ON TAJ HOTEL & MUMBAI TERRORISM.

ON TAJ HOTEL & MUMBAI TERRORISM


As per the historical information, over a century back when the founder of Tata Busines Empire went to London and tried to check in one of the posh hotels there, he was refused entry because he was an Indian and not a white skinned man. In Britain some die-hard British were still believing in and practicing apartheid if not officially then at least in a disguise manner. When Tata asked the real reason for this negative answer, the Hotel management said Indians are not fit to stay in such a luxurious hotel. In an ensuing heated argument, Tata banged his hand on the Counter Table and demanded from the hotel management to quote him then and there the price of that hotel to purchase it outright. Annoyed by Tata’s demand and financial might, the hotel management to humiliate Tata in particular and Indians and blacks in general, put a board at the entrance of their hotel saying “Indians and Dogs Are Not Allowed”

Humiliated by this insult, Tata after returning to India, decided to retaliate and towards this direction constructed a beautiful and most luxurious Hotel in Bombay and named it as Taj Mahal. Then exactly in a retaliatory manner put a big name plate at the entrance of his new hotel saying “Dogs and British are Not Allowed”. The colonialists British irked by this move by the owner of Bombay Taj tried to bring pressure on Tata to change his attitude even approaching Nehru to impress upon Tata to change his mind but Tata remained firm even by suffering heavy losses due to the absence of British and Western clientele.

Bombay Taj was like a home for many of the Goan employees whom Taj management had unique affection for their dedication to hard work faithfully and diligently. Many of the high and low grade employees of Bombay Taj since its inception were Goans and it was they who put a strong base to Bombay Taj a century back. Best of the Goan musicians who played beautiful music were engaged by the Taj. Chef Mascharenhas from Anjuna and Pastry Chef Pasku from Sangolda were the two pillars of Taj and they both worked for a longer period there inspite of attaining the retirement age. It is these two finest Chefs who helped Taj to attain the highest standard that finally made Taj what it was. As a matter of fact, Chef Mascharenhas was never retired, instead he was retained till his last days not only as an employee with all the facilities but kept as a guest of Taj. Both these two stalwarts were not graduates of any Cateering College but they were graduates of the cooking skills they inherited from their parents. They were the real geniuses in their professions and both good hearted persons having lot of compassion befitting the tradition of Tatas.

The love for Goans by the Tatas can be well described in the following paragraph:

Sinquerim Taj in the jurisdiction of Candolim Panchayat was the first 5 Star Hotel of Goa. When it was made operational in early seventies, Sinquerimg Taj management contrary to the assurances given to the locals and Goans for preferential treatment in the matter of employment, gave preference for outsiders. I as a young revolutionary of my locality and still reading for Post Graduation at Panaji, and along with my colleague, during his maiden visit to Goa to step his foot on his Goa Taj, stopped JRD Tata’s Mercedes at Sinquerimg and disclosed to him how Goans were denied jobs in his newly opened Sinquerim Taj by his unGoan and anti-local management. Knowing this, JRD Tata the Chairman of Taj Hotels Co. was infuriated and shocked to know that Goans were denied jobs and immediately on the same night called an emergency meeting of his top personnel and set the things right for Goans in employment. And as a mark of protest against his lop sided management, abruptly left for Bombay instead of spending his holiday in Goa for a few days. This was the love and affection Taj shown to Goans. In appreciation of my boldness to fight for justice for the locals, I was offered a good job at Taj Sinquerim but I politely turned down this offer.

During those days, employing at Taj means a great honour. Many of my friends were engaged at Taj and I always used to make a point to go and meet them during their working hours. In this way, I was familiar with Taj not only with its delicious food but also many of its staff. According to information available at least 3 Goan employees of Taj were killed by the bullets of the terrorists in the current hijacking of Taj Hotel Mumbai. All of them were Christians. Besides them there must have been some more Christians who laid down their precious lives in this war on terror and still more must have been involved in one way or the other in helping to overcome the current trauma faced in Mumbai. I am proud of their sacrifices and efforts they put in for the sake of Mumbai and India. Once again they proved to everyone that for the sake of India they are ready to do supreme sacrifices. Those Indians who were killing Christians and doubting their patriotism should know that Christians are also as great patriots of India as any other greatest patriot.

