THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTMAS
- By Gaspar Almeida
CHRISTMAS does something quite miraculous to most of us. We may go to bed the night before weary of crowds and rush and dozens of last-minute chores, and fed up with the whole business. And then we arise on the day itself to find ourselves transformed almost as remarkably as Scrooge was, and without any ghostly assistance. If we have small children we find that we love them, even though they wakened us at dawn. The sense of family unity becomes something to be newly cherished. We greet our friends with uncritical affection. Our hearts go out to all our fellow men, and we wish them well. We do not do these things because we are compelled to or because tradition says we ought to. We do them simply because the spirit of Christmas is upon us. Peace and good will, familiar words of the Christmas story, suddenly become positive and meaningful. The good will recedes, the peace is disturbed, and we go back to the strivings and the differences of everyday life. But the spirit of Christmas does not disappear. It is a part of us, part of our heritage and of our national as well as individual behavior. Sometimes it seems that we forget, in our zeal for progress and improvement, that we are a decent, kindly people. We seem to forget how good a life most of us have, and why we have it. It is right that we should try to improve that life and share its goodness more evenly. But in doing that we sometimes tend to emphasize our disagreements and to take our blessings and our virtues for granted.
The Christmas season is a good time to remember that we live our lives on Christian ethics as well as on political justice, built upon the Christian belief in the worth and dignity of the individual. That belief is absent this Christmas in modern times. In some countries, the brotherhood of man has been replaced by government edicts of suspicion, betrayal and class hatred. In others, conformity and obedience are demanded by a program whose goal seems to be a drab uniformity masquerading as social equality. And even in our own country there are people who would have us emulate the one system or the other. We have not done so, and let us give thanks for it. Let us look about us and within us and count our very palpable blessings. Let us remember that, for all our shortcomings, we embody for the rest of the world the charity and generosity and good will that are the essence of the Christian and the Christmas spirit. Christmas is not an institution or an holiday of one particular country. But we have patterned our best aspirations after its meaning until it has become not only one day in our year but, in a sense, our way of life.
(End)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
UCU-Kuwait honours 'Voice of Goa 2008'
Kuwait, March 8, 2009: The winner of 'Kingfisher Voice of Goa 2008' singer Keith Jack Antao was honoured by United Club of Utorda-Kuwait for his great achievement, on 6th March 2009 in Kuwait City. Keith is on a short family visit to Kuwait. On behalf of the Utodd'dekar villagers, Konkani poet and writer, Nakhas Borkar congratulated Keith Antao for achieving this success and making his fellow Utodd'dekars proud and put forth his plans to Keith to organize special music classes in Utorda to promote this very precious talent which God has blessed in abundance.
Francisco (Chequinho) Fernandes, UCU President honoured Keith Antao with a plaque on behalf of Utodd'dekars based in Kuwait and UCU executive member Menino Monteiro presented a valuable gift as a token of appreciation on behalf of United Club of Utorda-Kuwait. Apart from the beautiful voice, Keith has been gifted with many other talents - he plays the lead guitar, the organ and the violin and is equally good in sports too.
Keith Antao is an active member of the Utorda parish choir. His spontaneous beautiful smile is a bonus point in all his achievements. In his speech Nakhas Borkar reminded the Utorda community and Goans at large that "2008 a very blessed year to all Utod'dekars for some of the proud moments happened in the history of Utorda in a very significant way on the arts and cultural scenario.
On September 8th for the very first time village apex body United Club of Utorda released a book 'Aitaracheo Katkutleo' written by the son of the soil Konkani poet, writer and UCU adviser Lino B. Dourado and on September 20th another Konkani book released 'Iad Tuji' (written by Borkar himself). On 12th October ‘Jivit’, the Konkani monthly magazine conferred the ‘Best Humorous Konkani Writer 2008’ award on the Kuwait-based goa-world.com team member Lino B. Dourado. In the All Goa Mando Festival 2008, ‘Harmonizer’s Choir of Utorda' won the first prize in Senior and Profession level category organized by the Goa Arts and Cultural Social Centre, Bonicio Vitorin Pereira bagged the prestigious first prize in best Tiatr script writer competition organized by Goa Konkani Academy (GKA) in memory of Pai Tiatrist 'Joao Agostinho Fernandes’ and popular singer Marcus Vaz (ex-Kuwait) was bestowed the prestigious late Jack de Sequeira Award'.
