*** Goanet Reader: Tourists upset as Goa begins to act over foreigner land deals
TOURISTS UPSET AS GOA BEGINS TO ACT OVER FOREIGNER LAND DEALS By Pamela D'Mello Panaji: The Goa home department says it has begun the process of examining some 200 land sale deeds purchased by foreign nationals in North Goa for FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations. FEMA provisions, effective from the year 2000, permit foreigners with a long term business visa and resident for 182 days in a year, to purchase immovable property in India. Last month a Nationalist Congress youth president blew the whistle on an operation that was circumventing the law, allowing many on tourist visas to purchase and register properties in this popular tourist resort state. Reacting with uncharacteristic speed, the administration indicated it would get tough on these land transfers, routing all further registrations through the home department. An appraisal of post 2000 registrations could result in punitive action, Goa chief secretary J P Singh told this newspaper. The government's move has already begun to have ripples in the real estate and hospitality industry, besides leading to considerable worry and anger among Western settlers here. Some of their ire is directed at real estate firms, agents, chartered accountants and lawyers who kept the industry buoyant by misinterpreting the law and misguiding them. Why do Goan real estate firms advertise their properties at trade fairs abroad?, questioned one buyer. Though the state government is currently assessing the records, there are indications it may may face legal hurdles in any retrospective action. Chief Secretary Singh said the government would initially collect the data on violations. Some 445 cases in North Goa have to be examined for violations. Meanwhile corollary statements from the government against foreign tourists running micro-businesses in restaurants and bakeries has evoked mixed reactions. Eating-out and restaurants is a large element of the tourism package here. Investments from Mumbai and Delhi now account for an estimated 60% in this market share, pushing locals down to a 30% share in an intensely competitive play-field. Western involvement is pegged by estimates at 10%. Local players in the industry though are divided over adopting a protectionist policy. The government's attitude has been ambivalent. After Westerners have been here several years, enhancing the tourist product, been granted permissions and licenses from the tourism department, it's unfair to throw the law book at them half way through, said one hotelier. [ENDS] LINK: FEMA http://www.laws4india.com/nrilaws/ecm.asp Pamela D'Mello is The Asian Age's special correspondent in Goa. She can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Goa, like Shantadurga, is permeated with influences from all over
GOA, LIKE SHANTADURGA, IS PERMEATED WITH INFLUENCES FROM ALL OVER Experiencing the cultural swirl at Ponda by V. M. de Malar Even at 8am, the temple was already buzzing with activity. The goddess's attendants went back and forth behind an elaborate, exquisitely wrought silver screen, accepting offerings and liberally handing out prasad and sweet-smelling blossoms. One devotee lay prone on the floor, silently mouthing a long string of prayers, his wife knelt beside him with her eyes closed and intensity written on her face. Two small children came forth with a coconut; their very large and imposing grandfather prodded them forward to receive their blessings. And right behind them came me, I bent my head in respect and offered the goddess two garlands of distinctive Goan abolim; one for myself and a very particular desire, one for you and the rest of us, for Goa and our uncertain future. The Shri Shantadurga temple in Kavlem, just outside Ponda, is Goa's largest temple, and in many ways the most important. Like many of Ponda's important Hindu shrines, it was first built as a refuge for a deity forced to flee the destructive terror of the first centuries of Portuguese rule. The European fanatics spared nothing, every single appreciable marker of Hinduism, Islam (and even Judaism and Syrian Orthodox worship) was destroyed in a frenzy. In the year 1567 alone, one particularly animated zealot, Rachol-based Diogo Rodrigues tore down more than 280 temples. The Shri Shantadurga temple in Ponda was established in this era; the deity was smuggled from the village we now call Quelossim, some distance inland from the north end of Colva beach. Shantadurga equals Goa, she's a widely accepted embodiment of the Mother Goddess whose veneration is near-total in Goa. She is a central aspect of our religious worship, deeply embedded -- for example -- in veneration of the Virgin Mary. This Goan affinity is pre-Brahmanical, easily traced before the arrival of Gaud Saraswats; early inhabitants of Goa worshipped Sateri, their rituals were adapted and blended by Saraswat migrants from Bengal to their own favorite, Durga. The highly syncretic result was Shantadurga, one part ancient fertility goddess, one part Aryan-ized wife of Shiva, one part newly coined aspect of peace, in keeping with the tolerant ancient culture of Goa. The Christians who came later imbued the Virgin with all these qualities; it is no surprise that Goans of all communities feel perfectly comfortable venerating the mother goddess in all her religious guises. This marvelous melange, this multi-layered cultural dimension can be appreciated at the Shri Shantadurga temple. This current building was erected by Shivaji's grandson, the Shahu Raja, in 1738 and has been repeatedly renovated; from end to end it is a syncretic architectural confection, with plenty that is learned and borrowed from church-building in nearby Goa, from Victorian imperial buildings, and from European opulence. If you shut out that lovely tower in its foreground, the imposing maroon and cream building would seamlessly fit into the colonial precincts of Mumbai or Pune, it could easily be a college or administrative centre. And most of the interior could easily be transposed to a Raj Bhavan somewhere; it's dripping with cut-glass chandeliers and lined from wall-to-wall with excellent imported marble. Like Goa, like our culture itself, every aspect of the Shantadurga temple is permeated with swirling influences from all over India, from our long and intricate history, from the continuing ebb and tide of East and West that has gone on here for millennia and shaped every aspect of what we recognize as Goa. It belongs to all of us, and is a crucial angle that's irreplaceable as vantage point to survey who we are, what we are, and where we might go from here into the new millennium. As I strode out of the temple precincts on the way back home, it occurred to me again that diversity is our greatest strength, we can find great unity and sense of purpose when we understand and embrace it. Oh, and two days later, my very particular desire was met in full measure. That other garland, that other silent prayer for all of us? Let's see what unfolds, let's just wait and see. - VM de Malar, nome de plume of Vivek Menezes, is a long-time Goanetter (among the first) who opted to shift back to Goa after nearly three decades abroad. He lives and works out of Campal in Panjim, mostly writing and understanding the heritage that earlier generations migrated away from. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above
*** Delhi - Goa - Delhi (Sudeep Chakravarti)
From OUTLOOK : http://tinyurl.com/rwg6g Delhi - Goa - Delhi I've had friends tell me I'm nuts to walk from a job and profile in Delhi and traipse to Goa and lessness. Then I've had them say they would kill to do it. Funny, I've felt similar ambivalence. SUDEEP CHAKRAVARTI I stood knee deep in surf a few days back, taking a conference call on my mobile phone. I jabbered, glancing at nearby bikinis and faraway fishing boats. Nine to five. Five to nine. Whatever. When I power up my notebook a little after dawn, to work undisturbed for a few hours and to check mail, I also check to see if the young fish hawk in the gulmohur tree across our house is well. Would the crow-couple chase it off again? Or would the kingfisher, woodpecker and hawk bond in irritation and trash the crows? Hell, I’d pay to watch. Work is good these days. I’ve had friends tell me I’m nuts to walk from a job and profile in Delhi and traipse to Goa and lessness. Then I’ve had them say they would kill to do it. Funny, I’ve felt similar ambivalence. After 25 years in the NCR, 14 months ago I put my family on a plane and drove from our condominium in Gurgaon to a hillside place in Panjim overlooking the Mandovi River. We had checked out for the foreseeable future: A decade, I figured. Visits? Once a year, kicking and screaming. Fat chance, as my seven year-old has learnt to say. I’ve been back five times this past year. In April, it was with family to visit old friends, watering holes, and to reacquaint my daughter with malls. It was a relief too, from Goa’s culinary triumvirate: with masala, rawa masala, or garlic-butter. But we were glad to leave after a week, deafened by noise, stunned with rudeness, and appalled by the increased crush of traffic. We did the right thing. September and October was a blur. Three solo visits for book promos, arguing with my accountant, absorbing Jew are so lucky-ya, and to run— walk—the Half Marathon. I couldn’t wait to leave. But my daughter scolded me for frequenting the city of her birth and mallship. My wife dreamily tracked seasons in her mind—Is there a nip in the air? and when I nodded, What the f*** are we going to do with all these woollies in Goa? Heck, I told them, who wants to leave Goa? Then I stepped in it. Telling them of flowers on the roundabouts, the exhibitions at the Habitat Centre, soothing Lodi Gar- den, the bustle of Khan Market, and the biryani. God, the biryani. I was back a couple of weeks ago to attend a conference. A CEO shook the hand of a Congress tsar, both looking past each other; within seconds, they were with other plastic smiles and dead eyes. Everybody is everybody’s best friend. How I hated that—hate that. I turned to the affable investment banker on my left. Leaving already? he queried. Can’t stay away from Goa, eh? Yes, I replied. Time to slip the jacket and tie; wear Bermudas and tee. Dammit, yes. Last night, my wife and I stood sipping wine at a breeze-basted seafront restaurant at the foot of Aguada Hill, live jazz in the background, watching the necklace of light along the miles of beach all the way to the headland at Baga. Delhi in March? I suggested. The evenings will still be lovely. What can I tell you? We’re happy schizoids, content to commute. This article originally appeared in Delhi City Limits, December 15, 2005
*** Panjim from space... Nandkumar Kamat on Google Earth
Panjim from space By Nandkumar Kamat The Navhind Times Sitting before my desktop at the Goa University, I can clearly watch on the screen the whole campus from space, including the tiled roof of our faculty enclave and all the landmarks. I can see the shadows of the transmission towers of the All India Radio at Bambolim. I can spot the vehicles parked in front of the palatial residence of the Minister of Town and Country Planning, Mr Monserrate near the Church Square at Taleigao. The Campal Lake appears as a large blue square and, close to it, one can follow the course of the Sant Inez nullah. What the Goa government considers a luxury to offer, despite having fancy projects on remote sending, today any citizen with a free downloadable software, can watch on the computer screen, from any place. This is a giant revolution on the Internet. I know that the satellite images on Google Earth are not real time, but these are useful. And they are updated periodically. Recently, the http://google.earth.com website has uploaded stunningly beautiful and breathtaking high-resolution satellite imagery of coastal Goa. The resolution is 10-15 metres, which is excellent even for research work. Interesting images can be downloaded as JPG files. The most striking and true-coloured untouched images released by Google Earth are of the island of Tiswadi and the talukas of Marmagoa and Bardez. Citizens of Panaji can now enjoy an exciting tour of their well-designed city from space. The elevation model gives three-dimensional rotatory terrain view. It shows the typical POrtuguese-influenced geometrical ground-plan of the city. All the roads and buildings of Panaji are clear in the images. The images show why Panaji is so vulnerable to flooding. The software automatically shows the elevation of any area when the pointer is moved over it. This is great for town planners, engineers and architects. The low-lying areas around the city indicate an elevation which is much below the tidal height of six metres. I was particularly impressed after tracking the origin of Panaji's Ourem Creek to the slopes of Alto Santa Cruz. The creek now terminates near the Bondir football ground. The Chamunda Complex has blocked the upstream portion of this creek. The Altinho hillock appears like a huge supine sculpture crowded with houses. AT its highest point, the hillock is 64 metres. The images show the hillock to be two km across (Alto Guimares to Conception Hill) and one kilometre wide. I discovered that the images are about eight months old. But with such an eye-in-the-sky, citizens would be able to monitor the surface development themselves. These images are a powerful tool in the hands of Goa's civil society. Now it can produce evidence of environmental degredation. Their creative and imaginative use can benefit the state. All students from Panaji's schools need to be given a demonstration by their geography teachers on the city from space. The Corporation of the City of Panaji can use these images for better drainage and traffic planning, and for conservation of open places. (ENDS * The Navhind Times, June 15, 2006 Page 5)
*** Goanet Reader: Uncoding the politics of Christian fundamentalism post-Da Vinci
for the head of Dan Brown, both lay groups and the Bishops and have shown that we are supporting his intolerant position and put ourselves in the same league as Khomeini and his ilk. This sad and and demoralising episode leads us to question and the quality of leadership in the hierarchy and in all your organisations. It is also a reminder, if not an indictment, of the level of ignorance amongst the members of the Church whose knowledge of biblical history and of the history of the Church is abysmal thanks to the fact that the Church has totally put such matters on the backburner and consumed itself in the managing of events of no consequence, including managing or mismanaging its property. With all its resources, the Church could have quickly disseminated rejoinders to the fiction in Dan Brown's book which it passes off as truth in history. Catholic scholars have refuted Dan Brown's historical distortions fully and completely. Why did the Church NOT use this material? I quote only two examples below from Dr Don Rhodes, President of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministry, one out of many great scholars who debunked Dan Brown’s claim to historical truth. Priory of Sion There are things Brown claims to be historical which, in fact, are not historical at all. A primary case in point is the Priory of Sion, an organization that is at the very heart of Brown's story, and which, if proven to be based on bogus history, undermines the entire infrastructure of Brown's theory. Refutation Historically, in 1953, a Frenchman named Pierre Plantard spent time in jail for fraud. In 1954 he founded a small social club named the Priory of Sion. The organization dissolved in 1957, but Plantard held on to the name. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Plantard put together a number of bogus documents which proved the Jesus-Mary Magdalene theory, with French royalty being their descendants. Plantard claimed that he himself was one of the descendents of this couple. Some time later, a friend of the French President found himself in legal trouble and Plantard ended up being called to testify in the case. While under oath, the judge asked him about these documents about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and he admitted he made the whole thing up. All this has been thoroughly documented by several French books and a BBC special. Jesus was Married to Mary Magdalene Refutation There is no mention of Jesus being married prior to the beginning of His three-year ministry. There is no mention of Jesus being married during His three-year ministry. There is no mention of Jesus being married at the crucifixion. There is no mention of Jesus being married at His burial. There is no mention of Jesus being married at His resurrection. In other words, there is no mention of a wife anywhere! Aside from this deafening silence regarding a wife are theological arguments against Jesus having been married. For example, in 1 Corinthians 9:5 the apostle Paul defends his right to get married if he so chose to do so: Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? Now, if Jesus had been married, surely the apostle Paul would have cited Jesus' marriage as the number one precedent. The fact that he did not mention a wife of Jesus indicates that Jesus was not married. Further, we must note that Jesus' marriage is yet future. He will one day marry the bride of Christ, which is the Church. Revelation 19:7-9 tells us: Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. Then the angel said to me, Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, These are the true words of God. Clearly, the evidence is against Jesus having gotten married in New Testament times. Yet another evidence Dan Brown sets forth for Jesus' alleged marriage is Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper. To Jesus' right, we are told, is Mary Magdalene, not John. While it is true that John looks effeminate in The Last Supper, this is quite in keeping with other paintings by this homosexual artist. Indeed, even John the Baptist was portrayed in a feminine way by Da Vinci. Note that neither John nor John the Baptist have womanly bodies in these paintings. - George Menezes is a prominent writer and retired management expert based in Mumbai. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work
*** Goanet Reader: Wanted: an Asian perspective on the freedom of religion (Eduardo Faleiro)
to achieve their respective goals. Most Indian Christian theologians disapprove of organized conversions, favour interreligious dialogue and express the need to study other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and even tribal faiths so that Christianity learns from their many valuable insights. Organized drives for conversion and reconversion should stop. They violate the Constitution of India. Yet specific legislation such as the anti-conversion laws passed by some States in India can only promote religious intolerance and animosity, may be misused by executive authorities and is not justified from the very limited positive results obtained. Government should rather, in a discreet manner, promote an agreement among the religious heads of all major faiths in the country to stop proselytism. Given the positive mindset of Indian theologians this is very much possible. The Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) articulates its theological vision thus, Asia is the womb of the great World religions. All great scriptural religions were born on Asian soil. The Church has to be in constant dialogue with the religions of Asia and to embark or this with great seriousness There may be more truth about God and life than it is made known to us through the Jesus of history and the Church. As such Christians who take Christ’s injunction seriously must search for this Truth in the various religions of the World (FABC Resource Manual for Catholics in Asia, pp189,288) On the question of proselytism the FABC says a phenomenon which continues to awaken the most resentment among the peoples of Asia is that of proselytism and conversion. In the minds of Asians, the Church’s primary objective seems to be to convert as many people as she can so as to increase her little flock. Church expansion is also seen as a Western extension. The increase in the number of Church movements engaged in aggressive and militant evangelization (understood in the very narrow sense of the word) is certainly a cause for concern for our brothers and sisters of other faiths. Perhaps, it might be good to be reminded of the Golden Rule which nearly all religions speak of: do not do others what you do not want done to yourself. (Resource Manual p 286). Whilst congratulating Cardinal Ivan Dias on his prestigious assignment as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, I am confident that he will affirm the Asian perception of Freedom of Religion at the highest level of the Catholic Church. -- The writer is a former Union Minister and presently is Commissioner for NRI Affairs in Goa. - GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** In small Goa, big developmental projects constantly attract local protests
In small Goa, big developmental projects constantly attract local protests By Pamela D'Mello Panaji, Goa: A series of high profile projects flagged by the Goa government have run into trouble with local protestors --- largely over perenially-contentious land acquisitions. The latest in a line of projects to hit a road block is a long pending tourism industry effort to lay out an 18-hole international standard golf course. While the government-private joint venture identified land on a sprawling sea face hilltop in south Goa, the areas's local MLA has stated that villagers were opposed to giving up the 10,000 sq m required. Negotiations are still on to clear the green for the golf course, projected as necessary to scale up Goa's tourism market to high spending business and leisure travellers. Days earlier chief minister Pratapsing Rane dismissed statements from regional opposition parties, who said the government's project for a North-South six lane expressway would leave many homeless. He said road mapping authorities had taken care to ensure the trajectory would affect minimum houses. Critics though point out that the parallel highway, initially conceieved to complement a new airport, was superflous since the airport itself is now temporarily on hold. The state's critical rural landscape would be affected by the 90 metre wide tarmac ribbon, losing farm space to bitumen, they say. One regional party has threatened to campaign against the expressway, even as the administration indicated it was going ahead with ground pegging exercises. Another mega project to situate an information technology park in a suburban village plateau has met with protest, since the site includes green patches which attract birds and birdwatchers. Big developmental projects constantly attract local protest, since scenic placid self contained villages react to ceding public and private farm and and green areas to urbanisation and commercial activity, Rumblings had initially greeted a IT habitat project laid out in the upmarket Dona Paula residential area, home to the state's whose who. The project inauguration however went through, earlier this year. Projects for a cricket stadium had to be shifted while contentious centralised garbage dump sites were abandoned following protests. In the political race to demonstrate development milestones before an upcoming election, the Congress party sees itself as a victim, paying the price for being more democratic and therefore a soft target for protestors. Activists only come out of the woodwork when the Congress is in power says Congress MLA Jeetendra Deshprabhu, referring to the calm that previous regimes enjoyed. (ENDS) Pamela D'Mello is Goa correspondent for The Asian Age.
*** Goanet Reader: Of misinformed fundamentalists, fresh controversies, and true conversions (George Menezes)
of religion and to keep Dalit Christians out of the paternal love of Indian law that is provided in the Constitution. They also help to polarise and Hindutva-ise the body polity. They help to win political advantage. The vagueness of the clauses makes it convenient for subservient police and civic officials to harass the people. In fact, the real fear in the warped minds of the micro minority of Hindu fundamentalists is not conversions but the fantastic and successful developmental work the Church is doing among the poor and marginalised who have been left out of the agendas of successive governments. The accusation of conversions against Mother Teresa, Graham Staines and the nuns who were ousted from the leprosy home in Gujarat, the killing of Sr Rani Maria who worked to liberate people from the clutches of moneylenders and the persecution of Padmashri M. A Thomas of the Emmanuel Mission in Kota are few examples. Hindu fundamentalists have realised that the church in its true avatar is not interested in numbers who can be bought and sold like MLAs who change parties. They know that Jesus-inspired Christians have a mission to bring good news to the poor, to tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more, to make blind people see and set the downtrodden free. An agenda that has threatened the mightiest of establishments in countries all over the world. I do not blame Hindu fundamentalists with their upper caste agendas for feeling threatened. I blame lay Christians who are so poorly formed in their faith and I blame the hierarchy of the church who has not succeeded in instilling in their people courage and unity against the assaults that that are and will always be the occupational hazards of those who decide to pursue truth and justice. To the Holy Father, to whom I offer my allegiance, I want to say that Indian Christians of all denominations, properly formed in the faith and in collaboration with the Hierarchy, can be fully capable of handling their problems. It only requires that the leaders both of the clergy and laity allow new and even dissenting voices in the stuffy precincts of their decision making rooms. To Cardinal Ivan Dias, in offering my prayers on his new assignment, I would like to say that he and his fellow Bishops need not have waited for a cue from the Holy Father but should have these many years vociferously and publicly protested against the documented atrocities committed not only against Christians but also against women who are abused by the police, innocent people who have been killed and maimed and raped by Armed Forces in Kashmir and Manipur and all those thousands denied of their human rights in all parts of the country. ABOUT THE WRITER: George Menezes is an award winning writer, management consultant and was, in the 80s, a member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity at the Vatican and a member of the Asian Bishop’s Think Thank. - GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** Goanet Reader: One off -- where children learn to love books (by Reena Kamat)
ONE OFF: WHERE CHILDREN LEARN TO LOVE BOOKS By Reema Kamat Imagine this. You are a worm. A squirming, wriggling one. Only, you’re the good kind. Your domain is the enchanted forest. It has shelves for paths that you can walk on and books for trees that you can clamber on. Books in all shapes, sizes, colours, and ages. With leaves (pretty good pun, aye? Leaves of a tree, leaves of a book, get it?) of words that weave exciting stories to enthral you. And all you want to do is get straight at them. That’s right young sir or madam, you’re what they call, a bookworm. Or at least, that is what Sujata and Elaine want you to be. Started on 10 September 2005, Bookworm is an exclusive children's library that seeks to cater to the reading needs of kids right from the age when they learn to say their first word, if parents so desire and the kid can so accomplish. Founders Sujata Noronha and Elaine Mendonsa firmly and fondly believe that the reading habit is part of the essential grounding that every child should receive right from the formative ages. To be taught to read well when young is to be well read for life, they say in agreement. Their mission reiterates this: to provide a welcoming environment, which encourages a love of reading and learning. In furthering their passionate endeavour, Bookworm aims to develop a collection of library materials appropriate for the age group of at least one to 13, keeping reading levels, interests and needs in mind. The child will also be taught to access, use and evaluate information sources that are appropriate for them to know. The idea is to promote reading as well as literacy, says Elaine. In doing so, Bookworm has four sections that divide the availability of these requirements; a lending library, a reference room, an activity space as well as a reading nook. The duo also plans to design and conduct programmes like storytelling, reading aloud, creative activities, finger plays, puppet theatre, as well as workshops around the same and more. More advanced readers can indulge in book discussion groups, script writing, poetry composition and other such constructive activities. They also plan to encourage the creative process early through innovative play like and the cognitive process through puzzles, games and much more! To find out what the much more is, do pay a visit immediately to Bookworm -- where children learn to love books. Bookworm is situated: 2nd Floor, Bluebelle, Tamba Colony, St. Inez, Panaji, Goa. Call 982322BOOK (9823222665 in case you hadn't figured). Volunteers interested in working with children or helping out with activities are welcomed with an excited squiggly tail! Reproduced on Goanet courtesy: Panjim Plus. CONTACT: Ilidio de Noronha (Editor Publisher) [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 2464687 or 9422058131. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade
*** Goanet Reader: Goa's heated real estate draws both buyers and ire
GOA'S HEATED REAL ESTATE DRAWS BOTH BUYERS AND IRE By Pamela D'Mello asianage at sancharnet.in Panaji (GOA): As real estate in this popular tourist paradise gets increasingly snapped up by foreign and domestic buyers -- steadily skewing traditional ownership patterns -- the rumblings of discontent are becoming audible, moving from private conversations into the public realm. Over the past week, the Nationalist Youth Congress wing has petitioned several administrative offices to clamp down and doubly verify whether foreign nationals purchasing land in the state comply with FEMA law-based foreign exchange conditions that permit purchase of immoveable property in India. NYC president and practising lawyer, Rajan Ghate, has criticised state registrars for registering sale deeds to foreign nationals without adequate checks to ensure they met FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) conditions. Amended FEMA rules effective from June, 2000 -- reversed an earlier bar -- allowing even foreign nationals not of Indian origin to purchase immoveable property in India if they proved employment or business connections and had lived 182 days in the country over the previous year. Registrars in Goa, were however reducing the proviso to a farce by merely asking foreigners to produce an affidavit to this effect, without any actual verifications either by the police, collectorates or the RBI foreign exchange office, charged the Nationalist Youth Congress. In meetings with several decks of officials, Mr Ghate said he found departments passing the onus of an actual check onto one another -- resulting in no actual verification at any point. He has now sought records of purchases since 2000, and a verification by the RBI, pointing out that non-compliance of FEMA conditions attracts confiscation and auctioning of the property concerned. Complaints have been forwarded to the state governor and finance minister. Now that the initial trickle of buyers from outside the state and country has swelled to a rush, the NYC says its campaign was launched because Goans would ultimately become refugees in their own land, unable to compete with market prices. Over the past nine months, real estate prices have spurted sharply, mainly along the coast and major towns. Recent advice given out in investor guides in the UK, Europe and Russia, pegging property purchase in Goa as sound investments -- has fuelled a corresponding market demand. But while those in the real estate and realtor trade, from village panchas to MLAs, benefit from the boom --- anti-outsider sentiments are steadily festering among those left out in the cold. Last week, tenants of a property purchased by a Russian businessman in coastal north Goa, protested their names were surreptiously deleted from government records. Meanwhile the rush to purchase property in Goa -- from functional apartments to swank seaview villas and even tracts of land -- escalates, some consular authorities are beginning to take note. They worry they would have to deal with an inordinately large number of persons, if the law should change. Current laws do not permit full capital convertibility of the Indian rupee, and the Nationalist Youth Congress is already raising demands for a closer verification of documents and conditions.
