Mangalore : Mandd Sobhann Reaches Another Milestone with 'Sadhan Shembor'
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network (FR)
Mangalore, Apr 5: “Sadhan Shembor” the 100th monthly theatre by Mandd Sobhann organized at Kalaangan, Shaktinagar, was a kaleidoscope of Konkani music giving to the assembled audience a nostalgic glimpse of the best of Konkani music spanning more than 110 years. The organizers left no stone unturned to pick up the best of Konkani songs spread over Mumbai, Goa and Mangalore and talented lot of singers from Goa and Mangalore did justice to some of the immortal Konkani songs. Well known artistes from Mangalore and Goa presented the song and dance performance for over three hours and regaled the audience who had assembled in large numbers. The dance numbers by Mandd Sobhann group to the tunes of yesteryear hit numbers was pleasing to both the eyes and ears.
Reputed singers like Adolph, Prakash, Edith, Joyce, Eric, Zeena, Meena, Sunil, Lavita, Priya, Sherin, Jean, Preema, Chandni, Clarita, Dillon and Ralph, assisted by Kenny, Elton, Sharon and Kate and Goan singers Anthony Syan, Siddanath Buyavn, Sonam Lotlekar and Akash Telgu mesmerized the audience with some memorable songs. Roshan D Souza Angelore and Sangeet Guru Joel Pereira were the music directors of the programme. Songs of Henry, Jerome and Wilfy presented by the singers that included famous numbers like “Ye Ye Katrina”, “Rozaline moja mogachem”, “Thya sanje velar”, and the famous song from the movie Padri “Samsaranth Kithen Asa then”, sung by Antony Syan.
It was befitting the occasion that leading leading Hindi singer Anuradha Paudwal, (born Konkani) graced this special programme as the chief guest and her very presence had attracted a large number of music aficionados to Kalaangan. The audience savored the three hour extravaganza with rapt attention cheering every performance with a thunderous applause.
In her brief speech Anuradh Paudwal congratulated Mandd Sobhann for its Herculean efforts to keep alive Konkani music, dance and folk. “Let the 100th show go on to become a million”, she said beginning her speech. “Being an artiste myself I am aware the hard work that goes into making this kind of programmes continuously. The Konkani speaking people all over the world are indebted to Mandd Sobhann for enriching Konkani art. I am proud to be a Konkani by birth and would consider it my privilege to render any help for the cause of Konkani, she said.
Mandd Sobhann Gurkhar Eric Ozario described the 100th monthly theatre as an epoch making event. He said “it is a great achievement and matter of pride for Mandd Sobhann. I am grateful to all the people who have extended their co-operation in making this monthly theatre a grand success”. Eric Ozario also said that the monthly theatre has provided an opportunity to more than 2000 artistes from different parts in the last 10 years and more than 50,000 audiences have viewed the cultural programme and Mandd Sobhann spent about 30 lakhs to present these programmes. With peoples participation being key to their success the organizers honoured those who had participated in highest number of monthly theatre programmes with the chief guest honouring them with a bouquet of flowers.
A tribute programme was organized on the occasion to Konkan Kogul late Wilfy Rebimbus, who passed away recently. Poet Melvyn Rodrigues paid rich tributes to the legend by describing Wilfy as a “chamathkarik athmo” in his usual poetic language. “Wilfy’s poems ranging on a variety of topics have touched every Konkani speaking person’s hearts and souls. The songs such as “Lungi”, “Devsarachi Ladin”, “Donpara votha Sadebara Varar” and many more songs are clearly etched in my memory even after 4 decades and their mellifluous notes still reverberate in my ears. Wilfy swam against the tide and enriched Konkani music and art in his own inimitable style. Wilfy is not dead. He is immortal”, Melvyn stated.
A golden wreathe with the notations of Wilfy’s song “Konkani amchi Bhas” was placed on his portrait by Louis Pinto. A tribute song written by poet Wilson Kateel with music by Eric Ozario was sung by the Mandd Sobhann Troupe and the audience paid their tribute by presenting rose on his portrait when the song was played.
A research book on “Konkani music – yesterday, today and its future by Neetha Rebello, a young Konkani activist, was released by the Chief Guest Anuradha Paudwal. The instrument Gumta being the precursor of all Konkani music the book was brought for release keeping inside the instrument Gumta. Neeta Rebello spoke about her experience in the course of her research on this vast subject of Konkani music.
Titus Noronha compered the programme and the jokes he cracked in between (most of the jokes were on women) sent a peel of laughter among the audience. He promised to come back with more jokes (targeting men folks) in the next monthly theatre.
The event was organized with strict adherence to time for which Mandd Sobhann is well known for. The programme began exactly at 6 with cultural programmes for about 45 minutes followed by stage programme for an hour. The cultural programme continued after the stage programme.
The 100the monthly theatre day was marked by bursting 100 crackers, which could have been avoided as it filled the entire area with smoke and poisonous gas for a brief period. A little concern for environment is the need of the moment.
While the local crowd enjoyed the programme live, those who were abroad could watch the programme live on daijiworld.com through its internet tv segment “tvdaijiworld” and keep their date with the events in their motherland.