Transcript
Copyright©2010KonkaniAssociationofCalifornia (KAOCA)
Allrightsreserved.
Konkani Association of California
panchadik 2010 (January – April)
Copyright©2010KonkaniAssociationofCalifornia
(KAOCA)Allrightsreserved.
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Table of Contents
1. President’s Corner.………………………………………………… 3
2. Talent Day.……………………………………………………………. 5
3. Kidz Korner.…………………………………………………………… 6
4. Origin of Konkani Surnames………………………………… 10
5. Do you know our Amchis?...………………………………… 14
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1. President's Corner Namaskaru,
KAOCA is in its 26th year now. Time sure flies! Let us welcome this
year as a year of hope, that we will regenerate and empower ourselves
and our community. We must always remember that we are not solely
individuals, but part of a community. Our concentric circles begin with
our family and then move outward to include our community.
For this year our mission is “Bringing Generations together”. We want
to connect together generations of yesterday, today and tomorrow and
create a vibrant and a lively community. On similar lines, our
entertainment theme will be “Something for Everyone” and we will use
Art and Culture as a medium to strengthen our mission.
We started this year with a survey for additional events and the
community voted the top two events namely Classical Concert and
Disco Dandia in addition to the traditional events.
Our first successful event for this year, “Samsaar Paadvo” aka “Ugadi
(Gudi Padwa) Function” was held on 27th March, 2010 at the
Sunnyvale Hindu Temple. The response to the event was
overwhelming. We had over 400 community members who enjoyed
the evening as much as we did putting this event together to make it
memorable.
We had an exciting entertainment program-- one that covered all
generations, authentic Konkani food for both Tannik and Dinner and to
round up we had the DJ music. The evening began with Tannik. Buns,
Shevayi and Narayankatar were the highlights. The entertainment
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program started with the Commencing Prayer which was followed by
Classical Piano, Folk Dance, Ras Leela, Classical Singing, Hindustani
vocal, Western fusion dance, Bharatnatyam, Bollywood songs and
dance. Tim White, an accomplished musician in the Bay area played
Sitar for the audience. He was accompanied on the Tabla by Rattu
Lamba and by Jack Gates on the guitar. They performed some
melodious Basant/Spring ragas. The entertainment program was
followed by dinner and the highlights were gajabaje, jain curry,
avanase ambe sasam and Garayi. DJ music followed and we had
scores of people dancing to the tunes of yesteryear and current songs.
We have a line-up of events for the remainder of this year:
♦ Talent Day/Sports Day – May
♦ Annual Picnic – August
♦ Classical Concert – September
♦ Disco Dandia – October
♦ Diwali – November
We hope to see you at all these events.
To contribute to “Panchadik”, please submit your items to
panchadik@kaoca.org
On behalf of the 2010 KAOCA committee, our best wishes to all the
KAOCA members.
Together we can – Together we will – make a difference – and make a
better community.
Warm Regards,
Sulatha and Ananth
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2. Talent Day/Sports Day and Volunteering Drive
Our next event is Talent day to be held on 23rd May 2010, at the
Milpitas Sports Center. We have expanded the scope of the traditional
sports day into a talent day. In addition to sports, the Konkani
community will get a chance to showcase their talent in other areas
such as poetry and art. Additionally, we are jointly organizing a
Volunteering Drive with the Second Harvest Food Bank at the same
time. Your participation on this day will help KAOCA achieve its goal of
making a meaningful contribution to society.
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3. KIDZ KORNER
Hello Amchi Kidz!
Kidz Korner is a fun filled section in KAOCA’s Panchadik for us Amchi
Kidz! We have news and reports on hobbies, travel, sports, quizzes,
jokes, videos and other cool stuff. To publish your articles, please send
them to kidzkorner@kaoca.com
For the Month of May, we start off with a tribute to our dear mothers,
followed by an interview with Mihika Gokarn, who visited Shirali in
India. Find some cool videos and puzzles at the end!
Enjoy!
Divya Rao & Ronak Mundkur
Kidz Korner Editors
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A Tribute to Mother
You brought me into this world,
Your heart filled with happiness and hope,
Your hands holding me with ever loving gentleness.
Each day since, you have nurtured me with kindness,
Patiently watching me grow amidst my playfulness.
As I grow and I know, I have every bit of your support,
To be the person you will be proud of someday soon!
- Ronak Mundkur
Interview with Mihika Gokarn Mihika Gokarn recently visited Shirali, India. We were able to interview
her to find out how she connected with her native roots…
Editors: When did you visit Shirali and why?
Mihika: In December 2009, I visited Shirali, India with my entire
family for the NRI Shibir at the Shirali Math.
Editors: And the purpose of the Shibir?