*** Goanet Reader: Don't fear Dan Brown or Da Vinci. Be afraid of our own ignorance. (Chhotebhai Noronha)
Christianity 1400 years ago. It hasn't. Try again Brown. And finally, Brown liberally uses words like Mason, Knights Templar, Priory of Sion, Masonic tools and symbols. He also refers to eclectic, occult and cultic ceremonies with black, red and white colours, and a sex act thrown in for good measure. The resemblance to modern day Freemasonry is much too obvious to be dismissed as mere coincidence. Brown himself admits that he is influenced by Freemasonry. The Freemason's website also has things like Knights Templar cufflinks, and an illustrated version of The Da Vinci Code for sale! It is no secret that the Catholic Church was arch enemy number one of the Freemasons. Is The Da Vinci Code then, Freemasonry's latest and subtler attack on Catholicism? Many Christian organisations are incensed at the blasphemous nature of Brown’s insinuations. He knows that modern day Christians are not going to launch inquisitions and crusades against him. It does not absolve Brown of his culpability in distorting truth, and fomenting communal tension. Recall the recent turmoil over the Danish cartoonist’s impression of Prophet Mohammed. Christians have a right to peaceful protest against Brown’s code of lies. More importantly, they should study the Bible and find the answers there. If cine-goers in India want to see the movie, we cannot stop them. However, if they are prepared to buy the storyline of what is admittedly fiction, then they too need to first read the Bible before forming any opinion. There is nothing to fear from Brown or Da Vinci. What we should be afraid of is our own ignorance. The author is the former National President of the All India Catholic Union, and Founder Secretary of the Manav Sadhbhav Abhiyan, Kanpur). -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Far better, far worse... on planning a wedding and more in Goa
FAR BETTER, FAR WORSE: ON PLANNING A WEDDING AND MORE IN GOA Go ahead, plan a grand marriage, but plan the finances in advance, to make the big day truly memorable, writes CEDRIC SILVEIRA Susan and Vivek got recently married in the grandest of fashions. Reception at a five-star hotel, a list of invitees exceeding 500, premium drinks flowing freely, a band all the way from Bangalore, and a lavish buffet that left one speechless. Topping it all was a honeymoon at Mauritius. All this might have been justified if they were the children of some big industrialists or Bollywood actors. But, sadly for them, both came from upwardly mobile middle class families, and in an attempt to impress their friends and relatives, they had gone overboard with their wedding expenditure. Every year, a number of people fall into this trap of having to pay for their wedding expenses for the rest of their lives. One has to sit down along with his spouse and plan and organise the wedding finances well in advance, rather than simply spend or take loans with no capacity for repayment. After all, finances form a vital issue over which marriages can last a lifetime or break up the very next day. Yet, few people understand the enormity of the situation and still lesser are ready to take remedial action to make their big day truly memorable. What may be termed as novel or unusual weddings are certainly coming into vogue as more and more people are realising the folly in overspending at weddings. Phillip and Sarah, after their nuptials, circulated just a glass of wine and some rich fruit cake to the guests in the church compound itself. It is our is best, voiced Phillip, after their wedding. Low-cost weddings, including beach weddings, are another alternative which is slowly catching on. However not everyone is smiling about them. Says Ramiro, We spent a lot for our own wedding, and we expect the same from others. Yet, who is ready to give the lead in breaking down stereotype weddings and challenging the old school of thought? Weddings at ancestral homes too are catching on and not all are fancying a reception at a hotel or a hall. To add to all the trouble and care one may take to ensure that all is well on the wedding day, unforeseen events can spring up and simply ruin your plans. The latest trend is not to take chances with this most important day of one's life and to go in for a comprehensive insurance policy for weddings. Although some may consider it inauspicious, while others may consider it 'modern', technically speaking it is just one of a variety of specific event policies that can financially protect one's wealth from any mishap. With weddings in India costing a bomb, everyone is concerned about the safety aspect. For example, the Mehtas took an insurance cover of Rs 20 lakh for their wedding at a cost of Rs 3,770. The policy covered areas such as cancellation, postponement, personal accident to the bride, groom, or any relative, property damage due to fire, burglary, and food poisoning. In fact, although Jacob and Rosy's wedding went off so well, the next day almost all the guests who attended it were down with food poisoning and some even had to be hospitalised on account of dehydration. As weddings are a time when Goans tend to flout their wealth, wedding insurance is another aspect which has to be kept in mind. Weddings in Goa are an expensive affair, what with the bridal gown, suits for the groom and bestman, and dresses for the bridesmaids to be stitched, floral decorations to be seen to, food and drinks to be catered for, besides the hall charges, car, MC, and band charges leaving the couple financially drained. Yet, who thinks of all these aspects so long as the day goes off well? What one ought to do prior to the wedding is basically see how much one can set aside for the big day, or if the finances have to come from a bank, it is important to work out a repayment plan. After the wedding, pooling of incomes (if both are working), to meet daily expenses, ought to be done so that the monthly budgetary requirements are met. Having a plan for your finances can go a long way in smoothing the relationship and thereby preventing any disagreements later on. Many a time, once a girl enters her husband's home in a joint family, to make adjustments is a little too difficult. In such cases, problems may arise and it may require the newly wedded couple to shift to a separate residence. Thinking ahead -- possibly even before marriage -- about moving to a new home, could help in maintaining unity with the family members. Home loans are now easily available, and if one has got a steady income, buying a new home need no longer be a distant dream. Says Rajeev, a businessman, From the very beginning, my wife was averse to staying with her in-laws. And with loans being easily available, not to mention the simple repayment schedules, it was enough of an incentive to go in
*** Goanet Reader: Of Goans, Indians and foreigners: Goa's racism and reverse-racism
' end of the economic spectrum, but is also happening at the slum-level, as can be seen from the large number of shanty towns cropping up in many villages. While there are no easy answers or solutions to these tricky issues, it is surely an issue which needs to be addressed in a rational manner. And tourism itself, which may have accentuated this simmering issue, may also provide the solution. Goa, being the smallest state in India, does clearly need some special protection to preserve its separate identity if it is not to be completely over-run by the polyglot Indian culture of today. Preserving that separate identity may also lead to being an even more attractive tourist destination. A number of Indian states like Jammu Kashmir, Sikkim, etc, have special legislation in place which restricts the entry of outsiders. In Goa unfortunately we've had a particularly obnoxious bunch of politicians who have done little to preserve the Goan identity. In fact most of them, to avoid facing electoral humiliation for having betrayed the cause of the Goans, have taken to encouraging the slums and low-cost housing projects for for 'migrants' because that provides them with vote-banks. If you go around the villages, you will see that all the migrants are only in properties belonging to the local panchas, sarpanchas or MLAs. The conditions in these 'colonies' are abysmal and in fact reinforce the Goan's evaluation and treatment of 'Indians' as being somehow inferior. However, a fresh look at this unbalanced situation is urgently called for if Goa is not to deteriorate under this domestic invasion, which is now a very real scenario. Many in the tourism industry talk of making Goa a top international tourism destination. That being the case, Goa surely needs to look at premier international destinations like Monaco, Switzerland, etc, all of which are tiny 'principalities' or countries within larger countries, and which are 'neutral' and have adequate barriers in place to protect their unique identities. While there is no going back on being a part of India, Goa is also distinctly 'not Indian', as everyone -- including the 'Indians' -- agrees. A start can be made by asking the navy and army to withdraw from Goa and make it a neutral, peace zone as Goa was during the Second World War and even earlier, during colonial times, when the Napoleonic wars were going on between the English and French. It can also become an 'offshore' banking haven within India. All of which will also add value to 'Destination Goa'. Finally, like in Switzerland, things will become so expensive, it will no longer be possible for Goans to afford living in Goa and some of us may have to move to Maharashtra or Karnataka, as is also already happening. JOSEPH ZUZARTE [EMAIL PROTECTED] is a journalist with long years of experience mainly in Mumbai, where he worked at senior positions before returning back to Goa recently. -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Being Goan, in a sea of Chinese and Malay... and beyond
this trip to India, the big impression I got was North India -- which is so different from this part of India (Goa, on the west coast) -- still has this 5000 year old tradition. It's a living tradition, in relationship to nature, for example, something that is divine. It's so touching. I'd like to really work on environmental issues, because I somehow saw the significance of nature and the earth to the people. That really was my biggest experience on this trip. I would like to remove the garbage and the filth and work to conserve certain areas. Maybe in Goa... I don't know. FOOTNOTE: Dr Filomena Giese can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goa Sudharop is at http://www.goasudharop.org (do take a look at their special listing of non-profit and non-governmental organisations in Goa): http://www.goasudharop.org/gs_ngo.htm GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade
*** MEDIA: Goa... the size of an Indian district... but with a torrent of 300 journals in 140 years
. As for Goa's identification with India, consider: Bharat Mitra' (Brother India), The Indian Bulletin, Indian Civilization, Echo of India, Gazette of India, The Indian, Journal of India, Reporter of India, The Voice of the People of India, and, after Independence, 'India Portuguesa' becomes, simply, 'India'. But the salient impression that is left after delving into the world of journalism in Portuguese India is that here was a people eager to write, to report, to publish, d ultimately to read the printed word in newspaper, magazine and journals of every kind: political, scientific, literary, religious, satirical and scholarly. e is also left with the felling that the ugly censorship hung over the heads of journalists during the Portuguese period. Granted, for many years considerable leeway was allowed reporters and editorialists, but the threat of the printed word was something that caused Portuguese administrators and occasionally high-ranking clergy to have moments of anxiety. The egregious shutdown of Goa's first journal, 'Gazeta de Goa', after only five years of its existence and the confiscation of its printing press might have been a portent of things to come: the suspension of publication from 1895 to 1897, the censorship of Salazar and the imprisonment of Evagrio Jorge. One could rest in a state of euphoria if convinced that censorship left India with the British and the Portuguese. Goa is now a part of India, and the ugly tentacles of press repression still exist in India: * Witness the period of dictatorial rule imposed by Indira Gandhi in the 1970s. * Witness the banning of Salman Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses' by Rajiv Gandhi. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The author is indebted to a number of people who have helped him along the way while preparing this paper. He acknowledges with thanks Marilena Mattos and Blair Bateman of the University of Minnesota Spanish and Portuguese Department for help with translations, Eddie Fernandes and Frederick Noronha of Goa-Research-Net, Gozago da Gama of the University of Minnesota and Dr George V Coelho of Bethesda, Maryland for consultation. [1] Fonseca, Joao de. An Historical and Archaeological Sketch of Goa (1878) pp.58-61. [2] Brito Aranha, Pedro Wenceslau de. Subsidios para a Historia do Journalismo na Provincias Ultramarinas Portuguesas (1885) p 2. [3] Esteves, Sarto. Goa and Its Future. (1966) p 17 [4] Saldanha, Claudio. A Short History of Goa (1957) p 148 [5] Cunha, Antonio Maria da. A Evolucao do Jornalismo na India Portuguesa in 'A India Portuguesa', v 2, p 507 [6] ibid, p 509 [7] ibid, p 510 [8] ibid, p 111 [9] Vimala Devi. 'Jornalismo' in 'A Literature Indo- Portuguesa'. (1971) v 2, p 250 [10] Rangel, Jaime. 'A Imprensa em Goa'. (1956) p 50 [11] da Cunha. Op.cit. p 512 [12] Xavier, P.D. Role of the Press in the Freedom Struggle in Goa' in Goa Wins Freedom. Pp 94-95. [13] Frederick Noronha. E-mail correspondence, 31 January 1998. [14] Vimala Devi, ibid p 253 [15] ibid, p 255 [16] ibid. [17] ibid p 550 [18] Panandikar, V.A. Chaudhuri, P.N. Demographic Transition in Goa and Its Policy Implications, p 28 [19] Noronha, Frederick. E-mail correspondence, 31 January 1998 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ali, B. Sheik Goa wins freedom. Bambolim, Goa: Goa University, 1986 (Has article 'Role of Press in the Freedom Struggle in Goa,' by P D Xavier) Brito Aranha, Pedro Wenceslau de, 1833-1914 Subsidios para a historia do jornalismo na provincias ultramarinas Portuguesas. Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional,1885 (Contains comprehensive listing of the early journals.) Cunha, Antonio Maria da, 1863-1947. A Evolucao do jornalismo na India Portuguesa. (In India Portuguesa. 1923. v2; pp 503-594) Fonseca, Jose Nicolau da An historical and archaeological sketch of Goa... Bombay: Thacker, 1878. (A small section is devoted to journalism.) Rangel, Jaime. A Imprensa em Goa. Bastora: Tip. Rangel, 1956 (Contains a list of more than 300 journals in the Panjim Public Library.) Scholberg, Henry. Bibliography of Goa and the Portuguese in India. New Delhi: Promilla, 1982. (Contains a list of more than 300 journals in the Panjim Public Library.) Vimala Devi. A literatura indo-portuguesa. Lisboa: Junta de Investigacoes do Ultramar, 1971. 2 v.; Part II: Antologie, pp 250-258 (Like da Cunha's essay, a standard work.) -- The writer is Former Director, Ames Library of South Asia, University of Minneasota and author of the 'Bibliography of Goa and the Portuguese in India'. New Delhi: Promilla, 1982. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from
*** Goanet Reader: Those were good days... Mapusa in the 1930s and 1940s
: the matinal, cymbalic tingle of the baker's staff on his early deliveries; the 'gentleman' beggar, impeccable in his black waistcoat and earthen bowl intoning Amot tik, Barretto makta bik (Hot or sour, any will do. Rough translation of his intent, rather than a literal one); the funeral procession going by the house, with many surpliced clerics and the band in the rear valiantly striving to cope with its version of Chopin's Marche Funebre; the pounding hoofs and creaking wheels of the 'boilanchi gaddi' (passenger bullock cart) making its way at its slow, leisurely pace to Candolim for the annual May 'mudanca' (holiday); the rush to the tinto (market) there to fetch the tin of Huntley Palmer's cream crackers, red ball cheese, the inevitable xarope d'brindao (binn'a or kokum syrup); the phut-phut of the Betim-Pangim early ferry with white, starched buttoned up officials on their way to work; the 'whp' of the ship steamimg in on to the quay after its overnight journey from Bombay, ready to disgorge sons and daughters come to satiate their longing for the motherland; the golden bus rushing headlong at breakneck speed, laden with passengers and baggage bound for Colem and thence embarking by train for Hubli, Belgaum, Poona and Bombay under the benign, watchful eyes of local officials while preparing, with trepidation, for the coming confrontation with the obnoxious sepoys and inspectors of H.M.Customs at Castlerock in British India. All these sights and sounds of an era gone by keep revolving through the mind endlessly, of an era when life was quiet and peaceful and safe. Goa was backward and primitive then, many would say... Perhaps... who knows? Words may have an ambivalent connotation, depending on the individual's mental and moral frame. May be we were backward. But at least we were we, heirs to a great tradition of integrity, honesty and ethical values, not overwhelmed by outsiders alien to our mores and values. Goa is to-day the country in the world with the highest percentage of outsiders in its population, an unenviable record formerly held by Estonia, in the Baltics, which had 35% of Russians in its midst after being occupied by the former USSR. I learn also that GOA to-day has earned the reputation of being the most corrupt State of the Union. Even if it is only partly true, our forefathers must be turning in their graves at this sullying of the most profound and lofty legacy they bequeathed us. When I was ten years old, a much older cousin told me in hushed tones the tale of a certain Reynolds, Briton or Anglo-Indian from British India, who had been caught in the Church of Bom Jesus, in Old Goa, trying to rob the tomb of S. Francis Xavier. It was a sensation because in those days, 'thieving' was not a word in the Goan lexicon. In my youth, when we woke up in the mornings, all the doors and windows of the house, even two at street level, were thrown open, to be closed only at 8 or 9 pm. Most Goan households followed this practice, as far as I am aware. And not even a pin ever went missing. Try this in today's 'progressed' Goa. Perhaps I am too antiquated, constrained in a straight-jacket of incredible naivete and anachronic idealism, unadjusted to modern, pragmatic realism where the only thing that really matters is rapid material progress, feverish industrial activity producing more and more wealth, drowning in rivers of money...all other values be damned. Unfortunately, my vision is clouded and my option ordained by heritage and upbringing. That is why, even though I am aware it will occasion numerous contrariant responses, I would like to conclude by borrowing words from the Bard of Avon: What a fall was there, my countrymen. -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org For more on Goanet see http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet or www.goanet.org Domnic Fernandes' three-part article on Mapusa is at http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@goanet.org/msg38358.html http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@goanet.org/msg38771.html http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=Newsfile=articlesid=426 -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Rooting for Goa ... the fruits are beginning to show
, is Garcinia indica. His father was involved in the development and marketing of Amrit Kokum, the sweet, purplish pink summer drink made of Bhindam or Kokum. The 'Goa butter' or 'bindnell' is a vegetable fat that is solid at 40 degrees Celsius. It finds application in medicine, cuisine, confectionery and in cosmetics in an increasing health conscious world. The discovery by a biochemist, Dr. John Lowenstein, of the cholesterol balancing and fat suppressing qualities of Hydroxy Citric Acid (HCA) found naturally in Garcinia fruits have only confirmed what the people of Aparant knew when they added 'sol-kodi' to the meal containing fish and even added the 'solam' directly to dishes cooked with fish. Dr. Shirodkar has made his expertise in growing, ripening, grading, packing and marketing of mangoes available to those who care to learn. The 'Compendium on Kokum' was released at GCCI hall earlier this week. Fredrick Noronha is not an agriculture-linked person and was born in far away Brazil. Other than that, he is every bit a Goan, promoting agriculture in Goa. Beginning with the slow dial-up service of VSNL and Goatelecom and moving on to the broadband service and Sify Iways, he has promoted Internet contacts and dissemination of information to link people and technologies. If I have a Internet presence, it is thanks to him. If I write for a newspaper, it is also thanks to him. Rico, as I call him, is persevering to the point of irritation. My experience is that perseverance works more often than not. At the end of the first Konkan Fruit Fest, the Botanical Society of Goa was bankrupt: it had spent beyond its last rupee. As a group we persevered. The Japanese had done that at the end of the World War II. So had the Germans. Both these countries have thriving economies and thriving development of technologies. We saw no reason to think otherwise. Perseverance works. The BSG can vouch for it as it hosts the fourth annual Konkan Fruit Fest along with CCP, WGKF, ICAR, Directorate of Agriculture, RFRS-Vengurla fruit growers and processors at Panaji beginning today. Together Everyone Achieves More. -- MIGUEL BRAGANZA is an agriculture officer, who took the unusual step of quitting his government job and opting to be a horticulture consultant, write on the issues that are close to his heart, and otherwise contribute positively to society. He is known to many who studied, like him, at Britto's and Xavier's in Mapusa and was in the scouting movement in the 'seventies. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Mutual sustenance: Goan women and the Catholic church in New Zealand
of migration and settlement in a new country. -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ruth de Souza is based in Waitakere City, Aotearoa/New Zealand. She is Director of Auckland based Wairua Consulting and a Senior Research Fellow and Centre Co-ordinator for the Asian and Migrant Health Research Centre in the National Institute for Public Health Mental Health Research at Auckland University of Technology. Souza can be contacted via email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or at her website: http://www.wairua.com/ruth GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** DOCUMENT: Statement of the Commissioner for NRI Affairs (Goa)
| Domnic Fernandes continues (Part III) his reminiscence of | | Mapusa of the 1950s| | | | http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=Newsamp;file=articleamp;sid=426 | STATEMENT BY EDUARDO FALEIRO, COMMISSIONER FOR NRI AFFAIRS AT HIS PRESS BRIEFING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2006. --- I was appointed as Commissioner for NRI Affairs about a month ago. This is an entirely new position which did not exist before. Specific departments to deal with NRI Affairs are very recent creations. Indeed, as of today, such departments exist only in very few States and are in the process of being constituted in the remaining States. The Union Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs itself has been created quite recently. Though my office is not yet fully functional, I have already taken steps to solve some of the grievances of the non resident Goans. * Teachers, doctors, nurses and those holding a diploma or a University degree are exempted from emigration clearance However, maids and some other persons of the lower income group who seek employment abroad have to approach the office of the Protector of Emigrants at Mumbai to obtain emigration clearance. Due to low literacy levels etc. such persons need the services of intermediaries and they are harassed and fleeced economically and often they are also victims of criminal abuse. In such circumstances, it is necessary to establish an office of the Protector of Emigrants in Goa itself. I have written to Mr. Vyalar Ravi, the Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, in this regard. * NRGs are abroad for reasons of employment and most of them have a house and properties in Goa. Some of them have requested me to make arrangements for taking care of their properties during their absence. The Chief Minister has asked me to take special interest in this matter. I am working on a scheme in this regard. * Many Goans who are abroad for reasons of employment, have requested that they be conferred voting rights and this is a very legitimate demand. Their names should be included in the electoral rolls in Goa. There is a Bill pending in Parliament to amend the Representation of People’s Act so that such rights may be conferred on non resident Indians. This Bill however, is not yet scheduled for discussion in Parliament. I have written to the Union Law Minister to expedite the process. * I have received some representations saying that in Kuwait, degrees of the Goa University are not recognized. This obviously creates problems for our people who seek employment in that country. I have taken up the matter with our Ambassador in Kuwait. He is a very efficient officer and I am confident that he will deal with this and other problems faced by Goans there sympathetically and expeditiously. * Goans holding foreign passports may use charter flights. However, PIOs who come to Goa on charter flights are required to return within four weeks from arrival. PIOs of Goan origin usually do have a home, other properties and family members in Goa. They are abroad for reasons of employment . They belong here. I have, therefore, requested the Immigration authorities that Goans may not be inconvenienced only because they have exceeded the four weeks period. * This Office shall be setting a website within a month to inform NRGs of the different facilities available to them from the State Government as well as the Union Government, to listen to their grievances and to inform them of action taken. Email contact for feedback: Eduardo Faleiro [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Flower power (feature on Ashok Dande, in Gomantak Times/Weekender)
