Hi FN, The Anjuna belief that a malliechem ghor togonam (storied house/building does not prosper) continues.
A house or a commercial complex is something that one builds to last for generations its not built just for one person. The belief goes back to the 19th century when Bhumika Devi was being transported in a palanquin from Xapora to Bhumika Devi temple in Anjuna. While they were carrying the deity, one of the residents of a one-storied house located by the roadside on the slope while coming from Xapora to Anjuna, spat on Bhumika Devi from the first floor. She immediately punished the village with a curse that no storied house would prosper in Anjuna. The offender asked for pardon with the deity but she was not ready to accept his apologies because he had deliberately spat on her, as he knew very well that people were carrying her in a palanquin on the road. Therefore, he should not have spat. All this was revealed through one of the accompanying temple members zacher bhar ietalo (who would be possessed) and then he would speak on behalf of the deity. There are a few houses in Anjuna which did not prosper for some reason or the other. These houses were built with a storey against the advice of the elders ek aikonchem khuim zantteachem nam tor nenntteachem (you must listen to an elderly or to a child;) each one is wise in his own way. One of the reasons why houses with a storey failed to progress was barrenness - if there is no heir, regardless of the gender, the family name and the family comes to an end. There are some houses in Anjuna which have a storey but they dont use it at all; the first floor is off limits; they have sealed it and nothing has happened to them. There are two mega projects one about 50 meters away from the new police station and the other about the same distance but from the Albuquerque mansion. These projects were abandoned about a decade ago soon after work on the first floor began. Similarly, opposite the new police station, one can see another mega project (a 5-star hotel) which was dumped soon after work on the first floor started. The first bad news was that soon after work on the first floor began, the project owners (a Roman Catholic Anjunkar) 13-year old son was killed in an accident at the crossing at Pedru Bhatt in Gaumvaddy a bad omen, followed by a Stay Order! If you pass by the Starco Bar-n-Restaurant, you will notice a huge complex which has been abandoned for over three and half decades now. The project changed changed hands with many parties but none succeeded. There is another mega project which came up adjacent to St. Johns chapel in Gaumvaddy. Its a 1+1 ground floor plus first floor building. Somehow, everyones gut feeling is that this project will not succeed. When they finished the construction last year, they told everyone all apartments were sold out - Rs.75,00,000.00 each. Obviously, that was not true, as now they have posted signs by the roadside that apartments are for sale. To make matters worse, those who had bought apartments in the complex earlier are now trying to resell them to the builder. Why? You guessed it! Will the building prosper? Time alone will tell! Speaking of Anjuna belief, there is an interesting story that took place in Panaji with an Anjunkar. The Mascarenhas building is quite famous in Panaji. While it was under construction, one of its pillars kept on tilting and sinking. All their efforts to rectify it went in vain. The builder even approached a ghaddi (sorcerer) but he could not tell him why the pillar was sinking. Lastly, they approached a bhatt (Hindu priest) who told them that it was all due to one of the family members who had died and for whom no mass was offered. It so happened that the Mascarenhas had a black African domestic employee, who was a trusted servant of the family but when he died they didnt even offer a mass for his soul. The moment a mass was offered for his soul, the problem of the sinking pillar was solved! The construction of the new police station building started around eight years ago but the sailing was not smooth. Many engineers took over the project. The construction was hastened since the last one year. On the site of the building, there existed quite a big oddachem zhadd (banyan tree.) One of the mistakes the builders made was they cut down the tree. Fortunately, a small branch of the banyan tree sprouted, which has grown quite big and which they have now maintained in an enclosure by the side of the building and built a border around it. They also built a Tulsi on the border and performed a Puja in its honor about a week before they shifted to their new location. Another mistake the builders did was they removed a small cross from the spot it was carved out of a rock; in fact, it was part of a rock. A couple of days before the new police station was inaugurated, they brought back the cross, installed it on the border around the banyan tree, adjacent to the Tulsi, and had it blessed by a priest. After they cut the tree, removed the cross and while the building was under construction, many incidents took place at the construction site. The laborers were mostly Kannadigas (from Karnataka.) Last year, when the construction work resumed, one of the first surprises that took place with these workers was that although they did not know a single word of Konkani, the next day of their arrival they spoke almost pure Konkani. Everyone was stunned! The next thing that followed was shifting of laborers at night. They slept in one place but they found themselves in another place when they woke up in the morning. Obviously, they quit! As we all know, wherever there is an oddachem zhadd, and if people offer agarbathis at its foot, there is always a cobra snake at the site. It is called zageacho sorop (snake of the site.) There is one such cobra at the new police station site. Normally, such cobras go about freely on the site and return to the spot as per their whim. Usually, people dont build a compound wall so the snake can go about and return to its place. Even if they build one, they keep a small opening through which the snake can exit and return to its place. Unfortunately, the builder of the police station has enclosed the premises with a compound wall around. As a result, the snake cant go out from behind the building; hence, it is seen roaming behind the building most of the time. Of course, nobody is going to kill it. Opposite the new police station, there is a small chapel known as Bombaimkaranchem kopel (Bombayites chapel). Next to it there is a big oddachem zhadd. In the past, many azneri (incidents) used to take place and people were scared to pass by that spot after the Angelus. During our childhood, men were taken on the top of the tree and placed on its branches (by the evil spirits) where they remained like statues until someone noticed and brought them down. FN, I am quite sure the policeman you met was more scared to move in the new premises than in the belief of the tradition. I visited the new police station yesterday evening and enquired how they were faring at their new premises. They said it was a much better building compared to the old one. When asked if they were scared, one of the police staff told me that they dont even step on the first floor! Right now, as I write this message, one truck load of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) arrived at the new police station (they are brought for the IFFI in Panaji) and they have been assigned the first floor! The new police station in Anjuna has two issues to tackle (1) hope and pray that the new building prospers, and (2) follow the traditional norms and maintain a friendly atmosphere with the spirits of the place. Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Gaumvaddy, Goa Mob: 9420979201 P.S. Its five days since the new police station was inaugurated but so far none of the cells has been occupied. Domnic, what happens to the Anjuna belief (non-urban legend?) that buildings in the area should not be more than one storey in height :-) I met a policeman who was quite upset that this tradition was not being maintained! FN
