REVOLUTION DAY OF GOA.

Yesterday, 18^th of this month, Goa marked the 69^th anniversary of the “Revolution Day” of Goa.  On this day 69 years back when Goa was under the control of Portugal, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia coming from other part of Bharat came to Goa and gave a call to Goans gathered at Loia Maidan Margao in big number to overthrow Portuguese government in Goa.  The Loia Maidan was named after Dr. Lohia much later. This is the story given to us by our freedom fighters and other Goan leaders as far as naming this day as Revolution Day since according to our said leaders the spark of Goan revolution was fired by Dr. Lohia on this date.    

With due respect to Dr. Lohia and all his colleagues who were with him on that day to defy the Portuguese regime, according to my information, Dr. Lohia was brought to Goa by his Goan friend Dr. Juliao Menezes from Assolna for rest and treatment for his sickness.  Being a ferocious freedom fighter against Britishers in Bharat, he became restless in Goa to fire a salvo against  the Portuguese rule.  Hence, to give a clarion call to Goans against Portuguese rule, he was brought to Lohia Maidan by his Goan friends.  While he was about to deliver his fiery speech for the gathering which was not mammoth but average, he was whisked away by the Portuguese security personnel and pushed to Goa border to cross on to the other side.  While leaving from Lohia Maidan he passed on his written speech to his Goan colleague but he too was arrested snatching from his hand the speech by the security personnel.

If this news is true, how his statue at Lohia Maidan depicts his pose  differently as if he is speaking? 

Secondly, I feel the first step for Goan revolution against Portuguese rule in Goa was laid by the Goan Catholic Priests from Pinto family in Candolim, Bardez, Goa centuries back,  before the birth of French Revolution. In view of this, I strongly feel that Pintos Revolt should be marked as the birth of Goan Revolution and not as 18^th June to salute Dr. Lohia.  I feel the trend to down play the efforts of Christians in Goa’s freedom movement should be stopped and they must be given their rightful place of course rightly and deservingly.  It is a history that said what Pintos did for Goa’s freedom none others did. 

Secondly, it was brought to light how shabbily the freedom fighters were treated yesterday at Azad Maidan by the authorities.  According to me the Goan freedom fighters are feeling the step motherly treatment they are getting from the authorities.  In this respect though they are right but according to me they must not expect anything from the government for being freedom fighters.  Their (only the genuine ones) struggle, sacrifices and sufferings are priceless and as such the same cannot be compensated with material benefits.

Yet my regret is that after the ouster of Portuguese from Goa they in totality remained inactive as far as Goa’s well being is concerned.  I don’t think they challenged Portuguese to see the state of Goa reaching to such an ebb where Goa is getting degoanised and recolonized by the non-Goans.  In most of the Goan freedom fighters I see nothing but craze for material benefits as if they joined freedom movement only for personal gains.  They are the only Goans who are capable of raising their voices in unison very vociferously against the authorities for the corruption they spread in Goa.  I am sure it was not their wish to see Goa is going to the dogs.  But to prevent it, have they done or doing anything concrete? 

 

The voice of freedom fighters is more audible than mine but did they raise their voice forcefully or they confined to the benefits they are given?  They are duty bound to shake the corrupt authorities in Goa spreading all round corruption.  If they still remain dormant then surely posterity will hold them responsible for their inaction because of which Goa is suffering today.  If necessary all the genuine freedom fighters must be ready to surrender their Tamrapatras and even pensions and other benefits as a mark of protest for what rot is going on in Goa.    

 

Rabindra Tagore surrendered his Knighthood to the British for doing injustice to Bharat and thereby created a history which means Tagore showed his displeasure over the treatment the British were giving to India.  In the same manner can our freedom fighters do?    

 

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Candolim, Goa.

Tel:7507394349.

 

VERONICA WAS SUMMONED BY POLICE.

Today, those who are eagerly waiting to know the outcome of the summon/call I had from Colva Police Station, please be advised that my article “Vulgar Tiatrists Threatening Me”  appeared in goa-kranti.blogspot.com, was reproduced by “NIZ GOENKAR” on 1st of this month.  Following this, there appeared 3 comments from three different writers in the same forum, one of them is very piercing.  This comment is available in Niz Goenkar below my article and it can be found if you browse Niz Goenkar archive.  It was understood that I am also responsible for this comment  or I am aware of the writer of this comment. 

In fact I have nothing to do with Niz Goenkar, I am not its moderator nor I am its owner.  On receipt of the complaint by Colva Police, I was called there to find out whether I know who that person is who wrote that comment.  My answer to Colva Police was "NO".