-- |Read Valmiki Faleiro's latest column on Goa's traffic entitled: | || | Goa's appalling road sense - 1| |http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=Newsamp;file=articleamp;sid=418 | -- Flower power Ashok Dande shows Reema Kamat the arid patch of land that he transformed into a plant lover's paradise. A once-barren piece of land in Nagali, Taleigao, now stands transformed into a lush farmhouse garden, with the exclusive practice of organic farming. The winding paths along lush green carpets of fine blends of grass, colourful rock gardens in different settings, a specially designed pond with cascading water and gracefully floating lilies, exuberantly fruiting coconut palms, varieties of ornamental plants with lush green foliage, are some of the special attractions of this aesthetically laid garden and farmhouse. This is the garden of Ashok Dande, specialist in landscape gardening, horticulture and rock gardens. A beautiful garden is a work of art. When designing a garden, one has to keep in mind personal preferences of aesthetics. Important to take into account is the position and movement of the sun during the year, technical aspects like the point of fulcrum and focal spot, demarcation of recreation area, etc. He is passionate about gardening because he feels we owe it to nature and society to keep the greens alive. THE MOST striking aspect of the garden is the burst of colour it is. I have over 300 varieties of plants. I don't keep ordinary varieties, I prefer something unusual, something rare like hybrid anthuriums, orchids, crotons, exoras etc. Effectively, there are about 10,000 plants in my garden. Though my garden may seem a bit crammed, it is that way because it is designed to be a kind of landscape showroom. The varieties have been specially obtained by Dande from all over India. THE LIME TREE is bursting with bunches of the fruit and it is quite a pleasant deviation from seeing it in a basket at the marketplace. I'm very proud of the yield that my tree produces because it is achieved by using compost manure, a basic solution to our garbage menace. Also, I talk to my plants, I touch them and handle them like they are children. Plants have extra-sensory perception and can perceive the affection in human touch. They bloom when treated humanely. LOCATED CENTRALLY in the garden is the artificial pond, which doesn't look artificial at all, incidentally. The pipes and apparatus used to operate the pump that keeps recycling the cascading water have been hidden from view. Also, I have introduced lotus leaves and water plants and keep the look natural. There are some fishes in the pond too; these consume the mosquito larvae and algae and thus prevent the stagnation of water. THERE ARE ALSO rock gardens all over, that look quite elaborate, but are in fact very simple to assemble and maintain, says Dande. All you have to do is imitate nature. People think putting together a bunch of stones makes a rock garden. But it is not so. You have to select the right type and size of stones to prepare landings or steps for them to rest securely. Special basins have to be made and crevices have to be packed with nothing but coconut fibre so that excess water filters out without taking away the soil. ONE FEATURE of the garden is that the placement of the placement of the plants is mobile and Dande affirms that this aids in changing the appearance and course of the structures overnight, if wanted. This is possible mainly because we have introduced very little concrete and strived to keep everything natural. The concept revolves around arrangements and not construction of structures. Natural material like all kinds of rocks and boulders have been used to assemble them. Even mundane objects have been utilised; a grinding stone serves as a bird feeder. -- Would you like your home or part of your home to be featured on this page? Write to us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with subject-line HOME DECOR or via snail mail to GT Weekender Look, Gomantak Bhavan, St Inez, Panjim. Please include your phone number and a couple of photographs. (WEEKENDER/GOMANTAK TIMES) -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. Send feedback to goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: We never took the main road... [Principal Mervyn D'Souza of Assagao/Weekender]
to become barren now and there isn't much scope for cultivating produce like the villagers used to. (WEEKENDER/GOMANTAK TIMES) -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. Send feedback to goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Goa's writers are multicultural by inheritance -- Victor Rangel-Ribeiro
roles you played across the continents, which do you see as the most challenging? The most challenging task I ever undertook was in education, working at different age levels with disadvantaged Blacks and Hispanics in New York. For a while I taught teenagers in a special school in Harlem; most of them had been on drugs, and some of them still were; all had been expelled from their previous schools and were all rebellious. It took weeks and months to change their attitude, but eventually they became my friends and began to learn. At another point I worked with adult illiterates; as soon as they began to learn, I set them to work teaching others. In a section of Brooklyn known as the drug capital of the United States, I worked with senior citizens who had quit school in the second and third standard and helped them get their matriculation equivalency diploma in from two to six months. It was challenging, but it was a labour of love. If there were three things you would like to leave for Goa and her people, what would these be? A sense of discipline. A feeling of brotherhood. A thirst for ethical values. At a time when many Goans would have just given up, you’re still working exceedingly hard. Can you tell us what an average VRR day is like, and what drives you? What drives me is that I wake up each morning and give thanks for the gift of another beautiful day. Back in the States we normally breakfast at seven, but I sometimes start the writing day before then. Chores and errands take up part of the day itself; I read or do some research in the afternoon and write again in the evening and often late into the night -- it all depends on what I am working on and how the ideas are flowing. Quite often I will find myself working on several writing projects at the same time. For much of the day, I listen to classical music while writing or doing other chores, but when my wife begins to play the piano, I turn the radio off. In the States I spend about an hour a day studying music. Music brought Lea and me together almost sixty years ago, and music continues to be an inspiring and energizing factor in our life. On some evenings we socialize. After dinner we watch TV comedies for an hour and catch up on the late news. Then there’s more reading and writing to do until bedtime. Way back in 1941, when I had just joined St. Xavier’s College in what was then Bombay, Fr. Coyne (the principal) used to spend a couple of hours a week advising me. He hoped, I think, that I would become a Jesuit. One bit of advice he gave me has stayed with me all these years. He said: Every night, before you go to bed, ask yourself these three questions: How have I touched today the life of someone I know? How have I touched today the life of someone I do not know? How have I improved today on the talents that God has given me? If you cannot answer any of these questions with a 'yes', do not go to sleep until you have set that right. Now that I think of it, that piece of advice is what really drives me. FOOTNOTE: Victor Rangel-Ribeiro can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you can expect a helpful reply in your writing quest, provided you're willing to put in your part of the work. - Frederick FN Noronha is a Goa-based writer, active in cyberspace, who writes on issues both within and beyond Goa. Email contact: fred at bytesforall.org GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** GoanetReader: Creating an oasis amidst the heat and dust of Hampi
and change. * Modern, and uses state of the art technology. * Visually interesting with wonderful streetscapes, unfolding views, surprises, vistas. * Urban in character. * Inspired by the region. * Meant primarily for people, the services and traffic being secondary. Services must be put in a network to cater to expansion and change. - Frederick FN Noronha is a Goa-based writer, active in cyberspace, who writes on issues both within and beyond Goa. Email contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** GoanetReader: The First Goan President (V M de Malar)
The First Goan President by V. M. de Malar vmingoa at gmail.com Toni Morrison was wrong. In a famous 1998 essay in the New Yorker magazine, the Nobel Prize-winning African-American writer declared about Bill Clinton; white skin notwithstanding, this is our first black President. She wrote at the end of a long, hot, summer of intrigue and skullduggery in Washington D.C, when the beleaguered second-term President stood vulnerable, at a time when the Arkansas-born outsider to elite politics was most isolated and vulnerable. Her insight was precise; Clinton's nose was quite obviously being rubbed in the dirt as a kind of punishment, less for minor peccadilloes than for being uppity. He threatened a part of the establishment; it retaliated with no holds barred. But Morrison was wrong, because it's amply clear to all true Goans that Bill Clinton is one of us, a regular rice-and-fish-curry guy with a penchant for siestas, a sax-playing, visibly sincere, churchgoer with a helpless eye for the ladies, a man who looks like he'd fit quite suitably on a roaring Enfield Bullet as ferryside motorcycle pilot. That garrulousness is so familiar with the accompanying twinkle in the eye, that touching neediness, that community- minded solicitousness, that urge to sing loudest in the choir, and then also the inability to say no, the eagerness to please and charm, and the comfort with people of all ages. We've heard all about Hope, Arkansas, we know about Georgetown, Yale, Oxford, and the governor's mansion in Little Rock. We're not naive; we've registered Chappaqua and Harlem and tracked the Iowa polls for Hillary in 2008. Still, we Goans recognize one of our own and we've known it ever since he burst onstage with a saxophone, he is clearly the first Goan President. And so we're busting out the real home-made stuff from the backwoods for today's toasts; it's a triumphant weekend homecoming to Goa for amcho Bill Clinton. Look at him, it's a wonder we didn't figure it out earlier. Is he unashamedly gluttonous in our typical manner? Check. Does he look like he takes siestas every time he gets the chance, like he can't wait to hit the pillow again? Does he, in fact, have the manner of your retired uncle ,who hasn't worn a belt for twelve years, and whose remaining life goal is to never change out of his pyjamas? Check, check. Does he look like the most sincere guy during prayers, even if he's been carousing all night before, all closed-eyes ecstasy and ostentatious singing? Check. Ladies man, check. Affinity for urrak? We'll have to check. Amcho Bill is in the same rough mould as Goa's home-grown politicians, who display plenty of what we euphemistically call character, even as they lack Clinton's unstinting work-ethic, ambition, marvellous erudition and world- class education, drive, empathy, spellbinding and stem-winding oratory skills, once-in-a-generation charisma, sheer policy genius, profound analytical powers and superb political instincts. Okay, we did say rough mould, our guys are no- hit wonders and he's Elvis, the King, but let's not get distracted from the point we're trying to make. Goans have always loved larger-than-life figures, wherever they're from. Long before Clinton, for example, we loved Kennedy with a kind of passion that would shock Americans if they ever understood it, more intense than other places because of our peculiar and uniquely lengthy history of profound cultural exchange with the West. President Clinton might be amused to learn that the brother of one of our very senior politicians is named Kennedy, that there are literally dozens of Kennedys running around in our small state. There's Reagans too, this is a bi-partisan phenomenon (plus Hitlers and Mussolinis and Stalins, we'll not mention those to the Yanks). And there are Clintons, a whole passel of little Clintons scurrying around our small state. It's red meat to the Republicans if you think about it, scores of kids bearing that name, just imagine what that vast right wing conspiracy would have done with the info in those days of Kenneth Starr's ridiculously overblown witch- hunt. Like then, its lots of smoke with no fire, the kiddies are evidence only that we loved the forty-second President of the USA. A hearty welcome to Goa, Bill Clinton, we hope you have a great weekend here. (ENDS) More articles at: http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modloadname=Newsfile=indexcatid=9 --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: VM is an early Goanetter, who put his money where his mouth is and returned to settle-down in Goa in late 2004, while in his thirties. VM regularly writes for the Goa and Mumbai media. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's
*** GoanetReader: Da Cunha in Absurdistan (V M de Malar)
Da Cunha in Absurdistan by V. M. de Malar vmingoa at gmail.com Imagine that you've won a prestigious national prize from the government, but no one notifies you or returns your letters or pays any attention to your inquiries. Imagine having to pose a question in Parliament in order to get official notification, or filing suit in court just to finally get your hands on it. It's an absurd scenario, right? It's Goa's own Gerard da Cunha's reality; he protested the indignities and ridiculous delay by wearing a child's cartoonish mask while posing for photographs with the Minister for Urban Development when the prize was finally awarded last week, an unconscionable six years too late. The great G. K. Chesterton wrote, in a world where everything is ridiculous, nothing can be ridiculed. And so we must start by noting that India's urban planning is scandalously incoherent across the board; our urban spaces are notoriously among the worst in the world. Even as India's economy surges unstoppably, as architects and developers become ever more grandiose, we find our cities in a terrible mess. India is not handling urbanization well, there is precious little we can point to with pride in terms of urban planning and design. So, this award is, on paper, an excellent idea. The plan was to provide a national spotlight to large scale projects, to reward innovative architects and provide incentive for more good work, to create a culture of peer-reviewed excellence in urban design. The trouble came, as it so often does, when this fine idea was dropped into the lap of the babus and the stultifying bureaucracy that lives off patronage and crude power equations. And so da Cunha's surreal experience, which started with his team's eager application in the Implemented Urban Planning and Design Projects category of the 1998 ?99 Prime Minister's National Award for Excellence in Urban Planning and Design for their project in Bellary for Jindal Vijaynagar Steel Limited. The whole process was already late; competition was opened only in 2001, the high-profile jury met at the end of 2002. There were inexplicable shenanigans from the then-Minister of Urban Development, Ananth Kumar, from the beginning; he wanted his crony to get the award and refused to properly endorse the unanimous declaration awarding da Cunha the prize. Then the nonsense began in earnest, the file for this prestigious national prize stopped dead. It took an official question in Parliament from Goa's then Rajya Sabha member, Eduardo Faleiro, to get some movement. One day before the question had to be answered, on 15th March, 2003, the bureaucracy was forced to release the results. But a scheduled ceremony in Delhi was cancelled, and sheer inertia took over again. Finally, the now-irate architect filed suit in a Panjim court. It required a response by 10th February of this year, but this final embarrassment was averted by a hasty ceremony last week, where the proceedings were enlivened by the architect's silent, whimsical, protest (check the photo at www.goanet.org). There's a well-developed theatre tradition of absurdism, into which our architect's subversive mask fits quite suitably, that's been carefully delineated by greats like Stoppard and Beckett, following the much older Commedia dell'Arte. The Theatre of the Absurd offers its audience an existentialist view of the outside world and forces them to consider the meaning of their existence when there appears to be no true order or meaning. It's a form of expose, you understand far more about life when you highlight the ridiculousness to which we're regularly subjected. In India, says da Cunha, where our towns and cities are deteriorating at such a rapid rate, an award of this sort makes good sense, creating role models which others can follow. It is the duty of the Ministry to be fair and give the award on time. He continues, the award was presented after a delay of six years. I felt it was my duty to protest. In doing so, he artfully turned a commonplace photo opportunity into something far more interesting, he imbibed the shabby last-minute event with unexpected meaning. Chesterton, rather inscrutably, said you cannot unmask a mask, but that's just what the man wearing the Tigger mask did last week. Congratulations on the award, Gerard da Cunha, and good show at the ceremony. (ENDS) More articles at: http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modloadname=Newsfile=indexcatid=9 --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: VM is an early Goanetter, who put his money where his mouth is and returned to settle-down in Goa in late 2004, while in his thirties. VM regularly writes for the Goa and Mumbai media. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing
*** Illustrious Academician and Historian (Alban Couto's tribute to JC-A)
of missionaries with the colonial powers (which has) remained graven in the minds of the Indian people, and has remained to this day”. Other “unsuccesses” of the jesuits in India stemmed from an exclusiveness and fundamentalism that were foreign to their own calling and this was demonstrated when they had reached a level of power and influence in imposing the Latin form of Christianity on the Syrian Malabar Christians, an imposition that still continues to fester. For the longer view, which saw intrusions as exemplified by the jesuits from Europe, as necessary to break up rigid, hegemonic stratifications and to bring in winds of change, some of it with the values of reason, science, and humanism. Email: macouto at sancharnet.in - Alban Couto is a former senior official of the Government of India, who served in Goa, Bihar and many other centres. He is currently retired and lives in Carona in Aldona, Goa. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** Goanet Reader: From stethoscope to keyboard... an expat novel set in the US (Cornel DaCosta)
as to which audience the novel had geared itself. My conclusion was that there were minimally three audiences. Firstly, the local population that could be informed about the novel and persuaded to read it, likewise, and secondly, those at 'home' in India, and thirdly, those from the South Asian Diaspora in America and elsewhere. But I have hopes that the audience might indeed get wider. Although I have rarely read the Reader’s Digest in recent years, except when finding it in my dentist's waiting room, it struck me that a summarised version of On Thin Ice would probably be welcomed as a substantial article in this popular magazine. Alternatively, the information on the Internet suggests that the entire short novel may also be acceptable to the Reader's Digest for publication in its own right and thus reach a wide audience. With his wife as a co-author, in this novel, a medical doctor alternates his hand from the stethoscope to the keyboard with much dexterity and credit. Hopefully, such an orientation will enhance both callings within the good doctor, as well as, the productive output through such co-authorship. - Cornel DaCosta, PhD, is an author, consultant and specialist in university education, London, England. Review written on January 5, 2006. The weblink for On Thin Ice is http://www.booklocker.com/books/2194.html ISBN 1-59113-826-4 GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** Goanet Reader: Remembering a forgotten intellectual from yesterday's Goa
Chodenkar and Hotel Mandarin episodes in the Goa of recent times! Equal pay for equal work is a Constitutional goal under Art 14, 16 and 39 (c). This concept is advocated as early as in 1910, wherein it was demanded that the white and brown soldiers be paid equal salary because in certain categories white soldiers of lower rank earned more than brown soldiers of higher rank. Context and background play a crucial role in understating an event -- here it is the writings of a long forgotten yet a towering personality. And, this book though allows total autonomy to the bits and pieces of collected texts, yet they are tightly bound together by the cord of socio, political and historical contexts -- which make the texts meaningful. To conclude, a text is a reservoir of meaning, that is, the capacity of a text to 'say' more than its author consciously intended. The reason is whenever one approaches a text, reads it and experiences a disclosure of meaning, there is also a closure or the potential polysemy (the ambiguity of an individual word or phrase that can be used to express two or more different meanings). To opt for a particular interpretation effectively closes off all other interpretations to the reader. Any text is open to many readings, none of which repeats another. Therefore, when you read the book you may understand the text in a totally different way than I have understood -- there can be two different yet valid opinions about same event. Joseph Deva is a journalist in Goa. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org - Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. -
*** GoanetReader: Goa's panchayats, rich promise... sad reality
and a rat-race in the villages. The whole idea of sharing is not there. Finally, the people don't exercise their rights and their duties. On the positive side: literacy levels in Goa are quite high, compared to other states. Secondly, when people have decided to agitate, and when they have taken up a cause, they really put their heart into it. The third thing would be Goa being small, it would be more easy to manage a network among panchayats. -- FN is a Goa-based journalist, active in cyberspace, and who has written much by way of issues related to this small state. His other interests include Free Software, cyber initiatives, environmental journalism, photography and writing about documentary film in India. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: The Goa Knowledge Revolution (by V. M. de Malar)
inputs. We assure you your thoughts matter. See you all at www.knowledgeforgoa.com. -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. --
*** Goanet Reader: Goencho Saib for Sale (V M de Malar)
? -- VM de Malar is the pen name of a former Goanetter now in Goa. VM regularly writes for the Goa and Mumbai media. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org --- Goanet, 1994-2004. Building community, creating social capital for a decade. ---
*** Goanet Reader: Breaking the Afro-Indian Silence
Breaking the Afro-Indian Silence by V. M. de Malar vmingoa at gmail.com It began last night with startlingly unique sounds, with song and ecstatic dance and inexpressibly moving ancient rituals. Strong voices rang out with praise and passion, singers rose to whirl about in delirious abandon as emotions rose to fever pitch, as the Sidi Goma group, the Mystic Musicians and Dancers of the Black Sufi Saint, Gori Pir, lit up the grounds of the International Centre on the Dona Paula plateau at the opening of the conference for study of The African Diaspora in Asia (TADIA). It's going to be an enriching feast for the next ten days. Along with lectures and fascinating discussions, there's a Festival of African and Afro-Diasporic Cinema from the 15th through the 19th, and an intriguing Festival of Song, Music, Dance and Drama, also starting on the 15th, including another chance to see the Sidi Goma group (at 8:00 PM on January 16th). All the conference events, including concerts and movies, are free of charge and open to the Goan public, as space permits. TADIA is an historic event, the first serious collective attempt to examine and analyze the African diaspora in Asia which has very deep and ancient roots, and a misunderstood but very real cultural significance. The trans- Atlantic African dispersal is endlessly studied, but the much older relationship between India and Africa is still barely understood, let alone properly contextualized. Taboos and racism have kept the lid on study of this intercultural exchange for far too long, it's time to put all that behind us, to understand and fully embrace this much-ignored aspect of our shared heritage. Here in Goa, we've had contact with Africa for at least a thousand years. Our territory was a primary distribution center for African slaves, had whole battalions of African troops stationed on our soil even right up to 1961, and we obviously have significant African admixture in our perpetually murky gene pool. Yet we still know almost nothing about this aspect of our collective experience. Last night served as a ray of light into this societal darkness, drums accompanying the thrilling Indo-African performance broke an uncomfortable silence that has held for generations. Of course, Goa is only one place that's associated with the African diaspora in India. We're talking about a very diffused populace that scattered across the subcontinent, which has been here, in parts, probably for millennia. The slave trade is central, most came as chattel and part of the Arab (and later, European) trade with India. But there have been prized African soldiers and generals at Indian courts across many centuries, and even aristocratic African rulers of Indian principalities (such as the Siddi nawabs of Janjira). Our little patch of the Konkan coast has always been an entrepot, an entry point for traders who sought to gain access to the wealthy Deccan. And the Arabs who came here for centuries before the Portuguese conquest undoubtedly brought Africans with them. But it is clearly the colonial period that has had the most impact with regard to diaspora, as Panjim became the locus of an international slave market which dispersed these African unfortunates throughout the European colonies further East, and particularly to Ceylon. The Siddis of Karnataka, who still speak a kind of Konkani, are another by-product of this time; they're descended from escapees who made it across the border. From this period, we see evidence of tremendous cultural syncretism. The classic Goan chicken cafreal is clearly an import, using African marination techniques and bearing the kaffir name, but one can also detect a foreign slave's hand and tastes in the signature sorpotel. Well-to-do Goan families of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries always kept African slaves, as did the Portuguese hierarchy and clergy, the entire cultural (and genetic) impact of all these Africans in Goa is yet to be studied properly. The genial Belgian-turned-Brazilian-turned-Panjimite convenor of TADIA, Jean- Pierre Angenot, has spent two years (of what was once retirement) preparing for this wonderfully conceived, stimulatingly multidisciplinary and unique, Africanist jamboree on the Dona Paula plateau. It's another signal that we're slowly heading in the right directions as a destination, as a culture, as a thinking society. So, a hearty Goan welcome to TADIA and to all the Siddis of India. (ENDS) -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: VM is an early Goanetter, who put his money where his mouth is and returned to do something in Goa in late 2004, while in his thirties. The above article appeared in the January 10, 2006 edition of The Herald, Goa. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing
*** GoanetReader: Subaltern elites in Portuguese Asia (Teotonio R de Souza)
-- || |Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm | || |The Riviera Opposite Hotel Mandovi, Panjim (near Ferry Jetty/Riverfront)| || -- Subaltern elites in Portuguese Asia The Azorean episcopacy as a subaltern elite of the Portuguese colonial rule in Asia, 1942-1953 Teotonio R. de Souza [EMAIL PROTECTED] I shall delve more extensively on the Archbishop-Patriarch of Goa, D. Jose da Costa Nunes, because he symbolises better than any other Azorean bishop in Asia the role of the subaltern elite that I am proposing for this study. There is another reason for choosing the Indian theatre of their action, rather than Macau or any other. As stated by his successor, D. Jose Alvernaz, It was in India that the Padroado came under its severest attacks, and the campaign against the Portuguese missionary activities drew most the world attention. By choosing to analyze the functioning of D. Jose da Costa Nunes, I see him as a representative of an Azorean subaltern elite. There was another such elite of Goan origin since mid 19th century, namely the Goan doctors. We could think of yet a third colonial elite at the service of the Portuguese colonial interests, namely the Cape Verdians, in administrative service in Portuguese Africa. There were Azorean bishops in Asia in the 17th and early 18th centuries, but they belonged largely to religious orders and do not fit into the category described here. From late 19th century, we begin to see bishops originating from secular and rural background, trained at the Angra seminary and with higher studies at Gregorian University in Rome. That is when we start seeing the rise of a kind of self-promoting clan. The growing challenges to the Church under liberal and republican regimes at home and the growing trend of anti-colonialism in Asia, made the role of the Azorean episcopacy particularly important for the empire. Even though Goa had been the major source of supply of clergymen for the Padroado, the Azoreans were the preferred candidates for handling the episcopal responsibilities. Why were there so many Azorean bishops in Portuguese Asia since late 19th century? It could have a very simple or rather simplistic explanation in the tendency of the Azoreans to migrate from their island-homes which threatens them with a regular frequency of volcanic eruptions and their tragic consequences in the form of earthquakes, famines, etc. But the main reason lies elsewhere: the Azoreans are predominantly white-skinned descendants of European colonizers and have no language or culture of their own, substantially different from that of the Portuguese. The capacity of the Azorean bishops to promote other fellow-Azoreans may not have succeeded as it did, if the State did not have also its own axe to grind. The Azoreans were looked upon as the right type of human resource, culturally identical and politically reliable, to control the souls of the imperial subjects in Asia. It should not be very difficult to understand my choice of the Gramscian concept of subalternity. Reduced to subalternity among the colonial powers, particularly after their loss of control over great part of Asia, and with a status further weakened by the loss of Brazil, the Portuguese had to opt for subaltern chain of commands to make the best of its weakened imperial centre. Hard pressed after independence of Brazil to find an alternate source of exploration in Africa, the Portuguese had to overcome the tropical diseases that made of Africa a graveyard for the white Europeans. That is when Goa's long tradition in handling tropical diseases at the Royal Hospital came handy. It was decided to create the Escola Medica in Goa, but the native medics trained there were deemed fit to serve in Portuguese colonies of Africa and Asia, but they could not exercise their medical profession in Portugal without additional training and tests. Cristiana Bastos has been studying this aspect of subalternity of the Goan doctors. I propose that her analysis be extended to include other subaltern elites of the empire. The Azorean bishops too were doing praiseworthy job in the service of the empire, but hardly any of them got any posting in continental Portugal, not even D. Jose da Costa Nunes, who so staunchly defended colonial interests in India in the post-independence phase of resistance to Portuguese colonial presence. When the archbishop resigned in 1953, the Portuguese government found for
*** Goanet Reader: Quiet village life: Of Chorao, the island of fidalgos
-- || |Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm | || |The Riviera Opposite Hotel Mandovi, Panjim (near Ferry Jetty/Riverfront)| || -- Quiet village life: Of Chorao, the island of fidalgos Prava Rai [EMAIL PROTECTED] Many people ask us why we chose to live in Goa and not anywhere else in India, or, for that matter, any other part of the world. The next question is Why Chorao -- an island village? After all even some people from Chorao have abandoned their homes in favour of city life. Of course there are compelling reasons for them to make this shift -- better schools for their children and proximity to their place of employment or simply a change from a quiet village life. We wanted to exchange the noisy city life with precisely this quiet village life. Initially, we lived in a rented apartment near the Indoor Stadium in Campal, the first floor of Villa Braganca Pereira. The location was impeccable and we could see the wide arc of the river as it flowed into the Arabian Sea. But to our misery, we found that the ground outside was a favourite New Year party venue. No doubt the parties were successful while we hunted around for a quiet hotel room to usher in the New Years noiselessly. On one occasion, we found that there was nowhere to go and decided to brave it out. It was a harrowing experience when the noise blasted on until eight in the morning -- long after midnight. For us it was clear that the further we were from sources of noise like new year parties, temple music and the clamour of traffic, it was better for our health and well-being. This is not to say that we are not assaulted every now and then by that ubiquitous equipment -- the loudspeakers -- proclaiming devotion and nuptials in equal measure of nerve-shattering insistence. However, it is not true that we are surrounded by sepulchral silence either. Each season brings with it its own special voices. Come September -- the evening meal time is filled with the works of an unknown soloist. The music we hear but the shy performer is hidden in the shadows of the night. My husband smiles indulgently when I perk up and tell him that the Spanish castanets are here, for the music made by these shy performers is reminiscent of the accompaniment to the flamenco dancers of swirling skirts and flashing eyes. In the days when my son had to catch 6.30 am bus to school, a bird voice urged him to hurry politely, it sang, Quick please, quick please. I would gently admonish him while he lingered sleepily over his breakfast, 'Even the birds are telling you to hurry up'. And there is another bird which gently sings, Slp – slp! These aerial singers are so many, some permanent residents and others that the seasons bring. Every now and then you hear a song which is different joined by myriad of singers building up a veritable airy Tower of Babel. I am reminded of Daudet's words (in a different context): Why are thy songs so short? a bird was once asked. Is it because thou art so short of breath? The bird replied: I have very many songs and I should like to sing them all. Often we not only hear them but also see them. A visiting friend was delighted when she saw a couple of Paradise Fly- catchers playing hide-and-seek among the tall branches in the garden. Once lured by a strange honking call, I wandered into the woodland surrounding our home and was almost brushed by the wings of a Great Indian Hornbill as it swished majestically away. Mr. Mendonca, the friendly proprietor of Mr. Farmer Nursery located on the NH 17 in Guirim, advised me to plant mulberry bushes. He said that birds will come to eat the berries. So I did and now the birds and I share the delicious fruits. They feast from the tall branches while I confine myself to the lower ones. Speaking about fruits, there are mango trees which have grown tall; I was told it was because they were competing for light with other tall trees like the teak and even kajra -- a jungli which grows in great abundance and with great abandon. We harvest kokum fruits with which I have experimentd. I make tart filling with it and it has proved to be a great standby for cranberry sauce to accompany pork roast or the Christmas turkey. There are three or four varieties of mangoes and wishing to fulfill my dream of making the land pay for itself, I have tried unsuccessfully to sell the fruits. There are a few sharks in Chorao who survey your trees around April and tell you
*** Goanet Reader: Liberation musings... the many twists and turns in Goa's long story
-- |Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm | || | Watch this space for more details | || -- Liberation musings... the many twists and turns in Goa's long story ALL n SUNDRY By Valmiki Faleiro This day, 44 years ago. Early morning, two Indian Air Force planes strafed the Emissora de Goa, the powerful radio transmitting station, at Bambolim and the civilian airfield at Dabolim. The previous night, mechanized columns of the Indian Army had crossed the international border and now advanced towards Panjim, as retreating defenders dynamited bridges to delay their advance. An Indian Navy fleet, led by INS Brahmaputra, sailed up the Zuari estuary to take on a lone frigate berthed at Mormugao and, unexpectedly, on a spirited sea observation post at Sada Headland, Vasco da Gama. Goa’s 'Second Liberation' was well and truly underway. Achieved, like the first in her checkered modern history, by military might, but mercifully, with little bloodshed. The 'Third Liberation', with any hope, shall come about bereft of brute force. Lest my multiple 'Liberation' theories be summarily dismissed as FF (flights of fantasy) by Goa’s extant FFs (Freedom Fighters) -- yes, extant, and heaven bless, they will remain so for another two and three-quarter centuries! -- may I elucidate. But not before noting an oddity. *Freedom fighters* did not accomplish Liberation. 'Operation Vijay' staged by the Indian Armed forces, did. Under the command of a Goan, Air Vice Marshall Erlich Pinto, of Porvorim's illustrious Pinto do Rosario stock. Have *tamarapatras* been doled out to the families of Naval sainiks and Army jawans who lost their lives at Mormugao, Nani Daman and Anjediva? Goa's *First Liberation* had come precisely 451 years before, almost to the month, on 25th Nov. 1510. Unable to bear the confiscatory taxes and other crushing miseries heaped upon Hindu Goa by Muslim Bahamanis from 1469 and by Adil Shahis from 1498, our ancestors conspired to throw them out. And awaited deliverance. By *firangis* from distant shores, as foretold by a soothsayer. The only bulwark to the ascendant Muslims -- the Hindu Vijayanagar Empire -- was crumbling in the face of the onslaught. They could barely hold fort around their home base in Tamil Nadu. Far-flung territories like Goa had fallen to the Muslim sabre and lay forsaken. Beaten but not broken, a Vijayanagiri sea captain lay licking his wounds in Honavar. Our Hindu ancestors approached Thimmaya to canvass help from the Portuguese, by then established on the Malabar coast. On 17th February 1510, Thimmayya guided Afonso de Albuquerque's small fleet up the Mandovi. The assault was vicious, but the victory brief. On 23rd May 1510, Ismail Adil Khan, the ruling prince of Goa, fending off Marathas with 60,000 soldiers, pushed out Albuquerque and his ragtag band. The *firangis* anchored off Penha de Franca/Aguada, where Hindus of Taleigao helped them with provisions, and thence, in August that year, with receding monsoons, to the isle of Anjediva. Awaiting reinforcements. It was a long wait. Sail vessels took five months to reach India from Portugal. Food and water were soon exhausted. Every rat on board was hunted and relished. When rats were extinct, Albuquerque and his men chewed on leather and abominable stuff, to stave off starvation. Sails were laid out to collect rainwater. A buoyant flotilla of six vessels finally arrived. Captain Thimmayya urged immediate attack, while Ismail Adilcao was again away. By dusk of 25th November 1510, after three days of fierce battle, Albuquerque had 6,000 Muslims put to the sword. The streets of Old Goa turned into rivulets of blood. But Goa was Liberated! As *liberated* as the eventual need for a *Second Liberation*. It's beyond this column's space to dwell on the 451 years. Be it only clear that I've grown by the advice: keep the windows open; retain what is good, chuck what is not. From 1787, our ancestors attempted to chuck the Portuguese. Goans, some now converted to Catholicism -- but not, as ignorantly perceived, to anti-nationalism -- clamoured for freedom (see box, below.) Goa’s pro-Portugal fringe was not a Catholic monopoly, if you please; anti-nationalism, if so it can be dubbed, transgressed barriers of creed and embraced those of class, like the largely Hindu mineowners and the landed gentry. But that's beside the point. Goa could have been freed two centuries before, but neither Marathas
*** GOA EVENTS: The Siddis of India and the African Diasporas in Asia
-- |Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | || | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Take back amp; distribute Soccer Balls | -- The Siddis of India and the African Diasporas in Asia - For more details contact Jean-Pierre Angenot [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goa, India, from 9th to 20th of January 2006 at The International Centre, Goa, India [see: www.internationalcentregoa.com ] Promoted by * THE TADIA SOCIETY [The Society for Research, Culture, Education and Development of the African Diaspora in Asia (TADIA)], associated with the UNESCO Slave Route Project, India. The Siddi or Siddhi people are Indians of mainly North-East and East African descent, whose ancestors arrived in India from the 1st to the 19th century. The Siddis came from Africa as slaves, soldiers, sailors and merchants. The earliest African presence in India was on the Konkani Coast as a result of the Arab slave trade. The 17th century saw the largest influx of Siddis, as many were sold to Hindu princes by Arab and Portuguese slave traders, and mainly used as domestic servants and farm labourers. Some Siddi slaves escaped into the forests to form their own communities. Siddis occasionally rose to prominence — a few rulers of Bengal in the 15th century were Siddis, and during the British colonial period Siddis attained military and governmental leadership positions. Rough estimates put their population at 20 to 30 thousand, mostly living in the state of Gujarat. Since they are generally dark-skinned, they occupy the bottom rung of the Indian caste system, and exist mainly on the margins of Indian society. Siddis have adopted the indigenous religions (most Siddis are Muslim), food, and customs of India; though remnants of their African heritage are retained in their music. Siddis are employed mainly in the agricultural sector. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddi Co-promoted by * FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF Rondônia - UNIR, Porto Velho, Brazil * Moulana AZAD NATIONAL URDU UNIVERSITY - MANUU, Hyderabad, India * National Law School of India University - NLSIU, Bangalore, India * KARNATAK UNIVERSITY - KUD, Dharwad, India * UNIVERSITY OF ALCALA, Afro-Ibero-American Studies, Madrid * University of California at Los Angeles - UCLA, Los Angeles, USA * Institute for Technical Support to Third World Countries, Brasília · ALIANCA BRASIL-ÍNDIA, Londrina, Brazil Sponsored by * FORD FOUNDATION, New Delhi * THE PRINCE CLAUS FUND FOR CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT, Amsterdam * CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION, Lisbon CO-ORGANISERS: * Kiran Kamal Prasad (The TADIA Society Jeeta Vimukti Karnataka Organisation, Bangalore, India) * Jean-Pierre Angenot (Federal University of Rondônia, Brazil) Members of the organiSation steering committee : * Francis Guntipilly (The TADIA Society Centre Ashirvad, Bangalore, Karnataka, India) * Rustom Bharucha (Writer, Kolkata, West Bengal, India) * Geralda de Lima Angenot (CEPLA Research Centre, Federal University of Rondonia, Guajara-Mirim, Brazil) * Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy (University of California at Los Angeles, USA) PROGRAMME SCHEDULE and TIMETABLE: * Academic Discourses: 10-14 January 2006 * Interaction day between Scholars and Siddis 15 January 2006 * Festival of African and Afro-diasporic Song, Music, Dance and Drama: 15-18 January 2006 * Festival of African and Afro-diasporic Cinema: 15-19 January 2006 * Workshop on Socio-Economic Development Strategies for Siddis: 16-19 January 2006 * History Tour: from 20 January 2006 MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2006 AFTERNOON From 12.00 : ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES AT INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, GOA 13.00 : LUNCH 14.00 - 18.00 : REGISTRATION from 14.00 : EXPOSITION OF AFRICAN AND AFRO-DIASPORIC PICTURES (private collection of Edouard Vincle) 19.00 : WELCOME RECEPTION : performance of the Sidi Goma, Black Sufis of Gujarat musical group **. Tuesday 10 JANUARY 2006 08.00: BREAKFAST 08.45 - 09.45: REGISTRATION 09.45 - 11.00: OPENING CEREMONY Master of Ceremony Francis Guntipilly (The TADIA Society Centre Ashirvad, Bangalore, India). Chairperson: Jean-Pierre Angenot (Federal University of Rondônia, Brazil) Chief Guest: Margaret Alva, Winner of the 2005 International Nelson Mandela Award for Minority Empowerment, United Nations, New York. Ali Moussa Iye, Chief, UNESCO Slave Route Project, Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue, Paris Miguel Neneve, International Assessor of the Rector, Federal University of Rondonia, Brazil. Luis Beltran ,
*** Goanet Reader: The Amazing Abbe Faria (Luis S R Vas, PARMAL)
scientific study of magnetic phenomena. A century ago, Dr. D. G. Dalgado, wrote: Abbe Faria is known in the medical and scientific world, particularly in France, as having signalled the end of the era of animal magnetism and of magnetized trees and the beginning of the era of the lucid sleep or of hypnotism, which is a very interesting branch of knowledge of physiology and psycho-physiology, with practical applications, specially to therapeutics and pediatrics. His book Of the Cause of Lucid Sleep, published in 1819, and to which he owes his reputation as a scientist, has been out of print for a long time. There are authors -- some of them authorities -- who know about it only through a few quotations cited in other works. I am of the opinion that the reprinting of this book would generate a lot of interest among those who dedicate themselves to the study of hypnotism and whose number is increasing every day. Dr. Dalgado himself reprinted the book in 1906, on Faria's 150th birth anniversary, in the original French and published it along with his own biography and assessment of the man. These, too, again went out of print and have remained so during the next century. And nobody ever bothered to translate them into English neither Faria's nor Dalgado's until today. Fortunately for us, Dr. Laurent Carrer, a French hypno-therapist established in the US, has published an annotated English translation of Abbé Faria's opus, in his 'Jose Custodio de Faria: Hypnotist, Priest and Revolutionary' along with the translation of two studies on the Abbe written in 1906 by Dr. D. G. Dalgado, the Goan biographer and scientist of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Lisbon. Independently, Dr. Manohar Rai Sardessai has also translated Abbe Faria’s ‘De La Cause du Sommeil Lucide’ into English at the request of Dr. Rajendra Hegde, a public spirited psychiatrist from Margao. Here is a final assessment of Faria by the Moscow Psychotherapeutic Academician Dr. Buyanov, [Faria was] great, because he had no fear and fought for truth rather than for his place at the vanity fair. The Abbot de Faria's mystery does not lie in the circumstances of his life that are unknown to historians and lost forever (a detail more or a detail less, is unimportant); his mystery lies in his talent, courage, and quest for truth. His mystery was the mystery of someone who was ahead of his time and who blazed a trail for his descendants due to his sacrifice. Perhaps the occasion of Abbé Faria’s 250th birth anniversary on May 31, 2006, can be used, at least in Goa, to draw public attention to his life and achievements and build a permanent memorial to him and them. LUIS S R VAS is the author of some 20 books. He is at present writing one on Abbe Faria. The above essay is reproduced, with permission, from Parmal. Parmal is an annual publication of the Goa Heritage Action Group, a not-for-profit based in Goa dedicated to the preservation, protection and conservation of Goa's natural, cultural and man-made heritage. See http://www.goaheritage.org This issue is available from [EMAIL PROTECTED] and is priced at Rs 100 per copy. (courier charges Rs 20 within Goa, additional, Rs 40 within India, Rs 220 by air mail abroad. Make payments favourng Goa Heritage Action Group, Porvorim and contact GHAG, 29/30 Green Valley, Porvorim 403521 Goa India) -- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000+ readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org -- Goanet, 1994-2004. Building community, creating social capital -- --- * G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S * --- Spread the Christmas cheer - even when you're not here! Send Christmas Greetings to your loved ones in Goa. 2005 Christmas Package - Flowers, Bubbles and Layers of Love. http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/ ---
*** Goanet Reader: An invitation from the Consul (VM de Malar)
much. --- VM de Malar, a Goanetter since the early days a decade ago, was inspired enough to return to Goa, where he now lives with his wife and two children, and writes about the place besides photographing it. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org Goanet, 1994-2004. Building community, creating social capital. --- * G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S * --- Spread the Christmas cheer - even when you're not here! Send Christmas Greetings to your loved ones in Goa. 2005 Christmas Package - Flowers, Bubbles and Layers of Love. http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/ ---
*** Goanet Reader: Just one degree more... lessons from an Italian priest
-- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | || | by visiting this link and following the instrucitons therein | || | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -- JUST ONE DEGREE MORE... LESSONS FROM AN ITALIAN PRIEST By Pravin Sabnis In Don Bosco High School, an Italian priest, Fr Peter Gatti, taught me English in the tenth standard. He was huge, humorous and a highly effective teacher. My language skills prospered under his nurturing. Although, he taught me only for a year, I continued interacting with him until he passed away. He had a lasting impact on my life and, more specifically, to the way I looked at life. He opened my mind's eye towards seeing things around me with a larger and deeper perspective. During one such interaction, Fr Gatti asked me, At what temperature does water boil? Promptly, I replied, 100 degrees centigrade. And to what use can you put this 100 degrees boiling water? To have a bath! Fr. Gatti had a hearty laugh, You will get burnt all over if you bathe with 100 degrees boiling water. Chastened and wizened, I spoke, You can make tea... cook vegetables... boil an egg... Correct! Now increase the temperature of the water by one degree. What will happen? The water will be transformed into steam! And what use can you put steam to? Fr Gatti queried. You can run a steam engine... you can run a ship... Exactly! Fr Gatti interjected, By just increasing the temperature by one degree, the result is magnified to many fold... from boiling a little egg to moving a huge ship or train. So often, we are disheartened when the desired results do not flow from what we believe to be our hundred percent efforts. Our sincerity and our efforts may be perfect. We may have done everything right... we may be on the right track... but if the results are not as desired, we must put in that extra degree of effort... that extra degree of enthusiasm... that extra degree of persistence. That very extra degree will make the crucial difference in failure and success. That very extra degree will help us achieve greater goals. May success never elude us because we may have given up even when we are in striking distance of our desired destination! May we unlearn our complacency and touch to transform every ordinary effort into extraordinary results by putting that extra degree of effort, energy and enthusiasm! A Life Coach with a passion for helping people connect with their potential, Pravin Sabnis has conducted 400 workshops for corporates and others through his firm Unlearning Unlimited. He may be contacted on 09422640141 or e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] - [Reproduced with permission from: Investor Plus, Goa's first investment monthly tabloid for free circulation. For further details contact: Ilidio de Noronha, Editor Publisher, Investor Plus, Plus Publications, Goa. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED], phone 91+0832+2464687 or 9422058131] - -- |Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | || | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Take back amp; distribute Soccer Balls | --
