It was not the catcombs "a la Paris" that one could
see. No layers of skulls stacked of those interred or
deinterred but yes there were a few remants of bones
as one steps into the first layer underground when
this writer visited the spot this afternoon at 1645
hrs into the right side of the Chapel of St Bernard in
the Se Cathedral at Old Goa. There are eight chapels
and six chapels along the aisles of the Se Cathedral.
Speaking to Rev Fr Leonardo Gomes the Parish priest of
Church of St Catherine after the Mass at 1700 hrs
today, 11th March, 2007, Fr Gomes claimed that the
same was brought to his notice recently.
It may be noted that the Archaeological Survey of
India under which the Churches of Old Goa are placed
being a world Heritage Monument, had been carrying out
concealed wiring works for well over a month now with
two workmen doing the works unsupervised by the Parish
priest. Infact the wiring works have mercilessly cut
into the walls of the church and the workmanship
leaves much to be desired.
While they were digging they chanced to strike on a
stone slab close to the tomb stone before the Chapel
of St Bernand and presto it caved in and what the
workers are believed to have noted was an underground
cavern. This was the version of one of the SIS
security personnel from New Delhi manning the Old Goa
Churches present at the venue and the same was
corroborated in affirmation by the sacristian of the
Church. Being a non working day this writer could not
contact the ASI officials nor the contractor believed
to be from Karnataka.
But the fact remains laments Fr Correia who took
office as Parish priest on 6th July, 2006 is that the
ASI authorities niether pay heed to any thing that
they have to say nor do the ASI authorities seek
permission or inform the Parish priests of the
activities underway. "They do what they like but even
if we put a nail on the wall they will question us"
And there are plans to cover this opening with a glass
screen to allow visitors to have a peep in. But is
the ASI a competent authority to decide on these
issues does it not amount to defiling the sanctity of
the precints. How can the ASI intervene in religious
sentiments of a community with utter disregard to the
titular head of the Church in Goa.
To cite two instances Fr Correia showed this writer
two letters one dated 11.9.2006 wherein it was pointed
to the Deputy Superinteding Archaeologist the topmost
official in Goa Mr N Taher that the statue of Jesus in
the sanctuary of Miraculous cross being corroded by
termites needed immediate restoration, This was
despite an oral intimation earlier. But nothing
happened . Only after putting it in writing and after
over a month the damage was rectified but when and how
the work was executed was unknown.
Yet another incident was of illegal hutments being
constructed just on the Northern end of the Church.
It is intended to house some menial workers but it is
often seen that some female vendor stays in the
premises which earlier was a tatched hut but now has
enclosures of metallic sheets. The place is
frequented by men on motorcycle well past the closing
hours.
When this was brought to the notice of Mr Taher in
writing on 28/12/2006 there was no action except a
letter apparently addressed to the CA Gr II Field
Officer Shri R P Wadgaonkar to ensure that any illegal
activities to be checked with copies marked to others.
But till this date the structures are in place, when
this writer visited the area in the presence of some
security personnel it was observed that most of the
premises were in a shabby state and some locked, They
only come at night stated Fr Correia. Interestingly
just beyond there is a government run unmanned public
toilet. It was built for the devoutees who come for
the novenas said Fr Correa down beyond is the jetty
for the cruise boats to dock in and visit the Se
Cathedral claims Fr Correa. Could the toilet be used
for indecent activities specially at dusk. Well this
could not be ruled out.
Meanwhile this writer learnt from a discreet source
that most of the properties coming in the Ela, Sao
Paulo Guntem Bhat in survey Nos 155/1 & 2 , 1/1,
86/1, 92/2 & 3, 97/1 & 2 , 1/2 , 153/1 149.1 150/1
145/13, 148/1, 146.1, 2, 3, 4, 151/0 107/2 & 3 & 4 ana
area of almost 3,50,00 m2 are held in the names of
some individual persons, the Government of Goa, the
Konkan Railway Corpn Ltd, Communidade of Ela some
Realtors but what irks the Parish priest is that some
unknown persons have set up structures in the area
there are some who come and pluck coconuts from the
property and they do so with utter disregard to the
Parish Priest.
