essay on goa in konkani language

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Konkani Language – The Story of Goa’s Tongue

Goans are used to hearing the “Poder ailo go, chal paav ghe.” (“The bread-seller is here, go buy some pao!”) which is followed by a frantic and hurried cry of “Raaav re!” (Wait, man!”) to the bread-seller. Mornings throughout the state resonate with dialogues like this that make all of Goa feel like home.

What's in the blog

As Goans, we gaily show off our susegado (laidback)life. We wake up to warm pao (bread)the poder (bread-seller) brings and nap in the afternoons after a hearty meal of nuste (fish)  accompanied by soro (alcohol) . There is something very pleasant about Konkani conversations that add to Goa’s charm. A singsong language that falls on our ears as sweetly as French, Konkani runs through Goa’s veins, pumping the warmth into its life. It is replete with emotionally charged words, abundant in its dialects and camouflaged in many scripts. Make no mistake, we’d fawn over this language in all its forms.

The history and evolution of konkani language

As history goes, Konkani became the official language of Goa in 1987 and one of the 22 scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India in 1992. As easy as it was to frame the previous sentence, ironically, our mother tongue braved a lot of difficulties to find recognition. It wouldn’t have been possible without the insurmountable persistence and dedication from the connoisseurs of the language.

Konkani went from being banned by the Portuguese somewhere between the 16th-17th century to being marked as a dialect of Marathi, and finally stirring Goans to fight to retain its individuality. The most prominent movements of them all was initiated by Vaman Varde Senai Valavalikar aka Shenoi Goembab. “Why was there a need for him to start a whole movement?”, you would ask. The sole goal was to save the identity of a community that rested in the hands of a language that was slowly disappearing.

The fall of Konkani & its resuscitation

In the 20th century, Konkani has succumbed to a secondary position, after being preceded by the Portuguese and even English languages. Most of the Konkani literature until the 16th century was also destroyed by the colonisers. Somewhere along the way, the Portuguese language started being associated with higher class Goans and Konkani to the lower class.

What Shenoi Goembab did was establish the very foundations of a long battle which resuscitated Konkani as Goa’s mother tongue and gave it its own identity in the potpourri of Indian languages. 

The five scripts in which Konkani is written – 

Devanagari, Roman, Malayalam, Kannada and Arabic

Konkani language today

Currently, this charming language is spoken all along the Konkan coast in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and even Kerala. It’s astounding to see that it’s spoken in countless dialects and written in five different scripts i.e. Devanagari, Malayalam, Kannada, Arabic and even Latin.  Moreover, Konkani is also a concoction of several languages such as Sanskrit, Mundari, Perso-Arabic and even Lusitanian, and finds its roots in Prakrit. The Inquisition that pushed locals to leave Goa resulted in the language changing as it changed lands.

For instance, Malvani is spoken along the Maharashtrian Konkan coast in Sawantwadi and Ratnagiri, a dialect borne by Konkani’s integration with Marathi. Similarly, Mangalorean Konkani is flavoured with a Kannada influence. So a Konkani speaker would think they’re speaking Konkani, but wouldn’t really understand full sentences. We think it’s simply fascinating!

Another fun fact we came across was that a Konkani-speaking tribal community currently living in the Western Ghats, has its roots in South-East Africa. They’re known as Siddi s and they are the descendants of the Bantu people whose ancestors were brought as slaves to India. They made the forests their homes in an attempt to flee from the colonisers after slavery was abolished. 

It doesn’t end there. We also came across the Arabic/Persian side of Konkani. Due to the intermarriages of Arab seafarers with locals and consequent conversions, there also exists a Konkani speaking Muslim community in Ratnagiri and Bhatkal. They use the Arabic script to write Konkani and speak a dialect that is known as Nayavathi (a word that possibly means “newcomers”). It is terribly fascinating to know how Konkani has taken the shape of the land and the people it was passed on to.

Understanding Konkani dialects

In an attempt to understand a few of these dialects, we tried translating the sentence “We’re glad you’re here” into them, and this is what we got –

• “Tumi illat, anand zalo” (Malvani, spoken in Ratnagiri and surrounding areas)
• “Aamhi lay khush ahot ki tumhi hay yeylat” (Another version of Malvani)
•  “Mostu sontos zalo, tumi aayli” (Tulu, spoken in around the Karnataka Coast, especially Mangalore)
• “Bare disle tu aile mnun” (Konkani spoken in Ponda, Goa)
• “Amhi khup khush asat ki tumhi hanga aile” (Another variation of Goan Konkani)

Currently, Konkani is said to have at least 30 – 50 dialects, depending on what metrics you would use to classify a dialect. If Goa had to merge with Maharashtra during the opinion poll , Konkani would have been lost forever.

Initially, Konkani was known as Lingua Canarim or Lingua Brahmana and eventually, Lingua Canarim, by the Portuguese Catholic missionaries. Konkani has been known by a variety of names: Canarim, Concanim, Gomantaki, Bramana, and Goani . It is called Amchi Bhas (our language) by native speakers ( Amchi Gele in Dakshina Kannada ), and Govi or Goenchi Bhas by others. Learned Marathi speakers tend to call it Gomantaki . 

The many origins of Konkani language

When we dug deeper, we found that Konkani is made up of words from different languages that are woven together. Some words such as – kazar (marriage), botat (potato), mezz (table), kuler (spoon), govet (drawer) are derived from the Portuguese words ‘Casar’, ‘Batata’, ‘Mesa’, ‘Colher’ and ‘Gaveta’ respectively. Similarly, the words cartus (cartridge), parval (parole), tamret (stool), bankh (bench) are some examples of words derived from the french words ‘cartouche’, ‘parole’, ‘tabouret’ and ‘banc’. Fakt – only, dusman – enemy, akkal – intelligence, bhogos – pardon, bandar – port, barik – thin, and Duddu – Money, Rokhdo – Quick, Poiso addko – Wealth, Hallsande/alsando – Kind of Bean, Tantim – Eggs are a few of the many words used in Konkani derived from Arabic/Persian and Kannada respectively. We’re sure you’ve come across at least a few of these!

Konkani language in theatre

Today Konkani has made its way into media, theater and literature thanks to Shenoi Goembab. It was he who laid the foundations for modern Konkani literature.

“When GOA Radio started from Bombay, a lot of Konkani writers published from there. Authors such as Uday Bhembre and Ulhas Buyao became popular for writing and composing the famed song Channeache Rati .” says Hrishi Kadam.

Bhembre was an activist during the agitation for konkani language and also a recipient for the Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection of poems and short stories. Dr Manoharrai Sardesai was a renowned poet and french translator. He was a member of the Sahitya Akademi, made crucial contributions to Konkani poetry and also wrote a lot of children’s literature. As Goans, what we enjoy the most is tiatr, a form of theatre along the Konkan coast. Recently, it has been making a niche for itself even in feature films and short films. 

Final thoughts

A singsong language that we carry everywhere with us, Konkani binds and builds relationships amongst Goans no matter where we go. The songs that play on Sunday mornings connect as better than anything else. It is soothing in its own chirpy way. We may not always realise it, but even a few Konkani utterances will melt the coldest of Goan hearts. In all its dialects, it has proved to be an inseparable part of every Goan, taking the shape of the land it goes to but never really letting go. All we have to do is take care of this basket of sounds and emotions that are everything that remind us of home, no matter where we go.

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• Goa Travel Guide ›

Konkani – official language of Goa

Which is the official language of goa.

by Niladri Bose

Konkani is the official state language and the most widely spoken language of Goa. However, Goa, like elsewhere in India, is multi-cultural and multi-lingual. The locals speak and write Konkani, Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, English, and even Portuguese, though they are very few in number. People from many regions have come and settled in Goa, and this is why so many languages are spoken here. Marathi comes second in popularity in the state.

* Data according to the 2011 census

The Konkani Language in Goa (goan language)

The western coast of India is popularly referred to as the Konkan coast. The culture is distinct, with its own food habits and festivals. The language is from the Devanagari script, which is common in India. But there are dissimilarities as well, as Konkani has been influenced by Portuguese over the years, when Goa was a colony of Portugal. The Portuguese ruled Goa for 450 years till 1961 when it was finally freed.

Devanagari alphabet for Konkani

Approximately 7.4 million people speak the language in India, many of whom are in Goa. It is a minority in other states and union territories – Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu. Goa is the only state where it is a majority. Almost everyone will understand in Goa, even if they cannot write in the language.

There are some similarities between the two alphabets, because they are both Indo-Aryan, and follow the Devanagari script. Many alphabets look similar and serve the same purpose. But not all of them are the same. There are some unique alphabets.

• There are 44 letters in the Hindi alphabet. In Konkani, there are 52.
• In Hindi, there are 33 consonants and 11 vowels, but in Konkani, there are 36 consonants and 16 vowels.

But in spite of these differences, the language follows a Sanskrit structure, like Hindi.

Konkani used to follow the Brahmi script once, but it’s not in use anymore. Now it is written in Devanagari, and to some extent in Malayalam, Kannada, Roman, and Persian scripts. The Devanagari script is recognized as the standard.

Konkani Language Festivals – Konkani Lokotsav is a 3-day annual festival held to celebrate the language and culture. However, the festival is not held in Goa. It is organized jointly by the Kannada Culture Department and the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy at Mangalore, which is 375.6 kilometers from Panaji. There are literary and cultural programs, choir group songs, seminars, lectures, and a food festival is also held. Books are sold. There is also a poetry festival in the city of Mangalore.

Marathi in Goa

Marathi comes second to Konkani. It is popular, because the state of Maharashtra is next to Goa. Marathi too is derived from Sanskrit, like many other Indian languages. They both use Devanagari script. Many Goa people speak them both easily.

The Official Language Act of 1987 made Konkani Goa’s official language. However, Goa’s government states that Marathi can also be used in official communication. The government will often correspond through emails and letters in Marathi. Most people comfortable in Marathi are from north Goa, bordering Maharashtra.

Interestingly, there is some conflict between the two. Supporters of Marathi consider Konkani to be one of its dialects, and the state of Goa to be a part of Maharashtra. After independence in 1961, the Goanese people had to fight to gain official recognition of their native language. They waged a stubborn struggle, which led to even bloody clashes and deaths. Finally, Konkani was recognized as the official language.

Portuguese Language in Goa

During the colonial days, only Portuguese was used in verbal and official communications. Everyone had to learn it. The missionaries would use it for every purpose. But both Konkani and Marathi survived, as parents would secretly teach their children at home. The usage of Portuguese began to fall drastically as soon as the colonists left Goa. It is not an official language at this time.

Now, you will find very few people speaking and writing in Portuguese. Only those who were born before 1961 when Goa was freed still use it. But in recent years, there is a revival, as many organizations and traditionalists are promoting Portuguese. In many schools, Portuguese is now studied as a third language.

Hindi and English

Hindi is the national language in India and spoken almost throughout the country. It is widely understood and spoken in Goa as well. Many can write in Hindi too.

English too is widely understood, and spoken, especially in the tourist places and resort areas. All educated people speak fluent English, and many, especially the teenagers, even speak in English at home. English is not as popular in the interior and village areas, though. The most widely spoken languages there are Konkani and Marathi.

Foreign tourists in Goa communicate in English with the locals. Hindi is a popular second language in the tourist places. But Indian English is different in the way Americans and the British speak. In written communication, most locals follow British English.

Phrases in Konkani

It is good to have at least a working knowledge of the goan language, as this will help you speak with the locals and understand them better. The local tongue will bring a smile on their faces. They will be friendlier, and may offer you better deals.

Here are a few common phrases, words, and numbers in Konkani that is used every day in Goa.

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I. HISTORY AND LINGUISTIC CLASSIFICATION

Introduction.

Konkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north and river Kali to the south; the north-south length being approx. 650 Kms. and east-west breadth about 50 Kms., going unto 96 Kms. in some places. Major part of Konkan is in Maharashtra and naturally, most people in the area speak some dialects of Marathi. But the language spoken in Goa and further south in coastal Karnataka and in some parts of northern Kerala has its distinct features, and is rightly identified as a separate language called Konkani.

The total number of Konkani speakers seems to have remained remarkably stable for over a century. This is borne out by the census reports over the years. Census 1891: 1.565 millions Census 1971: 1.523 millions Census 1981: 1.584 millions Census 1991: 1.760 millions The state wise breakup of Konkani speakers in 1971, 1981 and 1991 is available.

Konkani speakers are mostly multilingual (68.4% as calculated from the data reported in 1981 census) since they have to learn other languages for educational and other official purposes: Marathi in Maharashtra and to some extent in Goa, Kannada or Tulu in Karnataka, Malayalam in Kerala and English in all the areas. Earlier under the Portuguese rule, many people learnt Portuguese language but they quickly switched over to English after the liberation of Goa. The literacy level in Konkani speaking areas was claimed to be higher than the national average ( 57% people in Goa were literate according to the 1981 census), but the overall literacy level in India as a whole seems to have gone up in recent years.

It is claimed that Konkani originated in Goa and spread into the neighbouring parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala where Konkani speakers from Goa, particularly the high class Brahmins, migrated after the Portuguese arrived. The Portuguese conquered the central portion of Goa in the first half of the sixteenth century. This consists of the taluks of Bardes and Tiswadi to the north of the river Zuari and the taluks of Saxtti and Marmugao to the south. They called this area Velhas Conquistas (old conquests). The peripheral portions of Goa consisting of all the other taluks were conquered in the latter half of the eighteenth century and were called Novas Conquistas (new conquests). The migrations of the Konkani speakers therefore must have taken place in several waves and this could perhaps be the reason for the dialectal variation in Konkani. In the Hortus Indicus Malabaricus of the seventeenth century, there is evidence of Konkani Brahmins settling down in Cochin (Malabar), the same time as some others moved to South and North Kanara and Ratnagiri districts. The Portuguese called the language of the natives mainly as Lingua Canarim, but sometimes also as Lingua Konkana, Lingua Konkani, Lingua de Goa etc. In any case, Konkani neither had a single standard name nor could it be seen as a monolithic language. Konkani never was a language of a single homogeneous community, but of a heterogeneous group, including Brahmins and non-Brahmins of various castes. Differences, however, remain in the speech of Brahmins and non-Brahmins among both the major religious groups viz. Hindus and Christians.

GENEOLOGICAL AND TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

Konkani belongs to Indo-Aryan (IA) family of Indo-European family of languages. It forms the southern most tip of the IA languages and borders with the Dravidian languages viz. Kannada, Tulu and Malayalam. Taking into account, all the major features of Konkani, it can definitely be assigned to the south-western group, and is most closely related to Marathi within this group. There is also a hint of some affiliation to the central group, especially Hindi. Like Marathi and Gujarati, the other members of the south-western group, Konkani has preserved the old Indo-European arbitrary three-gender system and the ergative construction. In commonality with the eastern Indic languages, however, Konkani has lost the length distinction in the high vowels. From the evidence available, it seems certain that both Marathi and Konkani evolved from Old Indo Aryan (OIA) through Maharashtri Prakrit and Maharashtri Apabhramsha, the Middle Indo Aryan (MIA) languages. Konkani retained some of the archaic features of its precursors while Marathi lost them. Several words and collocations found in the earliest Marathi literary works like Dyaneshwari (13th century) are no more used in Marathi, but are still well prevalent in Konkani of modern times.

Typologically, Konkani is a synthetic/ inflectional language. Like Sanskrit and most major Indian languages, Konkani shows a rich inflectional character, and has a well developed case system for nouns and conjugation system for verbs.

As stated earlier, Konkani is the language spoken predominantly in Goa, the districts of North Kanara, South Kanara and Udupi in Karnataka and the northern areas of Kerala. It is not a monolithic language and in fact, shows amazing variation along the geographical lines and caste lines, but the different varieties remain mutually intelligible. The variation in Konkani is actually a subject of special attention and is to be dealt with separately in the later chapters. Since Goa is the only area where Konkani is spoken predominantly and enjoys the status of the official language, the variety of Konkani primarily considered here is the Goa Konkani.

SCRIPT / SCRIPTS USED TO DOCUMENT THE LANGUAGE

Konkani remained a non-literary language for most part in its history. It was primarily used as a language of oral communication. For writing purposes, people generally used one of the major literary languages of the neighbouring areas such as Marathi or Kannada. The Goan Hindus use the Nagari script in their writings while the Goan Christians use the Roman script. The Saraswats of Karnataka use the Nagari script in North Kanara district and the Kannada script in Udupi and South Kanara. Malayalam script is used in Kerala, but now there is a move to use the Nagari script. Konkani thus has a unique distinction of being written in four different scripts

In Goa, the Nagari script has been adopted as the official script for Konkani. This has some practical advantages. It is the script of some of the major Indian languages with rich literary tradition: Marathi, Hindi and of course Sanskrit. Because of the introduction of Hindi as the National language, and in many case as a language of wider communication, the Nagari script is being readily accepted by the new generations of literate Konkani speakers in all the regions

An early reference to the language Konkani by its name is found in Sant Namdeo’s Gatha Gaulan 263 (late 14th century). It is commonly averred that before the advent of Portuguese there was a flourishing Konkani literature in Goa. Unfortunately, there is no trace of it today because it was destroyed by the Portuguese inquisition which commenced by their ruling from 30th June 1541. When the Portuguese came in the early 16th century, they were quite zealous in imposing their religion and culture on the native population, and used coercion to spread Christianity. Initially some of the missionaries made considerable effort to study the local language, Konkani, as they considered it essential in their proselytizing activities. These missionaries wrote grammars and dictionaries of Konkani – the earliest among any modern Indo-Aryan language. The earliest available grammar of Konkani, Arte de Lingoa Canarim written by Thomas Stephens (Thomaz Estevao to the Portuguese), an English Jesuit, was published in 1640. Other Konkani grammars and dictionaries written around that time are available only in manuscripts. An early Portuguese-Konkani bilingual dictionary, Vocabulario da Lingoa Canarim, was compiled by Diogo Ribeiro in 1626, which gives a commentary on the customs and religious beliefs of the local Konkani people. Thomas Stephens and Rebeiro also wrote books on the doctrine of Christianity.

In spite of such noteworthy initial contributions, the Portuguese did great disservice to Konkani when they later attempted to suppress the language. In 1684, the viceroy, Francis de Tavora, was persuaded by some of the clergy to issue a decree requiring all the people in Goa to learn Portuguese language so that “ in course of time, the Portuguese idiom would be common to one and all, to the exclusion of the mother tongue”. It was argued that if the Christians used only the Portuguese language they would then be cut off from the Konkani speaking Hindus and their Hindu religious influence. The Portuguese inquisition in Goa suppressed many native customs of the Christian converts which it regarded as pagan. The 1736 edict of the Goa inquisition even forbade singing “either publicly or in private” of joyous songs called vovios ( songs in the vhovi meter) which were customarily sung on the occasion of marriages. In 1745, Archbishop de Santa Maria went to the extent of ordering that native Christians who did not know Portuguese should not be allowed to marry at all. The viceroy, D. Manuel de Portugal e Castro, through a circular in 1831, ordered all the teachers and professors to teach only Portuguese language to the students and to forbid the use of their vernacular in the schools. During the subsequent years of Portuguese rule, Konkani remained a neglected language in Goa. Cunha Rivara, the chief secretary to Portuguese government in Goa, tried to revive interest in Konkani. In 1857, he published the second edition of Thomas Stephens’ Konkani grammar under the title Grammatica da Lingoa Concani and in an introductory article therein he wrote a ‘Historical essay’ documenting the plight of Konkani in Goa. He wanted to introduce teaching of Konkani in primary schools but his efforts did not succeed.

As a result, Konkani remained mostly a language of oral communication among the familiars, and failed to develop as a literary language. It is apparent from the near-absence of Konkani literature until the 19th century that Konkani at no time enjoyed the status of being a medium of education or a court language. There was, therefore, no binding force which could evolve one standard variety, and Konkani remained fragmented into several dialects. Yet, books and periodicals started appearing in the major dialects like Goa Hindu, Bardes Christian and Karnataka Christian dialects in the 19th and early 20th century. The first All India Konkani Conference was held in Karwar in 1939 to instill a feeling of solidarity among the Konkani speakers and resolved to strive for language standardization and development of a single script (Nagari) which would help giving an impetus to the literary efforts. It urged the British government of India to provide Konkani as a medium of instruction in primary schools in the majority Konkani speaking areas and to appoint a committee for preparing Konkani text books etc.

Even after the Portuguese were expelled from Goa in 1961, Konkani did not get much impetus for development. It had been a long pending debate whether Konkani be regarded as a separate language or a mere dialect of Marathi and the linguists remained divided on the issue. In Goa – the only area where Konkani had a potential of achieving a dominant status – a large population, particularly Hindus, regarded Marathi as their literary language and favoured merger of Goa with Maharashtra, since the states in India were anyway organized on the basis of language. However, the referendum held in 1967 went against the merger proposal and the status of Goa as a separate political unit was assured. The Sahitya Akademi (academy of literature) recognized Konkani as a literary language in 1976. Konkani was introduced as an elective subject up to 12th grade in the schools in Goa. The University of Mumbai approved introduction of Konkani at the university level in 1980. After the establishment of a separate university in Goa, a chair for Konkani was instituted and a post-graduate programme in Konkani was introduced. A number of institutions also came up in Goa for promoting the language. In February 1987, Konkani became the official state language of Goa through the official language act which states that “The official language for all or any of the official purposes of the union territory of Goa shall be Konkani. Marathi will also be used for all or any of the official purposes”. Thus Marathi was assured virtually the same status, but it was not declared a second official language. Finally in 1992, Konkani was included in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution as one of the national languages.

In spite of all this, however, the current situation remains uncertain. The main reasons for this are:

• The language loyalty among the Konkani speakers is still weak. Goa Christians, earlier during the Portuguese regime, educated their children in Portuguese language. After the liberation in 1961, they were in the forefront of the Konkani language movement. And yet, they all chose to educate their children in English.
• Konkani has only a shaky foothold in schools. It is introduced as a medium of instruction in some primary schools, but the number of such schools and the number of students are ever declining. In 1985-86, the number of Konkani medium schools was 10 (students 314), Marathi medium schools 1004 (students 73514) and English medium schools 578 (students 46036).
• But probably the greatest problem of Konkani is the variety of literary dialects, each having only a very small readership. With a population of fewer than 2 millions, Konkani cannot afford such fragmentation and the publishers find it difficult to even recover the cost of publishing the writings in Konkani.
• Since Konkani is a minor language, Konkani schoolchildren have relatively greater need of learning some of the major Indian languages. The need to master several literary dialects of their mother tongue in addition would be an undue burden on them.

