Friday, March 29, 2013

SUCH BOOK LOVERS, SUCH LIBRARIES - By Prof Ramdas Kelekar


Please find attached the text of a Marathi article from Govadoot newspaper, which Prof Ramdas Kelkar wrote on me as a writer. I thank Mr. Kelkar wholeheartedly for taking the initiative and writing the article. For the convenience of readers, I translated the article in English, which is appended below:

 Dev borem korunv.

 Moi-mogan,

 
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna, Goa
Mob: 8805237604/9420979201

 
 

SUCH BOOK LOVERS, SUCH LIBRARIES

By Prof Ramdas Kelekar
 

Domnic has penned a beautiful memoir of his youth. There is no doubt that this English book will prove useful. Domnic’s writing reaches worldwide through the Internet.

This was the origin of his first book “Domnic’s Goa”.
 

DOMNIC, Anjuna’s bibliophile who delves into the past

It’s natural to be proud of one’s village. But the face of the village is slowly changing into a town. At this stage, it is difficult to say whether the village stories and all that we talked about and remembered would remain for future generations or not. With this purpose in mind, one writer, Domnic P.F. Fernandes, wrote two books, not only on Bardez but also on Goa. Through these books one comes to know Domnic’s sense of observation and public relations.

Domnic hails from Anjuna. He had to face a lot of obstacles during his childhood days. Nowadays, all types of facilities are available, especially transport. Yet, he proudly says that he faced those challenges. His family encouraged him. By the grace of God, due to his keen observation and strong memory, he can still recall his childhood memories. Due to this, he was able to give justice to his writing in the two books he wrote.

Mapusa and Goa can be discussed with two different angles. Both have unique peculiarities. Now Goa has become popular for good as well as bad things but even then every village has its own speciality. This is one type of a historical phase. Due to love for reading and resourceful mind, Domnic has kept these two books to be cherished as invaluable reading treasure for the future generations.

All those who are interested to know more about Goa and its history, Domnic’s two books will provide more knowledge.

From 2003, the writing of Domnic has reached all over the world through the Internet media; it’s worth reading. And thus, he published his first book titled: Domnic’s Goa. The writer spent his childhood in Anjuna, which has now become a hub of drugs!

After completing his Portuguese education in the coastal village, he came to Mapusa for further studies and then lastly joined Monte de Guirim School, an English institution. He passed his S.S.C and then completed his graduation in B.Com. Since his school days till today, he never goes to bed without reading books - it’s his custom.

His father was employed abroad. At the start, he read books (Romansi) written in Roman Konkani but he never neglected his studies.

Thereafter, when he got a job at the “Secretariat”, the late Vaman Sardesai encouraged him to take up writing. But this writing was of official papers. However, this experience paid him off when he went to Bahrain. In Bahrain, he was entrusted with office responsibility. During free time, he learned how to draft official letters. Due to this practice, he was recommended by a Pakistani to the Habib Bank Ltd of Pakistan in Bahrain. Even with this busy schedule, he read love stories, detective novels and stories. His favorites were James Hardly Chase, Agatha Christie, Perry Mason, etc. He developed a habit of collecting books when he was abroad. He brought most of his books at his home in Anjuna.

Presently, he is in business, yet he has not given up writing about his own village i.e. ANJUNA. Although he is growing old, he remains active for 15 hours every day, including a few hours reserved for reading only.

During his childhood, there were other factors which also influenced his life. Radio is one of them. His father brought for him a Phillips brand radio from Kuwait. What is surprising is that till today he remembers the timings of broadcasting programmes of those days. This he mentioned in his book Domnic’s Goa. Apart from following modern recreation media, he still listens to the radio, without fail.

Domnic gives more importance to those elements which helped him mould his life e.g. tiatr, festivals, beaches, toddy tappers, o padeiro (baker), public wells, etc.

Domnic does not want to forget the memories of his village and Goa. “Modernization is taking place very fast in my village and that is why the village beauty is vanishing; I am worried about this,” he says. Future generations will definitely like his childhood memories. People will love to read interesting memories about their naturally beautiful village.

There was no custom of having a double-storied building or house in Anjuna. If anybody dares to do this, then one has to face many obstacles in his life. For this, Domnic has stories and experiences to prove.


Domnic says: Reading, observation and memory, these three things helped me to complete the two books.

 

GOVADOOT, Word Ambassador, Page 5:

Sunday, 14 March 2013.
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Indian Bowling League Kuwait joins www.goa-world.com team and wishes all a Blessed Easter.




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