*** Goanet Reader: Review -- check this vision....
-- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | || | by visiting this link and following the instrucitons therein | || | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -- CHECK THIS VISION, FROM A VISUALLY-CHALLENGED ENTREPRENEUR IN GOA By Anson Samuel [EMAIL PROTECTED] - MOTIVATION... A man with a vision Rs. 30 Angelo D’Souza - Have you caught sight of a butterfly opening a cocoon? Or a spider spinning its web? Or maybe an ant storing food in summer? You probably might have spotted or heard it as anecdotes. Don’t they need oodles of patience to go about doing this struggle of a task? And maybe a bit of perseverance and motivation too? But, victory is favourable only to a few. In the rat-race of achieving success, present-day people leave no stone unturned burning the midnight oil and working indeed very hard. But failure strikes often, and right in the face. Failure gets plonked in the palms of so many today. Aspirants are so simply bogged down to crash. The reason remains unknown, or does it really? 'Motivation: a man with a vision' is an autobiography written by Angelo D’Souza. An elderly slim man and an expert at the typewriter, he is the principal of the St. Jude’s Commercial Institute at Aldona. His institution is next to the Rosa Mystica Convent. One may say, what's the reason for creating a big din over a good and an experienced typist? Well, this one is blind! And guess what, he's a damn good writer as well. He has to his credit the National Social Service Award which further motivated him to write news-items and articles. He has, so far, contributed two plays 'Will Power Lead Me On' (1995) and 'Love Triumph Labour Reward' (2001) to the BBC World Drama Contest. Writing an autobiography can be tricky. If one stresses all his triumphs, s/he is likely to be classified as an egoist, reminding one of the saying that 'a donkey praises his own tail'. If he underplays achievement, he cannot convey the real intent and the very purpose of the autobiography is lost. So the jotting down of all experiences, though a knotty task for him, he has done it quite well. This book also includes wise titbits and sayings, such as 'The need of the hour is not pity but empathy' and 'No one is more interested in you, other than you'. The Goa State Branch of the National Association for the Blind recommends the book. Now, don’t cite the example of late Helen Keller, who conquered a triple-handicap. If you think about doing it, don't forget the circumstances she was born in, the social and family support she had, to be able to fight, totally in contrast with the circumstances and social environment in India in general and in Goa in particular. The book deals with various facts of ones life. Chapters are based on interesting topics on his early stages -- the revelation made to Agnelo by his mentor that he is a victim of defective vision, his own reaction to the outbreak of the sad news and the early stages of anxiety. Next follows a chapter that is about motivation -- the driving force within an individual: browse through it and activate the potentials in you. Take a peep into your own self. The chapter gives the idea of action, reflection, action. Next comes a chapter to enables a person to encounter with the success he achieves, the fruit of his hard work. The award did not permit me to sit and rest,” he says. Guess what follows: an attempt at being an upcoming playwrite and a mediaperson, as mentioned above. Further in the book, the chapter 'Memoirs Of A Virtually Handicapped' is simply beautifully written. It brings out the thoughts, feelings and anguish of a blind person. Its anxiety is well-expressed in words. Deep touching, soul stirring and an eye opener to people who duck their heads low looking at their problems as the problem and not just a problem. This man of deficient vision shows how to stand face to face with a problem and encounter it. The book provides with wisdom on the proper usage of words: don't get me wrong, this isn't a text for studying grammar and parts of speech, but rather words that will motivate and not cause one to efface oneself but to egg-on oneself forward. He makes us familiar with our very words that cause bitter torment and painful heart aches within others. The language has meandered through ones bold encounter with life. And, at the reasonable price it comes, do go for it. -- Anson Samuel was a participant at the Ixtt e-Mentorship Programme in Journalism conducted by Frederick
*** Goanet Reader: Notes on Goanness.... (Eusebio L Rodrigues)
-- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | || | by visiting this link and following the instrucitons therein | || | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -- Notes on Goanness: thoughts springing from a Konkani lullaby By Eusebio L Rodrigues Let me begin on a personal note, the exact moment, way back, when my Goanness quickened within me. I had picked up my motherless daughter who lay crying in her crib. My mother was in the kitchen. Not knowing what to do, I held my one year old close to my heart, wanting to sing her to sleep. What sprang to my lips was a Konkani lullaby that my grandmother used to sing to us when we went to Anjuna for the May holidays: Dollu re baba, dollamcho Dollitam dollitam bagilo Fulam vinchung lagilo To my utter surprise (I have a frog voice, so they tell me) she smiled sweetly at me and went to sleep. I continued: Eku ful velem, kanvlean Kiteak re kanvlea, fullu velaim Babaku mujea roddoitai Voddamchim pannam zoddoitai. As I gently set my little one in her crib, my mother standing in the doorway , looked with sad eyes at both of us. Then she burst into tears, and hurried away. Kiteak, I wanted to ask her, why, why are you still crying. I found her in the kitchen, looking lost, looking out of the window at the sky above. When I returned in the evening from my lectures at college she was still at the kitchen window. Why, I asked her, why. Nenno, I don’t know, she said, her eyes still heavy with tears. It couldn't have been the lullaby, I thought. Too simple, too crude, surely, to evoke such a reaction. The three of us had recently returned from England, and I was full of the new criticism, ready to lecture on the weaknesses of English romantic poetry. My Goan friends were impressed when I held forth, rather pompously, on the sloppy sentimentality of this lullaby, its musical monotony (the repetition of a note, five times, in the first line and the fourth), the sheer illogic of the images used (unlike the haiku, I proclaimed) some words linked together only by rhyme (bagilo/lagilo), the erratic jumps -- a lonesome child carefully choosing flowers, then a voice full of complaining kiteaks, asking a crow why it had taken away one of the flowers, why why was it making her baby cry, why make the mighty vodd drop its leaves. One Goan friend was not quite convinced: perhaps it hits you below the intellect, she said quietly, and left. That night, intensely alone on my bed, my Cartesian self lulled to rest, listening to the sounds of Bombay traffic we both had loved, the music stole into me and my Goan being began to sense the deep meaning of the lullaby: Dollu re baba, dollamcho Beyond the insistence of one simple note, beyond the deliberate pause, beyond the soft b and the liquid l, I became aware of the haunting background of the Gregorian chant out of which it may have sprung, deep, solemn, like the tolling of a church bell creating the sense of sad solemnity. My being began to sing: Dollitam dollitam bagilo Fulam vinchung lagilo The three word-forms, Dollu, dollamcho, dollitam, their nuances untranslatable, released vibrations of enduring loss and of tenderness. Memories became liquid and began to flow. The fusion of words and images and sounds translated for me the sights and echoes of my remembered Anjuna. I couldn’t render into English the soft magic of dollamcho. Nor the colloquial greeting for a village friend, met after a long time, implied by bagilo. Nor the rich warmth of vinchung, the careful picking of stones from rice before it is boiled, a labor of domestic love. (The vibrant richness of this untranslatable word is to be found in the mando, Vintsun karhilolea suka, which combines choice, home, and affection.) Eku ful velem, kanvlean Kiteak re kanvlea, fullu velaim Babaku mujea roddoitai Voddamchim pannam zoddoitai. The images chosen by a woman to give voice to the tremors within her suggest the village scene. The child, newly come into this world, innocence incarnate, carefully picking flowers. The woman watching a crow, a bird always feathered in black, steal a flower. Kiteak, why, the woman’s voice asks the crow, why make my baby cry. More than just a question, it is a complaint to that omen of death. The woman does not quite understand the pain within her. The child will stop crying. Her own sorrow will endure. For
*** Goanet Reader -- Say it with Nirvana, a made-in-Goa brand...
-- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | || | by visiting this link and following the instrucitons therein | || | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -- Say it with Nirvana -- tee-shirts with a made-in-Goa brand By Reema Kamat Have you heard of Nirvana? Of course you have. Or more expectedly, seen it. Because the Nirvana brand of printed tee-shirts is all out there; everyone's wearing a Nirvana. And behind the goodness is a good old Goan boy. Raj Bhandare. He's passionate about is of pride to him. Nirvana, whose printed wisdom and offbeat graphics have caught on like wildfire among youth, is the brainchild of Raj who is the designer as well as the brand holder. Making him spill the beans wasn't difficult, given the passion and enthusiasm with which he speaks about his creation. Nirvana came about in 1999; this was during the Kargil War period. Everybody was thinking of doing something for the soldiers in their own way, and I being an artist, was inclined to think artistic. So I thought I would pick up some tees, paint on them or have them printed and have an exhibition, so that I could donate the proceeds to the war fund. A lot of people were in favour of the idea but for some reason we could not hold the exhibition, recalls Raj. There I was, stuck with 500-odd tees and nothing to do with them, so I started randomly distributing them among my friends. That was when Raj started getting positive feedback on his creations. People took notice of his tees and liked the projection of ideas, the graphics, the captions etc. And so the idea of a brand of tee-shirts which could be a medium for projecting Indian culture and ethos in various forms; a tee that portrays Indianisms came about. Thus at its core, Nirvana is a very Indianised t-shirt. As time went by, Raj also introduced various issue-based graphics, like on AIDS, smoking, drugs, etc; then came humour and other things. But at heart Nirvana remains Indian; a tee-shirt that says, I’m proud to be an Indian. So passionate is Raj about his creation that up until about three to four months back, he designed every T-shirt personally. Now we do have other artists too, because I have diversified in my other areas. I'm into international trading. This has thus basically been a hobby which just caught on with other people and during the last five years, it has established itself. Nirvana has about 200 outlets all over India in cities like Bombay, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and even has a distributor in Europe. The best thing about Nirvana is that it gives a sense of satisfaction, because the whole thing started off with an idea. An idea which had so much passion behind it, a passion which drove it to the success it has attained today. That passion saw nothing to the hardships, or the effort required, or any other aspect needed to make the idea a success. What I have learnt from Nirvana and want to tell everybody is that if you have an idea and have the passion to pursue it, you can make it a success story. There you have it from the horse’s mouth then. The path to your very own nirvana. [Reproduced on Goanet courtesy Panjim Plus. CONTACT: Ilidio de Noronha (Editor Publisher) [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 2464687 or 9422058131] --- Investor Plus is a freesheeter from the Panjim Plus group. The writer has worked with this group till recently. GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org --- Goanet, Building community, creating social capital since 1994 ---
*** Goanet Reader: Full steam ahead to Goa... (Cynthia Gomes James)
the
shrink wrapped, super hygienic, well planned, vegetarian and
non-vegetarian lunch trays, and hearing their dulcet,
measured tones as they verified each passenger's meal
preference, I felt an urge to hear the sound of an aluminum
spoon clanging noisily against a glass, just inches from my
ear.
Once the lunch trays were collected, a general bustle grew
among the passengers as people checked their watches, bags,
hair, and makeup, in anticipation of arriving in Goa. I got
up and took a walk around the catamaran, squinting through
the glass at the magnificent ocean rushing by at a clip of
about thirty knots.
Tinted windows on the catamaran made a mockery of the vision
of Goa before our eyes. Where the open decks of the steamer
had allowed free communion between the seafarer and the sea,
the catamaran effectively isolated its passengers from the
ocean and its wonders.
As I shook myself out of my daydream and
disembarked at Panjim at 1500 hours sharp, I felt
strangely cheated. It felt unreal that I had been
in Bombay a scant seven and a half hours ago, and
had reached Goa without having seen the red-hot sun
melt into the sea.
I collected my luggage and walked out into the hazy, humid
afternoon, my spirits lifting as I was stopped by taxi
drivers with Konkani music playing on their car stereos,
asking me if I needed a ride. I turned eagerly towards the
calls of 'Chorrisam zai bai?' ('Do you want sausages,
madam?') and 'Aambe zai bai?' ('Do you want mangoes,
madam?'). Without skipping a beat, my heart responded, 'Voi,
Voi, mhaka soglem zai.' ('Yes, I want it all'). I paused for
a moment, and savoured the familiar sights at the Panjim
jetty.
I saw the motorcycle pilots with their yellow and black
machines lined up across the street, and heard the sounds of
passengers bargaining with taxi drivers for mutually
acceptable fares. I scanned the riverfront, eagerly taking in
the sparkling whitewashed buildings, sitting like fresh
wedding cakes decorated with lacy wrought iron balconies and
topped with scalloped red tiled icing. In the distance I saw
the neatly laid out traffic island that commanded you to stop
and admire the impressive Secretariat building that presided
over the avenue adorned with gulmohar and acacia trees.
I felt a Goan breeze waft in from the sea and stroke my cheek
gently, as if saying, 'Assun di, chol atam, tum Goeam
paolem.' ('Let it be, come on now, you’ve reached Goa'). I
drank in a deep breath of my promised land and it finally
dawned on me that trips to Goa would never be the same again.
Where in the past, the spell of the holiday used to take hold
as soon as I left Bombay on the steamer boat, from now on,
the magic would begin only after I set foot in Goa.
###
--
---
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The writer is an expat based in Dallas. She has
written earlier for Goanet Reader.
GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of
essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality
Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do
send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing
pro bono. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org and
is edited and compiled by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Repackaging the Beautiful Game
-- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | || | by visiting this link and following the instrucitons therein | || | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -- Repackaging the Beautiful Game By V. M. de Malar Most European imports to India passed through Goa first, before assimilation into subcontinental culture. Imagine our native cuisine without chilies and tomatoes, or our landscape without cashew trees, these came in a cross-cultural bounty that accompanied early European colonial expansion into Asia. There are only a few popular exceptions to this general rule; one is football. The jogo bonito, the beautiful game is a British import popularized by imperial armymen, this hasn't deterred us from enshrining football in the heart of our popular culture, think football in India and you have to think Goa. That's just one very good reason that the relaunching and repackaging of Indian football is taking place right here in Goa. Over the next fortnight, the 27th edition of the storied national Federation Cup will be fought out on our home pitch, it's the first gala event in Zee Sport's very ambitious campaign to rethink the way football is played and marketed in the subcontinent. There is major new investment and a detailed marketing plan, the sports television channel plans to pump millions of dollars into Indian football over the term of its 10-year contract. So, Goa hosts the guinea pig. The Federation Cup is going to be broadcast end-to-end, live, through the next two weeks, and instead of maddeningly antiquated, amateurish, television production we are going to be watching the state-of-the-art. The matches are being covered exactly like top league matches in Europe: twelve cameras on the field, world-class producers at the controls, and a veteran international team of announcers in the booth. Get ready for more of this over the next ten years; it'll completely revolutionize the popularity and understanding of this already successful sport in India. That's not exaggeration. Remember what cricket on Doordarshan used to be like 15 years ago, and recall that sightings of the willow bat in Goa were extremely rare just that recently. Then came the sea change in television coverage of cricket, a tidal wave of technological innovation combined with soaring sums of money in the game. One company, one man, Worldtel's Mark Mascarenhas, suddenly took our enjoyment of cricket out of a sepia-toned time warp, and rocketed it into the satellite age. Our cricket team, the BCCI, the media as a whole, our society's functioning, everything was shaken and affected. It's certain that the whizkids at Zee remember the unlimited pots of gold that were unleashed at that time, and figure that something similar might well happen with football. It's the world's most popular sport, it's certainly a strong second to cricket in India, and the game in India has been in the limited-sponsorship, limited-earnings, doldrums for far too long. If market share can be increased, if merchandising and advertising share can be ramped up, if the right marketing agents can be identified, lightning can indeed strike again as it did with cricket in the course of the last decade. And what better place to launch this 10-year experiment than beautiful, hospitable, football-crazy Goa? Everyone wants to come and spend time here – the players and coaches, the production staff and the mediamen, the Zee people and the football fans alike. We're accepting and tolerant here; we won't even laugh too much at the embarrassingly named (and minimally talented) Zee-bra cheerleading team that was some network executive's half-baked brainwave. It has been a big few days for Goa. The President came and delivered an action plan for Goa, the great Umberto Eco came and walked around Old Goa in the light of a full moon. The official first day of tourist high season brought in a thousand charter tourists directly from Europe. And on these slightly cloudy nights that we've been experiencing, under the bright lights in Fatorda, Goa's traditional favorite game is finally getting a much-needed face-lift for this new millennium. -- --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: VM is a Goanetter who resettled in Goa while in his mid-thirties. GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing pro bono. Goanet
*** Goanet Reader: Goa -- Being a window to Europe... (Panjim Plus)
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## GOA: BEING A WINDOW TO EUROPE (Panjim Plus) Language and culture buffs couldn't ask for more, what with the various foreign organisations throwing up numerous opportunities that can help in the making of a 'world citizen', writes Cedric Silveira. --- Susan, from Panjim, has moved to France where her sister resides and has been on the look out for a job. She recently got an interview call for a job as a secretary. Although it is not compulsory that she has to know French thoroughly, the company prefers if she could communicate at least a little in French. On the other hand Dr. Rajeev, a Goan doctor has got an opportunity to be appointed as a consultant in one of the hospitals in Berlin. However, in his case too, knowledge of German is desirable. They both seem distraught on hearing about these additional desirable conditions. Is there a possible solution to the above two scenarios? Today in Goa many different organizations, associations or trusts are striving to highlight the benefits of cultural diversity and language learning. Languages such as Portuguese, French, Italian, and German are presently being promoted in Goa. By learning a different language, it enables one to be more open to others and to different cultures. Besides fostering better understanding, it also sharpens personal skills thereby better equipping one for professional opportunities that may arise. Strengthening Cultural Ties Fundacao Oriente, which was established in India in 1995, is one such organisation situated at Fontainhas, Panjim. This Portuguese private foundation aims to carry out and support activities of cultural, artistic, educational, philanthropic and social nature, principally in Portugal and Macao. Within these general aims, the Fundacao seeks to maintain and strengthen the historical and cultural ties between Portugal and countries of Eastern Asia. The Fundacao Oriente has its headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal, with delegations in Macao and India (Goa) and a delegate in Beijing (China). In Goa, the Fundacao Oriente provides scholarships in the field of Portuguese language and culture at Portugal. A basic knowledge of Portuguese is mandatory to avail these scholarships and the course which is conducted by the University of Portugal (Coimbra) is of nine months duration. Scholarships for other individuals in different fields are also available and they may pertain to short-term or long-term durations. Exchange programs of research scholars from Portugal to India and vice versa are also being presently offered. Apart from this, Fundacao Oriente funds all Portuguese teachers from various schools in Goa. The teachers are paid on lecture basis. Of the various activities that the Fundacao conducts throughout the year in Goa, one is the ongoing lecture series on cultural continuity and social change. Here one lecture is held every week. Another important area Fundacao Oriente involves itself in is the promotion of visual arts, thereby providing opportunities to budding artists in furthering their professional careers. This is done mainly through sponsorship of exhibitions, catalogues, lectures on art and the like. In its 'Arts and Theatre Project' which is underway in collaboration with Kala Academy, it has brought together a number of visual artists and theatre persons. This project will ultimately culminate in the presentation of four plays at Kala Academy. Apart from that, a Portuguese Singing Competition in collaboration with Our Lady of Rosary, Navelim, is also in progress with participants having participated in the preliminary rounds from various cites and villages of Goa. The finals are scheduled for 1 October at the NIO Auditorium, Dona Paula. Promoting Friendship Another organization which promotes Portuguese language and culture is the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society–Goa (IPFS). Established in 1991, its aim is to promote understanding and friendship between the people of India, particularly the people of Goa, and the people of Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries by conducting Portuguese language courses, fostering friendship with members, and arranging programmes such as film shows, lectures, music concerts and art exhibitions. A record number of students enroll in the condensed Portuguese courses promoted by IPFS, and sponsored by Fundacao Cidade de Lisboa and Fundacao Oriente. The courses which are
*** Goanet Reader: Reverberations from Bali
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## Reverberations from Bali By V. M. de Malar [EMAIL PROTECTED] The videotape released yesterday by the Bali police shows an unassuming young local walking into the Raja nightspot in Kuta, Bali, last Saturday night. A minute later, the unidentified youth detonated a powerful bomb in his backpack. The explosion destroyed the entire restaurant, killed everyone sitting at surrounding tables, and deposited the perpetrator's unmutilated head into a pile of rubble dozens of yards away. At the same time, another two young men blew themselves up, among the tables in front of nearby beach shacks. The co-ordinated suicide bombings killed 19 beachgoers and wounded 120. As you would expect from a popular international destination, the casualties came from many countries: Australia, South Korea, Germany, France, Japan. Last weekend's attack serves as yet another reminder of our gruesome new world. And we in Goa particularly have a lot to think about; Bali and our homeland co-exist in the handful of famous vacation getaways, we're linked by a web of tourism and real estate trends, connected via annual migratory patterns established by vacationers from Europe and North America. Of course, India is not Indonesia. Our country is steadily surging, the economy is set into a pattern of growth that's unlikely to change soon. Meanwhile, Indonesia is struggling to keep afloat, amidst political strife and a worrying trend of religious radicalization. The world's most populous Muslim country is grappling with democracy, a new development for a nation ruled by megalomaniac military dictators since independence. Though Bali is a peaceful Hindu enclave, it has been hit by this kind of terrorism before; an attack in 2002 killed 200 and destroyed the tourism economy. There were signs that travellers were coming back this year, but last weekend put an end to that. Goa has remained free of these incidents, even as other parts of India had bloody episodes of terrorism. But the Bali suicide bombings serve as reminder that the world really has changed, and threats have changed just as surely. Now, attackers are as silent as the unremarkable young man from last Saturday night's videotape, the weapons are as ubiquitous as backpacks, and the targets are exactly the kind of Western tourists who accumulate in Goa in such numbers. The beach shacks targeted in Jimbaran on Saturday are identical to our beach shacks at Palolem or Candolim. The Raja restaurant destroyed in Kuta over the weekend, and the nightclub blown up in the same town in 2002, are indistinguishable from our own tourist establishments. Would-be terrorists have lots of exactly the same targets in Goa that they went after in Bali. There is also the Israel factor here, which undoubtedly has our counterterrorism agencies quite anxious. A large patch of our coastline around Anjuna has opened itself to a permanent population of Israelis, whose numbers are dramatically swelled over New Year. In any given week, at the end of the year, you could find upwards of 10,000 visitors from that troubled Middle Eastern country concentrated in Goa. It's a fact that complicates our picture; if there is eventually some kind of Bali-type atrocity in our homeland, it might well come about because of this large expatriate presence. It's a remote possibility, but nonetheless real, Israel has far too many enemies in the world for us to be completely cavalier about the security risk represented by so many of its citizens congregating in our small territory. Sabra tourists have been attacked in Egypt and in Kenya, it's simply prudent to be alert here in Goa. But let us not overreact or get paranoid either. When it comes to this issue, thankfully, Goa is not Bali, and India really is not Indonesia (or Kenya, or Egypt). We're blessed with real calm, and Goa is genuinely one of the most peaceful and relaxed places on the entire planet. The changing times we live in do call for vigilance, but we can certainly go about our hospitality business as usual, without high anxiety. In fact, just as last year's terrible tsunami disaster resulted in an unexpected tourism bonanza for Goa, this ugly terrorist incident will most likely result in increased traffic here, for what is already anticipated as yet another blockbuster, record-breaking, tourism season. Bali will bounce back, eventually. But last Saturday night's meaningless
*** Goanet Reader: Goan Art, going global
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## Goan Art, going global By V. M. de Malar [EMAIL PROTECTED] The action took place in New York last week; it was a record-breaking, trend-setting, couple of hectic days. First Sotheby's, and then Christie's the next day, two gala auctions of Indian art to test depth and staying power in the Indian art boom that has seen prices soar many hundredfold in just over a decade. If you read the Indian national press, you already know what happened. Tyeb Mehta's 'Mahishasura' became the first contemporary Indian painting to sell for the equivalent of a million dollars, it finally went under the hammer for a whopping seven crores. But the news of real relevance to Goa came riding the crest just behind the million-dollar Mehta painting; the two auctions established record new prices for at least five other great Indian contemporary artists, among them two great pioneering Goans, Francis Newton Souza and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde. These sons of our soil were friends, contemporaries, and students of Mumbai's prestigious J. J. School of Art. They were integral members of the groundbreaking Progressive Artists Group that jumpstarted the modern movement that has eventually led to last week's million-dollar sale. And now paintings by both men have crossed the one crore level for the first time, they're acknowledged treasures of India's cultural heritage. Sadly, the news of commercial success in the biggest art market in the world came too late to gladden the heart of either man. Gaitonde died in New Delhi in 2001, Souza in Mumbai less than a year later. Both had suffered isolation and a kind of neglect in the years when no one understood or appreciated their efforts to create a new art for a newly independent country, both had to head overseas for long periods. Souza even wrote that it would have been better had he not survived a traumatic childhood episode of smallpox. Death, he said, would have saved me a lot of trouble. I would not have had to bear an artist's tormented soul, create art in a country that despises her artists and is ignorant of her heritage. But it was never really about the money for either of these mavericks. Both were deeply committed, and resisted commercialism in order to pursue individual impulses. Gaitonde virtually single-handedly created the abstract stream of modern Indian art; even as the marketplace shifted he maintained absolute fidelity to his own distinctive style. His works are now acknowledged as the most important and original abstract paintings to come from the subcontinent. And, no one has been more important to modern Indian art than F. N. Souza. He led the way for his peers in everything; first to reject the excessive formalism of the Brit-influenced J.J. School, first to become politically aware and nationalist, first to conceive of a new Indian art, founder of the Progressive Artist's Group, discoverer of M. F. Husain and a whole slew of others. Souza also headed West very early in his career and then became the first Indian artist to make a name for himself abroad; by the 1960's he already was an established celebrity in London, with high profile exhibitions and serious critical acclaim. He experimented with a kind of Pop Art at least a decade before the idea was even named, his iconography expanded to embrace personalities and politics of the larger world, he became India's first real world artist even if no one understood what was happening. Goa is in the paintings of Souza and Gaitonde, overtly and riotously in the case of the former and obliquely in the latter's. But where are the paintings of Souza and Gaitonde in Goa? They're easily seen in museums in London and New York, and even New Delhi and Mumbai. But here in Goa, where most people have barely heard of either painter, we have nothing; no museums, no education for our students about these great Goans, no roads named, no recognition. We have yet to acknowledge that these two great Goans created works that are crucial to our culture, which are irreplaceable modern artifacts of our evolving heritage. No civilized people treats its great artists like this. We Indians have the unfortunate habit of only appreciating what we have after someone else praises it. Well, we've reached the point where Souza's and Gaitonde's paintings are being sold for a crore each in New York. Isn't it time we started to honour their legacies properly here, in their homeland?