Copyright CIIL-India Mysore

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"Konkani and 'Goan Identity’ in Post-Colonial Goa", Journal of the Japanese Association for South Asian Studies 14: 121-144, 2002

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Goa Language Konkani | The Official Language of Goa

Goa language is a beautiful and simple Indo-European language that holds its roots in India. According to the 2001 census (There is no fresh census update for 2023), approximately 3-4 million people speak Konkani, mainly on the central west coast of India, where it is the official language of Goa state, with an impressive 57% of the population currently using the language.

Not limited to Goa alone, Konkani finds a significant number of speakers in coastal regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

Over the course of history, Konkani has absorbed influences from local Dravidian languages like Kannada, Tulu, Kodava, and Marathi, owing to the continuous migrations of the community.

Furthermore, the language’s development has been greatly shaped by the contributions of adherents from various religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism.

Goa Language – Clasiffication

Konkani is a language that has been around for a long time. It started around the 10th century and has changed over time because people have moved around.

There is evidence that people spoke Konkani in coastal areas of the west coast, and the earliest archaeological evidence of Konkani is found in a Jain statue in Karnataka that dates back to 983 AD.

There is also historical evidence that the treatise “Jnaneswari,” written by Saint Jananeswar in Maharashtra during the 11th century, is an older form of Konkani. This shows that Konkani has a long history and has changed over time

Konkani is a language that is spoken by millions of people in India, especially in the state of Goa. It is a beautiful language with a rich history.

The Konkani language has been influenced by many other languages, including Marathi, Kannada, and Portuguese. This has led to the development of many different dialects of Konkani.

The most common dialect of Konkani is spoken in Goa. This dialect is called “Goan Konkani.” Goan Konkani is influenced by Portuguese, and many words in Goan Konkani are derived from Portuguese.

Chitrapur Saraswat Konkani: A Marathi-Influenced Dialect of Konkani

Another important dialect of Konkani is spoken by the Chitrapur Saraswat community. This community is found in the coastal areas of Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa.

The Chitrapur Saraswat dialect of Konkani is called “Chitrapur Saraswat Konkani.” Chitrapur Saraswat Konkani is influenced by Marathi, and many words in Chitrapur Saraswat Konkani are derived from Marathi.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the Konkani language. This is due in part to the recognition given to the language by the Indian government. The Indian government has established Konkani Academies in Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra. These Academies work to promote the study and use of Konkani.

Konkani intellectuals have also contributed to the growth and preservation of the language. They have written books, poems, cookbooks, dramas (Tiatrs), and songs in Konkani. They have also worked to translate important works from other languages into Konkani.

The future of the Konkani language is bright. With the support of the Indian government and Konkani intellectuals, the language will continue to thrive.

The Long and Rich History of the Goa Language

Konkani is a language that has been spoken in India for a long time. It is believed that the Konkani language was spoken by the Indo-Austric tribes Kukna and Gamit, who arrived in India from Central Asia or Eastern Europe around 50,000 years ago.

These tribes traveled over the Saraswati River and eventually settled along the coastal regions of Maharashtra, Goa, and Kerala.

They settled around Gomanchal Parbat, which is part of the Sahayadri mountain range in Goa. The Konkani language flourished in this region, and it is still spoken by millions of people today.

There is some debate about whether Konkani or Marathi is the older language. Some people believe that Konkani is the older language, and that Marathi is an offshoot of Konkani. Others believe that Marathi is the older language, and that Konkani is a dialect of Marathi. However, there is no clear consensus on this issue.

Regardless of which language is older, it is clear that Konkani and Marathi are closely related languages. They share many similarities in vocabulary and grammar. However, there are also some differences between the two languages. For example, Konkani uses the Devanagari script, while Marathi uses the Devanagari and Roman scripts.

The Konkani language is a beautiful and rich language with a long history. It is spoken by millions of people around the world, and it is an important part of the Indian cultural heritage.

Konkani Language is Spoken in Which State

Well, Goan language Konkani is not limited just to Goa alone, Konkani finds a significant number of speakers in coastal regions of Karnataka, Mangaluru, Bangalore, Karwar, Maharashtra, and Kerala etc. albeit in different dialects, its use is somewhat limited to coastal regions only.

it is the only Indian language written in five different scripts: Devnagari, Roman, Kannada, Malayalam, and Persian-Arabic.

Konkani has been the official language of Goa since 1987. Five years later, it was given the status of a national language in India through an amendment to the Constitution. Konkani is now one of the 15 languages in which the value is printed on Indian currency notes.

What is the Official Script of Konkani in Goa

The official script of Konkani in Goa is Devanagari. This was established by the Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987. However, Roman Konkani, which is written in the Latin script, is also widely used in Goa, especially by the Christian community.

There are also a few other scripts that are used to write Konkani, such as Kannada, Malayalam, and Perso-Arabic. However, these scripts are not as widely used as Devanagari or Roman Konkani.

In Kerala, the language is represented in Malayalam script while in coastal Karnataka, it is written in Kannada and Persian-Arabic scripts.

What is the Language of Goa

Konkani serves as the official language of Goa and it is also the mother tongue of the people of Goa, and is the most widely spoken by its populace, while Marathi holds the status of a co-official language.

In addition to that, Hindi, English, Kannada, Urdu, and Gujarati are also spoken in the state. Furthermore, a few elderly residents are proficient in Portuguese.

What is the current Status of Konkani language

Presently, Konkani is facing a significant decline, but various organizations are actively involved in its preservation and promotion.

Among these, prominent players include the All India Konkani Parishad, Goa Konkani Akademi, and Delgado Konkani Akademi, all operating from Goa. Additionally, the Karnataka state government has contributed by establishing the Karnataka Konkani Sahittya Academy.

These organizations collaborated to create the World Konkani Center in Mangalore, Karnataka, which officially opened on January 17, 2009.

The center’s primary objective is to safeguard the language not only in India but also among the Konkani-speaking Indian diaspora worldwide.

Moreover, to boost Konkani culture and art, Konkani Rocks, an entertainment brand based in Panaji, Goa, brings together both established and emerging Konkani singers for performances within the state and beyond.

Despite efforts to revive Konkani, the language is still in danger of disappearing. There are no dedicated Konkani TV channels, even though there are many talented Konkani artists.

Doordarshan’s Goa station only broadcasts Konkani programs for a limited time each day. There are a very few original Konkani movies in music stores or on YouTube.

Some people are using the decline of Konkani for political gain, rather than trying to preserve the language and culture. This has led to suspicion that discussions about reviving Konkani are motivated by politics, rather than a genuine desire to promote the culture.

In light of these challenges, it is essential to make a concerted effort to preserve Konkani and its rich cultural heritage. This will require a broad range of stakeholders, including government, businesses, and individuals, to work together.

English to Konkani translation

Speaking the local language of Goa, Konkani, can help you make a good impression on the locals and make it easier to interact with them.

It can also be helpful during bargaining, as the locals will appreciate your effort to speak their language. Here are some useful phrases and terms that you can use while you’re in Goa.

Below, I will list some of the most commonly spoken Konkani words by Salcetekars, referring to the people from the southern part of Goa:

In Conclustion:

Konkani is a beautiful and rich language with a long history. It is spoken by millions of people around the world, and it is an important part of the Indian cultural heritage. However, the language is facing a significant decline, and there are concerns that it may disappear in the near future.

There are a number of factors that are contributing to the decline of Konkani. One factor is the increasing influence of English, which is becoming the lingua franca of India. Another factor is the migration of Konkani speakers to other parts of the world, where they may not have the opportunity to speak the language.

Despite these challenges, there are a number of organizations that are working to preserve Konkani. These organizations are working to promote the language through education, cultural events, and media. They are also working to raise awareness of the importance of Konkani and the need to preserve it.

The future of Konkani is uncertain, but there is hope that the language can be preserved. If the efforts of these organizations are successful, Konkani will continue to be spoken by millions of people for many years to come.

Here are some additional thoughts on the future of Konkani:

The rise of social media and the internet could help to revitalize Konkani. These platforms can be used to connect Konkani speakers from all over the world and to promote the language through online content.

The development of new technologies, such as speech recognition and translation software, could also make it easier for people to learn and use Konkani.

Ultimately, the future of Konkani depends on the commitment of its speakers. If people continue to use and promote the language, it will have a good chance of surviving.

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Konkani (कोंकणी / ಕೊಂಕಣಿ / കൊങ്കണി / كونكڼى)

Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian states of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. It is the official language in Goa, and one of the official languages of India. According to the 2001 census of India there are just under 2.5 million Konkani speakers in India.

Konkani was originally written with the Brahmi alphabet , and was written with the Goykanadi script in Goa until the early 17th century. It is currently written with a number of other alphabets. In Goa, Devanagari is the official script for Konkani, though the Latin alphabet is also popular. In the state of Karnataka it is written with the Kannada alphabet. In Kerala it is written with the Malayalam alphabet, and Konkani Muslims in Maharashtra use the Arabic alphabet.

Konkani alphabets

Devanagari alphabet for konkani, kannada alphabet for konkani, malayalam alphabet for konkani, arabic alphabet for konkani.

Download alphabet charts for Konkani (Excel)

Sample video in Konkani

Information about Konkani | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Information about the Konkani language and alphabet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konkani_language http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/konkani/konkani.htm http://languages.iloveindia.com/konkani.html http://www.gsbkerala.com/konkaniorg.htm http://www.ling.hawaii.edu/~uhdoc/konkani/

Online Konkani lessons http://www.memrise.com/course/82149/spoken-konkani/ http://www.languagereef.com/learn_konkani.php?lang=konkani

Online Konkani dictionary http://www.savemylanguage.org/app/home.php

Konkani literary portal http://www.poinnari.com/

Indo-Aryan languages

Awadhi , Assamese , Bagri , Bengali , Bhili , Bishnupriya Manipuri , Braj , Chakma , Chhattisgarhi , Chittagonian , Desiya , Dhatki , Dhivehi , Dhundari , Fiji Hindi , Gawar Bati , Gujarati , Hajong , Halbi , Haryanvi , Hindi , Hindko , Kannauji , Khandeshi , Konkani , Kotia , Kumaoni , Kutchi , Lambadi , Marathi , Marwari , Mewari , Modi , Nimadi , Noakhailla , Odia , Parkari Koli , Punjabi , Rajasthani , Rajbanshi , Rangpuri , Rohingya , Saraiki , Sarnámi Hindustani , Sindhi , Sinhala , Sourashtra , Sugali , Sylheti , Tanchangya , Urdu

Languages written with the Devanāgarī alphabet

Aka-Jeru , Angika , Athpare , Avestan , Awadhi , Bahing , Balti , Bantawa , Belhare , Bhili , Bhumij , Bilaspuri , Bodo , Bhojpuri , Braj , Car , Chamling , Chhantyal , Chhattisgarhi , Chambeali , Danwar , Dhatki , Dhimal , Dhundari , Digaro Mishmi , Dogri , Doteli , Gaddi , Garhwali , Gondi , Gurung , Halbi , Haryanvi , Hindi , Ho , Jarawa , Jaunsari , Jirel , Jumli , Kagate , Kannauji , Kham , Kangri , Kashmiri , Khaling , Khandeshi , Kharia , Khortha , Korku , Konkani , Kullui , Kumaoni , Kurmali , Kurukh , Kusunda , Lambadi , Limbu , Lhomi , Lhowa , Magahi , Magar , Mahasu Pahari , Maithili , Maldivian , Malto , Mandeali , Marathi , Marwari , Mewari , Mundari , Nancowry . Newar , Nepali , Nimadi , Nishi , Onge , Pahari , Pali , Pangwali , Rajasthani , Rajbanshi , Rangpuri , Sadri , Sanskrit , Santali , Saraiki , Sirmauri , Sherpa , Shina , Sindhi , Sunwar , Sylheti , Tamang , Thakali , Thangmi , Wambule , Wancho , Yakkha , Yolmo

Languages written with the Kannada alphabet

Kannada , Kodava , Konkani , Lambadi , Sankethi , Tulu

Languages written with the Malayalam alphabet

Kodava , Konkani , Malayalam , Ravula

Languages written with the Arabic script

Adamaua Fulfulde , Afrikaans , Arabic (Algerian) , Arabic (Bedawi) , Arabic (Chadian) , Arabic (Egyptian) , Arabic (Gulf) , Arabic (Hassaniya) , Arabic (Hejazi) , Arabic (Lebanese) , Arabic (Libyan) , Arabic (Modern Standard) , Arabic (Moroccan) , Arabic (Najdi) , Arabic (Syrian) , Arabic (Tunisian) , Arwi , Äynu , Azeri , Balanta-Ganja , Balti , Baluchi , Beja , Belarusian , Bosnian , Brahui , Chagatai , Chechen , Chittagonian , Comorian , Crimean Tatar , Dargwa , Dari , Dhatki , Dogri , Domari , Gawar Bati , Gawri , Gilaki , Hausa , Hazaragi , Hindko , Indus Kohistani , Kabyle , Kalkoti , Karakalpak , Kashmiri , Kazakh , Khowar , Khorasani Turkic , Khwarezmian , Konkani , Kumzari , Kurdish , Kyrgyz , Lezgi , Lop , Luri , Maguindanao , Malay , Malay (Terengganu) , Mandinka , Marwari , Mazandarani , Mogholi , Morisco , Mozarabic , Munji , Noakhailla , Nubi , Ormuri , Palula , Parkari Koli , Pashto , Persian/Farsi , Punjabi , Qashqai , Rajasthani , Rohingya , Salar , Saraiki , Sawi , Serer , Shabaki , Shina , Shughni , Sindhi , Somali , Soninke , Tatar , Tausūg , Tawallammat Tamajaq , Tayart Tamajeq , Torwali , Turkish , Urdu , Uyghur , Uzbek , Wakhi , Wanetsi , Wolof , Xiao'erjing , Yidgha

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Last Updated on October 26, 2023 by Augustin Fernandes

Konkani is the mother tongue and state language of Goa.

Around 57% of the population speak the Konkani language currently in Goa.

It is easy to understand and learn Konkani language as one can find a lot of English to Konkani translations.

Listed below are some of the basic phrases and words which can be used during your visit in Goa.

Basic Conversation in Konkani

Good Morning:  Deu boro dis dium

What is your name? : Tuchem naum kitay?

My name is (______): Mojem naum (____)

Where do you come from?: Tu koyee-san yet-ai?

I come from (_____):   Mau zo gao (_____)

Thank you: Deu borem korum

Useful Questions in Konkani during Goa Visits

How are you (male)?  Tu  Koso asai?

How are you (female)? Tu Koshem-asa?

May I take a photograph? Hau eek foto kaadum?

Can you help me?  Mhoji modot korshi?

Can you tell me? Maka saangshi?

May I have? Maka meutolem?

Do you know where he is? Tu zaanoi toh khoi assa?

When will he be back? Toh kednaam porot yetolo?

Do you speak English? Tum Inglez uloitai?

What is the time? Kitlim voram zaleant?

General Phrases in Konkani

I am tired: Hav Chod thokla

I feel sick: Mhojea jivak borem dissonam.

I am happy:  Hav Chod kooshi

I love Goa: Maka Goemcho mog asa

I don’t understand: Hanv sozmonam

I have to go: Maka vosoonk zai

Good evening: Deu bori sanz dium

Good night: Deu bori raat dium

Important Basic Words in Konkani

Sorry: Maaf kor

What: Kitem

Where: Khuim

Why: Kiteak

Please: Upkar koroonc

Good: Borem

Goodbye:  Adeus

Also read :

Goa Travel Tips – Must Read Before Visit Goa

Best Time to Visit Goa

10 Best Place to visit in Old Goa in Half Day

Useful phrases for finding hotels and getting around Goa

Can you get me a taxi? Maka ek taxi haadshi?

How much does a taxi charge? Taxik kitley bhaade ghetai?

Where can I catch the bus to (Panjim)? (Panjim) bus koe thamta?

How far is the bus stop? Bus stop kitley pois assa?

How do I go there? Thuim hao kosso vossoonk?

Does this bus go to (Mapusa)? Ee bus (Mapusa) voita?

Which bus goes to (Calangute)? Khuichi bus Calangute vetaa?

How long will it take?   Kitlo vogoth laagtolo?

When does the bus leave? Bus kitleyanc sotta?

Have we arrived in (Candolim)? Aami (Candolim) paulay?

How much to (Baga) (Baga) vossoonk kitlay potollay?

How many kilometers is it to (Baga)? (Baga) kitlay pois asa?

Drive more slowly! Sossegade Cholay!

I want a room for a day:   Maka eke dissak room zai

I would like a single / double room:   Maka single / double bed room zai

What is the charge per day? Eke dissak kitley poishay?

How to Say I love You in Konkani?

The translation for “I love you” in Konkani is “Hav tuzo mog kortam”

How are you in Konkani

How are you? (Male) : Tu Koso Asai?

How are you? (Female) : Tu Koshe Asai?

Tuna Fish in Konkani

Tuna Fish is called Bugde in Konkani.

Useful phrases in Konkani Eating and Drinking

I am hungry:   Maka bhook lagleah

I am thirsty: Maka taan lagleah

Where can I get some snacks? Maka khaunk ‘snacks’ khuim meltolem?

Water:   Oodok

No ice: Borof naka

No sugar: Saakor naka

I do not want it spicy: Maka tik naka

The food is good: Jevon borem aasa

Useful Konkani phrases for Shopping

Do you sell cashew nuts? :  Tumi kaju bhieo viktaat?

How much? :  Kitlem?

Too expensive!:  Ekdom mar-rog!

I don’t want it :  Maka naka

I want… :  Maka zai…

Have you got another one like this? :  Oslem aneek assa?

I’ll take this :  Haon hem ghetam

Do you take credit card? :  Tu credit card ghetam?

Can I pay in dollars / pounds? :  Mhojean pounds voh dollaraani faarik koroonc zata?

English to Konkani words related Relationships

Father :  Pai (In Christian), Bapui (In Hindu)

Mother :  Mai (In Christian), Avoi (In Hindu)

Son :  Poot

Daughter :  Dhoo

Grandfather :  Shapai (In Christian), Aazoh (In Hindu)

Grandmother :  Shamai (In Christian), Aajee (In Hindu)

Grandson :  Naathu

Granddaughter :  Naath

Father-in-law :  Saasupai

Mother-in-law :  Saasumai

Son-in-law :  Zaavaim

Daughter-in-law :  Soon

Wife :  Baile/ Gorkarn

Husband :  Ghov/ Gorkar

Child (male) :  Bhurgoh

Child (female) :  Bhurguem

Children :  Burgim

Man :  Dadlo

Woman :  Baile / Naari / Ostori

Boy :  Chedoh

Girl :  Cheduu

Adopted boy :  Posko

Adopted girl :  Poskem

Relative (boy) :  Soiro

Relative (girl) :  Soiri / soirem

Land owner :  Baatkaar

Human being :  Moonis

Proprietor :  Paatranv

How to speak numbers in Konkani?

Three : Teen

Four : Char

Five : Panch

Seven : Sath

Eight : Aatt

Twenty : Vees

Thirty : Tees

Fourty : Cha-lish

Fifty : Pon-nas

Sixty : Satt

Seventy : Sottar

Eighty : Voishim

Ninty : Novot

Hundred : Shem-bor

One Hundred and Fifty : Ded-shem

Two Hyndred : Don-sheem

Five hundred : Paanshim

One Thousand : Ek-hazar

Two Thousand : Donn-hazar

Time in Konkani Language

Now :  At-ants

Later on :  Maagir

Today :  Aiz

Yesterday :  Kaal

Tomorrow :  Fal-yam

The day before yesterday :  Poi-r

The day after tomorrow :  Porvaam

Morning :  Sokalim

Afternoon :  Donpara

Evening :  Sanje

Night :  Raat

How to speak Days in Konkani?

Monday  :  Somaar

Tuesday : Munglar

Wednesday : Boodhwar

Thursday : Brestar

Friday : Sookrar

Saturday : Shenvar

Sunday : Aeetar

How to speak months in Konkani?

January  :  Janer

February : Febrer

March : Mars

April : Aabril

June : June

July : July

August : Aagost

September : Setembr

October : Otubr

November : Novembr

December : Dezembr

How to say 'I love you' in Konkani?

Hanv Tujo Mog Korta

What is the meaning of Maka Naka go?

I don’t want

How do you say I miss you in Konkani?

Maka Tujo Ugdas Yeta

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Konkani Literature of Goa

Author: Damodar Mauzo   

Posted on 2nd March 2011 

KONKANI  LITERATURE OF GOA

Goa is known as a land where Art is worshipped. Art, in all its forms - music, singing, painting, dancing and writing, has a special place in the hearts of Goans. And as for literature, as the famous writer Amitav Ghosh puts it, "Goa is such a literary place."

The Konkani Epics

The rich literary tradition dates back to the early sixteenth century poet,  Krishnadas Shama , whose epic tales, aptly termed by  Dr Jose Pereira  as ShamaRamayana and ShamaMahabharata are a milestone in Indian literature. Written in chaste Konkani, these writings were lately traced in the public library of Braga in Portugal, now shifted to the District Archives of Braga. Luckily for us, the manuscript has been preserved in excellent condition.

Opinions vary about the authorship of the manuscript. The preserved work (bound in two massive volumes of nearly 1300 pages) is what was transcribed by the missionaries from the original text that was read out to them. Though Dr. Jose Pereira maintains that it is the work of Krishnadas Shama others observe that the tales were narrated to the transcribers by different men of the same clan. Nevertheless, this is the earliest voluminous writing that is available to us.

