DEVCHAR (Evil Spirit) and the VOIJINN MAIM - Part III! Once the voijinn maim arrived at a family's house, she asked for the location of a fatorn (granite stone), and for a glass or small container with water. She then sat at the fatorn and "vokot zorovnk suru kortali" (would begin medicine rubbing process). While she rubbed those roots and pieces of bones, etc., on the fatorn, she kept on murmuring some kind of mantra - as if calling God and the departed souls to join in her mission! When she was through rubbing all the roots and pieces of bones that were taken out from the bag, she collected the ground "lep" (application) from the fatorn into a glass/container with the help of an owl's feather and then called each one of the family members for treatment separately.
The voijinn maim always carried a sinsli (small glass bottle) which contained "alment." As mentioned earlier, she also always wore a rosary and scapular around her neck. The first thing she asked the person was to make a sign of the cross followed by "Soth Mandtam" (I Believe Creed). She then took some holy water in her palm, threw it on the person and said: "Alment tum mojem boll, nasanv-dusman pov" (Holy water you are my strength; enemies- spirits go away!) Next, she took "taot bhor" (palm full) "vokot," threw it thrice forcibly on the face of the person and simultaneously said: "Soitana, koddsor tache kuddintlo - koddsor, koddsor!" (Devil; move away from his/her body - move away; move away!) She then threw the remaining "vokot" on the rest of body. She also made the person drink some of the "vokot" - it smelt s..tty but there was no choice; one had to drink it or else the whole process would be futile. For better effect of "vokot," the person at the receiving end had to remove all his/her clothes and stand naked in front of the voijinn maim. At the end of treatment, the voijinn maim went home happily with good tips which she secured to the end of her pallov, a kals of kopachem - only with selected people - and a few fruits - mangoes, papayas, etc., which were handed in to her wrapped to a piece of cloth. Although Morgorit voijinn maim knew very well the herbal medicine to get rid of a fetus in the womb, she never helped anyone with abortion. When approached, she would tell the girl/woman: "Send for me when you are about to deliver the child and I will do it for you free of charge". So, you see, unlike today's doctors who murder babies every day out of greed for money, the voijinn maim knew the value of a human being because she brought them to life. She had a set of principles which she never compromised for a few anas; no wonder she lived a happy life! However, there was a Hindu lady at Ximer who was a "kajkarn" (a lady who harvests cashew crop on a hill - she harvested Arpora hill) and who carried out abortions in those days with the help of fresh herbal roots. A woman who worked alone on a hill had to be bold and courageous, which is what she was. The voijinn maim who was aware of the woman's activities disliked her and had this to say: "Tichea ghora bonvtonnem devcharanchem bhirem astelem". (Her house must be surrounded by a swarm of evil spirits)! As mentioned throughout the article, Morgorit was a bold woman for good reasons. That reminds me of an incident which took place when I was about 7- year-old child. My mother was pregnant. Our pig had grown in size and it was ready for sale. One of the pig butchers, Pascoal Fernandes, from St. Sebastian ward came to our place, had a look at the pig, fixed the price and gave us "chear anne sinal" (an advance of four annas). Usually, once the deal is cut, they collect the pig within a couple of days or at the most within a week, but this guy didn't show up for over a month. We kept sending him messages but still he didn't come. Finally, my mother sold the pig to another guy from Calangute. Obviously, we got a better deal because the pig had put on more weight by then. Pascoal showed up after six weeks, lost his temper with my mother, fired bad words and swore thus: "Tum bhorlelea pottar astannam mathear hath dovrun vochom!" (May you die in pregnant state with your hands on the head!) My mother immediately sent for Morgorit voijinn maim and told her what had happened. Morgorit contacted three elderly men from the ward and they immediately left for Pascoal's residence in St. Sebastian ward. Morgorit pulled Pascoal out of his house in the presence of his family and made him apologize to her on