ARPORA - THE FIRST ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL OF GOA. PART: I.

There is a saying in Konkani “Baint Poddlem Khuim Koblem ani Voir Sorlem Khuim Soblem”. This is what has happened when I wrote two articles on the late Santana Carvalho following his death on 18^th of January this year; one article on 20^th of January 2013 and the other on the day of his Month’s Mind.  Both these articles especially the second one on 18^th of February 2013  awakened the conscience of some Goans to know the history of Goa and especially of English education in Goa in general and Arpora School in particular.  Many Goans especially the young intellectuals have asked me about Arpora School and the visiting German soccer team that I indicated in my second article.  For their benefit and for the benefit of others who are interested in Goa’s past I give them some information that I know on both these topics.  First topic is the establishment of St. Joseph’s High School Arpora and the second topic the friendly soccer match played between Arpora School team and the visiting German team.

One view of the school

It was said during those early days that among Goans, Bardezkars are more civilised, more decent, more cultured, more knowledgeable and more educated. This development according to some elders, Bardezkars achieved because of the educational facilities especially of English education they got in their area due to the establishment of the first two English Schools of Goa there; one was the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Parra which was the first English school of Goa while St. Joseph’s High School – Arpora was the first English High School of Goa which was founded and started by one non-Goan Deacon named Fr. Lyon. He was not a full-fledged priest but as a Deacon he was wearing priestly Cassock since he loved priesthood but unfortunately due the affliction of incurable contagious skin desease he was thrown out of the Seminary where he was doing his priestly studies. Thus he remained as Deacon only.

Statue of School Patron Saint - St. Joseph

In search of right medicine to cure his skin desease he travelled many parts of India till somebody told him in Madras to visit a holy place called Goa where you will find blessed Springs flowing with blessed water and this water has curative effects which surely will cure your skin desease however deadly and incurable it may be. When he reached Goa after moving from one place to another in search of the right spot, somebody told him to go to Sinquerim Bardez where there is a Spring and if you have bath from the water of that Spring you are bound to be ok.

With high hope Fr. Lyon came to Sinquerim, spotted the right Spring, had bath there and soon was cured of his otherwise incurable skin desease. With this miracle he praised the God and said Eureka – Eureka and moved on to Candolim and from Candolim he moved on to Calangute trying to locate a suitable place to do something good for Goa that gave him cure for his incurable skin desease. He had education in his mind and as a mark of gratitude for Goa he decided to establish an English high school. Failing to find a suitable spot at Calangute he shifted to calm and cool place at Arpora where he established the first English High School of Goa where facilities were provided not only for day scholars but also for boarders to study and excel in sports.

Since this was the first English High School of Goa preparing the Goan students for the Matriculation, all the top ranking and smart students of Goa became the students of this school. Not only in studies but also in sports all the top sportsmen of Goa during those days were the students of this school. In one of his historically beautiful songs, the great Alfred Rose sings praises for this school and to its founder Fr. Lyon.  This song though not recorded but he kept it written in his Cantarancho Jhelo No.1.

Another view of the School.  Top floor was the boarding

Fr. Phillip Neri Mendonca from Aldona was the Third Principal of this school who developed this school tremendously. For about 35 years he ruled this school as its renowned Principal and very strict disciplinarian who for any misdeed by the student will cane that student like “Zotkar” caning the “Zotacho Reddo”. It was said during those days that if you want to discipline your rowdy son then enrol him at Arpora school under Fr. Mendonca who by using harsh corporal punishment sometime in inhuman manner would correct the rowdy students. All those students who faced his inhuman punishment were the victims of that harsh era that believed only in ruthless corporal punishment to correct the erring students. I was also a victim of his caning on my palms not for rowdism, not for any mischief but for not doing my Confession for receiving Holy Communion on one First Friday. It was compulsory for us Catholic students to attend the Mass in School Chapel on every First Friday and receive Holy Communion. Not performing religious duties was one of the worst crimes a student can commit at Arpora School.

 

Justifying his harsh method of using stick to discipline indisciplined students he once cited Biblical version where it said to use stick. The book of Proverbs authored by King Solomon is a part of Bible which allows the parents to use stick to correct their naughty children but not to punish the erring children with revenge as Fr. Mendonca was doing and as a sadist he used to take pleasure in seeing the students in agony while receiving his ruthless beatings. He was smart in everything except knowing that mischief and youth go together. 

Primary Section seen in above picture

As a mark of respect for Fr. Lyon's great gift for Goa in the field of English education, after his death a Bust has been erected at the entrance of this school facing the school playground.

Seen above is the Bust of Fr. Lyon

During those days till his death in 1965 Fr. Mendonca was a name and fame in Goa in educational and sports fields. He was the first Goan after India annexed Goa to receive the National Award from Indian government as the best educationist of Goa from the hands of Indian President Dr. Radakrishnan who was so impressed of his knowledge that Dr. Radakrishnan invited him again to Delhi to ask his advice on certain matters related to Goa and Portugal relationship. 

