It's a medley of music at Konkani Sammelan 2002

It's a medley of music at Konkani Sammelan

6 Feb 2002, 2215 hrs IST,VIDYUT KUMAR TA,TNN




margao: surmounting all possible boundaries, they excelled at both national and international levels. now they are returning to their roots to enrich their own music -- konkani music. leading this conscious effort almost after centuries together is kishori amonkar, the queen of indian classical music, whom the union government this year has honoured with padma vibhushan. kishori is all set to inaugurate the first-ever all india konkani sangeet sammelan, organised by konkani bhasha mandal in margao, the cultural city of goa which is getting prepared for the mega event on february 9, 2002. equally attached to goa are mumbaikars pt prabhakar karekar and ajit kadkade, both shishyas of the late pandit jitendra abhisheki, yet another goenkar maestro in indian classical music. following the tradition of their guru, they have been singing konkani at every performance wherever they go. along with them is usha amonkar, the mumbai-based ghazal and light indian classical singer, who will perform at the sammelan. the organisers have obviously not forgotten the music evolved in portuguese goa under the influence of europeans and africans who ruled for over four centuries. it is still prominent, called `kantar' sung at tiatr -- a traditional konkani theatre, pulling audience from christian community even at commercial level. yet another slot is kept reserved for the permanent migrants, who had fled to mangalore in karnataka to save konkani culture, during infamous inquisition, the cultural aggression on converted christians three centuries ago. eric ozario from mangalore will present mangalorean golden songs, which are free even from the portuguese influence. yet another attraction is, of course, goan pop icon remo fernandes. the singer of international repute is nowadays on a trip of fusing indian folk and classical music with westernised konkani music. remo, along with mangalorean wilfy remimbus, will perform at the final slot, on february 10. but the most important slot will be around three-and-a-half-hour-long slot of ethnic konkani folk, which will perhaps create a base for recreating konkani music, which is yet to evolve. it is a challenge to all the musical maestros who will assemble at this historic fiesta. till then, it is not actually the konkani sangeet sammelan. at the most, admit the organisers, it could be called a sammelan of all the konkani people, working in the field of music, in several parts of the country. the 15,000-sqft area, opposite fatorda stadium, already wears a look of any typical goan jatra or fest. the only difference is that rather than deities, disciples will flock to listen to their musical deities.