Press Release The Non Resident Indians (NRIs) of Goan origin and Non Resident Goans (NRGs) who have been interacting with the NRI Facilitation Center set-up by the Government of Goa for the past three years through NRI Conventions (Samelans), first held at the Menezes Braganza Hall and thereafter at the Kala Academy, Panjim, are happy to announce the release of their website www.goa500.com. The website will be fully operational shortly, as work in this direction is ongoing.
The name for this website 'goa500.com' is a tribute to the glorious Goa of past 500 years and for the distinct identity of Goans in the Indian subcontinent. Fifty years ago, overseas Goan would send a letter or a telegram and the post man would deliver. But now goa500.com is here to unite us with ease and make us feel readily at home. Goa has been called by distant admirers as the 'Pearl of the Orient', and Goans everywhere throughout the world are proud of their heritage. But never before could they communicate like today using the e-technology. Every one of us Goans could be struck by thunder and lightning of Goan jealousy, clan mentality, and recently, since 1961, by corruption. Today, despite these counter productive signs, we have Goan youth like this web designer Mr. Warren Rodrigues of Warren Designz.com and his teammates that put together this website without receiving any payment so far for their efforts, just to contribute for a better and a united Goa. There are strong elements in our Goan society who are eager to revive Goa's glory of ante-Portuguese era and make Goa of today another Singapore in the Indian subcontinent. Like Mahtma Gandhi, who was an NRI himself and who had come back to his homeland to be the cog in the wheel of the demise of the British rule in India, it is now the turn of us NRIs and NRGs to put our energies together to build a better, united and a strong Goa. Ground zero of Goa's glorious past, its identity, can be found engraved in history even to this day after 500 years, in its ancient 'Royal Capital' in South Goa, earlier known as Chandrapura and today CHANDOR to us. As a mark of history, one still witnesses the 'Musol Dance' executed in Cotta, Chandor, on the second day of Carnaval each year, where Goans dressed in original dresses of 500 years ago perform in front of each household, displaying a lit oil lamp, chanting " WE SHALL MAKE POWDER OF OUR ENEMIES". Chandor is the lost Mecca of glorious Goan past where one still finds, at least in one household, holed cellar walls to accommodate gun muzzles and intriguing hidden passages, a means of defense and escape against enemy intruders. Beautiful, friendly, peaceful and rich in natural resources and cultural heritage is Goa, now the home to new comers, looking for a better and peaceful living. And it is here that the revival of Goan identity is a must to preserve the good in life and to prosper in the global economy. Let goa500.com be a vehicle to take us in this direction and be a 'forum', like never before, to address NRI's and NRG's concerns, problems, aches and pains and to share constructive opinions and ideas for a result oriented and progressive objectives, always remaining a galvanizing force for unity among Goans for a better and a strong GOA. The only hidden agenda behind goa500.com is to preserve the Goan identity, to foster Goan unity, to protect the interests in Goa of NRI's and NRG's and for the overall contribution towards excellence of our combined Goan society. Let us all Goans in diaspora in particular and Goans in Goa at large unite under one banner and one mind through goa500.com Manuel Caldeira (First appointed representative of NRIs & NRGs at the NRI Convention at Kala Academy, Panji on 4-1-2006.) Novo Portugal, Moira-Bardez-Goa - 403 514 Ph. 91-832-2470493 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 13-3-2006
