The Show Must Go On…!!
Namaskaru,
Let us introduce ourselves 1st: we are Kedar & Preeti Kodikal, based in San Jose, California, and this year, we have been nominated as the Presidents of KAOCA (Konkani Association Of California). We have been blessed with a wonderful group of volunteers and an excellent committee!
At the beginning of this year, we were SO excited to start 2020 with a BANG and had SO many plans for KAOCA! KAOCA is our beloved organization; you may even call this our extended family for the past 2.5 decades since we arrived in the US! We had several plans to make this year special for our 1000+ KAOCA members: several activities, events, get-togethers, programs, etc.
January and February were gracious enough to let us have fun community events such as:
- The Talent Show where about 300 KAOCAns showcased various talents: singing, dances, mimicry, etc
- Monthly Karaoke events
- Regular Yoga and Bollywood Dance classes
- Other wellness & fitness activities such as long and short hikes, biking, jogging, etc.
- “KAOCA Gurukul” classes that we started for KAOCA kids this year, where we teach them all about our Konkani and Hindu history, mythology and culture, Prarthana, Stotras and Bhajans, Arts & Crafts, Indian festivals, conversing fluently in Konkani, etc.!
- Other major events planned for 2020 were: Holi, Ugadi, Sports Day, Indian Independence Day Parade (with KAOCA float!), 3-day Camping in Little Basin, Dandia event(s), Diwali and many more!
In February, we all had already excitedly started preparing for the huge Ugadi event to be held in April. We had booked a dance studio over the weekends, where individual KAOCAns and groups had started practicing dances, skits, programs etc. for the magnificent Ugadi event, which was to be held in a HUGE 1000 capacity auditorium, where we had even worked with their stage management team to create a multitude of light and special effects. And while all this was in full swing….all our lives, as we have always known, came to a standstill (quite literally!) The Covid-19 pandemic was announced, shelter in place and social distancing was mandated. That meant that ALL the activities and programs had to be cancelled for almost the entire year – honestly, it took us a few days to realize and digest this new reality!
But once the reality and seriousness of the situation had sunk in, we quickly changed gears. Our friends in KAOCA had to stay together as one large family, in spite of the social distancing guidelines. As presidents of this esteemed organization, we felt that it was our responsibility to ensure the physical, psychological and emotional well-being of our KAOCAns. The togetherness of this tightly-knit organization is the strength that has kept us feel wanted, connected and happy for several decades now, and we wanted this KAOCA heritage to continue in spite of the social distancing mandates. We would like to humbly discuss some of the shelter-in-place initiatives (primarily online) that we have undertaken, along with the wonderful group of volunteers we are blessed with, in the past few months to ensure that all KAOCA members – irrespective of their age, interests and backgrounds – are involved and feel connected:
- Volunteer program: to help our elderly 60+ and/or immunocompromised with any errands or groceries, during the COVID-19 Quarantine.
- Weekend Online Gurukul class: Kids enjoy learning about our Konkani and Hindu culture in the ONLINE Gurukul class and have started chanting stotras & bhajans, and performing “Om Namah Shivay” meditation regularly.
- Daily group Yoga Sessions – led by Aruna Acharya
- Daily Ab Challenge Sessions – led by Aruna Acharya
- Weekend Online Zumba – led by Medha Acharya
- Om Namah Shivay Group Chanting 108 times – led by Preeti Kodikal
- Meditation – led by Ramesh Shenoy
- Weekend Knitting Class – taught by Sheela Kallianpur
- Cake n Cupcakes Decorating with Ziploc bags class – led by Pranali Lad.
- Weekly Travel Diaries every Sunday: Many KAOCANs have traveled to some wonderful places around the US and also around the world and online “Travel Diaries” is a fantastic medium for them to share their experiences with fellow KAOCAns. They can relive their moments and everyone can enjoy travelling with them …from home!
- Monthly Prayer & Bhajan Evening: where KAOCAns come together once every month and by singing bhajans, chanting prayers and stotras, they gain collective mental peace and pray for everyone’s well-being.
- Monthly Antakshari Nite
- Lockdown video contest – creative and funny short videos with the theme: “how you and/or family are doing under this lockdown”!
