Shenoi Goembab: A historian, philosopher & philanthropist

Today we are celebrating the birth anniversary of Shenoi Goembab alias Waman Raghunath Varde Walaulikar, the pioneer of Konkani movement. He was born on June 23, 1877, in Bicholim. His contribution was not limited only to the linguistic and literary movement. He has made valuable contributions in all genres of literature – short stories, poetry, drama, essays.His works in the arenas of history, philosophy and his translations are classics.
Shenoi Goembab was a great historian, philosopher, philanthropist, polyglot and a great visionary. He has written around 22 Konkani books in Devnagri script and seven in Romi. While I was studying in Class VI in Priol, at that tender age of 10, the great thinker and Gyanpeeth Awardee Ravindrabab Kelekar introduced me to the works of Goembab. Ravindrabab explained to me the aesthetic beauty and the sheer depth in Goembab’s writings. I was quite fascinated by the lucid and charming flow of his language. Later , I studied Goembab’s literature and the discussions with linguist Madhavi Sardesai yielded deeper insight into other finer dimensions of his writings.
‘Mhaji Baa Khaim geli’ (Where has my mother gone) penned by Goembab is considered to be the first modern short story in Konkani. It is a poignant tale of a child pining for his departed mother. Goembab had remarkable skill and acumen as a translator. His adaptations of plays of Moliere into Konkani are exemplary, neatly woven with crisp dialogues. Among all his translations, I still rejoice in reading the translation of the Bhagwad Gita. The language and the style used in his translation of the holy book is utterly simple and endearing.
The inherent and innate aroma contained in Goembab’s Konkani is quite tempting. Writer Shantaram Varde Walaulikar hailing from Goembab’s family has formed an institution ‘Goembab Yaadastik Saunstha’. The institution offers a scholarship to Konkani students researching on Goembab literature. This year a plan is afoot to launch a scholarship on the topic – ‘The extinct terminology from the Goembab literature not in use in modern times’.
Goa Konkani Akademi has organized a day-long event today in Bicholim, the birth place of Goembab. There is also a seminar entitled ‘Inspiration of Goembab to youth’ and MA Konkani students from Goa University will participate in this seminar, said president of Goa Konkani Akademi Madhav Borkar. There will also be panel discussions on the other facets of Goembab literature.
Asmitai Pratishthan has published a monograph on the life and work of Shenoi Goembab in English written by Kiran Budkuley. Asmitai Pratishthan has also published the English translation of Goembab’s work ‘Konkani Bhashechem Zait’ and this translation namely ‘The triumph of Konkani’ is by professor S M Borges.
The Goa Konkani Akademi has done yeoman service by publishing the entire works of Goembab in Konkani in four volumes. It includes his adaptations of the plays into Konkani, essays, talks and other research articles. Monali Prabhu, newscaster at All India Radio says that her grandfather, late Pandurang Bhangui, a poet, introduced her to the oeuvre of Goembab. Goembab’s Konkani is quite pure and chaste, she said, adding that many equivalents could be found in Goembab’s writings that come handy while translating news. She is proud that her grandfather had guidance from Goembab.
Noted critic and scholar Gopal Chippalkatti affirms that Goembab single-handedly brought glory to Konkani, a little known language with ancient roots and an amorphous spread in the west and southwest coast. No less than the giant historical linguist S M Katre revered Goembab’s Konkani grammar book, he said.
Henry David Thoreau had said it aptly, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” Shenoi Goembab, by his foresight, heard a different drummer! Goembab was well aware that the true strength of Konkani is in the hands of the youth. This is evident from his essays like Amrutacho Pavs. His address to Konkani students is still relevant.
The gist of one of his quotations is, “Embark on your tasks, feeling that the responsibility of the whole world is on your shoulders. Then and only then, you will accomplish something that will last.”
The truest tributes to this great thinker who shone as a lighthouse and set our hearts on fire with the spark of Konkanihood, will be to work ceaselessly for the development of Konkani with love, unity and sincerity.
The writer is a noted Konkani writer