Krishnadas Shama's huge compilation of stories from the epics are written in the speech prevailing in his time. According to Dr. Jose Pereira, Sanskrit classics were the only accomplished prose until then. No prose was written in any other Indo-Aryan language during this period. It is admirable that this Quelossim born poet modeled his prose in "an elaborateness impossible for any other tongue to assimilate" says Dr. Pereira. Further he adds, "Such a practice was initiated in Europe by the Romantics only two centuries afterwards. Shama's achievement was the solid basis for the transformation of Konkani prose, by the writers of the 17th century, into a medium consummately supple and elegant."

Penned in a unique style where stories emerge from stories and plots give way to sub-plots the work is not in the traditional genre of poetry. The narratives are rich and unique in their idiom, diction and content. The contemporary spoken language was apparently a standardized one, though later, according to Dr. Jose Pereira, ‘the one literary norm broke up, and from its ruins the seven literary dialects arose.' This has to be attributed to the Decree passed by the colonial rulers in 1684 banning the use of Konkani, even in speech.

The Romanticism that evolved in Europe in the late 18th century asserted the use of free speech prevailing among the people. It is creditable to Shama that he adopted this style in his ShamaBharat and ShamaRamayana much earlier than that. Again, though in India, Sanskrit was written in prose the literary language was invariably ornamental and figurative. Krishnadas Shama's version of the epics, like those in some other Indian languages, added the regional flavour to the narratives not only through proverbs and idioms but also by using the names of Goan villages. For instance, an episode of Baby Rama's kidnapping by a demon and the subsequent chase by the Rajguru, the head priest of the royal court, Vasishtha, has mention of the villages of Majorda, Utorda and Khol.  In his tales from Mahabharata Shama he calls Parashar Rishi as Parasparu or Narad as Narandu, thus attributing local distinctiveness to the characters.

Krishnadas Shama is, undoubtedly, our foremost writer who has left behind this voluminous work for us to be proud of.

The Obstacles  

Konkani literature has a chequered history due to the political upheavals and the linguistic controversies faced by the territory of Goa. Invasion, persecution, religious conversions and the hazards of the inquisition that followed the advent of the Portuguese in 1510, led to the suppression of the freedom of expression. And the subsequent language controversy that affected mainly the Hindu community only went on to add to the confusion among the Konkani speaking people of Goa.

When other Indian languages were prospering, Konkani language and literature could not make a mark due, mainly, to two reasons - the near absence of Saint literature and total lack of political patronage. After the Shilaharas, who reportedly were of Goan origin, Goa has not been ruled by its own sons.

Yet, what post liberation Konkani has achieved has no parallel in this country's history.

Sant Namdev, the first known poet

The oldest inscriptions, dating back to the twelfth century, found in Goa are in Konkani, according to many scholars. The earliest piece of poetry in Konkani is by the fourteenth century saint-poet of Maharashtra, Sant Namdev, who had traveled all over India and had a penchant for languages. It seems he had also visited this region and tried his pen to write in the language of the soil. The poem is related to a story in which Lord Krishna mischievously hides the clothes of some Gopis, the milkmaids, who had undressed and got into a pond for bathing. In the poem, the maids plead with the Lord to return their clothes in their respective tongue, one being Marathi, one Gujarati, one Muslim(Urdu) while one Konkani. The verses for the Konkani maid are thus in Konkani:

Pav ga datara, pav ga datara

Tum Nandacho jhilo

Maka fadko di

Mi hinvan melom

Ghe mazo koito

Deva payam poddlom

When translated it roughly means:

Please help me, O benefactor,

You are the son of Nanda

Give back my clothes

I am dying of cold

Take my chopper knife

God, I beg of you

The Portuguese and the Missionaries

It is unfortunate that the Portuguese attempts towards deculturation and the conversions by the missionaries led to the division of the people. The creative energies thus divided became feeble and the literary pursuit broke off.

However, out of the necessity of proselytizing, religious literature was produced by the Christian missionaries. Realizing that religion has to be preached in the tongue of the people, special schools were set up in Mapusa, Rachol, Old Goa and Chorao for the missionaries to learn the language of the masses. Obviously, the subsequent religious literature that was produced was customized as per the prevailing religious material made available to the missionaries.

Religious writings

Religious literature got a boost when the first printing press of Asia landed in Goa. The first-ever printed book of India, churned out from this press in 1556, was in Konkani. It was titled Doutrina Christam (Doctrine of Christianity) and written by the local seminarian  Andre Vaz , hailing from Carambolim. Meanwhile, the works on lexicography and grammar were also on. Thus,  Fr. Thomas   Stephen 's work Arte da Lingua Canarim (the art of Konkani language) was printed in 1640 that bestowed upon Konkani the distinction of having the first ever grammar in any Indo-Aryan language. Though Fr. Thomas Stephens and other missionaries of his time, both Jesuits and Franciscans, had learnt the Devanagari script, they could not avail of the required fonts and types and hence they decided to adopt the Roman script which fonts had arrived along with the press.

As mentioned earlier, in the absence of religious petitions and songs of praises of god in the local language, the literate people of the territory had begun to follow the Marathi saint-literature from the neighbouring region. Now, the challenge before the missionaries was to reach out to the people in the people's language of religion. So Fr. Thomas Stephens (1549-1617) wrote his first work Krist-Puran in Marathi based on the pattern of the contemporary religious texts. ‘Krist Puran' was written in praise of the son of God, Jesus Christ, in a style that would attract the people to Christianity. However, soon he realized that though a few literates could follow Marathi, it had no appeal for the common man.  He then went on to write his next work in chaste Konkani, again titled the same as Andre's, Doutrina Cristam later printed and published at Rachol in 1622.

Fr. Antonio de Saldanha 's Sant Antonichim Acharyam (the Miracles of St. Antonio) was printed in the year 1655 followed by  Fr.Miguel de Almeida 's Onvolleanch Mollo in 1657-58. The former is an engaging, descriptive account of the miracles that took place during and after the lifetime of the Saint while the latter is a book of sermons that offered flowery tributes to Jesus Christ and his preaching. Both these works are amazingly outstanding because of the subtle literary flavour and the ornamental language. The study of Konkani was passionately pursued by the missionaries as they were convinced that knowledge of the local tongue alone could achieve the objective of propagation of Christianity.

The missionaries, mostly from the European countries, including  Diogo Rebeiro, Frei Gaspar de Sao Miguel, Joao de Pedrosa  and many unknown ones, worked with an insatiable zeal towards producing more and more religious literature , until 1684 when the Count of Alvor passed a decree banning the use of Konkani. Though we find stray writings including catechism texts, hymns, songs besides some popular poems like  Fr.   Joaquim Santana Miranda's  Riglo Jesu Molleantu. All these writings being religious literature, they can be hailed for their linguistic flavour but not as creative literature. Nevertheless, we cannot overlook the brighter side of it as it has helped the language to survive the onslaught of the upheaval in the life of the Goan people.

The ban on Konkani

The introduction of the Inquisition and the subsequent decree banning the use of Konkani blocked the literary pursuit and the lull continued for a long period of time. Even the popular oral literature of the region was subdued though, in a hushed tone, it continued on the lips of the masses, specially the Hindus. Ovi was a folk form of song that was popular among both the communities, Hindu as well as Christians. At the Christian weddings it was a tradition among the people to sing the verses/ovis. The Hindus were driven into the arms of Marathi during this period as they found  ready religious material that helped them continue with their rituals. Unlike the Portuguese, the Britishers were promoting the languages and literatures of the vernacular languages. Goan Hindus therefore borrowed the teachers from neighbouring Maharashtra to pursue their need for the primary education.

The Portuguese promulgation of the Constitutional Charter of 1822 liberalised the linguistic policy of the colonialists which gave fresh breath to the literary tradition. But it was too late for the Hindu community to return to the fold of their mother tongue to pursue the art of writing. To add to the woes of the language, the language-dialect controversy only produced hardliners.

Dekhni, Dulpod, Mando

The turn of the nineteenth century saw the emergence of folk songs like Dekhni and Dulpod which became popular among the Catholics and later percolated to the Hindus too. During the mid-nineteenth century, a new genre of poetry came into being with the first ever Mando, a dance song, that had the influence of the folk song and the western music. According to Dr. Jose Pereira, ‘the Mando has emerged from the Ovi and the Dulpod....As a dance song, the Mando conveyed the emotions of love; a love yearning for ; achieving ; and frustrated in its yearning.'

The Mando originated in Salcete, comments on the contemporary political and social events. Experts see in the Mando the advancement of Romanticism where the traditional culture dissolves to give way to an indigenous form of art that is at once Indian and Latin. The Mando did not reach the masses though, and is to-date popular among the elite as a ballroom dance song.

Renaissance

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, many ‘firsts' evolved on this front. The first ever Konkani periodical magazine, Udentechem Sallok was started by  Eduardo Jose   Bruno De Souza  when its first issue rolled off the press on 2nd February 1889.  De Souza also wrote the first novel in Konkani, Kiristanv Ghorabo published in 1890. The first ever  Tiatr , Italian Bhurgo written by  Lucasino Rebeiro  was performed in Mumbai in 1892. In 1899, Eduardo Jose Bruno De Souza wrote the epic poem, Eva ani Mori believed to be the first of its kind in Konkani. Picking up the thread from Udentechem Sallok quite a few new periodicals surfaced between 1914 and 1933. Dor Mhoineach Rotti, Ave Maria, The Goa Mail and Vavraddeancho Ixtt are the noteworthy ones.

Krishnabhatt Bandkar  (1844-1902), the poet who wrote extensively in Marathi wrote a few excellent poems in Konkani. Though they are not available in collection.  Bakibab  Borkar would often sing his poems and praises of the poet. A few of his poems were collected by the researcher  V.K.Wagh  and later published in Pormoll edited by  Suhas Dalal.  Bandkar was known for the inherent spontaneity he displayed in his Konkani poems. One of his poems, in a conversational form and rich with figures of speech, was often recited by Poet Borkar as the contemporary ‘Shighra-Kavya'. (Instant compositions) A mention of  Dada Vaidya , the medicine man must also be made. He strongly felt the need to promote writing in Konklani and himself wrote quite a few poems.

The first half of the twentieth century witnessed several ups and downs in the Konkani literary movement. Goan Catholics in diaspora found the need to write and promote writings in Konkani for the benefit of the Goan community spread in different parts of the country mainly in Mumbai up to Karachi. As Tiatros gained popularity among the masses of the Goan Catholic community the form grew in terms of writing and stage performance.

Cunha Rivara's Urge

The year 1855 provided an interesting twist to the language imbroglio with the arrival of  Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara  as Secretary to the Government. The orientalist scholar was shocked to see the pathetic state of the mother tongue of all Goans. He studied the language and its history and in 1858 wrote the famous treatise Ensaio Historica de Lingua Concani (Essay on the History of Konkani Language) wherein he made a fervent appeal especially to the youth, for ‘a methodical cultivation of the mother-tongue.' He further said, ‘It is true that the enterprise is not easy, but it is useful, it is decorous and it is glorious.' Cunha Rivara went on to propagate education in Konkani and even opened Konkani Schools in 1859. However, his appeal fell on the deaf ears of the Hindu community and there were few takers among Catholics.  Tomas Mourao , Barao de Combarjua even wrote the first primer of Konkani. But the introduction of Konkani as a medium of instruction was strongly opposed by the Marathi fundamentalist  Suryaji Anand Rao , while the Catholics preferred to stay put with Portuguese. Later, Salazar's coming to power in Portugal reinforced the Portuguese chauvinism in Goa. With the introduction of censorship the freedom of expression was throttled. The creative genius of Goa preferred to go out of the territory to places like Mumbai, Pune and Karachi where they could pursue their art.

Though the efforts of Cunha Rivara and his disciple Tomas Mourao to revitalize Konkani, did not yield fruits at the time, it was  Shenoy Goembab  alias  Vaman Raghunath Varde Valaulikar  (1878-1946) who, inspired by the efforts of these scholars, took upon himself the crusade of restoring the dignity of Konkani among its speakers.

Shenoy Goembab

Initially  Vaman Varde Valaulikar  wrote in Marathi. When he wrote a play in 1898 or so he took it to the famous Marathi playwright  Annasaheb Kirloskar  who on reading the script asked him whether his mother tongue was different from Marathi. ‘Though the drama in the plot was fine, the dialogues, which is the soul of drama, did not read like natural', Kirloskar said. That forced Valaulikar to revisit his stand on his language. Later his interaction with Barao de Combarjua convinced him that his mother tongue was indeed Konkani. He worked in Mumbai where he dedicated his entire life for the upliftment of Konkani.

Though his wife  Shantabai  was illiterate she could narrate folk tales with ease. Her command over the unpolluted language and easily flowing proverbs and riddles in chaste Konkani was a source of inspiration for him. Valaulikar relentlessly dug into the history of Goa and Konkani and wrote several books on topics varying from grammar to the phonetics of Konkani and from historical research to pure literature.

Shenoy Goembab himself was humiliated by the protagonists of Marathi but fully convinced that he was, Valaulikar continued his work with an unprecedented missionary zeal.  He kept on researching and writing. He even wrote a Konkani primer for the benefit of his son and for those who wanted to learn Konkani. However, he had great difficulty finding a publisher until he met  Kashinath Shridhar Naik , the owner of Gomantak Printing Press of Mumbai. The earliest of his books was Goemkarancho Mumboikar (The Bombayites of Goa) published by himself in 1910. It is a long satirical poem that Pridicules the hypocrisy and the self despising behavior of Goans living in Mumbai. Interestingly, the first edition of the book was soon sold out and he had to go for a second edition.

Goemkaranchi Goeam-bhaili Vosnnuk (The Inhabits of Diasporic Goans) is a historical account of Goans who left Goa on different missions. He refers to  Purna  or  Punna  born in the fifth century B.C. as the first known Goan emigrant who, while on a business trip to Shravasti, gave up his trade to join Buddha as his disciple. Shenoy Goembab then traces the ancient past of Goa, in depth and demolishes many myths surrounding the history of Goa. The work is a compilation of a series of lectures delivered by Shenoy Goembab at a convention of Goans in Mumbai in the year 1927. Kashinath Shridhar Naik, who was highly impressed by Valaulikar's scholarly treatment of the subject promptly published four of the lectures in a book form and termed it as Volume One. Naik wanted Shenoy Goembab to add more material to the rest of the lectures to bring out the second volume. However, this did not happen as Valaulikar could not find the time to add to the material as he had so much to accomplish. The next book of history, though the manuscript was ready in the year 1910, saw the light of day only in 1955.  In this book Albuquerque-an Goem Koshem Jikhlem  (How Albuquerque Conquered Goa), Shenoy Goembab discusses the Pre-Portuguese history of Goa, the Bahamani rule followed by the Sultaniyat of Bijapur, the arrival of the Portuguese and their image in India, Thimayya's proposal to Albuquerque, the take-over of Goa, Subhedar of Bijapur's battles that forced Albuquerque to vacate Goa, his subsequent victory to re-conquer Goa and the massacre of Muslims. These writings of Shenoy Goembab, though dealing with a dry subject like history, are written in such a lucid manner that they transcend the genre to attribute literary flavour to the work. Konkani Bhashechem Zoi'(The Triumph of Konkani) is yet another book that sings glory to golden past of the language. In this book, he flattens the contention that Konkani is a dialect of Marathi by providing several proofs.  In Konkani Nadashastra (Phonology of Konkani) he elaborates on the phonetic science of Konkani.

Several of his works can be treated as literary because of the inherent aesthetic values found in his writings. Essays like Valipat'tanacho Sod, Amrutacho Pavs, Nimaazgo and his talks which were later published, have high literary value. But Shenoy Goembab's contribution as playwright is held in higher esteem. The two popular plays, Povnachem Toplem and Mogachem Logn are adaptations of the famous French playwright Moliere's L'avare and Le Medicin Malagre Lui. Of these, ‘Mogachem Logn' was first published by the author in 1913 and the second edition was published in 1938. Shenoy Goembab has also written the play Jhilba Ranno based on a tale from the‘Arabian Nights'. All these plays are transcreations rather than adaptations when read or performed which demonstrates that Shenoy Goembab is not just a metaphrast  The plots and the characters bond with the Goan ambiance so well that they look like original to the core.

Shenoy Goembab has also translated  Bhagwad Geeta  into Konkani as Shri Bhagwantalem Geet in prose form. This book has a foreword by  Raaj-Kavi Manjeshwar   Govind Pai , Konkani speaker who is considered a major poet of Kannada. Though this work was completed in 1935 it was published only in 1959, long after the death of the author.

The first ever modern short story in Konkani written by Shenoy Goembab in the early years of the 20th century was published in the anthology Gomantopnishat Part 1. Mhoji Baa Khuim Geli is a story of a child whose mother has died. This poignant story reveals the author's deep understanding of the psyche of a child. Though not modern in today's sense, at the time it was certainly a path-breaking story in which emotions strum the right chord of the readers. The anthology has four more pieces viz. Vasu-shenoi'li Popai, Babumamalo Ponnos, Pitubabalo Tambyapotto and Khannavir.  It is difficult to bracket all the five as stories though the latter four stand on the thin line bordering

Story and Essay .

Gomantopinishat Part 2 contains a philosophical novel titled Sonvsar-Butti (the Great Flood). It is a novel theme wherein after the Great Flood the souls seeking celestial abode  vigorously discuss the essence of Life, earthly and posthumous. The narrative brings to the fore the author's profound understanding of different faiths and myths. Obviously, the author has a deep knowledge of worldwide religious strictures of the Vedas, Bible, Quran, Talmud, Upanishads and the great epics. The philosophical discourse does not make use of any religious or spiritual jargon. The metaphysical and spiritual exchanges are in chaste Konkani purely in the spoken idiom. This novel can certainly be called unique in Indian literature.

As Konkani was a fledgling among Indian literatures, Shenoy Goembab strove to bring in every genre that was thus far missed out. He wrote stories, poems, novel, essays, plays, research articles, grammars, biographies and what not. Foreseeing the need for Children's literature in Konkani he even wrote children's stories and essays which were later  anthologized as Bhurgyanlo Ishtt.    

Noting that the Catholic community of Goa was not used to the Devanagari script, he also wrote in Roman script for their benefit. The eleven books in the Roman script are mainly the adapted stories from the Shakespearean literature. Shenoy Goembab is looked upon by most only as a strong protagonist of the Konkani language. Unfortunately, the brighter side, that of a literary genius and a scholar, continues to be overlooked.  

The Lull after the passing away of the pioneer

In spite of the unstinting support rendered by Kashinath Shreedhar Naik (1899-1983), nearly ten of Shenoy Goembab's works were published only after his death.  Kashinath  Shridhar Naik  himself a poet, wrote his poetry under the pseudonym of  Bayabhav . Two of his collections  Soddeavoilim Fulam and Sukrut Follam have been published  The poems mainly sing praises of Goa's beauty of nature and human relationship.

Ramchandra Narayan Naik  (1901-1984) also wrote a long poem based on the preaching of Jesus Christ.  Ra. Na. Naik , as he was known, has also translated Ravindranath Tagore's Geetanjali and Stray Birds into Konkani.  He and many other followers of Shenoy Goembab would not let the tempo of Konkani's resurgence slacken. Though occasionally books kept being published, the movement lacked mass support. The strife continued until 1953 when the literary movement got a boost with the emergence of a new magazine  Mirg . Published from Kakavadi in Vardha, the fortnightly was edited by  Ravindra Kelekar  with strong support from the poets of the kind of  Bakibab Borkar  and  Abhijeet  alias  Vaman Sardesai . The first issue was released on the auspicious day of 15th August and the fortnightly continued for quite some time.  Taking cue from Shenoy Goembab, Ravindra Kelekar also started a magazine in Roman script by name Gomanta Bharati targeting the diasporic Catholic population, in order to popularize the Konkani movement among those who were not familiar with Devanagari. Meanwhile, some stray publications saw the light of the day with anthologies like Onvllam (1935)  and Bhuim-Chafim(1956) wherein the contributions came from the writers of Goa, Mumbai and Karnataka. 

After Mirg, yet another major breakthrough was the Goan students' literary movement in Mumbai. The two major annual features of the young Goans' literary movement were the publication of the magazine Vidya and the Intercollegiate Konkani Dramatic Competitions. Both these activities attracted a large section of the Goan community settled in Mumbai. Many young writers suddenly sprang up during these days to meet the need and disappeared with the same pace after contributing their mite. A few among them who continue till date include  Uday Bhembre  and  A.N. Mhambro.

Laxmanrao Sardesai , who had earned a reputation in Marathi as one of the most eminent story-tellers, started writing in Konkani too. His son, Dr . ManoharRai SarDesai  who later became a legend in his lifetime, began editing a literary magazine Sallik and also wrote beautiful poetry that inspired many youngsters to take to writing.  Chandrakant Keni  wrote consistently and published his book of short stories, Dhortori Azun Jietali, the first ever short story collection in Konkani.  Evagrio Jorge , a rationalist Catholic writer living in Mumbai then, also worked hard to promote Konkani literature through writings and by encouraging others to write. Several periodicals sprouted during this period like Saad, Projecho Avaz and later Konknni. But all this while the movement was being run from across the borders of Goa, as the Portuguese colonizers, in view of the rising support to the freedom movement, had tightened the noose around the freedom of expression. The state of affairs continued until 19th December 1961.

Hopes Revived    

The liberation of Goa enhanced the hopes of the leaders of the Konkani literary movement who anticipated great upsurge in literature following the lifting of censorship. Ravindra Kelekar, Poet Borkar, Chandrakant Keni, Uday Bhembre, Evagrio Jorge returned to their motherland at their earliest convenience expecting local support to their cause. But contrary to their expectations, their aspirations met with hostilities as the language-dialect controversy gathered momentum.

The Trilogy of Poets

However, the literary scenario witnessed a rising flow of poems. Balkrishna Bhagwant Borkar, fondly called Bakibab, led the torch while ManoharRai SarDesai and R.V.Pandit jopined the crusade by churning out poems after poems. Of course, there were other stalwarts like Pandurang Bhangui, Shankar Bhandari, Gajanan raikar and Vijayabai Sarmalkar. But undoubtedly,  the trio  comprising  B.B.Borkar, ManoharRai SarDesai  and  R.V.Pandit  remained at peak during this period of second renaissance.