It was also a great honour for senior veteran Uttordekar tiatr writer-director Master Vaz who was called to inaugurate the “Tiatr Academy of Goa” in the presence of Goa’s Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, the academy’s nominated president Tomazinho Cardozo in the midst of a galaxy of the members of the Konkani stage. Master Vaz was also honoured by the Government of Goa among scores of other veteran members of the tiatrist fraternity a few weeks ago”.
UCU adviser Lino B. Dourado compeered the function while UCU General Secretary Richard Socorro Rodrigues proposed a vote of thanks and gratefully acknowledged the Lord Almighty for blessing Keith Antao with abundant talents and wished him every success in all his future endeavours.
The popular annual event “Kingfisher Voice of Goa” is being organised for the last four years in a row which is a singing competition that recognises and encourages fresh talents in Goa and awards cash prizes and other incentives. The competition draws hundreds of young talented singers which acts as a springboard for instant recognition and is also one of the several major events for the visiting tourists to Goa.
Pictures courtesy: www.goa-world.com & UCU-Kuwait
Meet the Producer-Director of Konkani Film "DOLLA" - Ignatius D. Fernandes
Meet the Producer-Director of Konkani Film "DOLLA"
- IGNATIUS D. FERNANDES
Good news for all the Konkani lovers. Yet another Kuwait-based Goan has envisaged to carry on the Goan tradition of keeping the Goan culture alive and this time, it's another Konkani full feature film tilted "DOLLA", written and directed by Ignatius D. Fernandes.The entire shoot of this film has been done in Kuwait. Alluring music has been composed and meticulously selected for "DOLLA" keeping the Goan taste of melody, music and rhyme in mind. Ignatius hails from the picturesque village of Sancoale, Goa-India and proudly says: "I have great expectation from this film. I’ve tried my best to do justice to the script".
A brief intro about the Producer-Director:
After obtaining his Degree in Computer Engineering (APTECH), he successfully undertook the IATA Diploma courses. Cinema was something out of his thoughts as a career or profession option, then.
Ignatius fondly remembers during his childhood days, when his dad, John C. Fernandes, who worked in Kuwait used to get Konkani Video Cassettes, along with all the goodies and presents. He still vividly remembers the names of some like “Hanv Vatt Chuklo”, “Kitem Hanvem Kellem”, “Doth ani Dennem”, among scores of other Konkani dramas which his mother Succorina Fernandes used to treasure, keeping them immaculately cleaned and packed. He confesses though that he was not too much fond of them during that time. Ignatius recalls "I guess it was due to the attitude of insignificance of our mother tongue we felt around us"! When he stepped into adolescence, a likeness towards Konkani grew within him. I used to hear all the Konkani audio cassettes. "I even to the extend to clean the fungus on the VHS cassettes and watch the same dramas once I shunned to view", he shyly recalls.
Around 2004 when Konkani home-made and amateur videos started to bloom, a desire to make his own Konkani songs album VCD was felt by him. He fondly adds, "I learnt the techniques and ideas used in film creations, production as well as the finer aspects of filming. I met some professionals, exchange lots of thoughts and views and with their help planned out my first Konkani VCD project. After 3-4 songs were filmed, fate had something else in store for me. "I landed in Kuwait on a work visa and had to depart from this field". The wish of fulfilling his 'maiden' project was sacrificed as his job and other priorities came in the fore.
It was during the same period that his brother, Joywin, also a die-hard Konkani lover, established himself and set up his own banner “Home Video Production” in Goa. Today, Ignatius deeply feel proud of Joywin's success as he has scripted his mark for having the largest number of Konkani VCD and Konkani telefilms photographed, filmed and edited single handedly. A rare achievement, indeed, at a very young age! Joywin has some pleasant creative films to his name and credit. Among these include “Chintt Munxea Vogot Astanam”, “Chintnam Nuin Sopnam”, “ Ek Full Don Kannte”, etc.
