सी कॅथेड्रल ओल्ड गोव्यात बॉम जेसु बेसिलिकाच्या समोर आहे.

गोव्याला भेट देणाऱ्या बहुतेक सर्व पर्यटकांनी ओल्ड गोव्याला असलेल्या तांबड्या चिरांनी बांधलेल्या बॉम जेसू बॅसिलिकाला भेट दिलेली असतेच. या सतराव्या शतकातील भव्य चर्चमध्ये सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेव्हियर या संताच्या शरीराचे अवशेष किंवा रीलिक्स जपून ठेवलेले आहेत.

आज तीन डिसेंबर....सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेव्हियर याचा सण किंवा फेस्त.. गोवा राज्यात आज सार्वजनिक सुट्टी असते कारण या दिवशी ओल्ड गोवा येथे हा सण मोठ्या उत्साहात साजरा होतो.

संत फ्रान्सिस झेव्हीयर हा गोवा आर्च डायोसिसचा पॅट्रन सेंट किंवा आश्रयदाता संत.. गोंयचो सायबा .... गोवन काथोलिकांचा हा एक मोठा सण.

मुंबई-पुणे हायवेवरचे चिंचवड स्टेशनजवळ आमच्या सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेवियर चर्चचा आज सण. या सणाच्या वेळी मिस्साची शेवट या कोकणी गायनाने होईल.

जगभर जिथेजिथे गोवन कॅथोलिक आज हा सण साजरा करतील तिथेतिथे हे येथे दिलेले कोकणी गायन गायले जाईल. या गायनाची चाल अत्यंत सुंदर आहे.

यु ट्यूबवर एकदा ऐकून पहा.

हे कोकणी गायन रोमन लिपीत आहे पण वाचल्यावर त्याचा अर्थ मराठी वाचकाला बऱ्यापैकी कळेल.

Boas Festas! .... Happy feast to all !!!!!!!

SAM FRANCIS XAVIERA

Sam Francis Xaviera, vodda kunvra

Raat dis amchea mogan lastolea

Besanv ghal Saiba sharar Goyenchea

Samballun sodankal gopant tujea

Beporva korun sonvsarachi

Devachi tunven keli chakri

Ami somest magtanv mozot tuzi,

Kortai mhonn milagrir, milagri

Aiz ani sodam, amchi khatir

Vinoti kor tum Deva lagim

Jezu sarkem zaum jivit amchem,

Ami pavo-sor tuje sorxi

When statue of poet Louis Vaz de Camoes in Old Goa was removed...

The Black Lives Matter protests in the USA and Europe have called for removal of statues of some persons including Winston Churchill for their alleged dubious roles in treatment to the black community. This reminds me how a statue of celebrated literary giant Luis Vaz de Camoes in Old Goa was removed in 1980s, two decades after Goa was liberated from the Portuguese regime. There is an important circle in Old Goa no visitor to this former capital of Goa under the Portuguese regime will ever miss. This circle is at the entrance of the impressive Se Cathedral, the white 17th century edifice and the largest church in Old Goa.

This circle comes into prominence especially on December 3, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, and once a decade exposition of the relics of this patron saint of Goa. At the centre of the circle was once a pedestal. A huge statue of Portuguese poet Luis Vaz de Camoes placed on the pedestal was the centre of attraction at the walking plaza at the historic cathedral. The poet stood there, with his face up, holding in his hand scrolls of his epic, Os Lusíadas .

The imposing 3.6 meters high bronze statue of Luis Vaz de Camoes (1525 – 20 June, 1580) with the impressive background of Se Cathedral would have served as an ideal spot for selfies or photo ops. But not many people of my generation would have in their albums their photos captured at this site. I moved to Goa in 1978 but do not have a single photo taken near this poet’s statue at this picturesque site. This is because clicking photographs was not easily possible and affordable for common people till early 1980s, the period till the Portuguese bard’s statue was allowed the honour of occupying the high pedestal.

Old Goa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Goa. The statue of a Portuguese national – a poet but in Portuguese language – continued to occupy the high pedestal even after Goa’s liberation in December 1961. Significantly, the statue was erected in Old Goa in 1960, just a year before Prime Minister Pandit Nehru ordered military action to liberate Goa from the Portuguese rule. The marble plaque on the pedestal carried in Portuguese language name and contribution of Luis Camoes.

During my college days, I visited Old Goa several times but it never occurred to me that the legacy of this impressive statue, like Portuguese – the administrative language of this tiny territory for four centuries – would soon be wiped out. The area around the circle was later renovated with a beautiful landscape in view of the increasing number of tourists to this historic place. Statues of many governor generals of the Portuguese regime in Goa including Alfonso de Albuquerque, Vasco de Gama from various prominent locations were shown the place they deserved after Goa’s liberation – the museums and archives.

The clamour for removing the Portuguese poet’s statue at the high pedestal in Old Goa had started getting louder in early 1980s. A group of freedom fighters and others calling themselves as nationalists demanded that the statue of the foreign national, who praised Portuguese imperialism, be removed from the site. It was even alleged that Luis Camoes had referred to Indians as dogs in his magnum opus epic, Os Lusíadas ("The Lusiads"), an allegation reputed by many.

