to,
the editor.
find below my article, 'a dramatic exit', which
appeared on gomantak times dt 11/12/07, for your kind
consideration.
thanking you,
walter
A DRAMATIC EXIT !
By: Walter Menezes
Sanny de Quepem’s second album of Konknni gitam simply
titled NRI, contains a memorable track. The last song,
Flight Kuwait-Goa (Part 2), continues to echo in the
corridors of your heart, long after it is over. And
only Sanny, who had lived in Kuwait and knew what it
meant to be away from home and loved ones, could have
penned such lyrics of love and longing. Your heart
bleeds when the beloved, all alone at home, sings:
Kuwait than tum phone-ar uloita, ast bhagonam
Ghara ken’na ietolo, vincharlear sangonam
Uxem vengent dhortam, tuzo hat lagonam
Ugddas ietoch, phone-axim bostam
Phone vazonam!
In the early hours of November 10, when the cell phone
rang at Sanny’s Goa residence at Sonar Bhatt, Quepem
and his daughter, Streisan picked up the call, she
would soon realize that her world would never be the
same again. She would also realize that from now
onwards, she would require nerves of steel to comfort
her mother who was fast asleep, oblivious of the
tragedy that had befallen the family.
A few hours earlier, on the previous day, Sanny had
been at the Goa Day 2007 celebrations in Kuwait and
had sang, what would later turn out to be the last
Konknni solo of his life, before a captivating
audience. Sometime later, on his way back to his
residence, he would complain of chest pain and before
his brother, Vicky, staying with him in Kuwait, could
rush him to the hospital, Sanny had returned to the
Lord.
The news was shocking and Goanetters condoled the
untimely death of a true Goan who ‘promoted Konknni,
Konknni music and the tiatr’. A day after his death,
Goanet was full of tributes and condolence messages.
Frederick Noronha wrote, ‘I was very much taken up by
his determination to share all the Goa-related news
he came across. In these fading days of
community-spirited individuals, Sanny was a welcome
difference’.
‘He stirred our imagination by his postings’, said
Venantius Pinto.
In the good old days when possessing a motorbike was
considered a luxury, I remember seeing Sanny on his
‘Yezdi’, zipping through the narrow roads of our
village. Tall, thin, and bearded, he looked every inch
the creative and imaginative person that he really
was. Although we both hailed from Quepem, I knew him
only from a ‘distance’, until one day, just a few
months ago, ‘we met on the net’.
It was such a pleasure to open the ‘inbox’ everyday
and find, without fail, Sanny there with his
interesting posts. I never realized how greatly he had
touched the lives of Goans all over the globe until
his passing away. I suddenly felt the need to know
more about my fellow-villager who had made such a
‘difference’ in everyone’s life.
At the Mandovi Stores in Quepem, Sanny’s second album,
NRI (April, 2007) as well as his first, Saibinnicho
Tisro Segred (Nov, 2005) were not available. However,
Evangelisto D’Costa, the proprietor, was kind enough
to give me NRI from his private collection so that I
could copy and enjoy the songs. Silviano Barbosa, who
reviewed both the albums, said that they deserved to
be ‘in the top list of his collection of Konknni
albums’ and praised Sanny as ‘a great lyricist’ and
one who ‘uses beautiful Konknni idioms and proverbs
with his nigut bhas and modhur voice’.
It was this voice that enabled Sanny to set the stage
on fire. Gaspar Almeida, who penned his profile,
shares some interesting facts about the various stages
of Sanny’s life. He was Kala Academy’s ‘Best Singer
Award Winner’ for a record number of eight times and
had acted in tiatrs of Nelson (of
Nelson-Anthony-Conception fame), Caesar D’Mello and
others. For some time, he was also part of a dance
band called the Young Challengers.
Felix Pereira, a writer-director of yesteryears from
Quepem, fondly recollects the time when Sanny had
acted in Beddi in 1980, ‘In this tiatr, he played the
role of a villain and did an excellent job. But more
than that, I remember the encores that he and
Constancio D’Silva received for their duo on a child
who was abandoned at birth’.
His death, as was his life, was full of coincidences
and ‘drama’. Like the title of the last track in NRI,
his body arrived on a flight from Kuwait to Goa. He
was laid to rest on November 15, the day of his
wedding anniversary. Great singer that he was, Sanny
had sang, I’ll Be Loving You Eternally, holding his
young life-partner in his arms, during the wedding
special, twenty six years ago. And it was the same
song that was now played again, as per his wishes,
when the lid was placed on the coffin and his ‘last
journey’ began, from his house to the Holy Cross
Church in Quepem.
The church was full. Some, like me, probably
questioning the Lord why He had to ‘call’ Sanny to His
heavenly kingdom, so soon. And as if in answer, there
was Elvis Goes, another famous son of Quepem, singing,
Trust In Me, just before the Eucharistic celebration
was over.
That night, after the funeral, I sat before my
computer, words flowing like the gentle Kushawati
river and a tribute was soon ready, which I mailed to
Goanet:
Goodbye, Sanny
Goodbye
There is mail
In my mailbox
But without your posts
It looks empty
And sure we miss you
Aplenty
You did your bit
And more than that
And gave your very best
To everyone around
For to give is godly
And all that is not given
Is lost
Says an Indian proverb
The Bard of Avon once said
Life is a stage
And that is where you stood
On Goa Day
Singing your heart out
Before a captivating audience
But only the Lord knew
And none
How sudden
And ‘drama’tic
Your ‘exit’ would be
Goodbye, Sanny
Goodbye.
Photo credit: Dale Menezes
_________________________________________________
Tribute to Sanny de Quepem
Goa's Pride www.goa-world.com
Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:34:00 -0800
Tribute to Sanny de Quepem
Cruz Sanny Vaz (well known as Sanny de Quepem amongst the tiatrists
fraternity and the tiatr lovers in Kuwait, Goa and worldwide) was called by the
Almighty God to His Heavenly Abode on 9th November 2007. With a smile on his
lips and eyes focused on God’s will, he was laid to rest at his native place in
Quepem. Attended by scores of his close friends, colleagues and manager from
Mustafa Karam Firm, tiatrists and tiatr lovers and his well-wishers with tears
in their eyes and a prayer, the requiem mass was offered by Kuwait-Goa
Tiatristanchi Sonvstha (KGTS).
Bab Sanny was one of the rarest jewels produced by the Konkani stage and
known among the tiatr lovers for his scintillating songs on social and moral
subjects. His specialty was in composing and singing songs in a unique way. His
songs served as a whip to all types of injustice in the society and for the
Goan causes. He mesmerized Goans as an actor, composer, singer, and writer.
Though in his fifties, he had the style and caliber to perform as an evergreen
singer with his youthful looks and his trademark shaved torso. His last song
will be much cherished on his theme of fostering unity among mankind. Always
eager to assist and help, the tiatrists fraternity will feel the void left in
his dealth. The death has snatched away a dear friend and an entertainer from
us.
A meeting was held at the Royale Terrace Restaurant, Salmiya on 17th November
2007 and KGTS members took this opportunity to offer prayers and poignant
tributes to this Konkani stage artiste and singer and conveyed heartfelt
condolences to his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.
Kuwait-Goa Tiatristanchi Sonsvtha (KGTS)
Kuwait
