Youth participate in Konkani cultural festival with gusto

The Hindu

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About 3,000 people from the Konkani Diaspora attending World Konkani Cultural Convention

A woman from Bejai wins the Miss Konkani World Photogenic

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Mangalore, 30 November 2010: When the name of the Miss Runner Up was announced to receive the certificate at the “Mandd Sobhann” event on Sunday evening in Mangalore, her friends shared her happiness by accompanying her to the stage, dancing all the way. If there was one striking feature about “Mandd Sobhann” held in the city at “Kalaangann”, the Konkani Heritage Centre in Shaktinagar, it was the obvious enthusiasm of the youth. They participated in the cultural programmes with great gusto and fervour. The mood stayed with them throughout, even while being given the certificates by the former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) State unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy. There would be a momentary lull only to pose for the photo and again they would break into a jig.

 

“Mandd Sobhann” turned out to be a feast of Konkani culture. About 60 Konkani troupes from across the globe with over 1,000 artistes across castesand regions put up a range of events including Konkani theatre, art, film, music, cuisine and dance performances.

 

About 3,000 people, including members of the Konkani Diaspora, had descended onto Kalaangann to participate in the Konkani cultural extravaganza.

 

Established in 1986, with the objective of searching for Konkani identity in Konkani music with special focus on the Konkani people, “Mandd Sobhann” is 25 years old. To celebrate this milestone, it organised the festival in Mangalore for 25 days.

 

Says Eric Ozario, one of the three founding members of Mandd Sobhann, “We began by creating a music that was based on Konkani folk and Indian music with a tinge of Western music. It was performed by artistes who used musical instruments such as the flute, violin, tabla, clarinet and the box guitar”.

 

Head and heart

Miss Konkani World Photogenic Melita Pinto from Bejai was thrilled that she had won the prize. She said she had sent close-up photos of herself in western attire for the contest and hoped for the best. .Allien D’Souza from St. Agnes College, who participated in the western round and the traditional round, won from among 14 people.