Prutha Goa

Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ. It is also a time of giving, and giving freely. Carpe Diem-The Art and Learning Centre in Majorda has combined an opportunity to give with the treat of a literary evening with Goa’s noted poets and writers. Poets and Writers Evening: A Fundraiser in Support of Arz and Victims of Human Trafficking will be held at Carpe Diem on the 9th of December 2018 from 6.30pm to 8pm. Entry is free and those who wish to attend are invited to donate generously to support ARZ. ARZ, or Anyay Rahit Zindagi (Life without Injustice), is a Goa-based organisation that rescues victims of trafficking for commercial sex work. A group of professionals from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) established the organisation in 1997, and the first project undertaken by ARZ was the rehabilitation of commercial sex workers in Baina, Goa, in 1998. Arunendra Kumar Pandey is one of the founders and director of ARZ and has been working tirelessly with his t

His drive to promote mime is evident in the fervour resonated in his voice. One of Goa’s own has taken the state to the international stage and still somehow remains unsung and uncredited for his contribution. Drupad Gaonkar, who spent about a month in Goa recently actively disseminating his artistry, became a mime artist at a later stage in his career. Earlier, all of Goa knew him as a dancer and a theatre person. Today he works as a researcher in mime perspectives and history at the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research. He says, ‘I had a backdoor entry into mime. Earlier, I used to write plays, choreograph dance dramas, etc. I’m more of a teacher type. In my performing arts I would include many elements…including juggling. I always wanted to bring mime on stage.’ In 2004, Drupad had his first opportunity to focus entirely on mime when he was told that Isabel de Santa Rita Vás required someone proficient in the art at IFFI. Following this venture, he felt the

The devastation caused by the recent flooding in Kerala has left many bereft of hearth and home and even life. The land of lush greenery, welcoming people and numerous historically significant and scenic sites has suffered the onslaught of the fury of nature with an increase of 41.44% rainfall this year. Recorded to be the worst flooding in a century, the crippling inundation has also been reported to be the cumulative result of unchecked mining, quarrying, development and construction, besides other alleged immediate factors. Many people now find themselves in relief camps faced with the long-drawn process of rebuilding their lives. The threat of disease is widespread and rehabilitation, which is a slow and exhausting process, will require a considerable amount of aid in the form of monetary funds, supplies related to daily life, food items, household fixtures and furniture, volunteers and so on to restore God’s own country to its former glory. NGOs, locals, the armed forces, national

Alex Rodrigues, who is having his exhibition of paintings titled Christus at Carpe Diem, Majorda, sets himself on a different plane from that of his contemporaries. He gives expression to his artistic prowess through techniques called finger painting, and engraving and embossing (nail art). The extraordinary aspect of his art is that Alex has no formal training. It has been purely talent, initiative, and critique and encouragement from family that have brought him this far. Alex Rodrigues has always been artistically creative and hardly recalls a time when he has not been doing anything of the kind. It was sketching, drawing and painting for the joy of art rather than with a professional outlook. However, a turning point came when a dance student chanced upon his works under the couch and asked if she could sell them for him, since she appreciated his talent. He agreed to it and from then on art became his career. Alex was brought up in Mumbai and came to Goa on holiday to stay at the

‘Being an artist is not about a particular style or being from a particular place. It's simply about inspiration’ – Hesham Malik Hesham Malik is a well-travelled artist who was born in Bahrain and is now based in Prague, the Czech Republic. He has an intimate connection with Goa, in that his mother was born in Margao and his grandparents were from Cuncolim. A few months ago he was in Goa to show his collection Embellished at Carpe Diem. If one referred to Hesham as a global citizen, one would not be far from the truth. The man has lived in Bahrain, India and Dubai. He has travelled to Canada and received two bachelor’s degrees in that country, one each from the Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and the University of Waterloo. Hesham has been to Greece, the UK, Tanzania, Kenya, Spain, Austria, Mauritius, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Germany and other countries he remembers and appreciates for their beauty. Needless to say, his life has been enriched with the exper

Situated in the scenic locale of Majorda, replete with old worldly charm that takes you back to the Portuguese era, is Carpe Diem-The Art and Learning Centre . It is far removed from other modern art galleries in the cities. The centre was the result of a thought process that sought to explore and gauge those talents and sense of adventure that often remain concealed in individuals, sometimes even for a lifetime. Daegal Godinho, who runs the centre, believes he is lucky to have been able to break out of the mould and take full advantage of his talents. He decided to institute a centre where people could engage in self-discovery and reach out to other talented persons too. He says, ‘Hence, Carpe Diem! Carpe diem, which popularly translates into “seize the day”, is exactly that. It is the place for those who need to discover, explore or exhibit their passion!’ Daegal Godinho comes from an educational background far removed from the arts. He holds a graduate  degree in microbiology and an