More than four Goans give up Indian passports for Portuguese passports everyday

4 GOANS GIVE UP INDIAN PASSPORTS EVERYDAY 

1613 PASSPORTS WERE SURRENDERED FOR PORTUGUESE ONES IN 2014


Did someone say we in Goa want 'Special Status'? With four Goans heading to the Goa passport office to surrender their Indian passports daily, with their Portuguese ones firmly in their pockets, Goa is soon running out of those who are ready to remain Indian. Their future is in the European Union and the status they get there. 

Herald Review January 25, 2015


LISA ANN MONTEIRO 


Bustling with activity during the last festive season, the villages of Siridao, Agassaim and Goa Velha in Tiswadi will once again witness a certain emptiness as locals on Portuguese passports return to the UK and France. Figures with the passport office in the State indicate 1613 Goans between January- December 2014 have surrendered their Indian passports to obtain Portuguese passports. The actual figure is much higher with many Goans in Europe surrendering their Indian passports at the nearest embassy.

With the sheer number of people searching for their deceased grandparents’ baptism and marriage certificates, most Church offices in the villages of Tiswadi have their staff working overtime. St Lawrence Church in Agassaim gets around eight requests for certificates each day. “ When they can’t find records at the Registrar’s office, they send them here. Half the population of Agassaim is already in the UK,” Fr Victor Rodrigues, assistant parish priest says. Xavier Gracias, ex sarpanch and panch member from Agassaim seconds this. The vote bank in the village was 5000 a decade ago, he says. Today it is 2500.

Siridao, a small fishing village has been the worst hit by the large numbers migrating. Parish priest Fr Hermogenes Fernandes who took charge in June 2011 has seen 200 people emigrate in his time, with many on their way. A census of the Catholic population done in the year 2000 indicated a population of 2000. Today the Catholic population in the village is not more than 300 he says. 

Contribution in Church 

The fall in numbers has also affected activities in Church. “ Sometimes I have to teach catechism. The parish council which had 18 members is now left with five members. It is the same people who are in the youth group and in the Legion of Mary who also double as catechists,” Fr Hermogenes Fernandes says.

In Agassaim, despite the many announcements made for the youth to come forward to help in making a crib for Christmas, no one showed up. The few villagers pitched in and began work on it only on the afternoon of December 24. “ All our church activities are adjusted to their needs. We used to have fixed dates for the sacrament of Communion. Today we have it multiple times a year when families come down for two weeks,” Fr Victor Rodrigues says.

Many prefer to return to their village to marry as well. Rodrigues has seen 18 weddings of outstation Goans in Agassaim in January this year. Outstation youth looking for partners no longer visit the State in large numbers during vacation time. Many are opting for intercultural marriages. Antonio Afonso, Sarpanch of Siridao has seen around eight mixed marriages in his village where Goans living in Paris wed their French partners. “They had the nuptials and reception in Goa and followed all traditions. The entire family on the French side also came down and stayed for two weeks. This is probably a less expensive option for them,” he says.

In Goa Velha, Fr Emidio Pinto, parish priest of St Andrew Church, says the most productive and vibrant section of the population in the age group 20- 40 have left. The low attendance in Church doesn’t affect him however. “Even if I have 100 people in the parish, I will create the feeling of a Church. In fact I have a Church that extends all over the world,” he says.

Goans in Swindon are active on the Church front. The Holy Rood Church in Swindon is packed with Goans on Sundays with only a few English attending mass. “Goans do the reading, participate in the choir and contribute monetarily in Church. During the renovation of the Church the Goans even organised a tiatr in aid of it. Konkani mass is held every second Saturday. Every village feast of Tiswadi is celebrated with Konkani mass followed by a dine and dance with a band formed by Goans of course,” Simplicio De Silva based in Swindon told Herald Review.

Children in tow 

Formerly children would be left behind with one parent, an aunt or grandparent. Today the entire families including old parents migrate to Europe on Portuguese passports.

