OSCAR VISION VIDEOGRAPER - MAPUSA.

I have been writing in different magazines and newspapers and also in electronics media since last so many years but never I received so many compliments and encouragements, direct telephones and SMS’s and personal messages as I did receive for the article I wrote on the late tiatrist Alexinho de Candolim where I started with reviewing of the beautiful song composed beautifully by the composer Jerry Cal. I am sure he must have worked hard to compose this song with a nice tune too and above all it was rendered very well by the melodious singer Benny de Aldona hailing from the village in Bardez that produced gigantic Tiatrists in Goa. While complimenting those above, I must do compliment the Videographer Bab Oscar of “Oscar Vision” who put in tremendous `efforts to do the Videography of this song with meticulous precision and taking maximum care of of the minute details without giving room for any flaws. The background Scenes shown are excellent, this is the reason why people talk so much good of Oscar Vision Videography. Perfection is his motto and this is where the importance of this song centered. A.Veronica Fernandes

THE LATE REVOLUTIONERY TIATRIST ALEXINHO DE CANDOLIM

Further to my article yesterday on Tiatrist the late Alexinho de Candolim and the full story of his Mistiri’s son Felix D’Souza, a few words of that golden song I reproduce here for the interest of those who may be interested in knowing it. I am sorry that I don’t know it fully but here and there what I remember one can realize the power of composing such songs. See the text and rhyming and the words and sentences, it was very rich in all respects. It is composed like a painter does the very artistic painting of any beautiful object with the surrounding things decorated beautifully. It is nicely potrayed the brief but beautiful It consisted of 4 verses and 4 chorus and listeners wereThe way the fine artist potrssys first the surounbdings of the objct he is painting in the same manner Alexinho de Candolim potrays in the first two verses the description of his Mistiri that is of Agostinhon D’Souza by showering on him the fabulous superlatves and then come to the real story of Felix D’Souza. I don’t see such rich songs on rich ideas are composed by anyone now-a-says. It is to be borne in mind that Alexinho de Candolim’s compositions based on the examples very close to his eyes. The “Kottecho Bikari” his one gresat song that made him so prominent was comppsed based on the living example happened in his neighbouhood. Like wise hia mny oother comppositions. His one Tiatro after the ouster of Portuguese regime in G oa “Amchea Xetachi Pavni” was based on those Bamonn Bhattkars’ dadagiri by being in the Communidade holding top pposts and thrsstening and inf;licting fear into the minds and hearts of the those poopr Xetkars and Zotkars who were plougging the fields of Communidades. These Xetkars and Zotkars were not given even a slight piece of mind, their motto was to harass and harass for the Xetkars. For this reason, Alexinho de Candolim in is Tiatro “Amchea Xetachi Pani” calls these feudal lords of Goa as “Adim ami tumkam mhontalet Bab pun atam tumkam ami mhontat Dukor”. One thing one must know well that during the Portuguese regime in Goa the greatest harassment for the lower strata of Goans namely the Munddkars, irrespective of their religious affiliations was given by the Goan Bhattkars mainly the Christian Roman Catholic Bamonn with a few exceptions, Portuguez government never told them to harass their own Goans of lower cadre. Those Bamonn Bhattkars were getting pleasure in harassing their Mundkars. And if yesterday Portuguese was forced out of Goa it was only because of the Goan Bamonn Bhattkarshai who allways collaborated with the Portuguez to harass the lower strata of Goans in the name of Portuguese though the Portuguese were not always flawless. But the greatest culprits were our own Goans whom Alexinho de Candolim in his Tiatro Amchea Xetachi Pavni calls them as “DUKOR”. Otherwise only with wooden Sticks and Stones lower strata of Goans would fight against the Indian Military from invading Goa saying “ we want Portugal, Viva Portugal, Portugal Zindabad ani Bharat Murdabad end etc.” But this did not happen and now we a re suffering in the liberate or invaded Goa. As indicated above, here below is the part of the song which he rendered in Bombay when the local Regidor in Goa denied him the permission to sing in Goa. I. Konnuch vollkonastana aschenant bhavani angasor Agostnho de D’souza Candolim Igorjecho Professor Mistirpon tanne choloilem vorsam challis bhor Barkaen tachem jivit ami niallun pollet tor Bharikuch aslo aslo khoro pun xinkop tachem chodd vhodd Kantorist sadoitat Stage ani Igorzanche Kor (Choir) Derrepent melo babddo Saiba Sorg taka favo kor. II. Bhurgo Felix put tacho ekloch apurbaecho Pai moron adhar na zaun hanga thuim zaito bounlo Akrek Comenadiche choriek sampoddlo Decebrache tin tarker ratcho taka dhorlo Justis kornastana Hath paem bandun Aguad haddlo Kotta team zonglli khapreani taka vattek jivoch marlo Xekim moddem passun dhinastana kotta Xinquerinch purlo III Zori tor hi ghoddni anik khuincheai ghanvan ghoddti Ghaum ekttaim zaun suru zateleo asleo morti Pun Candoikaranchea rogtak bhavani aiz aili sukhti Hi ghoddni ghodli gelea Decembrachi tin tarik Candoikarank dis ho vortoulo bhirankul ani perig Jea dissa khapreanchea hathin kotta bhurgo melo Felix Khuimassat re Candoikarani kiteak magonant justis A.Veronica Fernandes.

THE LATE KUWAITKAR LAWRY PINBTO. A GREAT LOSS TO US.

