Saligao Serenade

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Goa, like the rest of the country, had its fair share of the fight for freedom. The freedom struggle in Goa is as old as the struggle in the rest of India, though it gained mass momentum in Goa in June 1946 when Dr Ram Mahohar Lohia, the noted Socialist leader, plunged himself into it along with a large number of young Goans.  The last 15 years of the freedom struggle of Goa were full of oppression, tyranny and atrocity of the Portuguese regime.  It was ultimately destined that the Indian army march in and throw away the Portuguese and integrate Goa into the Indian Union. Read the rest of this entry »

by Mel D’Souza

Although Konkani is the language widely spoken in Goa, in the old days there was a separate vocabulary that was used by villagers to communicate with their pets and domesticated animals.

“Bish, bish, bish” was a way of calling out to a dog if one didn’t know it’s name. As soon as the dog got closer, the caller would stretch out the right hand and rub the thumb against the other fingers to simulate a handout of food. Although they understood the call, not all dogs responded spontaneously; they preferred to keep a safe distance from people they didn’t know. Read the rest of this entry »

[Fr Nascimento says: It is so interesting to walk through Arrarim in the company of erudite and knowledgeable Yvonne Vaz Ezdani, author of the book 'Songs of the Survivors'.  She describes this walk in her own inimitable style.]

by Yvonne Vaz Ezdani

Another pleasant evening. The walk today is through different wards in another part of Arrarim. This quaint and winding road branches off from CHOGM Road at Calangute Police Station. I pass Hillside Restaurant which serves delicious Goan cuisine and also caters for parties and functions. A little further on the flour mill advertises itself with the racket of the grinding machine which can be heard from a distance. To my left two small stores and a telephone booth have come up and serve as a meeting place for the people of Bairo Alto. Previously this ward was also known as Marod. Read the rest of this entry »

[Fr Nascimento says: It is so interesting to walk through Arrarim in the company of erudite and knowledgeable Yvonne Vaz Ezdani, author of the book 'Songs of the Survivors'.  She describes this walk in her own inimitable style.]

by Yvonne Vaz Ezdani

It is a cool and pleasant evening in September 2008, a beautiful time for a walk through Arrarim.  To walk through the lanes and intersecting pathways of the whole of Arrarim will take me two evenings. Today, I choose the more picturesque route from the CHOGM Road past the Hindu crematorium and the Catholic cemetery. The huge mango tree that fell during the last monsoons has not been totally cleared away yet; too difficult to chop up and tow away, I guess. The earth vibrated so much when this gigantic tree fell that about 15 meters away the pillars and archway at the entrance of the cemetery cracked and collapsed.  The new pillars and archway are still under construction, fenced in by the metal wicket fence. Read the rest of this entry »

courtesy Joel D’Souza (posted to goanewsclips@yahoogroups.com)

Fr Manuel Gomes, Director of the Diocesan Centre for the Biblical Apostolate and Professor of Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, released Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas’ fifth book and the second in the series entitled ‘Follow Me’, at the St Pius X Pastoral Institute, Old Goa, on 13th February evening. Fr Joseph A Rowland Salema, the director of Pastoral Institute, who was the Guest of Honour, reviewed the interesting study of history of Tiswadi or Ilhas, written by Saligao-born Fr Nascimento, beginning with the historico-geographical, religious and political situation of both pre- and post-Portuguese era. The fifth chapter traces briefly the history of each church of Tiswadi, its evangelisation and detailed lists of the Parish Priests along with their bio-data.

Click this link to watch a video clip of the launch, courtesy goamovies on YouTube

by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

In Saligao and in the rest of Goa, a day or two preceding the wedding day it was customary for the families of the bride and groom to separately hold a ceremonial bath function at their respective houses for the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be. Most Catholic families observed this Ros Kaddunk ceremony, and while it is not as common today, this traditional practice does take place even among Goan families who have settled in other parts of India or the world. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

It was a warm, sunny day in Saligao. At the seminary, it was business as usual for us seminarians. The staff were going about their daily routine and the seminarians and priests were either attending classes, or studying/praying, as was their wont were they to have an hour or so free between assignments. Suddenly, one of the kitchen helpers spotted a large snake – a cobra – slithering across one of the corridors. He shouted out loud to draw the attention of the others and soon there was quite a commotion all around. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

After having passed through an avenue of coconut palms and flat fields of Khotla in Saligao, I begin my walk from the middle of the road that passes Grande Morodd and Nagoa village proper. This road also links with the Dom Pedro V road that runs from Mapusa to Parra on its onward journey through Saligao, Pilerne, Reis Magos (Verem), connecting to the National Highway 17, at the Mandovi bridge, and proceeding till Panjim, the capital of Goa. Read the rest of this entry »