Fr. Nicolau Pereira.
By Carmo D’Souza
“Carmo”, he would call me dragging my name a little, with a heavy Portuguese accent. It was known in the college that he knew by name, each and every individual that passed the Xavier’s portals. That was his working strategy as Principal of the college.
He was nicknamed as “Pop”. That itself spoke volumes. He had a fatherly attitude towards the students, and was kind and considerate to all. Whatever be the occasion, he always carried a benign smile on his round face. Meet him in Panjim , and after a few inquiries ,he was sure to offer a lift. Fortunately, his Standard car like a tortoise , just managed to climb the Xavier hill.
Fr. Pereira together with his team of staff members glued the Xavieriete spirit. Truly the students were proud of the label of Xavierites from Mapusa. It is to Fr Pereira’s credit, that throughout his tenure , the college flag fluttered higher and higher.
With a doctorate in Physical chemistry from USA, he was known to help the bright Chemistry students in pursuing their higher studies. That was the reputation in the college. Physical Chemistry was a specialty in Xaviers. And now and then somebody left for America, and then returned to recount his stories.
In spite of his Chemistry forte, Fr. Pereira was an all rounder. He enjoyed for instance writing short stories in Konkani on the college magazine. Innovation, creative was his hallmark. He encouraged others to pursue such activities along with their jobs. When I met him occasionally, he would give a short advice on teaching and question me on my writing skills. “ Write more”, would be his parting advice, as he tried to get me focused on my jumbled goals.
He was an educationists par excellence .I remembered when he once remarked that examination connected work with Board and University was a hallmark of a teacher. He believed in attendance in college as it leads to interactive learning between the students themselves. When I once spoke in favor of correspondence courses for employed students, he remarked that there should be interactive courses in the University, which would permit the working students to complete their studies at their own leisure.
Fr. Pereira was a gentleman to the core, with a high degree of sportsman spirit. I still remember that football game at Campal, in which Xaviers were locked with their traditional Panjim rivals. Suddenly tempers flayed, and the crowd invaded the ground. Fr. Pereira suddenly appeared on the scene and in his white cassock sauntered around the field, persuading the players to take their position. Victory did not matter to him. The game had to be played in the best of the spirits. Xaviers lost a game, but had kept high the gamesmanship tradition.
“You have won the race, take your crown “, says the Good Lord as Fr. Pereira touches the finishing line. I am sure every Xavierite, stands up and applauds in appreciation for the glorious victory. In Fr, Pereia , Goa has lost one of its eminent educationists of the second half of twentieth century.
First written on death of Fr. Nicolau Pereira
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
World Order
Indian Premier League – Blasting National Boundaries.
By Carmo D’Souza
Indian Premier League (IPL), well Bollywood personalities, cricket professionals, Indian industrialists and celebrities. A mix up of cricket professionalism, iconic players, media expertise, ball to ball updates, rules of game, cash, sponsors , price bids and cheer groups. Eight great teams with unique selection of names in a format called Twenty 20 , with stages called Round Robin and Knockout, are struggling on the cricket field for 45 days, involving huge money, television rights , franchises and what not, with the cheer girls dancing on the ring of controversy. It all makes news and news sells. Interesting to watch how the IPL has captured the hearts and minds of cricket lovers.
One of the important pointer is that IPL has blasted knowingly or unconsciously the national boundaries. There is a flurry of beautiful strokes that flow all over the field and flow beyond the boundaries. It may be symbolic, but the fact remains that the National Sovereignty as postulated by great legal scholar Austin has really been put to test. And the silliness of that Austinian theory is day by day demonstrated on the IPL cricket fields. Great Austin challenged in a game dear to the British.
Modern scholars like C. K. Allen have questioned Austin’s claim to National Sovereignty- a part of British Heritage. British are feudal in nature unlike the Roman Imperator. Had Austin overlooked long course of English history and based his theory of a short run of English sovereignty of his days? Whatever the answer , Austin hoisted National Sovereignty so high in his Imperative Theory, that it enabled Britain to build an Empire. Or was it the other way round? Whichever way, the fact is that National Sovereignty became a brand name , pursued by each and every country in the twentieth century. However the fag end of the century showed the dilution of this solid walls , as environment sent its warnings, and the human rights echoed from one corner to the other with the shrinking world .
