Osmitai Jyot for Mhadei & Identity

| 07 August 2002 23:11 IST

Over 50 organisations and institutions have decided to take up state-wide awareness campaign with 'Osmitai Jyot' (Torch of Self-identity) from 15th August to 19th December, on the burning issue of Mhadei river, on the occasion of Osmitai Year.

A meeting held in this regard in Margao on last Sunday also welcomed the government announcement to celebrate the whole year as the Self-identity Year, as a tribute to Shenoi Goembab, on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary.

The meeting of students and youth felt that identity of any region is not decided on the basis of language but the lifestyle of the people, environmental aspects, its inherent natural beauty, art, culture, literature, folk art and several such aspects. Language is just the medium used to express these various facets of the identity.

The meeting also felt that issue of river Mhadei is just not an environmental issue but an onslaught on the identity of Goa. It is thus a bounden duty of all the artists in the state to get organised and fight to preserve our identity, using their artistic, literary and cultural talents.

The meeting also complimented the Vivekanand Kala Sadarikaran Manch, who had organised Konkani Bhasha Mandal's seventh Goa Yuva Mahotsav in Sattari this year, for beginning a street play campaign on the Mhadei issue. The Mahotsav has also appealed to all the students and youth to take inspiration from these youth and organise various programmes in their respective villages and institutions on the issue of Mhadei and self-identity.

Organised with the similar spirit, the 'Osmitai Jyot' will begin from Valpoi by organising a programme of public rally and cultural programme on the Independence Day, which will end on the Goa Liberation Day, where the next Mahotsav will be held.

The Valpoi programme will be organised by the Vivekanand Kala Sadarikaran Manch in the afternoon on 15th August, inviting all the 13 groups of Sattari that had participated in the festival, besides 43 other groups from all over the state.

Followed by a public rally on the independence day will be a cultural bonanza, where young artists will perform street plays, mime, Konkani Pop, songs and several other forms, depicting various aspects of Mhadei issue, life of Shenoi Goembab and the aspect of self-identity. The 'Osmitai Jyot' will also have a poster exhibition along with it, depicting all these aspects.

Konkani Bhasha Mandal and the young local organisers will announce the detailed programme shortly and from time to time, states a press not released in this regard.

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