PANAJI
Sanskrit scholar and an authority on Goan cultural studies for the past four decades, Vinayak Vishnu Khedekar would be conferred with Padma Shree award by the Government of India for his contribution to the field of art. The announcement came on Monday afternoon and Khedekar, 82, received a call from the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking his affirmation regarding the acceptance of the prestigious award.
“The news brought a sense of satisfaction to me for getting this recognition from the government of India for my work of many decades in the field of folk art and folk culture. The award has added to my responsibility to continue my work extensively,” stated Vinayak Khedekar, who was unaware about his name being sent for this award.
“Now the news is online, and honestly, I don’t know who recommended my name for this prestigious award,” said Khedekar who is currently working on a project on Sattari, and two books, one of which is in Konkani ‘Utaraa’. He is also working on a book for Punarutthan Vidyapeeth and both his books are ready for printing. Briefing on his Konkani book ‘Utaraa’, Khedekar shared that it is about the diminishing of pure colloquial words in Konkani that are on the verge of extinction.
The Octogenarian author who has 16 books on traditional Goan life and cultural heritage, Khedekar’s research studies made him travel extensively to the nooks and corners of Goa to enhance his understanding of the social fabric of this region that was under the Portuguese rule for the past few hundred years.
“In Sattari, there are only mother goddesses “ Santer, Brahmani and Kelmai as well as the fourth is Jogeshwari. There is Mhalsa in every village and Kulachi Maya (there are five Mayas but their names may change in each village). The first three remain constant in all villages. The first four female goddesses are in Kalash (vessel) form,” briefed Khedekar, a living encyclopedia on the cultural aspects of this tiny State.
Commenting on the importance of language, Khedekar said, “Language is a medium that enriches any folk art. We have to preserve our local languages, so that our culture not only lives on but thrives.”
