Mumbai: Konkani Manyata Divas was celebrated by St Joseph’s Konkani Welfare Association, Mira Road on 8 September, 2015 at the Community Hall of St Joseph’s Church.
The programme started with a welcome dance. John Crasta, president of the association, welcomed the gathering. Fr Charles Serrao (Provincial of Carmelites of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra Province), Fr Melwyn D’Cunha (Spiritual Director of the association and parish priest of St Joseph’s Church), Fr Jochim (Assistant parish priest), Harryboy, Gregory Sequeira, Sebastian D’Souza (Founder member of the association) inaugurated the function in a unique way, by untying the ribbon tied to the new crop. Two minutes of silence was observed for all the Konkani writers, actors and all who worked to make Konkani reach this stage. Provincial Fr Charles Serrao was felicitated on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Fr Charles Serrao said that we learn Konkani from our birth. “Our parents taught us to speak Konkani. There is no other language as beautiful as Konkani. Konkani is written in five scripts. Konkani writers, poets, dramatist thrive for the betterment of Konkani. To keep the Konkani language alive, we should speak Konkani at home; we should teach our children to speak in Konkani,” he said.
Merit holders (children of association members) in SSC and HSC were honoured. Prizes were distributed to the winners of the Talent Competition held on 9 August, 2015.
Sebastian D’Souza, a member of the association, was greeted on his 75th Birthday.
Members of the association and their children entertained the crowd with jokes and songs. During the occasion, small skits ‘Amori’ (written and directed by Victor D’Souza), ‘Compunder’ (written and directed by Prasann Niddodi) and ‘Bolme’ (written and directed by Arun Noronha) were enacted.
The second part of the program was the celebration of Monti Fest by organising a ‘Noven Jevan’ program in a traditional way. Before the ‘Noven Sevnche’, Spiritual Director Fr Melwyn D’Cunha conducted the prayer in a traditional way. Thereafter, the “noven” was distributed to all.
President John Crasta invited all to the dinner with the ‘Jevnak Udak’. The vegetarian ‘Jevan’ (Dinner) was served on banana leaves and “Laudate” was sung by the members of St Joseph’s Konkani Welfare Association. Arun Noronha, Secretary of St Joseph’s Konkani Welfare Association, delivered the vote of thanks.
Gerald D’Souza and Sofia D’Sa compered the programme beautifully.
