Books from Goa (India) … by FN

September 8, 2009

‘Chronicler of Siolim’ passes away

Filed under: Goa, Media-related, Self-published, Writing, books — fredericknoronha @ 7:05 pm
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From today’s Gomantak Times

siolim.JPG by you.
‘Chronicler of Siolim’ passes away

GT NEWSROOM: Sebastian D’Cruz, popularly known as the ‘Chronicler of Siolim’, died early Monday morning, September 7.

The researcher-writer-musician brought out his first publication ‘Know The Parish and Village of Siolim’ in 1982.

Sebastian, fondly remembered as ‘Club Uncle’ for having worked as a caretaker of the famed Football Club of Siolim for two decades, also published ‘The History of the Siolim Church’, ‘Parish and Village of Siolim’, ‘The Churches of Bardez’, ‘The Life of St Anthony and Siolim’ and other publications, which included two highlighting the celebrations of the Sao Joao feast in the village. (more…)

List of Goa books… on GoaCom

Filed under: Goa, books — fredericknoronha @ 5:15 pm
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Goa books… a (belated) 2007 or 2008 listing

Filed under: Goa, books — fredericknoronha @ 6:00 am
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This is a 2008 or 2007 listing of Goa books then available. FN

Latest 10 Goa-related books on the stands
[List as made available by Broadways Book Centre, Sant Inez]

* Tales from the Attic (Savia Viegas)
 Xaxtti Foundation, 2007 Rs 200

* The Mahmai’s and Goa’s Neighbours: Commercial LInks and
 Allied Interests (Dr S K Mhamai, ed).
 191 pp. Rs 300. 2007

* Domnic’s Goa (Domnic Fernandes)
 Pp 247. Rs 350, April 2007

* My Journey (Tomazinho Cardozo)
 Pp 261. Rs 200. 2007

* Fragments (Darren Christopher Pereira)
 Poetry. Pp 56. 2007.

* Careers: The Complete Guide (Plus Publications)
 Rs 150, pp 178, 2e 2007

* The Goan Catholic Wedding Guide
 Pp 84 Rs 100.

* Snapshots of Indo-Portuguese History 1: Pangim
 (Vasco Pinho)  Rs 350, pp 132. Hb

* Guardian of The Dawn (Richard Zimlers)
 UKP 5.95 (Rs 450) Pp 371
 Fiction, set in Goa and the Inquisition
 2005, recently received in Goa

* Walking with Angels (Heta Pandit, photography Tushar Rao)
 Pp 152, Hb, large size. Rs 2400

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September 7, 2009

Rare books on display at Directorate of Archives (2008, Herald, Panjim)

Filed under: Colonialism, Goa, History — fredericknoronha @ 4:50 am
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FRANKY GRACIAS

PANJIM, NOV 18
Historie Der Inquisite Tot Goa by Pieter Mortier (1697) is amongst the oldest books at the exhibition of rare books by the Directorate of Archives and Archaeology as part of the National Book Week that ends on November 20.

The books on display are from the reference library of the archives department and Historie is one amongst its collection of approximately 55,000 books and date back to the 18th, 19 and 20th centuries. Majority of the books are in Portuguese, French, English, Hindi, Marathi and Konkani. Historie gives the narration of the Portuguese inquisition in Goa.

(more…)

Herald, on a library at Mapusa

Filed under: Book collections, Goa, Libraries — fredericknoronha @ 4:42 am
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It may look ramshackled, but this library has given intellectual nourishment to many from the area. Me too!

Athaide Municipal Library to complete 125 years in Nov

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

PORVORIM, SEPT 3- Athaide Municipal Library situated in the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) will complete 125 years of its existence in November.
It may be recalled that when Goa was under the Portuguese regime, Dr Joaquim B Azavedo constituted a committee under which Athaide library was established on November 12, 1883.

Fr Francis Athaide had devoted his life in imparting education to thousands of youth in Bardez and in his memory a library was named as Athaide Bibliotheca (Athaide Library).

On April 9, 1897, the library was handed over to Camra de Bardez. After the liberation, Municipality Act came into force in 1968 and the library was taken over by MMC.

