NEW VCD “CALANGUTE” BY JERRY CAL

“CALANGUTE” - NEW VCD BY JERRY CAL

The recently released Konkani Album in the form of Audio VCD reached to my hand for review. Dedicated to his late loving mother Carmelina Fernandes from Phorba Vaddo, Calangute who herself was a great lover of Konkani songs and Tiatros, this Album was produced by Jerry Fernandes from Calangute, popularly known as Jerry Cal working in Abu Dhabi since a long time now. This Album comprising 12 songs was released in Abu Dhabi last month in an especially organized function there attended by among others Rosary Ferns and his wife Cassilda. Musical score for this Album was beautifully provided by Maestro Josinho and all the songs were composed by Jerry Cal except one in the form of a Mando by Rosary Ferns. It is marketed thru Music House, Mapusa and recorded at Magic Touch Studio, Margao. According to the information, Kuwait based songster and renowned Tiatrist Rosary Ferns gave a strong helping hand to Jerry Cal to produce this Album. Besides, Pascoal de Calangute and Mathias Mascharenhas too assisted Jerry Cal in his endeavours to finalise the enormous task of producing this wonderful Album “CALANGUTE” in a short period of one week.

All the top Konkani artistes and singers lent their beautiful voices for this Album, namely Rosary Ferns, Rita Rose, Jessy Dias, Lawry Travasso, Bab Andrew, Pascoal de Calangute, Mathias Mascharenhas and Jerry Cal himself who is known to be a very good singer and composer. The introductory announcement “Funfare” in her sweet voice with perfect clarity was lent by Jerry Cal’s wife Theresa Fernandes. Jerry Cal has been acting in Tiatros and singing songs especially solos since his schooling days at Arpora. Because of his likeable songs, even the then Principal of Arpora School Fr. Mendonca patted Jerry Cal during one of the annual School Dramas staged at School Hall for public and for students too. During his long innings in the Gulf and also in the UK, Holland and Germany where he went for specialized studies and training, Jerry Cal served Konkani Mae thru his beautiful songs. He acted in many of the Tiatros of many of the top Tiatrists namely Remmie J. Colaco, M. Boyer, Prem Kumar, Rosary Ferns and others and that too not only in the Gulf but also in Goa and Bombay. He helped Fr. Rego of Calangute Dom Bosco School in organising Drama shows to raise funds for that school and acted in these shows along with once renowned singer Souza Giao.

Besides songs and Tiatros, Jerry was a very good sportsman during his schooling days at Arpora being Champion Table Tennis player, a long distance runner, a footballer and Cycle Racer including Cross Country Races in Cycle and in running.

From Abu Dhabi, he helped many of the Goan causes including Konkani and raising funds for Konkani Martyrs. He helped many Goans in getting employment there even getting them directly recruited from Goa. For Tiatro cause, he has done immensely well, for this reason many of the Goa based Tiatrists are grateful to him.

Regarding the new and his first Album ‘CALANGUTE” comprising 12 songs, the title song rendered by Jerry Cal is worth listening for the genuine Calangutkars. It gives history of great Calangutkars and what their contribution for the cause, name and fame of Calangute. I hope “Congottkar” will awaken now by listening to this song. The other solo of Jerry Cal which gives strong impetus to this Album is “Address” in which the singer advises us of the importance of carrying our addresses in our pockets for any eventualities. It is very interesting and beautifully rendered by Jerry Cal. Pascoal de Calangute in his beautifully rendered solo on “Divorce” advises us not to fall prey to Divorce by citing ill effects of it. Thru this solo Pascoal de Calangute shows his caliber of singing songs with excellent clarity. Another solo which deserves highest compliments is of Rosary Ferns’ “Bhau Bhau”. It is so beautifully rendered by Rosary with his mellifluent and attractive voice. Another song of Rosary Ferns “Noxiban Nirmunkna” has got all the attributes of a Mando and it is very romantic and as such worth listening. Bab Andrew renders two solos, one “Rinn” and the other “Gulfantlo Dadlo” both are interesting. So also of Lawry Travasso’s “Maincho Mog”. Rosary Ferns renders a duet with Jessie Dias and Jerry Cal with Rita Rose. She also renders a solo “Xevott Bhurgeancho” which depicted the miserable end of our children when they are patted too much and Mathias Mascharenhas sings a solo “Bheos Tornatteancho”.