The latest released film “Friends” in which the beautifully conceptualized romance between youngsters is well presented. 'It's happening for the first time in Konkani films', Ignatius prouldy states. Termed as a youthful joyride, the entertaining film is written, directed, photographed and edited by Joywin. Yet another new film titled “Family” is also slated for release soon. It's a film about relationships.
Coming back to "DOLLA" his cherished subject, Ignatius gives a little insight cheefully, "I intended to create a film long back, but due to reasons beyond my control and other commitments, the idea and script were set aside untouched. Now after an impatient wait of over 5 years, finally I have ventured out for this film. The trailor of this film is already out on a few Konkani Video CDs and also on youtube, goa-world.com and goamag.net web portals.
Watch it NOW on GoaMag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWHOGW2RSIY
Now at the post-production stages, the 29 year old Ignatius feels great that his dream film has come true! It's been a truly a blissful experience to see my work on screen! “My wife Joyce has been my genuine support throughout the making of "DOLLA". She was instrumental in re-writing/modifying the script as the film progressed and accompanied me on the shoot locations. She did the part of an Assistant Director with a genuine eye for details. Without her love and support I couldn’t have brightened up my film", he candidly acknowledges. "My special thanks to all the cast who have tirelessly put in their best performances so also the technicians and support crew".
"The film has turned out in excellent form and to my liking. I have treated each and every element of the movie accurately keeping in mind the audience in and around the Konkan region. I have attempted to craft something different in the genre of Konkani films."
The film "DOLLA" features Sheryl Gomes, Sylvester Vaz, Irene Vaz, Marina D’Souza, Riana Azavedo, Simon Dias, and a host of other actors including Ignatius and Joyce in a small cameo appearance.
The production and marketing will be handled by "Home Video Productions". The other related aspects of the film are set for final touches. "I plan to release this movie on big screen soon. A few more shoots and that's all is awaited..... I am positive the Konkani audiences will like it".
As Ignatius confidently puts it, "DOLLA" is surely gonna be an all out entertainer and a collector's item for Konkani film enthusiasts.
The producer-director can be contacted via Email: ignatius_kuwait@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , ifilmstudios@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Tel/Mob: (+965) 99208421.
Further details about the cast, music and above all, the novel approach in production, direction and storyline is all that the Konkani film lovers await for to watch.
- Goa-World.Com Team joins all Konkani lovers and wishes Ignatius D. Fernandes and all associated with the film production all the very best.
"DOLLA" Poster was first released to goa-world.com team by the producer-director. You saw it first at here at www.goa-world.com
Indeed the tradition goes on, since 1994! Promoting tiatr, tiatrists, Konkani and everything Goan!
-gaspar almeida
(c) All rights reserved.
www.goa-world.com
- IGNATIUS D. FERNANDES
Good news for all the Konkani lovers. Yet another Kuwait-based Goan has envisaged to carry on the Goan tradition of keeping the Goan culture alive and this time, it's another Konkani full feature film tilted "DOLLA", written and directed by Ignatius D. Fernandes.The entire shoot of this film has been done in Kuwait. Alluring music has been composed and meticulously selected for "DOLLA" keeping the Goan taste of melody, music and rhyme in mind. Ignatius hails from the picturesque village of Sancoale, Goa-India and proudly says: "I have great expectation from this film. I’ve tried my best to do justice to the script".
A brief intro about the Producer-Director:
After obtaining his Degree in Computer Engineering (APTECH), he successfully undertook the IATA Diploma courses. Cinema was something out of his thoughts as a career or profession option, then.
Ignatius fondly remembers during his childhood days, when his dad, John C. Fernandes, who worked in Kuwait used to get Konkani Video Cassettes, along with all the goodies and presents. He still vividly remembers the names of some like “Hanv Vatt Chuklo”, “Kitem Hanvem Kellem”, “Doth ani Dennem”, among scores of other Konkani dramas which his mother Succorina Fernandes used to treasure, keeping them immaculately cleaned and packed. He confesses though that he was not too much fond of them during that time. Ignatius recalls "I guess it was due to the attitude of insignificance of our mother tongue we felt around us"! When he stepped into adolescence, a likeness towards Konkani grew within him. I used to hear all the Konkani audio cassettes. "I even to the extend to clean the fungus on the VHS cassettes and watch the same dramas once I shunned to view", he shyly recalls.
