http://www.navhindtimes.in/ilive/insideout-story
The ‘Inside/out’ story
Published on: March 21, 2011 - 23:00
By Odette Mascarenhas
This is an inside-out story on the ‘Inside/Out’ book compiled by the Goa Writers group. What brought this group together? I got a whiff of a story…and after speaking to a few of the writers, here is the fresh ‘catch’ of the day.
Twenty eight writers each with a different story to tell and as I browse through the contents a title catches my attention – Leaving Dubai. Now we all know the bond we Goans have with the Gulf countries, but what did writer Sheela Jaywant have in mind? It is a story of Shambu whose grandfather hailed from Palolem, a story of the trials many Goans possibly face when they leave their beloved home for better prospects. Nostalgia, yearning, adjustment. What did Sheela go through when she wrote it? “It was fun,” she says.
I realised that the group besides being serious about their work also believed in enjoying their work, a fact that clearly echoed in the words of Wendell Rodricks, “I am not a professionally trained writer, but joining this group has made me look at writing and publishing in a new light. It’s an exciting world for me to explore and I discovered some new watering holes for a good drink in Goa.” That’s the ‘spirit’. Wendell’s story ‘Indian, International Goan’ narrates his story from Paris to a simple village called Colvale. Inspirational? Yes, that is the word, a unique story of a successful homecoming.
Jose Lourenco, who together with Helene Derkin Menezes was involved in the editing, says, “Many of the pieces in Inside/Out have an autobiographical tone. Some of us tell our stories projected onto fictional characters, while others tell their stories directly. Either way they are stories of Goa seen through the lens of the writer's mind dipped in the writer’s experience.” His own story ‘Fever’ originates from a fragment of a dream, which says he, “Are very valuable sources of story ideas as they mix characters and concepts randomly.” So what is his story all about? Somoni Desai’s shadow has a fever. Shadow play and interpretations; advertisements are using this concept often, but this story has wife Parvati in raptures. Interestingly different!
As I run through the contents I realise that each story has something to tell. ‘Tsunami Simon’ by Damodar Mauzo has been translated by Xavier Cota, a translator par excellence. “My contribution is an excerpt from the English translation of Damodar Mauzo's ‘Tsunami Simon’ - a novella about a young school boy from Goa who is caught in the Tsunami that hit the Tamil Nadu coast on Dec 26, 2004,’ says Xavier. ‘Both Mauzo and I decided on this excerpt as it portrays the presence of dolphins in Goa. We normally associate them with books and films never realising how real their presence is. It also brings to fore the environmental friendly principles practiced by traditional communities and the challenges greed poses.”
Rosa D’Mello, based in Delhi, says, “I wrote this piece one afternoon and put it up on my blog. Jose read it and immediately messaged me asking me to send it in as my contribution to Inside/Out.” Her story makes a feast of an old Goan recipe, African in origin, called cafreal. Now if you think it is a straight and simple recipe think again. I had to gulp a few glasses of water after that feast.
Frederick Noronha’s Goa 1556 was the publishing house. “Goa Writers is a good example of how we can all learn by sharing. Personally, I learn a lot from every interaction.” His work on ‘Encountering Cyberspace’ focused on how this new medium can widen possibilities for expression. “Cyberspace,” he says, “plays a big role today, complementing and supplementing what mainstream media is doing back in Goa.”
Kornelia Santoro is German but her association with the Goa Writers is strong. “I do enjoy the feedback of writers,” says she, “writing a book is lonely business, typing away for hours on a computer.” Why did she contribute? “I had spent ten years writing a novel, which nobody wanted to publish, a very frustrating and humiliating experience. When Inside/Out came up I was thrilled by the idea of getting my work printed and immediately hopped onto the band wagon.” Her story ‘Bulletproof’’ takes you on an awesome ride on her motorcycle, affectionately called Berta. It is the ride of her life with Goa and romance…and undeniable combo, which has affected the hearts of so many.
Has one heard of a photo essay? Buried deep down in dusty memories, Fatima da Silva Gracias was shown a copy of an old family photograph. Who, when, what were the constant questions that came to her mind. So she embarked on a delightful quest, writing ‘The unsolved mystery of a family portrait’, and in the process brought to the fore the culture and history of the 1940s. “I am just an academician,” she says, “but was happy to showcase a period of that time.”
While the attractive cover is a photograph taken by Vivek Menezes…an old bakery of Goa (there are a few of his very descriptive photographs of Moira, a little village in translation), Aniruddha Sen Gupta has worked on the impressive layout right down to the little fish interspersed within.
‘A childhood spent in Africa’ by Mario Coelho, ‘Petticoat Pride’ by Savia Veigas, ‘A Special Bond with Goa’ by Sucheta Potnis…what will be the impact of the book on the reader? I decided to ask the very contributors. These were some of the responses.
“Many writers have written about their own experiences and this alone gives a reader various stories about people’s lives in Goa,” says Wendell. Frederick Noronha has a different viewpoint: “It will encourage others to try similar ventures...everyone has a story to tell.” While Rosa D’Mello from Delhi says nostalgically, “I think the reader gets to visit Goa…the nuances in language, culture, food, religion and family life…”
Whatever their take, the book is to be launched tomorrow at Literatti.
No comments:
Post a Comment