review of my book "MAPUSA - YESTERDAY AND TODAY" by Prakash Vaman Kamat

Dear Gaspar,

Please find below a review of my book "MAPUSA - YESTERDAY AND TODAY" by Prakash Vaman Kamat, which please post on your forums. Thanks in advance. Take care. God bless.

Best - Domnic
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Dear Netters,

 

Please find below a review of my book MAPUSA – Yesterday and Today by Mr. Prakash Vaman Kamat, Panaji, which appeared in the Konkani daily newspaper Sunaparant on November 18, 2012. Since I do not read the newspaper, I did not know about it, but one of my Hindu friends recently gave me a copy of the newspaper and I had my friend, Joel D’Souza transliterate it from Devanagri to the Roman script. English translation follows.

 

Moi-mogan,

 

Domnic Fernandes

Anjuna, Goa

Mob: 8805237604/9420979201

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Mapusa – Yesterday and Today

“Mapusa – Yesterday and Today” (Mhapxem – Kalchem ani Aichem) hem Domnik Pi Ef Fernandis hachem pustok kaim disam fattim mhaka potrakar ixtt Frederick Noronhan dilem. Hem pustok mhonnlear ‘A Reminiscent Tour’ (Fattleo iadi zagovpi bhonvddi).

 

Domnik ho internettar ani khas korun Goanet he vebsaittir 2003 sala savn satotean borop korpi Goenkar. Mull Anjunacho ani tachem xikop Mhapxeam zalam.

 

Mhapxeamvelea tachea iadinchem pustok vachtokuch mhaka tachem poilem pustok ‘Domnic’s Goa – A Nostalgic Romp through a Bygone Era’, hem 2007 vorsa uzvadda ail’lem pustok vachpachi umollxik lagli. Karann tannem Mhapxeam vixim fattleo iadi itlea kholan vochun boroileat ki istimosanv dislea bogor ravona.

 

Hem pustok uzvaddailam Fredrickachem ‘Goa 1556’ he prokaxon sonsthen. Tantuntle oprotim fottu khudd Frederick Noronha hannich kaddleat. Pustokak Goencho chollvollo ani Mhapxenkar Migel Arcanjo de Braganza hachim subok prostavona lablea.

 

Hem pustok borovpacho het sangtona bab Domnik mhonntta ki aplem hem pustok mhollear tholavho itihas ani barso tornatte pillgek fuddarache nodren bore toren somzupak. Xobd ani chitra-fotvanchea madheamantlean hem kam’ apnnem kelam. Pattlea xekddeant Mhapsa koxem aslem tache vixim ‘Reference Material’ mhonn hea pustokacho upeg zavpak zai oso hetui tanni ukttaila. Hea xarachi adli kirt ani vhoddvik hankam Domnikachea pustokachea pana konkonni uzallo melltta. Zannim hea xarak namna zoddun dili tea veaktinchi iad, tanchea vavrachi dokhol hea pustokant lekhokan ghetlea. Mhotvachi gozal mhollear fattlea itihasik gozalink jitleo jiveo kortona borovpean Konknni utrancho ghosghoxitponnan upeg aplea borpan kela. Hem Goenkarponn. ‘Mhapxem’ nanv xarak koxem poddlem hache visim kitleoxeoch akhaika borovpean dileat.

 

Amche sarkilea bhaileank hem pustok vachtona itli mojea ieta, zalear khud’d Mhapxenkarank ani Bardeskarank tem sam’kem chatt korun mhapixe kelea bogor ravche na! Mhapxencho bazar, mhotvachem khuris, devlleo, bojivali aii, khol’lechi gironn, kansarvaddeavelim kansarachi dukana Domnikan kitem mhonnun kitench soddunk na.

 

Mhapxenchea mhotvachea lokank ‘profile’ keleat. Tantun bekrivalo Juze Braganza, Mr Bekracho Pedru Visent Vaz, Mukheamontri Manohar Por’rikarachem kuttumb, toxench chear khepe Mhapxenchean vidhansobha vechnnuk jikhil’le up-mhukheamontri Babush D’Souza hancher borop asa. Borovpean bodolil’lea Mhapxenchi zhalok dilea tacheo kaim dekhi polloieat! Adli Dhurichi khanavoll atam Adarsh Nivas Bar & Restaurant zalam. 1961 adim jem Purtugez vorg choltale thoim atam Blue Daimond Bar & Restaurant zalam. (Goembhor hi “bar bar dekho... hazar bhar dekho’ sonskruti poriattok Goenchi vollokh!!!)

