CANDOLIM'S FEASTS.

Picture of Boa Morte Saibinn. 

 

After many years I am present this time in my village Candolim to celebrate the village Church feasts in August, on 13^th-14^th of Boa Morte Saibinn and on 15^th that of Asumpti Saibinn as we used to call then during my younger days.  The feast of Assumpt Saibinn was preceded by 14 days Novenas. In between from 13 to 14^th August, the feast of Boa Morte is celebrated with much reverence to Boa Morte Saibinn and with top respect and devotion because on 13^th August we used to consider as per our tradition as the day when Saibinn Mae died.  In fact, in reality, Saibinn Mae never died, we believe that Saibinn Mae was taken alive to Heaven by God. Since, it was considered then as the day of Saibinn Mae’s death, there was obligation on us to mark this day as prayer day. I still remember as a Choir Boy how we used to sing a Hym on this day as: 

BOA MORTICHO DISU, ONODVONTH SUKH SONTOSU.  

ANJ BODVVE GAIAN KOTIT, NOVUI KORU.

This Hym  was lengthy and with accompaniment of Violin by our Church Mistiri, the Hym sounds very beautiful.  Unfortunately, now there is no Church Mestiri and nobody knows this Hym either. During our days, we were trained to sing by the Professional Solfist Mestiri while now everything is gone into the hands of Unsolfist Amateurs who do not know the history and tradition of our Church.

This time to my surprise, just at the entrance of the Church, a Tiatro of professional Tiatrists was staged  to raise fund for the Church activities.  During my days, this type of entertainment was not tolerated since it was considered as the day of the death of Saibinn Mae.  Hence, faithful were engaged in prayer in sombre mood and not in merry making at the Church “Adrar”.  This change happened because of the change in time which demands collection of money.  I feel shortly time will come for the Church Pe. Vigars to organize Balroom Dance not only at the Adrar but inside the Church itself.

 

Candolim girl singing her solo

 

 

On 15^th we celebrated the feast of Assumpt Saibinn preceded by 14 Novenas.  During our days, these Novenas were done in the mornings when we used to bring fresh flowers in small baskets and sing the beautiful Hym “DEVACHE MATE (MAYE), PAVU TUM AMKAM,

                                           DEVACHE MATE (MAYE), DHIRU DHI AMKAM.

Again, the old system is gone into extinction and Novenas are  held now in the evenings giving top priority for money collection which was not existing during our days.  During old days money collection in the Church was done only on Sundays and on any other feast day. 

 

 

On  15^th yesterday, another Tiatro “OSLEO CHUKI GOEMKAR KORTAT” by Comedian Ambe was staged at the same place on Church Adrar.  It was scheduled to start at 7.30 PM but due to lethargic attitude of the Church, the organizer, it finally started at 8.30 PM, that means, one long hour late and because of this late the audience was put into inconvenience. This is the very bad habit of the Candolim Church authority to ignore the discipline of time schedule.  And  to make the matter worse, the Church Pe. Vigar unnecessarily lengthened his prayer by talking something not required at that particular late hour.  He should know that people are coming by paying money  to see the Tiatro and not to listen to his speech.  It is okay what he does in the Church by preaching lengthy sermons till faithful are fed up but the same behavior he cannot apply outside the Church Altar.  He should know that Tiatro Stage is different from the Church Altar.

 

 

 

 

The story of the Tiatro was good but comedy part was noisy not in tune with traditional Tiatro.  Unnecessarily shouting and screaming demoted the quality of the Tiatro.  The scene where Ambe shown undressing himself even by removing his Underwear looked ugly and filthy. The sideshow songs were good  including by the young girl guest artiste from Candolim. 

 

A.      Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.


 

CANDOLIM'S FEASTS.

After many years I am present this time in my village Candolim to celebrate the village Church feasts in August, on 13th-14th of Boa Morte Saibinn and on 15th that of Asumpti Saibinn as we used to call then during my younger days. The feast of Assumpt Saibinn was preceded by 14 days Novenas. In between from 13 to 14th August, the feast of Boa Morte is celebrated with much reverence to Boa Morte Saibinn and with top respect and devotion because on 13th August we used to consider as per our tradition as the day when Saibinn Mae died. In fact, in reality, Saibinn Mae never died, we believe that Saibinn Mae was taken alive to Heaven by God. Since, it was considered then as the day of Saibinn Mae’s death, there was obligation on us to mark this day as prayer day. I still remember as a Choir Boy how we used to sing a Hym in our Church on this day as: BOA MORTICHO DISU, ONODVONTH SUKH SONTOSU.
ANJ BODVVE GAIAN KOTIT, NOVUI KORU.

This Hym was lengthy and with accompaniment of Violin by our Church Mistiri, the Hym sounds very beautiful. Unfortunately, now there is no Church Mestiri and nobody knows this Hym either. During our days, we were trained to sing by the Professional Solfist Mestiri while now everything is gone into the hands of Unsolfist Amatuers who do not know the history and tradition of our Church.

