"VIVA SAN JOAO!" (English translation follows)
Konnanchean visronk zait San Joao Batistachi paramporik porob ji ami dhor vorsa, aichea disa, Junache 24ver, ak'kea Goyeant kortanv? Bhaint uddki marop San Joaon aple avoichea kusvean uddki marleli tacho ugddass korop. Povitr Pustoka pormonnem jednam Boddvo Gabriel Moriek disti poddlo ani sanglem ki ti Bhaghivont Spirit Santache kurpen gorbest zalea, tinnem evjilem aple mavxek, Elizabetak, bhettonk jivui gorbest bhesar asli. Jednam Mori Elizabetak bhettli ani aplea gorbestponnanchi khobor tika pattoili, ballkan khoxechea nadar tichea kusvean uddki marli ani to ballok nhoi anik konn bogor San Joao Batist. Hich ti khuxealkai ji ami Junache 24ver bhaint uddkeo marun somorpitanv, punn kotta, kednaim khuxealkai dukhichea nattkan bodolta ani amkam chintest korta. San Joaochea festachem mis kabar zatanch lok soddsoddit ap-aplea ghora portotat. Tea disa festachem jevonn veginch kobar kortat. Uprant, vaddeantlo lok zomeanim ekttovta ani zonn ekleachea ghorak bhett korta. Tornatte toxech zantte aplea mathear chuddteanchim ani krotonanchim kopelam ghaltat ani borem kop marun ani pavsan bizot "VIVA SAN JOAO" mhunnon bhaint uddkeo martat. Zaiteam vaddeanim Goenchem ganvtti bend - "gumttam-madhiim-kansaiim" - zomea barabor asta ani ghoran-ghor bonvtannam tatuntlo eklo madhieachea chamddear hath marun oso avaz kaddta: Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Hea voilea madhieachea avaza barabor sogott lok urben bhoron ani uddnnam marun nachtat ani oxe gaitat: San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu Gunvta San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu .. Jitli ek bhaim rund asta titlem San Joao dis uddki marun bhaint navpak boreak poddta, karann oxem aslear zai toxem korunk mevta. Bhaint tin torecheo uddkeo martat: Sui, muddi ani mandri (fokot lamb-rund bhaint marunk tankta.) Bhaim oxir aslear, choddxe dadle sui martat ani fokot uxear uddki marpi astat te bondd foddtat. Punn zorui ek bhaim rund asot, eke suichem bondd chear vo vodik zonn foddtat ani soddsoddit kuxin sortat. Bhaint uddkeo marunk bhov somzonnechi ani sangata vavurpachi goroz nam zalear tacho xevott khud dukovn ghevop ani dusreakui trasan ghalop. Thodde dadle mathea voilem kopel kaddun bhaimchea modekat uddoitat ani justuch tantun sui martat; thodde zonn tacher muddi martat. Festadis bhaint uddki marpachi zababdari vaddeantlo konnui eklo munis apleacher gheta. Chodd korun, vaddeantlo respetacho voddil apunn zotnaien pieta ani zomeak samballtta, punn aiz-kal zonn eklo apunn voddil sozmota! Thodde pavtti San Joaochea festacho dis ruzvaten ani zogddeanim sompta ani titlean thodde vaddeantle membr tiddken San Joao bond korun uddoitat ani boreaponnanche suater vaittponn utpon zata. Junache 24ver udkan bizonastannam konnuch uronam San Joao pollovnk eilelea lokak dadle ghott dortat ani bhaint uddoitat, zor tor tankam peinnim ieta. Tornatte kollxeanim udok bhortat, zomea pattlean danvtat ani ghoddta titlea munxeancher udok uddoitat, chodd korun cheddvancher. Hea disa, khuimchench bhurgem bhaint uddoinastannam uronam. Zantte/tornatte zonn eka vorsa voir piraiechea bhurgeak khol udkachi ruch ditat, albot avoi-bapaiche koblatin. Eka bhurgeak jivitan poilech pavtt khol udkan buddta tem pollovnk kovtik dista ani vodik kovtik dista bhurgeachem khuxeal vo ghaborlelem mukamoll tem udkantlem bhair sortannam zantun dakoll zata tea bhurgeak udok borem laglam vo tem taka kantal'lam zalear. Choddxea bhurgeank anbhog boro lagta ani bogor-bogor bhaint vochonk tim fattim soronant, punn thoddeank to horddea-sull zo purea jivitan tosoch urta. Choddxim Goenchim bhurgim, vodik korun kheddea ganvchim, peinnimchem poilem lissanv bhaint ghetat, ani zaitim zannam bhaintuch peinnim xiktat. Jea lokak pavs suru zanvchea adim bhaint poddlolo kochro voir kaddunk soeg mellonk naslo, to lok bhaint nahateleam dadleam lagim upkar magtat udkar ufeteleo vostu kaddun voir uddovnk ani toxech bhainche kholaiek poddon aslele tambeache kollxe ani mathiechea kollxeancheo koileo voir kaddunk, jem kam te vodde khoxen kortat. Je dadle poili sui martat te thavak vochon thuim thoddo vell bostat, apnnanchem bondd foddlam titlei zonn udkar portun voir eit porian. Tea pasot, sui marteleam lagim ghorchim munxeam oxi vinot kortat: "Baba re, thavak pavtoch amche tambeache kollxe poddon asat ani toxeoch futtlelea mathiechea kollxeancheo koileoi asat teo matxeo voir kaddat am!" Sodankal, oslea kamank eka buddeleachi goroz zaka mozori dinvchi poddta, punn hoch ek boro movko funkott