Fr. Mendonca was renowned for organising school sports day function with much pomp and extravaganza. People used to come to watch this annual event from all over Goa and main attraction of this event was the “Drill” and Tableaux conducted by the students under his supervision where he used to show even the election of the Pope and other world renowned events happened during that year. Once in 1959 he showed the hijacking of Portuguese Ship Santa Maria off the coast of Azores by the Portuguese terrorist Galvao Pinto. The Drills and Tableaux was like opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and in fact some people used to dub Arpora Sports day festival as Goan Olympics. Such attractive events are not taking place anywhere in Goa now, they are interred with the bones of Fr. Mendonca at the Cemetry of Nagoa Bardez where he was buried with the attendance of such a massive crowd that never in the past such a multitude attended any funeral of any person in Goa.

TO BE CONCLUDED.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.

BHAROTANTLEA PONJABANT, UKRAINE ANI JAPANANT URANIUM HACHEM VIKH.

By CarmoSantos- Kuwait

Ponjabant uranium hachea vikha vixim, poilech pavtt Marsant 2009 vorsa khobor sonnsonnli jen’na Dr. Carin Sunit zo U.K. chea “Defeat Autism Now! (Atam svomogmotak haroi) zantunt to bhageli asa tannem Farikod xarak bhett dili. Zankam zolmanchi vikruti (abnormalities) zantunt kuddichem unnemponn (deformities), nervam pidda ani monachi ovosthecho aspav aslo, oslea 149 bhurgeanche tannem Germanychea Microtrace Mineral proiogxallent (laboratory) kensache ani mutache nomune patthoile.Voizank tantunt zodd dhatuchea vikhachi opekxa asli punn tantunt chodd promannant uranium tankam sampoddlem ani eke kodden sugur aspache poros 60 pavtti chodd aslem. Hem promann ‘sod’ korpeanchea aplea khas ‘sondorb dorjeachea niontronn korpi foddnnixi poros chodd aslem’.

June 2010 vorsa, Ponjabant Malwa vibhagant, monacho vikar aslelea bhurgeam voir zaitench dakholl zalem. Hacher xikxonn kelea uprant kollun ailem ki, bhurgeam modim 12 vorsanche piraie khala 87 ttoke ani tache voir piraieche 82 ttoke, hankam uranium hachem promann pidda zanv ieta itlem aslem. Tech porim, Kotkapura ani Faridkot hachea 3 bhurgeanchea nomuneant uranium hachem promann 62, 44 ani 27 pavtt sadharonn poros odhik sampoddlem. Uprant, Baba Farid Centre for Special Children, Faridkot hannim Fazilka lagsorleaTeja Rohela zo chodd duxit ganv aslo, thoinchea 100 bhurgeank zankam zolmank pasun monachi ani kuddiche tras asat tantlea 5 bhurgeanche nomune teach proiog xallent patthoile.

2010 vorsant, Buddha Nullah zo Sutlej nodint zulltta ani zo chodd duxit udkacho kharoz asa tachea udkachea nomuneant zodd dhatu sampoddlo zo chodd vhodd aslo ani zantunt uranium sondorbachea rekha poros dedd pavtt odhik aslo. Tachea sangatak her duxitponn zoxem ammonia, phosphate, choloride, chromium, arsenic, chlorpyrifos ani kiddnaxok (pesticides) henvuim aslem. Tea nodik atam “Other 1984 Union Carbide India Ltd. Bhopal’ zavpi mhonn pachartat.

Porinnamacheo Chuchureancheo Kannio:

 

12 vorsanchea Harpartik Kaur hika cholunk ani ulonvk kotthin zata jen’na tiche piraiechim her bhurgim khellttat ani unchaien disandis vaddttat.

Harpartik-an aplo jivitantlo boreantlo vell chodd kherit voizuki ilazant sarla. Tiche voiz, ti uranium vikhant panglli zanvk pavlea mhonn sangtat.

“Thodde lok tem uranium-ak lagun zalam mhonnttat. Tem ghoddiek duxit dhortorentlea udkak lagun zanv iet. Ami nokllom punn tannem amchea jivitak bada haddlea”, oxem Bhupinder Kaur hi Harpartik-achi avoi mhonntta.

Harpartik-a sarkim amkam xemboramni Baba Farid Centre for Special Children hanga bhurgim bhett’ttat zo ek nisorgupchar (naturopathy) kendr zoim zolmanche dox aslelea kuddichea ani monache vikaracher zhuz cholta.

Ut’tor Bharotantlea, 120 bhurgeank oslea ontoraxttrik xikpa khatir, koxea koxei vinchun kaddlele. Tantunt 113 zannank tanche kuddint uranium sampoddlem jem 50 pavtt sadharonn panvddea von odhik aslem.

