Mangalore: ‘Konkani Jagrati Abhiyan’ to Begin in Schools from Mar 19

Pics: Savitha B R
News: Vitori Karkal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RD/CN)

Mangalore, Mar 17: Under the aegis of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and Konkani Prachar Sanchalan, ‘Konkani Jagrati Abhiyan in Schools’ will be held at 24 venues across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts from Saturday March 19 to Sunday April 10, on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, by staging the street play ‘Shivn Jalem Gadavn’ in order to create awareness among Konkani-speaking people, said KSP president Narayana Kharvi.

He was addressing presspersons here on Thursday March 17. Konkani Prachar Sanchalan president Roy Castelino and co-ordinator Victor Mathias among others were present.

Schedule

March 19 Saturday – 1) Kaikamba market – Kulshekar 2) Vamanjoor and 3) Gurupur – Kaikamba

March 20 Sunday – 4) Mulky 5) Udupi 6) Santekatte

March 26 Saturday – 7) Tokkottu 8) Urwa Store 9) Kadri Park

March 27 Sunday 10) Bajpe 11) Bondel – Padavinangady 12) Kuloor

April 2 Saturday 13) DC office nearby 14) KSRTC – Bejai 15) Kankanady market

April 3 Sunday – 16) Alangar 17) Kanajar 18) Ajekar 

April 9 Saturday – 19) Suratkal 20) Shirva  21) Kinnigoli

April 10 Sunday – 22) Loretto 23) Puttur 24) Bantwal.

The street play is written by Rony Crasta and directed by Ivan D'Silva. Vitori Karkal is the co-ordinator. Lawrence D’Souza Narampady, Sheldon Crasta Bendore, Jovita D’Souza Ashoknagar, Sandeep Monteiro Kayyar, Jackson Saldanha Pakshikere, Reshma Castelino Mulky, Nelson Tellis Karkal, Rohan Rodrigues Bendore, Sunita Rose Crasta Narampady, and Avit Fernandes Shamboor are the artistes.

It’s a play related to one language—mother tongue Konkani gives distinct personality to an individual and can be sustained for many centuries to effectively face the onslaught of globalization by conversing in Konkani and preserve its distinct culture. The street play depicts how a lion that has abandoned its inherent language becomes a donkey.

The worldwide use of English has posed major setback to regional languages. Konkans are shunning their mother tongue for various reasons. One can get a better job with English skills, but it’s the mother tongue that gives one their distinct identity.

None of the languages can take the place of the mother tongue. Other languages will serve as means of communication while mother tongue truly serves as medium of cultural expression. An example are the Jews who revived their mother tongue Hebrew after forming the State of Israel. One inherits one’s mother tongue from birth and it gets deep-rooted in the personality.

Konkani is an Enriched Language

Konkani is one among thousands of regional languages in India. Nevertheless, its one among the 22 languages that is included in the eighth schedule of Indian constitution. Konkani is the state language of Goa. It’s spoken by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. It’s spoken in Maharasthra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is written in scripts of Devanagari, Roman, Malayalam, Parsi, and Arabic. Jesuit priest Fr Thomas Stevens authored ‘Arte Da Lingua Kanarim’, the Konkani grammar book that was published in
1640.

Despite Konkani having thousands of years of history and thriving during the rule of dynasties such as Rastrakoota, Silhara, Kadamba, and Vijayanagar, it did not get royal patronage, states history. Konkani survived merely through the ordinary folks who conversed in their daily lives. The need of the hour is to sustain Konkani without denying the significance of English.

Konkani in Schools

If Konkani is spoken in homes, in the liturgical services in churches, and taught in schools, the learning of Konkani is easier for children. Although Konkani is spoken by a fraction of Konkans in India and not used in commercial application, it can be studied in schools across Karnataka. The Karnataka government, through their issuance of order ED/207-DGO-2004-Banglore, 13-03-2007, provided an opportunity for children to study Konkani in schools as an optional subject beginning from Class VI.

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy bears temporary responsibility of Konkani studies. It provides necessary information, study materials, and training through DSERT and DIET. Konkani Prachar Sanchalan provides helps for smooth functioning of Konkani studies. It provides honorarium to Konkani teachers and encourages the students in pursuit of Konkani classes. Now, the Konkani studies that began from Class VI have reached Class IX.

As per the statistics provided by Konkani teachers to the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, 1,800 students are studying Konkani in Kannada script in 56 higher primary schools and 24 high schools during the academic year 2010-11. Konkani will be included in the Pratiba Karanji talent competitions from the next academic year.

The academic year, beginning from June 2011, is most significant since Konkani makes it to Class X, a milestone in Konkani studies which every Konkan should be proud of. It calls for many more students to opt for Konkani studies in order to become a glorious occasion in the history of Konkani. Students in large numbers are expected to take Konkani as the third subject in Class X, and their parents are also supporting them in their endeavour. The school authorities have been advised to teach Konkani within the
syllabus. It will give an easier opportunity for Konkani students to secure higher marks.

If the state government finds a large number of students pursuing Konkani studies, it will approve Konkani studies in B Ed / D Ed. The community will benefit from more Konkani teachers graduating from training colleges. Konkani will be taught in PUC and degree colleges which will enable study and research on Konkani.

Kannada – Konkani has rich literary forms. If that has to be sustained, more number of students need to pursue Konkani in schools. The future of Konkani cannot be strengthened by merely studying Konkani in schools; it has to be part of higher education with scope for research and this will lay a strong foundation for its sustenance. If there is a lapse in laying a strong foundation to teach Konkani in schools, it will not benefit the reader despite the existence of top literary works.

Konkani Prachar Sanchalan came into existence under the chairmanship of Roy Castelino in 2007, with the objective of promoting Konkani in Kannada script in schools. It helps Konkani teachers by paying honorarium for their services, and provides textbooks to students. NRI entrepreneur Ronald Colaco has been extending financial support in this regard.

Bishop Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza of Mangalore diocese, Catholic Board of Education, religious nuns of Bethany, Ursuline, and Apostolate of Carmelites are supporting Konkani studies in schools.

Konkani studies are applicable to third optional language and can be chosen by the students of Kannada medium, English medium, irrespective of rural or urban schools. The onus of preserving Konkani heritage lies with the students studying Konkani in schools.