It is interesting to analyze IPL under this background. The names of the eight teams in one side seemed to uphold royalty and sovereignty and the ideals dear to the patriarchs of monarchy. As Shakespeare has said that a rose by any other name smell as sweet, perhaps the names in IPL , do not stand for the old monarchial culture. We have Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Bangalore Royal Challengers ( though the royal may have a different connotation ), Kings XI Punjab. One additional team has the royal trapping in the form of Kolkata Knight Riders. That leaves only three other teams which cannot be bracketed in Royal Brand , that is Mumbai Indians , Delhi Dare Devils and Deccan Charges. But chargers too have been associated with mighty kings and the Devils too have their own kingdom, in the other world..
Then where are the brushes of Internationalism in IPL Cricket? Could any Pakistani cricketer inspite of his cricketing prowess get applause in Indian soil if not perhaps in Hyderabad of old. In IPL today , Pakistanis are head and shoulder with their India counterparts, cheered by the crowd. Country loyalty has shed place to club loyalty. And there are the cheer girls to lay the foundation for their teams support.
The Bhaji incident is another pointer to that direction. Calling man a monkey cannot be tolerated either by men or monkeys. Though we Indians are sometimes in habit of calling our tiny tots affectionately ‘monkeys’. And the Indian Nations solidly stood as one including the mass media , that we did not do it. There was simply no room for apology. It is not to infer here that the incident happened. The reaction of the nation was spontaneous as revealed by various letters to the press. However the new Bhaji incident , has brought a lot of doubting Thomas to the front. Are national boundaries crumbling down?
It is too early to expect a new world order from the IPL. Surely, it may not be enviable too. Where money, bids and loyalties are to be bargained on auction or evaluated in terms of dollars, or built by cheer leaders. But the IPL surely has made us conscious of our traditional way of thinking which is undergoing a radical and rapid change. May be IPL is a stepping stone, were more systematic, conscious and dedicated efforts in building world order will emerge. After all , India had great ancient saints like Budha, Mahavira and others . It produced modern leaders in that direction like Gandhi, Nehru and others. Presently there is a group of Montessori schools in Luckknow with around thirty thousand students that are working towards it. I am not to sure whether they are good at cricket too.
Viva India. Viva IPL.
Visit web site : http://www.ismilda.org/
E-mail: carmodsouza@gmail.com
By Carmo D’Souza
Indian Premier League (IPL), well Bollywood personalities, cricket professionals, Indian industrialists and celebrities. A mix up of cricket professionalism, iconic players, media expertise, ball to ball updates, rules of game, cash, sponsors , price bids and cheer groups. Eight great teams with unique selection of names in a format called Twenty 20 , with stages called Round Robin and Knockout, are struggling on the cricket field for 45 days, involving huge money, television rights , franchises and what not, with the cheer girls dancing on the ring of controversy. It all makes news and news sells. Interesting to watch how the IPL has captured the hearts and minds of cricket lovers.
One of the important pointer is that IPL has blasted knowingly or unconsciously the national boundaries. There is a flurry of beautiful strokes that flow all over the field and flow beyond the boundaries. It may be symbolic, but the fact remains that the National Sovereignty as postulated by great legal scholar Austin has really been put to test. And the silliness of that Austinian theory is day by day demonstrated on the IPL cricket fields. Great Austin challenged in a game dear to the British.
Modern scholars like C. K. Allen have questioned Austin’s claim to National Sovereignty- a part of British Heritage. British are feudal in nature unlike the Roman Imperator. Had Austin overlooked long course of English history and based his theory of a short run of English sovereignty of his days? Whatever the answer , Austin hoisted National Sovereignty so high in his Imperative Theory, that it enabled Britain to build an Empire. Or was it the other way round? Whichever way, the fact is that National Sovereignty became a brand name , pursued by each and every country in the twentieth century. However the fag end of the century showed the dilution of this solid walls , as environment sent its warnings, and the human rights echoed from one corner to the other with the shrinking world .