behalf of my mother. Every one of the family members kept quiet because Morgorit had delivered all of Pascoal's children; hence, the family had great respect for her and agreed what the man had said was wrong. Do we get to see such daring acts today, especially by a woman? On the contrary, they will throw stones on you!!! As mentioned earlier, every village had a voijinn but the one in Calangute was very famous all over Bardez; many people from the adjoining villages visited her on Sundays for "vokot marunk". When I was thirteen years old, I visited her on my bicycle along with two girls from my ward who were in their early twenties - Ansu (Anastasia) and the late Mrs. Brigid, Morgorit voijinn's daughter. The Calangute voijinn was very active and probably in her late sixties. In the 1950's, there were very few houses in Calangute; most people lived in huts. The voijinn maim also lived in a hut. The room to the left of "konddeachem dar" (a door made from bamboo frame and coconut leaves) was the main living room behind which the kitchen was located, and the room to the right of the door was a special room in which the voijinn maim conducted "vokot marop" activity. The kit containing "zorovpacheo vostu" (things to be rubbed) was similar to our voijinn maim's and even the contents - roots, bones, etc., were similar. She also wore a rosary and a scapular with arluko in it around her neck. The only difference between our voijinn maim and Calangute's was that the latter asked questions while she rubbed the roots, bones, etc., on the fatorn, looked at the person and told him/her what had happened. Here is what she asked me: Q: Tum ganvan khuimcho? (Where are you from?) A: Hanv ganvan Anjuncho. (I am from Anjuna.) Q: Tujem ghor khuim poddta? (Where is your house located?) A: Mojem ghor San Joaochea kopela samkar poddta. (My house is located opposite St. John's Chapel.) Q: Tujea ghora lagim kitle roste asat? (How many roads are there close to your house?) A: Mojea ghora lagim tin roste asat. (There are three roads close to my house.) Q: Hmm! Tum sangonk sodtai ki thuimsor ek tikttem vo tiskem asam? (Hmm; are you trying to tell me you have a "tiskem" [connection of three roads] there?) A: Hoi. (Yes.) Q: Tumchea ghorant kitlim zannam jietat? (How many people live in your house?) A: Mojea ghorant tegam zannam jietat. (Three persons live in my house.) Q: Tim tegam zannam konn? (Who are those three people?) A: Moji maim, moji bhoinn ani hanv. (My mother, my sister and I.) Q: Tuka pai nam? (Don't you have a father?) A: Asa; to Kuwait kam korta. (I do; he works in Kuwait.) Q: Tumchea ghora lagim vhoddlim zaddam asat rè, zoxe porim vodd, pimpoll, adi? (Are there any big trees close to your house like banyan tree, pipal tree, etc.?) A: Hoi, amchea ghora thavn sumar tis metrank denvter ek voddachem zadd asa. (Yes, there is a banyan tree by the slope about 30 meters away from my house.) Q: Tum ratcho ghora uxir portota rè? Hoi zalear, kiteak? (Do you return home late at night? If so, why?) A: Thodde pavtti hanv sezareamger voitam tednam mhaka ghora portonk uxir zata punn hanv att horamcher ghora portotanch. (I sometimes return home late whenever I visit our neighbors but I am home by 8:00 p.m.) Q: Pattlea disanim tum kednam ghora uxir portololo? (When was the last time you returned home late?) A: Sumar dha dis adim. (About 10 days ago.) Q: Tum ekdom mosto bhurgo murè! Hanv sangtam tem soth vo fott? (You are a very mischievous boy. Am I right?) A: Hoi, voijinn maim. (Yes, voijinn maim.) Q: Tuka atam kitem zata? (What's happening to you now?) A: Hanv poilo bhienaslom punn hea disanim mhaka irlixi bhirant koxi dista. (I was not scared before but these days I feel a little scared.) Voijinn: "Borem asa; tum atam bos." (Good; you sit down now.) All that while I was kneeling in front of her on a "xendri" (mat) which was placed on a sandy ground and obediently answering her questions. She then began murmuring her mantra and "fatrir vokot zorovnk suru kelem" (began the process of rubbing medicine on the granite stone). As she kept on rubbing the roots and bones on the fatorn, she kept looking at me and telling the two girls about me: "Zannaim mungo baie, hea tumchea babachem ghor ekdom perig zagear asa. Je suater voddachem zadd ani rosteachem tikxem asa thuimsor sodanch azneri ghoddtat karann he zage eka vhodd rakonnddarachea tabean astat ani to rakonnddar tea voddachea zaddar aplem ravnnem korun asta. Ratcho kallok zatanch to