Several Goans mainly in the Velhas Conquistas and from the Gulf countries have
expressed bitter resentment over the intention of the Goa Tourism and
Development Corporation a government undertaking, to celebrate the Feast of St
John the Baptist tomorrow Saturday, on 21st June 2008..
According to advertisements released on the local dailies and on its website
www.goa-tourism.com it states….” to brand Goa as a " Whole Year Destination"
through its festivals and to kick start Monsoon Promotional Campaign Goa
Tourism Development Corporation is organizing "SAO JOAO FEST" on board Santa
Monica on Saturday, 21st June, 2008 “ It adds further that “ traditionally,
the feast is celebrated with joy and mirth with young and not so young men,
wearing crowns (copels) of tender coconut leaves, leaping into “ swollen
wells and rivers” to commemorate Saint John the Baptist's "leap of joy" in his
mother's womb when he sensed the unborn child Jesus in Mother Mary's womb.”
”The cruise will leave Panjim (instead of Panaji ) Jetty at 10.00 a..m, sail
along Old Goa/Chorao/ Diwar islands and Savoi and return at 4.30 p..m. There
will be plenty of entertainment on board for the whole day with a live band
playing sensational music meant for dancing, cultural dances performed by
cultural troupe and other acts associated with Sao Joao Festivities”.
Significantly the highlight of the day will be “the professionals divers doing
Sao Joao jump into the river and the crowning of Sao Joao King and Queen”.
The question being asked is how can the feast of St John the Baptist which
is celebrated by the Catholic Church on 24th June and is of significance to
the Catholic community tworld over be celebrated arbitrarily by the
Government of Goa on dates convenient to it? and in the interest of promoting
tourism?
They feel that while tourists could be ” invited “ to watch the festivities
( pagan ) going on associated with this Feast viz : jumping in the village
wells, or rivers ; by men and children it cannot advance the date to suit the
tourists. This they felt may have been the demand made by the hotel lobby
to fill in the rooms being a weekend as other wise the actual date being a
working day i.e Tuesday. They also stated that hotels celebrating the
festivities associated with this feast on different dates should not be
permitted to do so.
Would the Government not be setting a precedent by celebrating feasts in Goa
to suit the tourism interests on the days they want? some asked in vengence ?
Some feared that sooner or later other feasts like Colva Fama which is
celebrated on a Monday or Christmas day would if it comes on a week day may
be celebrated on Saturday/Sunday.
They made an impassioned plea to this writer to address the concerns of the
community to the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman.
When this wirter spoke telephonically to the GTDC Chairman, Mr Shyam
Satardekar the MLA Curchorem to express these sentiment of the people he
admitted that he was not aware of the implications that a change in date would
have on the community by celebrating the Feast of the Saint on a different
date; to suit the tourists; and hence requested the writer to contact the
official of the Department one Mr Armando to impress upon him the need for a
change if necessary.
Mr Armando when contacted telephonically informed this writer that he had
made sure that the programme which is intended for 21st as chalked out by the
department was only restricted to “ family groups “ and individuals would not
be permitted . As a result 17 individuals who had applied have been rejected
and only 27 families have been booked for the festivities so far. Mr Armando
also assured this writer that the families partaking in the festivities would
be explained the religious significance of the Feast so that sentiments of the
community observing these festivities are not hurt.
Mr Armando also expressed regrets over the entire issue over the change in
date and the objections and swore to ensure that no festivities were
celebrated in future on changed dates or to suit the interests of the tourists
without taking the Church into confidence such matters involving religious
sentiments.
This writer contacted some officials in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and
expressed the sentiments of the community and urged them to put an end to all
these arbitary celebrations in the name of promoting tourism by the Government
without taking the community into confidence. They asked not to be quoted for
the moment but promised that the issue will be deliberated at the highest
forum urgently before informing the Government on its views.
When Mr Armando informed this writer that indeed Hotels were having such
celebrations in the past on the dates of their choice , this writer informed
that the past should not be looked as precedent and perpetuated by the
Government and the sentiments of the community should always be kept in view,
and demanded that the celebrations intended could in the larger interests of
the community be cancelled. For that matter any festival related to any
community in Goa should be celebrated if necessary by the Governement only on
taking heads of such religious institutions into confidence and not arbitarily
as in the instant case.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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