In Kuwait, this Album from today Friday 7th August went into distribution while in UAE and Goa its sale has already been started a month back.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

NOMAN TUKAM PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES.

NOMAN TUKAM KONKNNI MOGUIA.

PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES.

Khup dukh zali aikon khobor Prof. Olivinho Gomes auchituch somplo mhonn. Tachea mornan Konknni chollvollik ek khup vhod burak poddlo ani to burak konnachean tori bhorunk zait sompeponin? To Romivadi toxoch Nagrivadi pun torui astana zaite Nagrivadi tachi niddukai kortalet hem aum khud zanna. To auchituch somplolean tache nidduki aslet te khuxi zatelet heim aum zanna. Pun torui astana mojean ekuch sangonk zata ki moron zossem tukam toxench makaim bhi assa. Moronn konnakuch amkam chukona, aiz makam tor faleam tukam.

To Kristi samazantlo zalolean kaim Nagrivadi Hinduank to Konknni mollar naka also pun Prof. Olivinho Gomes ek unch xinkop aslolo munis zalolean tachexim tache virodhi sarke nanch zatalet. To Kristi samazachi ek boddai zaun also. Moji ani tachi ixttagoth khup vorsanchi, sumar 25 vorsam zatelint. To moji sodanch vakanni kortalo Konknni molar aum nettan vavr kortam mhonn Gulfak ravon. Kuwait Konknni Kendracho vavr to sodanch vakandtalo. Majorda ghanva voir tachem pustok xaptoch tannem amkam Kuwaitak khup “copies” daddloleot teo ami ani amchea sangateanim vhodde khoxen khopoiloleot. Fattim aum Goyam suttien astana tachi ani moji bhett Ponje zaloli, tachim don-tin pustokam anvem viKtim ghetlolim, tim makam diunk zai mhonn to khud Ponje eun makam bhettlolo. Kaim vorsam fattim tanne makam aplea Dona Paula aslolea “Flattan” khud amontron diun velolo ani tea dissa sumar 4 voram ami tanger aslet zuim Konknni molar kitem kat zata ani kitem kat zaunk zai tache voir bhasabas keloli. Konknni molar tachem guinean ani zannvai khup unch asli.

Prof. Olivinho Gomes ek unch guineani munis torui to ekdom khalto kosso vagtalo. Makam khup mhanan lektalo. Tachem ulop ekdom “dilikad” and to kednanch tikxe naslo. Anvem taka kaim pavtt Ponje TB Cunha Vosreant bhasabas kortana dhekla zannvaen uloitana. Tachea utrak ekdom mhan also. Tacho mojer ek pavtt xinn also aum Nagrivadeank chodd laguim assa mhonn zorui te Nagrivadi amcher Romivadeancher hadd vavurtat ani ami Romivadeani kelole vavracho foll apun vortat mhonn. Anvem tachem mandun ghetlem. Nagrivadeani amkam Romivadeank Nagoilet ani amchem nagoun te khuxeal zaleat.

Moje sarkilleancheam ani mojea sangateanchea navan tachea mornavoir aum mojem dukh porgottaitam and tachea othmeank sassnachem sukh anvddetam. He porim ek – ek khoddegantt Konknni mogui moron Konknnichem ani chodd korun Romi Konkanichem boll denvot veta tem chintrun kallzak dukh bhogta. Prof. Olivinho Gomes hachi aiz amkam chodd goroz asli ani nhoi team Nagri choranchi zanni amchem chorlam ani apun mouza martat Konknnichea fustar.

