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

GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM.

Football was the most popular sport at Arpora School and some of the renowned footballers of Goa during those days were the products of St. Joseph’s High School – Arpora, many of them are still surviving attaining old age. During those days education was not given that topmost priority as it is now especially after 1961 when enrolling a child into school started when the child is barely 3 years while earlier it was six to 8 and even 10. Hence students of Arpora and elsewhere were much older during their scholastic career there. Being older in age they were very smart in soccer capable of competing with any top Goan team. Hence their encounter with visiting German team immediately following the end of World War II.

Portugal was neutral in the Second World War and hence Hitler did not attack Goa but one of his Warships entered Western Coast of India bordering Maharastra because India was British colony and Britain was opposing Germany in the war. Hence one German Warship exactly at the end of this war reached the mentioned Indian coastal zone and the British Fighter Jets bombed this German Warship damaging it tremendously. While in a damaged state this Warship came limping to Goa Coast crossing Sinquerim and reaching Anjuna – Vagator where all the surviving German Navy men came to the shore by swimming and using life jackets. At Anjuna beach they were spotted by the locals who purely in a Goan tradition of hospitality helped them with clothes, food and shelter. They became very friendly to the locals by interacting with them very closely and a few of them permanently settled down in Goa only, one even got married with a Goan girls.

Some of the Navy men from this Warship were very good footballers, a few of them were the members of the then mighty German National Team while others were first divisioners in Germany. At Anjuna Tembi Ground when local boys were playing soccer these German Navy men also joined them and due to their extremely high class of soccer instantly they became famous all over surrounding areas. So much so when they played against the Anjuna local boys a friendly game even Portuguese soldiers stationed at Aguada flocked to see them along with locals from all the surrounding areas.

Immediately this news reached to Fr. Mendonca the sports lover Principal of Arpora School and he personally contacted them and arranged a friendly soccer match with his school team played at Arpora school ground in front of thousands of spectators coming from all around the surrounding areas. My soccer crazy father was one of the spectators who told me once how the spectators were vociferously cheering Arpora saying “LYONS – LYONS”.

The photograph of this German team was preserved and kept in the school Notice Board till I finished my SSC there but later on I have no idea what has happened to this Notice Board and the photos dsiplayed there

Somewhere in 1977 there was a movie made of this Warship and how it was bombed by the British Airforce. The name of the movie was “Sea Wolves” and actor Gregory Peck played the main role in this movie. When he came for the shooting of this film at Sinquerim, he stayed at Sinquerim Taj and when he saw around Taj area he exclaimed thus “what a beautiful place it is. It is like a Heaven”.

One of the surviving Navy men from this Warship stayed in Candolim and got married to a Goan girl from Sinquerim while another one settled in Vasco and the rest returned to Germany with gratitude to Goa, Goans and Anjunkars.

CONCLUDED.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.

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).