*** Goanet Reader: We can all make a difference to dementia -- Dr Amit Dias
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## http://www.goanet.org/wiki/index.php/We_can_all_make_a_difference_to_dementia_--_Dr_Amit_Dias From GoanetWiki [By Dr. Amit Dias] On September 21, people across the globe will celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day with events like sponsored walks and seminars. With the number of people living with dementia set to double in the next twenty years, thousands of individuals will come together to show its human cost and to demonstrate that human endeavour can triumph over this challenging condition. The Dementia Society of Goa has declared the month of September as the Alzheimer’s Month and is engaged in activities to encourage all individuals to make a difference to the quality of life of people with dementia. Estimates suggest that 18 million people are living with dementia globally. By 2025, this figure is set to almost double to 34 million. India has over 2.5 million people with dementia, with over 3000 in Goa itself. The coming dementia epidemic will place huge demands on health and social structures in our country and the world over. Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and the Dementia Society of Goa has urged governments to make policy provisions now for the dementia epidemic we face in the future. Alzheimer associations, carers and professionals are already meeting the challenges of dementia. But the net is wider than this; it knows no boundaries. Co-ordinated by ADI, this year’s [2005[ World Alzheimer’s Day ‘We Can Make a Difference’ campaign encourages people across society to speak openly about their experiences of dementia and embrace their role in improving the lives of those who live with it. We request everyone to write to the Dementia Society of Goa on how you can make a difference to people with dementia. All the comments will be published on the website of the Dementia Society of Goa (http://www.dementiagoa.org). Dr. C. J. Vas, President of The Dementia Society of Goa says, Although there is no cure for most of the dementias, there is so much that can be done to enhance quality of life for people affected”. The Society is calling on governments to provide the financial and social support to people with dementia and their carers. The Dementia Society has been creating awareness among the Goan community about this disabling condition.They have developed a home-based intervention programme for people with dementia with the support of the World Health Organisation. The intervention not only helped to reduce the burden of looking after a person with dementia, but also improved the quality of life and prevented early deaths in these individuals. The Society is also in the process of fundraising to establish the first Alzheimer’s home in the State. Goa Medical College Students Council: Making a Difference This month, the Goa Medical College student’s council, in association with the Dementia Society of Goa organized several awareness programmes for people attending the OPDs in the Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medicine Departments of Goa Medical College. Speaking at this occasion, Swapnil said that as we grow old, it is natural to forget, but if this forgetfulness starts affecting the activities of daily living, it could be a sign of dementia. Nandini who also spoke at the programme stated that the family members could take simple measures at home to improve the quality of care for people with dementia. Interns under the department of Preventive and Social Medicine will also be addressing several gatherings to help people understand dementia during this month. If you think you are making or can make a difference to the lives of people with dementia do send your ideas to Dr. Amit Dias, Secretary, The Dementia Society of Goa, H. No. M1, Housing Board Colony, Alto Porvorim, Bardez, Goa. Or e-mail Dr Amit Dias (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) or contact Mrs. Jean D’Souza at 2453552. [The writer of this article is Lecturer, Dept. of Preventive and Social Medicine, Goa Medical College. Secretary, The Dementia Society of Goa, Jt. Secretary, Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India.]
*** Goanet Reader: Lock the gates, bar the door (From the Herald)
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## Lock the gates, bar the door (From the Herald) By V. M. de Malar [EMAIL PROTECTED] Do you want to make some fast money? Check out 50Connect.com, a reputed British internet portal for seniors. They promise a world-beating return on investment, you can double your money in just two years. What's more, the investment advisor says in five years I really wouldn't like to guess how much money can be made, because we're talking about a truly marvelous financial bonanza. But we're told to act swiftly because prices are already climbing, to go for it sooner rather than later because opportunities like this are very rare. Sound amazing, right? There's more. Since the investments are in real estate, you can enjoy your asset even while its value soars. And you can get a maid for a month for the same price that you'd pay for a day in England, and a delicious meal for the price of a European supermarket sandwich. These are amazing promises, a wonderfully enticing opportunity, a foolproof way to have your fantastic investment, enjoy it, and eat and drink for pennies even as your money doubles and triples. We should all get into this racket, right? Where do we sign up? Well, we're already signed up. Go out on the balcao and look at the neighbouring houses. Those are the investments being hyped, these are the assets that will double in just two years and continue to soar in value as time goes by. Our precious, fragile, Goa is the bargain locale where you can get a maid and a super meal for trivially low prices. When they don't have the money for the Riviera or the Greek Isles, when they can't afford Florida or the Bahamas, we have to face the fact that Western tourists head for Goa, the land where locals will sell you their priceless ancestral heritage for next to nothing, and you can live like a lord even if you're drawing public assistance at home. It wouldn't be fair to characterize all of our tourism traffic as bargain-seekers. Especially in the last few years, we've seen an increase in the numbers of high-end travelers, who are drawn to our homeland for its rich and complex culture, for its history, for the pristine environment, or simply to bask in simple, sincere, Goan hospitality. But let's not fool ourselves. The reason we're becoming an expatriate haven, the reason why 50Connect says Goa might be the next big overseas property destination for sun-seeking seniors, is because we are willing to hand over our land and resources for peanuts, because we are abandoning our homeland to the ravages of international property speculation and ill-conceived development. Goa is justifiably famous for tolerance; successive waves of newcomers have always been welcomed. But we need to recognize that what's happening now is a new phenomenon, we're suddenly getting relatively huge numbers of Westerners who are not leaving after a couple of weeks. Now, they want to buy property for investment. They're spurred on by fantastic projections, appreciation of Goa ranks very low compared to a naked commercial appreciation of the financial opportunity. It's a dangerous development, and we're very vulnerable. When our precious heritage and natural assets move into the hands of these speculators, we lose them forever. This is what happened in Hawaii, it is what happened in Bali, and we're seeing signs that we could be next. Those places host huge foreign developments that feature a parallel economy - for the outsiders, by the outsiders, of the outsiders. Locals are almost completely shut out, this is the pattern that appears to be unfolding for Goa. What can we do? Well, we can follow the investment advice being given to Brit seniors just as well as they can. If our real estate is going to double in two years, why shouldn't we get that benefit? If 50Connect is right, the Goan seller is a sucker, a dupe. We need to avoid the lure of short-term gain, to consider the rights of the future generations. Over two hundred years ago, an American freedom fighter named Paul Revere made his name by riding out from Boston and warning the residents of the hinterland that the British are coming, the British are coming. That alert saved the rebellion, allowed the minutemen to prepare their defences. There's a Goan echo to that shouted message right now in 2005, and we need to be no less prepared for the coming assault.
*** Goanet Reader: 'Forever' friends Shobha Tarcar, Shubhlaxmi Naik (Panjim Plus)
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## ODDinary PEOPLE: THE 'FOREVER' FRIENDS By Reema Kamat You and I have been through so many years together. We have shared our innermost secrets and our most far-out dreams without worrying about being judged or laughed at. We have shared our deepest fears in our most fragile moments. And we can still act really silly and not be embarrassed. We haven’t lost the childlike, innocent trust we've always had in each other. How can I thank you for a friendship that means so very much to me? And so goes a friendship day greeting card gifted by Shobha to Shubhi (aren't their names a sweet harmonising rhythm?) this gone Friendship Day. No points for guessing that the friendship must be really special to them; it is quite evident. Points deducted however, for assuming that they must be a couple of giggly girls in their teens. Giggly they are still, alright. But both Shobha Tarcar, entrepreneur, and Shubhlaxmi Naik, advocate, are adult women into their fifties. Pleasantly surprised, you must be. In an era where most friends do not manage to stretch their amity beyond one misunderstanding, and even self-proclaimed 'friends forever' extinguish the flame over a minor falling-out, this pair of best buds have been friends for a number of years you cannot even count on all your fingers and toes. Forty years. And as they giggle and guffaw, and interrupt each other to chatter nineteen to the dozen, it is obvious that there are so many memories they have to talk about. They do not clearly recall their first meeting, except that it was in the fifth standard, after which of course they were inseparable. Shubhi however insists that their bond stretches over past lifetimes, and from her revelations, it appears that this could very well be true. We were destined to be friends right from the start. We are born not only in the same year but just two days apart; the difference is not even 48 hours to be precise. Then, we both belong to the families of no sons. Also, not only do our mothers share their year of birth but our husbands share their birth date! Shobha adds, Since they day we got together, people have taken us to be sisters, with our names 'Shubhi-Shobha' taken in the same breath. Have they ever fought? We argue all the time even today, but sportingly; why, even this very morning I playfully chided her over something trivial, says Shobha. But fought, never. Quarrelling is something that just never came to them, they say. We've never had misunderstandings of any sort because we’ve never had a communication gap. And staying friends for so many years came effortlessly to them -- they just remained together and attached all along. Their sons Krushnan and Rajeev, both 23 now, have been inseparable friends too since childhood. Perhaps to a certain extent they too, have unconsciously helped us to maintain our closeness and to keep going strong, says Shobha. Even now, the duo spends time with each other on a regular basis taking precious moments out of their hectic lives. What are the things they do together? We giggle together, is a spontaneous and utterly childlike first retort, after which follows a more solemn and heartfelt We share our joys and sorrows. They reveal that in the course of so many years, they have never considered it necessary to follow rituals like exchanging gifts; even the Friendship Day card is given by Shobha as a lark, the childishness of which amuses Shubhi to no extent. How do they define friendship? Friendship is from within. It is an eternal bond between two people, as simple as that. There are moments when I wonder, what would I have ever done without a friend like her by my side, says Shobha fondly. Concludes Shubhi, There are some relationships that cannot be described, only experienced for yourself. The depth of our friendship, I would say, is beyond comprehension. One would have to be in such a friendship oneself for these many years to understand what we're talking about. Reproduced on Goanet courtesy Panjim Plus [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone 2464687 or 9422058131. Contact Ilidio de Noronha
*** Goanet Reader: Let's go party (Cedric Silveira/Panjim Plus)
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## LET'S GO PARTY Have Panjimites changed the way they party? Cedric Silveira finds out. Priyanka's 5th Birthday is just a week away. Her father Pravin is away at Singapore attending a company meeting. He is expected just a day prior to her birthday. Her mother, Neela, is working as a fashion designer, and as she has an important assignment to complete, she has hardly any time at home. But Priyanka, like any other child of her age is looking forward to her bithday and to invite all her friends for it. What can Pravin and Neela do in this case so as to realise Priyanka's dreams? Today in Goa unlike in the past Priyanka's parents are presented with many options to choose from. It is a known fact that Mumbai or Bangalore are the places to party. However it will be a misconception if one perceives that people in Goa do not know to party. From mascots to party themes and caterers to hotels, all form part of the manner in which one parties today. So have Goans and Panjimites in particular changed with respect to the way they party? Certainly the way one parties in Goa has dramatically changed over the years. On birthdays, mums rarely sweat over the cooking or baking of the cake, and dads do not ponder over what should be done for the entertainment of the guests. For weddings and anniversaries it is also no longer the families who do the decorations or the organisation. On such occasions it is now left to the professionals in the field, at a price of course. The food aspect The food aspect in smaller parties can be looked upon from three angles. One is wherein the hosts get 'take aways' from any restaurant. The second is where they call in the caterers to come with all the food and crockery or cutlery, and the third involves having the party at a hotel or restaurant. When 'take-aways' are utilised it results in one having to arrange for the crockery and cutlery serving the guests and seeing to their needs. The beauty in calling caterers to your home is that all this is taken care of , besides the added advantage of spending quality time with those invited. Renna a resident of Panjim had this to say: Formerly birthdays were a nightmare. We had to plan out the menu, go to the market and purchase it, cook it and serve. All of this is now looked after by the caterers whom we call upon for our children's birthdays. We are less stressed out as a result. Shoba Tarcar, proprietor of Sai Samarth Caterers is of the opinion that with most ladies working, little room remains for grinding masalas, doing the cooking and so on. The ladies are so tired after a hard day’s work that there is no alternative but to bring in readymade food on special occasions, she remarks. Our food is of the finest quality and the good taste makes all the difference, she adds. Besides, all the plates and utensils are brought by the caterers which they take back once the function is over. On the other hand, Victor Dias from Dias Caterers, who are one of the leading caterers from Santa Cruz, feels that with new entrants into this business, competition has got stiff. However, on account of his excellent non-vegetarian dishes and tasty desserts, he is always in demand. Restaurants and hotels too are in vogue if one can afford them. Also, if the number of people invited exceeds 25-30, home is not the best place to have a party, especially if your house is small. The trend to celebrate children's birthdays from the age group of one to five is ever increasing and so is one's 21st, 50th, 60th, and 75th birthday. Vijay Shetty of Hotel Utsav is of the opinion that people are partying more than ever before at Panjim and many families are hosting parties at his hotel. Satish Prabhu, GM of Hotel Mandovi also agrees and adds that even birthdays and engagements which were held at home formerly are increasingly being held at hotels. With the one- or two-child norm being followed, the trend to celebrate such events on a grand scale has escalated, he adds. According to him for an engagement a crowd of 250-300 people is seen at times and it usually begins around 6.30 pm followed by dinner. Satish feels that the upper middle class are the ones really spending as their disposable income is much more. However, he is of the view that the comperes', party organisers' and magicians' charges are on the higher side on account of lack of competition and greater demand. With more new entrants into this business the prices will be slashed, he voices out.
*** Goanet Reader: Breaking free -- a sweet story from Goa
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## BREAKING FREE, A SWEET STORY FROM GOA Andrea Duff There once were four delicious, mouth-watering sweets who lived in the best sweet shop in Goa called Calangutte Kunsoir. They sat arranged in a beautiful golden tray next to all the other sweets, cakes and goodies from all parts of the world. There was Toblerone from Switzerland, Black Forest cake from Germany, butterscotch from England and right next to the Goan goodies were the Australian Tim Tam and Pavlova. There were more, but let's get on with the story Every day, the children from schools nearby like St Francis Xavier Primary School, would make their way to Calangutte Kunsoir to buy all the treats they could. They would march in and demand, out of all the cakes and goodies to choose from, the ones that were not Goan, They would say cruel things like why buy boring, ordinary sweets when you can get all these from other countries -- they’re so awesome! and look how dark and common the Goan ones are!! The Goan sweets -- Bonilla Bibik, Deliciosa Dodhol, Camillo Kul Kul and Nolette Nankatai -- were very upset with the nasty treatment. They began to grumble and groan that they were sick and tired of being treated so badly and not being appreciated and they turned to their Aussie neighbours, Tim Tam and Pav Lova, We're fed-up that these children don't want to buy us and keep saying rude things about us, all the time! cried Deliciosa. What can we do to make them want to buy us? begged Nolette. Pav replied, I know a way you can get out of this place and never have to put up with these children again, mate! Really?? asked Camillo with hope in his voice. Yeah, we can take you to our homeland across the Indian Ocean, you’ll love it. But how can we escape this place when the doors are always shut? No, that's where you're wrong, blurted Tim, happy to be centre of attention. The cleaner leaves the door open at night... that's when we can make a run for it ... head down to Calangutte Beach and sail away south...piece of cake! Well, in the Goan way, a platter of kunsoir. Let's do it!!! yelled all the Goan goodies together, jumping up and down! That night, they slipped off their dishes, sneaked out when the cleaner wasn't looking and wobbled down to the golden sands of Calangutte. They found an old palm leaf that made a perfect raft for them to travel in. When they reached the shores of Sydney, they felt strange. In every cake shop they peeped in there was not a single sign of their own kind -- no Goan kunsoir! We've made the wrong move!, said Bonilla in a panic. We don’t belong, here! Calm down, lady you'll be right, said Tim. I've got a great idea. The only way for you to be seen is to make your way to the nearest Indian spice store. You’re bound to see a Goan come by and they'll be sure to help you. So, the goodies did just that and right enough... in walked Jack Fernandes. He was thrilled to see sweets from his homeland and grabbed all of them and hugged them, saying, Wait till my people see you... you can come to the Goencho Bazaar on Sunday and be on display... they'll love to see all of you. The sweets were really, really happy and hugged Tim and Pav for helping them. The Goan sweets, along with their friends Tim and Pav were driven, like kings and queens, to the Goencho Bazaar. At the bazaar everybody took photos of them and cheered with joy. Till today, they are still good friends with Tim and Pav and we still celebrate them at the Goencho Bazaar, each year. Written and illustrated by Andrea Duff (Age: 8 years). GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing pro bono. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org and is edited by Frederick Noronha
*** SUNDAY SPECIAL: Blood, nemesis and misreading quite what makes Goan society tick (book review)
freedom from Portuguese colonial rule. One can only hope that the Liberation that was handed to the people on the platter helps them to empower and bring the control of the economy of the land into their own hands. 'Blood and Nemesis' is a thought-provoking novel. The various contradictions that the author introduces through his characters, or his personal comments, in the narrative are debatable issues. --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lino Leitao grew up in Salcete, Goa, and was a young man when Goa transitioned out of Portuguese colonial rule. He subsequently migrated to Canada, where he is currently based. Leitao is the author of 'The Gift of the Holy Cross'. His manuscript of short stories is at present being readied for publication. He can be contacted via email at lino.leitao sympatico.ca Goan Observer, which also published this book, earlier printed an abridged version of this review in its issue of August 20, 2005. GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing pro bono. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org and is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Don't treat women like a piece of flesh... (Bailancho Saad)
the dignity of women; * Organising a protest action in your area or college or place of work. Our organisation has called for public protest meetings. Join in, arise, awake and act. Show the world that we will not take such insults lying down. - ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bailancho Saad is an active women's collective in Goa, launched over two decades ago. It has its offices at SF-4, Goa Housing Board Residential and Commercial Complex, Opp. Goa Housing Board Office, Journalist Colony, Bardez, Goa. It can be contacted on phone 2410864 and email [EMAIL PROTECTED] This article was written in August 2005. GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing pro bono. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org and is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Newspaper reading catching on in Velim-Ambelim... and how!
