Gerald D'Cunha

  “Go back; don’t throw back.” Darnell Lamont Walker   M any years ago, I had attended a wedding of one of my cousins in my hometown, Mangalore. A couple of years ago, I happened to see a picture shared by this cousin on FB… It’s the traditional ‘family picture’ captured on the belief: ‘Bigger the size, the better the picture!’ So, they would stuff, in one frame, almost a few dozen… parents, grandparents, great grandparents, cousins – first, second, third… uncles and aunts, both, from dad’s side and mom’s size… Imagine the size, if the families of groom and bride both made to fit in! So, my friend Joe, who is known for his wicked humour, commented on the picture shared by my cousin. He wrote in Konkani: “Maplyacha kaantinth tharlayaso mando!” ‘Maplyacha’ meaning the Muslim fish vendor’s… ‘Kaantinth’ meaning in the huge fish-basket… ‘Tharyaso’ meaning of Sardine fish… ‘Mando’ meaning head… All put together, my friend wanted to tell me this: “I can see th...

Two years ago, I had taken an initiative to organise a reunion of all those students and well-wishers who had helped me found, and then run, The Dawn Club. It was taking place after twenty-long years. I had tried to contact almost every one whose helping hand had brought me till here... but, it was not possible to get in touch with all of them. Still, I managed to get in touch with as many as I could.  I wanted to thank them, re-live all those golden memories... I brought out two books to mark the occasion... captured the beautiful moments, our fond interactions, on live video beamed on a mega screen in the auditorium... and, finally, the event culminated with a sumptuous dinner. I felt a lot relieved, content and even proud. It was around 11 in the night, and I and my wife were about to get into the waiting car to leave the wonderful auditorium and the just-lived memories behind. My mobile phone rang. It was one of my students who had attended the function. I...