Speaking to Herald, Librarian Dyaneshwar Parsekar said that Athaide Library is the oldest Library in Mapusa, which subscribes 24 newspapers and 56 magazines, national and international covering politics, social science, health, information technology, entertainment, cookery, automobiles, economics and sports.

“Library serves about 5,700 members with a membership fee of Rs 10 for students and Rs 25 for adults. We have done the digitalization of old documents such as Government gazettes,” said Mr Parsekar.

On November 14, 2007, the children’s corner was opened in the library with the assistance of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata, where educational CDs and computers have been kept for the children.

“Library has also set up separate reference section for the benefit of students of schools, colleges, universities and other readers who are doing research work and preparing projects,” he added.

Library is automated with e-granthalaya, a digital agenda for library automation and networking form National Informatics Centre.
MMC has earmarked Rs 1,15,000 for purchase of books, newspapers and magazines for 2008-09.

“Existing space is not sufficient for the library. Since library is completing 125 years on November 12, we will get Rs 1,50,000 from the Central Government for the purchase of computers, books and organize competitions,” said MMC Chairperson Sneha Bhobe.

“However, library does not receive any grant from the State Government,” she added.

Mohan Tendulkar, a library member, said that since 1980 he has been coming to the library regularly.

“This is a unique library where all types of books and journals are available and with the setting up of the children’s corner, this library has fulfilled the demands of children,” he added.

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It’s on it’s way, but when will it reach?

Filed under: Book collections, Libraries, Research — fredericknoronha @ 4:35 am
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This seems to be getting promised for a long time now… but is apparently facing delays in getting launched. A report from the Herald, Panjim:

Modern central library in Panjim soon: CM  HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, SEPT 5
Library movement in the state is set for a big boost with Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat announcing on Saturday that a modern central library will finally take shape in Panjim in the next 4-5 months, besides the ultra modern library under construction at Navelim.

Addressing newsmen after inaugurating e-library at the Margao Municipality on Saturday, Kamat said “one of the best and modern central library will materialize at Patto, Panjim in 4-5 months. Similarly, an ultra modern library is slowing taking shape in Navelim”.

Emphasising on the need to strengthen the library movement in the state, Kamat said people should be made aware of the library facilities so that the infrastructure is used by students, children and adults to enrich their knowledge. 

“There’s a need to inculcate reading habits amongst the younger generation, who are switching over to watching TV serials”, he said, adding that he takes time off even today to go through books to enrich my knowledge.

Complimenting the Margao Municipal Council for computerizing the library records, Kamat said reading is the most important factor to acquire knowledge, saying “knowledge remains with you if one looses any position”. 

“Now, the MMC library section really looks like a library. The government intends to support the library movement in the state”, he added.
MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho the e-library concept will help the readers, especially children and students in a big way.

 “A lot needs to be done for the Municipal library. We want to increase the membership. There are reference books which should be taken advantage of by adults, teachers and even students”, he said, promising to procure the latest books from time to time.

Coutinho also made a mention of the Portuguese books, besides books in Hindi, Marathi and English available in the Municipal library. 

The Margao Municipal library has around 21,000 books of which details of 3000 books have already been fed in the computer as part of e-grantalaya project.

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September 6, 2009

Dr Teotonio de Souza’s interview… in The Navhind Times

Filed under: Goa, History, New books, Portugal — fredericknoronha @ 5:52 am
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Goans lived in misery under Portuguese: Teotonio
Written by RAMNATH N PAI RAIKAR
Friday, 21 August 2009 01:16

Medieval Goa book release function by you.

Well-known Goan historian and head of the department of history, at Universidade Lusofona, Lisbon, TEOTONIO R DE SOUZA speaks in an exclusive interview with RAMNATH N PAI RAIKAR about the second edition of his book ‘Medieval Goa: A Socio-Economic History’, which will be released in the city on August 21.

What made you write ‘Medieval Goa’ three decades ago?