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## Newspaper reading habits catching on in (parts of) Salcete SOURCE: Herald By Herald Reporter MARGAO: A newspaper stand for public reading may not be a common sight in Goa as yet, so to say. But, welcome to the interiors of the Velim-Ambelim belt, where one Could huddle around a small shed -- housing a newspaper stand -- to have a glance at the daily news. So far, about 10 such stands have come up across these villages and plans are afoot to spread the movement in neighbouring Assolna village as well. Says the architect of the movement, Anthony D'Silva, a tutor by profession, The idea is to inculcate a newspaper reading habit amongst the locals during their idle time. My plan is to open newspaper stands every two kilometres in these three villages. And, if D'Silva is to be believed, the response for the novel concept is fast catching up amongst the local populace. We found that people literally wait for the morning newspaper on the stands, especially in the Other Backward Communities (OBC) dominated areas, he said. D'Silva hit on this novel idea after the local Chaplain, Fr Eusico, asked him to do something to inculcate reading habits amongst the younger generation. This concept is being successfully put into practice in the Shiv Sena shakas (centres) in Mumbai and I thought why not give it a try in my own village, D'Silva maintained. The whole prupose is simple: I give the people an opportunity to go through the daily news at a place where they while away their time. Just by standing near the public place, I am sure people will read news by default. According to him, the people, no doubt, can afford to buy a newspaper, but either find no time to buy it or go through it at home. But how long will this movement continue, especially when it requires funds to keep it going? Says D'Silva: I have only provided the stands and the sheds. While the cost of newspapers have been borne by some individuals. And, he says, he can continue with the concept at least for the next one year, after which he intends to make the people contribute for the facility. ENDS
*** Goanet Reader: Against the tide, Nalini de Sousa...
migrants feel when away from home. Having diplomatically avoided my question, I make a second attempt. Do you speak Konkani? The answer is satisfactory and I feel she is on the right track to become a niz goenkar: I am learning Konkani with a private teacher. And I completed a course back in Lisbon, before coming to Goa, she assures me. Nalini's initiative carries a strong message. There are plenty of opportunities here and there is so much to do, perhaps like in Portugal during the 60's and 70's, she suggests. She thinks there is a wrong image regarding the successes of migration among the Goan youth: Young Goans think they can leave and make big money abroad, but ignore that to the most part they will work like slaves to make peanuts. And though complaining about bureaucracy and paper work, she underlines the quality of life and the human aspect of business in Goa: There is always a way out here, people help each other. I know all my neighbours personally. We are like a family. I am not against going out, Nalini explains. You can leave for some time, gain experience, and further your horizons, study. But come back, because Goa needs people with experience, capacity and skills, she appeals. Anchored in the heart of Panjim, a small shop with the name of a Portuguese ship and a young example prove that it is possible to swim against the tide. GLOBAL NUMBER: 5% Is the percentage of foreign direct investments (FDI) in India coming from the Indian Diaspora around the world. How much FDI in Goa comes from Non-resident Goans? Certainly a neglectable figure. India's total FDI is above 5 billion USD. GLOBAL THOUGHT: Goans living abroad, especially those established in Europe and North America, tend to think they are the greatest specialists regarding ready-made solutions for Goa. That came up once again during the recent political crisis. Everyone seemed to have a valid solution, confidently hitting the keyboard from far away. And when coming down to Goa isn't there more to do than complaining about the roads, the bureaucracy and migrants into the state? What about jumping into the muddy reality? What about abandoning the sunny beaches and comfortable balcaos and exploring the interior of Goa, the lost villages in Sattari and Sanguem, which are as Goan as Siolim and Santa Cruz? What about forgetting English or Portuguese for a while and making an effort to speak Konkani? What about encouraging the younger ones to stay in Goa, making constructive and motivating suggestions? What about admitting from time to time that life abroad is not that good as you imagined it to be? What about investing one rupee in Goa for every opinion forwarded? That would certainly make Goa Golden again. - ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The writer is a young Goan, based in Portugal, who has put in a significant amount of work to build bridges between these two regions that he traces his roots to. Xavier can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED] GOANET READER welcomes contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the Goanet family of mailing lists. Please do send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers share their writing pro bono. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at goanet@goanet.org and is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Remembering Anthony Gonsalves: Goa's rich musical past
gave the trumpet player a photograph of himself signed, ‘To my most faithful comrade, Chick -– with all my best wishes’. The family looked forward to Madan Mohan’s visits with some amusement: his huge car would always run into problems when he tried to park in the narrow Colaba lane on which they lived. But Chic had no trouble getting Madan Mohan’s melodies to swing. The eclecticism of the influences he brought to bear never fails to surprise me. Only a few weeks ago I realised why an instrumental passage in Chic Chocolate’s arrangement of Madan Mohan’s ‘Ae dil mujhe bata de’ sounded so familiar: it was a phrase from the Portuguese fado, Coimbra, that I knew from my Amalia Rodrigues albums. Chic’s lives as jazz man and as film musician sometimes merged. Albela actually featured Chic and his band on screen in a song sequence, dressing them in frilly Latinesque costumes. Chic capitalised on the film’s success by dressing his band in those costumes for their dance gigs too. Chic’s career was tragically short. He died in May 1967, aged 51, his end speeded by his Goan fondness for liquor. His casket was borne to the grave by Bombay’s foremost musicians, including the accordion player Goody Seervai and the drummer Francis Vaz, and his Selmer trumpet was placed across his chest. Shortly after, Chetan Anand’s Aakhri Khat hit the screen. The bluesy song ‘Rut jawan jawan’ featured several close-ups of the Louis Armstrong of India playing his trumpet solos from the bandstand. Whenever they missed his presence, Chic’s children would go off to Garrison theatre in the Colaba military area to commune with their father. The Majorda sky was blue-black when my interview with Anthony Gonsalves petered to a close. I knew I had bothered the maestro too much already and that it was time for supper. As I said my goodbyes, he urged me to eat another piece of the delicious jackfruit just plucked from his garden and offered me a tantalising thought. He had a bundle of all his original scores carefully tucked away in a trunk in the next room, he said, and would like for nothing more than for them to be performed again. But thus far, no one had been willing to put up the money for a concert. Over the last decade, the march of technology and changing tastes have displaced Goan musicians from the studio. The synthesiser, the drum machine and the digital sequencer are now in vogue. Besides changing the texture of Hindi film sounds, these devices allow the music director to be his own arranger –- and play all the instruments too, if he should choose to. As in film music, so in the body politic. The privileging of individual needs over the collective good has made Nehru’s theme sound hopelessly off key. As I sped through the dusk on the back of a motorcycle taxi, my head buzzed with schemes to persuade Goan businessmen to fund an Anthony Gonsalves concert. It wouldn’t take much, I’m convinced, to introduce his crownmusic to the inheritors of the new millennium. --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Naresh Fernandes is editor, Time Out, Mumbai. He is a long-time journalist, who worked in senior positions in the Mumbai media. He has also worked in New York. The research for this article was supported by a fellowship from the Sarai -- www.sarai.net -- programme of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. This article was first published in Seminar magazine, November 2004). It was also reproduced in Communalism Combat, February 2005. http://sabrang.com/cc/archive/2005/feb05/covernaresh.html Goanet Reader places on record its appreciation of Vidyadhar Gadgil [EMAIL PROTECTED] who drew our attention to this article. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] It is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: In the mirror of the 'sixties: Goa as depicted in three films
, the Corredinho. Performers seemed to smile much more then, than in these commercialism-filled days. Sculptor Vaman Zo is seen carving a statue of Francis Xavier, which probably went on to become the subject of a controversy when an antique was sought to be smuggled out of Goa by an industrialist family and passed off as the Zo-created much smaller statue. Journalist Devika Sequeira has written widely on this particular development. There are fishermen with plentiful catches of sardines, the Carnival, and even a King Momo (is this the year when later-to-become CM Francisco Sardinha filled that role?) It reflects a carnival in times before it became big business. There's a fancy dress for kids, dating back to two more more decades. Other cliches of Goa include it being a land of serenity with miles and miles of beaches, plan trees, temples and churches, the incorruptible remains of St Francis Xavier, a land where different cultures blend together in harmony, and more. There's also Parshuram, the golden period of the Kadambas, Bandodkar, Abbe Faria, and Hanv Saiba Poltodi Vetaum thrown in, for good measure. Whichever side of the political divide you stand on, these films reflect an interesting period of history. Priced at the equivalent of a little over two dollars, it's something worth adding to your collection. These films also underline why it's important to have multiple versions of history being recorded and told. We need also many more media products on Goa, in a way that creates lasting resources for this small region. - ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Frederick Noronha, or simply FN, is a Goa-based journalist, frequently visible in cyberspace. One of his recent ventures is promoting a mailing-list on documentary films in India http://groups.yahoo.com/group/docuwallahs2 GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader [Book Review]: The Sixth Night by Silviano C. Barbosa, reviewed by Zoe Ackah
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## Book Review - The Sixth Night by Silviano C. Barbosa By ZOE ACKAH [The Epoch Times July 21, 2005] The Sixth Night is a scaled down, James A. Mitchener style historical fiction set mainly in colonial Goa. Admittedly, before reading the book I had no idea where Goa was or that it was such a unique and interesting place. Those of you who lived during the hippie era are probably more than familiar with Goa, which gained great popularity as a tourist attraction in the 60s and 70s. For those who don't know, located in India, Goa has been on the world stage since the pre-Christian era, first documented by the Summerians around 2200 BC. It has been recognized as a fertile paradise by everyone who has been there since. In more recent history, Goa was colonized by the Portuguese for 400 years until the 1960s. This creates and interesting cultural mélange. The population is now 30 percent Catholic, 65 percent Hindu and 5 percent Muslim. The cuisine and cultural traditions are a complimentary mix of Asian and European. The Portuguese were expelled from Goa in 1961 when India reclaimed her. It is precisely this point in history, the pivotal generation that experienced Goa's return to India first hand, that the author explores. Our main character, Linda, is a simply-drawn Catholic village girl of the shudra caste. Battling caste discrimination with a stunning intellect, and a childhood of good fortune, Linda is the first in her family to receive a high-level education. The book chronicles Linda's trials and tribulations as a woman, a shudra, and a Catholic educated in Portuguese just as the English-language-dominated Indian government takes over her homeland. She travels through Europe, ending up in Toronto, Canada. Having fathered a child by a Portuguese diplomat, from whom she is accidentally separated during the turmoil surrounding Goa's transition to Indian rule, Linda's story is the notable personal conflict in the novel. The details of this conflict are described rather mechanically and superficially. The emotions likely associated with the painful events surrounding the adoption of Linda's child, and the emotions of the child herself are suspiciously shallow. Indeed, the characters seem unbelievably innocent after all they have been through. The likely consequences of their suffering are left unexplored, and the prose is simplistic. It seems as if the characters serve merely to explore Catholic Goa's history and unique culture – a feat the author accomplishes very well, making the country itself the real star of the action. Luckily, the book is well researched, and Goa's history is sufficiently interesting, making The Sixth Night a worthwhile read for history lovers and travel junkies. For a look at The Sixth Night web-site visit http://ca.geocities.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] The descriptions of Goa's geographical beauty, pristine village life, and fantastic food, food and more food, will make you want to visit. Luckily the government of Goa's tourism site is really fantastic, and includes recipes for all the food carefully described in The Sixth Night. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The writer Zoe Ackah is editor of 'The Epoch Times', a Canadian publication, where this review was published. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: A tale of two IITians -- grassroot visions or grandios vanities?
? Are we economically, culturally or socially free to choose? -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nazar da Silva is a Moira-based senior citizen, who is active in a number of social issues and campaigns. He can be emailed at [EMAIL PROTECTED] He acknowledges the debt to Vizilia de Sa for the first-hand report of her visit to the model Village Panchayat of Kuthumbakkam in Tamil Nadu. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: What does it mean to be Goan ... of food and song
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GOAN? Issues of celebration and connection, reflected in food and song Ruth DeSouza [EMAIL PROTECTED] Food is one of the many things that make life not only pleasurable but memorable. I recently met a young Goan man who is completing a degree who asked me if I could come to his birthday party and share some sorpotel and vindaloo recipes as the celebration wouldn’t be a celebration with them, especially with him being so far away from home. This led me to reflect on the importance of food and consider writing something for Goanet Reader. As you all know Goans have been a highly mobile population and are scattered all over the globe as a result of colonisation, and in a bid for a better life and education for their children. At the beginning of the millennium I undertook a research project to explore how Goan women in Auckland New Zealand coped with the dual transitions of migration and motherhood as becoming a parent in a new county is a common aspect of migration which is also under-researched. It is well known that migrants draw on cultural resources and links such as the notion of homeland, language, religion, everyday social rituals such as food, drink, dance and song, family, morals, community, landscape, histories and occupations. Researchers of migrant communities have found that connection with one’s ethnic community is vital for collective cultural maintenance. This takes the forms of being involved in community-type social networks in order to maintain their culture, taking part in ethnic institutions, making trips “home” and marrying within the community. These were all identified in my research as significant, but for this piece I have chosen to focus on the importance of traditional food in maintaining Goan culture and in relation to the perinatal period. I have also incorporated words from the Goan women that participated in the research (with deep and heartfelt thanks). Food has a symbolic and social significance that is deeply embedded in a culture and is used to express many things such as love, friendship, solidarity and the maintenance of social ties. The significance of food is heightened with migration, where it is the most resistant aspect to the acculturation process for migrant communities. Frequently, food is integrated into the host culture, as those Goans living in the United Kingdom or from Africa will attest to as seen by the incorporation of Indian foods into African and British communities. Traditional food and celebration are pivotal to the construction of Goan identity and an important part of ‘everyday’ food, religious festivals, weddings and special events. Food also has historical significance as seen by the impact of Portuguese, Muslim and Indian cultures apparent in Goan cuisine. Conversion to Catholicism by the Portuguese meant that foods moved from being taboo to consumable and differentiated Goans from other Indians, making them more Western. The special foods that go with events during the year are very traditionally Goan, for example we have Christmas sweets. Besides Christmas sweets, I associate eating Pilao on a Sunday and not just any other thing, very Goan. and having your fish curry and rice as well (Lorna). Fish curries and coconut curries and I had learn to cook when I was quite young and I had wanted to get into the kitchen and dad would go to the marketplace and buy all this yummy fish and come home and cook it up and basically you'd eat Goan and things like that (Rowena). Goan fish curry is ubiquitous in most households in Goa, eaten regularly and served with rice. Pilao is possibly from Muslim times prior to Portuguese rule, made with basmati rice and flavoured with whole spices like cardamom and stock. The Goan sweets that are mentioned by Lorna originate from Portugal and the Konkan region and they are produced and exchanged with friends and neighbours at Christmas time. Every sweet has coconut in it in milk form or thinly sliced. In Rowena’s quote below, food is a way of acknowledging the family and social ties: We often had picnics, which had all the favourite dishes
*** Goanet Reader -- Why Konkani cinema gets viewed with one eye...
, will definitely help in strengthening the film culture in Goa. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tomazinho Cardozo, besides being a politician (and former Speaker of the Goa assembly), has long been associated with the field of Konkani culture. He is known for the plays he has staged, and a vast number of other popular cultural products he has catalysed over the last three decades. GOANET READER WELCOMES your articles -- essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. Being a volunteer-driven network, we can only afford to compensate our writers by way of reader-response. If you appreciate any article circulated, please share your comments with Goanet goanet@goanet.org and the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- From priests, to the Big Boss and farm feni
as an Ethnic Exotic White Spirit, like tequila. If Big Boss is their deluxe cashew fenny, then the PVV cashew fenny is for the average Goan consumer and is a young, not matured, fenny. They also have a range of cashew fenny-based liqeurs and have been regularly taking part in international liquor shows. Talking in his Mapusa office, Mr Vaz revealed that his latest initiative is to put a real cashew apple inside a bottle of cashew fenny, so that consumers in Europe and elsewhere who have never seen a cashew apple, get an idea of the fruit from which the fenny is distilled. So, for the last few years, he has been researching various ways to keep the fruit fresh -- using preservatives -- inside a bottle of fenny. In a sample he has been observing, the fruit has stayed fresh for three years! The yellow cashew is best for this. According to him, the perception of cashew fenny of it being a poor man's drink, besides of course the adulteration. So he set out to create a pure cashew fenny with a standardised taste. But how do we make out what's good cashew fenny? That, he says, can only come with drinking experience because the only way is by sniffing and tasting. Though constantly innovating, Mr Vaz has continued with the traditional pot-still method because it gives the fenny its distinctive spirit. Because people tend to complain about the smell, he did try and eliminate it; but then the fenny was just another white spirit without any distinction. Making good cashew fenny is of course an art. Just like the monks in Europe make the best brandy and champagne, so too in Goa it would seem that the priests make the best cashew fenny. The SVD Seminary is Raia is a bit of a legend and produces a very interesting, full-bodied, fresh cashew fenny, which you can get if you manage to charm the priests there (I put on my most holy looking expression). The fenny is double distilled. How do they ensure purity? Look around, said Father Caetano, do you see any adulterating agent? However, the cashew fenny at the SVD Seminary is not matured for long. The Salesians in Sulcorna are also reputed to distill a mean cashew fenny. The best fruit for fenny is the fruit which has ripened and fallen to the ground. All cashew fenny makers agree that the real cashew fenny is not really a social drink, like beer or your regular whisky; it's more like a cognac, to be had either as an aperitif or as a post-dinner liqueur, or used medicinally. Urrack is, of course, an excellent summer cooler. However, cashew fenny lends itself well to a number of cocktails. With Goa becoming an international tourist destination, uniquely Goan products like cashew fenny have caught the eye of travellers and connoisseurs. Madame Rosa products are geared towards this segment, and are exported to a number of countries, charting a new route for makers of pure cashew fenny. They are also campaigning, through the Confederation of Indian Industry, to get the appellation of Geographic Indication (as done in the case of patenting neem and basmati) for cashew fenny, since it's an unique Goan product. (Brazil also produces liquors using the cashew apple; it's called caxaca.) To do this they're trying to bring all the cashew fenny producers together under one umbrella, to create a competitive, quality product which would be internationally respected. And which would remain uniquely Goan. ## ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Zuzarte worked for many years in Mumbai (Bombay), before returning back to his homeland, to write about the things he holds dear. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- Short story from Goa, Damodar Mauzo: The Vow
will not recognise Jose. He must be very big now. But he will recognise me. Do you know why I still wear this kabay? People tell me to stop wearing it; let people say what they want. When my Jose went away, I was wearing a kabay. If Jose comes back, he will recognise me by my kabay at least. The talking exhausted Camil. I did not know what to say. So we both fell silent. Father Curate, he said at last. My Jose will come. I have reposed my faith in Our Lady. I will keep looking for him. Jose will come, and I will not die till he comes. I will not die. Camil started sobbing. I felt ashamed. Not because my attempt had failed. Camil's intense faith in God shamed me. For a moment, even I was swept off by that faith. Truly Jose will come! With heavy steps, I took the counterfeit Jose in tow and walked homewards. About a fortnight went by. Suddenly one evening, Camil's neighbour came running, Father, Camil is dying! Come soon and administer the last sacrament. Dying? Which doctor said so? No doctor. But I doubt if he'll pull through this time! I was angry at the woman's words. These people first think of calling the priest -- not the doctor. You first go and bring the doctor. Tell him that I have sent for him. I'll come soon. The neighbour left. For a moment I was paralysed. Camil is dying! His words rang in my ears: 'I will not die till Jose comes!' Poor Camil. Death was at his door but hope still remained. Leaving my work I set off hurriedly. As I reached Camil's house, the Angelus bells rang. The doctor was leaving after examining his patient. Noticing me, he waited. Old age. He's gone weak. And is in the grip of a strong fever. I've injected an antibiotic but it's better if you give him Extreme Unction, Father. The doctor left. I was still standing in the patio. The neighbour looked at me from the doorway. Is he asleep?I asked No Father. He's awake. He keeps remembering his son. You go. Have your supper and come. There's no point in your staying here.I will remain with him. I waited till the neighbour had gone. Dusk had set in. In an inside room, a small kerosene lamp flickered. Camil was lying on an old cot. I looked around quickly. In the pervading gloom, I could not see anyone. I hurriedly took off my cassock. I had my trousers and shirt on underneath. Throwing the cassock on an armchair, I went in. Pai, I called out softly. Camil was awake. Even his eyes were open. On hearing me call, he opened his eyes wide to see who was calling. Pai, I'm Jose. I've come, I said as I edged closer to the cot. Camil struggled to get up. My son, Jose? My son! My son! Overjoyed Camil could utter no other words. Suddenly, Camil found some hidden strength and sat up. Pai, I buried my face in Camil's shoulder. Seeing Camil's emotion, even my eyes overflowed with tears. Nothing could contain the flow of tears from our eyes. There was no fear of Camil recognising me in the dim light of that kerosene lamp. I hugged Camil tight. Camil ran his fingers down my back. His body was burning with fever. But his face was aglow. Go to sleep now, Pai, I said, but Camil would not move. Son you came. I knew it. You made it just in time. Camil's voice was rasping. I made a vow to Our Lady. The Father Curate knows about it. I had faith in God, that is why you came. Now, now I cannot... you fulfil my vow. You... Camil's voice was drifting. His head slumped on my shoulder. Slowly his limbs relaxed. I gently lowered Camil's head onto the pillow. His eyes were open. With a touch, I closed them. I covered his body with a sheet and stepping out, donned my cassock again. -- Translated from the original Angvonn from Damodar Mauzo's collection of Konkani Short Stories Zagrannam by Xavier Cota, The story was tele-cast on Doordarshan (India's then only National Channel) as Manauti in the prestigious Hindi series 'Ek Kahani' and re-tele-cast several times. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Damodar Mauzo has been active in cyberspace for quite some time now -- including on Goanet earlier. He is a prominent Konkani writer. The translator, Xavier Cota, was born in Tanzania and is currently back in Goa. He has retired early from a bank job, to take to his first love -- writing. Along with Vidya Pai in Calcutta (Kolkata) and (earlier) Augusto Pinto, another Africa-born former expat, Cota is one of the few persons in Goa or elsewhere to persistently take to translating work from Konkani into the English language. Send your feedback to [EMAIL PROTECTED] GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what
*** Goanet Reader -- Looking back at the simple, slow-moving Goa
seen using either mopeds or bicycles for their mode of transport in Goa. Some people in countries like China, which ranks number one in population in the world, have reverted to the 1950's mode of transport, the bicycle that does not only save them petrol expenses and parking problems but also helps them maintain good health through regular pedalling to and from work. That's all for now from Dom's antique shelf for now! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Domnic Fernandes is from Anjuna and works in Dhahran, KSA where he works for Saudi Aramco. He is known for his nostalgic writing about the Goa of the past in his Dom's antique shelf series. Send in your comments and feedback to [EMAIL PROTECTED] GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- View from the Bardez hillock... a hundred species
the Saligao Seminary, probably goes through a bit of Pilerne, re-enters Saligao and finally crosses over into Calangute. The boundary between Calangute and Saligao is age-old and is demarcated by two or three stones here and there. Following the commotion of two years ago, a white line, like they use in demarcating football fields, was drawn to show the boundary between Calangute and Saligao. The garbage is now dumped on the Calangute side, where it is sorted out by a dozen-odd people who are engaged in the waste trade. Earlier the trucks and vans would empty the garbage anywhere they felt like. It would seem a natural extension of its existing usage to install a proper, modern garbage disposal and recycling plant there. There's no wishing away the problem, because tourism in the area generates a huge amount of garbage which needs to be dumped somewhere. And proper garbage disposal is essential for protecting the environment. It's all very nicely, though manually, done these days at the dump. Glass is segregated -- broken and empty bottles, etc -- the metal like aluminium and cans separated foam leather, clothing, waste food, all separated. Some of these things fetch a tidy amount for the sorters who fill up sacks of the stuff and transport it away in vans. If recycling methods were not to be introduced there, the garbage would have simply piled up, as was happening all these years, These days there's actually not much garbage there. The situation changed because the Saligaonkars had protested amid fear that the Salmona spring would get polluted. Ironically, the spring now fears danger of another kind from within Saligao itself. The people of Saligao once again have protested the movement of the garbage trucks through their village in the daytime, as they are only supposed to do so in the nights. This problem can be solved by accessing the dump from other roads, like from the Boa Vista side in Calangute, or from Saipem, where rudimentary roads leading up also exist. Occasionally people building mud houses down in the villages come up in trucks to dig up and carry away loads of some fine clay found on the Calangute plateau. It's a lovely plateau. On all sides of the hill, not just in Salmona, there are some excellent forests, with some landlords owning huge areas with pristine, native forests, with the original flora still largely intact. There are a lot of medicinal plants there. The garbage dump also has a large number of dogs who live off the bio-degradable waste. The dogs stay in dug-up holes under the roots of large trees. Many a time I come across healthy new litters! I always wonder if they're real wild dogs (dholes). For how much longer all those birds and trees will last in the face of relentless development is debatable, simply because there are no incentives for the people to conserve their land. A land-owning family which owned a huge chunk of the hill slopes, have sold off their land, which is now a sprawling low-budget colony. Fortunately most of the hill-top land is owned by comunidades, which has acted as a brake on their destruction. The day the comunidades go, so will all our land. *** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Zuzarte is a journalist back in Goa, after spending nearly two decades in Mumbai. He is a keen watcher of things Goan. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- View from the Bardez hillock... a hundred species
the Saligao Seminary, probably goes through a bit of Pilerne, re-enters Saligao and finally crosses over into Calangute. The boundary between Calangute and Saligao is age-old and is demarcated by two or three stones here and there. Following the commotion of two years ago, a white line, like they use in demarcating football fields, was drawn to show the boundary between Calangute and Saligao. The garbage is now dumped on the Calangute side, where it is sorted out by a dozen-odd people who are engaged in the waste trade. Earlier the trucks and vans would empty the garbage anywhere they felt like. It would seem a natural extension of its existing usage to install a proper, modern garbage disposal and recycling plant there. There's no wishing away the problem, because tourism in the area generates a huge amount of garbage which needs to be dumped somewhere. And proper garbage disposal is essential for protecting the environment. It's all very nicely, though manually, done these days at the dump. Glass is segregated -- broken and empty bottles, etc -- the metal like aluminium and cans separated foam leather, clothing, waste food, all separated. Some of these things fetch a tidy amount for the sorters who fill up sacks of the stuff and transport it away in vans. If recycling methods were not to be introduced there, the garbage would have simply piled up, as was happening all these years, These days there's actually not much garbage there. The situation changed because the Saligaonkars had protested amid fear that the Salmona spring would get polluted. Ironically, the spring now fears danger of another kind from within Saligao itself. The people of Saligao once again have protested the movement of the garbage trucks through their village in the daytime, as they are only supposed to do so in the nights. This problem can be solved by accessing the dump from other roads, like from the Boa Vista side in Calangute, or from Saipem, where rudimentary roads leading up also exist. Occasionally people building mud houses down in the villages come up in trucks to dig up and carry away loads of some fine clay found on the Calangute plateau. It's a lovely plateau. On all sides of the hill, not just in Salmona, there are some excellent forests, with some landlords owning huge areas with pristine, native forests, with the original flora still largely intact. There are a lot of medicinal plants there. The garbage dump also has a large number of dogs who live off the bio-degradable waste. The dogs stay in dug-up holes under the roots of large trees. Many a time I come across healthy new litters! I always wonder if they're real wild dogs (dholes). For how much longer all those birds and trees will last in the face of relentless development is debatable, simply because there are no incentives for the people to conserve their land. A land-owning family which owned a huge chunk of the hill slopes, have sold off their land, which is now a sprawling low-budget colony. Fortunately most of the hill-top land is owned by comunidades, which has acted as a brake on their destruction. The day the comunidades go, so will all our land. *** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Zuzarte is a journalist back in Goa, after spending nearly two decades in Mumbai. He is a keen watcher of things Goan. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader: Goa needs it's big, majestic trees
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## DO YOU FEEL THE CHILL NEAR SANGOLDA? OR, WHY GOA NEEDS TO RE-PLANT TREES By Paul Fernandes [EMAIL PROTECTED] SOMEWHERE AMONG THE SHRINKING TREES: In a shrinking world, even the size of trees is decreasing. Gigantic trees, which stretched into the sky and shaded us from the scorching sun, are being replaced by dwarfish and inferior varieties. A bleak scenario looms large due to the flimsy shrubbery sprouting up in place of tall trees that are being felled, amidst fears of an impending global warming. Huge mango, tamarind or other types of trees arching over our houses shielded the sun, says horticulturist Rozendo Mendonca. Nature lovers are alarmed not only over the hacking of stately trees, which is leading to the desertification in rural areas -- specially the coastal belt -- but also over the lack of replacements. Hundreds of tall trees, which were destroyed in the squall in Goa in mid-April 2005 may never be replaced. Very soon only shrubbery may dot the landscape, tree lovers say. Has anyone seen a tall tree coming up in place of a gigantic one axed in his neighbourhood? The question is quite relevant. When everything, including trees, are cleared, there is a multi-storeyed structure, there is a parking lot and there is an area, which is tiled. but there is hardly any planning to do tree planting, says Sandeep Azrencar, co-ordinator of the Nisarga Nature Club, of Margao and Mapusa. His group which has been working for years to spread the tree-growing culture. Thousands of saplings are planted every year but greens say those are exotic species of trees such as acacia, casuarinas and eucalyptus, which cannot recreate the ambiance of the stately indigenous trees with extensive canopies. A few groups or individuals like the Nisarga Nature Club are concerned about this and are trying to plant fruit-yielding varieties. The indigenous varieties give character to a place, spread the goodly shade and shelter life beneath them in an environment, where the concrete rears up higher than the greenery. Trees can change the ecology of a place, says botanist Prof B F Rodrigues, and the moment we prefer exotic ones, we develop a mono-culture. The practice is fraught with grave problems as mono-culture causes an ecological imbalance. It discourages other fauna or diversity. According to Rodrigues, people complain of pollen allergy when there is maximum bloom of acacia trees, resulting in respiratory problems like a cough. Trees like eucalyptus drain the water table while casuarina is also know to choke waterways. Acacia trees are tall but cannot match local varieties, much less for timber. They may not be conducive for birds either. Says horticulturist Mendonca, A denser crown, which the stately trees have, means more leaves and more leaves means more is the oxygen released in the atmosphere. The goodly shade spread by the tree's canopy keeps the environs cool. For instance, a one-kilometre stretch at Sangolda is known to be comparatively cooler than other places as the avenue is flanked by overarching trees. The loss of scores of trees in the April 20 squall is inestimable, say environmentalists. Who will plant the rain trees when they come down? Says Patricia Pinto, a Panjim councillor and environmentalist, A tree for a tree should be the principle adopted by those concerned and tree lovers. According to her, if a mango tree is cut, a mango tree should be planted. Otherwise, we are bound to lose control of what we plant and also the diversity we possessed. The government was planning to slaughter 37 rain trees at Campal for its four-lane road. If they were destroyed, the population of this species would have decreased, says a tree lover. No rain trees are being planted anyway. Several varieties of trees like jambul, tamarind are becoming rare. It is high time a tree authority is installed to advise and guide the builders or others who cut trees. For instance, the may-flower tree is not good for a city. It has superficial roots and if it falls, it falls like a cake. Our cities are turning into urban wastelands because of a change in land utilisation. If you see the previous pattern, every house was a ground dwelling structure. All houses had traditionally what is called the 'porsum' (backyard plantation). Besides, there was a verandah
