Jnanpith Award winner and short story writer Damodar Mauzo on Tuesday inaugurated the five-day-long Goa Heritage Festival in Panaji, an event that showcases the state's rich and diverse cultural legacies.
The Goa Heritage Festival (GHF) will feature heritage walks, talks, music, dance, literature and poetry, food, beverages, and entertainment programs.
Addressing the participants, Mauzo put the spotlight on the heritage of Goa through the lens of language.
He reinforced the fact that the state has been multi-linguistic over the decades across generations and called for a revival of Goa's mother tongue Konkani to preserve the state's cultural roots.
“Konkani is an independent language and many celebrated personalities such as Sant Namdev, Dr. Francisco Luís Gomes, Dharmananda D. Kosambi, and Abbé Faria studied it along with different languages, in turn showing how being a multi-linguist can bring diversity and unity," said Mauzo in his inaugural address.
“Multilinguality runs through the veins of every Goan and has been nature's gift to our land. Although the trend is on a decline, I have witnessed and been amazed by the stories I have heard of, it makes me feel proud that it is still prevailing in many places," he added.
(Inputs from PTI)
