Renovated Don Bosco Hall to be inaugurated on Jan 27

The renovated Don Bosco Hall, one of the oldest drama theatre halls in Mangaluru, will be inaugurated on January 27.

Don Bosco Hall is one of the oldest drama theatre halls of the city and also the only auditorium meant exclusively for drama with artistic, literary and cultural activities, said Rev Fr Paul Melwyn D’Souza, president of Konkani Natak Sabha.

The renovated auditorium will be blessed by Mangalore Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha.

City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar will inaugurate the new auditorium. Rev Dr Alwyn Dias, the provincial head of Capuchin Friars will be the chief guest.

Abu Dhabi-based businessman Leo Rodrigues and others will take part.

The inauguration ceremony will be followed by a cultural programme at 6 pm by the actor members of the Sabha.

Stating that the hall was constructed in 1951 by the Konkani Natak Sabha, Rev Fr Paul Melwyn said the Konkani Natak Sabha is the mother institution of Mangalore Konkani theatre Don Bosco Hall.

Konkani Natak Sabha was the brainchild of Jesuit priest Rev George Albuquerque Pai. On September 19, 1943, he had successfully staged a Konkani drama ‘Vignant Jeeth’ at the Academy Hall of St Aloysius College by mobilizing a few enthusiastic youths of Mangaluru. This occasion proved to be the initiation for establishing the Sabha. Hence it is considered to be the Foundation Day of Konkani Natak Sabha, he explained.

Protection and preservation of Konkani culture through Konkani songs, music, dance, drama and other language-based media, and through this, to propagate humanistic values are the sole objective of Konkani Natak Sabha, he said.

The Sabha, founded by Jesuit priest George A Pai, was continued, nurtured and groomed by the Capuchin priest Rev Philip Neri. In its initial years, the Milagres School premises served as the venue for the meetings, dramas and other activities of Konkani Natak Sabha, he added.

At the same time, the search had started for having its own premises. Later, a property was purchased and registered in 1946. Rev Fr Richard, the Capuchin provincial head, laid the foundation stone on September 19, 1948. Though the funding for the construction of the building proved to be a difficult task, Jesuit priest George A Pai and Capuchin friar Philip Neri took it as a challenge and completed the building construction with the help of donors. St Don Bosco was chosen as the patron and guardian of Konkani Natak Sabha. Hence, the building came to be known as Don Bosco Hall, he said.

Over the last 70 years of its existence, Don Bosco Hall has provided a platform for thousands of artistes, dramatists, singers and music composers to introduce and showcase their talents. This hall is now renovated into a modern theatre. It is all set to host artistic performances by exponents of theatre, music and dance. There are also facilities for conducting various training programmes in art, said Rev Fr Paul Melwyn.