The story, as historians would say, begins during my childhood. I got to hear lot of village stories from my grandfather, who though illiterate was a man of village and popularly known as ‘Lamb Jaco’ (Tall Jaco), as well as my grandmother. My grandfather, who hailed from the village of Moira would be immaculately dressed in a suit when he visited Mapusa town, but always wore a loin cloth once he returned to his village. He would even abundantly use his vocabulary of bad words in Portuguese language to denounce the colonial rule. He, like many others in the village nursed anti-colonial feeling. All these things stayed with me. (more…)

Literati, Divya Kapur’s bookshop in Calangute

Filed under: Goa — fredericknoronha @ 1:37 am
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Literati, the Calangute bookshop by you.

I liked this photo of Literati. It says something about the bookshop’s cosy … and cosmopolitan nature!

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William “Lord of the Flies” Golding’s slender Goa connection?

Filed under: Goa, books — fredericknoronha @ 1:35 am
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Check this post from the Guardian Books.  It is a review of “a biography that deals sensitively with William Golding’s private life” and says Golding “once refrained from wind-surfing on holiday in Goa because he thought £3.50 an hour too expensive. As Carey says, over-generosity wasn’t among his faults.” Wonder which year that could have been in! 

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September 5, 2009

Books in Goa: promises and perils of publishing

Filed under: Bookstores, Comment, Goa, Institutions, books — fredericknoronha @ 9:06 pm
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By Frederick Noronha

Selma Carvalho spent part of her Goa holiday trying to finish a book dealing with stories of Goan migration. The UK-based mother of a three-year-old believes her work has inputs that could help Goans better understand their own complex reality.

Carvalho is one of a growing trend of writers bringing Goa-centric work to the fore. An increasing number of books on Goa is getting into print, here and elsewhere. Goa, the size of an average Indian district, has an amazing set of numbers on its side. Outside of the metros, it is probably the most intensely published region nationwide, given its size.

“Each year, between 200 to 250 books are being published in Goa alone. Out of these, about 70% are in Konkani,” notes Central Library curator Carlos Fernandes.

Fernandes, a soft-spoken man with a reputation for his quiet efficiency, sits at the helm of the oldest public library in South Asia. The Central Library was set up as the Publica Livraria in 1832, but has been overtaken by the metros across India. Formerly with the Goa Engineering College, Fernandes believes that good writers can help sell books in a world where a market exists and technology has made things simple — you can layout a book on your desktop computer at home.

The trickle is turning into a flood. Old-timers remember the situation in the 1980s, when there would be just a handful of Goa-related books visible at exhibitions and sales. Today, there are literally dozens, if not a few hundred books on Goa in print. That is, if you know where to find them.

“Goa is in a unique situation,” avers Vivek Menezes, a Goan expat who returned home while in his 30s. He has published two books, that offer overviews of music and art in Goa. “Yet the market is ridiculed. People make false assumptions about Goa.” His suggestion is that much more is possible.

Miramar-based Menezes, who can be often found in the mornings working hard at writing from his office near Panjim’s municipal garden, sees Goa as a “potentially large and lucrative market”. He points to the tourist purchases of local books. Besides, “Goa is on top of the national food-chain in terms of interest and visibility.”

Writers' Club by you.

GoaWriters meeting underway. Photo: from left, Rahul Shrivastav, Willy Goes, Victor Rangel-Ribeiro, Jose Lourence and Vivek Menezes. More GoaWriters below, from left, Xavier Cota, Cecil Pinto, Alito Sequeira, Damodar Mouzo, Jose Lourenco and Augusto Pinto. Women members are absent from photos for some reason!

Goa Writers March 2008 by you.

Menezes argues: “You have all the ingredients in place for huge growth; but we’re told that Goa is too small and cannot sustain! We have a huge captive audience. In the last two to three years, due to the presence of (top national writers like) Amitav Ghosh (who have homes in Goa), the writing community is also getting built up.” (more…)

E-granthalay (library) at Margao, Goa

Filed under: Goa — fredericknoronha @ 5:43 pm
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An official press note from the Department of Information and Publicity (Government of Goa) says:

Chief Minister,  Digamber Kamat is seen inaugurating E-Granthalaya at Margao Municipal Library,on Saturday, September 5, 2009. Also seen are Margao Municipal Council, Chairperson Shri Savio Coutinho, Chief Officer, Shri Y B Tawde and other councilors.

Launching of e-granthalay (library) in Margao by you.
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