Ze bhaxen Prof. Olivinho Gomes Konknni molar vavurlo ani ze bhasek lagon tanne ed’do vhod teag kelo tech bhaxen ho lekh boroun aum taka mozo noman korta.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES: By Valmiki Faleiro.

PROF. OLIVINHO GOMES: EARLY END OF A CELEBRATED CHAPTER.

By Valmiki Faleiro.

Goa suffered a severe slam when, on 30th July, death snatched a noble son of the soil,a stalwart of her native language, in the prime of his life. Though retired, he had many productive years ahead of him. Prof.

(Dr.) Olivinho Jose Francisco Gomes, IRS, was as much at home with Konknni as he was with Hindi and Marathi. He was facile with both the Roman and Devanagri scripts. Hailing from the picturesque isle of Santo Estevam, where he was born on 20-Jan-194, he scaled great heights of scholarship by sheer dint of hard work. Schooling at Panjim's Don Bosco, he passed SSC with Hindi and Latin in 1959. He then completed the Portuguese Lyceum course in academic year 1961-62. With a BA in English Literature and Sociology, and a Masters in Sociology, he did his Ph.D.under the guidance of the eminent Prof. Vilas Sanghave, all from Bombay University. Management studies from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute, Bombay and the German Mewes Institute, rounded off a notable academic career. He passed the 1969 Central Civil Services exam and was assigned to the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Customs & Central Excise, in the 1970 batch.

He was among the few Goans to date in India's elite Class-I administrative cadre. He held many ranks, among them as head of an anti-smuggling outfit set up for the first time in Ratnagiri (1972-76.) In his multifarious roles with the Union Finance Ministry, he had a challenging job as Senior Analyst in the Tax Research Unit, the bones that work out the flesh for the annual Union Budget. He served there 1976-78.

He was Addl. Commissioner of six Divisions in the Aurangabad Commissionerate(1984-87), when Konknni's call knocked at his door on 18-June-1987. He quit the IRS to become Professor of Konknni Language and Literature at Goa University,under the rubric, "Outstanding scholar, with established reputation and significant contribution to knowledge." He served Konknni as a mission, in research, literature,and teaching. At the nascent Goa University, he set up the new Department of Konkani at the post-graduate level, and even structured an under-graduate course. He designed university syllabi, organized national seminars on Konkani literature with the Sahitya Akademi, presented papers and lectures at international seminars. Many of his papers were later published in the U.K., France, Portugal, Australia, Malaysia, China,Canada, Germany and Japan.

He was Vice-Chancellor of Goa University in the interregnum of Feb-June, 2002. He served on many local and national public bodies, like the Goa Board of Higher Secondary Education, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Dept. of Education of the Union Ministry of HRD, National Council for Educational Research & Training(NCERT), University Grants Commission, Union Public Service Commission, and the National Book Trust. On non-government fora, he was on KK Birla Foundation,Gyanpeeth Foundation, among myriad others. A linguist, he was. As Dean, Faculty of Languages, he supervised post-graduate academics in English, French, Portuguese, Konkani, Hindi and Marathi, and coursesin Italian, languages he knew. But at heart was his Konknni.

He worked closely with the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, the Goa Konkani Akademi andother fora from 1987 onwards. He successfully completed a major research projecton "Reconstruction of Old Konkani Literature," for the University Grants Commission(1994-97.) He served several Union Government ministries like Human ResourceDevelopment, External Affairs, at times in sensitive capacities.

Prof. Olivinho Gomes' academic record at the national and at world levels is too bigto be enumerated here. As would be the awards, honours and decorations he was bestowed with. That he has more than two dozen papers at world conferences published, besides his 41 books (and one recently submitted for publication), in diverse scripts, languages and subjects speaks more than what anyone could writeabout him. (ENDS)

The above article appeared in HERALD and GOMANTAK TIMES (Goa), in their respective editions of July 31, 2009