Poet B. B. Borkar (1910- 1984)

On the threshold of the completion of the centenary year of poet B.B.Borkar we need to assess his life and works in a larger perspective of Indian literature. He began writing poetry in the thirties of the last century when the rest of the Indian literatures all over was charged by the nationalist and Gandhian thoughts. Gandhian poetry did play its role of inspiring the people to rise to the situation. The poetry of resistance concerned with the exploitation of the socially impaired and the suppressive regime of the colonizers had taken hold of the creative world. The Marathi poetry was no exception. As most of the writers of the Gandhian age had built up their literary career in the urban atmosphere they could relate their poetry to their experiences of their formative years spent in the villages. But as they had lost their touch with the rural conditions, in a short while, poetry began to echo only the sympathetic repetitions of stock sentiments and ideals. At this juncture Poet Borkar entered the avenue of Marathi poetry with a new brand of poems that were hitherto not heard of and with that the Marathi literary world saw the onset of a new age.

Like any other great writers, Bakibab Borkar was a product of his time. Born in a joint Hindu family in his ancestral house at Borim, Bakibab was brought up in a highly religious atmosphere. Though subjected to strict discipline, the overall conditions were conducive to his creative process. He would listen to and sing the Bhajans which were regularly held in his house. The bhajans of Tukaram and other saints, Kirtans presented by Haridasas from across the State and the treasure of Marathi books in the house inspired him. Though he had only studied two years of primary education in Marathi he took keen interest in the language and mastered it through readings and listening to the discourses.

Konkani was a spoken language and was considered as a dialect of Marathi. No literature could be produced in Konkani, it was presumed. But when Bakibab heard  Patris  render, the toddytapper, composing instant songs, he was amazed. This was the first time that Bakibab realized that poems can be composed in Konkani. Bakibab gave up no opportunity to listen intently to Patris, whom he called his Guru. The next to inspire him to take to writing in Konkani was Shenoy Goembab. Bakibab, when read his short story, ‘Mhoji Ba Khuim Geli', he wept inconsolably for a long time. The story was a revelation for him. The impact of the story fully convinced him that Konkani has the power to put across every feeling and sentiment.

Though Bakibab had a spiritual upbringing he was a modernist poet with a westernized attitude. His perspective towards life and literature broadened mainly because of his teacher at Escola Normal,  Ms. Propercia Correia Afonso  who was a learned person, well versed in the worldwide literature. Because of Propercia and her lawyer husband Bakibab got access to some of the all-time greats like Victor Hugo, Musei, Junqueiro, Joao De Deus and Stefan Zweig. 

Though Bakibab wrote widely in Marathi he stood committed to the cause of upliftment of his mothertongue. Bakibab has beautifully translated  Geeta  in samashloki (same meter) Konkani as Geetai. In all he has ten books written in Konkani including two collections of poems. Interestingly the poetry that he wrote in Konkani was totally of a different kind. The Marathi poems were mainly of love and romance whereas the Konkani poems that he wrote were meant to inspire the people of Goa against the Portuguese. His poem addressing the then Governor,

Dotor Bos Dotor Bos, somjikayen vag

Tokli tuka na zalear uthun cholunk lag

Doctor Boss, Doctor Boss, behave in a sensible way

If you don't have any sense, get up and be on your way

It became very popular among the nationalist minded Goans and also attracted many people towards the uprising against the Portuguese. When Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia arrived in Margao to address the congregation, Bakibab, who then was teaching in a Government school in Quepem, attended the meeting. He was so charged by the revolutionary thoughts of Lohia that he instantly sung the glory of India and Mahatma Gandhi in his famous poem,

Mahatma Gandhi ailo re, Goyant amchya pavlo re;

Lohiyan haddlo bavtto tacho Madganv sharant lailo re

Mahatma Gandhi has come, arrived in Goa

Lohis has brought his flag that is hoisted in Margao

He had to pay heavy price for it. When his well wishers in the government sent him the feelers that the Portuguese had issued an arrest warrant against him, Bakibab had to flee from Goa. 

His contribution to Konkani poetry continued to take cudgels against the colonizers. Sat lakh Goemkar ami, yug novem fuloitole (Seven lac Goans we are, we shall construct a new era) was one such poem that motivated many young Goans. Poet Borkar was the master of lyrics that were rich in content, precise in expression and perfect in form. It wouldn't be an exaggeration if claimed that he surpassed most of his contemporaries in vision, imagery, intensity of sentiment and poetic diction.

However, Bakibab's poems written during the Opinion Poll stand out as highly provocative:

Surya ditam, Chandra ditam mhunot ailim mhovim,

Sonsonvtim Goyant amchya ghalunk amkam davim,

Ghanttar sakun aila zogi, ghevun bhogvi ghuddi,

Gharak chudd lavun sodta oddunk apli viddi.

We'll give you the sun and the moon, said the honeytongued as they came,

Bustling into Goa, to leash our necks into harness

Across the hills come holy men, with saffron flags

Burning up our house to light up their beedies.

Bakibab played a very significant role in Goa's freedom movement and even greater role in defense of Goa's identity during the opinion poll. In his poems like ‘Guru Shittkaita Kurvani' he warned the people of Goa against lethargy in no uncertain terms:

Merer zhemle shetodd tachi acholloi bhokli gorvani

Bhortaddechim tarvam baba somull naddlim toddvani(pirates)

He who dozed at his field, lost crop to greedy cattle

Ships on the high seas, wholly plundered by pirates

Bakibab's pen churned out poem after poem that moved the people of Goa to vote against the merger. Bakibab also stood firm on Konkani. He was a driving force to the activists. He ridiculed the Goan mergerites saying,

Nak ami pavnner kaddlam, ghalat tumi lans

Mhunttat tumi tich ami mhunnu amchi bhas

Meklleponnache zokhmeporos bore bonde-pas

We have put up our nose (honour) for auction, please put up your bids

You say this is your language that we must blindly call our own

Better the chains of servitude than the pangs of freedom

We have put up our nose for auction, please put up your bids

Many will be surprised to note how keenly Bakibab opposed the merger and wrote profusely in favour of retaining Goa's identity. He warned the people of Goa to remain vigilant because:

Hains lavun ghalyat tanni zollim-mollim gore,

Ghora mulla purla suring, khonnun vhorunk chire.

They have cast their hooks high and low with tempting bait

Planted dynamite under our house, to scoop our stones away.

For nearly five decades he contributed to poetry and in immense measure. He wrote in both the languages that were dear to him, Konkani because she was his mothertongue and Marathi because he had fallen in love with her. He bonded perfectly with the both. He would deal with equal ease while writing in these languages.

Yet, the protagonists of Marathi did not trust him since he stood committed to Konkani. While many protagonists of Konkani suspected that Bakibab was a hypocrite because he wrote profusely in Marathi. Resultantly,  Bakibab's condition was proverbial ‘na ghar ka, na ghat ka'

As is evident in his writings, Bakibab's humane sensibility was influenced by Bhakti-sahitya and Upanishadas, Christian thinking and Budhist notions, Sufi sangeet and Gandhian philosophy. He was not so much moved by lofty moral ideals dictated by the great leaders like Buddha or Jesus or Gandhi as by those of pure beauty and simple aesthetic appeal inherent in their style of living and preaching. However, his poetic sensibility, needless to say, was greatly influenced by the tranquil beauty of Goa's nature.

Bakibab was a poet of the soil who loved Goa, her beauty and the people. He was as earthly as any of us who loved to drink feni and whisky, enjoyed fresh vegetables and fish from the manos, took pleasure in the fragrance of zayo-zuyo and surangam and above all loved to share. The wind, rains, flowers, birds spoke to the poet freely and affectionately. Just see how the poet relates with them.

Nillem nillem sovnne ek sokallchya go para,

Bhangrachim ghungram bandun ailem mhojya dara

A blue blue bird one fine morning

Came to my door her anklets tinkling                

His first collection of poems in Konkani is Paizonna(Anklets), which has several popular poems written before liberation including the title poem. He received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his book Sasai (Divine Presence).  It is a collection of his poems written after the liberation of Goa and mainly during the Opinion Poll.

Borkar was an excellent poet whose Marathi poems like "Tethe Kar Mazhe Julati" (There I Fold My Hands) or "Japani Ramalachi Ratr" (The Night of the Japanese Ladies) are as immortal poems as are Konkani verses like "Tya Disa Voddakodden" (That Day By the Banyan Tree)or "Goemchem Nanv Vhodd Korun Lhan Zale Mhan"(Bringing Laurels to Goa, the Humble Turned Great). Bakibab indeed was a poet of the bygone century.

ManoharRai SarDesai

Though junior to Bakibab in age,  ManoharRai SarDesai  (1925-2006) can be called his contemporary Konkani poet as Borkar started writing profusely in Konkani the same time when ManoharRai and Pandit rose on the horizon. ManoharRai Sardesai began to write at an early age. The atmosphere around him was conducive to writing as his father had already achieved fame as an eminent Marathi short story writer. However, his poetry flourished when he was pursuing higher studies in France where he was overwhelmed by strong feelings of nostalgia for his motherland.. A stream of his poems started flowing uninterruptedly, pulsating with a rhythm of its own and rich with colourful imagery. They reveal the poet's nostalgia wherein he sings of the lush green fields and the blue sea, of the softly singing birds and the whispering plum trees. When Goa was ruled over by the Portuguese, ManoharRai wrote intensely inspiring poetry that condemned colonialism and instilled patriotism.

He was conferred a Doctorate in Literature by the Sorbonne University of Paris for his thesis on ‘The Image of India in France'.  His six years of stay in France and the subject of his thesis brought him in close contact with the writing of the some of the luminaries of that country like Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Romain Roland.  As he confesses he could learn and understand better through the views of the great European scholars who had written extensively on India. He was also fascinated by the new trends in writing emerging in Europe. As he knew Portuguese French and English he could relish the best of western literature. Pablo Neruda, Garcia Lorca, Paul Eluard, Albert Camus and many others were his favourites. While in France he came in close contact with some great India painters like Laxman Pai, Raza, Paritosh Sen and Shakti Burman. He also interacted with French intellectuals who were opposed to colonialism which reaffirmed his faith in socialism and democracy and helped him to take intellectual and ideological positions.

ManoharRai SarDesai wrote extensively on topics varying from patriotism and socialism to love and romance. His poems can easily be catagorised into several phases. The first phase was that of nostalgic poetry. Goeam Tujea Mogakhatir (For the Sake of Thy Love, O'Goa) is a collection that depicts the pot's wistful state of mind while he was in a far off country. He is full of praise for the picturesque landscape, murmuring of the springs and the waves of the Arabian sea washing the feet of his homeland, Goa.

The second phase is clearly full of patriotic songs. Aiz Re Dholar Poddli Boddi (Today the Drums Have Started Beating) and Jai PunnyaBhu Jai Bharata (Long Live the Holy Land of Bharat) are among the collection that sent a stern warning to the colonizers. He also dreamed of the bountiful fertility of the liberated Goa in his poems, as he said:

Faichea Goeam Ed'de Nal'l

Ani Shetant Tin Pikam

Faichem Goem mhunnttolem ga

Tumchi Bhik Amkam Naka

Our Palms will yield such big coconuts

And the fields, three crops a year

Tomorrow's Goa will say

We don't need your alms anymore

The 450 years of an alien suppressive rule had turned his Goan subjects apathetic towards the freedom movement. SarDesai's poetry rekindled the fire of patriotic zeal in Goan society. Ram Manohar Lohia, on reading ManoharRai SarDesai wrote, "Manohar possesses the lyrical quality of which good poetry is made. In the poems that I have read this lyricism is coupled with patriotism."

The third phase is an extention of the second one. Goa had been liberated from the clutches of foreign rule. However, Goa's independent identity faced a threat. The language of the soil was not getting its due recognition. ManoharRai wielded his pen freely to fight against the injustice meted out to his mothertongue that threatened the very identity of the Goans. Zayat Zage (Wake Up) is a representative collection of this phase. In this, the poet gives the clarion call to the masses to beware of the oppressors who came in the guise of protectors. 

Then comes a phase where the poet expresses his concern for the exploitation of the masses by the classes. But he found a novel way of tackling the exploiters and the unruly polititions. Poems like Hi Lokshai (This Is Democracy) were satires that ridiculed the wrong doers leading to their demoralization.

In the next phase we find a new form of poetry invented by this poet. Zayo-Zuyo (Jasmines) is the term used by the poet for this new form of poetry which is pithy but rich in content. The renowned English poet Armando Menezes, write, "Zayo-Zuyo is a precious little volume that is reminiscent, in its continuity and epigrammatic character, of Tagore's Stray Birds but is otherwise original and almost entirely Konkani....we cannot imagine in any other language." Even a senior poet like B.B. Borkar once confessed that Manohar's new form of poetry inspired him to write similar poems.

Pissollim (Butterflies), ManoharRai's next collection also has similar poems. Veteran Marathi critic M. V. Rajadhyaksh, in his review of Pissollim, says, "these short poems are of anything between two and seven lines each, comprising a thought or a fancy within those narrow limits. Such poems call for uncommon economy and precision of expression, the qualities ManoharRai SarDesai has in remarkable measure." The Marathi liotterateur P.L.Deshpande praised the poet after reading Pissollim. He said, "To tell a story of sixty words in four words, requires a ‘mould' of imaginative power and a genius mind that can extract a small of essence out of thousand experiences. The poet provides a vision to look at the ocean through the s."

Hia poems are simple, yet philosophically rich in content. Though ManoharRai did not believe in preaching, he had a definite philosophy of life that can be sensed and felt in his poems. He used to say, "Life is worth actually what it costs. I pay what is my due and enjoy what I get."

ManoharRai SarDesai was a poet of all and sundry. He wrote with such simplicity that he could easily touch the hearts of the masses. The use of rustic and living language, simplicity of expression and artistic maneuvering, made his poems very popular across all sections of society in Goa and other Konkani regions. His poems inspired a number of young men and women to take to writing poetry. For a long time, one could see the influence of ManoharRai on these young poets. Such was the motivation that even young readers who had no literary background, from both the Hindu as well as Catholic communities, felt like giving expression to the emotions through verses. He thus came to be known as the poet of the poets.

ManoharRai had a flair for punning. His mastery over the language was so great that he could play authoratitively with words. Fenny is Funny is one such felicitous pun that can be cited. He had a razor sharp memory. Quotes of famous intellectuals were on the tip of his tongue. He was a polyglot who could speak, read and write many languages. He wrote poems in French which were promptly hailed by the French. Impressed by his genius, Jean Luc Proffit wrote, "He likes to make things simple...To make the situation look simple, one has to SEE it as simple; and that, for sure, is not so simple...It requires a great talent and sharpness of observation." ManoharRai SarDesai, indeed, had a quality to make complex things look so simple. Proffit narrates his experience thus:

"I remember how once he introduced the French revolution. ‘The roots of the French Revolution is a root: potato and the seed of the French Revolution is a seed: Coffee, meaning Café'. How could one better summarize the situation of the eighteenth century France by relating both the nutrition which allowed people to think further, and the turmoil of ideas symbolized by drinking coffee at the Paris Cafes?"

However, the poet's greatest contribution to Konkani was his lyrics and rhymes written for children. The crow, the frog, the cock, the fish and all the animals became the characters of his rhymes and children lapped them up. He lived to see the rhymes written by him becoming folk songs in his life time.

Among the many national and international awards that came his way are the Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection Pissollim and the Palmes Academiques Award in France. The highest literary order of Goa Gomanta-Sharada Puraskar for the years1998-1999 was also awarded to him.

R. V. Pandit

R.V. Pandit was a prolific poet, deeply rooted in Goan soil. He entered the literary arena like a storm. He is the first, and so far, the only Konkani poet to launch five collections of poems at one time - on the auspicious day of 26th January 1963. They are Mhojem Utor Gavddeachem, Urtolem Tem Rup Dhortolem, Dhortorechem Kovon, Chandravoll  and Ailem Toshem Gailem. Of the dozen plus collections to his credit, the most popular is Dorya Gazota (The Sea Is Roaring) where he sings,

Dorya nachota, choi, dorya nachota

Dor eka lharantulean Dev nachota, choi, Dev nachota

The sea is dancing, look, the sea is dancing

In every wave that dances, look, it is God who is dancing

 Lharam seems to be a collection comprising earlier poems ively reprinted. Charam (1983) the tiny collection seems to be his last. Pandit has been praised for his pathbreaking poetry by none other than B.B.Borkar, ManoharRai SarDesai and A.N.Mhambro who have written forewords to his collections.

Pandit wrote in free verse, in rustic language of the over-exploited working class. His matter of fact depiction of the ground realities in his poems has set a new trend in  modern poetry. . He wrote extensively about the woes of the toiling sons of the soil who are generally taken for granted by society at large. In his poem Tachem Ghor Moddunk Tenklam he describes the life of the oppressed where you will see that the house is only symbolic of the poor man.

Vonttichea chuneak pollovn

Soglim umedir asat

Pun ghor nimtak asa

Tem puraien poddunk tenklam

Tachi kudd zhoddunk temnklia

Aiz ghor moddunk tenklam

Looking at its whitewashed walls

Everyone seems happy

But the house awaits a pretext

To cave in totally

Its body is bound to collapse

The house is about to crumble

Pandit writes about the predicament of the sons of the soil destined by the upper classes to live in serfdom. But he also speaks of their stubbornness as he writes about the endurance and tolerance of the aboriginal Gavddo.

Kitloi kandd, kosoi kandd

Mhuzo pittho mat zaina

Kandd, bhai pokhran uddoi

Kitem-I kor, hanv kusna

Asam tosso urtam

Pound me the way you want

I do not disintegrate

Pound me, throw me in the pond

Whatever you do, I won't rot

I remain as I am

He also gives voice to the Bhatkar who has lost his land.

Hanv bhatkar

Atam mhoje mhakach

Hanv vikpacho asam

Dor na dekhun urlam

I am a bhatkar

I want to sell myself now

I remain unsold

Because there are no takers

Least bothered about the rhyme or the meter, Pandit's free verse sounds almost prose-like. But the content of the poems is loaded and the impact resounding. In the poems like Hanv Gavddo (I am Gavddo) the son of the soil asserts Ailam Toshem Gaitolom that he would sing the way he wants to express.

Pandit was also the first poet to get a collection of poems published into English. Several of his poems have featured in national and international anthologies. Thomas Gey translated most of his poems into English some of which were hailed by the international readership. Voices of Peace, The Tamarind Leaf, My Goa and Other Poems and The Moon...are the four collections published in translation. R.V.Pandit received several awards including the 1979 Sahitya Akademi Award. He was honoured with Padmashri by the Government of India in 1982 while the International Academy of Leadership conferred upon him Doctorate of Leadership in Poetry.   

Another Visionary: Ravindra Kelekar

The richest contribution to Konkani language and literature, undoubtedly, has been from  Ravindrabab Kelekar (1925-2010).  His prolific writings kept the flag of Goan literature flying high until he breathed his last. His last two books were released as late as 30th of July 2010, on the eve of the Jnanpith Award Ceremony, which was held less than a month before his death.

Ravindra Kelekar, known as a thinker-writer, is the most widely read writer in Goa and other Konkani speaking regions. The analytical mind, which rationalized and provided explanations to everything that his pen dealt with, forced even his opponents in the movement to take cognizance of his writings. His style is very lucid and the flow of thoughts easy. In his essays, he debates both on local and global problems with a lucidity of expression that makes difficult topics readable and enjoyable. Be it on globalisation or be it on fundamentalism, his wrings are devoured by one and all, whether common men or the intelligentsia. The revolutionary ideas discussed through his thought-provoking essays, when in translation reached beyond the regional readers, bringing accolades to him and for Konkani from a pan-Indian readership and renowned critics.

Right from the beginning of his literary career, he worked with the zeal comparable only to Shenoy Goembab's. Until the Liberation of Goa, he had written and published three books after which he wrote consistently. Zaag, the little magazine of Konkani today, though started by publisher Sumant Kelekar in 1971, was in fact the brain-child of Ravindrabab. Zaag, as a publishing house, then became instrumental in providing a break to many writers including Damodar Mauzo, Pundalik Naik, Meena Kakodkar and Sheela Naik Kolanbkar all of whom attained great heights in later years. Zaag Publications also helped to publish most of his books in the subsequent years. In 1971 he published a collection of musings from his diary, Vellevoileo Ghulo, (Shells on the Shore) a literary form not known to Konkani until then. Though he neither was nor he claimed to be a fiction writer, Tullshi (1971) is a novella written to silence those who pointed out the lack of voluminous writings in Konkani and also to inspire young writers to go for novel-writing. Bhaj-Govindam (1973) is an interpretation of Shankaracharya's treatise in simple and fluent language. Uzvaddache Sur (The Voice of Light) of 1973 is a collection of essays while Sangati (1977) is a book of musings. Brahmanddantlem Tanddav(1980) discusses astronomy that introduces the stars and elaborately narrates the movements of the celestial bodies in the space. Tathaagat is yet another voluminous exploration of the philosophy and life of Lord Buddha, told with a difference. His immense contribution to literature is multi-generic that varies from adapted plays to works of translation, books on philosophy and theology to socio-linguistic discourses and from astronomy to orthography. He has also edited several books in Konkani as well as Hindi and English. With an insatiable appetite for learning and a burning inquisitiveness about the basic nature of man Ravindrabab stands tall as a thinker and intellectual among many great writers of India.

Mahabharat: Ek Anusarjan

Kelekar has over sixty books to his credit, mostly anthologies of essays. However, his book Himalayant is a travelogue full of descriptions of nature's beauty revealed with a philosophical touch. Sahitya Akademi awarded the book with its prize in 1977, which incidentally was the first Akademi award given to a Konkani book, after the recognition was accorded to the language. But his most outstanding contribution to Konkani is the transcreation of Mahabharat titled as Mahabharat: Ek Anusarjan (two volumes). Published in 1985 and released in Delhi at the hands of the then Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, the work is unique in its nature. In his version of the Mahabharat, Kelekar has successfully tried to rationalize the mythological characters and events. His interpretations and the style of writing makes reading so interesting that one gets a feeling of reading the epic afresh. Ravindrabab will be remembered for ever in the annals of the Konkani literature for this outstanding work.