Iogaiog (coincidence) nhoi, Baba Farid Kendr mhonntta chodd xim oslim bhurgim Ponjabantlim . Ani Malwantlea bhurgeam modem uraniumcho panvddo chodd vosta zoim Ponjabache don vhoddle kollxeant boll purovpi (power )kendr asat.

Laslela kollxachea gobrant uraniumcho promann chodd asta jea vorvim gobrant Malwachi zomin ani dhortorentlem udok ghoddiek duxit kelam zait.

Dusrea Sonvsari Zhuzachea rosaionnachea (chemical) porinnaman, Ukraine-chea Chernobyl 1986 vorixtt sonkottan ani atam 2011 vorsantlea Fukushima-chea Japanachea onnubollacho penchprosongan (crisis) amkam variant, zomnint ani udkant jive taje keleat.

Amchea atanchea sonvsari fuddareamnim bhollea lokachem 100 ttoke sugurponn korunk zai ani onnu sovloti soddun dinvk zai chodd korun Asiechea Bharotachea fuddareamnim ani tachea xezari Pakistanan ani modlea-udent Iran ani Syrian ixtt- raxttramnim. Ami hea sundor sonvsarant soglle bhonvddekar asat, tor ami soglleamnim khuxal, sovostkaien, bore bholaiken ani hansun hea ‘prithvecher’ ravum-ia.

(This article was published on AMCHO AVAZ ( Oheraldo ) dated 09/03/2013 konkani edition


Rgds/Carmo).

THE LATE HUGO CHAVEZ OF VENEZUELA.

A great socialist leader and the dynamic president of Venezuela, El Comandante Hugo Chavez has expired on 6th of this month after suffering from Cancer for 2 years. After exhausting all the possible medical treatments to cure his deadly cancer, he as a devout Christian surrendered to the will of God though unwillingly since he wanted to live more to complete the unfinished task of his country. In his premature death at the age of 58 the poor in Venezuela lost their great supporter who worked hard to alleviate their sufferings in their country. He utilised the enormous amount of Oil wealth of his country very sincerely for the upliftment of his poor people and in their development. Even though he used the vast Oil wealth to eradicate poverty in his land yet much of the job to completely eradicate poverty in his land remained unfinished.

The poor in his country will miss him too much because he was also a fatherly figure for them. There are very few leaders in this world like him who worked so sincerely and dedicatedly for the poor. If it is in India the political leaders of India will loot the entire Oil wealth for them and for their families instead of helping the poor to eradicate their poverty. This is the quality of rogue Indian leaders and precisely because of this Indian poor are still remaining poor even after 7 decades of India’s independence. The plight of poverty striken Indians would have been better improved if colonialists had to rule India not for 7 more decades but only 7 more YEARS.  That was the administrative competence of colonialists for this reason many senior citizens of India crave for their administration.  

It is a big tragedy that Hugo Chavez died at so early age before completing his task for the poor not only in his own country but also in neighbouring countries where the poor there benefitted from his largesse; they will also miss him too much. He was not my hero but I liked him because of his sincerity in working for the upliftment of his poor people because as a young child and a young boy he himself was the victim of poverty having no proper house to live and no proper food to eat. Because he suffered poverty he wanted to eradicate poverty from the midst of others since he knew the curse of poverty.

It is given to understand that his arch rival and opponent USA was responsible for infesting him with Cancer germs by putting Canerous Cells in his food thru the US sources. Though this sounds very difficult yet it is not impossible because with USA anything and everything is possible. And to liquidate their opponents Americans will do anything if they really go for it.

In late fifties and early sixties Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro was a big threat to USA and because of this threat Americans wanted to liquidate Castro not directly but thru soft method. Then they realised it is not necessary to liquidate him but eradicate his attractiveness. Thru the study done by CIA on Castro it was found out that Castro’s charisma lies on his long beard where his personality centred and this personality gives him success when he deals with world inside and outside Cuba. Then the question came how to trim or completely shave his charismatic beard and who will do this job? Then the CIA funded Drug manufacturing company manufactured one especial type of Powder which had to be splashed inside the shoes of Castro and once this was done this Powder will create reaction in Castro’s body in such a way that this reaction will create effect on Castro’s face leading him to lose the hair of his beard gradually. This method was a Eureka for CIA but impossible to implement for USA. Hence it was discarded and because it was discarded then, the ageing Fidel Castro is still surviving well.

Because of his tirade against USA and its earlier president Bush Jr,, Hugo Chavez in one of his televised addresses openly called Bush Jr. in Spanish as ‘Burro’ and immediately then switched into English saying “Donkey”. This was the fury of Hugo Chavez against the USA. But where this fury and anger gone now? In his death it all disappeared like Ether.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.