voddar thavn sokol denvta ani tumchea vaddeachi rakonn korunk bhair sorta. Dha dis adim, Sukraradis, jednam bab ghora portotalo, teach vellar rakonnddar aple bonvddek vochonk bhair sorlolo; dogaincho vell ek zavn passar zatannam rakonddaracho dopko matso babak laglo, nettan nhoi punn halko. Nettan dopko boslolo zalear to babachea angan ghustolo aslo. Bhienakat, hem vokot marlea uprant thoddixi bhirant ji tachea kallzan riglea ti bhair poddteli ani bab adlech baxen kalljidar zatolo. (You know girls, this boy's house is located at a very dangerous place. Wherever there is a banyan tree and three roads meet in the form of a "tixem" or "T", always strange incidents take place because these places come under the custody of the guardian of the place who dwells on that banyan tree. As soon as darkness falls, he climbs down the tree and sets on a journey to guard your ward. Ten days ago, on a Friday, when this boy was returning home, exactly at the same time the "vaddekar" (ward watchman) also happened to leave on his tour to the ward; thus, both of them crossed each other and the 'watchman' brushed the boy slightly, not forcibly. Had he dashed him forcibly, he would have entered his body. Don't worry, once I splash this medicine on him, the little fear that has remained in him will be driven out and he will return to normal and continue to be a bold boy.) I immediately recalled my strange behavior that night, ten days ago, which I explained in Part I of the article. She requested the two girls to go out and then asked me to remove my clothes, which I did. She then forcibly threw the vokot at my face thrice while simultaneously saying: "Soitana, koddsor hea bhurgeache kuddintlo - koddsor, koddsor!" She gave me some of the "vokot" to drink which smelt like s..t but I had no choice but to drink it. If a person behaved weirdly, people would ask him: "Tujer devchar bosla kitem rè?" (Are you possessed by the devil?) Here I remember one of the persons in Gaumvaddy, the late Vosont (Vasanta) Porobo, who very often was possessed by supernatural power. The Hindus call it "bhar ievop". Once he was possessed, he would speak in the name of the person who had gotten into him; sometimes it was a woman's voice! There was no immediate cure except to wait for the person to become sober and return to normal which sometimes took more than an hour. The man would be so exhausted yelling that his mouth would be covered with froth! And, no; the voijinn maim was never called to treat the guy. There was a person in Gaumvaddy, Anjuna, who hailed from Chinchinim, Salcette. He had been through all sorts of evil-spirit-connected incidents. When he had had one extra cup of kopachem and if anyone said anything to him, he would challenge and say: "Tumi mak benkddaitaii? Hanv keso bivpa nam; hanv devchram pai!" (Are you trying to scare me? I won't get scared however hard you tried; I am devil's father! Everyone knows that many Goenkars are settled in Bombaim. They are scattered all over Bomboi but in those days they were mainly settled in Dhobitalao which came to be known as a 'Mini Goa!' Wherever Goans go, they carry with them their culture and traditions and this is exactly what Goans did in Bomboi - they carried with them the Goan "voijinnponn" and the process of "vokot marop/dixtt kaddop" and continued the activity there. I don't think there is any Goan in Bombay who does not know the residence of "Voktam Maim" (Mother of Medicines,) the late Mrs. Carlotina Simoes, wife of the late Mr. Diniz Simoes (from Candolim Tintto), who provided "vokot marop" and "dixtt kaddop" service in Byculla - Victoria Garden. Goans always made fun of the word "Byculla" and said: "Ar're baiko la" - 'baiko' is the Marathi word for wife - (Hey! Bring your wife!) Carlotina passed away in 1986. Her eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Etelvin Simoes, wife of Mr. Alick Simoes, practiced the trade in Candolim, Coa. Her second daughter-in-law, Mrs. Mary Simoes, wife of Mr. Andrew Simoes, continues with her mother-in-law's profession in Byculla, the main center in Bombaim. The third daughter-in-law, Mrs. Bebina Simoes, wife of Mr. Jerome Simoes, still practices in Ghatkopar but on call basis only - she goes to the caller's house and provides the service. The fourth daughter-in-law, Mrs. Luizinha Simoes, wife of Mr. Thomas Simoes, used to practice the trade in Vasco, Goa. Carlotina's daughter, Ms. Philomena Simoes, also practiced her mother's profession in