Ravindrabab's writings have been the most prolific in output and highly motivating in content particularly going by the books published after 1995 which have risen in stature. Samidha, Othanbe, Ghuspal'lem Zanvem, Panthasth, Sarjakachi Antarkatha, Amorer, Ti Pavlam Pradnyavadachim Aghall-Paghall, Ashikushik and Bharatvarshachji Sanskrutaiechi Sadhana  can easily be rated among the best intellectual essays of India.   

In order to carry Gandhiji's philosophy to the readers of India and of Konkani in particular he wrote a number of books in Hindi and Konkani. His early books are Satyagrah (1955), Mahatma (1955) and Oshe Ashil'le Gandhiji (1960), written with sole intention of carrying Gandhiji's thoughts to Goan readership in Konkani. Soglle Monis Bhav-Bhav (1995) is a translation of All Men Brothers by Mahatma Gandhi. Hindu Dhorm Mhollear Kitem(1995) (What Does Hindu Religion Mean) is again a translation of Gandhiji's work in Hindi Hindu Dharm Kya Hai? puiblished by National Book Trust, India.

An ardent follower of Gandhian philosophy, Shri Kelekar's writings are greatly influenced by the great philosopher of yesteryears, the late Kakasaheb Kalelkar. Ravindrabab's long association with Kalelkar is apparent from many of his earlier books. He has translated Acharya Kalelkar from Gujarati into Hindi and also into Konkani. 

Ravindrabab could write fluently in Marathi, Hindi and Gujarati too. He was also well versed in Portuguese and English. Kelekar's Hindi book, ‘Mahatma Gandhi: Ek Jeevani' in Hindi (1985), is being read and acclaimed widely. It is also translated into other languages. Kelekar is widely read in translation into Gujarati also. No wonder, he is a father figure whose writings continue to inspire writers on the Konkani literary scenario, especially the young ones, even after his death

He has been accorded the highest literary award of Goa, Gomanta Sharada for the years 1995-1996 besides many other prestigious awards. There have been many firsts in his life. He is the first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award in Konkani and the Bhasha Bharati Samman, instituted by the Central Institute of Indian Languages. He is the first Konkani writer to be elected as Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi and the first Goan writer to be honoured with Padma Bhushan, needless to say that he is the only Goan writer to be awarded with the Jnanpith.

The Present Scenario

Konkani literature today, after the initial hiccups, has settled well on the path of progress. It was indeed a long struggle for the writers who had to churn out reams of varied forms of literature without hoping to get any monetary benefits. But the last two decades have witnessed the much needed change with the publishers of national anthologies and leading national periodicals taking cognizance of Konkani literature. 

Konkani writers, in the past, had to play the dual roles of writers and activists to achieve the three interconnected goals dearest to them - official language status to Konkani, statehood for Goa and inclusion of Konkani into the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. They actively participated in the Konkani Porjecho Avaz movement, even taking to the streets and suffering the indignities of tear gas and lathis in the process. Nevertheless, they succeeded in achieving their goals. Konkani, which was a late entrant in the field of literature due to historical and political reasons, is now marching ahead with an accelerated pace to catch up with the rest of the Indian literatures.

Recognition by the Sahitya Akademi in 1975 provided a tremendous fillip to the literary movement as it enabled Konkani writers to mingle with Indian writers of high stature. As with most languages, poetry was the first form to blossom in Konkani literature. Great poets like B.B. Borkar, ManoharRai SarDessai and R.V. Pandit wrote abundant poetry which inspired the younger generation. The crop of young writers, (some of them gave up later though), included  Shantaram Varde Valaulikar, Armando Pereira, Ulhas Pai raikar, B.E.Mendes, Fatima D'Souza, Suresh R. Pai, Agnelrao Braganza, Shirish Bhobe , etc. These are poets with potential who did not pursue the form seriously. For example,

Anthony Correia Pienkar  wrote beautiful poems, like:

Pavl-bhor zomnicho hanv bhatkar

Mhojea paiachim dha bottam mhoje munddkar

I am the landlord of a foot-fall of land

The ten toes of my foot  are my tenants

Suhas Dalal  is one poet who holds the distinction of having his poem Amchea Goem-chi Sasai (The Divine Presence of Goa) sung by none other than the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. It is unfortunate though that the song went unrecorded. Suhas did not contribute significantly to poetry though he has served vigorously for the promotion of the literature.  Sadanand Zambaulikar  began to write poetry very late in his life. His writings had depth and maturity though his contribution cannot be counted as substantial.

Manuel Fernandes  too wrote good poetry.

Sonvsaruch zor Amruta zhor,

Sorgachi khottpott kiteak kor? 

If this world is a flow of nectar

Why toil to be in the heaven?

Bhangui and Ramani

Pandurang Bhangui (1923-2008) is the most articulate poet of his generation. His language is subtle and sharp. Bhangui's craftsmanship is of a high caliber. Not easy to interpret, his poems are often of abstract nature. The first of his collections Dishttavo  meaning Revelation (1972) established him as a poet of solitude. Bhangui often quoted the great Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa who apparently had influenced him to a great extent. Pessoa said, "Being a poet is not my only ambition, it is the solitude that I seek as a poet." Bhangui's personality as poet befits Pessoa's contention.

 A master craftsman of the meditative poetry, Bhangui targets the tangible world with the help of the abstract. 

Matich hi sogli khori

Matiechich pudd

Tori tiche garbha-konnient

Havesanchi chudd

This is soil indeed

Just dust on earth

Yet in her nucleus lies

The torch of aspiration

Pandurang Bhangi and  Shankar Ramani  (1923-2003) are the contemporaries who have many things in common. Their precision is exemplary and both are poets of spirituality and solitude. Their poems are full of imagery, and at times so complex that they border on the unfathomable.

Ramani is a bi-lingual poet who started with Marathi poems and later delved into the Konkani poetry. By the time his first collection of Konkani poems Zoglanchem Zhadd (The Tree of Lightning) was published in 1987 he had already earned eminence in the Marathi literary world with three collections to his credit. His earlier poems are often the reminiscences of the rustic life of Goan villages whereas the later ones are of a more introspective nature.

Shankar Ramani believed in writing only good poetry. He has quoted Joseph Brodsky in his book saying, "If a poet has any obligation towards society, it is to write well." Keeping up with his belief he has consistently given good poetry. In his Sahitya Akademi Award winning collection Nillem Nillem Brahm, The Blue Cosmos (1993) he has successfully collected the universe in a nutshell.

Cholun cholun

Pavlam shinnun

Ruzvonnak ailim;

Vorshi nodor

Mollbant rombun-

Bhorun bhuien roklim...

Choim voshin

Monell... mhovem- tikai utor futtlem;

Dithiepelean poltoddim

Brahm nillem dekhlem...

As I walked and walked

Sprouted roots

My sight pierced the sky

And down came a pouring

The quiet spread all around

Syrupy like honey

Even that gained voice;

Beyond the horizon

I saw the blue cosmos

This well read poet has quoted Octavio Paz in the opening page of Brahma Kamall,  The Cosmic Lotus (1995) as, "Almost everyone is a poet at a certain stage of life, but sometimes it's a disease that remains right through and turns into a mania." And here we have a poem where the poet writes about the characteristics of a poet.

To eklo eksuro kovi

Tagelea mhoddkea ghorachea

Zonelantsun dista tea mollbak

Dis-rat polloit asta.

To samko maluk!

Tumi taka aponv nakat

Ulovunk vochum nakat;

Tacher nodorui ghalum nakat;

Pattlibhor shenkreancho shinvor

To tumchea angamathear ken'na ghalit

Sangum nozo.

Punn chukun ken'na tori

Tagelem zonel zen'na

Nillem nillem mollob zal'lem dista

Ten'na digantechim pakhram

Taka nitoll uzvaddacho sad ghaltat.

He is a poet, solitary and lonely

Through the window of his ramshackle house

He watches the sky, day and night.

He is totally crazy

Don't call him closer

Nor talk to him;

Don't even look at him;

You never know when he would throw

On your body

A basketful of pebbles

But if and when his window

Turns into blue sky

The birds from across the horizon

Beckon him to the ethereal light.

At times, Ramani's imagery takes you on a spiritual ride. Metaphors in abundance are found in his poetry, like ‘the frightening tickle of the lightning' or ‘the night taking bath in the raining stars' or ‘the crescent moon watching his face admiringly in the distant lake'. 

Abhijit, Kelekar, Raikar

There have been a few writers who have contributed, qualitatively, though not quantitatively, to Konkani poetry.  Abhijit  alias  Vaman SarDesai  (1923-1994) is a poet who has left his mark on literature, though he has only one collection of poems, Abhijit, published (that too posthumously) in 1995. A strong activist of the freedom movement who was imprisoned by the Portuguese, he later joined Gandhiji's Sevagram Ashram from where he contributed to Konkani literature. He wrote prolifically in Mirg, and also ran a clandestine radio service to propagate nationalism. As he sings of the continuity of the task ahead of us in his poem Ami Urtole he says,

Hanv gelom, tumvui gelo

Fattlem daiz ghevun fuddem

Vochot ravtole. Ami urtole

I'll be gone, you too

But We will live

Carrying the legacy ahead

We'll keep going, We will live.

He has displayed excellent lyrical quality in his poems.

Te Nill-Nillshe Dhunvre pelean

Dis bhor Laglam Thuimsor Dhean

Beyond that foggy blue

Out there I am engrossed all day

This is one song that has been very popular, both for the beautiful lyrics and the divine voice given by Pandit Jeetendra Abhisheki.

Vaman SarDesai was awarded the Padmashri by the Government of India in 1992.

Yeshwant Kelekar  is a lyricist who wrote extensively for Konkani program broadcasts on All India Radio.  Though he wrote out of necessity, his songs played a crucial role in creating awareness among the Konkani speaking people. He has written devotional lyrics, patriotic poems and love songs too. In his poem Kombddi Zunzoita (Staging a Cockfight) Kelekar gives voice to the youthful poor girl whose childhood boyfriend from a rich family keeps pursuing her.

Konnieo dakhovn kiteak baba konbddi zunzoita

Kir-mor monant mhojea kiteak nachoita

Why do you make the fowls fight by throwing grains to them

Why do you make the parrots and peacocks dance in my mind

Though he began writing in around 1955 his only collection Punzailelim Onvllam saw the light of the day only in1985.

The septuagenarian writer  Gajanan Raikar  is yet another important poet whose writings sport the lyrical quality that can attract listeners and the readers alike. Sunvari and Banvodd are his two collections in which most of the poems are born with rhyme and rhythm. Out of the most popular poems Lai tuzo lamonndivo mhoje garbhakuddint (Light the hanging lamp in my sanctorum) has been sung beautifully by the legendary singer Shobha Gurtu. The devotional songs Ghontt Vikhache Hanv Tor Pielem (I have gulped down the poison) sung by Meera Chakravarty or Meera Nachlem Go (Meera Danced) have been equally popular. Singing the praises of nature the poet says,

Gimshi galli pikli go

Tuji mhoji zoddi zomli go

Charam chun'na dongram-ni

Bolsam bhoria bhinn'nnani

Ogollan anglim ronglim go

The summer orchard is ripe

You and I are a twosome now

The berries are ready in the woods

Let's fill our pockets with Kokam fruits

As our clothes turn red with juice

Raikar's poems are at once enjoyable and meaningful. The third of his collections is on the way.

Vijayabai Sarmalkar (1924-19  )

A celebrated poetess Vijayabai Sarmalkar has left a clear mark on feminine poetry in her writing. Her poems are mostly lyrical and have been very popular. She writes on different aspects of women's life. She has covered almost every mood on every event that takes place in the life of a woman including the birth of a child, the naming ceremony, the childhood, the dreaming youthful girl, the tender love, the engagement ceremony, the wedding, the bridal love, the confinement, the motherhood, the old age woes, the widowhood and the pangs of loneliness. Aiz go tuzo sakharpuddo (Today is Your Engagement) is one such poem which has been liked by one and all.

Uday Bhembre and Shankar Bhandari

Born in 1939,  Uday Bhembre  is more of an activist of Konkani movement that has almost killed the poet and the lyricist in this intellectual. Yet, his contribution is not negligible. He has one collection of poems Chan'neache Rati (On A Moonlit Night) published so far. The collection has two parts; one consisting of poems and the other lyrics which have been popular as songs. The title poem Chan'neache Rati  has such a  popular appeal that it is sung and heard in every household as if it is a folksong. Most of his lyrics have charmed the listeners who repeatedly sing the songs like Hanv Baba Nhovro, Lhara-lharar Lhara-lharar Tarum Turu Turu Dhanvta or Surya Gela Poltoddi, Chondr Altoddi. Bhembre's love poems are mainly the songs of longing or those of anguish of separation. In Zagrann the poet, referring to the wife who has gone to her mother's place for a few days, says,

 Kupam koddlean nirop dhaddum?

Kalidas nhoi hanv...

Tori legit dhaddos korin aslom

Angnnat vochum koso

Chondrim chor challoita

Eksurech doshek mhoje

Bott dakhovun hinnsaita

Send a message through the clouds?

I am not Kalidas...

Yet, I would have gathered courage to

How can I go to the courtyard

That wicked moon teases me...

Pointing at my loneliness

He mocks me

Uday Bhembre is a journalist, playwright, storyteller and an essayist. During the difficult times in Goa's political history, his fiery writings have turned the wave in favour of Konkani and Goa's independent identity. But his stature as lyricist poet, despite his limited output, is exceedingly tall.

Shankar Bhandari  (1928-1987) is yet another activist poet. His poems are replete with love for the land and the tongue. He may not have any collection in his name. But his contribution cannot be underrated. Gomttem Goem Gaita (Beautiful Goa Singing) is one poem which transcends love for free and fair Goa. The identity lies in the unity of Goans, he believed. The mention of Mandovichim Mandolina is a pointer to his desire for one Goa. Known for his wit Shankar Bhandari also has a deep sense of music.therefore his product is both satirical and lyrical as per the demand of the poem.

Gonnachem Ailem Raj (The Republic has Dawned)is a sardonic poem that can be bracketed with ManoharRai's Hi Lokshai. The poem is a telling account of the mockery of our democracy and republic. Yet another of his poems, written soon after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, is a lyrical obituary paid to the popular leader. Sompli Rat (The Night Is Over) has touched so many hearts and even made many of us shed tears.

Bhandari is an excellent essayist whose book Pavlakonnkonni (At Every Step) carries his lucidly written bunch of writings. But it is his poetry that reflected authentically the life around him and also dominated his literary world. Undoubtedly, Konkani poetry has lost a genius in the early death of Shankar Bhandari.

Nagesh Karmali

Veteran poet Nagesh Karmali, fondly known as Nageshbab, has many facets. A poet of eminence, a leading freedom fighter, a die hard crusader for civic liberties, a voracious reader and a committed activist who would go to any length to espouse the cause of his mothertongue Konkani. This zeal of his is evident in his poetry too.

Born in 1933, in Quepem, Karmali began writing poems at the tender age of fifteen. He was quite fortunate to get an inspiring teacher like Bakibab Borkar in his primary Portuguese education. He proudly admits that Poet Borkar gave him the deeper insight into the wider realm of poetry. Karmali also came across the literary works of Shenoy Goembab, the legendary scholar revered for his indefatigable toil for the language.

The young Karmali joined the literary movement which had just started gaining momentum in Goa.  His active participation in the freedom movement cost him a few years of internment at the Aguada Jail where he found the most trusted companion in books. The solitude of the jail thus shaped his poetry. He used poetry as a medium to express his innermost emotions and anguish. As the poet himself says, ‘My life and my poetry were themselves caught in a struggle. When heaps of words in prose would not do, poetry came to my rescue.' 

Nagesh Karmali has always been waging a relentless war against social injustice, inequality, ignorance and hypocrisy. Conceding to the demand of the topic of his poetry Nageshbab has not bothered about the rhyming or the meter. Yet, many of his poems are highly lyrical.  In his poem Oto (The Overflow) he says:

Mollob disha otun gelio

Bhizlim pole sopna sukim

Fulan mhollem git jivem

Khudunk lagli as piki

The sky and all horizons poured

Drenching parched dreams

The flower sang the song of life

Ripened hope began to sway

In spite of its many qualities, his poetry is a statement of revolt. Committed to socialism he takes on the capitalist oppressors in his poems. His poetry, serious in all its intent and purpose, is not without its lighter side.

Karmali won the 1992 Sahitya Akademi award for his book Vanshkullachem Denne (Our Debt to Our Heritage). Zorgot (High Tide),  Sanvar (Annihilation) and Thang-Athang (Fathomable and Unfathomable) are his other collections of poems. The Fortyone poems written between 1979-1989 that appear in Vanshkullachem Denne are the product of the creative mind deeply influenced by socialism of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. Karmali expresses his fury at the tyranny of the rich over the poor in words packed with protest. The subsequent collections too voice the same anguish though with greater maturity.

Ramesh Veluskar

Savulgori fame Ramesh Veluskar, born in the year of India's independence, has changed the track of Konkani poetry by his unusual content and style.  He sings of nature in a language which is at once simple and ornamental. The rustic ambiance and rural concern for nature find vivid expression in his poetry. Though R.V.Pandit displayed similar approach, Ramesh has found his own poetic expression.

The only thing that R.V.Pandit and Ramesh Veluskar share is that they both belong to the same village of Pallem in Sirdona. But the similarity ends there, though both admire each other for their respective creative genius. Though much younger than Pandit whose poems bear the influence of the folksongs, Ramesh Veluskar draws heavily from the folklore. Yet, the content and the meaning of his poetry is far reaching. This sort of poetry is a departure from the traditional and prevailing style followed by the other poets. His poems are very difficult to translate because of the untranslatable Konkani and pastoral idiom.

Ramesh Veluskar has several books to his credit including juvenile literature, a novella, books of criticism and classical plays in translation. Yet, his contribution to poetry is enormous. Morpankham, Mati, Angnni Nachta Mor Morya, Savulgori, Hiranya garbha, Tanarjyoti and Dorya are his collections which have been hailed in the literary circles with great admiration.

Ramesh Veluskar's poems are unique in Indian poetry. They spring out with the flavour and music of folk songs. Unconcerned about textuality, he uses rustic language and even coins his own words. He has seven collections on his name each one is different from the other. Ramesh usually chooses a theme and then weave his poems around it. That is why we see his collections with strange names like Mati (The Earth) or Doria (The Sea). All his poems then unfold different facets of these themes. In the former one, he says,

Mhojea hatank pallam ietat

Mhojea paiank pallam ietat

Mhoje toklek pallam ietat

Mhoje nodrek pallam ietat

Dhortorechea pottant atam

Mhoje mhakach follam ietat

My hands are getting roots

My feet are getting roots

My head is getting roots

My vision is getting roots

In the womb of the Earth now

I bear fruits, I bear fruits.

In the Sahitya Akademi Award winning book, Savulgori, the poet has chosen four different themes, viz. Zhadd (The Tree), Savulgori (The Lady of the Orchard), Zogi (The Seer) and Her Kovita (Other Poems). In most of these poems the poet personifies the nature, the tree or the orchard. Why does he choose these themes? As for The Trees the poet says. "I look at the tree not only as human but Godly. The poet likens the immobitity of the Tree to the complete man who never deters from what he believes in. The tree teaches us to love. It teaches us to give, to help and to remain determinant in times of storm."

The bunch of poems, Savulgori is totally the poet's imaginative creation that fascinates every poetry lover whether common reader or connoisseur. The reader is taken in a trance to the other world where the orchard comes alive and the lady moves dancingly wearing all the ornaments bestowed upon her by the mother nature. The poems in this collection look obscure at times but every reader is given freedom to choose his own interpretation.

Madhav Borkar

Inspired by the poetry of Bhangui and Ramani, Madhav Borkar initially chose to tread along their path. But thereafter he discovered his own style wherein he consciously chooses deceptively simple words to enhance his capacity to reach the reader.

The youngest in age among the leading poets, Madhav Borkar (1954), had an early take off with his first collection of poems Chonvor Blossom published in 1969. This very first collection made his name a watchword for serenity and poise. He displayed enormous ability for poetic expression and technical skill befitting the established poets. Though the first few were descriptive in nature, Madhav Borkar's poems are often short and crisp. He does not believe in poetic jargon. He detests verbosity. Some of his poems are as short as three or four short lines. But the meaning conveyed is immense.

Punzait gelom hanv

Mhojea ritea poshant

Vattevoilo binn'nn kallokh

Uzvaddak ompunk.

I went on collecting

In my hollow hands

The darkness along my way

To offer it to the light.

Whether pangs of love or destruction of nature, no topic is invulnerable to this poet.  His poems of love are moving and evoke quick response from the readers in spite of the oblique way he writes in.  It must be admitted though that, like many a good poetry, Borkar's verse seems to be bordering obscurity as common readers struggle to understand the thought and images expressed by the poet. 

Madhav has six collections of poems to his credit of which Yaman bagged the Sahitya Akademi Award. Votacheo Sanvlleo (Shadows of Sunlight), Porzollachem Dar (Door of Dazzling Light), Uzvaddacho Rukh (The Tree of Light) and Avyaktachim Ganni (Songs of the Unexpressed) are the rest of his collections. In the latter of his collections, it is quite apparent that the poet has treated his poetry as a vehicle of self-discovery.

Madhav's important contribution to the Antarbharati poetry is Ekshem Ek Kovita (Hundred and One Poems), a translation of Rabindranath Tagore's Ekot'tar Shati. A unique feature of this poet is that unlike most of the writers, Borkar, very meticulously, jots down the date and place of the birth of each of his poems, which gives a distinct quality to his personality.

Prakash Padgaokar

Here is yet another poet, Prakash Padgaokar (1948) whose poetry encompasses the man rather than nature. Essentially a free verse writer, Prakash allows his pen to flow leisurely. He is never in a hurry to tell things in an understated manner. Preferring not to remain ambiguous, he believes in focusing directly on the woes of the people and his motherland. His first collection Uzvaddachim Pavlam (Footsteps of Light) published in 1976 was soon followed by Vascoyan (The Saga of Vasco) in 1977. Both these works are descriptive in nature. In the former collection the poet sings about his yearning for light symbolizing enlightenment. The poems in this collection focus on the poet's vision.

