Darkness & Light

A person is capable of producing both the darkness as well as the light and when amplified it has the power to affect policies of a nation, this shouldn’t come as a shock to people as governments globally are run by people like you and me, with plenty of choices before them.

          Both of these actions have consequences which are borne by people. Prior to the general election of India in 2019, these were evident when around 90% of India chose to descend India into darkness, electing people who blamed pollution in Delhi on Pakistan, a government which blamed the ‘susegad’ attitude of Goans and millions of statements similar to that. In such a situation only 10% Indians ascended India from darkness to light which proves a tough future for India is on the cards.

The government which blamed onion prices on Goans attitude is just looking for a scapegoat as onion prices continue to skyrocket throughout India, the GDP of India is in a pathetic state, exports have been affected and millions of obstacles continue to rise. As the government continues to spew out it’s venom, there are brave voices fighting against it like Dhruv Rathee and Faye D’Souza both of which carry on the fight through social media. Few news organisations too swim against the tide providing honest mews like NDTV, The Quint and others 

A scapegoat often used by the saffronised government is the Congress be it the recent twist applied by Smriti Irani to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about rape in India to Congress termed as guilty by the saffronised party, in attempts to gain sympathy for the hotly debated ‘Citizenship Amendment bill’ which had the ripple effect of instigating violent protests throughout India.  A few dangerous trends of the present government is curbing free speech in all outlets and utilising tools like Arnab Goswami and movies like ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ and many more which amplifies propaganda and not cinema.

The saffronised government clearly dominates the opposition when it comes to the mind as they tried to stake a claim out of the recently concluded drama in Maharashtra after an unlikely alliance threatened their power and in the 2017 legislative assembly elections of Goa where the saffron emerged victorious due to the fights over power. The saffronised government in various parts of India have proven elections as null and void as reports emerge of a huge chuck of the opposition in various states embrace the saffronised party.

People apparently seem to have a short memory for example in the recent past of Goa there have been the cases of Ketamine, Formalin, Coal plant in Vasco and many more for which the government came under fire. Unfortunately this all was forgotten by some people when damage control measures were taken like the building of the third mandovi bridge by the government which was a relief to many

Unfortunately these all come at the expense of our environment and our precious Goa. Brave voice fought, died and continue to fight these inhuman cruelties, but are ultimately silenced. Will more people like Gauri Lankesh, Fr. Bismarque and millions more die before we finally arise from our slumber? Should we go about our lives oblivious to these? It’s time to ponder isn’t it?

Past & Present

Once upon a time in the tiny state of Goa, there lived two friends called Jennifer and Shweta. They were inseparable and were the best of friends. Nothing could come between them. Though they came from different backgrounds and spoke different dialects of Konkani they shared a mutual respect for each other, they both loved Konkani.

As years passed, they drifted apart. They argued a lot due to their various ideologies, the transition from Konkani to English worsened their relationship as Shweta had another reason to love Konkani. In addition to it being her mother tongue, she knew the role Konkani played in the 'Opinion Poll'. She was determined to help Jennifer recall her love for Konkani. The odds were stacked against her but she was tenacious. Eventually she broke down Jennifer's walls and revived her love for Konkani.

 This story may seem far fetched but these concepts are applicable to Goans and to all who read this article. Some may wonder why the emphasis on the past, but history has lessons for everybody and there's tonnes of it in Goa. This may seem straight out of a book but when I talk of history, I speak from experience.

Though I feel great pride in telling people I was born in St. Cruz, Goa, I’m equally proud of all the struggles my parents had to undergo on my account. My dad began on a hunt for jobs which ended when he set up shop in Goa in 1983. Naturally being born and raised in Goa, I love Goa to the core. My background naturally meant I have a different surname which led to massive problems in my family triggered by a section of Goans. The problems raged on throughout my childhood slicing through a huge chunk of my adolescence.

A sense of Identity crisis dominated my recent past, The sense of confusion and turmoil was permanently laid to rest after several years of an internal battle, I got to hear bits and pieces about my lineage. My mind was finally made up that I was partly a Goan as well as a Keralite.

