Mangaluru :

Mandd Sobhann, promoters of Konkani Museum, dubbed Konkani’s most ambitious project, have set themselves 3-year time frame to complete the project. CM Siddaramaiah laying the foundation stone for museum at Kalaangann, Shaktinagar on April 21 will mark another step towards realizing the project, cost of which is estimated at Rs 30 crore. The first step incidentally was laid on June 15, 2013 with a unique move of asking donors to donate a cent of land.

With the museum coming up on one-acre land abutting Kalaangann, the task before the cultural organization is now to raise required funds. Giving this dream project a small fillip is a budgetary grant of Rs 2.5 crore that Siddaramaiah announced in the budget this year. With a similar amount assured in next year’s budget, the organization is left with the task of raising a further Rs 25 crore and try and tap newer sources of funding rather than go to their usual donors.

Eric Ozario, gurkar of Mandd Sobhann told reporters that the Central government, governments of Goa and Kerala, and even UNESCO is on his organisations radar for funds. “We have spread our tentacles far and wide in our effort to raise funds for this project and even deputed people to liaison with authorities concerned to meet our objective,” he said, adding the plans for the museum are big and will require concerted efforts to realize the same with equal determination.

Describing the project as world-class anthropological museum in the making, Eric said it is largely inspired by the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, Mawlai in Shillong. “It is our endeavor to document, promote and preserve Konkani cultures of Konkani speaking communities wherever they exist for the future,” and not limit it to a mere collection of artefacts. “There will be digital documentation of all facets of Konkani cultures, traditions across communities,” he said.

The museum also has the potential to become a place of tourist importance in the future and even this will be kept in mind as the project takes shape and is completed, he said. “It will showcase the unique and rare, rich and diverse Konkani culture of Konkani’s belonging to all religions, regions, communities and dialects,” he said adding research will drive the museum’s endeavours.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Mangalore / by Jaideep Shenoy / TNN / April 18th, 2016