|
In Retrospection…….Saligao Village. " ST. ANNE’S CLUB OR KUDD IN BOMBAY---OFFSHOOT OF SALIGAO VILLAGE COMUNIDADE.------II. SANTA ANNA CLUB BOMBAY ( ESTABLISHED IN 1850). Here is a translation of the konkani version on Santa Ana Club handed to me by Mr.Jose Carneiro, aged 82 years , on 04-08-1992. He completed the article on 02-08-2004. Unfortunately after nine days he expired on 11-08-1992. The following is the text. The elders who resided in this Club aged 70 to 80 years and they are the ones who told me the story of this Club. According to them, Santa Anna Club was established in 1850. However, as it is stated by some others, the club into existence around that period or let us say after the foundation of St. Anne’s Chapel( Saligao) in 1843. Accordingly three or four ward members( capelistas), as cooks and butlers in profession, thought of staying together and they stayed. This was the beginning of Santa Anna Club. After some time due to lot of employment in the bangalows,they arrived in Bombay but our brethren had no place to stay.They also thought of bringing their relatives to employ them in Bombay. The number of the warders began to increase, therefore it became imperative to have a big house. After much search they got a big house in Cavel Street and they named it as " SANTA ANNA CLUB". When I was 15 years old, my father took me to Bombay to be admitted in a school and with right he kept in this club( Kudd)in 1926. This Club was in Dabul and we were around 25 members. Besides these there were around 20 others working on ships( tarvotti)who would return after their voyage. In 1930 this Club was shifted to ‘ Horta Baixa". After five years this club was again changed to Dobitalao( 1936). Now there were 60 members in this club( 30 youth and 30 elders)besides sailors and those who worked or cooked in private houses and stay in the Club. The total number was 120 members. There was a Manager to run the Club. The male warders ( Capelistas) could reside in this Club with right but if the wife of any member wanted to reside over there, there was need of a member to stay as guarantor( fiador)for her. One of the stick rules was that all the members were to be in by 8 p.m for the rosary. The feast of St. Anne was celebrated with solemnity and pomp, preceded by novena, with sung rosary of St Anne etc.. The feast mass was celebrated in the church. On feast day all were treated to a sumptuous feast day " Festachem Jevonn"( lunch) and a dance was held at night. On the octave of the feast day, a mass was celebrated in St. Anne’s Chapel, Saligao, in the intentions of the members and it was called " Bomboikaranchem Fest"( Feast of Bombay members of the Club). If any member of the Club died there was Death Benefit Fund( Mornnachi Sociedad)of the Club that would take care of the funeral expenses. Finally in 1952 this Club came down and the members had no place to stay. They began to dwell in clubs of different villages as " Estrangeiros"( Strangers). In 1950, much before this Club collapsed, there a move to get a house( Club) on ownership basis and to make all the children and elders its Life Members with Rs.100/- as life membership fee. For this purpose a Committee was formed. The President being Mr. Assuncao D’Souza, Mr. Bertha Souza as Secretary and Mr.Jose Carneiro as Treasurer. The Committee sent a circular to all Saligaokars, those staying in India as well as abroad like Africa, England, Abadan, Bahrain and other Gulf Countries. At that time one required 15 to 20 thousand rupees to buy a house. Money was received from overseas Saligaokars but those who resided in the club did not contribute much . Hence after one year this idea of having a house was given up and the money was returned to the donors with an apology. The money of the Fund of Santa Ana Club was sent to St. Anne’s Chapel, Saligao, with one condition , 'that on the eight day of the feast of St. Anne , a mass is to be celebrated in the intentions of the club members.' This mass is been celebrated till today SANTA ANA SALIGAO SPORTS’ CLUB, BOMBAY( ESTABLISHED IN 1944). As many youth from Saligao were residing in Santa Ana Club in Bombay they thought of having Santa Ana Saligao Sports’ Club. This Club was registered under " The Bombay Goan Athletic Association" for LUZITO CUP AND AVE MARIA CUP, Foot-ball Tournament, to which two teams A & B Santa Ana Sports' Club were formed . Around 40 goan teams took part in these foot-ball tournaments and the players were to be from the same goan villages in Goa, residing in Bombay.This Football League took place on Dobitalao Grounds every Saturday/Sunday and lots of Bombay Goans attended as spectators for these Tournaments. *Santa Ana Saligao Sports' Club Footballers: ‘A" Team—Macky Lobo, Juzu Remedios( Capt), Casimiro Noronha, Alberto D’Mello. Camilo D’Gama, Julio Carneiro, Manuel Mendes, Lucas Remedios, Sebastian Martins, Augusto D’Mello. Maxy Saldanha. " B" Team—Sales Remedios, Atanasio Pinto, Anthony Fernandes, Shany Lobo, Champion Alvares, Cyril Vaz, Lynn Mendonca, Augustinho Britto, Milagres Coelho, Jose Carneiro ( Capt), Thomas Carneiro. * For Goan Inter Village ‘Cricket’ Tournament . Santa Ana Saligao Sports’ Club Cricket Players: John Correia( captain), Camilo D’Gama, Julio Carneiro, Juzu Remedios, Agostinho Britto, Macky Lobo, Jose Carneiro, Sebastian Martins, Anthony Fernandes, Maxy Saldanha, Adolf Figueiredo, Basil Fernandes, Sales Remedios, Felizberto D’Souza Sports Secretary : Mr. Jose Carneiro.( concluded) Compiled by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas. |