It is interesting to analyze IPL under this background. The names of the eight teams in one side seemed to uphold royalty and sovereignty and the ideals dear to the patriarchs of monarchy. As Shakespeare has said that a rose by any other name smell as sweet, perhaps the names in IPL , do not stand for the old monarchial culture. We have Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Bangalore Royal Challengers ( though the royal may have a different connotation ), Kings XI Punjab. One additional team has the royal trapping in the form of Kolkata Knight Riders. That leaves only three other teams which cannot be bracketed in Royal Brand , that is Mumbai Indians , Delhi Dare Devils and Deccan Charges. But chargers too have been associated with mighty kings and the Devils too have their own kingdom, in the other world..
Then where are the brushes of Internationalism in IPL Cricket? Could any Pakistani cricketer inspite of his cricketing prowess get applause in Indian soil if not perhaps in Hyderabad of old. In IPL today , Pakistanis are head and shoulder with their India counterparts, cheered by the crowd. Country loyalty has shed place to club loyalty. And there are the cheer girls to lay the foundation for their teams support.
The Bhaji incident is another pointer to that direction. Calling man a monkey cannot be tolerated either by men or monkeys. Though we Indians are sometimes in habit of calling our tiny tots affectionately ‘monkeys’. And the Indian Nations solidly stood as one including the mass media , that we did not do it. There was simply no room for apology. It is not to infer here that the incident happened. The reaction of the nation was spontaneous as revealed by various letters to the press. However the new Bhaji incident , has brought a lot of doubting Thomas to the front. Are national boundaries crumbling down?
It is too early to expect a new world order from the IPL. Surely, it may not be enviable too. Where money, bids and loyalties are to be bargained on auction or evaluated in terms of dollars, or built by cheer leaders. But the IPL surely has made us conscious of our traditional way of thinking which is undergoing a radical and rapid change. May be IPL is a stepping stone, were more systematic, conscious and dedicated efforts in building world order will emerge. After all , India had great ancient saints like Budha, Mahavira and others . It produced modern leaders in that direction like Gandhi, Nehru and others. Presently there is a group of Montessori schools in Luckknow with around thirty thousand students that are working towards it. I am not to sure whether they are good at cricket too.
Viva India. Viva IPL.
Visit web site : http://www.ismilda.org/
E-mail: carmodsouza@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Goan Nostalgia
Akeru’s Casas de Goa
Carmo D’Souza ,
E-mail:carmodsouza@gmail.com
Majestic houses standing amidst desolate vegetation. Large spacious verandahs. Flight of steps. Impressive balconies , where once political future were discussed or designed. Also small tavernas where the village folk would have their gulp of “cutt”. Ghostly chandeliers peeping through the main door or making their appearance felt through windows . Well that is Akeru’s Casa de Goa.
I had been on a casual visit to Kala Academy when I seemed to strike a treasure. In one of the rooms there was a painting display of Casas de Goa. As Ismilda Research Consultancy (www.ismilda.org ) is involved in motivating Research on Goa, I considered the discovery of the silent show, a rich haul, a wealth for research. The exhibition tempted me to visit the place a second time for reinforcement of ideas. I took of some minutes for a small chart with the painter and discovered that she had imbibed the spirit of the Goan houses. And her unique experience had enabled her to put the real Goa on canvas , with her Japanese instinct of art and painting.
During the next half an hour, I was carried through the different shades of Goa. I visited a double storied house with excellent supporting pillars, which had the additional duty of adding grace and grandeur to the building. The pillars gave a royal front look, as in a cat walk demonstration . As if houses can walk. But I saw that elegance in the house , perhaps reflecting those dainty ladies and damsels of yore , who inhabited it. The pillars were tenderly embraced by designs of green creepers. The next house that I visited had two impressive flights of steps to enter inside. I am not too sure whether a choice was available in those days or there were precise rules of etiquettes of entrance and exit to the old ‘Solar’.
Somewhere I found a small little house “Martins Corner’ inviting for a tasty Goan meal of fish curry rice. The canvas spoke of it all, though the sensory art of adding perfume to canvas is yet to be developed. At other place I came across a small taverna licenciada that seemed to be taken out of Goa of the 1960s. But surprisingly it advertised the Kingfisher beer brand.
My attention was drawn to a huge mansion with large verandah , all round , and capping it all with a very high roof to cover its balcony. In my imagination, the balcony seemed to be wearing a bishop’s miter . I presumed the intellectual capacity of the inmates who must have discussed the latest political news sitting in that verandah. I could imagine them hotly debating political issues, drafting a resolution calling the attention of central Government in Lisbon and telegraphically dispatching to the authorities at Terreiro do Paco in Portugal. That was the first half of twentieth century politics in Goa. A few heads sitting on that verandah could claim to represent the “Povo de Goa” and attempting to sway the Central authorizes even against the local powers that be.
