Goonj, the Hindi literary society of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and the only one of its kind, stunned the audience with their poetry recitals in the beautiful language. As each of the poets intoned verses on life in Manipal, religion, mothers, young love, the moon and Hindustan, the crowd applauded every fifth minute. || Photograph Courtesy: Aparna Shankar
The harmonium till date remains an important instrument in many genres of Hindustani and Pakistani music. Although the design was borrowed from the west, the instrument was further developed and mastered in the Indian subcontinent. Acclaimed harmonium players Ravindra Katoti and KeshavchaitanyaKunte, and tabla player Dinesh Shenoy discussed the journey of the instrument with Neeta Inamdar. The musicians treated the audience to North Indian classical pieces, Sufi Qawwalis and Parsi music, leaving everyone in the hall in a trance. || Photograph Courtesy: Aparna Shankar
After a short tea break, Damodar Mauzo, the Goan short story writer and Sahitya Akademi Awardee sat in conversation with Dr Vincent Alva. He spoke on the evolution of Konkani literature, expressing that the language had to suffer at the hands of history. A Hindu by birth, the Konkani novelist attributes his rich portrayal of Catholicism in his writing to his upbringing among his Catholic brothers. He explained, “While history has divided Goans into Catholics and Hindus, Konkani is the umbilical cord. I never look at people as Hindus or Christians. I look at them as Goans and Konkani-speakers. I love them all.” || Photograph Courtesy: Gibin Biju Justus
The best was saved for the last, of course. MILAP 2018 came to an end with the brilliant play ‘Shoorpanakha: The Unseen Face’, directed by the legendary Guru Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna and performed by the team from Yakshagana Kendra, Udupi. A combination of Yakshagana, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, and Kalaripayattu, the dance-play explored the other side of the character Shoorpanakha from the Ramayana epic – one that is far from the evil face that is hated and ridiculed. To say that the actor and dancer, Vallari Kadekar stunned the spectators would be an understatement. || Photograph Courtesy: Aparna Shankar