Uzvaddachem pavl mhojem, Kallkha soponn choddtolem

Ienv tufan, zanv modd; sahaztaien portitolem

My footsteps of light, will climb the steps of darkness

Let the storm or the cyclone strike, I shall effortlessly turn them back

The latter book one, Vascoyan is a tale of the town he spent his youthful days in. It is a saga of the tribulations the Vascoites undergo day in and day out. Though it appears to be a statement on the situation prevailing in Vasco, it is, in fact, a commentary on any fast developing disorderly city in this country. This poet is sensitive to human sufferings as he time and again focuses on the telling trials of the man.

Vasco mhollear ek rosaian

Khotkhatot ravpachem

Rosaian tem hench kai kitem

Vishvachea ud'dharachem?

Vasco is a chemical

That keeps on boiling

Can this be the same chemical

That gets the world resurging?

The next in line was his collection Hanv Monis Ashvathamo (I am Ashvathamo the Man) that won him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award. Ashvathamo is a mythical creation of Mahabharata, that at the end of the Great War, gets the curse, not the boon, to remain immortal, to wander aimlessly with a wound on his head. Prakash has very intelligently used the myth to describe the present day condition of mankind.

Unlike his earlier poems, those in his collection Kovita: Kall Relvecheo, Mon Harshancheo, Pavsa Panneacheo (Poems of Railways, Mirrors of Mind, Rains and Waters) are light in vein and short in nature, most of them being of four short lines.

Ghor mhojem hanv bosovunk sodtam

Dhodd-dhodd dhanvovpi relve-rullar

Ghor zai thoim vhorunk mellttolem

Korit zai te diken dar

I want to have my house built

On the railway tracks that make you run

That will let me take my house wherever I want

And open the door in the direction that I want

Prakash Padgaokar often turns serious and philosophical in his late works. His next collection Sorg Ghoddpak Dhortorecho (To Turn Earth into Heaven) sings of love and accomplishments. The poems Mog Azronvari (The Immortal Love) and Krutarth Sugurvo (The Secured Achievement) are the two fitting examples. Vhanvti Nhoi Kallachi (The Flowing River of Time) is totally different poetry which shows much greater maturity. In his opening poem, the poet sings of his anguish over the class and caste discriminations and the religious segregations, in no uncertain terms.

Ani kollona khuinchea khinna

Furfurot kitt dveshachi

Ani pettot zhunz Kourav-Panddovanchem koshem

Dekhun hanv mhoji kat samballun jietam

And you never know which moment

The spark of hatred will ignite

And break out the war like Kauravas and Pandavas

Hence I go about safeguarding my skin

He minces no words in his concern for suffering humanity. Targeting apathy and hypocrisy, is the hallmark of his poetry. The last of his collections so far, Brahmandd-Yogi Chirantanacho (The Eternal Cosmic Seer), is highly philosophical. His poetry so far proves that the poet is marching ahead firmly.

Jess Fernandes

Born in the southern coastal village of Palolem, in 1941,  Jess Fernandes  or Jessbab, as he is popularly known in the literary field, has played with all the genres of literature. He has written, directed and acted in Tiatros and one-act-plays. He has also written essays and short stories. But he is essentially a poet. Kirvontt is a collection of poems which has bagged the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award.

Jessbab uses his own dialect to express his creative articulation. In his poem, Dukam-ni bhoril'lo lens (Kerchief Soaked with Tears) he says,

Dukam-ni bhoril'lo lens mhogelo,

Tum mhaka roddovpachem

Soddich na.

My kerchief wet with the tears

Because you give up not

On making me cry

Jess Fernandes' style of writing is simple and linear thus making the reading enjoyable. His poems are like veritable flowers in the garden of literature. They may not be hybrid roses but they are like Doshnni-fulam or Shenkor that are pleasing to the eye when they blossom.  Some of his small poems are like jasmines that exude fragrance of life.

Shanno zal'le poros dista

Jivit borem pishachem

Tankam poddun vochunk na konnachen

Konnakuchpoddun vochu na tanchem.

Rather than being wise

It is better to be mad

Neither do they care for anyone

Nor does any one bother about them.

 His credo, as a poet, is to employ his writings for the betterment of life in society. He often warns humanity with poems like Jivit Vikrek Asa, meaning Life Is On Sale.

Monsha tujea monisponnachem mol

Fokot attshinch rupya

Tuje oklechem ani tujya shuilachem

Toshench tujya vikasachem

Ani svotontrotayechem mol

Choddant chodd attshim rupya

When translated by the poet himself it reads:

Man, your humanism is valued at

Just eight hundred rupees

Your common sense, your drive

Your development, your freedom

Is valued maximum at

Eight hundred rupees

Lamenting about the ills, lack of love, greed and selfishness prevailing among human beings he further warns, that man is on auction, in the following words:

Ek mat yad dovor monsha

Ti pavnni pavovpak tya attshim rupyank

Mhoje vangdda tukai vhorot

Tujya ostitv ani kashtte soit

Please remember one thing

Once again, the person

Who wins the bid

Might take you along with me

With your very existence and loin cloth too

Jess is a devout Catholic who has great faith in God. But it is not a blind faith. As poet he disapproves His strange ways and does not hesitate to warn Him -

Porompityacho nem asa

Patok korche poilim konnak kheast korchi nhoi.

Porompityan kelole nem tannei moddche nhoi.

There is a rule set by the Father

No one should be punished unless a crime is committed.

The rule set by the Almighty should be binding on Him too. 

In a poem addressed to his wife the poet soothingly advises her not to ponder over past incidents but to be happy that they have and they need each other's company. Here the poem assumes universal significance thus raising the experience from the personal level to an ideal plane.

Pundalik Naik

(b.1952) took off enthusiastically with his powerful poems during the beginning of his literary career. He used his experience as a cowherd to illustrate the dangers of disruption of nature and age old traditions. His poem Bangor-Boil (The Uncastrated Bull) is a milestone poem in the history of Konkani poetry. The bull is used as symbol of the angry young man who would no more tolerate the high-handedness of the lords.  However, Pundalik Naik then changed the track to fiction writing and later settled with drama which has become his forte, though occasionally he continues to pen poems.

Ulhas Buyanv     was a lyricist-cum-singer who captivated the imagination of  Konkani music lovers. Yo Go Tum Manddar (Come Over To The Dance Floor) is a collection of Buyanv's lyrics published in 2001. His contribution to Konkani movement is significant as he propagated for independent political identity of Goa through singing and rendering of poems.

Shantaram Varde Valaulikar  drew heavily on ManoharRai SarDesai's rich poetic vocabulary, though he has his own style of writing. He has mainly written the poetry of Nationalism.  Olivinho Gomes'  translation of the Sanskrit classic Meghdut is an estimable work he published in 1975.  Prabhakar Nadkarni  too has translated Urdu Shairi into Konkani. Though cannot be categorized as poets, Olivinho's and Nadkarni's attempts to trans the classics are certainly commendable.

Tomazinho Cardozo  (b.1945) who started writing good poetry, also kept on tossing between verse and fiction. His collection Paklleo is well received as they are the poems that mock at the hypocrisy in our society. Earlier he had published a collection Thembe (Drops) mainly of Kantaram. He has also published a collection of Mando, his own compositions, some of which have been popular. However, Tomazinho later preferred to stick to Tiatr in which genre he is treated as a playwright of substance.

A prolific writer,  Bhikaji Ghanekar  is a poet with over thirty books to his credit, the last being Famad Gitam. As in his conversations his sense of humour is evident in some of his poems too. Many of his poems, that possess lyrical quality, are sung and often heard on the radio. Quantitatively his contribution has been enormous.

Pandharinath Lotlikar  has written some fine lyrics, mainly singing the glory of Goa and India. Fr. Lino De Sa  is another poet who has written some very good poems. Addambe and  Novi Ankri are the two collections standing in his name. His poetry is descriptive and traditional. He essentially deals with the issues connected with nature, people and ecology.  Prakash Thali  too began with poems, later turned to theatre and then to translational work. It is sad though that most of these poets have contributed below their productive capacity.

The other poets  who have left a mark on Konkani poetry are  Bharat Naik ,  Yusuf Shaikh  and  Ashok Bhonslo.

Bharat Naik  has many facets as an artist. He is an actor, director, playwright and a poet. Bharat's Mana-Mana is a collection of poems that reveal various shades of mind. He also likes to ridicule the hypocrites and target the scoundrels. He does possess a sense of humour which occasionally raises its head. Of late his poetry has turned more spiritual than materialistic.

Gantthi (Knots) published in 1982 is a collection of poems by  Yusuf Shaikh.  He is basically a lyricist poet whose O Re Soi, a poem on the fisherfolks is very popular as also Shabdulechea Fula Tuka Bhonvor Zavn Chinvtolom (Hey, Flower of Shabduli, I will kiss you by becoming a bee).

Ashok Bhonslo  is a poet of moods. Simple language, direct speech and humorous lines make his poetry enchanting. He has one collection of poems to his credit, Surban. Superbly written love poems, some of which are on the verge of eroticism, are infused with exceedingly good lyricism.

Mhojekodden suria asa

Sup bhor nokhetram asat

Pavsui asa.

Ieta zalear ditam.

I have the Sun,

A basketful of Stars,

And the Rain too.

Do you want them?

I'll give them to you, only if you come to me.

The two poetesses who have enriched the Konkani poetry are  Maya Kharangate  and  Nayana Adarkar . They have been consistently writing for over thirty years. Both of them are known for their sensitive approach towards Goa: its people, land and language. Their poetry has great appeal particularly to the masses who can identify with their themes.

Maya,  born in 1956, began her writing career from 1976. Her poems are often descriptive and narrative. But in her poems, whether in those with social concern or depicting various shades of love, the message is very strong.

Tum asum kitlem-i karatea poros koddu

Tuji goddsann chakhlea hanven

Koshem mhonnu tuka koddu karatem?

You may be more bitter than the bitter-gourd

But I have tasted the sweetness of you

How can I call you a bitter-gourd?

Maya has also penned some beautiful stories. It seems she prefers to use either form that inspires along with the theme.

Nayana Adarkar  (b.1959) is an allrounder who has written children's literature, short stories and plays. The topics of her poems too are varied.

Uktea mollbak diko dhai

Ritea monak faski zai

The open sky has ten directions

The empty mind seeks a frame

The meaning carried in it is immense though in two lines. Her more recent poems show much higher degree of maturity.

Paresh Kamat

The young poet  Paresh Kamat  born in 1968, falls in the category of those who have mastered the art of expressing many things in few words. Shubhamkar (2009), his recent collection of poems is a treat for readers. When Kamat entered the arena with his Allang (Gently) published in 2000 it looked as if this poet was following in the footsteps of Shankar Ramani. However, though their style looked alike, content wise, Paresh's poetry is miles apart. This young poet takes liberty with the language to express audaciously his philosophical takes. He paints the things that are invisible. He touches the subjects which are intangible. He makes you feel what you think is indefinable. Such is the power of his expression.

Paresh's poetry is, more often than not, elusive. The reader enjoys the poems; yet he is at a loss to grasp the exact meaning of his expressions. The poet, of course, is unmindful as he goes on writing what he wants to, leaving the reader to decide what his poem has to convey.  

The imagery used by Paresh Kamat is complex and rarely suggestive. He describes the silent solitude of the leafless winter tree or the naughty wind creating the waves of the leaves in the woods. The lines like Zolmachea Bhonvtonni Mornnache Bhonvtadde  (Death Circumambulating Birth) are difficult to interpret yet you get a vague feeling that you have understood it.

Hanv tuka vengaitana

Soddoitam mhoje mhakach

Mhojea monachea villkheantlean

When I hold you in my arms

I free myself

From the clasp of my own mind.

Paresh has one more collection, Garbhakhol (Inner Depth) published in 2004 which is equally pregnant with philosophical content.

Nilba Khandekar

The young writer,  Nilba Khandekar , who initially seemed to be loitering in the same corridors as Nageshbab, has now proved beyond doubt that he has his independent way of thinking and a self determining style. His first collection Vedh (Aim) was published in 1991. It seems he took some time to attain maturity until 2000 when his second collection Suryavanshi followed by Agni reached readers who hailed his poetry with great interest. Nilba too is a poet of angry rebellion who consistently railes against injustice. Suryavanshi and Agni (2001) are the collections which deal with the themes of Sun and Fire respectively. His latest collection Black (2006) has a more holistic approach towards several problems faced by humanity such as the border issues, the suppression of voice in free India and the Kargil war.

Nilba's poetry is very provocative, both in terms of the language and the content. Unlike his contemporary Paresh Kamat, Nilba's poems are of a narrative nature running, at times, into three or four pages. They are descriptive and evocative. He does not use any clichés nor any pretentious language to give expression to his outburst. His rebellion is apparent in his poems. In Farikponn (Debt), he targets the hypocrisy and the malevolence of our leadership while in the hard hitting poem, Dha Zann (Clan of Ten), he ridicules blind faith so vividly prevailing in our society. Thoddoso Itihas (A Little Bit of History) is yet another work wherein he satirizes the tendency of man to rest heavily on history to boast of one's refinement.

Droupadi, Mahabharatacho itihas

Bailechi fatt tichoch itihas

Zogpak thoddoso adar zai

Thoddoso susheg zai

Mhunn zogpak thoddoso itihas zai

Droupadi is the history of Mahabharat

A woman's back is her history

She needs a little help to live

She needs a little comfort

And for that, needs a little of history

A voracious reader, Nilba Khandekar, in his own descriptive style, citing historical incidents, unveils the dark side of the urban underbelly.

S.D.Tendulkar  alias  Kashinath Shamba Lolienkar   

A mention must be made of Kashinath Shamba Lolienkar (a pseudonym) who has given some extraordinary poetry to Konkani literature. In most of his poems that are in the first person singular, he demeans himself as he hits out at his own deeds, hypocrisy and blind faith - a unique way of pointing to the fallacies prevalent in society. He defines the sensibility of the downtrodden. His irreverence to some institutionalised practices is very obvious in his expression. He does not care for purity of language. The language he uses is so often profane that his expressions embarrass the reader. Yet, his work is an eye-opener to those who think that ‘all is well' around them. It is unfortunate that Kashinath Shamba Lolienkar's name does not surface with due intensity during literary discussions.

S.D., as he is popularly known, is a rebel poet with a difference. Obviously a non-conformist, he treads an altogether different path that looks elusive to many. Though his poems are found difficult to decipher they certainly convey the poet's concern for the silent sufferers at the hands of the so-called trend setters.

In his comparatively simpler poem, Ten'nacheanuch, he says:

Gavam pavlom pavlanchea

Thoinch bhettlem mhaka

Tem doriachem pavl

Ani to pavlancho doria

Ten'nacheanuch tor hanv oso cholot asam

Ghevn, lharancheo kubddeo  

I reached the village of footsteps

Where I met the footstep of the Sea

And the Sea of footsteps

I have been walking like this ever since

On the crutches of waves

The rain in S.D.'s poem also does not conform to set traditions. The protagonist is standing under the tree of clouds for protection from the rains, waiting for some Nargis to be on his side with an umbrella, knowing though, that it is not the artificial rain in the Hindi movie. 

S.D. does not hesitate to cross the boundaries of poetic canon to lend his voice to the faceless masses suffering in silence. Writing under the pseudonym Kashinath Shamba Lolienkar, S.D. has three collections to his credit.

Poet Couple

The Sakhardande couple is a rarity. Both  Nutan  and  Arun Sakhardande  are engaged in elevating this genre to higher levels.

Arun who sings of love in a very subtle manner, laments in his poem Pakho:

Tuje saddievoilo ek rongit pakho

Mhojea bushkottar ievun bosla

Ten'nasavn zonn eklo vicharta

Khoincho re ho pakho?

Apurbaien ek dis legit

Ho bushkott ghalpachi mannsuki na.

A colourful butterfly from your saree

Has come and perched on my shirt

And since every one asks me

From where has the butterfly come,

Though I would dearly love to,

There's no chance to wear the shirt now.

Nutan's poetry is very gentle and softhearted. She has the knack for keeping the reader laughing and suddenly giving a twist that brings a tear to your eye. Her poetry is compassionate with love for humanity as a whole. In her poem Password, she addresses her son who is about to leave the nest, thus:

Tum chol'lo?

Voch, hanv tuka rav mhonnchem na....

Mhojea puta, computer-voilo sonvsar mhollear sonvsar nhui

Khoro sonvsar tuka atam kollttolo...

Halim tuje manddier sodanch laptop

Toshem hanvui bostalem re

Tuka laptop koso manddier ghevn voranchim voram...

You are going?

Go, I shall not ask you to stop

My son, life on the computer is not all

Now you will know life for real

You often sit with your laptop of late

Just like that, I too have sat,

For hours with you in my lap...  

And she further ends up like this:

Tum voch, hanv tuka rav mhunnchem na

Pun votna tuzo password mat divn voch

Ken'nai mhaka dislem zalear

Tujea kallzant bhitor rigunk

Tujea monacho thav ghevunk

You go, I shall not stop you

But before you leave give me your password

So that when ever I feel like

I can enter your heart

To fathom your mind

The Sakhardande couple, both of whom have an independent stamp of their own, show a remarkable maturity of poetic vision.

Sanjeev Verenkar

Here is a poet that is out to axe the fully grown banyan tree .  The strong huge tree does not allow smaller trees to grow in its shadow. Verenkar, voices the feelings of the suppressed and raises his axe to fell the tree. The message is plain and clear. The angry young brigade is no longer prepared to tolerate any more suppression.

Sanjeev also hits at the casteist attitude of society. Using the shirt as a symbol in his poem Label, he says, it does not sell because it has no label. It is a metaphor on the prevailing condition in Indian society where you tend to get ignored in a head count if you do not display the proper caste tag. 

Writing consistently for the last thirty years, Sanjeev Verenkar has four collections of poems besides one collection of poems for children. Recently a collection of his poems in English translation has been published. 

There are some poets who have been writing bilingual poetry.  Narendra Bodke  and  Sudesh Lotlikar  are two of them who have contributed to both Konkani and Marathi almost in equal measure. Pois by Sudesh and Surangam-vollesor by Narendra are the opening collections which have a number of beautiful poems that are reminiscent of the new era of Konkani poetry. These two poets continue steadily but surely to enrich Konkani poetry.

A mention must be made of some writers who have given excellent poetry but are equally at ease with the other genres of prose.  Tukaram Shet, Prakash Pariekar, Bhalchandra   Gaumkar, Ramesh Lad, Mahesh Parkar  and  Rajay Pawar  are in this category.   Purnanand Chari  is a poet singer   who has left a stamp of his own.  Prasad Lolienkar  took off with a flying start with his debut collection   Mullam; but lost momentum thereafter.   S. M. Tadkod, Manorai Naik, Sakharam Borkar, W Menezes, Sushila Halarnkar, Marcos Gonsalves, Shashikant Punaji, Pobre Fernandes  and many more have chosen poetry as medium for their expression. Each one of these poets has either something different to tell or tell it differently.

There is a new crop of young poets that is engaged in furthering the cause of poetry in Konkani.  Mangala Karapurkar, Shobha Fulkar, Kashinath Naik  and a host of others are out to prove their mettle as poets.  Guadalupe Dias  may be singled out for her consistency, copiousness and creativity. Within a span of less than four years she has produced three collections; Bhuim-fodd (2006), Mollob-Ganga(2007) and Jal-Sthal (2009) that contain nearly two hundred and fifty poems. Guadalupe and her kind, reassure us of the bright future for Konkani poetry. 

Konkani fiction, however, has played a major role in attracting the attention of readers nation-wide.  Chandrakant Keni  (1934- 2008) led the torch of fiction contributing prolifically to the genre. Chandrakant Keni's stories and novels find universal acceptance because of the themes and the treatment given to them. His story ‘Hippy Girl' has already been translated and hailed as a landmark story that discusses the Indian ethos vis-à-vis the hippy lifestyle that erupted among young westerners out of frustration with western values. ‘Kathika', a shorter form of the story, running into a few hundred words, pioneered by him in Konkani, is his main contribution to fiction. Yet, many tend to believe, Keni is at his best in his essays.

Considered to be the pioneer of modern Konkani short story, Chandralkant Keni made his debut as a writer around 1950 while still a high school student. He started writing short stories in times when there were several restrictions and strict censorship prevailing in Goa. On completion of his secondary education he reached Mumbai to pursue higher education. However, instead, he participated in the activities of the Goa Liberation Front and also joined the Konkani literary movement. During his stint at the All India Radio as staff artiste, he wrote several short stories, features and talks which were aired and also published in the new Konkani periodicals that were mushrooming. His first collection of short stories Dhortori Azun Jietali (1964) is incidentally the first collection ever to be published in Konkani. On his return to his homeland, following the liberation of Goa, he plunged himself into socio-cultural and literary activities. He became the editor of the daily Rashtramat and consistently promoted writings in Konkani. He conducted story writing competitions as well as workshops for young writers. Encouraged by this, many writers chose to write in this genre and later acquired the status of established writers.

A prolific writer himself, Keni has written over a hundred stories. In story after story Keni depicts an agonizing struggle to break out of the bonds that are forged by the characters themselves. Most of the characters in his stories are middle class Goans, though the locations and settings are urban which vary from Goa to Delhi or Simla or Kashmir. The title story of his Sahitya Akademi award winning book Vhonkol-Pavnn (Bridal Farewell) is a story of an elderly couple who wants to live life again as bride and groom. It is a philosophical quest for a second liberation of the old couple told in an uncomplicated manner. The story is a proof of Keni's master craftsmanship that makes difficult things simple. Keni has also tried his hand at experimenting on styles. For example, Kissa Murgi Ka is a satirical tale of divine justice meted out to the man who killed the fowl that laid golden eggs. Janani is another story that is highly philosophical in content and poetic in its rendering.    

