The Big Goan - Goa Holiday Blog

Twentieth of August saw the inclusion of Konkani in the eight schedule of the constitution and the day was celebrated by all lovers of the language. However for many Goans, especially the Catholics of Goa, the day was a non-event. These same Goans had strived and fought for the inclusion of the language in the eight schedule but now after 17 years of its inclusion all they can feel is a sincere betrayal by the stubborn lobby of the Devnagri konkani supporters who seem to have lost their vision for the wholesome support of the language.

In the name of Devnagri Konkani all attempts have been successfully made by this lobby to stifle the voices of the lovers of Romi Konkani which is the language spoken by Catholics in Goa in their everyday life. Devnagri Konkani is however spoken among the Hindus of Goa. While we must respect the wishes of our Hindu brethren in Goa to use Devnagri, the same compliment needs to be extended to the catholic community in Goa by accepting that Roman Konkani be given a similar status as its sister Devnagri.

However instead of doing that, our Devnagri brothers have insisted that it is the only script to follow which is a dictatorial attitude. catholic children find it hard to digest devnagri Konkani and yet it is being forced down their throats in the government aided primary schools as a medium of instruction.

To a great extent, the fault lies with the people who inserted the meticulous note of including the language of Konkani for official purposes in Goa - in Devnagri only.  This was a complete betrayal to the aspirations of the people who were actually fighting for the dual cause of Konkani in Devnagri and Romi. However the former won and the Romi lovers are currently running from pillar to post to make their voices heard. To no avail.

The clergy in Goa is also silent on the issue and despite the medium of speech and instruction in the Church of Goa being Romi Konkani, this silence and lack of interest to pursue this matter is highly surprising.In contrast, the Hindu political elite of Goa have had their way.

It is therefore our right to the language that needs to be exercised in all forums and the government of Goa needs to stop ignoring the genuine pleas of Romi konkani lovers, an issue which is threatening to influence an ugly divide in the Goan community. we Goans need to therefore stand up and speak for our script of Konkani without being drowned under bogey of Konkani only in Devnagri.

The days of Goa appear to be numbered. And it has nothing to do with the new "number plate" resentments. Instead, a new law awaits Goa and most importantly, Goan villages which threatens to change the Goan demography, Goan landscape, Goan beauty, Goan environment and the Goan way of life - forever. With disastrous implications.

The amendment to the Panchayati raj act 2009, which was unanimously passed by the ruling Congress woven coalition in the Goa assembly this month is yet another attempt to hoodwink Goans and foist on us the gargantuan plans of concrete jungles designed to satisfy the potbellies of real estate barons, politicians from Goa and elsewhere, bureaucrats and an increasingly alarming migrant workforce.

The way the bill itself was passed is pretty disgusting. The opposition party, the BJP which cries hoarse at every flimsy opportunity aimed at nailing the ruling combination chose to have a token protest, lest it not be said that they were supporting the bill. Simply exposes how powerful the builders lobby in Goa is.

Manohar Parrikar and his band of boys, instead of a thorough dressing down of the bill and the government, decided to concentrate on the purview of the miniscule issue of the panchayat secretary's boss and his creator of commands as being ambiguous in the bill. With the answers not fulfilling his satisfaction, the BJP stalwart decides to stage a walkout with his men, which facilitates the bill to have a safe passage .While leaving he makes sure that the world hears his words of protest as he shouted " we will not be a party to this bill". There could not be a better tiatr, could there?

However in doing the above, the wily politician may believe that he satisfied everyone while probably helping himself to a good laugh besides other things. One, he ensured that the bill was passed without much of his protests which should satisfy all stakeholders in the passing of the bill. Two he lived upto the reputation of opposition parties (and his own) to atleast oppose a bill come what may. Third he ensured that the general Goan public opposed to the bill, find it difficult to club him and his party with the supporters of the bill. However while he may have fooled some Goans, most will surely see through his actions and I am sure those voices will be heard sooner than later.

Can you imagine a law intended to deny Goans their right to speak against the rampant development of land with concrete jungles emerging all over? All powers vested in the bureaucracy of Goa? In short all powers vesting in the ministers, their accomplices, their henchmen and their greedy wolves who can decide what, how ,when and why your village needs thousands and lakhs of new inhabitants with more garbage, rationed water, more floods, lesser greenery, more migrants and more crime?

With such a dangerous situation on hand, our opposition party has lived up to their reputation of opposing trivial issues and ignoring the more important ones. While the whole of Goa and every panchayat in the state is gearing up for an agitation against the draconian bill, our opposition party has chosen to shift focus and agitate against some inconsequential , pedestrian issues such as the Shimnit Utsch number plates . Are vehicle number plates more important to the welfare of Goa? Or has Shimnit failed to satisfy the aspirations of our political class across the whole spectrum which the builders lobby may have smartly managed?

As if we didn't know!

Patolleo, for Goans rings a bell. It is a sweet dish prepared in most Goan homes with a touch of the real Goan feeling. Patolleo and its effervescent flavour has the potential to take you down the Goan memory lane and leave you dreaming for hours. A mere bite into the sweet dish is very satisfying and Goans look forward to the turn of the patolleo every year on 15th August, it being the feast of the assumption, and patolleo seem to be wedded to this feast for the catholics in Goa.

The village of Salvador do Mundo in the north of Goa goes one step further and has been known to celebrate the whole feast as the 'patolleo fest' which is to be celebrated this year on Sunday, 16th August 2009. For the villagers of Salvador do Mundo, the festival is not merely the making of patolleos but it does seem that there is a genuine concern to revive and maintain good old Goan traditions which have somehow rusted over the years and mostly forgotten.

So the elders of Salvador do Mundo also engage in teaching the youngsters the methods and means of preparing the old Goan sweets thereby ensuring that the tradition continues without being corrupted by the modern times. Besides the Patolleo, the villagers from this area also get their act together to prepare "pudde" or 'Kholle' which are similar to patolleo but are covered with a jackfruit leaf instead of turmeric leaves and are shaped in the form of a cone. Jaggery sannas also form part of the festivities here.

The festivities are normally  accompanied with music and song and an eco friendly set up is maintained to add the lustre of the old Goan setting. The festival is celebrated outside the St Sebastian Chapel at Baddem and food is served on banana or jackfruiit leaves and the traditional rice kanji is served in large coconut shells. Thus the festival is meant to showcase the essence of Goa and the organisers avoid any sponsors for the event in a bid to de-commercialise the festivities.

The event surely is a tribute to Goa and its rich cultural traditions and the rest of Goa and its villages must try and emulate this effort to ensure that Goa and Goans take their traditions forward for the sake of posterity in the least.