Tuesday (7/5/2019) Margao in Goa.:- Had ridden my "Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Standard" motorcycle from Mumbai to Barkur and back again to Mumbai with a stoppage in Goa.During my return ride from Barkur to Mumbai stopped for 2 day's at Margao and during a tourist ride across the city came across some of the Portuguese era houses in the vicinity of Modsai in Margao.While i was admiring the houses a gentleman on a scooter stopped near me and hence was lucky to meet social activist and Goan Tiatr patron Mr Godfrey.J.I. Gonsalves.He explained me the topography of the Modsai locality which had ancestral houses of some of Goa's most prominent theater personalities which also included the house of Goan musician, trumpeter, film producer Mr Chris.Perry. He next took me to the crumbling house of Goa's most honoured Tiatr personality Mr Joao Agostinho Fernandes. It's not uncommon for the families of noted singer's, playwrights,actor's and other personalities from the World of arts to be forgotten by the Government once they are given honours of recognition .Cases of noted theatre personalities ending their twilight years in penury or oblivion are numerous in India .
Joao Agostinho Fernandes who has been honoured with the title of Pai Tiatrist by the State Govt of Goa and in whose name the main auditorium at Ravindra Bhavan in Margao has been named lived in this crumbling house.At present his granddaughter lives in this house along with her children .
He was the first tiatrist to publish a tiatr in book form with Bhatcara-I in 1909. Earlier sixteen of his songs with musical notations were printed. Bhatcara-II was published in 1916. In January 1937, Bhatcara, Ven Padr Jose Vaz and Dotichem Kestaum were printed in a single volume. His most celebrated tiatr Kunnbi Jaki was also printed in book form.Joao Agostinho was the first person to cut a gramophone record in Konkani. His first album, eventually the first Konkani album, was recorded by ‘His Masters Voice’ (HMV) in 1908. His daughter Sophia also featured in this album, which had songs like ‘Mog Mirmireancho, Gõycheo zati and Gupit mog’.
Seems land sharks were after the crumbling property of Joao Agostinho Fernandes as Goa is rapidly transforming into plush luxury hotel and guesthouses. Thankfully the State Government of Goa has finally recognized this historic house that was the cradle of "GOAN TIATR" and has now given it "HERITAGE STATUS".Sadly the present generation of Joao.Agostini .Fernandes's ancestors are finding it difficult to maintain this large crumbling Portuguese era edifice and the Government should carry our internal structural repairs at the earliest to prevent this house of the innovator of Goan Tiatr from crumbling into ruins .:- Seafarer/Blogger/Traveller Rudolph.A.Furtado
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