MANGALURU: An ambitious attempt to create a Guinness World Record by singing Konkani songs for 12 days nonstop was inaugurated by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as the First World Konkani Music Mega Convention commenced at the Town Hall in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
The record attempt, ‘Konko’nni Niro’nto’ri - So’msar So’raso’ri’ (Eternal Konkani - Unto the World’s End), is the centrepiece of the 13-day international convention being organised by Mandd Sobhann to mark its Ruby Jubilee. The event, running from November 3 to 15, seeks to bring together Konkani-speaking communities from across the world, showcasing the language’s rich musical and cultural heritage.
The attempt at record will feature a nonstop singing marathon by 300 performing teams in rotation over 12 days. More than 6,700 singers, including 53 teams from Goa, will perform over 4,500 Konkani songs representing different dialects, communities and musical traditions, with no repetition of singers or songs.
The convention officially began at 5 am and was inaugurated by Dr Sawant. It was blessed by Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangaluru.
Declaring the world record attempt open, Dr Sawant said that though Konkani has several dialects, its speakers remain united by language and culture. While Konkani enjoys official language status and government support in Goa, the community in Mangaluru has kept the language vibrant through its dedication, he added.
He said the Goa government recognises Konkani achievers from outside the state through its awards. He observed that Goa and coastal Karnataka share a common coastline, culture and way of life despite being separated by state boundaries.