The painter has seen to details. That’s Akeru’s style. Thorough the main door of an elegant mansion one could see the huge chandelier hanging at the entrance. Or it may be a dog faithfully at his duty , behind the door. The artist has brought the elegance of some of the antique houses that seem to be standing on stilts. No in fact, the houses are built over a high pedestal foundation in the front to keep perhaps with the level with its rear portion. And I noticed a house double storied , eight windows to be precise up and down. It was fully equipped for any occasion, in days where halls or celebration venues were hardly available on hire.
How can one go through Goa without Fish land. That is a small antique very tiny house , a utility residence of old which has its own magic. Today it serves as a small food joint. Akeru’s brush captures the spirit of the past together with the new brand of small eating joints to cater to the tourist and the Diaspora Goans.
The artist has captured each house as per its mood. Sometimes the windows of the spacious houses are closed as if hiding secrets and wealth from the outsiders. At other places the windows are wide open, inviting the stranger to walk into the spacious halls. And there are crumbling houses too with their outstanding windows of oyster shells ( corpan). That’s the unique Goan art that has not escaped Akeru.
A day with Akeru’s painting can be an experience in art, culture, history and environment that makes Goans proud of their all round heritage.
Carmo D’Souza ,
E-mail:carmodsouza@gmail.com
Majestic houses standing amidst desolate vegetation. Large spacious verandahs. Flight of steps. Impressive balconies , where once political future were discussed or designed. Also small tavernas where the village folk would have their gulp of “cutt”. Ghostly chandeliers peeping through the main door or making their appearance felt through windows . Well that is Akeru’s Casa de Goa.
I had been on a casual visit to Kala Academy when I seemed to strike a treasure. In one of the rooms there was a painting display of Casas de Goa. As Ismilda Research Consultancy (www.ismilda.org ) is involved in motivating Research on Goa, I considered the discovery of the silent show, a rich haul, a wealth for research. The exhibition tempted me to visit the place a second time for reinforcement of ideas. I took of some minutes for a small chart with the painter and discovered that she had imbibed the spirit of the Goan houses. And her unique experience had enabled her to put the real Goa on canvas , with her Japanese instinct of art and painting.
During the next half an hour, I was carried through the different shades of Goa. I visited a double storied house with excellent supporting pillars, which had the additional duty of adding grace and grandeur to the building. The pillars gave a royal front look, as in a cat walk demonstration . As if houses can walk. But I saw that elegance in the house , perhaps reflecting those dainty ladies and damsels of yore , who inhabited it. The pillars were tenderly embraced by designs of green creepers. The next house that I visited had two impressive flights of steps to enter inside. I am not too sure whether a choice was available in those days or there were precise rules of etiquettes of entrance and exit to the old ‘Solar’.
Somewhere I found a small little house “Martins Corner’ inviting for a tasty Goan meal of fish curry rice. The canvas spoke of it all, though the sensory art of adding perfume to canvas is yet to be developed. At other place I came across a small taverna licenciada that seemed to be taken out of Goa of the 1960s. But surprisingly it advertised the Kingfisher beer brand.
My attention was drawn to a huge mansion with large verandah , all round , and capping it all with a very high roof to cover its balcony. In my imagination, the balcony seemed to be wearing a bishop’s miter . I presumed the intellectual capacity of the inmates who must have discussed the latest political news sitting in that verandah. I could imagine them hotly debating political issues, drafting a resolution calling the attention of central Government in Lisbon and telegraphically dispatching to the authorities at Terreiro do Paco in Portugal. That was the first half of twentieth century politics in Goa. A few heads sitting on that verandah could claim to represent the “Povo de Goa” and attempting to sway the Central authorizes even against the local powers that be.
The painter has seen to details. That’s Akeru’s style. Thorough the main door of an elegant mansion one could see the huge chandelier hanging at the entrance. Or it may be a dog faithfully at his duty , behind the door. The artist has brought the elegance of some of the antique houses that seem to be standing on stilts. No in fact, the houses are built over a high pedestal foundation in the front to keep perhaps with the level with its rear portion. And I noticed a house double storied , eight windows to be precise up and down. It was fully equipped for any occasion, in days where halls or celebration venues were hardly available on hire.