- A. R .Rahman Nite
- Lata Mangeshkar Nite
- Kishore Kumar Nite
- Kapoors Special Nite
- “Gaanvche Kanyo” (coming soon!): stories about our “gaanva” (villages) and wonderful stories from back home in India, as retold by our maams, pacchis, ajjos and ajjis!
- Monthly Dumb Charades Nite
- Monthly Bingo Nite
- Make Compassion Contagious” – in association with the Heartfulness Foundation
- Graduation Nite:
- Mohd. Rafi Nite
- Fortnightly KAOCA Vimarsh: During this SIP, we may be quarantined at home, but our thirst for knowledge and pressing issues continues. In our “KAOCA Vimarsh” series, issues and topics that are informational and educational for KAOCAns are discussed in our KAOCA Vimarsh sessions. Experts and professionals are specially invited to speak at KAOCA Vimarsh and they address the topic of the day, speak to KAOCAns and also answer questions. KAOCA Vimarsh is also an interactive discussion where everyone can ask questions and clarify doubts about the topic
- Indian Independence Day Virtual Freedom Gala – in association with FOG (Festival Of Globe)
- Volunteer Program: to help KAOCAns impacted by the California fires.
- KAOCA Sangam: KAOCA (Konkani Association Of California) is proud to announce a new alliance program: “KAOCA Sangam” – to bring eligible Konkanis together and ensure our Konkani heritage and language is intact for eternity! Konkanis are already a small community worldwide and shrinking because of inter-community marriages. Konkani, as a language, as a cultural community and our Konkani Saraswat identity needs to be preserved for future generations.
- “KAOCA’s Got Talent!”: a video contest where our talented KAOCAns can showcase their unique talents and win prizes!
- Streamlined Donations:All KAOCAns donate generously, and this year onwards, we have streamlined the donation process through KAOCA. Detailed can be found on the “Donations” tab.
All KAOCAns, in case you haven’t already, please join our Facebook group KAOCA Friends and check out latest event photos, posts and announcements.
Welcome 2020!
Namaskaru,
We would like to invite all KAOCA Friends and their families to various events we have planned for 2020!
You are in for a highly EXHILIRATING year ahead in 2020! All the Konkanis in the Bay Area are super-excited about the 2020 Sammelan being held right here in our neighborhood! In addition to this extravagant event, your KAOCA 2020 committee has planned a LOT of activities, free classes and events for you!
These events have been conceptualized and designed to arouse the KONKANI in you….and your children!! And build a strong Konkani foundation that will last for several generations for many years to come – in this foreign country which we call home now!
The goal of these new events planned in 2020 is to promote our Konkani culture, bring a sense of pride, belonging and togetherness among our Konkani community and also encourage wellness and fitness.
We have segregated these new 2020 events in the following categories:
Ugadi :
P.S. Our KAOCA Ugadi event at Carrington Hall - Sequoia High School has been postponed until further notice. Please keep checking this space for updates.
Gurukul:
Quite a few children born and raised here in the US are unfortunately not very comfortable with speaking Konkani fluently or at all, and are unaware or partially aware of our culture and traditions.
The KAOCA 2020 Committee is bringing you a NEW 3 hour Gurukul class to be held once a month (frequency may increase in case of demand) for kids between the age groups of 4 and 18. The goal of KAOCA Gurukul is to promote a greater understanding of our Konkani history and roots, our Konkani language, Hindu festivals and traditions, teach reading and writing using Devnagri script, teach Bhajans, Shlokas and Prarthana and to give kids an opportunity to socialize and enjoy together with Arts & Crafts and Painting activities! This will be a FREE class available to all KAOCA children – starting in January 2020!
Click here for more details.
Wellness & Fitness:
We KAOCAns in the Bay Area are health and fitness conscious, and enjoy and prosper when we engage in fitness-related activities!
To promote this spirit and interest, we have decided to start the following activities to be held once a month:
- Yoga class
- Jogging
- Bombay Jam (Aerobics) class
- Biking
- Short Hike – Approx 1 hr/2 miles
- Long Hike – Approx 3 hrs/7 miles.
Click here for more details.
Also, please join our Facebook group KAOCA Friends and check out latest event photos, posts and announcements!
