fly kites and bond.”

Also present at the festival was Johan who had invented an inflatable kite for which he was awarded the most innovative kite in China. He is the maker of the world’s biggest kite called the ‘Big Blue Beast’ which is 10x5 metres and weighs 2.5kg

Rotary Club Panaji Riviera wins 29 awards The Rotary District 3170 District Governor for the year 2013-14 PDG Mohan Mulerkar awarded top distinction amongst 127 clubs to the Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera under the able leadership of President 2013-14 Rtn. Madhavi Bandekar Shetye and Secretary Rtn. Meghana and Paresh Sawardekar at a glittering award function held at Kolhapur on 18th Jan 2015.

Rotary Clubs all around the globe work towards betterment of society and serving the under privileged, and the clubs who perform the best are awarded by the Rotary International and the District for the exceptional service

rendered. Rotary Club Panaji Riviera won a total of 29 awards including Best President Large Club – Rtn. Madhavi Shetye, Best Secretary Large Club –

Rtn. Meghana and Rtn. Paresh Sawardekar, Best Club, Best Project for the year – “Ananta Physiotherapy Centre” and Rotary Foundation highest TRF award to name a few.

This awards ceremony culminates an exceptional year with activities galore such as the Ananta Physiotherapy Centre, specialized cataract operations, literacy promotion, women empowerment projects, projects for the under privileged, the needy and youth effectively undertaken by the dedicated team of Rotary Club of Panaji Riviera under the able leadership of Rtn. Madhavi Bandekar Shetye

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Beautiful People

Pics: DELSON ROCHE & RAJIV D’SILVA

QuizStock 2015: Goa’s Annual Quizzing Festival Goa’s quiz aficionados were in for a treat on the weekend of 17th-18th January as the Sunday Evening Quiz Club conducted its annual quizzing festival QuizStock. First held in 2014, the second edition of QuizStock saw a participation of enthusiastic quizzers from all over Goa as well as from cities like Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai.

The two-day event began on Saturday morning with a Movie Quiz conducted by Aniruddha Sen Gupta. The post-lunch session saw the first of the competitive quizzes - the Social Sciences Quiz conducted by Vidyadhar Gadgil that was won by local lads Aniruddha Sen Gupta and Rajiv D’Silva. The evening session consisted of QuizStock’s marquee event, the ‘Goa Open’, now in its 5th year. Ably quiz-mastered by Sen Gupta since the days it was a stand-alone event, this quiz sees enthusiastic participation from outstation teams. The J Krishnamurthi- Arun Hiregange combine emerged victorious in the Goa Open, with the team consisting of D’Silva & Srijit Kumar finishing runners-up. Day 2 began in relatively relaxed fashion with Lynn Barretto Miranda hosting ‘The Year That Was Quiz’. After lunch, Rajiv D’Silva conducted a ‘Travel & Tourism Quiz’ that was won by Krishnamurthi and Hiregange.

The final quiz of the event, the BEST (Business, Entertainment, Sports, Technology) quiz was conducted by Nitish Wagle. Krishnamurthi and Hiregange won the quiz comfortably to make in three in a row and cap what was for a them an excellent weekend in Goa

Rajiv D’Silva

Ajey Patil and Vidyadhar Gadgil

Arun Hiregange and J. Krishnamurthi

Anjali Sen Gupta Anant Prabhu and Aniruddha Sen Gupta

Nitish Wagle

Thomas Cherian

Delson Roche

Harshvardhan Bhatkuly Lynn Barretto Miranda, Suvajit Chakrabortty and Sanjay Parab

Ameya Mardolkar, Viola Rodrigues and Paul Gatward

Vinod Sarin Srijit Kumar

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Beautiful People

Director of ‘The Lunchbox’ Ritesh Batra talks at Sunaparanta’s Sensorium festival As part of the on-going Sensorium festival, Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts, recently hosted a talk by film director Ritesh Batra on the making of his highly acclaimed film, ‘The Lunchbox’. His debut feature, ‘The Lunchbox’ starring Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Nimrat Kaur premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 and won the Rail d’Or (Grand Golden Rail). The director deconstructed four pivotal moments in his film and showed photos of the dabbawallahs he photographed while researching his script. The writer-director, who was born and raised in Mumbai, also answered the queries of enthusiastic fans and film buffs who has gathered to hear him

Dattaraj Salgaocar

Deviya Rane

Annie and Cass Cassinath

Siddharth Shanghvi

Ritesh Batra

Thomas Cherian

Revathi and Niyati Upadhyay with Arundathi Chattopadhyay

Rani Sarin

Rakhi Salgaocar

Vinod Sarin

Sachin Chatte

Vaishali Joshi

Samyukta Nair and Isheta Salgaocar

Aradhana Sen

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Beautiful People

Pics: HARSH KAMAT

Uncommon Wealth book by Datta D. Naik Entrepreneur and writer, Datta Damodar Naik recently released a book for children, ‘Uncommon Wealth’. Calling it the modern day Panchatantra, the book is a collection of short stories which have an uncommon sense takeaway for young readers. Naik, who has been a recipient of the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award for his work ‘Jayo kai Juyo’ in Konkani, has for the first time experimented with the English language for the book, edited by Jose Lourenco and published by Frederick Noronha’s Goa 1556, the book is priced at a modest Rs.100/- “Over the years, I have consciously tried to avoid the writer’s trap of being identified for a particular genre of writing. I have written on serious issues like social mores and philosophy, travelogues and simple management techniques. This time, I have written a children’s book. And I am sure it will be time well spent for children to read the book,” said the Margao-based food and real estate entrepreneur Atul Naik

