Saligao Serenade

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Caetano Antonio Remedios belongs to the 4th vangodd (clan) of the community of Saligao, and one year in the early thirties was selected to be the President of the Harvest Festival (Festa de Novidades). In the olden days, the village was administered solely by the communidade, an ancient institution of village administration retained by the Portuguese. Under it, the common land of the village was vested on the ganvponn, the corporate entity of the village. On questions affecting the interests of the whole village, the ganvponn decided by vote. The 12 Christian Brahmin vangodds had one vote each.

Some few families of the first five vangodds of the community of Saligao, had, to the exclusion of the other members, the right to celebrate the Festa de Novidades (or Novem in Konkani). This Harvest Festival is held every year in the month of August. Back in the days of our youth, my friend Caetano Antonio, being of the 4th vangodd, was once selected by his parents and the communidade to be the president of the festival. Though it was a small feast in comparison to the Mae de Deus feast , the Remedios household was all geared up to celebrate it in a big way. They wanted the best for their little mordomo-Caetano Antonio.

On the morning of the feast Caetano woke up with a start-the sexton’s band from Bairro Alto de Saligao was playing close to his bedroom window, and the continuous bursts of firecrackers added to the din. The band consisted of two buglers, a big drum and cymbal player and a skinny drummer. So, smartly dressed in his new opa e mursa (okmus) and accompanied by the band, and followed by the ward folk and his family, Caetano Antonio walked in a grave and stately manner from Tabravaddo-Mollembhatt to Mae de Deus Church. The senior sacristan with his colleagues had been tending a paddy field in the church compound since the month of May. The plantation with the new grain just appearing, seemed golden in the morning sun as they gracefully swayed with the breeze welcoming the worshippers to the spot.

At the appointed time, the vicar, impeccably dressed in his surplice, stole and a long, white, flowing vestment and wearing a black biretta with the Ritual was escorted by the sacristan (sprinkler in hand), along with the members of the confraternity, and brought in procession to the place of blessing. The vicar said an appropriate prayer in a loud and clear voice over the rice plants, sprinkled holy water and cut a few new sheaves. He handed the first sheaf to the president who was then led by other confrades to the church and given a prominent seat befitting the president. The solemn high mass was sung, and at the end the paddy sheaves were distributed to the faithful. All returned home happy, but young Caetano Antonio seemed the happiest of all, as he was the cynosure of all eyes at the day’s religious ceremony and also at lunch on this festive day.

The invitees feasted on a few select Goan dishes at the president’s house, but melgor, the special dish of the season, was given pride of place. In the evening the local boys arranged some marble games like boddeannim and milamnim, while the elders played a game or two of tablam. Pattoio were relished by all and sundry. Young girls played konxeamnnim while the elderly ladies recalled the day’s event and shared their experiences of the weeding done in the village fields during the past week. The harvest would be a good one this year.