from Roydon Roche
for Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SM)

Mangalore, Oct 29: Voveo-Vers workshop, organized by Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, and Catholic Sabha, Suratkal was held at Holy Family School, Suratkal near here on Sunday October 28. 
 
The workshop began with the inauguration in a traditional way where the guests were welcomed with betel leaves, jaggery and water and accompanied by traditional umbrellas held by people dressed in traditional attire.  Gurkars (heads of the wards) brought Vojim (offerings) and 3 ladies brought roce in plates.

Fr JB D'Souza, parish priest of Suratkal inaugurated the workshop by pouring roce into the plates. 

In his inaugural address he said "People used to come together for weddings and those were the days people used to sing voveo and vers.”

He appreciated the efforts of Konkani Sahitya Academy in preserving this tradition and thanked them for holding the workshop at Suratkal.

George Ligoury D'Souza, president of Catholic Sabha welcomed the gathering. Peter Paul D'Souza, vice-president of Suratkal church, Alwyn Sequiera, president of Catholic Sabha Pezar Varado, SH Shivarudrappa, registrar of the academy, Roydon Roche, secretary of Catholic Sabha were present on the dais along with Eric Ozario, president, Karnataka Konkani Sahith Academy who was the director of the workshop.

Jessy W D'Souza and Gretta Pinto compered the inaugural function. Hilda D'Souza and Irene Rebello were the resource persons. The way they explained as how the olden day’s weddings were celebrated along with teaching a ‘Vovi’ for the particular occasion made the audience feel that they were witnessing an olden day wedding. They taught the audience to sing Vovi according to the occasion.

In the evening “Konkani Maan Monis ek Mulakath” programme was held. Eric Ozario presided over the function. Journalist, writer, editor and social worker Kinnigoli Ganesh Mallya and noted Konkani dramatist, organizer and Konkani leader in Mumbai Henry D'Silva Suratkal were felicitated on the occasion.

An interactive session was held were the audience asked question to the honoured persons. Certificates were awarded to all the 150 participants of the workshop and ‘Baileann Ailo Vhor’, a collection of voveo and verse by Irene Rebello was presented to them. Fr John Fernandes, head of chair in Christianity, Mangalore University was the chief guest.  Daijiworld editor-in-chief Walter Nandalike and operations director Melvyn Rodrigues were the guests on the occasion. He spoke on the need of giving importance to ones mother tongue. SH Shivarudrappa, registrar of the academy proposed the vote of thanks. The programme was compered by Vitori Karkal.