Keni has traveled widely in India, particularly in the North. Many of his stories are set in these regions which attribute a pan-Indian look to his writings. His stories are mostly in the first person singular that gives him an edge to look at the conflicts from closer proximity. Often the protagonists confess to the narrator the intricacies of their personal relationships. Reena Joseph is the central character of the story with the same title who visits the writer/narrator and unfurls the melancholic story of her life. Lucy too is a story with the same title where the protagonist comes to the writer and the story unfolds. The issues dealt with in his stories are mainly women related. They discuss the unfulfilled passions and sexual desires. They lead the narrator to recollect the tender age love affair or they try to tempt the narrator with their seductive ways. At times his stories look superficial as they lack the brevity expected of a story teller. The reason, as he himself has confessed, is that the stories are written to meet the demand of magazines often constrained by deadlines and word counts. Nevertheless his stories are highly readable mainly because his style is lucid and simple.

Keni who was awarded the highest literary honour of the State Gomant Sharada Puraskar has six collections of stories to his credit including one collection of Kathikas.

Next to appear on the horizon was  Damodar Mauzo ( b.1944) who began with a bang. His first story Tum Vochum Naka (Don't Go Away) published in 1964 was soon translated and published in Eve's Weekly. The next, Ashok won the second prize in the Novem Goem Contest and the third story Moronn Iena Mhunn (For Death Does Not Come) became a hallmark story that has been translated into many languages including English and French. This story was hailed by discerning readers as outstanding. Many critics called it an allegory that makes a statement on the changing values in our life styles. Laxmanrao Sardesai was so impressed that he, of his own, translated the story into Marathi. Terezalo Ghov (Thereza's Man), yet another story that has been widely praised, has entered in many national level anthologies in translation. The story deals with the hardworking woman whose good for nothing husband lives like a parasite on her salary. Yet the man in him is ever ready to abusively exercise his authority as husband. Angvonn (The Vow) is a tale of a curate who tries to console Camilo during his last moments by removing his cassock and presenting himself as his son in order to give the old man a peaceful death.  This story was telecast on Doordarshan in the popular Hindi serial Ek Kahani as Manauti. Another story that got pan-Indian exposure, is Khilli translated into English as Chastity Belt and telecast on the National hook up as Nakabandi in Hindi. Mauzo perhaps is the most translated Konkani writer whose novel Karmelin is available in translation in over a dozen languages. His collection of stories These Are My Children translated by  Xavier Cota  was published by Katha, a reputed Delhi based publishing house. These stories, as commented by the publishers, are ‘bitter sweet slices of Goan life. They speak subtly of empty nests, affections betrayed, relations made and unmade.  This collection from the pen of one of Goa's finest writers, mirrors a Goa that may have changed with time yet holds on steadfastly to a character and energy that is all its own.' Damodar Mauzo has about seventy-five stories published so far of which over fifty depict the Catholic Goan lifestyle as no writer has done before. The title story in his latest collection Bhurgim Mhugelim Tim (These are my Children) has entered many national anthologies and is considered to be a profound, poignant and pulsating piece of short fiction. Mingelilim Ghorchim  (Mingel's Kin) that won the prestigious Katha Award is also a moving tale of an elderly couple deserted by their children. Taddzodd a story translated as As Evening Fades is another descriptive story of a lonely old mother who keeps on making compromises but finds it difficult to stretch any longer. Mauzo's stories demonstrate economy, exactitude, objectivity and impartiality along with a deftness of touch. 

Mauzo has four collections of short stories to his credit: Ganthon, Zagranna, Rumoddful and Bhurgim Mhugelim Tim.

Pundalik Naik  (b. 1952) is a versatile genius who has changed the course of Konkani literature by introducing the rustic idiom and the authentic village life led by the masses of Goa. He began with poetry but then established himself as an important story teller. He has three collections of stories to his name: Muthai, Pishantar and Orduk. Until the arrival of Pundalik Naik, the scene was dominated by upper class writers who depicted  Goan life as per their reading. However, things changed as this young writer's subn voice became prominently audible. The life of the Goan rural masses came alive like never before. His writings mirror the frustrations, aspirations and struggle of the rural masses in a language that is rustic, authentic and dynamic.

Tearing down the time-honored norms of literary culture, Pundalik established the new trends that almost immediately picked up as a movement. Hordes of young writers from the masses identified with the new trends and entered the arena with great zeal. This rejuvenated the Konkani literary scenario which has not looked back since. His unforgettable story Kasoi (The Turtle) is a masterpiece that shows how the survival instinct of man compels him to sacrifice age old traditions. A traditional fisherman who has not found a catch for quite for some time finds a big sized turtle. In the fishing community the Turtle is worshipped and returned to the sea. As the protagonist brings the turtle home a carpenter on the way offers to buy the turtle for a good price. The man refuses as he knows the carpenter would cut it for dinner. But the condition at home is pathetic. The wife eagerly waiting for him to bring home something to eat, curses him for the divine catch. Finally, the dejected man takes the turtle to the carpenter and sells it for a pittance. His stories like Paraz, Advonn or Khattikager Ek Rat have also been hailed as masterly constructed stories of a genius. Pundalik's writings emote simplicity while dealing with the complexities of life. His Bhonvor was telecast on the national channel of Doordarshan in Hindi as Parikrama. Pundalik Naik is an all-rounder whose contribution to each genre of literature is of great significance. Yet, he is presently regarded as a most powerful playwright of national stature.

Mahabaleshwar Sail  (b.1943) is undoubtedly a master story teller who has contributed immensely to Konkani literature. He began his career as a writer late in his life. It was probably, to his advantage. Because, right from the word go, we find his stories showing immense maturity. Like in his novel Kali Ganga, in his short stories too, he goes on unfolding the lifestyle of the people in northern Karnataka bordering Goa, on the banks of the Kali. He has given voice to the woes of the people living in the villages of North Kanara who had not figured in Konkani literature so far. This does not mean that his stories just deal with the life of this region alone. His stories are universal that mainly deal with the unpredictability of the character of Nature and also that of man.

Sail made his debut with Paltadchem Tarum, the collection of stories that dissect the lives of people caught up in situations over which they have no control. Frustrations in love, pre-marital affairs, perversities of sexual desires and aspirations to have one's own shelter are some of the topics of his stories.

Tarangam is his second collection of stories that won him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award. All the seventeen stories in this collection are diverse in nature. In Navem, translated as Harvest, Sail writes about the conflict between philosophy as symbolized by traditions and reality that is represented by hunger. This is a perpetual clash of ideologies mankind has been facing in his struggle for survival. Whether in his voluminous fiction or in the short stories, Sail proves the point that the survival instinct of human being is supreme in guiding his actions.

His short story is never short on ideas. In his high tension filled story Ani Chedvan Kaido Hatant Gheilo Sail has portrayed the helplessness of the protagonist girl who gathers courage to overcome the dictates of the power. Tum Porto Koso Ailo is yet another beautiful story of a prodigal young military recruit who on getting a stern warning from his mother dejectedly returns to the camp, only to be excused by his superior. Stories like Bali, Ek Sompil'lem Zunz or Tum Porto Koso Ailo are the products of the first hand experiences gained by Mahabaleshwar Sail as an army soldier.

Bayonet Fighting is the title of his third collection that has twenty two stories all of which are of a high order. They are told with precision and in a lucid manner, never wasting words nor ever blowing up simple impulses, out of proportion. The characters portrayed by Sail, though fictitious, seem to be so convincing that the reader is led to believe them to be from real life. Sat Zann Mavlyancho Bhacho is a poignant story of a child who goes to his maternal uncles' houses on the occasion of a village festival. The child has seven well-to-do uncles and their families living in their ancestral house. The boy who has a poor background is excited that he will be well- received by his cousins. However, he is greeted with apathy. Each one of the seven families presumes that he will be fed by the others. The festival gets over and boy dejectedly returns home hungry and hurt. Over the years, Sail has attained a higher degree of maturity which is evident in his latest collection Nimanno Aswat'thamo. His story in this collection Monisbudi (Humanity Drowned) is a telling tale of the pathetic situation arising in a place hit by a tidal wave where, in spite of the tragic situation, people behave in an extremely selfish manner to derive benefit out of the adversities. In stories like this we find the surreal making its incursions into everyday lives.

Sail has also indulged in writing experimental and science fiction.  In the title story of his latest collection he describes a situation arising out of the Third World War that may break out some years hence. The story is set in the times to come. There is only one survivor after the total destruction who carries the weight of human disillusionment.

Kidde (Worms) is another story set in the sixties of the twenty first century. It focuses on the growing human indifference for one another. Whereas Saim-Purus is a story that takes modern man to the food habits of older times. The writer subtly advises Man to return to Nature and opt for natural food resources.

  A.N.Mhambro  (b.1938) is a senior writer who has written significantly different stories that can be called post modernist. He is at once satirical and absurd. A.Naa, as he is known in literary circles, his absurd stories too have acquired an equally absurd name ANaaKatha. Without batting an eyelid, he uses historical and even living characters to drive his point home. One of his works features Goa's first Chief Minister, Dayanand Bandodkar while in others ManoharRai or R.V.Pandit or even Ravindra Kelekar appear as characters. Vitthuli Chavi Sandli (Vittu's Key is Lost) is a story that starts on a string that Vitthu has lost a key. Then things happen at a fast pace where various characters come to help or dish out advice to Vitthu. Though it seems that the story has ended where it has started, it convincingly conveys the apathetic manners and emptiness of suggestions of near and dear ones. Govet Uktem Zaina (The Drawer Does Not Open) is another absurdist tale of a stubborn drawer that refuses to open despite the wellmeaning suggestions of visitors to the house.

Eka Montreachi Mulakhot (Interview of a Minister) is a story of an interview with the Minister written mockingly in the style of an interview. In Ddairi (Diary) he uses the same technique that of the diary format. The trend is an altogether new one, not only in Konkani but also in Indian literature. His stories are devoid of descriptions and invariably start abruptly. The outwardly absurd dialogues make you laugh, but the reader inadvertently tries to locate the people next to him or even himself to identify with the absurdity. An example can be cited in this regard. In one of his stories he writes:

"During the Portuguese regime a leading physician landed in Goa. When he performed brain surgery on a Goan, he found the following items inside him: Salazar's photo, a passing certificate of Liceu, one football, one Mercedes car, one plan of a house, a pack of bank notes, one dozen bottles of beer, a pair of Rayban goggles, one Rolex watch, two fountain pens (one Sheaffer and one Parker), one Gabardine suit, one hat, one guitar, some property documents, a string of fish, two or five pieces of clothes, and one sophisticated machine that could comment on world affairs. When switched on it said, ‘I talk, You listen." What a way to define a Goan frame of mind of that period!   

A.N.Mhambro has many books to his credit though Ponnji Atam Mhatari Zalea and Analeo A-Katha  are the collections of stories while the other are mainly essays in the similar fashion.

From the early seventies to eighties it was the foursome of Damodar Mauzo, Pundalik Naik, Sheela Kolambkar and Meena Kakodkar who lifted the Konkani short story to great heights. Lucidity of language, clarity of thought, vividity of expressions and originality of themes were the main reasons why Konkani fiction became so popular. For the first time in the history of Goan literature Konkani sensibility became evident in Konkani stories. Koisanvalim Gorvam by Mauzo or Kasoi by Pundalik Naik became the hallmark of the emerging Konkani literature.

Sheela Naik/Kolambkar  and  Meena Kakodkar  are the two contemporary women writers who introduced readers to the Goan feminine sensibility - convincingly and compellingly.

Guerra, meaning war, is a story by  Sheela Naik Kolambkar  set in the post-Liberation situation. The woman protagonist's man, a Portuguese soldier has just been deported, leaving her behind, pregnant. Sheela builds up the conflict of two minds with artistic precision. The issue involved is felt in double context, one being psychological and the other sociological. Another of her stories that has remained pasted on  public memory over the last thirty plus years is Maggi. It is a moving tale of a young girl belonging to the poor fisherfolk community. When told to write a story she writes from her own imagination a story that is an eye opener, not only to the teacher but also to readers at large. Sheela has an excellent knack for storytelling. However, of late, her stories are based on her personal experience and hence they border on the thin line between essays and stories. So far she has three collections of stories to her credit: Oli Sanz (Wet Evening), Bhuim-Chafim and Sheelkatha are the collections containing stories that are light in vein and deep in meaning. She is the recipient of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award.

Meena Kakodkar 's debut collection Dongor Chonvorla d quite a flutter with the sensitive nature of her stories. The title story is a tale of a young village boy who brings back the childhood memories of the lady narrator. The innocence of the boy moves the reader deeply. Meena has a light sense of humour that makes for very refreshing reading. The humour in her story, Fifty-Fifty, at once makes you laugh and feel relieved. It is a story of an eligible bachelor who fs while speaking. The moment he opens his mouth the first word invariably starts with an f. As a result it is the girl who turns the proposal down every time. Finally he finds a match to the surprise of his friends who insist on knowing how the miracle happened. The man says that when he was offered the tea he offered half the cup to the girl saying ‘Fifty-fifty'. Suknnea Pila Re is yet another story of hers that has become very popular wherein emotions play a very dominant role. 

Her second collection Sapanfulam (The Dream Flowers) won her the Sahitya Akademi award. She also bagged the Katha prize for her story. Her new collection Ami is on the way to publication.

Gajanan Jog  wrote some out-of-the way stories that instantly attracted the attention of the literary connoisseur. He has two collections published, viz. Rudra and Sod. The title story of the first collection and also a few others are dark stories of loneliness, unfulfilled desires and mistrust. Mavshebhav is a story that has received wide acclamation. Such stories remind the reader of G.A.Kulkarni's Kazalmaya.   

Jog shows great mellowness as he builds up the ambience in his stories with the sureness of an artist. He has at once the flair to take a dip into the psyche of his characters and a deep sense of humour. This gives him a special room in the literary space of Konkani literature.

N.Shivdas  (b.1950) has been writing for over thirty years. Though he has written poems, plays and essays, he is essentially a short story writer. Next to Pundalik Naik it was Shivdas who gave us authentic rural literature.  Stories like Posko or Maharudr expose the overriding blind faith prevalent in our society. Though he falls a bit short in lifting the stories to a higher artistic plank, it is commendable that he finds excellent seeds for his writings. The mostly rustic themes have a touch of self assurance. Most of the stories have have been born from his first hand experience or real life incidents. This attributes a realistic quality to his tales. He has three collections to his credit: Gollsori (The Chain), Maharukh (The great Tree) and Bhangarsall is the name of a particular premium quality rice grown in Goa.. The latter won him the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Tukaram Shet 's stories bring to the fore the problems arising out of the overstressed tourism and the price we pay for development. His novella Paklo (white man), explores the psychological turmoil of a young white boy, the offspring of a Portuguese father. The subject touches upon a problem which was prevalent in that immediate-post-colonial period.  Fr Antonio Pereira , charged by the zeal to spread and promote literature, wrote several essays and even a novel, Vadoll Ani Varem that found a good readership. His major contribution though is to religious literature.

The next that followed were a number of creative writers like  Datta S. Naik, Olivinho Gomes, Atchut Totekar, Tanaji Halarnkar, J. L. Goes, Tomazinho Cardozo, Ramkrishna Zunvarkar, Surekha Totekar, Vasant Bhagwant Sawant, Jaimala Danait  and a host of others all of whom had something original to offer. Datta S. Naik's portrayal of characters is vivid and brilliant. Gaja, Doctor or the motorcycle pilot imagining himself to be Peter O'Toole leave a memorable stamp on the reader.  He has also written a novella Hunvar (The Flood) based on the havoc in Pune caused by the cracking of Panshet Dam. Atchut Totekar and Olivinho Gomes have written good stories but the consistency was lost in the due course. J.L Goes was very promising until he met with the fatal accident at an early age. Tomazinho, after his first collection Zhelo has not contributed much to this genre. Vasant Bhagwant Sawant and Jaimala Danait have given excellent short fiction. Vasant Bhagwant is gifted with a talent that gives an artistic touch to his stories. He builds up his stories to reach the climax in such a way that the reader cannot put down the story even if he is interrupted. The emotional build up in his stories like Kalsanv or Nagpancham is superb. The writer is at his best when he portrays the nature of the teenage boy in Kalsanv. Jaimala Danait too writes with authority on the topics related to family life or her experience as mother and wife. She has also written some humourous tales like Note Choloili - I Encashed the (Fake) Note. Jaimala often brings in animals as characters in her stories which enable her to take her point home effectively. It is sad that yet another promising young writer,  Shashank Sitaram  was lost to Konkani as he succumbed to malignancy. Terezin Mai, a story from his book Nobot is a stereotype story but told in a novel way. Shashank's language is powerful and idiomatic as he expresses artistically his concern for the old lady who leads a dejected life despite having four of his sons doing well. He has two collections to his credit, the second being Parigh.He has also written some plays.  Narayan Borkar  also lost his life early when he was at his peak churning out stories after stories.  Vithal Avdienkar 's stories are the outcome of his own experience as teacher. But after his first collection Prasang he seems to have drifted away from writing caught as he is between his profession and activism,  Rajani Bhembre  has written plays and books for children but she is known for her short stories that depict  middle class sensibility quite effectively.

In the meantime, a new feminine voice was heard. With her debut collection Garjan, (The Roar ) Jayanti Naik  emerged as a creative writer of significance. Her stories deal with the prevailing problems in the society like poverty, blind faith, love, anger and distrust. Her love for research in the field of folklore prevented her from writing fiction thereafter. But after twelve years she came back with a bang. Athang (The Unfathomable) is her latest collection that has seventeen stories that are mature with the philosophy of this soil. The twelve years of research in the field of folk has brought her closer to the masses and their issues. Baswo and Avsor are the direct byproducts of her work in this field while stories like Asaddi show her proximity to the downtrodden. In this story she has very effectively used the dialect and idiom prevalent in the Velip community. Bhett (Visit) is a love story set in the mythical era. The language used in this story matches the period and ambiance. She was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for this collection.

The end of the 20th century saw many young writers from the downtrodden strata disowning the standpoint of the classes and writing from the perspective of the masses. Be it the feminist writings of  Hema Naik  or the Dalit sensibility displayed by  Dadu Mandrekar,  the new generation writer is seen interrogating our status-quoist notions formed mainly by 450 years of political suppression.  Maya Kharangate, Ashok Bhonslo, Nayana Adarkar  and  Bhalchandra Gaonkar  are the names which cannot be ignored as their contribution, both, quantitative and qualitative, is very significant.  All these writers oscillate between the two genres, Poetry and Fiction and with equal ease.

Today  Prakash Pariekar, Ramnath Gawade, Ramesh Laad, Joffa Gonsalves, Jyoti Kunkolkar, Sudha Kharangate  and  Jose Lourenco  are among many who are endeavouring to enrich Konkani short fiction. Konkani writers have realized the inherent strength of the language. Through their work, they spread the message of social justice, equality and rationality. More importantly, these young writers many of whom hail from remote villages of Satari or Sanguem are found giving expression to the woes of the local folks.  Madhusudan Joshi  writes fiction that can be termed as science fiction.

Vincy Quadros'  has two collections to his credit viz.Fuldanni (The Flower Pot) and Kurponno (The Flower Basket). His effort to bring forth Goan Christian sensibility is commendable.  Jose Lourenco 's successful attempts to tell his stories bringing in magical realism and absurdity are laudable. His stories can easily be termed as post modernist.

Prakash Pariekar  can easily be singled out for his creative genius displayed in his superbly told short stories. His story Chandrakor (the Crescent Moon) has received the prestigious Katha Award. He has also written essays and plays. He is the recepient of the Children's Literature Award instituted by Sahitya Akademi for his play Igddi Bigddi Tigddi Tha. What is noteworthy is that the topics or the themes they choose sprout from the very soil of Goa. Sadly, most of the urban population of this State is blissfully unaware of the problems of the rural hinterland, as if they are from the other side of the globe. Nevertheless, the writings of these writers, though concerned with Goan problems, are universal in nature.

Voluminous fiction

Novel writing was almost absent in Konkani until the early seventies despite our boasting of the first Konkani novel by  Eduardo Bruno De Souza  written over a hundred years ago. Of course, the well-liked form of novels known as Romans continues to be popular among the masses. Caridade Damaciano Fernandes, Reginaldo Fernandes and Eliot Ely were the most wanted writers of yesteryears. Presently Boventura D'Pietro is the most popular among the writers of this form. However, the product though highly popular,  does not meet the standards laid down for voluminous fiction worldwide. But things started changing during the late seventies and early eighties when three major novels were published. Atcchev by  Pundalik Naik , Karmelin by  Damodar Mauzo  and Kali Ganga by  Mahabaleshwar Sail  is the much-discussed trilogy of novels considered as milestones. Incidentally, all the three novels stand translated by  Vidya Pai.

However, quantitatively  Chandrakant Keni' s   contribution to this genre is tremendous. With over six novels to his credit Keni leads the list of the novelists. The first of his novellas Eklo Eksuro (the Lonely One) was published in 1973 when there were hardly any novels available in print. It is a beautiful story conceived by Keni. A Goan bureaucrat who is posted as consul in Brazil comes to know of a Goan who is in prison for no fault of his own.  The protagonist narrator tries to help the man even at the cost of being warned by his higher ups only to find that that the prisoner's kin are not only apathetic but also least bothered to take him back home. Another novella Ratbhor Pavs (An Unrelenting Rainy Night) is a story narrated in the form of correspondence. Ek Sopon Sopnel'lem (A Dream that Dreamed) is a novella that is a love story of a stranded freedom fighter. All these novellas have wonderful themes and have not been treated with due seriousness, obviously because the writer was in a hurry to get done with the writing.

It was in his later life that Keni wrote beautiful novels like Burmi Dis (The Burma Days) and Virat. In both these novels the writer has been given the personal diaries by the real life protagonists who allow him to use the material to write the novels. Shrinivas too is somewhat similar where a leading businessman approaches the narrator, who is the writer himself, with a request to write his story. The story is told by the protagonist to the narrator in patches which leads to enhance the curiosity among the readers. Probably the latter one is the best written novel by Chandrakant Keni.    