The children don’t wait till they have completed school and many aren't even interested in studies. Sr Lina Dias, principal Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, Goa Velha, has seen at least five students from kg to the tenth standard leave mid way during the last academic year. “The number of locals in the school have fallen drastically and migrants’ children are taking their place. Locals are now a minority in our school. Local students in the process of getting their visas simply stop coming to class. When I urge them to continue until formalities are complete they say ‘ no need sister, everything is ready’. Most are unable to concentrate on their studies and others aren’t bothered.” Some weak students of hers studying in class eight and nine left for the UK and never completed their education there, taking up jobs at that young age instead.

Antonio Afonso says his village consisted of traditional fisher folk and toddy tappers where villagers in the years gone by couldn't afford a cycle and found it difficult to educate their children. Today they are happy in the UK and in France. “ Their living standards have improved.They have been able to build a house, own a car and have educated their children. They have changed their lives and have even taken their old parents to live with them.” 

Those who went to Swindon around seven years managed to get a permanent job and many have a second temporary job on the side. Recent emigrants have found it difficult to secure permanent employment with some working 6- 10 hours a week. Many are also migrating from Swindon to Southall and other parts of the UK in search of jobs. 

Situation not vacant

Simplicio De Silva living in Swindon says there are around 12,000 Goans of which around ninety percent are from the Tiswadi taluka. Many are engaged in manual jobs in warehouses and factories as warehouse operatives and production operatives. Only around five percent could actually be doing desk jobs. “The work system here is on an hourly basis and it is very unpredictable that you will be able to get work the next hour or the next day. You get paid at the end of the week based on the number of hours you put in the week. An average Goan could be working in three different companies within a span of six months. There is no job security and jobs are difficult to come by. Working conditions too are very difficult and if you are caught idle even for a minute or if you’re too slow compared to your team you could be chucked out at the drop of a hat. The nature of most work is such that you need to lift an average weight of 20 kgs and very quickly. Goans also have to brave the harsh cold conditions and even a hint of racial behaviorism from their employers.” 

Fr Emidio Pinto who runs a counseling clinic says he receives around 15 calls each day from Goans in the UK, asking for solutions to their problems and for prayers too. “Many work only two to four days a week. Others are addicted to gambling. Parents also call up complaining about their children following western lifestyle, going for parties when they’re 16 and to pubs when they’re 18.” Since gambling is legal in the country, many bet on soccer in open challenges. Others visit casinos. Antonio Afonso knows of cases where the family is down in Goa but the husband hasn't been able to come down for four years after spending all his money betting.

Lavish and locked 

After working abroad many are able to fulfill their dream of building a ground plus one bungalow in the village. Never mind that this is locked today or inhabited by one surviving grandparent. There are some who have inaugurated and blessed their new bungalows but never returned. Others have begun renting out a room by the side of their home to migrants. Villagers haven’t begun selling their houses though.

These bungalows are all the development the village of Siridao has witnessed, sarpanch Antonio Afonso says. However, the bigger houses haven’t translated into higher revenue for the panchayat with the owners continuing to pay the same old house tax of Rs 150.

“Since a family’s plot is small, when it is further divided each family member’s plot is even smaller. They aren’t able to keep any set backs when they build their house so they don’t go to the Town and Country Planning department to get their houses approved. This is unfortunate and the government should regularise these houses so that the panchayat can get revenue. They should be paying a construction license fee of Rs 15,000 minimum. The owners don’t mind paying but their houses are still considered illegal so under what law can I collect money from them? Review Bureau 

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The Harappans- Ahead of their Time

Ahead of their time  

Herald Review January 14, 2015

Distinguished archaeologist and specialist in Harappan civilization, Prof Vasant Shinde highlighted the contribution of Harappan civilization to the development of science and technology in India and the world during a recent presentation at the NIO. 