Andheri. I am told even in Kuwait there was a woman who carried out the practice of "vokot marop". She used to sit under an imaginary "voddachem zadd", which actually was an ordinary tree, and carry out the activities discreetly. In the 1950's and 1960's there was a Goan guy in Kuwait who hailed from Siolim and was known to all as "Sant Anton" because he, too, removed "dixtt" in the name of St. Anthony. In the past, each village had several huge "voddachim zaddam" (banyan trees) and most of the "azneri" took place at or around a banyan tree. As mentioned earlier, it was believed that the evil spirit in charge of a place resided on such trees. Sometime in the mid 1950's one of the Hindu boys from the Kambli family in Gumalvaddo in Anjuna went missing overnight. People looked for him everywhere, including water wells but there was no trace of the boy. Next morning, people went about doing their daily duties. By chance, one of the passers by noticed the boy sitting high up on the voddachem zadd next to "Bomboikaranchem kopel" (Mumbaikars' chapel) which is located at the beginning of the road leading to Ozran beach; this banyan tree was very famous for "azneri." The boy sat quietly on a cross branch in the middle of the tree. His eyes were open but he could neither speak nor move. The word went around and his parents and relatives arrived on the site. People did not want to take chances. So, they climbed up the tree and secured the boy with a rope around his body (just as we secure a jackfruit) and lowered him to the ground. The boy came to his senses after water was splashed on his face but did not know what had happened and how he got there. The only thing he remembered was that he had an argument with a passer by and fired bad words at him, which may have resulted in punishment of the boy by placing him on the banyan tree. Of course, they did not take him to a doctor but brought him straight away to Morgorit voijinn maim who splashed "vokot" and removed the fear from his body and the boy was normal within a couple of days. He was then taken to Calangute voijinn maim who was considered one-step higher than our voijinn maim. Most banyan trees have been felled down and with that all those "azneri" have also disappeared. They say the disappearance of evil spirits had a lot to do with the introduction of electricity, which they could not stand! When a Christian's dead body was taken to cemetery for burial, a person always followed the end of funeral procession with a "panttlo" on his head containing fenni bottles. In South Anjuna, while everyone proceeded to the church/cemetery, the person waited under the "vodddachem zadd" next to the present staircase leading to the "Milagrincho Khuris" (Miraculous Cross). Once the dead person was buried, everyone headed home but stopped at the "voddachem zadd" to have a drink and collect their liquor bottle quota - two bottles for each "confre". Every one of the drinkers threw out a little drink from "kott'ttechem-kop" (coconut shell-cup) and that was meant for the soul of the dead and the evil spirits of the place. Till today, most drinkers in Goa, first dip the middle finger in a cup/glass of drink and sprinkle it out and only then have a sip of the drink. Some simply pour out a little drink from a cup/glass; some throw out the entire contents of the first kals. This again is meant for the souls of the dead and the evil spirits. This proves that Goans still believe in evil spirits! The chicken was once considered a sacred bird. As such, the Hindus in Goa used and still use it as a sacrificial bird. A "bokddo" (he-goat) is also used as a sacrificial animal. In the 50s and 60s and even later on, whenever the laying of a house foundation or digging of a water-well took place, the mason/contractor asked his client to buy a rooster or a "bokddo", depending on the size of the project, so he could sacrifice it on the proposed site. The mason/contractor would murmur a short prayer, slaughter the rooster/goat and spill its blood on the site, which would please the evil spirits of the place. He never touched/dug the site until blood was spilled on it. The Christian Kunnbis who usually dug foundations and wells also believed in sacrificial offering on the site - keep in mind Goans were basically Hindus. Sometimes a stubborn client refused to buy/give sacrificial bird/lamb and forced them to start the project without performing the sacrificial rite. Having no other alternative they