Learning Konkani is not a mountain to climb as my love for Goa introduced me to Konkani only in 11^th standard before which I spoke only English, and Hindi. I initially kept myself apart from relatives as I thought they wouldn’t understand me but over the years many things have forced me to re-think my stance on many things.

 Today I am trying my best to make amends in the way I know. Just like a person can benefit from his history, so can a state. While historical events like 'Operation Vijay' usually seems to divide Goans, others like 'Opinion Poll' should be the anchor to unite Goans. 'Opinion Poll' should gain greater significance in 21st century Goa.

As the government focuses on trivial matters like Hindi, which may seem logical at surface level but if pondered deeply, one will come to the realization that ‘India’ is made up of individual states, all of which have a past and enforcing ‘Hindi’ would undermine it all, stripping away the history and culture of each and every individual state of India.

May the opinion poll remind Goans what should be our focus. Reliving the past will open many wounds but lessons from the past should remind us of what we are fighting for. In an era when people claim to fight for Goans and end up dividing people, going backwards is the only way to go forward

New Goa

A beautiful state lush with greenery widely popular among people of India and the world is Goa. This beautiful state is a victim of casinos, and poor decisions which it continues to endure. In an age where trust is taken for granted, who should people look up to?

Every state has their own ups and downs, Goa is no stranger to that. Problems often come with a user manual called solutions, it is the need of the hour that people take a deep break and meditate upon the answers.

At a time when a majority of the population treats Goa as a holiday destination, a new trend is emerging and one of these trend setters is Melcia Genevieve Lobo, the founder of ‘MGL Creatives’ juggled with being the lead vocalist in a band called ‘Cascades’, along with being a partner in a company which organizes events.
 

Cascades live in action

A creative venture initiated by Melcia which would evolve into a company meeting diverse creative needs was started at approximately 13 or 14 years old. The singer inside her emerged as a result of performing tracks by herself and performing duets in various hotels further encouraging her to join a band.

                       

Diverse requirements met by 'MGL creatives'

 Parents play a vital role in helping their children take decisions, the same applied to Melcia’s parents who encouraged her to take the next step by turning her hobby as a source of income. ‘MGL Creatives’ emerged on the digital platform in the form of Facebook and Instagram, which evolved into a store in 2019, offering a wide range of products. Adding a website to the mix just proves Melcia's brilliance

The evolution of  'MGL' creatives in 2019

Melcia entered ‘MGL Creatives’ for a competition organized by ‘Weddings De Goa’, which consisted of gathering the maximum amount of likes and comments on Instagram and Facebook for entries entered.

                                                      

'MGL creatives' gets a participation certificate

''MGL creatives' wins a contest by 'Weddings De Goa'

A significant entry in Melcia’s increasing achievements is that she won the runners up for 'Goencho Avaz' in 2017. 'Goencho Avaz' is a platform for young talent like Melcia to showcase their talent in Konkani. In the current scenario where hope is rapidly fading from the Goan dictionary, Melcia is a roaring tiger who has lessons to teach youngsters around the globe. Hope is not lost when young Goa shows the world it can be much more than a tourist destination, ending the stereotypes it had to endure in the past. Goa sees hope in people like Melcia.

Melcia performing at 'Goencho Avaz'

Mango Reflections

Just like the English saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, the title of this article may suggest it’s about varieties of mangoes, but it’s not. What is it about really? The suspense will be lifted in a few sentences.

Upon my departure from St Xavier’s college in Mapusa, Goa, a journey began which culminated with the completion of my further education in St. Aloysius College in Mangalore. Like any student, there were a few day which left me pondering over my choice of Aloysius, but there were always days spent in Aloysius, which I will forever treasure and cherish.

Negative emotions which eventually ended up as positive emotions made my journey in St Aloysius lighter. These positive emotions arose due to a sole factor, the friends in Mangalore and Aloysius who made my journey a moment to relish. Mangalore was a rollercoaster ride for me with plenty of learning curves with some implications for Goa.

90-95% of my classmates were Keralites, which initially made me hesitant to approach them or get attached to them, but once I began to face my hesitations head-on, I was in for quite a shock as I discovered they were quite hospitable, and through a rollercoaster ride with them, It was an honour and a privilege to be friends with them. Keralites have many positive aspects but one negative aspect about them is when they go outside their home state, they force their language and culture on others without stepping into the other person’s shoes, there were evidences of this in my class as well as in states where Keralites reside.