By the way, when this war was going on against terrorists, I was surprised to see total silence from Thackerys and their Shiv Senas. Where have the Siv Sainiks gone during this crisis in Mumbai? Why the Thackarys and their armies of Sainiks could not come out openly and face the bullets of the terrorists? Why could they not challenge the brute might of the Pakistani Muslim terrorists? They know to challenge only the Indian Muslims, like cowards. It is the North Indians, South Indians and Christians who faced the bullets of the terrorists and became martyrs for the sake of India. Where are the fanatic Hindus who were telling Christians that they are an-tiindians? The patriotism of Shiv Senas and their Sainiks and that of those who were killing Christians proved to be nothing but bogus patriotism.

With this terrorist attack, will such incidents come to an end? Never! As long as our political administration is in the hands of politicians with dubious character nothing will change in India for the good of the people. I will not be surprised to know at a later date that the recent terrorists who came from Pakistan were supported by some of our own politicians who do not care for India and Indians. The security of India will always remain vulnerable as long as crook politicians are at the helm of affairs. The biggest anti-nationals are some of the Indian politicians. What a shame it is for the Indian political system to allow politicians who were earlier convicted for crimes, anti-social activities and other illegal activities such as killings, smuggling, looting and robbing to contest the elections? How can these rogues give upright and judicious governance? Unless there is a change in this system thru constitutional amendment, if required, India will be ruled by rascals only who will remain hand in gloves with the terrorists.

Blaming Pakistan for these terrorist acts is not enough. Even though we have diplomatic relations with Pakistan at governmental level but still innumerable common Pakistanis are not friends of India. These Pakistanis will always love to damage India and Indians. They have hurt feelings. They still remember the trauma Pakistanis and Muslims in the Indian sub-continent were made to suffer during the partition of India in 1947. The wound was healed but mark will never. They still remember the humiliation they suffered because India dismembered Pakistan and created Bangladesh from East Pakistan. Pakistani Muslims feel that their Muslim brothers and sisters in India are persecuted. Babri Masjid incident is very fresh in their minds. Gujarat torturing of Muslim under Modi is yet another incident that hurt the ego of Muslims. These and many more such incidents create hatred into the minds of many Pakistanis for India and Indians. The result of this hatred is what we saw in Mumbai where we nor those Hindu fanatics who harass Muslims could do nothing to prevent. Those who were responsible for demolishing Babri Masjid and harassing Indian Muslims were turned silent spectators and remained hidden under the petticoats of their wives when Pakistani terrorist attacked Mumbai where none of the Hindu Shiv Sainiks nor BJP’s prominent personnel was killed. On the contrary Goan Christians were killed when they were innocent in order to save Thackerys “amchi” Mumbai.

The Pakistani Muslim terrorists do not care for dying. They made total mockery of Indian intelligence system. They are brain washed to die in the name of their religion by their false religious gurus. Islam does not accept killing of innocent people. Homicide and suicide are not accepted, they are both against the will of God. But militants are made to believe that their religion accept these cruelties. By committing such anti religious acts my Muslim brothers are creating a bad image of their Muslim religion which is otherwise really a great and compassionate religion. Islam has its greatness and beauty. Those Muslims who are upright in their belief must in unison condemn such barbaric acts of terrorists and declare such acts of terrorism are the sinful acts and against Islam.