Luis Vaz de Camoes has been hailed as Shakespeare, Homer or Kalidas of Portuguese language and national poet of Portugal. He had spent many years in Goa. But the group of the nationalists in Goa perceived Camoes as a relic of the past Portuguese imperialism and therefore saw no reason why his statue should occupy an honourable place after Goa's liberation. There were of course some voices, lauding the contribution of the giant litterateur. Os Lusíadas has been translated into several languages Camoes is called as the greatest poet in Portuguese language. His tomb in Lisbon, Portugal, is a national monument, visited by a large number of dignitaries and others. But those demanding removal of the poet’s statue were not impressed. The clamour for the statue’s removal was increasing. The issue was even raised in Indian Parliament. The Goa government was in a fix.

This atmosphere prevailing in Goa flashed before my mind when there was a prolonged controversy over the statue of Dadoji Kondadeo along with young Shivaji Maharaj and his mother Jijamata at the Lal Mahal in Pune. Some groups had questioned the very role of Dadoji Kondadeo in the life of Shivaji Maharaj and therefore demanded removal of his statue. Ultimately, Kondadeo statue was removed in the presence of a large police personnel which ended the row. In the case of poet Luis Vaz de Camoes, one morning in 1983, it was found that a blast was carried out to destroy the statue. It was a job carried out by amateur persons. The statue had remained intact at the pedestal but the blast, apparently carried out with gelatin sticks, had managed to rip open the throat area of the statue. Nevertheless the amateurish job on the statue accomplished its mission.

The blast job on the statue came as a blessing in disguise for the troubled Goa government led by Pratapsingh Rane. The public works department swiftly made arrangements to shift the statue to the museum of the Archaeological Survey of India, located just across the road, on the premises of the Bom Jesu Basilica. A major headache for the administration and security authorities was thus solved once for all.

Now the statue of poet Luis Vaz de Camoes at the museum is among scores of statues of heroes in Goan, Portuguese history and may hardly attract special attention of anyone. If you ever happen to visit this museum, remember, this statue of Luis Camoes now relegated into oblivion was once at the centre of attraction in Old Goa.

Finally, Goa church’s nod for heritage Bom Jesus Basilica's adoption maintenance

Monday, May 14, 2018, 1:01 PM  | e-paper

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3. Finally, Goa church’s nod for heritage shrine’s adoption maintenance

Finally, Goa church’s nod for heritage shrine’s adoption maintenance

Camil Parkhe

Sunday, 13 May 2018     goo.gl/cBpmWV 

After its  initial stiff opposition to the Centre’s plan to give Goa’s famous Bom Jesus Basilica for adoption maintenance, Goa Church, led by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, has finally given its nod after securing assurance that the Church will have its existing right over this heritage church.

After its  initial stiff opposition to the Centre’s plan to give Goa’s famous Bom Jesus Basilica for adoption maintenance, Goa Church, led by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, has finally given its nod after securing assurance that the Church will have its existing right over this heritage church.

A controversy erupted last week in Goa after it was revealed that the Union government had decided to give the 16th century Bom Jesus Basilica to a private company for maintenance  purpose. The  decision was taken without consulting the Goa Church or even the  State government which is incidentally ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. As a result, the Goa Church officials as well as State 

Archives Minister Vijay Sardesai had  immediately  opposed the  move.The Old Goa-based Bom Jesus Basilica incidentally is the most famous church in Goa visited by lakhs of tourists every year as it has the remains of St Francis Xavier, the 16th century Spanish Jesuit priest who preached Christianity in Goa. The
remains of the missionary saint kept in  a casket are permanently on display at the huge church. Once in a decade, the remains are shifted to the nearby Se Cathedral for veneration  for a nearly two-month long  period.  This decennial exhibition draws huge number of pilgrims from all over India and abroad and is a major tourism revenue source for the State government.         

Officials of the Goa Church said that they withdraw their opposition for the Basilica’s adoption maintenance after it was clarified that the heritage church would not be taken over the government or the private company and that the adoption would help in preserving it in a better manner. Minister Sardesai too later withdrew his opposition to the move.  

The Church has been assured that the adoption maintenance scheme will not lead to the church losing its sanctity nor charges will be collected from  the devotees and tourists for entry into the religious shrine. The private company will look after the cleanliness around the shrine and provide various  necessary amenities to visitors including  canteen and drinking water. The private company may be permitted to charge fees to visitors for these facilities. The details of the contract will be  finalized in consultation with the Goa Church officials.  

The Church has been assured that even the maintenance activities in the Basilica will be carried out with the permission of the Church authorities so that the  sanctity of the centuries old  shrine is not affected.  

The State government said the memorandum of understanding with the  private company will be signed only in consultation with the Goa Church officials.   

Presently, the heritage church is in custody of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which looks after its maintenance while the Church has the rights for religious rites. The priests-in-charge of the shrine also reside at the Basilica’s adjoining structure.

With the adoption maintenance scheme, the church officials believe it will ensure regular payment for  preservation of the Basilica which is a major pilgrim tourism destination in the country.   

The solution to the row over the adoption maintenance of the
minority community’s religious shrine as come as a major relief for the BJP government both at the State and  the  Centre levels.

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