As I ponder upon my thoughts from my pre-transitional period before stepping out of Goa to the post transitional period, I realise I was a frog in a well in the context of doing something for my Goa. As any person goes out of their state, they are hit with a torrent of ideas, which could be implemented back home.

Not all Goans love leaving their home and seeking employment elsewhere, The hunt for jobs domination the reasons for migration. This sorry state of affairs has been brought about by the Governments of Goa whose sole focus was tourism which was regarded as the golden goose, currently is running on fumes.

Goans who migrate to various states and countries can be viewed as an alternative to development at a time when the Goan government is famous for making the lives of Goans miserable. Several states have things to teach Goa for example in Kerala how they maintain their culture but at the same time Keralites promoting their culture in other states may seem as a form of disrespect by some. Since migration has become the new norm of the 21^st century, it’s hard to blame Keralites who migrate, as Goans are not the only people facing shortage of jobs in Goa.

Some lessons from other states like Mangalore which Goans have to do their best to avoid is the communal riots in Mangalore. In a state like Goa where religious harmony is evident, Goans would be wise to steer clear from this. This is not the only problem in Mangalore. In Mangalore itself several languages are spoken like Kannada, Tulu, Konkani among others. If this trickles down to Goa, Goa would be doomed further, as in its recent past the Goa faced an ordeal called the ‘MOI’ or ‘medium of instruction’. What is to be learnt from Mangalore among many things is how the catholic community actively preserves Konkani. This is a shame to Goa where it’s mostly Hindus who do the same for Konkani in Goa. This is not an accusation against any religion, but just an indication of irony as Konkani became Goa’s mother tongue mainly due to the ‘Opinion Poll’ which was supported largely by Catholics. Let all Goans leave their ego’s and realise what is at stake.

  

Reel and the Real

A perfect way to put brains to rest or spending quality time has its answer in the big screen which a lot of people watch, with popcorn and beverages, but has anyone ever paused to reflect on the stories portrayed on the big screen? Is it merely entertainment or part of something larger?

Combinations of different skills result in movies being remembered for their dialogues, storylines and many different aspects. Some movies go down in history, being remembered for ages to come, while some make the audience wonder why did they take the time out of their schedules to watch such a movie?

Every industry around the world has its fair share of movies that either make the audiences watch it in awe like ‘Avengers’ and tonnes like it where they have a memorable experience or watch it with disgust like Bollywood’s ‘Half Girlfriend’ and millions of movies like it.

Every industry has good, bad and great movies. Millions of reasons exist why movies are remembered, one reason, often ignored and highly debatable is how movies often portray real life situations in an exaggerated manner to satisfy people worldwide.

Movies have numerous themes including good fighting the bad, corruption to name a few. Avatar, Frozen, Ice Age series are a few examples of movies having a human connect and lessons for people

The trend does not end in Hollywood alone but rather trickles down to Bollywood. While Bollywood is often accused for copying movies which is highly accurate, there are decent movies depicting real life situation. ‘3 Idiots, Love Sonia, Pink, why Cheat India’ are examples in recent times when Bollywood has exceeded expectations and made movies which provide food for thought, but sometimes Indian audiences want movies filled with drama and romance, forcing the filmmaker to bow down before it.  

Last but certainly not the least, a state, stereotyped in Bollywood movies like ‘Rocky handsome, Dum Maro Dum, Murder 2’ and others has its own film industry. Though popular throughout India for being a party destination and a place of vices like drugs, owing to the efforts by Bollywood movies, the Konkani film industry in Goa produces around 7-8 or more films in a year which provide food for thought.

A movie talked about in Goan audiences is ‘Nachom-ia kumpasar’ and surely enough it is a milestone in Konkani cinema, being the most awarded Konkani movie, receiving awards globally as well as in India. Though a remarkable feat there are equally remarkable Konkani movies like ‘Soul Curry, O Maria, Home Sweet Home 1 & 2’ among a long list of quality movies which entertain people and educate people.