By Joe Andrade

Bahrain, Jun 11: In a crisp glittering ceremony, the members and well-wishers of Bahrain’s Karavali Konkans Association, took-off with its first family program with a scintillating children’s dance performance and to the thunderous applause of the audience.     

The program was held in the evening at the newly refurbished The Palace Hotel, Adliya, on 8th June, 2006.

Dennis D’Silva, the Entertainment Secretary, welcomed the gathering with a befitting tribute to the late Michael Maxim D’Souza, popularly known as Mick-max with a minute’s silence in memory and welcomed the Chief Guest, Fr. Vincent D’Souza, Asst. Parish Priest, Sacred Heart Church, who kindly graced the occasion. Ronald D. F. D’Souza, the President, addressed the gathering and was quite appreciative of members’ interest and participation in the activities. The Association’s Committee members, were crisply introduced by Jude Thaddeus Gonsalves and this gave an opportunity for members to know them.

The program was laced with a string of choice Konkani songs composed by the legendary Mick-max and there were also a few songs from  Gratian D’Souza’s Konkani album  performed by artistes picked from the Association’s members and their children.   

The program  introduced two budding singing sensations, Hanna Joyce Miranda aged 11 and Samantha Andrade, aged 19 who were specially honoured with a gift.   “Valcha Udkak Mog  Daryaso”, “Dadbadtha Kallez Mujem”, “Chandrema”, “Mathyenth Lillolim Tarram”, “Milarchem Noven”, “Hero”, “Thuje Sopbith Te Donn Dolle”, “Taxi”, “Cheduva Borrim Amchea Ganvaanchi” were sung by various artistes that included Irene D’Souza, Ashok Monteiro, Dennis D’Silva, Francis Lobo, Simon Vaz and Joe Andrade.    

The melodious Konkani numbers enthralled the rapturous audience and prompted thunderous applause at every opportunity. The Konkani program was compered by Hilary Tellis who in his fluent Konkani kept the audience cheering the artistes and the program rolling from pillar to post.

The music scenario was the sole responsibility and talent of Nafjad, who turned out to be a one-man-band Orchestra giving us the original brand of typical Konkani music without a flaw.

A couple of short humorous skits were performed by Hilary Tellis, Ivan D’Souza and Joe Andrade, bringing the audience to peals of laughter with their funny anecdotes.  

The two sisters Shruthi and Shloka Hejmadi along with Kotekar gave a scintillating classical dance performance and another Tulu dance by Chandrakala Mohan and Lakeyya brought back memories of our Tulu-speaking community. The PR-personality, Joe Andrade delivered the Vote of Thanks and made sure all appreciation was duly given to audience, participants, volunteers and well-wishers.   The Novelty dance kept DJ Vallie and Philip busy spinning the discs and a game of Housie-housie kept the members nimble fingers rolling for attractive prizes!   With the Baila finale, there was sumptuous dinner laid out for a bon appetite.

The main Sponsor of the show was BATELCO Bahrain and Co-sponsors Arabian Protection Co. and a well-wisher.

The program was well attended by members and their families that contributed immensely to its success.