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HISTORY OF MOLLEBHATT---III( Continued). During the Monsoons and especially on Sao Joao day the ‘ Buddugeli Baim’ the traditional well for bathers of Mollebhatt and Tabravaddo becomes a center of activity with the youngsters learning to swim under the guidance of the elders. Although now swimming pools are available the " Buddugeli Baim stands for solidarity of brotherhood. Come rains and the thoughts are on Buddugeli Baim. Sao Joao and Buddugeli baim are synonymous. Hence the rhyme. " Sam Juanv konkari, Buddugele Baint re natali!!!. For those who could not make it to the Buddugeli Baim there was a " Khonn" at the foot of the hill and quite a many had a dip into it. The near-by stream provided ample enthusiasm for children to sail paper boats and collect fish and even play in its cool and crystalline waters. Others washed their clothes at a distance. As some of us take a walk down the memory lane we remember the make-shift cricket ground which existed near Mrs. Lucy Cordeiro’s house which has now become a residential area with new houses constructed all along the hilly terrain. The boys from the ward at that time were inspired to play cricket by the famous Saligaokar, Mr. Anthony Stanislaus D’Mello, affectionately called Tony D’Mello, builder of the CCI Pavilion and Brabourne Stadium( Mumbai) and also Secretary of the Cricket Board Control in India. While some played cricket others indulged in flying kites on the hill, others took a tyre or iron loop called " atto" to the top of the hill and released it on the slope happily running after it and watching it racing downward. It was a sheer delight of childhood. Other local games too were played. At the foot of the hill in the property called" Diular or Aquem" there is a spring called " Akhenchi Zhor", known all over the neighbouring villages of Nagoa, Parra, Guirim and Sangolda. The spring emerges from hard and compact rocks and people have bath in its waters with a strong belief that it has medicinal properties. In a book written by Filipe Nery Xavier entitled " Bosquejo Historico das Communidades das Aldeias dos Concelhos das Ilhas, Salkcete e Bardez", published in 1852, on page 467, mention is been made of the Aquem Spring as well as Salmona Spring of Saligao. The flow of this Aquem spring has reduced considerably over the period of several years and is now just a trickle. Nearby there is the West End Bar and Restaurant which see full activity after the rains. At present around 20 houses have been built in this area and has acquired a new name called’ Aquem Mollebhatt’ ward The cross at Mollebhatt is traditionally known as " Cordeirancho Khuris". The members celebrate the feast of the cross annually in May preceded by daily recitation of the Rosary and litany and culminating into the feast. This cross was built with peoples contributions. The cross has been renovated with glazed tiles donated by Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Jose Cordeiro and a tiny canopy donated by the people of the ward. It is a road side cross on the Chogam route in this ward. A school known as " Collegio de Mae de Deus".was started as a co-education school by M. Gabriel da Costa from Curtorim in the house of Mr. Bernardo Cordeiro in 1932. " Costa’s School, as it was popularly known had a preparatory , besides secondary classes from 4th to 7th standard( at that time 8th Std was Matric or SSC). Besides English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, Latin and Portuguese was part of the curriculum. Knowledge of the Holy Bible and Catechism for catholic students was also imparted. This school had a branch functioning in Tabra-vaddo, at Salvador ( Salu) Cordeiro’s house, shall we call it at Lorna Lui Cordeiro, our famous nightingale’s residence. Preparatory and 1st to 3rd standards were conducted here and education was open only to girls. Once the girls finished Std III they went to Costa’s school at Mollebhatt or some other schools. This school continued till 1934 when it joined hands with St. Mary’s School and later amalgamated into a new school under the aegis of the Saligao Union of Bombay in 1946. Mollebhatt’s contribution to the priestly and religious life is also substantial. The Priests and Nuns of the ward are; Fr. Pedro Cordeiro, Fr. Lourenco Cordeiro,Fr. Pedro Caetano Cordeiro, Fr. Vicente Manuel Cordeiro, Fr. Pedro Joao Cordeiro, Fr. Caetano Antonio Cordeiro, Fr. Antonio Filipe Cordeiro, Fr. Joaquim Jose da Conceicao Cordeiro, Fr. Lourenco Remedios, Fr. Joao Benjamim Cordeiro, Fr. Tome Damiao Nicolau Jose Cordeiro, Mons. Cosme Jose Feliciano Cordeiro, Fr. S.D.S.J. Souza. Fr. N. Machado, Fr. Augustine Cordeiro S.J., Fr. Rui Cordeiro S.J.., Fr. Joseph Cordeiro, Fr. Godion Cordeiro, Bro. Achie Cordeiro, and nuns Sr. Terezita Cordeiro, Sr. Dominica Cordeiro, Sr. Ivy Cordeiro, Sr. Claudina. Quite a number of warders went to Africa, Gulf Countries , England besides various other parts of the country and made money and brought up their families and some have gone to other countries, a few others retired to Saligao Some have even celebrated the Church as well as chapel feasts. About these, data is still to be collected. And we would ask them and others to provide us with their details However we would also like to request the readers of Saligao net especially from this ward of Mollebhatt and other wards to give us information, so that we can complete the history of the wards or add their names to this list and the lists to follow. By Mrs. Idalina Rego, Mrs. Lucy Cordeiro, late Cassiano D’Lima, late Mr.. Eleuterio Remedios, Ms. Venessa Godinho, Mr. & Mrs. Joaquim Silvia Vaz with Fr, Nascimento Mascarenhas. |
