To Goanet - This morning I was at Tadmad in St Inez, paying my customary visit. This is where I grew up from virtually day 1. Tadmad itself refers to an old coconut tree - long gone - that arced horizontally over the road. The area now is defined by the banyan tree and the small idol of Shankar in its shadow. This has been a sacred space for decades, inspiring devotion from both Hindus as well as Catholics.
To us in the erstwhile Cacule Chawl and surrounds, Tadmad was part of our DNA. Our ground (where the Fire Brigade Station now stands) was the Tadmad Ground, our club was Tadmad Sports Club, our Narkasur Nite was hosted under the aegis of Tadmad Sanskritic Mandal, our address included "Tadmad" (that was all that was needed for the post office), and so on. The shadow of Tadmad loomed large in our lives and the lives of most St Inez-kars. Every occasion, every event, would be preceded by a 'gaaraane' to Tadmad. Tadmad was our Protector-in-Chief. So this morning I was surprised to find this fellow loitering at Tadmad. He said he was from Assam. I asked him what he was doing here. He said he was "security." My father was with me, and when we heard this we didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Tadmad, our Protector, now needs a ghati from Assam as security? On further questioning, it turned out that the "security" bit was a lie. The fellow has been loitering there collecting money deposited by passers-by. This is what has become of our villages and our towns now. Ghati grifters have taken over. These guys have no business being in Goa (the excuse is that they are citizens of India blah blah blah). They provide negative value to Goa - sucking up space and contributing to paan spit on our pavements not to mention morning sh*t to our shoreline. But the fault lies squarely with us Goans. We have become callous to our surroundings, and have left our doors unsecured. Other than JoeGoaUk there was not a single response to assisting me on the Panjim URL. Rest easy guys, for the garbage will one day pile up at your own doorstep, and it will be too late to do anything about it. r * * * IS YOURS one of the stories of Goans on board the S.S. Dwarka, or at the Strait of Hormuz, Basra or Bahrain, Dubai, Swindon, Mombasa, Poona or Rangoon? Selma Carvalho's new book *Into the Diaspora Wilderness* docks at many other ports. Get your copy from Broadways, Panjim [9822488564] Rs 295. P&p extra. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
