80TH BIRTHDAY OF JOAO DE DEUS CARDOZO.

To mark his 80^th birthday, 23rd of this month,  Joao de Deus Cardozo, the elder and the only brother of renown Goan personality, a multi talented man Tomazinho Cardozo, organized a get together of his relatives, friends, colleagues and well wishers.  Since I received his invitation card thru the crawling Postal System, I could not attend it.  But after receiving his invitation card 4 days late, I wished him though belatedly, all the best and again I am wishing him now thru this forum all the best.  “Wishing you a very happy 80^th Birthday, Cardoso.  May God bless you with good health”.

First of all we must thank the Almighty God for giving an opportunity for our friend to celebrate his 80^th birthday while for so many of other friends and colleagues and relatives God has not given this opportunity, not only to celebrate their 80^th birthday but not even 80 months;  why 80 months, in fact not even 80 days. Thank God for showing benevolence to my friend. To mark this great and auspicious day  Joao de Deus released a book written beautifully by his younger brother Tomazinho Cardozo – Ex Sarpanch of Candolim and Ex Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly. It was originally written by Tomazinho in Konkani and translated excellently into English by Irene Cardozo – wife of Tomazinho. Both the versions are in one book only.  Both the versions are beautifully scripted indicating the mastery over both the languages.

Also released an Audio CD of his songs. He was an ace Tiatrist once but now only occasionally he participates due to ill health.

In this book Tomazinho Cardozo detailed the calamities his brother and their whole family faced from the time Joao attained the age of 10 whence their father died. It reminded me of the somewhat miserable life young Fantine faces in that  great epic “Les Miserables” by French writer Victor Hugo. What a pitiable and hard life Joao faces to be the bread winner for him, for his brother and mother from the age of 10 when miserable circumstances forced him to act like a man of 20 years !! These and other details very beautifully indicated by Tomazinho Cardozo in this book where you also see the rise of Joao as a successful businessman as he is now.

I feel more and more people coming from financially weaker segment should read this book and learn how to come up in life.

My interaction with both of them was very early though with Tomazinho earlier because the age difference between two of us is only 2, he was senior.  We were colleagues on soccer field and in other activities too in our village. I always found both the brothers calm and cool, never using bad words, both were disciplined and God fearing. He was longest serving Sarpanch of our village but never I heard anybody saying he was involved in doing corruption to make money.  

The Audio CD “DEVAK ARGAM” consists of 12 songs such as solos, duets, trios and quartets, all are Joao’s compositions but rendered by Joao himself, his children, his brother, his sister-in-law and others. All songs are well composed and well rendered but the title song is most beautiful which should be if possible introduced into the Church as was done in the past. Musical score was provided by Mukesh Ghatwal.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

PROTEST MEET HELD IN SINQUERIM AGAINST HILL/TREES CUTTING.

In Candolim at Sinquerim, today at 11.30 AM a special meeting was called by the people from Calangute Constituency to protest over the Hill Cutting at Sinquerim and also a big number of Trees to pave the way for the owner to construct different type of structures without getting any license from any of the government machineries as disclosed by the organisers of this meet.  The response for this meet was heavy as seen from the attendance of the people mainly from Candolim, Sinquerim, Calangute and elsewhere from the constituency.  It was a strong show of solidarity with the people of Sinquerim by all those supporters of this move who came voluntarily to indicate their disgust over the tricky way by the owner of to convert the whole area into a total concrete jungle and that too without any license from any of the government authorities.

Seen above a large number of attendees.

It is surprising how that owner gathered such a powerful courage to go thus far without any license, it is unthinkable.  Speaking to this writer, one constituent who suffered from his Sarpanch in particular and Pachayat in general inspite of having all the necessary approvals from the respective authorities to construct his own house because he refused to give the bribe in the form of money and sex to his local Sarpanch, said it is not possible for the owner to move ahead in this manner without performing illicit acts.

                                         A.Veronica Fernandes seen addressing the Meet.

Seen above one section of the people

Speaker after speaker from the galaxy of them chosen carefully after analyzing their knowledge over this subject, spoke louder and louder to warn not only the owner but also those responsible to give their silent nod for the owner possibly in return for the heavy bribe, as described by one of the speakers.  

                                                     

Seen above addressing the meet is Prem Divkar

Sachin the local acitivist from Candolim compeered the Meet. Damian another activist from Candolim in his speech exposed the local authority of closing its eyes for such a gigantic project and he further questioned how they can say that they are not aware of this illegalitiy going on just below their nose when the locals even when they build a small settlement in the form of “Khomptti” touching their houses are stopped.  One of the speakers even questioned “where is the Panch member of Sinquerim gone?  Is he gone blind that he is unable to see such colossal blunder in his kingdom?  

