I was a very young girl at the time and cannot say much except that I was
getting ready to go to school early in the morning and we could hear the sound
of bomb blasts and people saying "the Indian troops have invaded Goa". It was
all very exciting. Nobody knew the effect. The next thing we knew is that the
army had marched into the shops stocking watches, perfumes etc. and just
collected them in bags and walked off. Slowly but surely, we were weaned off
Dutch cheese, chocolates and all the good things we were used to. We also
missed the handsome Portuguese soldiers wishing us bon dia on our way to
school. However, my seniors at school were excited that they did not have to
go to Bombay to answer their SSC exam paper, because soon after that, the SSC
exams were conducted in Goa itself.
What was wonderful about those "pre-invasion" (if I can be excused for saying
that) days was that there were hardly any thefts. The large houses were
designed with several doors and windows (without grills) and very often with
just one or two old inmates. There were no "bhaile"to break into the homes and
rob us. Now even some of the Goan village guys have resorted to thieving.
Goa has certainly achieved a lot by way of education, infrastructure, but we
have lost a lot also culturally.
Bernice Pereira
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