Dear Goanetter, Before the advent of the TV and the cable networks... and the new found affluence, Goans had neither the opportunity nor the means for entertainment. Prayer, circulating statues/idols, palki, kirtan, haldi kumkum, village nataks, narkasur, New Year's eve dance, village feast, zatra, dindi, saptah were events that one looked forward to. I do not know if the circulating statue of Mary would have been such a hit with the children if not for the chone or boiled chick pea[ and the occasional raspberry sherbet]. I cannot imagine a male attendence at the ladainha without the traditional feni,either. I may be wrong...but I doubt very much if things would not be different without these items.Cecil's posting is a pointer.
The idea behind the circulation of the statue[ in Mapusa it used to be every month on a fixed day in Rajwaddo and Horta Parochial] was to ensure that one was at peace with the Catholic neighbour on either side of one's house. One's family went to pray and receive the statue from the preceding house and then to deliver it and pray at the succeeding house. Every month every family prayed for the health and well-being of at least two neighbours. Other neighbours often joined in. When there is no goodwill left between the neighbours, such a tradition becomes at best a farce; at worst a travesty of faith. Though I never found the fifteen decade rosary, that my grandmother insisted on, good enough to sustain my attention through its entire length, the gram always came at the end of it to make the monotony of formula-1 prayer worth the wait. Today's kids have plenty of options for filling up their time and satisfying their desires. It is difficult to get the women away from their chores or TV serials in the era of the liberated, working woman. The woman goes to work has friends and, often, does not know her neighbours personally. To what purpose the circulating statue or haldi kumkum ? It is no longer a socially relevent event. : "domnic fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote > > One of the reasons why the custom of circulating Mother Mary's statue from > one neighbor to the other died down is because soon after post-liberation > most every one in villages started building compound walls (durgam) around > their properties and this process closed walkways (paim vatto) which > otherwise lead one neighbor to other neighbor's house. Compound walls > ultimately led to quarrels and fights and bitter enmity among neighbors. In > fact, many of the pending cases in courts today are over disputes on "right > to passage" from one property to the other. This problem exists only in > villages. As there are no compound walls around houses in cities, the > residents freely carry on with the custom of bringing Saibinn in their > homes. > Milagrosa saibinnim, xeratinim, soletinim > Tujea paiam laguim loku lakhanim > Ami bhurguim, lhanponnim tuka bhorteleaum tea fulanim > Toxinch dhumpaiteleaum donui hatanim. Domnic > Cecil Pinto added..... > Curiously enough I feel the custom of circulating the statue of Our Lady > (Saibinn) from house to house is stronger in Goan cities than in the > villages. In the last three years that I have resided in Panjim, in two > different apartments, we have twice had the opportunity to bring Saibinn > into our house. Of course it was not the same as before. > > In my school days in Aldona when the statue of our Lady was brought home > boiled grams would be served, and the entire day the Saibinn was in the > house was a day of prayer and reverence. It was an experience that I guess will never return. Nearly half the 'waddo' walking down the street with the houseowner leading the way and handing over the statue to the next door neighbour. Prayers, hymns and the Rosary were said loudly and enthusiastically. > And we children always made sure we carried the biggest possible gents > kerchief to accommodate the maximum number of boiled grams. We spread the > kerchief on our laps and the lady of the house would generously dump as many > cupfuls of grams as we could hold. > > Even at that time things were beginning to change. Some people who did not > have the time to boil grams, mostly the richer people, starting serving > biscuits instead. And not even the sweet Glucose ones, but the boring round > Marie biscuits. And tea. And syrupy cold drinks for the youngsters. Some > prayers and hymns were even said in English, which is in no way as harmonic > as Konkani. > > Then started the neighbour's fights. One person would refuse to accept the > Saibinn from his next door neighbour because of some other bickering, which > is part of our Goan ethos. So a convoluted compromise would be worked out > where a distant neighbour would be the buffer. As more and more neighbours > started bickering routes got maddeningly long and complicated. Like moving > your hand from behind your head to scratch your ear. And finally in many > villages they just stopped the beautiful custom of Saibinn. > > Cecil Perhaps, if there is a reverse "Inquisition" or "Shuddikaran" for re-conversion; perhaps if there is Hindu fanaticism, perhaps if the Catholics feel persecuted, then only will such rituals like the circulating statues become relevant. A person with four Aces does not ask for a new deal; it is the underdog that wants a change. Till yesterday it was the Bahujan Samaj [ The Saraswats, the Ranes and the Vaishyas had struck their deals with the Portuguese and prospered just as cleverly as Pratapsingh Rane and Dr.Willy do with the BJP. Just look around and see for yourself their mansions, fast cars and fancy bank balances.] that wanted a new deal. Tomorrow it may be your turn. You may just have to find your Shripad Naik or Ravi Naik ...or get routed with the Rauts! Till then enjoy the fare from the circulating book,VHS or DVD library. Or remain hooked toyour computer or the Idiot Box! Viva Goa. Miguel --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.543 / Virus Database: 337 - Release Date: 11/22/2003 ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