Meantime, Hindu fanatics must stop acting like dadas of India and stop harassing Indian Muslims and other minorities and also stop retaliating against Muslims though Indian Muslims are not always right. Indian Muslims feel insecure under the brute majority of fanatic Hindus where Hindu fanatics like Thackerys and BJP feel India belongs to Hindus only. However, in the process of defending Indian Mumbai from the hands of Pakistani terrorists, along with others, Indian Christians, Sikhs, Muslims and other minorities too fought bravely. It is proved now thru this process that Indian minorities are also great patriots.


A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.


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ON FIRST DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF MRS. FELIX MENDES.

According to Tiatrologists especially the elders with whom I came in contact very often, Anthony Mendes was considered as the best comedian of Konkani Stage, of all time. Those who have seen him acting on the Stage will surely admit this fact as I have admitted after watching him and comparing him with others of his time and those after him. When he died about 44 years back the Konkani world in general and Tiatro world in particular fell into total silence. All his three sons were young then doing their schooling, so too his two daughters. The onus for their upbringing naturally fell on Mrs. Anthony Mendes who with the help of God did her duty towards her five children excellently. With the exception of his yongest daughter, all the other four children of Anthony Mendes turned out to be excellent Tiatrists. If Chris Perry attained major success in his second Tiatro again with Lorna on the forefront, it was mainly because of all the Mendeses, namely Felix – Xavier – Derrrick & Theresa. Soon after the death of Anthony Mendes who was scripting his Tiatro and due to his sudden death left it unfinished, his three sons took the mantle of his late father and they themselves completed the unfinished Tiatro of their father and staged it in Bombay and all over Goa. In this Tiatro all the three youthful and baby faced sons of the late comedy wizard wearing black pants and bluish shirts rendered such a sorrowful trio on their beloved late father that many in audience moisted their eyes with tears while listening to this trio. As a young boy I was one of them too in th e audience. Some of the members of the audience were heard even murmuring thus “sarke paichech baxen tondan, chodd korun modlo ani daktto. Churchure poranche, burgeponniruch pai melo, Devan tankam voir kaddche”. No doubt, they enjoyed enormous sympathy for them because of their father yet I can rightly say that they have inherited lot of excellent qualities of their father and put these qualities into practice they have worked tremendously. It was due to their sterling hard work they reached to the top on Konkani Stage. When they left India for Kuwait they were darlings of the crowd. The vacuum they have created on Konkani Stage in Goa and Bombay has still remained unfilled and as a matter of fact it will never be filled.

As per the information available during those days, their mother was very instrumental in encouraging and supporting her sons in climbing the ladder of Tiatro though the late Anthony Mendes was heavily opposing his sons to enter the Konkani Stage. So much so, as per yet another source, he did not even want his sons to watch him acting nor watch any other Tiatro. For over a decade after the death of their beloved father, Mendes brothers ruled supremely over Konkani Stage. Their trio entry on the Stage would turn the packed Hall and “Mattou” into thunderous applause. This was the rare gift from God any Tiatrists could enjoy and Mendes brothers surely come into this rare gift. Tiatro business is like an industry now and it is a very much money making profession unlike w hat it was during those days, thirty years back. Money is the need of the hour for all and taking this need into consideration Mendes Brothers migrated to Kuwait one after the other in mid seventies, first came the younger Derrick somewhere in 1976 followed by him immediately the middle one Xavier and the eldest Felix who is respected by all in the family as a fatherly figure. They all brothers first time acted together on Kuwait Konkani Stage in 1977 at Keefan Hall where they captured the hearts of every attendee by their sheer stage genius.

When I formed in Kuwait “Novem Goem Pratishthan Kuwait Somiti” in 1978 to raise funds for the establishment of People’s Konkani Daily Newspaper “Novem Goem”, my rapport with Mendes Bros. enhanced tremendously because they as great lovers of Konkani, Goan culture, tradition and also as topmost Tiatrists in Kuwait having tremendous respect in Society, had great influence on Novem Goem move in a positive direction. Before the establishment of Novem Goem move, they all assured me in one of our meetings of their full support for the establishment of People's Konkani Daily. In view of this they all three brothers acted free of charge for two Tiatros we organized in Kuwait during that time to raise funds for Novem Goem. Their contribution f or the cause of Konkani will remain in the history of Kuwait Goans as excellent. I needed them for the promotion of our activities and Konkani Mae needed them to raise funds for Konkani Daily. They fulfilled their obligation towards Konkani which gave them so much of name and fame.

