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A Walk Through The Cultural Heritage Of Konkani With Ramesh Pai

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Images from: Sahapedia.org

In a talk organised by Sahapedia, Ramesh Pai, a well-known Konkani writer threw light on the diverse culture and rich history of the Konkani community

Text credits: Lakshmi Priya 

Tracing back to the precarious escape from the Portuguese at Goa, the hardships suffered by the Konkani community, who originated from the Konkan coast of south-western India is agonising. But amidst these disastrous stories, this ethno-linguistic community is known for its rich cultural heritage.

With a sonorous mix of traditions and folk arts, the cultural wealth of the community is tremendous and unique in every aspect. Payyanur Ramesh Pai, a Konkani litterateur, an expert on Konkani culture as well as the former chairman of Kerala Konkani Sahitya Akademy took a walk through the history and culture of the Konkani community last week at an Abhimukham, a talk conducted by Sahapedia, an online encyclopedia of Indian arts and culture.

The catastrophic journey of the Konkanis began during the disappearance of River Saraswati, after which the community scattered across the country. They went on to settle in regions like Kashmir, Kutch, and Goa. When the Portuguese began their tyranny in Goa, the Konkanis had to face various consequences. The Konkani language was banned, making it the first language to be outlawed in history, conversion to Christianity was forced and in case of their declining numbers, cruel punishments were enforced. “Konkani is the first Indian language in which the Bible got translated into. Then, the Portuguese brought missionaries and built seminaries. But things did not end there and the Portuguese dictated that the Konkani people would have to become Christians if they had to live there,” said Ramesh. “When some converted to Christianity, others refused and they were meted with severe punishment. This was when they escaped their land and migrated to the coastal areas of Kerala like Purakkad, Kollam, Kodungallur.”

Throwing light on to the settlement of Konkanis in Kerala, Ramesh said that when the people of the community requested the Zamorin of Calicut to allow them to settle there, he refused as he was in good terms with the Portuguese. Later, they migrated to Kochi after the ruler of Kochi allowed them to stay at the four borders of the canal. In Kochi, they majorly settled at the outskirts of the city – Mattancherry and Cherlai. “Both Mattachery and Cherlai got their names through Konkanis as earlier Mattancherry was known as ‘Mattavan Cherry’, which means the street or slum lived by refugees,” said Ramesh.

He also spoke about the need of preserving the Konkani language which is on the edge of decline. Due to the influence of the local areas where the communities settled, the language has lost its authenticity and has taken words from the languages spoken by the locals. The dialect differs according to the region they settled, making it a bilingual language. “Unfortunately, little efforts are being made to save the language from extinction. UNESCO has even declared Konkani language as an endangered one. Only this language can retain our culture, values, and ethos, ” he pointed out. The speaker made the talk even more illuminating by screening some of the traditional and age-old folk arts of the community like Fugdi, Kunbi, and many more.

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Events

Celebrity Muses at Lakme Fashion Week 2024

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Celebrities from Bollywood create a lot of buzz every year when they appear in fashion shows as the faces of up-and-coming or established designers in the nation. Lakme Fashion Week is one such event where a large number of Bollywood designers participate. As anticipated, the LFW roster this year had a number of well-known names and was stylish as well. Numerous well-known figures, including Madhuri Dixit and Ananya Panday, sashayed down the ramp. Let’s examine a few of the most well-known figures seen this season on the ramp.

Ananya Pandey

Ananya Panday looked amazing on the catwalk as she paired an off-the-shoulder black petal dress with high-rise leather boots. Wearing a long ponytail and walking confidently, she looked stunning for designer Rahul Mishra.

Aditya Roy Kapur and Janhvi Kapoor

Walking for fashion brand Kalki, Janhvi Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur took the show on the road. Aditya Roy Kapur was spotted wearing a black sherwani with embellishments, while Janhvi Kapoor sported an off-the-shoulder silk shirt and a maroon mermaid skirt.

Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit wore a gorgeous black floral co-ord set with a stylish blazer that gave off business woman vibes for Ranna Gill. She accessorized with modest locks and maroon lips for a neutral makeup look. 

Shanaya Kapoor

On the other hand, Shanaya Kapoor was spotted walking the ramp for Anamika Khanna while sporting an oversized white shirt with embroidered details and high-rise boots.

Tripti Dimri

Tripti Dimri graced the ramp for Shantnu and Nikhil donning an exquisite floor-length silver skirt paired with a sleeveless black top, a chic belt, and a magnificent set of hand gloves. 

Tapsee Pannu

As she walked for Gauri & Nainika, Tapsee Pannu was also seen on the ramp wearing a gorgeous bodycon gown with a mermaid cut end.

Malaika Arora

Malaika Arora spun around in a gorgeous pastel lehenga adorned with golden flower embroidery while she walked the Lakme Fashion Week runway for Anushka Reddy.

Rakul Preet

Rakul Preet, the newest bride in town, was also spotted on the ramp, walking for Ritika Mirchandani while sporting a white crop top and a skirt with a high thigh slit.

Aditi Rao Hydari

In Nirmooha’s ‘Ekatra’ collection, Aditi Rao Hydari embodies royalty as she explores individualism with dark purple coordinated outfits embellished with geometric designs and a dash of shine. 

