ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT

- RASHMI RATHI

The following are the excerpts from the last article written by Shenoi Goembab before his death on 9 April 1946. Occasioned by the need to respond to-even refute-the views regarding Konkani, expressed by the great scholar-visionary Kakasaheb Kalelkar as the president of the third Gomantak Marathi Literary meet held in Mumbai in 1945, this article rightly called "Ain Vellar"(on the spur of the moment), reflects the facets of the Konkani stalwart's personality and nature.

The presidential address of Kakasaib was befitting his vast learning, knowledge and experience. It well-reflects his innate tendency to recognize the grouse of others and of treating them with deep sympathy. There is also a genuine concern in his words. They are not hollow reflections of superficial emotion meant to win goodwill hypocritically. He has accurately assessed the source of the welfare of the nation and he speaks and lives by the same vision. That is why I admire him very much and regret that such a great personality was no born in Goa. Although he calls himself Maratha that is not true at all! I have no doubt absolutely that he is our very own Konkno- the Grand Konkno. He is the Kuththallkar (Cortalikar) of Salcete. The claim made by him that Goa is his Holy Land is indeed true! His heart bleeds for Konkani. After witnessing his support for Konkani, the organisers of the sammelan (meet) must have felt that they have committed a great folly by inviting him to preside over it.

Kakasaib is of the opinion that the mellifluity of Konkani is enticing and that every word of popular speech (in Konkani) vibrates with poetic melody and that it's potential is extraordinary. Goa has people of different religions and castes; the only bond that can forge them together is the Konkani language. If her literature is not permitted to blossom and if she is not given her due position in governance then this basic principle of unity among the Goans will be lost and this will lead to discord, disintegration and finally to destruction. If the authority of the Portuguese language is to be dislodged and replaced by that of the people's language, then that place has to be given only to Konkani. As of now, if any native language can be made the official language there, then it can be no other than Konkani. In government offices and in education there is no alternative to making Konkani the main language. This is what Kakasaib says and that is the absolute truth.

But he goes on to say that learning both these languages should continue incessantly, so that Konkani should get the milk of Marathi or else she will dry up or become ill. With the greatest of respect, I wish to convey to Kakasaib that this statement is contrary to the experience hitherto. It is right that Konkani has been spoken in Goa since antiquity. But his opinion, that the learning by rote of Marathi has also been in vogue since then, is in variance with history. Marathi is as recent a language as Konkani is ancient. That is the reason why she has never had to suck at the udders of Marathi. So Marathi is neither her mother nor her nurse. On the contrary, ever since Marathi has come closer to Konkani, she has milted Konkani to the extent of drawing blood in order to grow and swell. Due to our lethargy and slumber, she has had a chance to graze unhindered in the Konkani pastures to her hearts content. 

The days of further fussing over Marathi are gone. The sooner she beats a retreat from the Konkani land, the better it is. We are not in the least inclined to offer her the pride of place as the mother tongue. In free India, we should be knowing only as much Marathi as the other (Indian) languages. We should learn it to that extent and no more! Advising us to treat the two languages as mother tongue would be akin to embarking on two vessels simultaneously - a definite case of falling between two stools. We will be ruined in the bargain. So let us forge ahead on our own native, antiquated Konkani bark. So seasoned, strong and great that it is, it shall bear us round the world. Foolishly we have neglected and cast it aside for so long. Still its essential potency has not been undermined in the least. Anything, from a plain tale to profound scientific subjects can be expressed with ease in Konkani. The reason for this is that it has the warm nourishing blood of its ancient Vedic forerunners gushing through her veins. It will not take much to establish the veracity of this claim of mine, if a linguistic analysis of Konkani is undertaken. Such a noble and well-endowed mother tongue as ours hardly needs the unnatural and stale top milk of Marathi.

With regard to the issues of mother tongue as well as script, Kakasaib's special Monism (Vishisht Advait)-duality coated monism-will considerably harm us. We must continue to uphold the 'principle of one and only' (Ekamevaadwiteeyam) and brushing away duality must profess affection and love (undivided Love) for only one (entity) whole-heartedly. Our mind should not flounder in more than one direction. We have to facilitate the usage of Devanagri script in order to retain the ancient linguistic link.

Kakasaib opines that the Konkani that is prevalent in Goa may be considered the chief or the standard (dialect). But in this respect, neither stubborn insistence nor idiosyncratic opinion is desirable. This task has to be accomplished with the fair consensus of the Konkani people. Then alone will our language develop vigorously. Kakasaib's view regarding the literature in a language is extremely significant. He observes that literature should be used in its full steam to cleanse social life and make it grow vigorously. Undoubtedly, the Konkani writers should heed this opinion and nurse similar ambitions…

Today with regard to polity, religion and lingua-politics we have become ascetics. We stand away, not touched by anything, nor touching anything, preferring to be mere spectators of what others do and to live in their bondage. Probably that is why we imagine that our ancestors were also like us and portrayed them thus! We have no models for higher ambitions or righteous emotions to bestir our hearts. The low and despicable feeling that we have been born to live and die as slaves has gripped us.

Had such a feeling not taken hold of our being we would have been is essence the intelligent and wise Konkanes steering the ship of India safely ahead without brooking any shallows. But woe to us! We have become oblivious of that glorious brilliant past. We have driven away the alma-mater of past and become impoverished in every way. 
Nonetheless, I exhort my aspiring and enthusiastic youngsters that they should at the earliest rediscover that ghost of the past and make it haunt us. Scan your ancient history of glory to decide your present and plan your future. Due to your neglect, sloth and can't -care-less attitude, selfish strangers have taken charge of your home. Ridding roughshod, they are lording it over to you. Do not taste of their false history of brags and bluffs. Think not by there borrowed brains. Do not drink from their hand. Drive them out of the borders of Konkan. Think and act as per your own fertile intellect so that you shall proper. Kakasaib should have advised us along these lines. Such an exhortation would have befitted his Konknohood.

In the end, I a petty, humble, ignoramus would like to say-with great modesty and deep regret-to the grand acharya (Kakasaib), that in Konkan we do not beed the blessings of the more recent goddesses like the warlike Mahishasurmardini, nor the colour and the song of the intoxicating, enchantress Tripurasundari. We prefer our ancient, peace propagating, renowned-since-the -vedic-times-the one and only one Santeri, the goddess of Konkan, worshipped in every village of Goa. We shall evoke her blessings. Along with her let us also invoke the blessed, fortunate mother of Lord Jesus Christ, the immaculate Virgin Mary and seek her blessings too! With the patronage of this holy two-some, we shall all be delivered unto good. Let the chant prevail "Om Santeri Have Mercy on Us! Holy virgin Mother Bless Our Way!"

Courtesy: GOA TODAY, JUNE 2000.