Telling it all like it is – SIMPLY MY WAY The “Goan culture” Up until Goa’s allegiance got surgically transformed from Portugal to India, Goans of all religious faiths had imbibed the fear of God and a sense of decorum [propriety and good taste in conduct and appearance]from their erstwhile foreign rulers. These two traits formed the core components of the much touted Goan culture. However, life styles and culinary habits differed, depending on religious affiliations. Six decades later, the so called Goan culture is on the wane, generally, and much more sectorally. The converted Christians now scream their tops off for tampering with their culture, while the rest who make up for a two-thirds majority in the State hardly bother. Strangely enough, a one-third minority speaks for the whole of Goa which, elsewhere in India would amount to a recipe for riots. While the British held sway over Indian lives for over three centuries, there ought to have been a volley of voices clamouring for a culture that was taken away from them. Surprisingly, there isn’t even a whisper in the wind bewailing the bygones. One reason could be that the British colonial influence on India fell short, due to their shorter period of adventure than that of the Portuguese in Goa. Going by that precept, it seems that the Goan culture which some Goans flourish in prose and poetry, is an offshoot of the Portuguese way of life, including their ‘amanhãs’, i.e. doing tomorrow what could have been done yesterday. Not long ago a friend of mine dropped by unannounced. It happened to be a day of feast in Christian calendar, so I asked for the pleasure of his company for lunch with us, which he kindly accepted. Being a celebratory occasion, ‘sorpotel’ took the pride of place on the menu. It usually does in a normal Goan home, or so we are made to believe. A little later what hurt the ‘sorpotel’s’ pride, but not mine though, was when my friend politely brushed-off the Goan delicacy in preference to a plain vegetable dish. My friend was a Goan too, but his culture differed from his other Goan compatriots who wear theirs on their sleeves. I remember my guest had also slipped out of his ‘chappals’ before showing himself in. That also appeared to be a part of his Goan culture and, by the way, of the larger Hindu community in Goa, too. (Excerpt from “SIMPLY MY WAY” – 3rdedition, available at major bookstores and accessible at Goa State libraries) Bennet Paes