 

Hea pustokant matiechea moddkeancho bazar aila toso gorvancho ani bokddeancho bazar aila. Bokddeam vixim borovpean bori mhaiti dilea. Fattleam xenkddeachea modheak Goeantlim ganvantlim choddxim kuttumbam bokddeo palli. Amchea ghora ek sundor ani maiest bokddi asli ‘Mogru’. Hanvem legit dud kaddlear ti nokhre ken’nach kori nasli. Mhoji vhoddli bhoinn zolmoli ten’na mhoje avoichea thanak abses zal’lo. Mhoje bhoinnik Mogruchea dudanuch posvonn dili. Hanv sumar 9 vorsancho aslo. Mhozo bapui Kuvetta savn suttiek ghora ail’lo. Eka Birestara amchea bokddeani xezareachea porsant ghusun tanchi ful-zhaddam khalim. Xezareani amkam galli fosti ghaleo. Mhojea bapain moneanim sogllem sonslem. Dusre dissa sokallim uttlear amcheo bokddeo ani amcho bapui ghora nasle. Magir amkam kol’llem amcho bapui fantodder 4 vorancher uttun amchea charui bokddeank ghevun Mhapxeam Xukrarachea bazarak khattkak vikun ailo. Khas korun Mogru na zal’leachem khub dukh amkam zalem, punn ami kitench korunk xoknasle... amkam kol’llem ten’na khub vogot zal’lo...

 

Hea pustokant Mhapxem xarache chodonn ghoddnnek hat na bott lagil’la barik-mottea zaitea zannachi dokhol hea pustokan ghetlea. Sodheacheacho poriavoronn montri Alina Saldanha hanchoi porichoi hea pustokant tanchea advogad bapaik lagun kortana Domnikbaban ‘A lady minister from Mapusa” oso kela; adlea Kendria kaidea montri Ramakant Khalap pustokant asat. Tosoch xikxonn vattarantlea sorgia Gunddu Amonnkar hanchea kutumbachea vavracho ugddas asa. Hea pustokant Mhapxenchea Xukraracho bazar, konvchechea kanknnachem dukan ‘vollara’che mahiti soit aileant.

 

Bardesche adle Viscont, Mhapxenchi famad ghoram ani ghoranni vepari ani tanchi vepari asthapna, xikxonnik vavr kel’le lok ani bhorbhorattik ail’leo xikxonnik sonstha heo ani her zaiteo khachi-konxantleo iadi hea pustokant zagoileat. Hem pustok fokot nostalgic (smuti zajogpi) mhonnuk zavchem na, tor khoreanich Mhapxem vixincho ho ek dostievoz ani jivo-toddtotti itihas. Xarachea obheasokank ani Mhapxenchea tornatte pillgek hem pustok khub mohotvachem thorum ieta.

 

Hea pustokant Domnik aplea sanponnak hatak dhorun Mhapxenchea iadinchi bhonvddi kortana aplea khobri sangpi xoilint vachpeak titloch ‘nostalgic’ korta. Hea sundor fotu-chitra ani xapnnavoll gavil’lea pustokachem mol fokot Ru.350.

 

Prakash Vaman Kamat

Panaji

9422443093.

 

Sunaparant, Aitar, 18 November, 2012.

 

 

ROUGH ENGLISH TRANSLATION

 

Mapusa – Yesterday and Today

 

The book “Mapusa – Yesterday and Today” was given to me by my journalist friend, Frederick Noronha sometime back. It’s a reminiscent tour.

 

Domnic is a Goan who has been writing on the Internet, especially on Goanet, since 2003. He hails from Anjuna and has studied in Mapusa.

