Documenting the Konkani tradition

Work on documenting the literature, culture and traditions of 32 Konkani-speaking communities taken up the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy has almost been completed.

Registrar of the academy S.H. Shivarudrappa and programme convener Kudla Anand Shanbhag told presspersons here on Thursday that the academy was bringing out a book titled “Naavu Konkani Janaru” on the culture and traditions of these communities, which would be released next month.

Mr. Shivaprasad said the academy had begun documentation work in January and had taken steps to videograph the traditions and rituals followed by 32-Konkani speaking communities.

The work on bringing out a VCD on the subject was likely to take some more time. It would be, most probably, ready in December, he said.

The academy organised 14 literary and cultural programmes during 2007-08. Five translation works had been taken up and an English-Konkani dictionary published, Mr. Shivaprasad said. Mr. Shanbhag said the academy, in association with the G.S.B Samaj, was organising the annual literary award presentation ceremony in Hubli on October 7.

“Tambdi Mirsang” by Stein Agera had been selected for the award under the short story category for the year 2006, while in the poetry section “Dharbarantli Pingorn” of Valli Quardres had been selected.

“Kanunu Darshan” by Shirtadi William Pinto had been selected for the award under study work, he said.

Mr. Shanbhag said that the demand by some persons for inclusion of Konkani-speaking areas in Goa was aimed more at getting personal benefits.

He termed it as “unreasonable.”