This time to my surprise, just at the entrance of the Church, a Tiatro of professional Tiatrists was staged to raise fund for the Church activities. During my days, this type of entertainment was not tolerated since it was considered as the day of the death of Saibinn Mae. Hence, faithful were engaged in prayer in sombre mood and not in merry making at the Church “Adrar”. This change happened because of the change in time which demands collection of money. I feel shortly time will come for the Church Pe. Vigars to organize Ballroom Dance not only at the Adrar but inside the Church itself.

On 15th we celebrated the feast of Assumpt Saibinn preceded by 14 days Novenas. During our days, these Novenas were done in the mornings when we used to bring fresh flowers in small baskets and sing the beautiful Hym “DEVACHE MATE (MAYE), PAVU TUM AMKAM,
“ “ DHIRU DHI AMKAM.

Again, the old system is gone into extinction and Novenas are held now in the evenings giving top priority for money collection which was not existing during our days. During old days money collection in the Church was done only on Sundays and on any other feast day.

On 15th yesterday, another Tiatro “OSLEO CHUKI GOEMKAR KORTAT” by Comedian Ambe was staged at the same place on Church Adrar. It was scheduled to start at 7.30 PM but due to lethargic attitude of the Church, the organizer, it finally started at 8.30 PM, that means, one long hour late and because of this late the audience was put into inconvenience. This is the very bad habit of the Candolim Church authority to ignore the discipline of time schedule. And to make the matter worse, the Church Pe. Vigar unnecessarily lengthened his prayer by talking something not required at that particular late hour. He should know that people are coming by paying money to see the Tiatro and not to listen to his speech. It is okay what he does in the Church by preaching lengthy sermons till faithful are fed up but the same behavior he cannot apply outside the Church Altar. He should know that Tiatro Stage is different from the Church Altar.

The story of the Tiatro was good but comedy part was noisy not in tune with traditional Tiatro. Unnecessarily shouting and screaming demoted the quality of the Tiatro. The scene where Ambe shown undressing himself even by removing his Underwear looked ugly and filthy. The sideshow songs were good including by the young girl guest artiste from Candolim.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.

WAS THE LATE DAYANANDA BANDODCAR A VISIONARY?

 Yesterday, 12^th August  was the 41^st death anniversary of Dayananda Bandodcar, the first Chief Minister of invaded Goa. In the Goa Legislative Assembly some MLA’s and Ministers with their flowery speeches in mellifluent tones showered fabulous praises on the late Bandodcar for being visionary and also a promoter of education in Goa, and so on and on. While agreeing to allow them to air their views on Bandodcar,  I should also be allowed to air my views on him though for some my views will not be palatable.  Said the great French writer Voltaire, “I fully disagree with you but to allow you to say what you wish to say,  I will give you all the freedom, if necessary I will even risk my life to allow you to say what you want to say even though I fully disagree with what you say”.

One point raised was Bandodcar’s contribution in laying the foundation for education in Goa.  I disagree with this point.  In fact the real foundation for the education in Goa was laid by the Portuguese Governador Vassalo e Silva when he decreed somewhere  in 1958 a law making Primary education in Portuguese compulsory for every Goan child on attaining the age of 6 and of course, free of charge.  New school premises were  started to build on uniform pattern in Goa, in our side in  Calangute at Sauntavaddo was one.  Those who could not afford to go for higher education were provided facilities to study in Portugal.  Thru this process of compulsory education, the education facilities went into the hands of commoner thereby helping the poor child to attain education.

Secondly, as a genuine Goan, I will never accept that Bandodcar was the lover of Goa and Goans, if he was, he would not work so tirelessly to liquidate the identity of Goa by merging it with Maharastra. He disliked everything Goan, Konkani language being on top of his list and for this reason he wanted to convert Goa into a Marathi land.

Somebody said he was the Secular by core.  I disagree with this point too.  He was the worst communal having aligned himself covertly and overtly with Hindus.  For him only in Hindu community there existed Bahuzan Samaz. And what about in Christian community?  Even  in government jobs, preferential treatment was given to Hindus.  During his rule, Christians in Goa were made to admit that they are not full-fledged Goans while Hindus were.

One thing I must admit that at the later stage of his rule, he was a very changed man in favour of Goa and Goans but it was too late when irreparable damage for Goa and Goans, meantime, has already been done.  To bring this change in him, genuine Goans especially common men mainly from Christian community had  to face lot of difficulties.  Because of his support for merger of Goa with Mahastra genuine Goans like me had to face lot of hurdles to survive in Goa. It was during this period many of the genuine Goans preferred to leave Goa for their survival in the name of greener pastures elsewhere. He was an architect of deGoanisation process of Goa.  He was fully responsible for splitting the Goans on communal lines with the excuse of helping only the Hindu Bahuzan Samaz. He killed the peace of mind of all those Goans supporting Goan identity and communal harmony.  For Goans supporting Goan causes, when they see his Statues in Panjim, Calangute and now in Porvorim, it will remind them nothing good in him but everything anti-Goan and communal.

His death was a big blow to all his “Chamchas” who gained maximum material benefits for them and for their family members. However, inspite of all his flaws and mistakes he committed against Goa and Goans, I pray to God to give his soul eternal rest.

A.      Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.