kam korun ghevnk vo dusrea utranim "eka faran don bokim marop!" Bhaint nahateleank hea kamancho inam ek kals bhor soro ani follam jim orxiim zalear tankam mellpachinch. Eka ghorache bhaint udok navon kobar zatoch ghoracho vhoddil soreachi battli vo battleo ani jinsavar follam zoxe porim ambe, ponn'nnos, anenesam, adi haddun zomeachea vhoddilak dita ani to teo vostu sangateanchea adharan soglleank vantt'tta. Stili pormonnem, novea novrean bhettek eilelea lokak ek tori cajunchea ani maddanchea soreachi battli divnk zai ani toxich ek panttli bhor jinsavar follam. Novea zanvieank bhov korun festak apoitat ani tannenui don battleo soro ani follam bhettek eilelea lokak divchim poddtat. Thoddea bhaink, chodd korun khoddpi bhaink, panvdde assonant jeant voir soronk kottin poddta. Osle suater, ami bhainchea razvacho upeog kortanv. Razu bhainchea khambeak nam zalear lagxilea eka zaddak bandtanv, to bhaint uddoitanv ani uprant taka dorun porvot choddlelea porim voir choddtanv. Adlea tempar, Junache survatek pavs poddonk suru zatalo to San Joaochem fest zaisor poddot astalo jeant soglleo bhaimieo udkan bhoron vot'taleot. Kednaim pavs fattim-fuddem gelear ani bhaimieo bhoronk nam zalear, ojeapanim festachea adlea disa vo Judevadis mollbar pavsachim datt kupam manddon ietalim ani uprant thambonastannm, gosgoxeanim dis-rat pavs zoddttalo ani ekech ratin soglleo bhaimieo bhortaleot. Punn aiz-kal kernaim oxem ghoddta ani zaite pavtti San Joao suko voita! Mojem ghor Gaumvaddint San Joaochea kopela samkar poddta; dekun amchea vaddeak Sam Joaocho vaddo mhunnonui vollkotat. San Joaochea festadis amcho altoddcho lok - Gaumvaddintlo, Pedru Bhattantlo, Igroz vaddeantlo, San Sebastiao vaddeantlo, Bhattintlo, Chinvarintlo, adi Mazalvaddea ani Gaumvaddi modem aslelea sankvar zoddtat zuim Khuddchea Bhattantlo lok sunvari ghevn ietat ason tanchea sangata poltoddcho lok Mazalvaddeantlo, Tolleachea Bandavoilo, Vouneanchea Bhattantlo, Tembevoilo, Peddeavoilo, Soreantteavoilo, D'Mello vaddeantlo, adi. Doxiloi lok ekttaim zavn hea sankvar aslelea khursak man/rozar kortat ani uprant vallant uddkeo martat. Dhor eka vorsa vinchun kaddlolo eok dadlo aplea hathan soreachi battli ani kop ghevn vallan poili uddki marta ani tachea uprant urlelele sogott uddkeo martat. Vallan navon kabar zatoch sogott portun khursachea mullan ajir zatat, nimannem rozar kortat ani titlean donui bazuncho lok ap-aplea ghora portotat. Nimannem rozar kelea uprant konnench vallan uddki marunk favonam; marlear, vaitt ghoddta. Hench 1978 vorsa ghoddlem jednam, Agnelan, Bhagivont Padr Agnelachea bhachean, rozar kelea uprant vallan uddki marli ani sumtem nak dortorek aptton to hea sonvsarak ontorlo. Uprant, hanvem ani mojea ixttan, Ram Raian, vallacho thav sonspon tachi meleli kudd sodun kaddli ani voir haddli. Agnel ekdom boro pintarpi aslo; tachim chitram azun Anjuna zaiteam ghoranchea vonttincher pintarlelim asant), Anjunchea porim azu-bazuchea ganvanim - Bagan, Congotte, Candole ani Siole San Joao dis sangodd zata. Punn zalim thoddim vorsam, Siole ganvan bhov vhodd sangodd kortat zo pollovnk Goenchea dusream ganvcho bhorpur lok ani toxech bonvddekar ietat. Khorem mhuttlear, Siolecho sangodd atam Guddeantlea Zagra porim eok veparacho dondo zala. Mojea ugddaxim aichea disa Goyeant fokot eke suater paramporik San Joachea festacho nach asta Ponnje Clube Vasco da Gama nachachea vosreant. Zorui tuka nachpachi umed asa, aiz Ponnje voch ani tujea paimanchi dhar kadd! Hea sokoilem, somplelea C. Alvares-achem kantar gavn aichem fest soboviea: "SAN JOAO" I Soglle ami zanvuim vortovta, chodda tempan bhettleanv San Joao-chem fest mhunnon, mavoddea eileanv Matheak him kopelam ghalun, udok navnk bhair sorleanv San Joao-chem fest mhunn, lokoth pavleanv Chorus San Joao, San Joao gunvta mure, vatt amkam disonam Aicho dis festacho, konn konnak hansonam Chol re pie re, tum il'lo ghe re, faleam kaim mevonam Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pavtti einam II Zanvuim ami festak eilea mhunn, vaddeant bobav poddla Xezarchea Konsu manan pon'nos dhaddla Tin kuddvanchim san'na ani vhoddlo dukor marla Xezarchea Inas maman soro dhaddla Chorus San Joao, San Joao gunvta mure, vatt amkam disonam Aicho dis festacho, konn konnak hansonam Chol re pie re, tum il'lo ghe re, faleam kaim mevonam Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pavtti einam Sogott Goenkarank khuxealborit San Joao Batistachi porob anvddetam. VIVA SAN JOAO!!! Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA ============================ "VIVA SAN JOAO!" Who can forget the traditional feast of St. John the Baptist which is celebrated all over Goa today, June 24, every year? Jumping in wells is to celebrate St. John's leap in his mother's womb. As per the Bible, when Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she had conceived by the grace of the Holy Spirit, she decided to visit her aunt, Elizabeth, who was already pregnant. When Mary visited Elizabeth and conveyed the good news of her conception, the child in her womb leapt with joy and that child was none other than St. John the Baptist. It is this joy that we celebrate on June 24 by leaping/jumping in wells, but, alas; sometimes the joy turns into tragedy and saddens us! As soon as St. John's feast mass is over, people rush back home. That day, feast lunch also gets over early. Then, people from each ward gather in groups and visit each other's houses. Young and elderly men deck themselves with "chuddteanchim/krotonanchim kopelam" (palm leaf/croton crowns) and intoxicated with "fenni" and copious rains, perform leaps into wells accompanied by chants of "VIVA SAN JOAO!" In many wards, the local band comprising of "gumttam-madhiim-kansaiim" accompanies the crowd from house-to-house and one of the guys beats the madhiem and produces the following beat: Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum Bum-bum-bum-bum, bu-bum-bu-bum-bum The crowd collectively and enthusiastically follows the beat and dances and sings as follows: San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu San Jeu, San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu Gunvta San Jeu, gunvta San Jeu .. The larger a well is (in diameter) the better it is to jump and bathe in it on St. John's feast day, as it gives more room to maneuver. The following three leaps are exercised in wells on the feast day: "Sui" (straight jump); "muddi" (pack folded body) and "mandri" (flat mat flat fall with back on water [can be exercised only in large wells]). If a well is narrow, boys/men mostly go for a "sui" and only experts attempt to break a "bondd" (gush of bubbles produced by a straight jump.) However, if a well is broad enough, a "sui" is followed by as many as four or more "bonddam" in a fraction of seconds each one jumps and quickly moves aside. Of course, it takes great understanding and coordination to leap in wells or else one ends up hurting himself as well as others. Some boys throw a "kopel" in the center of a well and jump a "sui" into it or a "muddi" on it. Jumping in wells on the feast day has to be controlled by a responsible person. Usually, one of the respected leaders from a ward remains sober and controls the crowd, but nowadays each one thinks and claims he is a leader. As a result, the "San Joao" sometimes ends up in arguments and fights followed by a boycott by some of the ward members. On June 24, nobody can escape from getting wet in water males catch hold of spectators and throw them in wells, provided they know how to swim. Youngsters fill water in pots, run after the crowd and throw water on as many persons as they can, especially girls. On this day, no child is spared from bathing in a well. The elders/youngsters make sure that every child who is one year or older is given the taste of deep water, of course with parents' consent. It is quite interesting to watch a child take a dip in deep water for the first time in his/her life, and it is much more interesting to note the aftereffect of the jump on his/her face as he/she emerges from water, which in fact reveals whether a child likes the water or hates it. Most children like the experience and are willing to go down in the well again and again, but for some it is a nightmare and it remains a nightmare throughout their lives! Most Goan children, especially from rural areas, receive their first swimming lesson in a well, and many end up learning swimming in a well itself. Those who did not have a chance to clean their wells before the rains started, request boys/men to clean their wells of the fallen objects on the surface as well as at the bottom of the well, which they gladly do. Since most of the guys who jump a "sui" go to the bottom of a well and sit there for a while until all those who broke the "bondd" return to the surface of water, the hosts request them to look for fallen objects at the bottom of the well and bring them up, especially copper pots and broken pieces of clay pots. Usually, if one wanted this job done, he would have to hire the services of a "buddeli" (diver) who