Panaji/Margao: Right from city Mayor to top cops, Goa is witnessing a breed of singers stepping out in the streets singing Konkani songs creating awareness against COVID-19.
Siddhanath Buyao, a well renowned writer, music composer and singer, was the first one to release his song appealing people to sit indoors and fight COVID-19, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 21-day-long lockdown.
The online popularity of his song opened floodgates with many more, including whose who from social field, lending their voice to the cause.
Many were first timers including Corporation of City of Panaji Mayor Uday Madkaikar who sung a song, the video of which went viral within a day.
“During my trip to my in-laws’ place in Margao town, I heard police playing song sung by Buyao on their vehicle to create awareness,” Madkaikar said.
“Then, immediately, I called up Buyao requesting him for another song, and this time, I said I will be singing. I agreed,” said the Mayor.
The song was shot in Buyao’s studio in Margao and then released next day.
“I was happy to see that within a police were playing my song along with Buyao’s on their vehicles during lockdown urging people to stay indoor,” he said.
Buyao, who is a son of legendary singer Ulhas Buyao, said that the awareness through music, really works in these circumstances.
“People are online and they want something new to listen when they are home. My song went viral and after that Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares came up with his own song,” he said.
While Buyao and Tavares are known for their singing capabilities, a non-singer Madkaikar was joined by another police officer Uttam Raut Desai with his song in Konkani.
Desai is a deputy superintendent of police incharge of areas including capital city of Panaji.
“One of my friend and renowned writer Saish Pai Palondikar helped me to pen the song. I sung it at Mapusa and Panaji,” he said.
While Buyao and Madkaikar released their songs online, both the police officers, Tavares and Desai, took the mike and sung them standing in the middle of the road.
“I had never sung in public. It was my first experience to sing in public and I enjoyed it,” Desai said.
The officer said that the song has helped create awareness amongst the people in a way that they love listening to.
“The message is straight and simple. Keep yourself safe, eventually keep city safe and then state and then country,” he said.