LISA ANN MONTEIRO 

Archaeologist and Vice Chancellor of Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune visited the State recently and took listeners 5000 years back in time to appreciate the ancient Harappan civilization, focusing on their contribution to present day science and technology.

Spread over two million sq kms, the area covered by the Harappan civilization is larger than that covered by the Mesopotamian civilization. The Harappan civilization was officially identified on September 20, 1924. Sites have been found as far as Russia in the north. Prior to Independence only 100 Harappan sites were known of which only two were in India. Today 2000 Harappan sites have been discovered of which 1500 are located in India in the northwest part. The largest of these is Rakhigarhi in Haryana, followed by Mohenjo Daro in Punjab province in Pakistan, Harappa in Sindh province in Pakistan and Dholavira in Gujarat.

Sadly when given a choice, Shinde says, people prefer to visit ancient Egypt because there’s lots of monumental architecture to see including temples, buildings, pyramids and figureheads.

“There’s nothing like that at the Harappan sites. Although the Harappans were technologically equally advanced compared to the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, they didn’t build monuments.

Their philosophy was different and they were more practical in their approach.

They knew these were of no use to common people and although they had a lot of wealth and used metal, they preferred to use it for the protection and betterment of their people. They created well planned and fortified cities with excellent drainage systems,” Shinde who has 34 years of experience in archaeology and has conducted over 40 excavations around the world, said.

What’s interesting too is that the Harappans created and managed their large empire for a long period of time without using violence. No evidence of warfare has been found at these sites.

They were pioneers of their time in the way they planned their cities and in the building methods they used. Each household had a well and a latrine. Each latrine was connected to a drainage which was connected to the main drainage of the city which was emptied outside the city wall. This proved that their cities were clean and hygienic. Many concepts like that of the commode and swimming pool thought to be western were also found in this civilization.

The Great Bath area found at Mohenjo Daro, Shinde says is an exact replica of the modern day swimming pool. It had steps only used for maintenance and changing rooms on either side. A well built nearby was used to periodically circulate the water in the bath area.

The Harappan’s knowledge of mathematics could be seen in the perfectly perpendicular structures they built. Each brick was created in proper ratio. While constructing they also used what’s now known as the English bond method where bricks are laid in alternate headers and stretchers.

In the city of Dholavira which was one of the most fortified cities, it is believed the locals followed the panchayat system where everyone would pitch in to help build. “ No evidence of the use of slavery was found to build the large walls and the entire city,” Shinde says.

The perfect planning of their cities meant that they had an excellent water harvesting system in place too. The area was largely desert and occasional rainfall suddenly gave way to flash floods. They built dams and underwater tanks, arresting water and diverting it to the huge tanks connected to the city through underground channels. To build these tanks, they dug into solid rock most probably by putting wooden pegs at the groves of the stones to crack them before pulling them out. This was a highly advanced technique which is still being followed today. Excavations revealed that they not only traded in small precious goods but in building materials too. The credit for the earliest dockyard cum port anywhere in the world also goes to the Harappan civilization. Located at the port town of Lothal in Gujarat, it would cater to ocean going ships.

Through the furrow marks in the land, archaeologists find that the Harappans followed the rotation system in agriculture, double cropping in winter and summer. The agricultural implements including the plough used were not very different from those used today.

The pear shaped pottery kilns, the technique of pottery and the basic shape of the pots continue to be used today.Pots were made on fast wheels and perfectly fired with no impurities. Decorations were made before firing them so the designs remained permanent. The technique used to perforate precious stones continues to be used today. At the Gola Dhoro site in Bagasara, Gujarat, the Harappans would import raw materials and produce and export the finished products back to the same people. At Harappa and Dholavira too manufacturing centres were found.

The continuity in the philosophy of rebirth can also be seen Shinde said. “The Harappans never buried their dead with gold. They buried them with pots with food and water, ornaments and tools because they believed they needed this for their next life.” The decline of the Harappan civilization was gradual. “By 4000 BC the climate turned dry the world over and all major civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia declined at the same time. By 2000 BC the Saraswati River had dried up and all 30 Harappan Ports for sea trade fell into disuse,” Shinde said.

