Essay on Yug Sanvaar, Mahabaleshwar Sail's Konkani novel

[vidyapai .]

Friends,

This essay appeared in 50 Writers 50 Books --The Best of Indian Fiction (Harper Collins. 2013)

Hope it is of interest.

Vidya Pai.

[Ben Antao]

Dear Vidya:

 

I found your essay on the Konkani novel Yug Sanvaar (Age of Frenzy) most interesting for

dealing with the novel’s content and time period (around the Inquisition). I was not aware of

this Konkani writer and I thank you for making Sail known to me.

 

There is another novel I read Shades within Shadows by Alan Machado (Prabhu), which also deals

with the migration of Goans in the 17th and 18th centuries due to epidemics and Inquisition.

The author describes this migration to the north Kanara and the turbulent times faced by the

Christians during the siege of Mangalore fort by Tipu Sultan and his forces.

 

You mention that no creative activity in Konkani was possible during the long Portuguese rule over Goa

and that only after the recognition of Konkani as a language in 1987 by the Sahitya Academy and the

government of India that Konkani creative writing has flowered. A beautiful thing!

 

What is not so beautiful is the politics around the script issue that has hampered the growth and advancement

of Konkani in Goa. While on the Konkan coast, Konkani continues to be written, spoken and celebrated in Kannada and Malayalam scripts,

in Goa the language is being harmed by disputes over scripts. What is sad is that the Hindu elites in Goa continue to hold out for

the untenable idea of one language, one script, whereas the Catholics while using the Roman script readily accept and even promote the

use of Devanagri script for Konkani. 

 

     Why do you think such a Devanagri hegemony continues to exist in a democratic Goa.

 

     I`ve read your translation of Pundalik Naik`s Konkani novel Acchev (Upheaval), and enjoyed the story very much.

 

Look forward to reading more of your translated work.

 

Best wishes.

Ben

[saxtti viegas]

Thanks for posting this Vidya.

Savia

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