The COVID19 Pandemic LOCKDOWN!! has confined a majority across most parts of the world to within the four walls of their homes. They have time on their hands and creativity in their hearts. And then there is the internet!
Many are using the Internet and social media to explore and exhibit their talent. There’s a wide variety out there if one goes looking for it. It is also being used to promote language, heritage, culture, and literature. And one unique initiative in this space is the crowd contributed Konkani Poetry page on Facebook called Kavitha Mattov. The Facebook Page is populated by likeminded Konkani poets from around the world through what is called the Kavitha Sankall Challenge.
Kavitha Mattov is the brainchild of Konkani poet and lover, residing in Israel, Lenard Fernandes, who expressed his intent to start a Konkani poetry recital on Facebook and challenged others to continue the chain.
It was then that Poet and Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Jocy Siddakatte accepted the challenge and presented the first poetry video on a poetry page – Kavitha Mattov, on Facebook.
He also tweaked the rules to make it interesting. The twist? the person should use another poet’s poetry and can raise a challenge to 2 or 3 like-minded persons.
Thus the Sankall which means Chain in Konkani continued to connect hundreds of Konkani poetry lovers around the globe from places as far apart as Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, UAE, Israel, United States of America, Kuwait and many other countries was formed.
Speaking to Newskarnataka, Fr. Jocy said, “in a short span of 2 weeks this chain has linked almost 200 poetry lovers. They are all participating with zest and enthusiasm and I am delighted that we are doing something for the Konkani Language and its literature, especially poetry. This initiative created an awareness among the people about the richness of Konkani poetry.”
In the words of Phyllis Klein “Turning to poetry, poetry gives rhythm to silence, light to the darkness. In poetry, we find the magic of metaphor, compactness of expression, use of the five senses, and simplicity or complexity of meaning in a few lines.”
Click on the Kavitha Mattov Facebook page (a Facebook group where Konkani Poetry can be cherished and loved) to meet the people who participated in Kavitha Sankall.