                            Sudeep Dalvi a firebrand speaker seen addressing the meet

Prakash from Pilerne Forum who is a firebrand speaker in his normal way spoke so forcefully and demanded justice in Sinquerim.  He questioned at one particular point the role of local MLA.  Incidentally, one of the speakers asked, where are our elected representatives gone now, why they boycotted this meet?  As representatives of the local people they should have been present for this meet to show their solidarity with the people of Sinquerim and others who congregated there at Sinquerim.

Another firebrand speaker and activist of all Goa stature asked the local people not to surrender in this fight and gave some clues how to move ahead to get the final victory.

Among others the Ex MLA  of Calangute Agnelo Fernandes and the prominent Leader of Calangute Joseph Sequeira were present for this meet and the latter even spoke a few words before winding the proceedings.

A>Veronica Fernandes.

NEW TIATRO "SUPERSTAR" BY JR. REAGAN..

On Thursday, 21^st of this month, at Kala Academy A/c Hall, starting 8.10 PM, I saw the new Tiatro “SUPERSTAR” written and directed by Jr. Reagan.  Though it was not a full house audience yet it was well attended by the near capacity audience who were a bit annoyed to face the unexpected delay for about half an hour.  Good the young and very enthusiastic director who is become now the darling of the Tiatro goers, before the start of the Tiatro by explaining the reason of the delay profusely apologized to the audience for starting the Tiatro rather late.  It was a gentlemanly apology which was well accepted by the audience.

The Tiatro started well and ended well too.  Though every artiste played his/her role well yet the superb role played by Viswas Gawas as a vices infected son in the beginning and later on turning into a good refined boy and the role of the mother played by the veteran and seasoned artiste Chitra were excellent.  In fact both these artistes gave pure satisfaction to the audience by their memorable  roles.  Justin also played a good role of a father while the role played as his daughter by the attractive and charming Crostyn deserves compliments. I will be committing a mistake of being biased if I don’t indicate the wonderful role played very appropriately by the youngster Benzer as a corrupt destructive man. When he in the beginning while entering the house where he stays enters as a slave but later on with his cunning ideas he becomes the master of that house trying to gain the possession not only of the business of the owner of the house but also the owner of his daughter   At this young age showing so much of maturity and confidence and with his handsome looks his future on Konkani Stage will be bright.  

The story revolved around two families where the son of one family where the bread winner dies and his wife had to look after the son by giving him what he requires to develop.  But gradually, this son whose role was well enacted by Vishwas Gawas turned into a rebel by getting addicted to vices, even to the drugs along with his equally rebel friends on whom he counts too much but finally not only his same friends desert him in a sign of pure unfaithfulness but his fiancée too leaves him because he was addicted to the drugs.  In between there occurs lot of upheavals between him and his mother whose role was well played by Chitra, the maltreatment she suffered from him even raising his hand on her and finally pushing her out of the house.  This and all other miseries and many other incidents can be easily seen when you see this Tiatro ‘SUPERSTAR” who is none other than JESUS CHRIST as depicted in this Tiatro by the writer and director Jr. Reagan.

The comedy part was nicely handled by Marcos, Sally and others without vulgarity and as a responsible man director deserves compliments for staging this Tiatro without any vulgarity. It is not the vulgar comedians but the vulgar directors who are more responsible for this spread of “POZODDPONN” in our Tiatros and for whom the Pai Tiatrist – Shri Joao Agostinho Fernandes – calls  as “ROSTAD”.  I borrowed this word from Pai Tiatrist and I don’t call all Tiatrists as same.     

The Side Show was good but there it lacked the required punch to keep the audience on their toes. In the absence of political songs, the Side Show looked without much punch. There was no uproar in the hall as normally associated when the well known political singers enter the stage.  One thing one must bear in mind, without political songs be they against politicians or Bhattkars, or Church leaders or other arrogants in our society, there is no satisfaction for the audience.  The core of our Tiatros revolved around politics – politics of our politicians, politics of our Landlords – their maltreatment of Mundkars and those devide our community on the basis of Caste system.  Minus these subjects our Tiatro will collapse.  This is my firm belief based on my analysis.

Yet the comedy song “Pedho” rendered by Benevangelisto stole the show, the duet by Reagan with Wilma also was vey good, so too the solo rendered by lovely looking Stassy Mesquita.  Theb trio rendered by Stassy - Peviola and Jelsika was impressive.

 The Stage setting was well done so too the beautiful scenes.

Musical score was good but it was a bit louder making the words from the stage not properly audible to some in the audience.

Congratulations to Jr. Reagan and his entire troupe for staging this Tiatro which must be seen by more and more people.

A.Veronica Fernandes.