While they were actually and practically helping and cooperating with us, their wives namely of Felix “Pia Mendes” and that of Derrick were the great source of inspiration for them. Xavier was still a prized bachelor then. Purely on Goan tradition they were all staying together as a well knit homogenous family entity. Their family unity was worth admiring and emulating. My first contact with Felix wife the late Pia Mendes started during this period since I was regularly frequenting their place to discuss the issue of Tiatros for Novem Goem and since Mendes Bros. were playing a major role, my meeting with them at their place was imperative. Whenever I entered their house, along with her husband she used to welcome me with broad smile and purely in Goan tradition would offer me soft drink with sweets and other eatables and leave me and Mendes Bros. to discuss our topic without interfering in our discussion. This was yet another excellent attribute of pristine Goan tradition. As I know her she was very affectionate but a reserve woman. A soft spoken woman she would like to listen to my talk whenever it was possible. She always showed her love for Goa, Konkani and Tiatro. Her amicable approach to me as a guest always made me at ease with Mendes Bros and because of this attitude in her I managed to play my role for the betterment of Konkani and Tiatro along with Mendes Bros. She was the woman with superlative qualities first as a wife to Felix with total reverence to him and secondly as a caring loving mother to her children. With her majestic physical stature and attractive characteristics she made Mendes family more majestic and more attractive. In her death last year, Mendes Brothers lost one of the p illars of their family. May God give courage to Felix, his children, his brothers and sisters and everyone in their family to bear this colossal loss at an young age. I have no more words to express except to say “Thank You Pia” for always affording me nice treatment at your place like your own brother. May Her Soul Rest In Peace.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

PIA MATILDE MENDES
Born: 11 October 1952
Died: 01 December 2007

There will be a holy mass on Monday, 1st December 2008, 6.30 pm, at Holy Family Cathedral Church - Kuwait City for the soul of late PIA (PIEDADE) MATILDE MENDES, belowed wife of Felix Mendes, mother of Anthony, Melisa, Vanesa & Savio; Grand-Mother of KATLYN; Mother-in-law of Lizelle and Christopher. Sister - in - law of Xavier/Thresa Mendes, Derreck/Adeline Mendes, Thresa/David Fernandes and Emilia/Zachria Rodrigues.

The bereaved family requests all their relatives and friends to kindly accept this as the only intimation.

TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA"

TIATRO

ROSARY FERNS PRESENTS HIS NEW KONKANI TIATRO

"KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA"

On 16th January 2009 at Hawally Hall, starting at 3.30 pm

One of the visiting artistes who till recently was a resident artiste in Kuwait will be Marcus Vaz. Well known for his excellent songs such as solos and trios and also a noted playwright, Marcus Vaz will play a major role in this Tiatro and render solos and trios with his visiting artistes namely Lawry Travasso and Francis de Tuem and also a trio with ??? to satisfy the tastes of his fans.

Besides Marcus Vaz, other top visiting artistes who will delight the audience will be Political singer Francis de Tuem, New Melody King Lawry Travasso, top comedians Selvy & John D'Silva and charming and youthful Bushka.

The local artistes are Irene, Raina, Clara, Cajitan de Sanvordem, Sylvester Vaz, Xavier Furtado, Laurente Pereira, Joseph Rodrigues, Bernardo, Katty de Navelim, Clifford Pereira, Salu Faleiro, Bab Agnelo and Rosary Ferns.

Musical score will be provided by Shahu.