The Magic of the Air-Waves (of the Nineteen-Sixties) WHEN WIRELESS RULED THE AIR-WAVES Part II OF IV

The Magic of the Air-Waves (of the Nineteen-Sixties)

WHEN WIRELESS RULED THE AIR-WAVES

Part II of IV

Another broadcasting station that developed and shaped my love for Konkani, English and Portuguese music is ‘Emissora de Goa’ from the late fifties up to the morning of 18th December 1961. Portuguese songs 'Encosta tua cabecinha', 'Sonho' and 'Vem, vem minha flor' were often heard on the air-waves. The studios were located at Altinho, Panjim, and the transmitters at Bambolim, Goa. It was silenced temporarily by the bombs dropped by Indian air force jets at the time of Goa’s take-over by the Indian Government. Happy days were there again when after a respite of about two months broadcasting resumed with transmission ID as All India Radio, Panjim, three times a day, on Medium Wave. During the Portuguese era transmission began at 7 am with the Portuguese national anthem. After the take-over it was replaced by ‘Vande Mataram’ preceded by the unique signature tune of All India Radio, followed by Christian and Hindu devotional hymns, news in Konkani, Konkani songs and Marathi programs. Incidentally, the signature tune which helped in fine-tuning the awaited program was composed by a Jewish refugee in India, Walter Kaufmann, in 1936. The second segment of radio transmission began at noon again with English vocal and instrumental music, news in English at 1.30 pm relayed from All India Radio, Delhi, followed by English classical music up to 2.30 pm. It was on the air again at 6 pm with a line-up of Konkani songs, Marathi songs, bhajans and plays. Weekly late night Konkani plays were regular features. Sunday morning children's programme 'Honi Baili Vasri' rings a bell. The station, after it became a part of the net-work known as All India Radio, Panjim, also relayed from A.I.R. Bombay, songs by Alfred Rose, songs from Konkani films ‘Amchem Noxib’ and ‘Nirmon’, songs by Anthony Mendes and Miguel Rod in a 30 minute program starting at 8.20 pm, immediately after the news in Marathi (Bathmi). A.I.R. News relays began with the word: 'Akashwani'. The most popular broadcast listened to in many Goan homes was probably the listeners' request program of Konkani songs broadcast at 6 pm on Sunday evenings. Alfred Rose’s Konkani songs ‘Deu Nidonk Nam’ and ‘Suii, Suut, Cator’ were major hits. The melodic voice of Georgina Jaques emitted from the Philips radio, placed on the 'sopo' (mud-bench). A very popular former Radio Announcer "Aleixinho Da Costa alias Allen Da Costa" who besides being a longest serving popular Radio Announcer on Emissora de Goa /All India Radio Goa, was also composer himself and sang Konkani songs on AIR by public demand. Neighbours listened eagerly to hear their names on the request program at dusk. Young Menezes’ lightning-speed singing was a sensation, moral woes were well-depicted by Alexinho de Candolim and Souza Gião yodelled his way into the hearts of listeners of all ages. Those were the melodious days of my childhood – the days when a group of village boys sat down and wrote words of the songs as they were played on the radio. English and Konkani songbooks were compiled by the village boys that initially contained some misheard lyrics which were later corrected!

Among the English fare of songs that were given air-time those days were hits by Jim Reeves, Cliff Richard and the Shadows and Elvis Presley. Big Band Sound of instrumental music by Billy Vaughn, Latin rhythms by Edmundo Ros and a wide range of dance music played by Victor Sylvester were often heard too. Johnny Tillotson’s song ‘True True Happiness’ in particular was a big hit.

Announcer par excellence of that era was the prominent announcer and newsreader, Imelda Dias, with her pleasant and clear voice gracing the radio airwaves. She was a disc jockey on an afternoon program called: ‘Your favourites and mine’, besides presenting the ever-popular Sunday listeners’ choice of western music and songs. Billy Vaughn’s ‘Sail along silvery moon’ and ‘Summer Place’ were soothing preferences, while the hilarious vocal ‘Que la la, que la la’ (and the giggle) must have enthused many. The Short Wave transmission of Emissora de Goa was so powerful that it could be received in places as far away as the East African Portuguese colonies and in the Middle Eastern countries.

(End of Part II oF IV)