To Goanet - The maintenance of the Old Goa complex and its surrounding areas is appalling. Which Catholic Church dimwit decided to turn over the reins of Old Goa to the Indian govt? (Rhetorical question. JC furnished the answer some time back on GX.)
The Indian govt is able at only one activity: turning shinola to shit. The streets around the Basilica and the Se Cathedral have become Ghati Central. The ghati hawkers harass the unsuspecting (usually white) tourist with such intensity that it must take the joy out of experiencing the magnificent monuments. The Old Goa circle is so chockfull of ghatis at 8 am that you begin to wonder if you are really in Goa. In no other country would you find a designated World Heritage Site so debased. And to think that it is an active place of worship. Where is Archbishop Ferrao amid all this? Why hasn't he been able to reclaim Old Goa? Who exactly is in control? Should I show Archbishop Ferrao photographs of ghatis pissing on perimeter walls of the Basilica (an everyday occurrence, by the way)? If he truly wanted to clean up the place, Archbishop Ferrao could do it in a trice. Why, then, is he remiss? One other issue, and this concerns photography. The use of tripods is disallowed throughout the complex on account an archaic rule of the ASI (Archaelogical Survey of India). The zillion ghati security guards from Jharkhand spring into action the moment they spot you with a tripod. But toss a plastic bottle into the gardens, litter all you want, piss around - they won't lift a finger. That is not their job. Their job is to stop you from taking pictures. I had to secure special permission from the ASI Director who fortunately turned out to be a kind and cultured Kannadiga, who was receptive to my request. (He could well have been a surly uncouth Northie trying to pull rank in which case I would have had to administer to him the special ointment recently formulated for the benefit of the Saligao parish priest.) Finally - many will remember my photos of the agricultural land close to the Mount Mary Chapel (see the Old Goa section in The Rape of Goa - http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa). Through RTI I had gotten the papers, which revealed it was owned by one Leitao. Now from the Chapel, concrete columns rising from the land can be seen. Once again, Archbishop Ferrao, where are you? ps: This being Goanet, and I being Goan Hindu, I need to mention that the debasement of Goan temples is no less widespread. More on this some other time. r --- "Rajan" <parri...@...> wrote: > > > http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2009/12/15/sunrise-in-old-goa/ > > > r >