Mihika: Visit the Shirali math, near by temples, maths, getting to meet
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with our spiritual leader, Param Poojya Sadyojat Shankarashram
Swamiji to understand his message to us NRI’s. It was a delightful
experience!
Editors: What all did you see?
Mihika: We saw the Shri Chitrapur Math, the museum with its historic
artifacts, the farms, the gardens around and the Goshala (cattle pen).
I especially liked watching the young water buffalo calf, Arundatti. I
also got to see the huge horns of the bull.
Editors: Can you tell us what you saw in the museum?
Mihika: The Museum was filled with rare artifacts made of stone,
bronze or brass, dating as far back as 5000 years, our Konkani
scriptures written on delicate wood bark scrolls, the Wrataa used for
the Car Festival. The artifacts had been handed to the leaders of our
Math over the past 300 years by locals that found them while tilling
the soil!
Editors: Did you also get to visit the beautiful beaches in the area?
Mihika: Yes we did. I especially liked the Bailur beach, where we spent
time on the sand with PP Swamiji. We also visited the Bailur temple.
Editors: What message did PP Swamiji give you?
Mihika: He requested us to learn the Devnagari script and the Sanskrit
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language, so we could understand our scriptures. He also gave his love
and blessings to all the NRI children in our community. To the
embarrassment of my parents, my kid brother, Aalok boldly requested
him for a snack. PP Swamiji smiled and gave us a chocolate
each!
Editors: Thank you Mihika, for sharing your experience together with
your siblings and parents, connecting with your roots in India.
Tweener Tip#1:
So what do I do when homework, test preparation, extra curricular
activities fill up my week? I watch a YouTube Video like this one that
decompresses me:
Cute Puppies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RkKvf12Bw0
Tweener Tip#2:
And if it’s cold and rainy outside, here’s another cool video to get you
pumped up!
Big Avalanches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0RWLxOFGLY
Can you figure out these anagrams?
1. Tad Oily
2. Ark I Up
3. As Sigh
Answers will be posted in the next newsletter….
Hint: You might find some of these on the KAOCA dinner menu
Bye friends…
Go Green, Have Fun, Stay Safe!
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4. Origin Of Konkani Surnames
Members of the KAOCA community have very different origins in India.
Some of these origins have manifested themselves in the "surname"
that we use, even today. To better understand how our surnames have
evolved over the past several generations, we provide a brief
perspective on some of the more common konkani surnames in the
community.
Mythologically, we are descendents of clan brought by Lord
Parsurama, who created Goa by throwing his axe into the sea, and
reclaimed the land mass and arrange to settle ninety-six families
from ten gothras he had led to the new land. Historically, when the
religion was reaching its nadir, the king who had learned that highly
educated and spiritual commune can be found in Trihut region
(present day Mithila in Bihar), he sent his emissary with a request to
loan him such persons for uplift of his subjects. The king of Trihut sent
ninety-six (is it a coincidence?) families from ten gothras to the new
land to propagate religion and philosophy. These families were settled
in two different parts of the region. Thirty families were grouped in one
commune, and sixty-six in other. The first commune was known as
Tiswadys, and the other Shashatis among themselves, and the
locals used to call them as a member of Shanavis. Saha means six
and Navi means ninety, and our ancestors were known as a family of
ninety-six. The word sahanavi later became Shenvi, and then to
modern Shenoy or Shanbhag.
There exist regions known as Tisuary and Salcette (Portuguese
pronunciation of Shashasti) in Goa. The families from Trihut mingled
with the locals taught them and imparted knowledge for which they
were brought, and in return started amassing wealth, buying lands,
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learnt feudalism and slowly became owners of village and rule over the
locals. They built temples, started trading and became one of the
locals, but with a difference. The difference was the Name. The
strongest survives or rules over, and our ancestors were no different.
Pai in our language means foot or leg. The common person who had
not amassed wealth or power was known as Pai. Their job was menial
in maintaining ledgers, doing clerical and odd jobs. The promotions
were also there and your surname will change according to the
promotion. The Pai who was writing ledgers, were promoted to
become Shanbhags (clerks), and to other titles. A person maintaining
statistics was called Karni. Land was called Nadu, and the person
maintaining land records was known as Nadkarni, and Kulkarni
maintained census, and social register.
The main source of income was from agriculture, and the person
experienced in soil mechanics, agro-science was called Kamathi.
Mathi means soil and Kama is work, that is working in soil (Kama +
Mathi). In Konkani even today we call kamathi not kamath or kamat.
Cultivation of herbs for medicinal purpose was rule of the day. The
concoction was prepared and dispensed by Vaidya, and the herbs
were cultivated by Kinvis, presently called Kini or Keni.