would start the project but not without warning the client that he/she would have to suffer the consequences. Surprisingly, for some reason or the other the project would land in trouble - either the well would collapse or the house walls would give way. At this stage, the mason/contractor would remind the client of the sacrifice and convince him/her to buy the offering. Once blood was spilled on the site, the project would go on smoothly. The mason/contractor then prepared "xakuti" of the slaughtered bird/animal in a "thop" (copper utensil) on the spot. When it was ready, he shared it with all of his workers and his client and his/her family. I never came across any Christian masons in Anjuna; all the masons I have known were Hindus. My maternal grandfather, Manuel Fernandes, who hailed from Koleachem Bhatt in Benaulim, was a mason. I did not see him but I found a ground leveling unit in his house which my mother told me belonged to him. Besides Hindus offering sacrificial birds/animals at religious ceremonies, as is evident from the above, Goans also used birds/animals as sacrificial offerings at construction sites, which obviously gave rise to home poultry and goat sale business. This business flourished further with the increase of sorcerers about which I shall talk now. Around the same time, when a voijinn was famous in villages, many centers housing "ghaddi-mama" (sorcerers) and "sadu" (ascetic person) sprang up all over Goa and "ghaddiaponn" (the act of sorcery) began to boom like anything. The symptoms associated with "jadu korop" (art of working a charm) were "tokli ani hath-paem foddop" (headache and ache of arms and legs). There was a famous ghaddi-mama in a Center in "Munngan" a little ahead of the 4-road crossing on way from Anjuna to Siolim - the left road leads to Badem; the right leads to Assagao. The guy always had people queued up in the balcony of his house. Surprisingly, many of his customers were Christians and most of them were Gulfees' wives/relatives. Nowadays, one hires a ruffian or a sharp shooter, pays him a price and gets rid of his/her enemy. In those days, if anyone had enmity, he/she went to a "ghaddi-mama" who prepared a "jadu-montor" on rice or fruits or vermillion, gave it to his/her client and asked him/her to feed it to his/her enemy after which the person fell sick and rarely got cured from the illness, and the common belief and immediate conclusion was: "Taka konnem tori jadu kela" (somebody must have worked charm on him). Many times, a "ghaddi" filled his "jadu" in a lime and asked his client to throw it in his/her enemy's compound. This was a simple jadu to teach a lesson to the enemy to keep away from his client. But if a "ghaddi/sadu" prepared a lime or "lugttachi bavli" (a doll made of cloth) and fixed/pricked pins all around it and asked his client to have it buried in a corner of his/her enemy's house, that meant slow torture followed by death! He would ask his client to try and bury the lime in enemy's compound/house which he/she did with the help of family members or friends. Whenever a person died a sudden death, people would comment: "Kitem zalem kainch somzonk nam. Thoddech dis adim flan munis bolaiqen okondd aslo punn donuch sumananim pigllon gelo ani aiz sonvsarantlo nattak zalo; jerul taka konnem tori jadu kelolo astolo." (Nobody knows what exactly happened to him. A few days ago the person was seen in excellent health but within two weeks he lost weight like anything and today he is no more; surely somebody had worked "jadu" on him). Thus, people began to trust the sorcery so much that many got looted and became poorer and the "ghaddi-mama" and "sadu" went on becoming richer. Every visit to a "ghaddi-mama" or "sadu" resulted in an offering of a "kombo" or "bokddo" which of course was good news to poultry and goat owners. The coconut seller also made good business, as it was a must to carry a coconut when one visited a sorcerer. By the end of the 1950's and beginning of the 1960's, too many people, especially Gulfees' wives, began to frequent ghaddi-mama's and Sadu-mama's premises. Slowly, people began to drift away from the church and "devache munniari" (priests) repeatedly pleaded parishioners to refrain from getting indulged in such practices which were not compatible with the church, but the people had their own opinion. As usual, tiatrists, too, got involved, composed songs and pleaded Goans to pray and seek God's help instead of visiting the