How can one go through Goa without Fish land. That is a small antique very tiny house , a utility residence of old which has its own magic. Today it serves as a small food joint. Akeru’s brush captures the spirit of the past together with the new brand of small eating joints to cater to the tourist and the Diaspora Goans.
The artist has captured each house as per its mood. Sometimes the windows of the spacious houses are closed as if hiding secrets and wealth from the outsiders. At other places the windows are wide open, inviting the stranger to walk into the spacious halls. And there are crumbling houses too with their outstanding windows of oyster shells ( corpan). That’s the unique Goan art that has not escaped Akeru.
A day with Akeru’s painting can be an experience in art, culture, history and environment that makes Goans proud of their all round heritage.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Goan Nostalgia
The Art of Gusppounk
By Carmo D’Souza
Konkani is a rich language which uses words with a variety of calours. People while talking, use the language artistically as they would do a welcoming Rangoli in front of their houses. One such word is guspounk which means to meander aimlessly, or to be in a confused state or … Of course the primary postulate is that Konkani words cannot be exhaustive - postulate as rule need no proof.
Well Gusponk is a art either carefully cultivated or formed unconsciously. Imagine Maria who has the habit of preparing herself for any schedule well before time. As her husband goes for his suit and boot, she is ready at the doorstep. But at the time of leaving her home, she meanders aimlessly seeking for trinkets. It may be a broche , a house or car keys or a purse. The hunt goes well beyond the scheduled time . In this sense Gusponk is an unconscious habit formed perhaps from childhood environment.
I had a professor friend who had a fancy of being photograph. He had made a prize collection of valuable clicks with all the possible celebrities of Goa. He had successfully cultivated the art of Gusponk. For any occasion he was the uninvited guest. He used to roam confidently around the whole place as if he was the host. When the photographer was about to click the chief guest , my friend would appear on the scene . Next day my friend’s face was blown over the newspapers of Goa along with the chief guest. He had combined the art of gusponk with that of gussonk
There are also confused Goans , who have a tendency to fall by tripping on their own legs. “ Tejeache pavank guspollo” Perhaps it is this habit that has kept many Goans from being achievers. They do need a reorientation exercise.
Gusponk in all its senses is prevalent amidst the whole Goan community. Perhaps our politicians too have either cultivated it to a finer extent.. They have the tendency to tie Goa’s problems in a complex knot , just like thread has the tendency to gusponk.
I intend to make a longer article…..But Sorry . Guspollo.
By Carmo D’Souza
Konkani is a rich language which uses words with a variety of calours. People while talking, use the language artistically as they would do a welcoming Rangoli in front of their houses. One such word is guspounk which means to meander aimlessly, or to be in a confused state or … Of course the primary postulate is that Konkani words cannot be exhaustive - postulate as rule need no proof.
Well Gusponk is a art either carefully cultivated or formed unconsciously. Imagine Maria who has the habit of preparing herself for any schedule well before time. As her husband goes for his suit and boot, she is ready at the doorstep. But at the time of leaving her home, she meanders aimlessly seeking for trinkets. It may be a broche , a house or car keys or a purse. The hunt goes well beyond the scheduled time . In this sense Gusponk is an unconscious habit formed perhaps from childhood environment.
I had a professor friend who had a fancy of being photograph. He had made a prize collection of valuable clicks with all the possible celebrities of Goa. He had successfully cultivated the art of Gusponk. For any occasion he was the uninvited guest. He used to roam confidently around the whole place as if he was the host. When the photographer was about to click the chief guest , my friend would appear on the scene . Next day my friend’s face was blown over the newspapers of Goa along with the chief guest. He had combined the art of gusponk with that of gussonk
There are also confused Goans , who have a tendency to fall by tripping on their own legs. “ Tejeache pavank guspollo” Perhaps it is this habit that has kept many Goans from being achievers. They do need a reorientation exercise.
Gusponk in all its senses is prevalent amidst the whole Goan community. Perhaps our politicians too have either cultivated it to a finer extent.. They have the tendency to tie Goa’s problems in a complex knot , just like thread has the tendency to gusponk.
I intend to make a longer article…..But Sorry . Guspollo.
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