would of course charge them, but here was a chance to get the job done free of charge "eka faran don bokim marop" (to kill two cranes in one shot!") The reward for the boys/men is a "kals soro" (one cup liquor) and fruits, which they would get anyway. When the bathing in a well in a house is over, the host hands in liquor bottle(s) as well as seasonal fruits mangoes, jackfruit, pineapple, etc., to the person in charge, who passes them on to the crowd and has them distributed. According to custom, a newly-wedded groom is required to offer to the visiting crowd one bottle each of caju and madd (cashew and palm) liquor, and a basketful of fruits. A new zanvuim (son-in-law) is specially invited for the feast and he, too, is required to give two liquor bottles and fruits to the crowd. Some wells, especially those which are carved out of rocks, do not have steps which fact makes it difficult to climb up. In such a situation, we make use of a "bhaincho razu" (well rope.) We tie it to a curbing or to a close by tree and climb up as if on a trekking mission! In the olden days, the rain would start at the beginning of June and it would continue until after St. John's feast and fill the wells to the brim. Whenever there was a delay in rainfall and the wells remained empty, surprisingly, the sky would suddenly be covered with thick rain clouds on the eve of the feast and it would rain continuously day and night and fill the wells overnight. This seldom happens nowadays; as a result, sometimes St. John's feast is celebrated in dry condition. My house is located in Gaumvaddy, opposite St. John's Chapel, which is why the ward is also known as St. John's ward. On the feast day, people from our side of the creek Gaumvaddy, Voilo Vaddo, Pedru Bhatt, Church ward, St. Sebastian ward, Bhattin, Chinvar, etc. meet the people from the other side of the creek - Mazalvaddo, Tolleachea Bandar, Vouneanchem Bhattt, Tembi, Peddem, Sorantto, D'Mello vaddo, etc., at the bridge between Gaumvaddy and Mazalvaddo, along with their sunvari. People from both sides gather at the cross on the bridge and pray together; they then jump in the creek. Every year a person is selected to lead the jumping in the creek. He holds a liquor bottle and a cup in his hands and jumps in the creek; everyone else then follows him. Once bathing in the creek is over, people collectively pray to the cross and return to their homes on each side. As a rule, nobody is supposed to jump in the creek after last prayers are said; if jumped, misfortune follows, and this is exactly what happened to Agnelo, Venerable Fr. Agnelo's nephew, who jumped in the creek, hit his nose to the ground and died instantly. My friend, Ram Rai and I dived and combed the floor of the creek, found the dead body and brought it up. Agnelo was a very good painter. His paintings still can be seen on the walls of some of the houses in Anjuna. Just like in Anjuna, the adjoining villages Baga, Calangute, Candolim ani Siolim have "sangodd" on St. John's feast day. While the sangodd in our places has remained the same, Siolim holds it on a grand scale and by now it has become an attraction not only to Goans from all over State but also to tourists who flock by the church (St. Anthony's) to witness the extravaganza. Thus, the Siolim sangodd is now commercialized; just as Guddeantlo Zagor has been! To my knowledge, the only place which holds the traditional San Joao dance today is Clube Vasco da Gama. If you love dancing, go to Panaji tonight and dance to your heart's content! Let us celebrate the feast by singing the following song by the late C. Alvares: "SAN JOAO" I Soglle ami zanvuim vortovta, chodda tempan bhettleanv San Joao-chem fest mhunnon, mavoddea eileanv Matheak him kopelam ghalun, udok navnk bhair sorleanv San Joao-chem fest mhunn, lokoth pavleanv Chorus San Joao, San Joao gunvta mure, vatt amkam disonam Aicho dis festacho, konn konnak hansonam Chol re pie re, tum il'lo ghe re, faleam kaim mevonam Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pavtti einam II Zanvuim ami festak eilea mhunn, vaddeant bobav poddla Xezarchea Konsu manan pon'nos dhaddla Tin kuddvanchim san'na ani vhoddlo dukor marla Xezarchea Inas maman soro dhaddla Chorus San Joao, San Joao gunvta mure, vatt amkam disonam Aicho dis festacho, konn konnak hansonam Chol re pie re, tum il'lo ghe re, faleam kaim mevonam Oslim festam vorsak kiteak don pavtti einam I wish all Goenkar a happy St. John's feast! VIVA SAN JOAO!!! Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