*** Goanet Reader -- Goa, migration and more...
or Portuguese and dressed in more Western clothing. They were further set apart from Hindus and Muslims by virtue of religion and because they ate pork and beef. For Goans, migration to Africa was intended as a way of earning some money for retirement in Goa and putting down permanent roots was not encouraged by colonial authorities (Kuper, 1979). Asians were excluded from certain professions or from living in areas where Europeans preferred to settle, for example the fertile Kenyan highlands (Kuper, 1979). They operated within a milieu of prejudice, suspicion and disadvantage. Land was unavailable for freehold purchase and education provision was inadequate resulting in children being sent back to India (as my father was). Later on, as communities grew, special schools were established and women and children joined their men (as was the case for my mother's family). EVERYTHING CHANGED Moving forward to our arrival in New Zealand everything I had ever known had changed. The availability of traditional foods, ingredients and so on was limited. The weather was cold and unfriendly, colder than anything we had experienced before. I was dismayed by the lack of wild and colourful animals. I had also lost my place in the world, moving from a familiar social circle to where everything was now unknown. Settling in New Zealand was difficult financially, socially and emotionally. In Africa there had been a very strong Goan and Indian symbiotic community that provided cultural links. Despite being 'foreign' there was a sub-culture in East Africa that was supportive and understood by Africans. As Alibhai (1989, p.31) stated in an account of her life in Uganda: The Asians had evolved a very strong network, partly because of the needs and fears that inevitably arise when groups migrate and partly because they were non-dominant in countries where they had no political power and a constant sense of being vulnerable. In New Zealand we were different again, but less well understood. The ensuing years have become easier and my ambivalence has decreased about whether I belong to Aotearoa. The increase in members of the Goan and African communities have rejuvenated and inspired me and invigorated the communities I am affiliated with. The increased availability of a range of ingredients and cultural resources have also made connections with food and other cultural icons more accessible. I prefer the plus model of identity rather than the minus one. I belong to Goa, plus East Africa plus New Zealand and the places I've lived and loved in. Although I experienced changes and loss integral to migration and learned first hand of the isolation that migrants can face in New Zealand (which has led me as an adult to be involved in supporting them) there were also positive implications. The loss of traditional economic, social and familial restraints allowed me to fulfil my potential in a way that I might never have had, had I grown up in Goa or East Africa. Having to scrutinise my identity closely has led me to see the world through many eyes (an important requirement for an educator) as Edward Said states: The essential privilege of exile is to have, not just one set of eyes but half a dozen, each of them corresponding to the places you have been. I believe that my migration and travel experiences give me many ways of seeing the world and that the migrants that come to Aotearoa enrich the country with their lives and experiences. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ruth de Souza is based in Waitakere City, Aotearoa/New Zealand and can be contacted via email [EMAIL PROTECTED] GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- Unassuming giant, Felicio Cardoso
for a new Goan Renaissance! FOOTNOTE: At the end of the anniversary mass at Seraulim Church which had a touching homily based on the Sermon on the Mount by Mons. Jaime Couto (a professor at Saligao Seminary)and the blessing of the grave, Felicio Cardoso' friends and admirers gathered at his house where Goa's Poet Laureate Dr. Manohar Rai Sardessai unveiled a commemorative plaque. He remarked that a person like Felicio turned up very rarely. He expressed the wish that every politician who aspires to be a minister today, should first undergo at least one month's solitary confinement at Aguada jail and taste a hundred strokes of the infamous Agente Monteiro's cane as did Felicio Cardoso. Adv. Uday Bhembro said that we as Goans do not treasure and preserve our history. He remarked that we should have converted into museums and pilgrimage centres of learning the residences of Goan greats like Francisco Luis Gomes, Mon. Dalgado and Xennoi Goem Bab so that posterity should know that such towering persons are our ancestors. Writer Damodar Mauzo appealed to the heads of Asmitai Pratisthan and Konkani Akademi to bring out a collection of Felicio Cardoso's writings and his biography,. Soter Barreto, close confidant of Felicio, thanked the people for coming announced that the house which had been renovated by him and where Felicio's considerable collection of books was housed, was available to students of Konkani for reference work and for small literary gatherings. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tanzania-born Xavier Cota is a Salcete-based former banker who retired early to spend more time with his first love -- writing. He is one of the few skilled translators of Konkani works into English, and his translations have earned him praise from Konkani writers like Damodar Mauzo. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*** Goanet Reader -- Dr Joe, who brings life to the Bullets of Goa
## # Don't just read the news...discuss it. Learn more about Goa via Goanet # # Goanet was setup in 1994 and has spent the last decade building a # # lasting Goan non-profit, volunteer-driven network in cyberspace. # # Visit the archives http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ # # To join, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and ask to join Goanet. # ## PROFILE: DR JOE, WHO BRINGS LIFE TO THE BULLETS OF GOA By Rahul Alvares [EMAIL PROTECTED] He has ripped the rusty 350 cc Enfield down to nuts, bolts and bones. Every system -- digestive, circulatory, nervous and excretory -- has been separated and placed neatly in greasy bags in a corner of his garage. Now all that's left is the thick chassis of the bike and the headlight holder which, devoid of its bulb, is staring at me like the hollow eyes of a skeleton. The man whistling nonchalantly as he tussles with the heavy engine of the motorbike is Doctor Joe; the most famous Bullet mechanic in Goa. My blue Bullet which needs a new chain is being attended to by Joe's helper; an eleven year old boy who seems to understand more about the Enfield than many of the previous mechanics I've visited. I've known Joe for some time now. But I haven't a clue as to why the title 'Doctor'. My query draws a laugh from Joe. I cure all diseases of bikes, Aids included! replies Joe. I raise my eye brows at the smart answer and Joe hits me with another teaser. Hey, I'm an M.B.B.S -- that's Macalister, Bullet, and B.S.A. Surgeon! I give up. Joe may not have got through his eight standard in school but his English is impeccable and the sense of humour, sparkling. Joe started working on bikes at the age of fifteen on the footpath in Bombay. He worked for a garage and repaired British bikes (Nortons, Triumphs and B.S.As) which were plentiful at that time. Eight years later he moved to Goa and spent the next five years fixing bikes on Calangute beach. A three year stint at the Calangute petrol pump, and Joe had finally saved enough to build his own garage situated at Porba Vaddo in Calangute. At around the same time Joe joined hands with Clouse Brass; proprietor of Classic Bike Adventure Tours. The bikers toured the Himalayas and Rajasthan for a total of twenty two days. All the bikes were Enfields. Joe's job was to follow the twenty-odd bikes in a jeep loaded with spare tires, batteries, cables and tools to fix any problem that should arise on the journey. Joe recalls the tours nostalgically. They would cover 300-400 kilometers a day and then find a good spot to camp. Usually this would be a valley ensuring plentiful supply of water. Food, including live chickens, was carried in a truck that also followed the bikes. Following the death of Mr. Brass a few years ago, Joe quit Classic Tours. He now works full time at the garage. I became acquainted with Joe on recommendation from my neighbour who also owns a Bullet. I had at that time just purchased two Bullets and was searching for a good mechanic. The Bullet is an amazing bike to ride, but a little tricky to maintain. I took an instant liking to Joe. Joe is the type of a guy who will never force you to repair or replace a bike part unless it is absolutely necessary. Many of the spare parts now fitted to my bike are scrap pulled out from his massive collection. That saved me a lot of money! A few days back I thought of changing the piston rings of one of my bikes to get a little more power. Joe refused to get it done. Why put a good man in hospital? was his defense. It is this attitude of Joe's that I and all his clients love. Joe's clientele is fifty percent foreigners and fifty percent Goan. He opens up full engines and modifies bikes including B.S.As, Nortons, Triumphs, Harleys, and other foreign bikes as well. Spare parts for foreign bikes are also available with him. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rahul Alvares is a writer, author of two books, wildlife-enthusiast, musician ... and young man of many roles. He lives at Parra, Goa. Joe can be contacted at at 0091.832.2299278 (residence). GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Goanet News Bytes]Goanet Reader: Goan Summer Fruits - Zambllam, Kannt'tam, Churnam ani Poddkovam!
as an enema. The root bark is similarly employed. Bark decoctions are taken in cases of asthma and bronchitis and are gargled or used as mouthwash for the astringent effect on mouth ulcerations, spongy gums, and stomatitis. Ashes of the bark, mixed with water, are spread over local inflammations, or, blended with oil, applied to burns. In modern therapy, tannin is no longer approved on burned tissue because it is absorbed and can cause cancer. Excessive oral intake of tannin-rich plant products can also be dangerous to health. Paste made of jambolan bark is applied over inflamed part to reduce inflammation. The seeds, marketed in ¼ inch lengths, and the bark, are much used in tropical medicine. Extracts of both, but especially the seeds, in liquid or powdered form, are freely given orally, 2 to 3 times a day, to patients with diabetes mellitus or glycosuiria. In many cases, the blood sugar level reportedly is quickly reduced and there are no ill effects. Overall, the jambolan has received far more recognition in folk medicine and in the pharmaceutical trade than in any other field. Medicinally, the fruit is stated to be astringent, stomachic, carminative, antiscorbutic and diuretic. Cooked to a thick jam, it is eaten to allay acute diarrhea. The juice of the ripe fruit, or a decoction of the fruit, or jambolan vinegar, may be administered in cases of enlargement of the spleen, chronic diarrhea and urine retention. Water-diluted juice is used as a gargle for sore throat and as a lotion for ringworm of the scalp. WOOD: The wood is red, reddish-gray or brownish-gray, with close, straight grain. In India, it is commonly used for beams and rafters, posts, bridges, boats, oars, masts, troughs, well-lining, agricultural implements, carts, solid cart wheels, railway sleepers and the bottoms of railroad cars. It is sometimes made into furniture but has no special virtues to recommend it for cabinet work. It is a fairly satisfactory fuel. 2 3) KANNT'TAM ani CHURNAM These are wild fruits which are available from hillside trees only during March, April and May. Local vendors can be seen sitting at a Tintto, by roadsides in towns and in market places selling these to Goans as well as tourists. The best thing is to take a trip to a hill, pluck the fruits yourself and eat them fresh. There is more charm in this than buying readily available fruits in the market. This is where you learn how difficult it is to collect fruit while experiencing a few thorn pinches/scratches and red ant bites. But in the end, it is worth it. During my childhood, we went on kannt'tam ani churnam trips on our hill on Sundays. As soon as we got to the top of the hill, we would start looking for churnam trees and the moment we saw one we ran to it. Whoever got to it first, placed his/her xintari on it, bent it and began plucking churnam. We mostly found kannt'tam next/under the churnam trees. Most of the boys and girls would pick and eat these fruits on the spot leaving nothing to take home. As for me, I would just go on picking and collecting and at the end of the trip I would have my bags quite full. I then ate them on my way down the hill and was left with plenty more in my bags to share with my family and our visiting guests. I still like to pick these fruits from trees and eat them fresh. Last year, the crop was over before I got home in late April, but I managed to pluck and eat quite a few on the hills of Morjim, Arambol, Querim and Tiracol. 4) PODDKOVAM These are little red button like wild fruits available on hills. They grow in small bunches on bushy trees mostly found on the edges of slants and gutters. They are quite sweet but not much juicy. Our parents and elderly people scared us by telling that a cobra always lived by these trees and also that they ate these fruits. The idea was to frighten us so that we didn't eat these fruits. But, you must keep in mind that children always like to try the forbidden. So, whenever we went on the hill for kannt'tam churnam, we picked poddkovam and ate them; at least I never came across any snake by the trees. I still love to eat poddkovam. When on vacation, I go to the hills and 'hunt' for poddkovam and I don't return home until I have had some! That's all for now from Dom's antique shelf! Moi-mogan. (ENDS) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The writer is known for his nostalgic recollections of the Goa of yesteryears, put out regularly by him on Goanet. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work
[Goanet News Bytes]Goanet Reader -- Mandos... from south of the Zuari
of prominent publications, including the Times of India. Of Goan origin, her home is in the AVC belt of Salcete, and she is currently member of the editorial board of the Mumbai-based Catholic newsweekly 'The Examiner' http://www.examinerindia.com GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Goanet News Bytes]Goanet Reader: Tourism: bringing in the moolah, with racism and uncertainty thrown in
the beginning of the next season in mid-November. Most hotel and restaurant employees -- managers, chefs, cooks, waiters, etc. -- are hired at the beginning of the season in October, sacked after the peak December season, and a fresh lot hired for the lean months, who are then sacked as the off-season begins. What are all those people who will be left with hardly any or no business at all during the off-season, going to do? They try to make as much money as possible during the four months of the season, even if it means being racist and mercenary. In recent years it's becoming increasingly obvious that there has been too much of a dependency on the tourism industry. It is because of this dependency that the government and trade bodies are making huge efforts to stimulate the growth of this vital (to Goa) industry. Nobody however seems to have considered the possibility that the tourism industry might not be the best thing. It surely is fool-hardy to rely excessively only on the tourism industry to bring a livelihood to the people. Besides, tourism also has deleterious side-effects, like the racism and the general pimping which goes on everywhere (you can get anything on the beaches these days; all of Goa, with everything and everybody in it is for sale!). That it is hardly a steady business with steady profits and employment has also been proved beyond any doubt by events over the years. A couple of seasons ago, it was the 9/11 effect. Goa is lucky the recent oil spill was not huge and did not strike the beaches; otherwise it might have been a rather disastrous ending to yet another promising season. ### ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joseph Zuzarte is a long-time journalist, resettled in Goa from Bombay, and a regular commentator in the local media. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Goanet News Bytes]Goanet Reader -- Staging Goa; Glimpses of Theatre (Isabel de Santa Rita Vas)
, they declare that Where There's a Will There~Rs a Play. Why should anybody in Goa bother about the stage? Simple, because in its diversity and complexity, it performs Goa as nothing else can. (Goanet) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Isabel de Santa Rita Vas mentors students at the Dhempe College of Arts and Science at Miramar, Panjim, where her patience and spirit has impressed a large number of her students. GOANET READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the growing readership of Goanet and it's allied network of mailing lists. If you appreciate the above article, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. Goanet Reader too welcomes your feedback at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Goanet Reader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Goanet-news]GOANET-READER Piggy tales from yesterday's Goa (Domnic Fernandes)
rice with green chutney and a 'solavo' (dried fish strip) of either kite or shark fish fried in 'murmuro' and treated with 'khobreachea telacho' (tinge of coconut oil.) She would also carry bananas or mangoes for dessert. We would eat 'kharem mas' dish at around 12 noon and rice at around 2 p.m. For me, it was like a yearly 3-4 day picnic! I liked the food so much -- especially 'dukrachem kharem mas' -- that I would eagerly wait for another year to come to enjoy that food. Somehow, everything tasted differently on the beach. Well, those were the wonderful good old days! That's all for now from Dom's antique shelf! Moi-mogan. [The writer is known for his nostalgic recollections of the Goa of yesteryears, put out regularly by him on Goanet.] --- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Goanet, 1994-2004, building community and social capital for a decade. --- ## Goa's premier mailing list Goanet - http://www.goanet.org is 10 years old today
[Goanet-news]GoanetReader REVIEW -- Understanding Goa's soul (Lino Leitao)
of the noteworthy Goans of the past who discovered the Goan soul and awakened our collective consciousness to our mother-tongue and culture is Valaulikar Vaman Verde, well known by his pen-name of Goembab Shennoi. While I was reading about Goembab in the book, a thought flashed in my mind: why Konkani stalwarts of the stature of Uday Bhembre, Manoharray Sar Dessai, Chandrakant Keni and others do not endeavour to bring out a commemorative postal stamp of Goembab? Maria Couto's prose doesn't cascade with fury of a waterfall. It has a flow of a serene river, and as you tarry to contemplate on her reflections that she deducts from her readings of the contributors to Goan identity, I clearly understood the strength of the Goan soul. Despite all the inquisitorial barbarities inflicted on her soul, Goan soul endures. The Goan soul is secular, indivisible and wholesome. Rene Barreto has awaken Goan consciousness in the diaspora by giving us World Goa Day to celebrate; and on this occasion, we hear Basilio Magno's song, 'Proud to be a Goan', sung like an anthem. Goans in diaspora and Goa, if they want to understand the resilience of the Goan soul, should read 'Goa: a daughter's story'. It's not only a good read, it's a work of love and a discovery of the Goan soul. -- [The writer is the author of The Gift of the Holy Cross.] --- GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share quality Goa-related writing among the 7000-strong readership of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader is edited by Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Goanet, 1994-2004, building community for a decade. --- ## Goa's premier mailing list Goanet - http://www.goanet.org is 10 years old today
