A few years back to
mark his 250th birthday, Portugal released a special Postal Stamp of
Abade Faria (as seen below), the great and world renowned Goan hypnotist from Candolim, Pintos
Vaddo, Bardez, Goa. In his honour as per
my information France has erected a Statue of him there. The Portuguese
government in Goa also erected his Statue in Panjim and the same government named
the Primary School in Candolim next to
his ancestral house after him as “Escola Primaria de Abade Faria” where I did
my Portuguese schooling. This school is
still existing and functioning.
Postal Stamp of Abe Faria
His ancestral house was
a big mansion with big concrete pillars and very thick walls of big Stones
which were not cement plastered. It
looked this house was built by the Paulists.
Surrounding this house there were different types of fruit bearing trees
which we as students used to pluck and eat since 50 years back it was left
unattended by any human being. Only Bats
and Snakes were frequenting the area. Though we as small boys ignorant of the
grandeur of the great man born in that house yet by observing minutely the
magesticity of this house we could still realize that this house belonged to
some great person and as we later on realized that this great person was none
other than the great Abe Faria the pride of Candolim and Goa.
Renovated house of Abe Faria
In sixties this
ancestral house was taken over by the government (Provedoria) and converted it into
an Orphanage for girls. But
currently, there are no girls there but instead it houses young poor and orphan
boys. This house where the world
renowned Goan was born is renovated and given a new looks as seen in the
picture above. At the entrance fixed to the
wall are two Plaques as shown in the photos below.
Inside in the Parlour you will find a Bust of Faria placed on the big
table as also shown here in the photo below.
Plaque 1.
Plaque 2.
Calangute Panchayat carry an unique distinction
of erecting the Statue of great Goan Dr. Jack Sequeira who though was not an
internationally known personality like Abade Faria yet Dr. Sequeira was duly
honoured by the Calangute Panchayat for his support for the Goan cause by
erecting his full size Statue. Likewise
can’t the Candolim Panchayat erect the full size Statue of Abade Faria at a
strategic location in Candolim to honour this great son of the Candolim soil?
Surely Candolim
Panchayat can do and it must do it now without any delay. Money should not be a hindrance. First of all
it is an honour for Candolim to give birth to such a mighty globally recognized
personality. Hence, it is imperative to
honour this man by erecting his Statue in Candolim.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim,
Goa.
