Osmitai Vors in Shenoi's
memory
Sandesh Prabhudesai
24 June 2002
Perhaps for the first time in the liberated
Goa the state government is celebrating the whole year
in the memory of any Goan personality. It is Shenoi
Goembab.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has
announced that on the occasion of his 125th
birth anniversary, the year will be celebrated as Osmitai
Vors (Self-identity Year).
"We will try and reach his great work
to the nook and corner of Goa, including each and every
primary school in the state", Parrikar announced at
a function organised jointly by the Goa Konkani Academy
and Konkani Bhasha Mandal to begin the year-long celebration.
While both these premier institutions
have already chalked out a detailed programme and a
special committee for the purpose, the state government
now plans to add its own flavour to it by forming a
state-level committee to carry out several programmes.
In addition, the Institute Menezes
Braganza is also planning to release a collection of
Shenoi Goembab's writings which, according to celebration
committee working president Arvind Bhatikar, are still
relevant enough to inspire the Goan youth.
Waman Raghunath Varde Valavlikar, born
on 23 June 1877 in Bicholim, is still remembered not
only because of his contribution towards rejuvenating
the Konkani language but also as a great historian.
"The celebration will be an attempt
to go back to our roots and inspire the youngsters with
his writings so that Goans could once again march forward
confidently in different fields including art, music,
theatre and literature", says Parrikar.
According to him, Goans have already
excelled in all kind of fields by attaining even international
reputation and the celebration will be once again used
to inspire the Goan community further in this direction.
Uday Bhembre, the GKA president, feels
that Shenoi Goembab needs to be remembered not merely
because his most valuable contribution to the Konkani
movement but mainly because he gave birth to the cultural
renaissance.
"He made us realise that Goa has a
different identity of its own and compiled the whole
geography, history and culture which was lost due to
several historical accident the small state faced for
centuries together", added Bhembre.
Several luminaries including power
minister Digambar Kamat, Cortalim MLA Mathany Saldhana,
writers like Pundalik Naik and Tanaji Halarnkar also
threw light on Shenoi Goembab's contribution and the
need to remember his works.
The daylong function was held at the
Menezes Braganza hall in Panaji on Sunday and the hall
was overpacked with people coming from all over the
state.
Earlier in the morning, Congress leader
Shantaram Naik inaugurated a symposium. Principal Narayan
Desai, on the occasion, spoke on political and social
aspects of Shenoi's life, Prof Madhavi Sardesai spoke
on the linguistic aspects while Dr Tanaji Halarnkar
spoke on his contribution to the Konkani movement.
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