The details of the complaint will be disclosed once I get the copy of the complaint thru RTI which is under process.  On the basis of this, I will decide what next step I should take in consultation with my legal adviser. 

A.     Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
7507394349.

REGINLD FERNANDES REMEMBERED.

On his 101^st birthday, the late Romansi writer and musician Reginald Fernandes was remembered in his birth place Siolim.  The King of Konkani Romansi, as he was called was remembered by about 100 fans of the late author when they, some of them coming from distant places in South Goa,  congregated at his residence in Siolim, Bardez,  yesterday, Sunday 14^th of this month at 3.30 PM.

An author of over 160 Konkani Novels besides being a gifted musician playing Violin and Trumpet, Reginald Fernandes was born on 14^th June 1914 and after undergoing basic schooling at Parochial School in Siolim, moved to Bombay and began writing in 1932 while playing music at Maharaja’s Palace in Gujarat. He also played music at the Palace of Maharaja of Mysore. He wrote over 160 Konkani novels (Romansi),  “Lindorf” being his first novel while “Perdida” was the last. 

My first contact with him was when I was a very young boy somewhere in 1958, at that time I as a  member of our village Choir group went to Panjim at Emisora de Goa to record some Motets.  When audition test was going, he was present there and seeing me singing well he patted on my back.  At Emisora de Goa as a full time employee, it was mandatory for him to prepare some songs and Tiatros of 30 minutes duration, weekly thrice.  These Tiatros were aired on Sundays at 7.30 PM, Tuesdays at 5.00 PM and on Thursdays at 6.30 PM.  Besides, he was responsible to script one programme of 30 minutes on every Saturday at 6.30 PM known as “Antu Babachi Gozal” directing against Bharat Serkar.  Then again I met him at Siolim in 1968 when he organized a Konkani Show at Holy Cross Convent along with Cruz Noronha and others.  Though not many but at least some romansi of his I read when I was a school going boy.  Being a very good friend of my father who was his great admirer, Reginald used to send copies of his novels to my father and used to discuss with him finer points of his stories.  After discussing with my father, he penned down his finest Romans “Nimanno Ugddas”, the story of this Romans begins in Candolim near the Cemetry.

He was not only an author but also a teacher because by reading his novels many Goans learnt Konkani in Romi script.  In fact he was an institution by itself of Romi Konkani. His work in the field of Konkani writing was not to make money and in fact by writing Romansi he did not make money but only for the love of Mae Bhas. By nature he was a very humble man with no pride inspite of being a great author and a great musician.  A great number of Goans Hindus and Christians learnt Romi Konkani by reading his Romansi which were very interesting.  To give taste of his Romansi to the present generation, Tiatro Academy, Dalgado Academy and Konkani Academy must reprint some of his Romansi for the benefit of the new generation. 

On this day 14.6.15 Dalgado Academy has already named its Hall after Reginald Fernandes and also taken a decision henceforth to mark this day annually at the Academy’s premises.  This is a  very good decision of Dalgado Academy.  In Siolim close to his house where this function was organized a road was named after him.  If the local Panchayat had to organize this function on its own it would have been much better because thru Reginald Fernandes the name and image of Siolim brightened. He was an asset of Siolim. It is an honour for Siolim to have such a great son and as such local Panchayat should have taken up this job of organizing this function.  Good that his well-wishers like Joel D’Souza, Brazinho Soares, Alister Miranda, Bonaventure Pietro and others came forward to organize this function otherwise this man would remain as a forgotten hero like many remained.  As it is, he was a forgotten on his 100^th birthday.

During the function a beautiful Exhibition of his Romansi, letters and other such materials was organized by Brazinho Soares who is another independent institution that preserved most of the published materials in Romi Konkani.  Brazinho Soares displayed around 100 Romansi of Reginald Fernandes besides Reginald’s letters and Post Cards.

To entertain the guests, some of his songs were also rendered by his friends and relatives including the wife of Johnson with the accompaniment of musical score provided prominently by the son of Johnson, Bonaventure Pietro, Alister's son and others.

During the function some of his admirers eulogised Reginald’s works and prominent among them were Reginald’s son, Dale Menezes, Mario Menezes, Fausto D’Costa, Joel D’Souza, Bonaventure Pietro, Jessie Dias and others. Among others, Cyriaco Dias, Wilmix and Sharon also attended the function.

 

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Candolim, Goa.

Tel: 7507394349.