Around 2004 when Konkani home-made and amateur videos started to bloom, a desire to make his own Konkani songs album VCD was felt by him. He fondly adds, "I learnt the techniques and ideas used in film creations, production as well as the finer aspects of filming. I met some professionals, exchange lots of thoughts and views and with their help planned out my first Konkani VCD project. After 3-4 songs were filmed, fate had something else in store for me. "I landed in Kuwait on a work visa and had to depart from this field". The wish of fulfilling his 'maiden' project was sacrificed as his job and other priorities came in the fore.
It was during the same period that his brother, Joywin, also a die-hard Konkani lover, established himself and set up his own banner “Home Video Production” in Goa. Today, Ignatius deeply feel proud of Joywin's success as he has scripted his mark for having the largest number of Konkani VCD and Konkani telefilms photographed, filmed and edited single handedly. A rare achievement, indeed, at a very young age! Joywin has some pleasant creative films to his name and credit. Among these include “Chintt Munxea Vogot Astanam”, “Chintnam Nuin Sopnam”, “ Ek Full Don Kannte”, etc.
The latest released film “Friends” in which the beautifully conceptualized romance between youngsters is well presented. 'It's happening for the first time in Konkani films', Ignatius prouldy states. Termed as a youthful joyride, the entertaining film is written, directed, photographed and edited by Joywin. Yet another new film titled “Family” is also slated for release soon. It's a film about relationships.
Coming back to "DOLLA" his cherished subject, Ignatius gives a little insight cheefully, "I intended to create a film long back, but due to reasons beyond my control and other commitments, the idea and script were set aside untouched. Now after an impatient wait of over 5 years, finally I have ventured out for this film. The trailor of this film is already out on a few Konkani Video CDs and also on youtube, goa-world.com and goamag.net web portals.
Watch it NOW on GoaMag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWHOGW2RSIY
Now at the post-production stages, the 29 year old Ignatius feels great that his dream film has come true! It's been a truly a blissful experience to see my work on screen! “My wife Joyce has been my genuine support throughout the making of "DOLLA". She was instrumental in re-writing/modifying the script as the film progressed and accompanied me on the shoot locations. She did the part of an Assistant Director with a genuine eye for details. Without her love and support I couldn’t have brightened up my film", he candidly acknowledges. "My special thanks to all the cast who have tirelessly put in their best performances so also the technicians and support crew".
"The film has turned out in excellent form and to my liking. I have treated each and every element of the movie accurately keeping in mind the audience in and around the Konkan region. I have attempted to craft something different in the genre of Konkani films."
The film "DOLLA" features Sheryl Gomes, Sylvester Vaz, Irene Vaz, Marina D’Souza, Riana Azavedo, Simon Dias, and a host of other actors including Ignatius and Joyce in a small cameo appearance.
The production and marketing will be handled by "Home Video Productions". The other related aspects of the film are set for final touches. "I plan to release this movie on big screen soon. A few more shoots and that's all is awaited..... I am positive the Konkani audiences will like it".
As Ignatius confidently puts it, "DOLLA" is surely gonna be an all out entertainer and a collector's item for Konkani film enthusiasts.
The producer-director can be contacted via Email: ignatius_kuwait@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , ifilmstudios@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Tel/Mob: (+965) 99208421.
Further details about the cast, music and above all, the novel approach in production, direction and storyline is all that the Konkani film lovers await for to watch.
- Goa-World.Com Team joins all Konkani lovers and wishes Ignatius D. Fernandes and all associated with the film production all the very best.
"DOLLA" Poster was first released to goa-world.com team by the producer-director. You saw it first at here at www.goa-world.com
Indeed the tradition goes on, since 1994! Promoting tiatr, tiatrists, Konkani and everything Goan!
-gaspar almeida
(c) All rights reserved.
www.goa-world.com
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