Three years ago, when Fr Glen D’Silva was
serving on the executive board of Kala Academy, Shrikanth Bhatt, member
secretary, told him that someone must revive the ‘Kristapurana’. The
‘Kristapurana’ is an epic poem on the life of Jesus Christ written in a mix of
Marathi and Konkani by Fr Thomas Stephens, SJ (1549-1619) comprising 11,000
stanzas of four verses. It was translated into English by Fr (Dr) Nelson Falcao
while Padmashri Suresh Amonkar, educationist, social worker and writer had
worked on the Konkani translation. Fr Glen’s mission was to compose verses from
the 500-year-old ‘Kristapurana’ and his efforts came into fruition with ‘O
Namo’ – an album of 11 songs’.
Fr Glen shares an interesting story of how
Fr Cosme Jose Costa, member of the Society of Pilar, Goa Province, whose birth
has been accepted as a miracle of St Joseph Vaz, found the handwritten copy of
the ‘Kristapurana’ in a cowshed. “He described it as a divine intervention that
led him to the cowshed and find the messy copy of the ‘Kristapurana’. He
cleaned it and kept it with him for ten years before handing it to the Pilar
Seminary Museum, where it is on display today,” informs Fr Glen.
Fr Glen has played different roles in
different areas of his priestly life. He served in the Churches of Colva,
Sanguem and Birondem before becoming Music Director at the Pilar Music School.
He also opened music schools in Porvorim, Margao and Moira. Living in
Vaddem-Curdi for the past three years, Fr Glen found his mind at rest which
gave him time to read and compose the verses.
The album comprises 11 songs which are
rooted in culture and are sung in classical Marathi with a commentary
explaining the song in Konkani. “The 25 verses in the songs summarise the
‘Kristapurana’ right from creation, the Son, the Trinity and the God who send
his only son Jesus Christ.”
The album is composed and sung by Fr Glen
D’Silva who also played the electronic tanpura and violin, accompanied by
Mahesh Prabhu Desai from Netruli on tabla and Surendra Prabhu Desai from
Tilamol on harmonium. The music was edited and mixed by Roque Lazarus with
recording by Bhavesh Fulari at the Art and Culture Studio, Patto, Panjim. The
album is produced by Brian D’Silva, the brother of Fr Glen.
When asked about his expectations from this
album, Fr Glen replies, “I hope those who listen to it will find peace and
healing through the pure and divine spirit. Some listeners will not be able to
understand it by listening to it once and it will take multiple playbacks for
the message to sink in and for them to realise its beauty. Goans need their
cultural roots and tradition. These are productive songs based on the ragas in
a classical Indian music form, bringing together religion and secularism,” concludes
Fr Glen.