sorcerers. Here is one such Konkani song "HANV GHADDIAGER PAVLOM" by Peter V. Fernandes, one of the Konkani singers who have given us dozens of riti- dekhichim kantaram. The song more or less explains the process of sorcery as prevalent then: "HANV GHADDIAGER PAVLOM" by Peter V. Fernandes Bixeannear foddfoddtalom jiv moronk pavlo Mozo eok amig ghora lagim pollovnk mhaka ailo Hanv sogllem sangosor ho Kristanv amig mozo boson ravlo Mhunno laglo tea tujea duensacho sumar kovlo Kristanv amigan voron mhaka bosoilo ghaddieager Ghaddiean sanglem konnxeak limbo purla mhunn tumger Kaddcho poddoto mhunno laglo Sonvaradis modianicher Poilo vochon tambieo bhor udok sodd mhuttlem doriacher Sangta titlem kelem punn borem dislem nam re kaim Magir pottan dukonk laglem ani foddunk laglet paim Jevnnanchi ruch moji vochon, cholonk zainam zalem moje thaim Uprant eka Saduager ghevn geli Bosteaochi maim Tannem narl ani tantieam moje tokler bonvddailim Lensak bandun sath follam moje lagim dilim Uprant limbe ani bavlim tantuntlim bhair kaddlim Painxim rupia dhi mhuttlem aikon duensam vaddlim Ghaddieager bonvon torui hanv bixeannear moro Xekim mojea Konknnea amiga vorvim zalom boro To Konknno mhunno laglo boro zatoloi punn bhavart dhor khoro Perpet Sucor Saibinn Maichea novenank mhaka voro Ghaddieaponn mandtalo amig to zavn aslo Kristanv Punn Konknno amig mandtalo Saibinninchem devosanv Konknne mandtat tor ami Kristanv kiteak bhavart dhorinanv Ghaddieaponn soddun Perpet Sucor Saibinninchem gheviea nanv For the benefit of those who cannot read and understand Konkani, the gist of the song is as follows: When one went to a "ghaddi-mama", he would tell him/her that somebody had worked jadu on him/her and that a lime was buried in a corner of his/her house. He then set a "Sonvarachi modian" (Saturday midnight) to remove that lime from the place but before that he would ask the person to fill a "tambio" (brass water pot), visit a seashore and pour its contents in the ocean. Despite following the above instructions there would be no cure in sight; instead, the aches would keep on increasing and gradually one also lost the appetite thus making the person totally weak and even unable to walk. Friends/relatives then took the ailing person to a Sadu who had his own way of going about treating people. He would hold eggs and coconut in his hands and make an "unvalli" around the person's head. He then placed seven fruits in a handkerchief, uttered some magic words and brought out limes and dolls from the handkerchief, a convincing trick that was! Finally, since there was no improvement in sight, a Hindu friend of the Catholic ailing person, who had great faith in our Lady of Perpetual Succor, told the ailing person he would be alright provided he had faith and began taking him to Our Lady of Perpetual Succor's novenas, and he was cured of his illnesses. The last chorus of the song goes thus: The friend who believed in sorcery was a Catholic but the Hindu friend believed in our Lady. If Hindus believe, why don't we Christians have faith? He lastly suggests to everyone to give up sorcery and to take the name of our Lady of Perpetual Succor instead. Here is a funny side of the "jadu" - another true story that took place in Gaumvaddy. We had a lady, Mrs. Carmelina Fernandes, colloquially known as "Carmulem." She was the stingiest person in the whole ward. Although her son was in Bahrain (he is still there), she would starve for food, why - because she was obsessed with savings! She is the same woman whose daughter-in- law put her on biscuit-diet when she was hit by a motorcycle and was on "anturnar" (in bed) with a fractured leg. Why did her daughter-in-law put her on a biscuit diet? It was to avoid cleaning her loose motions! Anyway, one of her relatives, Peter Fernandes, known to all as "Pitco" (he works in Bahrain), one day planned to teach a good lesson to Carmulem who hailed from Tuem in Pernem Taluka where Christians are inclined towards Hinduism so much so that they don't eat beef because a cow is a sacred animal to Hindus, but everyone there, including Hindus, eat pork. This is yet another proof that although Goans became Christians, they basically remained Hindus by culture. One fine day, Pitco came across one of those guys who went around houses with "ghantta-boil" (an ox from the Ghats) begging and collecting money for a deity. Pitco tutored the guy and took him to Carmulem - this was prior to the accident when she was in good