Caridade Damaciano Fernandes

Caridade Damaciano Fernandes (1904 – 7 October 1948) was a prolific Konkani-language novelist and a pioneer of prose fiction writing in that language.

Life

Fernandes was the only child of Manuel Fernandes (from Maina, Goa) and Maria M Mascarenhas (from Corjuem). He became a seaman, married Maria Luisa de Souza, and had no children. He lived for most of his adult life in Bombay, and rose to literary fame in the 1930s.

Works

Fernandes edited the Bombay English-Konkani weekly The Emigrant. He wrote around 100 novels and novellas. Many were around thirty pages and sold for the low price of one Indian anna.[1] Their content focused on gripping tales of adventure and romance, featuring stereotyped characters, love-scenes, and endings characterised by poetic justice.[2]

His most noted novels are Julus Patxai, Armida, Ankvaricho Cheddo, Rio Rita, and La Beatrice.[2] His last work was Goenchem Kolvont, published in 1947.[1]

Legacy

It was announced in 2019 that Fernandes would have a street named after him in Aldona.[3]

References
  1. Paul Fernandes, 'A Forgotten Konkani Novellist', Sunday Times of India (Goa Edition) (22 December 2019), p. 2.
  2. ManoharRai SarDessai, A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992 (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 2000), p. 228.
  3. 'Aldona VP to hold special gram sabha on Sagarmala project', The Navhind Times (21 October 2019).



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