When this writer told Fr Correia that the ASI
authoriites could not permit structures within 100 m2
of the ASI protected monuments under the law in force
they should be pulled up for any violations Fr Gomes
expressed his desire to put an end to all this but he
was new to the area. "Except for four original
inhabitants in Ela the other parishioners were those
from villages beyond Ela and therefore could not
provide him the necessary wherwithal.
"There is a rampant construction activites in place
involving the present Minister for Transport Mr
Pandurang Madkaikar and the Old Goa Sarpanch Mr
Bhomkar too in real estate" said Mr Rama Naik from
Bhoma, who is a menial labourer near a construction
site at the venue and was enjoying "chai" with this
writer before the ramps of the Divar Jetty.
Given the woes of the Parish priest it appears that
the ASI authorities have assumed full supervisory
authority (almost a dictatorial position ) of all anbd
sundry at the place with utter disregard to the fact
that these are living monuments and the ASI ought to
work in co-ordination or in tandem with the Parish
priest and the local Parish Council as well
When this writer tried to confirm from the security
personnel whether they had filled in the tenant
verification forms with the local police outpost at
Old Goa they claimed ignorance of such a form.
To another question about the presence of unauthorised
persons entry into the ASI controlled precints they
however confirmed that the precincts of the ASI
controlled area was open from 0700 hrs to 2000 hrs and
members of the public are NOT permitted on the
lawns.
This was because this writer found some strange
couples almost out of public gaze well past sunset.
While the Parish priest stays with a sacristian and a
cook, in the absence of ASI officials on site ( more
so following the murder of Fr Eusebio Ferrao at St
Francis Church Macasana Salcete Goa on 18th March,
2006 ) it is the bounden duty of the ASI and the
security agency SIS New Delhi to ensure that
a) they should provide a list of names of the
security personnel on duty on a daily basis to the
Parish priest
b) all security personnel should wear their photo
identity cards /name badge on their uniforms while on
duty and also to maintain a subordinate superior
relation with the Parish priest besides the ASI
authoirities;
c) all security personnel and those staying in the
precints of the ASI controlled area should submit
copies of the tenant verification forms duly endorsed
by the Old Goa Police station to the Parish priest as
well besides the ASI officials maintaining a copy of
the same for ready identification of persons within
when the the area is out of bound for the public.
d) all ASI related actvities within the premises of
the Churches should be intimated to the Parish Priest
and the Archbishop of Goa & Daman.
Now the questions that need answers are:
a) Does the defiling of the catacomb not amount to
disturbing the religious sanctity of the place of
worship?
b) Was it not the duty of the ASI Deputy Suptdg
Archaeologist St Inez Goa to report the matter to the
Parish priest before allowing workmen to enter the
same?
c) Can the ASI vouch for the security of the contents
of the catacomb now that the matter was reported late?
Efforts to contact the ASI Deputy Suptdg Archeologist
on +91 0832 222 4703 and 222 8478 (O) 222 0360 (R)
yielded no result.
In the meanwhile it is hoped that the Archdiocese will
take up this matter in right earnest and ensure that
the ASI officials work in tandem with the Parish
priest, and not treat the Parish priest as a tenant.
It is learnt that the Aurangabad Circle Maharashtra
Siperintending Archaeologist has supervisory control
over the Old Goa Heritage Monuments.
Meanwhile this report is being mailed to the Rajya
Sabha MP Mr Shantaram L Naik to pursue the issue with
the ASI officials in New Delhi and the Government of
India.
The ASI officials must realise that though the
Churches are under their control they should work in
full co-operation with the local priests as they are
knowledgable on all that lies within and without the
precints of these structures.
from the Se Cathedral Old Goa Ela Tiswadi (Ilhas)
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
__________________________________________________________
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