Saligao Serenade

by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

During the days of Portuguese rule in Goa, it sometimes became necessary for Goans to migrate to other parts of the world in search of employment, either as a means to bettering their lot or because of lack of suitable options in their homeland. Some of the enterprising folk among these adventurers founded “clubs” in the large cities they visited, including Bombay, Calcutta, Karachi, East Africa, etc.

The club – or kudd in Konkani – served as an inexpensive haven for young men in transit from their native village, as they set out to seek their fortune in the big bad world. Several of these quaint clubs still exist in Bombay, and a handful still survive in other urban centres of Goan settlement. Interestingly, the kudd is exclusively a Goan Christian creation, and membership has always been restricted to males. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

As the FIFA World Cup 2010 gets underway later today (June 11), excitement must be rising to fever pitch among the myriad fans of football in Saligao and all over Goa.

In fact, football has always been a highly popular sport in Goa and among Goans worldwide. In Saligao, the Mater Dei Institution had a full-length football ground with goalposts, nets and boundary markings all according to the established international standards for the game. At the time I was schooling there, the institution had a provision for boarders, and they were required to report at the ground every day at 5:00 pm for a game of football. Anacleto Lobo, the Principal of the school, was a strict disciplinarian, but adhered to the dictum All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

Nestling in a coconut grove and overlooking paddy fields is the Saligao Institute, which is housed in its own building at Arrarim in Saligao. It was inaugurated in 1929. It provides its growing number of members with social, literary and cultural activities. Indoor games are popular. The cemented badminton court adjoining the institute’s building also serves as a popular open-air dance floor. In recent years many valuable books on literature, economics, current affairs, biography, fiction and even child welfare, have been added to its well-stocked bookshelves, thanks to Alfred D’Cruz from Cruz-vaddo / Bandra. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

In the 1940s and 50s one means of transportation that all were familiar with in the picturesque Goan village of Saligao was the boilanchi gaddi (ox-driven carriage). Only a few people could be accommodated in it. The man driving the carriage was known as the gaddiekar, and the ticket cost just four annas.

My friend Dominic Peter Francis Fernandes from Anjuna gives a nice description of the boilanchi gaddi: “The gaddi was made of wood. At its rear end, it had a half-door entrance with a metal step below, and two small windows, one on each side. It had a bench on either side with a sitting capacity of two persons each; but three would usually squeeze in. Read the rest of this entry »

 [This article was initially written in 1992-93 by a team from the ward Tabravaddo in Saligao, in association with Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas. The team comprised Idinha Remedios, Brigida Vaz, Vanessa Godinho, Preciosa dos Remedios, and Mr & Mrs Joaquim Vaz. The modified version reproduced below also contains inputs from Jose Remedios (Tabravaddo/Mumbai) and Olinda Remedios (Tabravaddo)]

Tabravaddo, a ward in Saligao located in the north eastern portion of the village, was known in the pre-Portuguese era as Oddleam Maddachem Bhatt or Lamb Maddachem Bhatt. The name was changed to Tavoravaddo, some time in the early 18th century, because it was home to the growing clan of the family that used the name Tavora. There is a good possibility that the first Hindu member of the family—probably Sinai Salgaokar—converted to Christianity and was baptised during the reign of viceroy Rui Lourenco Tavora (1609-12). The surname of the viceroy, Tavora, must have been given to that first member of the clan during baptism, as was the custom prevailing at that time. The name Tavoravaddo in all likelihood got corrupted to the current Tabravaddo over time. Read the rest of this entry »

During the Portuguese era, Goa was divided into concelhos (municipal districts).  Each municipality was divided into freguesias (parishes). The parishes were further divided into bairros (wards or vaddé).  In each village, authority was invested in the hands of the Regidor and Juiz Popular.  The church also asserted authority on its parishioners.

Ganvponn, or the village communities (communidade), are the village republics or the village panchayats. From immemorial times, long before the capture of Goa by the Portuguese, the villages of Goa were governed by the people themselves. Five respectable men, chosen by the people of the village, formed the governing body of the village community, and looked after all the affairs of the village such as religion, justice, education, health and finance. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

As my friend Salvador Mascarenhas and I continued walking through the Cotula ward of Saligao, we noticed the Bank of India branch, which has been serving the industrious people of Saligao since the sixties. Moving further we noticed a hair-cutting saloon. In days gone by Madulo the barber used to operate from this small house. In addition to giving his customers a haircut, Madulo, who seemed to know more than the TV news channels of today, would update anyone who cared to listen on current events and day-to-day happenings in the village and other parts of Goa. This saloon is now run by a different person, whereas Madulo’s son, who is working overseas, has his saloon in the supermarket building at Mudd’davaddi, near Marque’s private chapel of St. Jerome.

As we proceeded ahead we noticed the old Patrocinio Vaz e Irmãos bar.  Patrocinio, who was commonly known as Patru, had two brothers, João and José Vaz. Next to this bar, there used to be the Casa Tipri shop selling various household articles, but this has shifted to the locality of the new tinto (market). In its proximity there was the old tinto. In fact at that time, prior to Casa Tipri, the premises was known as Pakleachi Garage, which was later on converted into the shop run by Ornelas Souza Tipri. He was also correspondent and local reporter for The Navhind Times. Read the rest of this entry »

In the old days, church bells ruled everyday life in the village of Saligao as in other parts of Goa. They announced marriages, births and deaths. Labourers woke up to the Angelus bells at dawn to start their daily chores.  At the midday Angelus bell, they stopped their work to have a meal followed by the mandatory siesta.  When the Angelus bell rang, all stood and prayed.  The church bell rang again at sunset for the evening Angelus.  Well before this the domestic animals had been gathered and put into their stalls (gudd, gottó) for the night.  Children stopped play and came home running and the family gathered at the oratory.  Ponteos and candles were lit, and the Angelus was said.  After that, the mothers taught dotorn (catechism) to the children.  Kerosene lamps (dive) were substituted by chimney lamps, followed by Aladdin lamps and in some houses by petromax lamps. 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 »

by Joe Fernandes, with Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas and Emily D’Souza

[May 1993]

In the Etimos das Aldeias by Canon F X Vaz in Oriente Portugues (1916 and 1920) MUDDAVADDI means hamlet on the mound or knoll. It is interesting to note that Muddavaddi is called Dactembatta. It is also called Sucalbattulem. St Anne’s chapel documents of 1876, the earliest baptism register of the Nagoa Church and the map of Saligao designed by Joao Salustino de Souza in 1923 all indicate the ward of Muddavaddi.

Read the rest of this entry »