The animals required for tilling, transportation and other works were
under Haya- Gade (actually Horse tenderer), modernized to Hegde.
The daily requirements of every family for survival, presentations, etc
were the responsibility of the Ballo. There is another theory that
reveals that the foot soldier with a spear was called Ballo. The soldier
Ballo (Baliga) was under the command of Nayak.
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The Brahmins from Trihutpura became feudal lord, and fancied himself
as "The Lord" and was called Prabhu. He lived in a palatial home
called mahal, and the caretaker was known as Mahalyar, presently
modernized to Mallya. The religion was the center of attraction, and
every hamlet, village town had one or more temples. Poojas were
performed in every home almost daily. There used be a congregation
in the temple everyday to listen to recitation of puranas or other
subjects.
The poojas in the big temple and its rituals were under Acharya, and
in small temples conducted by Bhat. Every family had exclusive priest
to perform the rites, and he was the family Purohit. Puraniks recited
the kathas and puranas in the temples. The temples were
administered by Mahajans and its stores by Bhandari. The village
godown was also under the Bhandari or Bhandarkar.
Kudva did fabricating tools and tackles (the village blacksmith). Every
hamlet had the same profession and hence the limited family names.
To differentiate between two prabhus or pais, the person started
calling himself from the particular hamlet or village, such as Gokul
Shenvi Kakodkar, or Prakash Pai Angle. The word 'Kar" means "From"
or citizen of. Thus kakodkar means person from village kakod. This
enabled one to identify the profession and the domicile.
The Portuguese invasion made people migrate to Ratnagiri in North
and entire coast in the South, and slowly the local influence crept into
the culture. In Karnataka, the village of refuge was used as a prefix to
call oneself Padbidri Mohandas Prabhu, or Kinnigoli Ramanath Kamath,
et all. The kerala civilization induced the name of the house or the
exact area rather than the village, and in some places, the present
profession was also added to the name. So we have today, Thayyil
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Muralidhar Kamath (Thayyil means tailoring house), or Kannaparambil
Gopalakrishna Pai (Parambil means garden or farm belonging to
kannan).
Today the name has no links with the profession. Mallya owns land,
and Kini is a soldier; Prabhu works for Kamath, and Pai owns the land.
The names are stuck, even though the profession is not. But then
what's in a name. A rose is a rose is a rose, even if called by any other
name.
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5. Do you know our Amchis? As part of our Panchadhik
issue, we are introducing a
section called "Do you know
our Amchis?" This section is
about a series of questions we
pose to a KAOCA family and
their responses. The idea
among other things, is to use
this as a medium to best get to
know our community members
and realize our mission of bringing the generations together. In this
issue, we profile Ramesh and Pratibha Kamath as they provide an
insight into their lives.
PCK: Panchadik RK: Ramesh Kamath PCK: Can you briefly tell us about your journey from India to the US?
RK: This was the first time I travelled by plane and was anxious about
it. When I got to the airport there was another passenger, a marwadi,
I guess. About 50 people were at the airport to see him off. He was
garlanded with dry fruits and lots of rupee notes. Once in plane he
started eating the dry fruit from his garland and was saving the cheese
pieces that came with the meal. All the tension I was in, was gone
watching this guy in action.
PCK: Can you briefly share your experiences of living in the US?
RK: Our initial thought was to return to India in 5 years. It is now
close to 40 years and we feel very comfortable here. Both career and
social life in this country are exactly what we had dreamed of. It is
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true that in this country there is reward for hard work. Life here is a
continuous challenge but the equal opportunity and the respect and
support by friends makes it easier to deal with.
PCK: What are the 3 important things you would include in your
things-to-do-list?
RK: Don't forget your background and where you came from. Help the
needy Konkanis in India. Be a responsible citizen. Follow the law and
treat people with respect. Family comes first. Pay attention and take
care of family to keep every one happy.
PCK: Tell us about something you would happily do again.
RK: Should we say to host a Konkani Convention again in 2018?
PCK: Tell us about someone you really admire.
RK: In Konkani community here in Bay area we admire Hundi Kamath.
He is a learned man and is very helpful. His knowledge base is vast.
We trust him for his advice and foresight
PCK: Tell us about your favorite holiday destination
RK: Our favorite holiday destination is Egypt. The history and the
engineering achievement of that country is admirable. For leisure we
like Hawaii of course.
PCK: If you have to verbalize a slogan for your life - something you
live by, like a principle - what would it be?
RK: It is an old saying, which is also my slogan- "Let no one tell you
what you can and cannot do. Do what your gut tells you to do"
PCK: If you could give the Konkani community in Bay Area one piece
of advice, what would it be?
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RK: We are a family at this distant place. Let us help each other,
forget petty differences, and do all you can to foster a happy Konkani
community.
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