Datta and Sushanta Naik

Dr. Sushila Mendes

Chirag Naik

Adv. Uday Bhembre Maria Aurora Couto

Raju Nayak

Shruti Hede

Anjali Panandikar

Saloni Naik

Kunda and Shanu Panandikar Damodar and Shaila Mauzo Sujata Noronha

Dinesh Manerkar

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Ramesh Veluskar

MY GOA FEBRUARY 2015

Ramkrishna Naik

Ravi Joglekar

Miamarie Lourenco

Beautiful People Shakuntala and Dr. Divakar Lolienkar

Dr. Govind Naik

Shyam Verenkar

Mahabaleshwar Sail Mayura Naik Jose Lourenco

Dr. Francisco Colaco

Sanjeev Sardessai

Shridhar and Anju Kamat

Frederick Noronha Girish Chodankar

Bharati Naik Prabhakar and Smita Timble

Sanjay Talwadkar Victor Hugo Gomes and Prashant Naik

Maendra Alvares

Narayan Mauzo Seema and Guirish Kamat with Ranvir

Natasha

Eddie Lourenco

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Final Word

Dr. francisco colaco

Dr. Colaco is a much respected cardiologist, musician and social commentator

No cheers for the cup that cheers “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy” frank sinatra

T

o some, that may border on blasphemy but to many, alcohol in moderation brings colour, rhythm and joy in their lives. I eagerly look forward to Saturday evenings. Because that is the day when our “Saturday club” meets.

Before anyone conjures images of a pub or disco on a bikini-clad beach, may I reassure that we meet at a modest city restaurant. We, good friends, sit together, chat, eat, drink and enjoy. The bonhomie is such that I would never miss the Saturday evening for a celebrity wedding.

Our “Saturday Club” also discusses pressing and not so pressing issues, but seldom fails to throw imaginary punches at all the political rascals! A few snacks go well with our drinking preferences.

Well before midnight, we have parted company, looking forward to the next Saturday. On other evenings, though alone at home, I do not miss my nightcap – it does me a lot of good.

Recently, I had to go to Ahmedabad on professional work. Since Ahmedabad is a ‘dry’ area, I began to wonder how if at all I would get my nightcap. Friends came

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up with diverse solutions. Some said, “Take urrak in a mineral water bottle”.

Others told, “Roll the drink in several folds of cloth to make it invisible”. I was frightened. What if Mr. Modi, aware of my natural antipathy toward him, gets my bags sniffed? In the end, I flew ‘dry’ to Modiland.

After an exhaustive session at a famous college in Ahmedabad, I retired in the evening to my hotel room. Before going to bed, I remembered my chota peg.

I buzzed the hotel manager. “Sorry sir, Ahmedabad is a dry area”, was his terse reply. Utterly disappointed I checked with a room service waiter. After repeating ten denials like a tape-recorder, “Dry area sir, sorry, dry area sir, sorry”… he toned down the eleventh time and hushed, “Drink in Gujarat sir? No problem!” In no time the resourceful man was back with a bottle of 100 Pipers, for Rs. 3000. I decided I would rather die of alcohol starvation than of financial bankruptcy! My days in Gujarat were a mix of joy and penance.

Back home there would be another rude shock. Before my nightcap, as usual, I went to the internet for the latest medical news and was taken aback when bold headlines said, “NO AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IS SAFE”!

The report stated unambiguously: “Responsible drinking has become a 21st century mantra for how most people view alcohol consumption. But when it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe”. That was the conclusion of the

2014 World Cancer Report (WCR), issued by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

A further shock was in store: As far as the much-vaunted beneficial effects of alcohol on cardiovascular system were concerned, the INTERHEART study, conducted in 50 countries, showed that regular alcohol consumption was protective overall “but not among native South Asians”. Similarly, a prospective study of almost 4500 Indian men found no protective effect of alcohol intake on cardiovascular disease.

That puts us, or most like me, in a quandary. Humankind has been drinking fermented beverages for 10,000 or so years. Even the most ancient Indian scriptures refer to Soma, drink of the gods and Sura, drink of lesser mortal. Doctors have always argued about alcohol’s merits and demerits. The debate still simmers today, with a lively back-andforth over whether alcohol is good for you or bad for you.

To most of us, it is no small consolation to remember the words of the great savant Louis Pasteur who said, “Wine is the most healthful and the most hygienic of beverages.” I hope one day Pasteur will have the last laugh!

Meanwhile what can we say as we hold our breaths? Like Matt Groening with a heavy heart, we can only mumble, “No cheers to you alcohol, the cause of... and solution to... all of life’s problems”