I attended the Annual open day festival hosted by the South London Anglo Indians, last Sunday.
We left home early just in case, to avoid being late, for the scheduled Mass at 12.00 p.m. Took a short trip bus to Wimbledon Station then a tram onward to Therapia Lane, the stop close to the venue at Archbishop Le Franc School. We arrived well before time at 11.20 a.m. and my wife was complaining about my brisk walking, why she inquired, are we walking fast, we are early! It's my R.A.F. walk that comes to the fore time and again. We arrived at the ticket issuance site and the woman quipped to Lily, my wife - that she was so glad to see her and it had made her day! What a glorified reception, after a little banter we entered and saw just a small gathering, amongst those present were our Anglo-Indian stalwarts, who are also members of our Merton Goans Senior Citizens Association...so we immediately felt - we are not alone. At the last moment the priest scheduled to say the mass had to pull out and an Indian priest from St. Marys, from down the road, stood in. The Lady in charge was so grateful - she made it known and asked us all to applaud the priest; afterwards, she then invited him to proceed with her to open up the Fest, by cutting the ribbon. The entrance fee was just £1 and parking was £2, the crowd was perhaps either side of 1,000 perhaps erring to the right. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and it really was a relaxing affair - my wife even said that she was surprised that the toilets were not inundated and were fairly tidy - which makes our Goan affairs a sad indictment on Goan ladies! Now the question is this: If the Anglo Indians, can hold a function and still make money having just around 1K people, why does the G.O.A. have to charge £2.50 to enter and £5.00 to park - especially as the the G.O.A. Function is deemed to have had 5,000 people, as per:- ''Yesterday in London we had in perfect open air weather, a very relaxed Goan Association Festival where some 5000 people attended and seemingly enjoyed themselves to an excellent programme.'' @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoenchimXapotam/message/28957 I have met with a lot of people who have told me that the G.O.A. is screwing people, they don't need to raise money and what is the money generated going towards? The Anglo Indians much to their credit raise monies for their lesser folks still in India, Here is what they have raised funds for:- ''Let me remind our members that the renewal of membership is coming up this August and to that end we have enclosed a renewal application form which should be completed and returned, together with your cheque as set out on the application form. With your support and generosity during the various functions throughout the year, we have raised funds and been able to send the following sums of money to the charities listed below: * * *Marion** Education Centre, **Calcutta** £1,000.00 * *Little sisters of the Poor (Head Office) **France** £1,200.00* * (for further distribution to their branches in **India**)* *Tiljallah Relief Fund, **Calcutta** £1,000.00* *Calcutta** Anglo Indian Service Society (CAISS) £ 300.00* *St. Vincent’s Home, **Calcutta** £ 500.00* *Lawrence** D’Souza Home, **Calcutta** £ 300.00* *Anglo Indian Concern, Chennai £ 200.00* *Anglo Indian Assoc, Pallavaram Branch £ 500.00* '' http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=south+london+anglo+indian+association&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=south+London+anglo&gs_rfai=&fp=b574888f9dc97a30 On one of their sites they have also accepted a criciticism from a a member and intended to rectify the matter. Now contrast this with our Goan Organization, one who is omnipotent and can deliver Catholic rethorical from the pulpit, although he does not qualify. It is more than high time that the Clergy involved i.e. the Pillar priests, get to know their community! May be I am an Anglo-Indian - I think like them, although my food is Goan! An event well run and which my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed. The courtesy afforded us was much appreciated. With best wishes to the organisers. * * * Was life in the *kudds* glamourised? Who said, "It appears that the Goanese (sic) are a roving people, prepared to go to any part of the world for well-paid employment"? How did Goans find their first toehold in the Gulf? Find your answers in Selma Carvalho's *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Buy from Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
