Kavita annual Konkani Fest to be held in Bela on January 8
Kasaragod: Bela, a place known as the capital of the Konkani-speaking community in Kerala is all set to host Kavita Fest, the annual poetry festival hosted by Kavita Trust.
The day-long event includes poetry-related activities scheduled to be held in the courtyard of Stany Bela here on Sunday, January 8. Poets and poetry lovers from Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Kerala will take part in the event.
The programme will begin at 9 am with a procession accompanied by bands. The final round of Nelson and Lavina Rodrics, Cha Fra D Costa Memorial Poetry Recitation Competition will be held after the inaugural event.
Eminent Konkani author and journalist Austine D'Souza Prabhu will inaugurate the festival. Stany Bela, Konkani author, and Anwesha Singbal, president, KBM Goa, will attend as guests of honours.
Santhosh Perla, a renowned leader and a writer from the Konkani-speaking community in Kerala, will participate in an interactive session in the afternoon. Trustee of Kavita Trust and author William Pais will chair the session.
A collection of poems titled 'Chiturleche Acche Din' by Wilson Kateel will be released on the occasion.
Prashanth Naik, president, Nirakar Education Society and former president, KBM, Goa, will be the chief guest for the valedictory session.
Rathnamala Divakar, author, lyricist and former vice-president, KBM, and Gokulnath Prabhu, NRI entrepreneur, will be the guests of honour.
Poet Indu Ashok Gerusoppe will be honoured with Mathias Family Poetry Award. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a memento and a certificate.
Bela is a village situated in Kerala and represents the highest number of Konkani-speaking people in Kerala. Although Malayalam is the state language, Konkani still has a strong influence over the village art and culture like in coastal Karnataka and Goa.
It is said that more than 25,000 Konkani-speaking people reside in various parts of Kasargod district, which has a major share compared to other districts of Kerala.
Christians, Gowda Saraswatha Brahmins and Rama Saraswatha Brahmins are the major religion-based communities who speak Konkani as mother tongue in Kerala, especially in Kasargod district.
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Kalaburagi Jail Chief Superintendent gets threat
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Nov 28: Kalaburagi Jail Chief Superintendent R Anitha on Thursday said that an unknown person sent an audio message via a police inspector claiming that they will blow up her car.
However, police said they have not received any complaints in this regard.
Speaking to reporters here, Anitha said, "Somebody has sent an audio message to the police inspector saying that they will blow up my car. I personally did not receive any such message so far, so I would not be lodging any police complaint."
Following the alleged threat, Anitha said she would be more cautious now.
Last month, after Anitha took charge as the Chief Superintendent of Jail, raids were conducted and searches were intensified after photographs and video clips purportedly showing three inmates getting special treatment in the Kalaburagi Central prison went viral on social media.
Following the raids, cell phones, gutka and cigarette packets and beedis were seized from the inmates.
