Mangaluru: Coffee Table Book on ‘Temples of Goa’ released
Mangalore Today News Network
Mangaluru, Aug 20, 2015: Annu Mangaluru’s coffee table book ‘’Temples of Goa: A Spiritual Odyssey’ was released by T V Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education at Rajangan of Shree Venkataramana Temple, Car Street on August 19, Wednesday. This 362 page book that provides in-depth details about 50 temples of Goa is brought out by the Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation at Shaktinagar.
Speaking after releasing the book, Mohandas Pai said the book would be of great use to the present as well as future generations and added that it is a well-researched work. "I am happy that after three years of hard work, the book is released. Vishwa Konkani Kendra (World Konkani Centre) with the support of Basti Vaman Shenoy had decided to always preserve the culture and history of the Konkani-speaking community. There is a great danger - the Konkani culture may be lost in a span of 50 years. This book has history and pictures of temples which will be useful for future generation to come." added Mohandas Pai
Bharathi Shevgoor is the researcher and chief editor. The photographs by professional photographer Annu, Mangaluru are a prominent attraction and lend an aesthetic appeal to the tastefully designed book. The spiritual ambience of these places of worship has been portrayed with finesse. The information about the temples is backed by impeccable research and presented in an easy- to-read format. Dr Pandurang Phaldesai, cultural historian and folklorist of Goa, has edited the textual matter and also written the Introduction to the book. The book has a Foreword by Shri TV Mohandas Pai. Basti Vaman Shenoy, president, World Konkani Centre has written the preface.
Ramdas Kamath, Executive Vice President of Infosys, K Jayaraj Pai, Adige Balakrishna Pai, M Padmanabha Pai, Temple Trustees, Pradeep G Pai, Managing Director of Hangyo Ice Creams, Basti Vaman Shenoy, President, Vishwa Konkani Kendra and others were present.
This book aims to provide the reader with a broad view of the history of the religious ethos of Goa, the homeland of the Konkani-speaking people and the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins in particular. The book chronicles the ways in which they survived the brutality unleashed on them during the Portuguese Inquisition by relocating and bravely faced the various attempts to subdue their culture and language. It provides information on their migration, reinstallation of deities by secretly spiriting them in the dark of the night in boats across the river to Ponda, and the way in which they settled down and prospered in the places that they settled, which is a testimony to the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins’ desire, amidst all odds, to preserve their deities, religious practices and language.
The book has a chapter each on Temple Architecture and Kulavis or descendents of the original families that started the temple’
Somehow Goa has always been portrayed as a land of sun, sand and beaches in modern times. While this cannot be denied, there are several unique historical and cultural aspects of the land that provide enriching details to an interested reader and this book seeks to highlight those.