Pundalik Naik 's Atchhev, published in translation as The Upheaval by Oxford University Press, discusses how the mining boom tears apart the moral fabric of a village. The novel written in rustic language brings out the hidden treasure of Konkani, provides an insight into the psyche of the people and depicts the rural lifestyle of the poor. The writer tactfully narrates how environmental upsets, ecological imbalances and the downfall of moral values lead to cultural upheaval in rural Goa. The most notable is his portrayal of characters and ambience that exposes the reader to the hitherto unknown socio-cultural life of rural Goa. Most artistically the writer suggests that the distruction of Goan soil is synonymous with the degradation of the society.

Earlier he had written a novella Bambar (the Filth) that attracted mixed reactions from readers. Some branded it as profane while others called it surrealistic. It certainly opened doors to uncensored writings. The notion of a classless society is dominant in his writings which paved the way for young writers to enjoy the freedom of expression. Pundalik has recently written another novel Gunaji. It is a novella that narrates the experience of a cowherd who has to fly to Delhi to receive an award at the hands of the President. The villager who had never before set his foot out of his village is suddenly exposed to the glitter of a new world. Pundalik narrates the episode with great detail. The idiom used in the novella is rustic and the metaphors are original. 

Damodar Mauzo 's Karmelin tackles yet another issue that relates to the womenfolk who, driven by domestic compulsions, find themselves in the Gulf countries as ayahs, the housemaids, only to face the perversities of their bosses. The novel, dispassionately written, with no malice towards any character, succeeds in creating sympathy for the protagonist Karmelin despite her outwardly immoral character. The writer shows immense concern for comforts and inconveniences, for joys and sorrows, for the love and frustrations without giving up objectivity.The lower middle class Catholic milieu, rarely well projected in Goan Konkani literature, is a revealing experience for the reader. The Sahitya Akademi award-winning novel has been published in translation in several regional languages besides English.

Earlier Mauzo had written a novella Sudd (Revenge) set in the pre and post-Portuguese regime. His latest novel Sunami Saimon (Tsunami Simon) is a tale of a Goan boy in his early teens who gets trapped in the Tsunami disaster in Tamilnadu. The reader gets a glimpse of the lifestyle of the fishermen along the coast of South Goa. It gives a detailed account of the fishing activity. It is also a tale of relationships made and remade. The focus of the novel is on the boy's journey back home and the subtle sisterly relationship developed between him and a young girl numbed by the Tsunami. The novel is now ready in translation into Englsh waiting to be published.

Kali Ganga by  Mahabaleshwar Sail , also published in translation by National Book Trust, opens up a new vista for readers. The novel unfolds the life of the people on the banks of the Kali in Karnataka villages bordering Goa. The title is symbolic of the life of the people - dark with sorrow, yet pure as the Ganga. Sail's bulky novel Yugsanvar is considered to be his magnum opus though many consider that his two novellas  ‘Aranyakand' and ‘Adrusht' are the best pieces of Indian fiction. Incidentally, a Konkani film based on the novella Adrushtt titled Poltoddcho Monis (The Man Beyond the Bridge) has bagged several national and International awards.

YugSanvar (The Cataclysm) is a telling tale of the dark era in the history of Goa's socio-cultural life. Sail, very tactfully and objectively, deals with the subject of Conversions and the later Inquisition. With extreme care he has portrayed the fears and apprehensions of the local people as well as the missionary priests. There is no room for bitterness or joy. It is a plain account of the upheaval in the life of the people. 

A prolific writer, Mahabaleshwar Sail has written in all five novels and two novellas. KallGhunvddi (The Rotatation of Time) is a novel that reveals an altogether different life -  that of the policemen in North Canara. Khol Khol Mullam is another novel that is a product of a deep research. This novel penetrates the history and the evolution in the life of the Gavddis - the aboriginals of Goa.  However, his latest novel Havtthann (The Potters' Place) is a creative piece of high caliber. It is the pathetic story of the Potter community which is facing extinction following the emergence of plastic and steel. Sail's contribuitioon to this genre is immeasurable.

Following in the footsteps of Mahabaleshwar Sail,  Devidas Kadam,  began to contribute to Konkani fiction. A prolific writer Kadam began with poetry, shifted to Short fiction and then turned to Novel writing. Koham (Who Am I) is his collection of poems while Kandllam (Wild Berries) is a collection of his stories. With Dika and Gantthval Kadam has come to stay as novelist of substance. His well researched novel on AIDS is the pitiable story of a newly married girl who, knowingly or unknowingly, is cheated by her husband. Though she accepts the reality and prepares herself to face life the agony gets blown up with the apathy and detestation displayed by her kin. Devidas Kadam very obviously is expert at weaving his tales with proper idiom and just descriptions.

Hema Naik 's   novel Bhogdandd borders on feminist writing. Hema has been a woman activist and her early writings were to promote Women's Lib. ‘Bhogdandd' is saga of a young man who goes abroad to earn petro-dollars. In the absence of her husband, deprived of sex, his wife enters into an extra-marital relationship. The relationship turns into love. The husband, fully trusting his wife, keeps sending money to her, dreaming of returning home for good to live happily with her. Finally, the Kuwait-Iraq war breaks out and the man escapes to return home penniless only to realize that he was cheated not only of love but also of his new house and the money that now stood in the name of his wife. The novel is well woven and captures the imagination of readers. But one wonders whether this is what woman's empowerment is all about. Hema had earlier written two novellas Nirballa and Mukti. The former was meant to be a work of feminist literature but lacked the creative touch. However, Bhogdandd is far more superior to her earlier works.

Uday Shenvi  is a prolific writer who has chosen to write voluminous fiction. He has about five novels published so far. Anvallem, Apu, Inglleantlo Hiro, Nondlo and Dav. He has also written a collection of stories Ugddas Jinn.  Another prolific novelist is  Nanda D. Borkar  who began writing only after his retirement. He has so far written three novels, all of which have been acclaimed for their rich content and distinct idiom. Poko, Samarpann and Gondu are the novels set in a society that was not introduced to the readership so far. The dialect is charming and the characters are real. His style of writing is unconventional yet linear and direct. He paints the Bhattkar-Mundkar conflict with minimalist and natural colours. The objectivity evident in his novels is remarkable. He also unfolds the adolescent boy's psychological turmoil with the expertise of a matured writer.

Anil Parulekar  with   Don Pillgeanchi Kanni , Avdhut Kudtarkar  with   Shaktipat , Jyoti Kunkolkar  with   Pashannkalli,  N.Suhas  with Sheela,  Narayan Vadolkar  with Gomati   and  H.Ratnakar Rao  with   Anjani   are some of the novels where the writer has either stopped after writing one novel or is yet to write more. A mention must be made of one feminist novel that deserves recognition.  Anjani  by H.Ratnakar Rao is a feminist novel where the protagonist lives the life of her choice. She is bold, she is smart, she is educated and above all she breaks conventions with conviction.

Ashok Kamat  is an allrounder who has several books to his credit that include poems, stories and plays. His first novel Ghonnaghai (the Hard Blow) written about the sufferings of a middle class family won him the Sahitya Akademi Award. The publication of his second novel has been announced and is expected to be released shortly.  Sujata Singbal  has successfully attempted to write a novel and looking at her consistency she can be considered as a potential novelist. A special mention needs to be made of the latest novel published by  Ramnath Gavde  Tollacho Fator. The work is an account of the illegal mining flourishing with the blessings of our leaders in connivance with the bureaucrats. It is probably the best work of fiction of the year.

A good sign for Konkani literature is that many classics and awardwinning books from different languages are being published in translation. Ramesh Lad, Alka Assoldekar, Maya Kharangate, Kasturi Desai, Hema Naik and other translators have added several books to the fold of Konkani novels.

Essays and Travelogues

Next to  Ravindra Kelekar , enrichment of the genre of essays is due to  Chandrakant Keni.   His style is lucid, the flow of thought well-structured and the topics thought- provoking. Chandrakant Keni's language is fluent and appealing. As an essayist he is the most widely read writer. Of the many writers who have left their mark on this genre are  Prakash Thali, Purushottam Singbal, Felicio Cardozo, Shankar Bhandari, Kamalabai Rao Deshpande and Laxminarayan Paraz,  all of whom are no more living today. But the individual stamp they have left on this form is immemorable.

Datta Damodar Naik  is presently the most revered essayist and travelogue writer. He won the Sahitya Akademi award for his collection of essays Zai Kai Zui. He is widely traveled and well read which is reflected in his writings. Kalighat te Karunaghat and Arabian Days are the books of travelogues to his credit.  Dilip Borkar  who edits the monthly  Bimb  has many other facets to his literary personality. Besides being editor and publisher he is also a playwright. He holds the record of having published and released five books of drama on the same day. Borkar is an essayist and a travelogue writer who received the Sahitya Akademi award for his travel book Gomanchal Te Himanchal.  Mukesh Thali  is essentially an essayist who has two books to his credit. He is noted for his commentaries on various topics of evrybody's interest.  Harsha Shetye 's and  Maya Kharangate 's travelogues give a vivid and refined account of the places of interest to many readers.

Prakash Pariekar 's essays in his collection Dovornne (Headload Rest) are reminiscent of the past glory. The series of essays relating to the activities along the banks of River Mhadei that appeared in the Sunday editions of Sunaparant are awaited to be published.  Others who followed suit are  Dinesh Manerkar ,  Narendra Kamat ,  Deepa Murkunde , and others. 

It is heartening that the much ignored forms of literature, essays and travelogues, have picked up speed and the pace is certainly satisfactory.

The popular form of  Tiatr,  until recently was hardly available in print. Most of the scripts of popular and famous plays of the past are not available, though conscious efforts are now on to preserve whatever that is available. The genre, very special to Goa and Konkani, is highly popular among the Catholic masses. As most of the scripts of these plays were written for the purpose of performance only no cognizance was taken of them as literature.

The form of Indian drama was first introduced to Konkani by  Shenoy Goembab . His play Jhilba Ranno and subsequent adaptations of Moliere became quite popular though the majority of educated Hindus were then quenching their appetite by feasting on the readily available dramas in the neighbouring language, Marathi.  Acharya Ramchandra Shankar   Naik  followed suit and wrote excellent dramas which became popular when staged. Later it was  Pundalik Narayan Dande  who took the responsibility of furthering the drama in Konkani by writing plays and staging them too.

The proverb ‘necessity is the mother of invention' came true in case of Konkani when scripts were being written to meet the demand of the skits and plays to be aired on the Mumbai station of All India Radio. The Intercollegiate Konkani Dramatic Competition which had begun in Mumbai as an annual feature also gave birth to many scripts, some of them were reatedly staged in Mumbai and Goa. After the liberation of Goa, when Kala Academy started the Drama competitions, it initially posed major problems for Konkani activists as there were hardly any scripts of full-fledged dramas ready to enter the competitions. Till then, the only popular form of Konkani drama was Tiatr that was commercially successful. It was a gauntlet thrown to Konkani writers who had to write fresh samhitas (scripts), to participate in the competitions. They rose to the occasion and to start with, took to translating and adapting the best of plays in other Indian languages. A fresh crop of playwrights began to appear on the horizon.  Pundalik   Naik  emerged as the most versatile of the writers. He wrote excellent plays hailed by one and all. Khonn Khonn Mati, Shabai shabai Bhovjan Samaz and Suring are some of the most popular of his plays.  Today we have many outstanding writers like  Dattaram Kamat Bambolkar  and  Prakash Vazrikar  who are experimenting with the craft of theatre and have proved successful. Many of the Konkani plays are as astonishingly good, both in presentation and content, as any of the best of Hindi, Marathi or Bengali theatre.  However, as it is essentially a perfoming art where not all the scripts fall in the category of literature a brief account of this activity is sufficient.

Journalistic literature

Konkani literature has demonstrated tremendous resilience so far. The considerate application of mind to Konkani journalism by the editors  Felicio Cardozo  (Sot) and  Fr. Freddy   Costa  (Gulab) along with  Chandrakant Keni  (Rashtramat) not only helped to disseminate good literature to the masses but also promoted Konkani patrakarita (Journalism) which has attained maturity by now. Today, the daily  Sunaparant  carries various pieces of literature that is counted to be Journalistic. The Sunday magazine of the paper Aitar essentially caters to literature.  Bimb  is a monthly that encourages literature. And so are many more periodicals that cater to the need of literature. Though small magazines are finding it difficult to survive it is heartening that the monthly  Zaag  carries the torch of The Little Magazine movement. A quarterly magazine dedicated to poetry,  Rutu,  is also a gratifying venture. The Diwali special issues and the periodicals are a great source of encouragement to writers.

Samiksha  (Criticism) 

What Konkani literature sorely misses today is ‘literary criticism'.   Kiran Budkuley 's worthy contributions need to be supplemented.  S. D. Tendulkar  has displayed his genius in conceptualizing the theory of criticism. His assessment of the literary works may or may not be liked by many writers. But it surely is original and objective. Prof.  Harishchandra Nagvemkar ,  S.M.Tadkod   and  Balkrishna Kanolkar  are also engaged in promoting this form.  Damodar Mauzo 's and  Madhav Borkar 's critical appreciation of the stories appearing in the Sunday magazine of Sunaparant is greatly enlightening to the young and budding writers and helps them to hone their skills.

Bal-Sahitya  (Children's Literature)

The folk tales of Konkani have to be considered as the primary source of literature meant for the children. Alon with other genres now the children's literature is also coming of age. After  Shenoy Goembab  it was  Godubai Kelekar  and later  Kamlabai Rao Deshpande  who wrote for children.  Jayanti Naik  too has collected the folk tales for children.

The greatest and richest contribution to this genre is from the pen of Dr  ManoharRai SarDesai  whose poems have inspired many children to take to pen poems by themselves.  Poet Bakibab  too wrote beautiful poems. ManoharRai's birthday song Aiz tuzo vadd-dis, godd godd dis has become as popular as the traditional ‘Happy Birthday to You' song. 

Pundalik Naik, Damodar Mauzo, Gajanan Jog, Ramesh Veluskar , and many others have written extensively.  Rajashri Bandodkar Karapurkar  has been consistently writing for children with a definite goal of promoting scientific temperament among them. VidnyanYogi and Soimakodden Sanvad are the books that acquaint the kids to the animals, insects and birds as also to the non-living objects like wells, milk, wind, sun and moon. New generation writers have realized the importance of the children's literature and have engaged themselves actively to produce more and more. Yet, it is also true that more efforts are required to go into this genre.

The above note is enough to testify to the dazzling march of Konkani literature of Goa. 

The Goa Konkani Akademi (Goa Academy of Letters for Konkani) is an organization set up by the Government of Goa in 1986 to promote Konkani in Goa. Its stated aim is to accelerate the pace of development of Konkani by encouraging writers, researchers, etc. and to bring Konkanis from all areas together.

The Akademi was built with the purpose of promoting the growth of Konkani. Some of the major goals stated on its website are:

• To initiate, assist or undertake implementation of projects or schemes of research in the field of Konkani language, literature and culture.
• To initiate, assist or undertake publication in Konkani language, the results of such research.
• To initiate, assist or undertake publication in Konkani language of original and erudite papers, monographs, books, journal, as also of any other works in any other branch of knowledge.

The GKA carries out its activities under directions issued to it by the Government of Goa. It also assists the state Government in formulating various policies in regard to Konkani.

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साहित्यिक कार्यावळी

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Indian Catholic Matters

A New Home for the Community!

Fr. Manuel Gomes: A Luminary of Goa’s Konkani Religious Literature

By John Malvino Alfonso OCD –

Fr. Manuel Gomes, a priest from the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, currently serving as the parish priest at the Our Lady of Amparo Church in Mandur, is celebrating his 70th birthday today, 21st October.

Hailing from Benaulim, Goa, his life’s journey is characterized by unwavering dedication to the religious community in Goa, marked by numerous leadership roles and significant contributions to the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, and in particular to  Roman Konkani religious literature. His most remarkable achievement to date is the long-awaited Bible in Roman Script for the Konkani-speaking community. In 2006, he introduced the “Povitr Pustok,” which saw immense demand with an initial print run of 60,000 copies, followed by an additional 40,000 in 2010 and another 60,000 copies in 2018. Many priests and laity translators have contributed to this.

His educational path commenced with the study of the Portuguese language, culminating in the completion of his Primeiro Grau . He continued his academic pursuit at Loyola High School in Margao, where he successfully completed his XIth SSCE. Following this, he joined the Seminary of Our Lady in Saligão. After completing his priestly studies at Rachol Seminary, he was ordained as a priest on April 27, 1980. His passion for knowledge led him to earn a Licentiate in Church History from the Jesuit University “Gregoriana” in Rome, with a focus on “The Missionary Methods of Fr. Joseph Vaz: History and Actuality.” He expanded his academic horizons further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Theology from the Dominican University in Rome, known as “Angelicum,” with a thesis titled “The relevance of the Ignatian ideal of finding God in all things to the Diocesan Priests.”

He has served as the parish priest at St. Francis Xavier in Borim and held the position of dean of the Ponda Deanery, demonstrating his exceptional leadership qualities. Prior to these roles, he served as the secretary of Secretariats of Fabricas / Cofres Confraternities at the Archbishop’s House in Panjim. His dedication to the religious community extended to his responsibilities as the director of the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate, a professor at the Pastoral Institute in Old Goa, and the rector of the Seminary of Our Lady in Saligão-Pilerne. In addition, he taught Konkani to students in the seminary and worked as a visiting professor at various institutions, including Rachol Seminary, Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, Gujarat Vidyadeep in Baroda, Mater Dei Institute, and Sangam, Goa.

Fr. Manuel Gomes embarked on writing in Konkani to disseminate religious literature. Today, he is widely acknowledged for his expertise in the Konkani language. As a seminarian, he played a pivotal role in preparing the first issue of ‘Amcho Sevadhorm,’ a quarterly bulletin of homiletics and liturgical review.

His significant contributions to the development of the Konkani lectionary, known as “Vachpam Grónth,” and the Missal (Misa-Gronth), are highly regarded. His literary prowess is evident in his authorship, editing, and translation of 23 books, covering a range of topics from ‘From Roots to Fruits – Vol.I,’, ‘Blessed Joseph Vaz – Creative Missionary Ahead of His Time,’ ‘The Fulfillment—An Introduction to New Testament,’  ‘Raiturchie Siminaricho Itihas,’ ‘Pekovnniechio Liplolio Zhori,  Pekovnnie Khatir Magnnem,’ ‘Povitr Atmo, Sfuti Dilolio Jezhuchio Xikvonno,  Devachea Utrachi Yatra,’ ‘Deva Utran, Kallza Gottheant,’ ‘Jezu Jivitant,’ ‘Povitr Pustok Koxem Vach’chem,’  ‘Deva Utor  ani Amchem Jivit,’ ‘Bhagevont Francis Xavier: Devachea Utracho ani Jezucho Sakxidar, ‘ ‘Bhasavnni, Devachim Vortim Vizmitam,’  ‘Jezuchim Jivim Kirnnam,’  ‘Bhasavnni Pallon Yeta: Novea Korarak Prostavna,’ ‘Konknni Bhagentlem Pormollit Ful: Fr, Freddy, Bhagevontanchim Bhagi Paulam-I,’  ‘Bhagevontanchim Bhagi Paulam-II,’ ‘Bhagevontanchim Bhagi Paulam-II ani Borim Firgojecho Itihas.’

His translation work, particularly for Sister Usha’s books, “Hidden Springs to Healing” and “Prayers for Healing,” has gained widespread popularity among readers. Fr. Manuel Gomes has also contributed erudite historical articles in both English and Konkani, featured in various reviews and magazines.

Throughout his illustrious career, Fr. Manuel Gomes has conducted numerous seminars on the Word of God, imparting spiritual wisdom to audiences across Goa. Despite his remarkable accomplishments, he remains a humble and unassuming individual, deeply committed to his vocation, and can often be found diligently engrossed in reading and writing at his desk.

His authored books encompass a wide array of religious, research, historical, biblical, and spiritual themes, and his translation skills are commendable. He has been recognized with several awards from Konkani-promoting institutions and publications, including Dalgado Konkani Academy, ‘Vauraddeancho Ixtt’ (a Konkani weekly), Thomas Stephen Konkani Kendra, and ‘Gulab’ (a Konkani monthly). It’s worth noting that the government institution, the Department of Art and Culture, has yet to acknowledge his significant contributions to Konkani religious literature. One can only hope that, in the future, the Art and Culture department will duly recognize his invaluable contribution.

(The writer is a member of the Karnataka-Goa Province of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites based at Divine Springs Retreat Centre, Shellim, Loliem-Goa.)

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The Konkani Language

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The Konkani language is the most widely spoken mother tongue of people in each and every part of Goa and is highly responsible for unification of the Goan population. It is considered to be the official language of Goa and is also considered one of the official languages of India. Konkani is being made as the official language amidst a lot of disputes over its acceptance. It does not have a unique script and is considered to be the only Indian language that is written in two scripts - Devnagiri and Roman English. Hindus use the Devnagri script while Roman Catholics add the Roman accent to the existing Devnagri script. Although it is widely spoken in Goa, it has a limited use in administration purposes, hence Marathi is made use of for such purposes. Its use as an official language is a major topic of discussion in debates, some favouring it while others going against it. The Konkani language was initially banned by the Portuguese who destroyed all literary works and books written in Konkani and insisted that Portuguese should be the medium of learning at educational level and used in administrative purposes. It was only in the mid 19th century that the restriction on the use of Portuguese language was lifted due to the extreme difficulty that the Goans faced in using Portuguese for communication as well as commercial purposes. Although Portuguese is not used recently, there are quite a handful of people who still tend to use some Portuguese accent in their conversation, although this is rapidly reducing and only a mere sprinkling of words here and there is observed. Constant debates have been fought over the language to make it official as opposed to Marathi, which is believed to be derived from the Konkani language. The educational system in Goa follows the Marathi medium of instruction in 80% of the institutes, while only 0.25% follow the Konkani medium. But on a higher scale, English is the most preferred medium of instruction in schools and colleges where 96% of students are taught English. Steps are being taken to include Konkani in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. A number of people and tourist visiting Goa try to learn Konkani with the help of books, sites etc. The use of English however is by far the largest, justified by 3 of the local and national newspapers, which are printed in English.

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