Mangalore: Konkani associations fete Akademi award winner

Pics by John V. Tauro, Mangalore
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 03 March 2012: “Poetry is a game of words and thoughts. A poem in head is like a pressure building up in a cooker. The thoughts come together and form into beautiful words,” opined Konkani Sahitya Akademi Award winner (2011) Melwyn Rodrigues at the felicitation programme organised for him by 17 Konkani organisations.

 

For thoughts to awaken, there should be disturbance. These disturbances makes a poet think and he will be lost in the poetic world. However, the materialistic demands of today’s world have put limitations for one to be lost in thoughts. Everyday’s demands make a person busy, makes him go away from creativity, he regretted.

 

Responding to the felicitation, he said that a poet is a small man. The only difference is that he has the ability to express the things that happen in the world differently and can see in the point of view of different people and things.

 

“I am indebted and humbled with this honour. I am just a small mustard seed. How can I repay your debt with interest,” he concluded.

 

 

Poet Pundalik Narayan Naik said that a poet fights with the hypocrisy present in the world, later he fights with words and hence a beautiful poem is born. “Many a time, a poet is not recognised, however I am delighted that Melwin got this highest honour when he is alive,” said Naik and added that this award has made Melwin and Kavita Trust a platform to enhance poetry.

 

“A person can achieve success only if they have a will to win. Melwin Rodrigues is a fighter. He is a disciplined and intelligent man. He does not wait for honours or the recognitions from the world. He is dedicated in his work and the honours follow his dedication,” said Mandd Sobhann Gurkaar Eric Ozario.

 

“Melwyn Rodrigues writes poetry, lives poetry and works for poetry. Rodrigues’s book ‘Prakraticho Paas’ (Nature’s Way), which got him the award is actually ‘Samskriticho Paas’ (A way to culture),” said Litterateur Mahadevi Desai.

 

Poetry rains

Poetry rained at the felicitation programme. As many as six songs written by Melwyn Rodrigues such as ‘Jalma Disa’ (On your birthday), ‘Haon vetha’ (I will go), ‘Katiye Bitharlay’ (Inside a coconut shell), ‘Sorro’ (Alcohol) were sung by Eric Ozario and team. Poems from ‘Prakraticho Paas’ were performed in a form of skit.

 

Rodrigues was honoured with a shawl, citation on the occasion.

 

The photo of Melwin Rodrigues was unveiled on the occasion and handed over to World Konkani Centre President Basti Vaman Shenoy to be hung in the WKC Hall of Fame.