Konkani ( Manoharrai Sardesai poem) resounds in Britain's Parlament

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Pedro Mascarenhas

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Jun 5, 2023, 6:26:15 AM6/5/23
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 A Konkani poem was recited for the very first time at a cultural diversity event at the British Parliament on May 24, when 18 languages were presented and highlighted at the House of Lords marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.

‘Magnnem’, the famous poem by Dr Manoharrai Sardessai, was recited by Dr Bernadette Pereira, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at North Middlesex University Hospital in London.  
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John de Figueiredo

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Jun 5, 2023, 6:52:20 AM6/5/23
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Good! Could someone send me a transcribed copy of the poem or tell me where I can find it?
John M. de Figueiredo 

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On Jun 5, 2023, at 6:26 AM, 'Pedro Mascarenhas' via Goa-Research-Net <goa-rese...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



 A Konkani poem was recited for the very first time at a cultural diversity event at the British Parliament on May 24, when 18 languages were presented and highlighted at the House of Lords marking the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

The event was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.

‘Magnnem’, the famous poem by Dr Manoharrai Sardessai, was recited by Dr Bernadette Pereira, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon at North Middlesex University Hospital in London.  
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Helga do Rosario Gomes

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Jun 5, 2023, 8:14:14 AM6/5/23
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Congratulations to Bernadette for this effort at a time when people seem so reluctant to speak Konkani. Like Joao I too would love to read the poem.
Just last week I was walking towards the gate at Heathrow when I chanced upon two women manning an entry and chatting in Konkani. It was truly a moment of saudades.
Best,
Helga



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John de Figueiredo

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Jun 5, 2023, 11:45:00 AM6/5/23
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If there is a text in Devanagari please send me the source or a copy.
John

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On Jun 5, 2023, at 8:14 AM, Helga do Rosario Gomes <helgado...@gmail.com> wrote:



V M

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Jun 5, 2023, 2:11:47 PM6/5/23
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fredericknoronha

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Jun 5, 2023, 6:17:55 PM6/5/23
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Helga, your point about "people seem to reluctant to speak in Konkani" is interesting.
It seems to me that this has, at least in part, got to do with the fairly unforgiving nature of Konkani speakers. Germans, Portuguese and English speakers worldwide (not necessarily the British) will accept almost any variant of the spoken language; but the French and Konkani speakers are less likely to. Hindustani was once a composite language, till Partition saw it break into Sanskrit-influenced Hindi (esp on State-run TV) and Pakistani-influenced Urdu where Arabic influences were welcome.
Given the diversity of dialects (some caste and class-based too) and scripts (some delegitimised by others) it is surprising that speaking a "wrong" dialect in Konkani could also get one laughed at, or easily dismissed, even today.
Though this subject doesn't seem much commented upon in our times, forget about scholarly research, the "powershifts" that have taken place among diverse dialects of Konkani probably adds to this complex reality. Many in Salcete today find it surprising that their dialect can be as legit as any other. Oddly enough, what has been relegated as the lingo of the comedian in the Konkani tiatr was once (roughly the 15th to 17th century) widely accepted as the standard dialect of the language. Then it was Bardezi's day in the sun (18th, 19th and early 20th century), and currently it's Antruzi's. Open to corrections. FN

On Monday, 5 June 2023 at 17:44:14 UTC+5:30 helgadorosario wrote:
Congratulations to Bernadette for this effort at a time when people seem so reluctant to speak Konkani. Like Joao I too would love to read the poem.
Just last week I was walking towards the gate at Heathrow when I chanced upon two women manning an entry and chatting in Konkani. It was truly a moment of saudades.
Best,
Helga 

Eugenio Monteiro

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Jun 6, 2023, 9:08:35 AM6/6/23
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Muito obrigado, Pedro.
Abraco,
Eugenio

 




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