Kishoritai to inaugurate Sangeet
fete
Sandesh Prabhudesai
1 February 2002
Crossing all the possible boundaries, they
excelled at national and even international level. Now, they
are coming back to their roots, to enrich their own music
– the Konkani music.
Leading this conscious effort almost after
centuries together is Kishori Amonkar, the Queen of Indian
classical music, whom the Government of India this year has
honoured with Padma Vibhushan.
She will inaugurate the first ever All India
Konkani Sangeet Sammelan, organised by Konkani Bhasha Mandal,
on 9 February. Margao, the cultural city of Goa, is thus getting
prepared for the mega event with youngs and elders working
day and night to make it a success.
Kishoritai is the second generation of late
Mogubai Kurdikar, whose name is being given to the whole 'Nagar'
of the Sangeet Sammelan site. Leaving her tiny Kurdi village
in Sanguem taluka for Mumbai, Mogubai learnt under Alladia
Khansaheb of Kirana gharana, to get acclamation as a veteran
classical singer in British India.
Neither she nor her Padma Vibhushan daughter
however forgot her motherland. After rebuilding the temple
of their 'kuldaivat' Rawalnath at the rehabilitated
site following the old temple going under Selaulim dam waters,
the mother – and now the daughter –visit their village every
year without fail, for the annual feast, giving a free performance.
Equally attached to the motherland are 'Mumbaikar'
Pt. Prabhakar Karekar and Ajit Kadkade, both shishya
of late Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki, yet another Goenkar
maestro in Indian classical music. Following the tradition
of their Guru, they have been singing Konkani at every
performance wherever they go.
Along with them is Usha Amonkar, the Mumbai-based
gazal and light Indian classical singer, who will perform
at the Sammelan held in her motherland. The names like Padma
Bhushan Shobha Gurtu or several others may follow the suit,
perhaps at the next Sammelan.
But the organisers have obviously not forgotten
the music evolved in Portuguese Goa, under the influence of
Europeans and Africans who ruled for over four centuries.
It is still prominent, called kantar sung at tiatr
(traditional Konkani theatre), pulling audience from Christian
community even at commercial level.
Yet another slot is kept reserved for the
permanent migrants, who had fled to Mangalore in Karnataka
to save Konkani culture, during infamous Inquisition, the
cultural aggression on converted Christians three centuries
ago. Eric Ozario from Mangalore will present Mangalorean golden
songs, which are free even from the Portuguese influence.
Yet another attraction is, of course, Remo.
The Indian pop singer of international repute is nowadays
on a trip of fusing Indian folk and classical music with westernised
Konkani music. He, along with Mangalorean Wilfy Remimbus,
will perform the final slot, on 10 February.
But the most important slot will be around
three and a half hour long slot of ethnic Konkani folk, which
will perhaps create a base for recreating Konkani music, which
is yet to evolve. It is a challenge to all the musical maestros,
who will assemble at this historic fiesta.
Till then, it is not actually the Konkani
Sangeet Sammelan. At the most, admit the organisers, it could
be called a Sammelan of all the Konkani people, working in
the field of music, in several parts of India.
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