Photo Album - 2 Click Here
Abu Dhabi, Jan 16: The Cultural Day-2009 of the Konkani Cultural Organization (KCO) was inaugurated by chief guest Fr Antony Lopez, judge, auditor, and Chancellor, Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia.
The event which was attended by about 500 Konkani lovers, began with a rendition of ‘Namo Namo Parameshwara’, written and composed by the long-serving KCO member Gerald D’Mello.
Popular Konkani compere Reena Pinto ensured the smooth transition to various programmes held on the occasion. The grateful mention of sponsors, donors, well-wishers of KCO, was followed by a dance by Clarissa Fernandes and the skit ‘Tailor Shop’, performed by Kemmanu Flowers comprising of Lancy D’Cunha, Rony D’Souza, Ida Fernandes, Stany D’Cunha and Sydney D’Souza.
The only Mangalorean finalist of ‘Boogie Woogi-2008’, Gavin Rodrigues performed a dance to the Bollywood number ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’.
Chief guests Fr Lopez, Monsignor Francis Jamison, vicar general, Vicariate of Arabia, Dr B R Shetty, chairman, board of directors, Abu Dhabi Indian School, and managing director, NMC Group of Companies, and Richard D’Souza, treasurer, board of governors, Abu Dhabi Indian School, were felicitated by Leo Rodrigues, president, KCO.
St Mary’s Association, Shirva, performed a group song followed by a solo number by Canute Mathias. The association also staged a play ‘Kadri Gudyaso Thundurai’, which was well-received by the audience. Claude D’Lima, Joy Almeida, Denis Mathias, Suraj Dias, Denis Gomes, Elias Fernandes, Vanita Menezes, Sharan D’Souza, Manoj Menezes, Francis Machado, and Oswald D’Souza were the performers.
A break for lunch saw DJ Rudy Borges of Abu Dhabi playing some dance numbers. At 3 pm famous short play, ‘Pidestacho Bongostol’, written, directed, and acted out by Francis Fernandes Cascia and his troupe consisting of Sunitha Menezes, Avryl Rodrigues, Alwyn Pinto, Deepak D’Silva, Pradeep Barboza, and Klevin D’Souza, was staged.
Keeping up the tempo, the Konkani Prayer Group of Abu Dhabi enacted ‘Gurukarachi Bolaiki’. Another comedy skit by Francis Cascia, and a hilarious short play by Kemmanu Flowers followed.
Konkani music team ‘Heritage’ featuring Alwyn Mendonca, James Fernandes, Ivan Fernandes, Sharon Rego, Rene Lobo, and Rupert Vaz kept feet tapping through the day.