Seen in the photo above is the late Lawry Pinto second from left, next to Lawry to his left is Frankie a lover and pomotr of Konkani, next to him is one priest from Kuwait and to the extreme left is the late renowned Stage artiste- playwirhgt, singer, composer and director REosary Fernaa.

During my last short visit to Kuwait where we both Lawry and met in Kuwait. 

This  is the first time in my life since I started writng over 5 decades now that I begin writing this sorrowful peace of obituary on our late Lawry Pinto in Bombay and also the news of his death I received from innumerable  sources some are known while others unknown with tears rolling down my cheeks, such a terrible blow to me is his death.  Besides me there may be so many others who must  have received this news with a big shock.  That one day we all will go to the grave is a known fact but according to our thinking and expectations there is a certain period for us to die and Lawry Pinto surely did not fall into that category to die. It looks God has taken way from this [lanet rather a bit early and the secret of  it He alone know better. We must know one fact that  God’s will is different from our expectation and as decided by God Lawry Pinto breathed his last 2 days back in Bombay where he was residing there. May his soul rest in peace and may the Heavenly God give Lawry Pinto Heavenly peace and to his wife and sons courage to bear this colossal loss. In his death we lost  not only one man but a thorough gentleman and a man of society who could fit in any comparment.  He was a perfect gentleman only in words but more in deeds, a perfect disciplined husband of the disciplined and respectable wife and a thorough father of his 2 sons.  He gave his life for the upbringing and development of his sons.

 

Lawry Pinto originally from Mangalore wedded to a Goan girl was a very good man, very cooperstive, very friendly and very helpful. Even  though he was a Mangaloresn yet inspite of being so he integrated in Kuwait more with Goans and was a very secular and metropolitan in his thoughts and deeds.  He came to Kuwait as a young man somewhere in late 1975 having great  urge to do something for the  community not only for his Mangalorean but also others too by bringing a fusion of all Indians first.  In the Indian communities he had a strong say and he enjoyed a good rapport with the Indian Embassy.  My first contact created with him was somewhere in 1979 when we Goans under the initiative of United Goans Organisation were organising the first ever competitive soccer tournament at Sour Ground in Kuwait City where we had the facilities of using 2 foot-ball grounds and whence we we were organisng our soccer activities in the mornings only where with his powerful backing not only financial but also otherwise the Mangaloreans fielded their team named Flying Arrows that comprised some of the excellent players mainly developped in Bombay, one of them was Isaq in the forward line while in their defence was rocky like deep defender I think his name was Stanley(?) who was well built having muscular body and who was being dependable defender was excellent in the aerial duels due to his jumping skill higher and higher and equally at ease on both the legs.  Later on his place was filled up by Eric when Lawry Pinto seceded from the original team and formed his own new team cqlled “ Rising Stars”comprising some of the best available footballers among Indians in Kuwait mainly from Bombay, Goa and Mangalore one of them was the speedy puny Raju whose running prowess made him the best outer among the Indian players in Kuwait.  The mai n reason for Lawry to withdraw from the Flying Arrows was due to the reason that the top Man of their team was utillising Lawry to do all the jobs of running of the team   and last minute enjoying  all benefits mainly the honour and fame for himself only.  He was acting like a  feudal lord, not even spndiona single dinar for the running of the team.  This football activities brought Llawry so close to other communities mainly the Goan that he was more known among  Goans    than others. Because of running his team he spent lot of money from his own pocket and always helped his team players and helpers by helping them in whatever way he can thus gaining goodwill from everyone.  I think in  Kuwait individually he sacrificed more and also spent more after the soccer activities than anyone else and precisely because of this his team Rising Stars probably won more trophies thans any other team. He was very bold and would take side of his member and supporter aytime by going to any extent. Thru this attribute he indicated his perfect leadership quality engrossed deep in his blood and precisely because of this he became the very good leader.    

 

The idea of forming the Kuwait Indian Football Federation was from Mr. J.P. D’Mello the international Referee based in Kuwait but if at all it  clicked and came to reality it was mainly because of Lawry Pinto’s relentless efforts even by pleading and begging to everyteam to join with KIFF as an apex body so that all teams come under one banner of KIFF.  This writer was also of very good help for the formation of KIFF when his journalistic efforerts of marketing this idea helped a lot besides Vohra, Rato and others played their respective roles well. The efforts of Lawry Pinto in getting the KIFF work really deserving lot of credit.  If KIFF is still existing in Kuwait, then they must start a memorial tourney in memory of Lawry Pinto because his memory in this particular field cannot be  allowed to fade.   Some of the oldies still living in Kuwait and still taking part in KIFF organized soccer then they must use their weight in favour of this proposal.

 

The other field of Lawry Pinto’s activities was the cultural and social work in which he took lot of interest mainly by uniting Goans, Mangaloreans and others to promote Cultural Programme in Konkani by bringing troupes and individual Tiatrists from Goa, Bombay and Mangalore and organizing their Shows in Konkani in Kuwait. Not only  he brought them to Kuwait but treated them royally well as few has done among us.  Without any reservation, he associated with any Goan  organized function and Goans always welcomed him in their midst without any difference. He was more  a Goan than many of the Goans.

          

For the cause of Konkani he also worked hard along with us in Kuwait  by helping us in whatever way he could.  When I asked anything for the cause of Konkani he never said NO to me, so much love he had for Konkani. In his death we lost a great man of Society.  May His Soul Rest In Peace.

A.Veronica Fernandes,