health, but she was not in too good health; she always complained of "toklechi ani hath-paemchi foddafodd" (headache and ache of arms and legs). Pitco took the ghantti to Carmulem and told her the man was an expert in finding out the cause of sickness and that he could cure her. He told her the man had cured a couple of people in Anjuna quite recently. As instructed, the guy asked Carmulem several questions and he also told her the name of the neighbor with whom she was not in good terms; she was more than convinced. He told her he could relieve her from all the pains and agony and put her back on good health track but that would cost her at least Rs.500 in cash plus a couple of offerings - one "kombo" (rooster) and one "bokddo" (he- goat) all of which she had - remember Pitco had tutored him. She was so convinced with the man's prediction that she immediately agreed to everything he said. She went inside, brought the money and the rooster which was still under the "panz" (basket like cage with holes about it) and handed it in to the person. She then asked Pitco to go and get the bokddo from "bokddeanchi khomp" (goat stable). Pitco walked away with the man, gave him Rs.100 and kept the balance amount as well as the offerings to himself. Thus, where nobody had succeeded to extract 4 annas from the woman, Pitco succeeded in not only extracting Rs.500 from her but he also made money by selling the kombo and bokddo. If this was the result of a single visit, imagine how many families then got robbed by the so called "ghaddi-mama" and "sadus". Pitco was one of the most mischievous boys in Gaumvaddy in the 1970's and 1980's, but the man has totally changed now and become a very good person! Whenever somebody tried to cheat a person he/she would remark: "Toslim fitisponnam mojea lagim korinaka!" (Don't try to apply that magic art on me!) While the voijinn maim carried out her work with the help of God, a "ghaddi- mama" believed in evil spirits and depended on the devil. Thus, it was a sort of tug-of-war between the two parties - the voijinn maim tried to drive the evil away and the "ghaddi-mama" tried to install one in a person's body! Morgorit voijinn maim came from a poor family but she was rich at heart. She did her best and helped people, and the people in turn helped her as best as they could. Many times, patients did not have money to pay for her service; she gladly excused them. The society held her in high esteem. Wherever she went, people respected and saluted her. The fisherwomen at the tintto moved away from their "nisteacho panttlo" (fish basket) and asked voijinn maim to help herself with the fish; they didn't charge her for the fish but Morgorit always put some money in their hands. They were all grateful to her because she helped them give birth to all their children at home. Similarly, wherever she went, she was offered the front seat. Great woman she was! They say becoming a doctor is not enough; he/she should have "hath-gunn" (power to produce effects) and the voijinn maim possessed it, which is why she was always in high demand. It is also believed that children inherit parents' qualities. None of Morgorit voijinn's seven children carried on their mother's profession. However, her third son, Francis Jose Rosa Fernandes aka Frank Rose, followed medicinal path. He first worked with Cosme Matias Menezes in Panaji as a Pharmacist and then joined the Asilo Hospital in Mapusa where he worked and retired as a Pharmacist. He still serves the Anjunkars by prescribing medicines and helping them with injections; hence, people call him Dotor Francis. Now Margarita's grandson, Caraciolo Nazareth Fernandes, known to all as Dr. Nazareth, has become a doctor and is employed in Goa Medical College as Emergency & Trauma In-Charge. Patients from Anjuna and neighboring villages come to consult him at home when he is off duty. After a long time, we now have a resident doctor in Anjuna! Morgorit voijinn maim originally hailed from Calafura (Santa Cruz); she was married in Gaumvaddy, Anjuna. She died of a massive heart attack. She was 71 years old - Born: 08/09/1900; died: 21/07/1971. We have not had a voijinn maim in Anjuna since she passed away. She will always be remembered as a savior of the masses in Anjuna. That's all for now from Dom's antique shelf! KOBAR (The End) Moi-mogan, Domnic Fernandes Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list Goanet@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org