 

After reading his book on Mapusa, I was eager to read his earlier book “Domnic’s Goa – A Nostalgic Romp through a Bygone Era”, which was released in 2007, because he has gone so deep in writing the reminiscences of Mapusa that one cannot but admire his writing.

 

The book has been published by Frederick’s ‘Goa 1556’ Publishing House. The photos in the book are clicked by Frederick Noronha himself. The Foreword of the book is written by the famous Goan activist, Miguel Arcanjo de Braganza, who is a Mhapxenkar.

 

While explaining the purpose of writing this book, Domnic says the book is a step towards ensuring that our local heritage and history will be better understood, if not bequeathed to posterity, in the form of words and images. He also suggests that the book may be used as a ‘Reference Material’ on the Mapusa town. Every line of Domnic’s book reflects the past glory and greatness of the town. The book documents important places, buildings and personalities who won laurels for the town. The most important thing about the writer is that, as he goes on recalling the past, he uses Konkani words abundantly. This is Goanness. The writer also gives several examples of how Mapusa got its name.

 

If the book enthrals us, outsiders (non-Mhapxenkars and Bardezkars), then it will surely drive the Mhapxenkars and Bardezkars crazy. The Mapusa bazaar, important crosses, temples, bojivali aii, the flour-mill at Khorlim, Kansarvaddo’s coppersmiths’ shops - there is nothing that Domnic has spared.

 

He has profiled important persons of Mapusa. Among them is Jose Braganza; Pedro Vicente Vaz or Mr. Baker; Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Parrikar and his family; Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Francis or Babush D’Souza - Mapusa’s only four-time Assembly election winning MLA. Post-liberation changes outlined by the writer are worth reading. Previous ‘Dhurichi Khanavoll’’ is now known as Adarsh Nivas Bar & Restaurant. Pre-1961, where Portuguese classes were held, is now Blue Diamond Bar & Restaurant. Everywhere, this “bar bar dekho... hazar bhar dekho” culture flaunts Goa’s touristic identity. (Look at it a thousand times)! (CHECK: In the Hindi song “bhar” refers to the number of times you see, but Prakash rhymes it with the proliferation of liquor bars.)

 

The book features the clay pot bazaar as well as the cattle trading centre. The writer has written much on the rearing of goats. He writes: “In the middle of the last century, most families reared goats. We had a beautiful, affectionate goat called ‘Mogru’. She allowed me to milk her without any fuss. My mother had an abscess on one of her breasts when my elder sister was born. So, Mogru provided milk for my sister. When I was around nine, my father who was then in Kuwait, came home on vacation. One Thursday evening, our goats entered the neighbour’s garden and ate their flower plants. The neighbour shouted and swore at us. My father silently suffered the words of abuse. The next morning we woke up to find the goats missing, as was our father. Later, we came to know that our father had woken up at 4 a.m., headed for Mapusa with all four goats and sold them at the Mapusa Friday bazaar, fated for the slaughter. Though we were sad, there was nothing we could do, as it was too late.

 

In this book, the writer has spoken about many a people. While speaking about the late Adv.João Julio Salvador Souza, who was popularly known as Adv. Salvito, Domnic introduces his daughter, Ms Alina Saldanha, the present Environment and Forest Minister, as ‘A lady minister from Mapusa’. Ex-Union Law Minister of India, Mr. Ramakant Khalap, also finds mention in the book. The late educationist, Gunddu S. Amonkar and his family’s work is also remembered in the book. The book outlines the old market along with shops, including glass bangle shops and the meaning of a vollar (glass bangle seller).

 

The yesteryear Viscount of Bardez, famous merchants and their homes, educationists, new Schools and Institutions and many places that are not seen generally, have been exposed in this book. We cannot just term this book ‘nostalgic’; it holds much more than nostalgia. It would mean a lot to researchers of Mapusa town, and, especially to new generations.

 

In this book, while Domnic takes one around the town by holding his/her hand, he makes the reader nostalgic with his writing style. This beautiful book filled with photos costs only Rs.350.

 

Prakash Vaman Kamat

Panaji

9422443093.

 

Sunaparant, Sunday, 18 November, 2012.

 

---- As forwarded to Gaspar Almeida, www.goa-world.com on 11 March 2013 via email by Domnic Fernandes.