Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
By John B Monteiro
Mangaluru, Feb 16: A medley of music by Band Ecstasy marked the first post-centenary reunion of Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK) held at the river-front Boat Club, Sultan Battery, on Sunday February 15.
Set against the backdrop of Falguni (Gurpur) River, with the trees lighted with strings of multi-hued bulbs, the enchanting venue set the mood for four hours of entertainment ending with sumptuous dinner. Some four hundred members with their spouses, children, parents, relatives and friends not only enjoyed the gripping entertainment but indulged in spirited exchange of news and gossip on a personal level – instead of through mobiles and emails.
The evening’s tight programme, including fun games, was engagingly emceed by Prof Dr Audrey Pinto. It started with prayer led by Lily Pereira, former vice-president of CASK, and included a prayer song by tender Sophy Saldanha who stole the hearts of the light-hearted audience with her soul-stirring rendition – accompanied by the visiting band from Austria, which included Mangalore-origin Marialena Fernandes, lead guitarist, now Vienna-based, and four band members of Hotel Palindrone.
There was music and songs in English, Konkani and Tulu, including Konkani Baila, Mandos and Dekhnis. Band Ecstasy entertained the audience for almost one hour with their foot tapping English numbers. Neil Rego, Simona Fernandes, Gavin Rodrigues, Leander Pinto, Warren, Stallon, Shaun, Mark Rego and Dickson were part of this group. Capt John Prasad Menazes, CASK president, while welcoming thanked Owen Colaco for facilitating Austrian band's performance for CASK. He also thanked Naina Fernandes, vice-president of CASK, and her husband, Adrian, for their excellent role in setting the scene for the Reunion.
The informality of the evening was reflected in the absence of dais or lectern but only a setting for musicians and actors. In a brief intervention, standing and with hand-mike, Capt. Menezes gave a resume of CASK’s recent activities, including eye and children’s paediatric camps, in association with Father Muller Hospital doctors, at Father LM Pinto Health Care Centre an Badiyar and assured that the momentum of such outreach activities would be maintained. He specially thanked the excellent work done by Patsy Lobo who had taken over as editor of CASK’s monthly magazine, Mangaluru, which holds a record for uninterrupted publication from its inception in 1927.
The medley of music included popular hits from Konkani, Tulu and English, harking back to melodies from Hollywood and Bollywood – with background music provided by the visiting foreign band. Marialena herself belted out a Konkani song with perfect deshi accent.
A troupe from Mandd Sobhann presented a hilarious Konkani skit wherein an old- style couple are looking for a bride for their modern -style son only to find out that he is in a live-in relationship and would need no help from his parents. The visual highlight of the evening was the dramatic entry of King Momo, with his queen and their march, a la Rio and Panjim during the Carnival which is now on the eve of Ash Wednesday on February 18. While King Momo (Dan Sanctis) and his queen (Rioyona Mascarenhas) looked authentic like their counterparts from Rio and Panjim, their troupe of followers were not quarter-clad as in Rio.