If it wasn’t solemn-looking and I was not once steeped in Goan religious culture, it would have been hilarious.
Near the steeple, housed in a carved hollow of a wall, a clay statue with flat Inca features, that could have come from a village chapel in the Andes mountains. Down below adjacent to the entrance and discreetly stationed, a brass band belting out popular love songs from the 50s. The crowd seems oblivious that these are not religious tunes. Trooping in, people in their village finery entering the church to ask for favours and forgiveness while most of them in their own lives showing little of that to those they can. But then, hypocrisy abounds. Isn’t the non-violent world hero’s assassination remembrance celebrated tomorrow with all liquor sales banned while innocent meat traders are violently killed by the dozens? On a side note, JGUK’s determination in travelling to village feasts and sending us his record of the event on video, is a commendable thing. Keep it going Joe. Roland Francis Toronto.