Divya Khosla

In Rajdeep Ranawat’s opulent ‘Nizam’ collection, which is made of silk and features vintage accents, Divya Khosla looks stunning. The collection is inspired by the grandeur of Lucknow and the royal jewels of Hyderabad.  

Sara Ali Khan

Varun Chakkilam’s ‘Lenora’ collection, which combines modern style with Hyderabadi cultural aspects in pearl grey embroidered lehengas, features Sara Ali Khan flashing burn marks.

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Events

Lakme Fashion Week Day 2 Highlights

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From March 13 to 17, Lakme Fashion Week was held at the famous Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, which is situated in the center of the Bandra Kurla Complex. Lakme Fashion Week 2024 covered every genre, with an insightful and diverse list of designers showcasing their work. Collections included haute couture, street style, country wear, gothic vampire inspired, 1800s cowboy tribes, Indian bridal, Venetian tea party, and Victorian gowns. It’s time to break down some of the major SS’24 fashion trends as fashion week just ended. Sustainable Fashion Day, held on Day 2 of Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with FDCI, featured some incredibly stunning runway looks. 

Til, Yavi, and Inca’s Collection

With their current collection, Inca, Til, and Yavi showcased sustainable design with clothing that promised both unparalleled comfort and glamour. In her role as Inca India’s show stopper, actor Dia Mirza dominated the show. Wearing an opulent all-black suit from their “Love is a Verb” collection, Mirza strutted down the runway. The collection complemented the concept of the event and was influenced by traditional artisan skills and repurposed materials.

Gaurang Shah’s Designs in Pink Hues

Gaurang’s “Gulaal” Lakme Fashion Week Spring/Festive collection. Lehengas and sarees with long-forgotten embroidery, such as Mochi, Parsi Gada, Petite Point, Kasuti, Phulkari, Kutch, and Kashmiri, were featured in the collection in the adaptable color pink.

Tea Cultures of the World x Chola 

With a focus on inclusivity and authenticity, Chola by Sohaya Misra and Tea Culture of the World honoured the merging of fashion and tea culture, embodying confidence, individualism, and empowerment. The collection’s runway was lit up by actresses Neha Dhupia and Konkona Sensharma’s stunning walks in black and white costumes.

U’Core by Urvashi Kaur

In Urvashi Kaur’s U’Core, contrasting selvedges were prominently featured. Her mother, Anupama Singh, along with notable models like Ratna Pathak Shah, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal, Mallika Dua, Faraz Ansani, Shweta Tripathi, and Santanu Hazarika, showcased the collection’s artistry through stitch line details and hand block printing.

R|Elan X JJV Kapurthala

On Day 2 of Sustainable Fashion Day at Lakme Fashion Week, style and sustainability were guaranteed by the R|Elan X JJV Kapurthala collection. JJV incorporates ethical practices into its design philosophy in a seamless manner, improving garment performance and decreasing textile waste.

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Sparkling Day 1 : Lakme Fashion Week

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With the much awaited Lakme Fashion Week held in the nation’s capital in association with the FDCI, fashion week is officially underway. Every year, people in the apparel business and fashion aficionados alike look forward to this event.

For almost 25 years, Lakme Fashion Week has been creating legendary displays, and there are no plans to stop. The first day of the five-day event featured a star-studded lineup at the runways, including Jim Sarbh, Hina Khan, and Alaya F in addition to Kalki Koechlin.

The Ramp Walk of Karishma Tanna

Karishma Tanna stunned on the catwalk with her stunning INIFD Launchpad ensemble. The “Scoop” actress turned heads with her gorgeous all-black Yashi Gada costume.

“A Periwinkle Wednesday” Collection by SWGT

The most intriguing collection from SWGT is undoubtedly “A Periwinkle Wednesday,” which takes its cues from the designer’s first iteration of love. The compilation honors love in all its tender, humorous, poetic, entrancing, and even frivolous forms.

Launch of a Magazine

The 2024–25 Fashion X Beauty Lakmē Fashion Week Trend Edition, designed by Peclers Paris, was also unveiled on the first day. The trend journal offered a preview of what to expect from the next fashion season via the eyes of multi-cultural trend forecasters.

The “Sun and Moon” Collection by Archana Rao

The “Sun and Moon” collection by Archana Rao was incredibly fascinating since it celebrates the natural harmony between the sun and moon while simultaneously emphasizing their striking contrasts.

The Most Recent Collection of Rajesh Pratap

The collection by La Martina X Rajesh Pratap Singh pays homage to the close relationship between Polo and Jaipur. The designs successfully highlighted the city’s rich cultural heritage and close connections to the game.

Samant Chauhan’s Collection of Ice Watches

Designer Samant Chauhan’s “Ice Watch” showcased superb craftsmanship and creative use of embroidery and shapes. Whites and blues, layers and ruffles, and a tonne of volume made up the mood board. Jim Sarbh, an actor, walked for Chauhan wearing all-white clothing.

A cocktail collection by Geisha Designs

Paras and Shalini, the designer team at Geisha Designs, served up cocktail and evening wear for men and women for the first time that day. Alaya F, a teenage actress who was observed wearing a lavishly embroidered pant and bustier combo, was chosen as their show stopper. 

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