Perhaps Uncle James Fernandes believed in that home is where the heart is. For me it’s more rooted – emotionally, literally and figuratively and for the generation preceding both of us, for youngsters like Austin and Franklyn it’s an ironical, the home is where their hard disc or laptop is…….!
Ten years, rather 10 years and 10 months gone by, since Kishore Gonsalves, the ‘showman of Barkur’, ventured something unique, for his hometown, a common platform barkuronline a web portal uniting Global Barkurians!!
Midst of color and variety, we as a team unearthed a deep apathy and at times aroused passion we have for our hometown and its rich heritage both natural and man made. In other words, we tried our best to showcase Barkur the place and its people, whatever little way we can…..!!!
Its our Barkur, most picturesque, once famous for green paddy fields at once you cross the bridge over high and dry Sita, for more than half of the year… and with sugarcane and chilly and sweet potato bushes, glisten in the sun, later half…now embracing urbanization, either side of the road to Kalchapra occupied by commercial thinkers and planners……dusty roads converted to be concrete and tarmac, once gateway to the western & African world through their stunning waterways around half a dozen islands, which were in abundance of coconut trees……yes a place historical, unique and beautiful….!!!!
Barkur has everything – lakes, river Sita and its tributaries, hills – Sinhasana, Heradi Dharmashale or Uddalgudde, temples for all deities and moolastana’s for all Coastal communities, first mosque built by ………..gothic styled Church dedicated to Apostle St. Peter…….Its a home for all, you name it……yes its brims with rural, tribal and urban population. It has its roots in mythology - the famous story of ‘Bhutala Pandya’ or the first Christian missionary work in India by St. Bartholomew….
Once the town was self sufficient, rather home for other visiting / residing merchants, now changing slowly but surely….people sleep and eat here but study and serve elsewhere in the neighborhood. Is it high time to think of something to provide basic English medium education? We have a College up to post graduate studies in Barkur….but lack most important modern primary schools….Its not who will give it a thought but feel it’s a necessity….I have seen tiny tots travelling by auto rickshaws / buses in the wee hours to Brahmmavar / Heradi..Their plight really painful….!
Am I changing track, yes the intention of writing these few words is restricted to what we have done or doing as a team of Barkur on line
Now we reached to a milestone, to be on line for the last ten years. Our host, Kishore Gonsalves has lot of creative ideas to be more vibrant and informative in coming years. A complete new looks with better inputs, most sought mechanism for interaction with visitors is in the offing. It’s in keeping mutual interest, needs and likes, our IT specialists now framed it to appeal the new younger generation.
What we noticed is the concern and necessity of web pages confined to Barkur is felt more by non-resident Barkurians. Variety and diversity in the web bank / reservoir is our next ambition. We have the credit of being a reference source to many students of history in a couple of Universities in the past. We expect a more critical as well as complimentory participation by our College going IT friendly teachers and students from Barkur.
We are indebted to various people, who accompanied us in our journey, Dr. Gabriel Fernandes, our generous patron for years, various writers, photographers, translators, resource persons for various articles, designers and IT personnel in Naveen Sequeira and others, innumerable ICYM Ex-members, the SPA Mumbai – Barkur…. and so on and so forth.
A simple but meaningful ‘Re-launching Programme’ is organized at Barkur on Sunday, 23rd September 2012, to be presided over by former Principal of Milagres College, Kallianpur, and currently the Parish Priest of Barkur Church Rev. Fr. Valerian Mendonca, Mr.Shantharam Shetty, President, Barkur Panchayath, Retired Principal B.Seetharam Shetty, Prof.Rajshekhar Hebbar, Principal, Smt.Rukmini Shedthi Memorial National Government First Grade College, Barkur, Rtn.Mubarak, President, Rotary Club, Barkur are expected to grace the occassion with lot many well wishers and friends.
‘New media’ is mainly interpreted as social media and word of mouth by many, for its instant reach. These both have a strong internet component hence the future communication just a curser away, we Barkurian’s at par with the development around us. It’s our / your choice to make its best use, day today or otherwise……
So friends, just a week to go and you will have an experience of different type, till then….a patient wait…..!
On behalf of Barkur-online Team & ICYM Barkur Ex-Members Association,
P. Archibald Furtado, Muscat, 15/09/2012. furtadoarchibald@hotmail.com