His visit also culminated in an MOU being signed between the NIO and Deccan College, Pune for collaboration on matters relating to marine archaeology.

Tourism prospects

Only two Harappan sites Lothal and Dholavira in Gujarat are open for tourists. Deccan College in collaboration with the Haryana State Department of Archaeology is planning to excavate part of the site at Rakhigarhi in Haryana and preserve it for the public. “A museum is also planned at the site, land for which has already been acquired by the State government. There are also plans to convert some of the old Havelis in the village into guest- houses for tourists. This will promote tourism industry at the site and economic development of the village as well as the region,” Shinde says.

New Excavations

Early this year while on a visit to Rakhigarhi in Haryana a team of archaeology teachers and students from Deccan College discovered new mounds two hectares each in size. “One of them appears to be an industrial part as ample burning patches on the surface were found. These are parts of the settlement at Rakhigarhi which were not reported earlier,” Shinde says. This discovery helped offi- cially prove that the site at Rakhigarhi is the largest Harappan civilization site. Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan was considered the biggest among the 2000 Harappan sites prior to this finding. Excavation months are from December to March and major work is being planned at Rakhigarhi this season by this University. The team has already left for the preparation. The other excavations proposed are at the Stone Age site of Tikoda in MP, historical place at Junnar in Maharashtra and small scientific work for sample collection at Mad Pimpali in Maharashtra and Dwarka in Gujarat.

Protection needed

Of the 1500 Harappan sites in India Shinde says only a few important ones are being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Almost all the other sites are not fenced, open to everyone and are being destroyed due to expansion of agricultural activities or developmental works. “The ASI and state departments of Archaeology need to bring all those surviving sites under protection. There is need to educate common people about the importance of cultural heritage of the country and get their involvement in their protection,” Shinde says. It is not only India but most countries in South Asia, save Sri Lanka that are as bad as India in protecting heritage sites. No proper policy exists on this aspect.

http://epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=10590&boxid=5822468&uid=&dat=1%2f18%2f2015

Review Bureau

Pitching Higher- Jose Neil Gomes

Pitching higher   

January 14, 2015

Multi-instrumentalist Jose Neil Gomes from Benaulim is in demand in the music scene in Mumbai. Choosing not to get too comfortable with the commercial music scene, he will soon be releasing his first in a series of nine albums.

LISA ANN MONTEIRO  

Jose Neil Gomes plays the violin, guitar, cello, saxophone, flute, clarinet, and piano -among other 20-odd instruments -with equal ease and élan. All of 27, he is much in demand in the commercial music scene in Mumbai. The youngest member of Sufi artist Kailash Kher’s band Kailasa, Gomes is also part of vocalist Sunidhi Chauhan’s troupe travelling from Australia and Auckland to Trinidad and Tobago for shows.

It’s difficult then to believe that Gomes born and brought up in Benaulim didn’t particularly enjoy learning the violin as a young boy and never saw music shaping his future. He left home at 13 to be a priest, joining the seminary in Saligao and then Rachol. When it was time to decide on a college he enrolled at St Xaviers in Mumbai choosing to study journalism. It was here that he was exposed to different genres of music and musicians. He picked up the violin again, this time willingly, learnt a few horn instruments too, played for the college band and was hooked. Before he knew it he was receiving offers to play jingles, background scores and accompany musicians including Sidd Couto, Jazzy Joe, A R Rahman, Hitesh Sonik, Vasudha Sharma, Sherrin Varghese and Imaad Shah. He realised that priesthood wasn’t his calling. Music was.

But he isn’t cut out for the commercial scene, a firm believer in the art of music. “If the producer tells you what to do then that’s not songwriting. When doing jingles you’re already given a situation and this for me is the most crude form of art because you’re just collecting the energy that is around you and converting it into something tangible. Some good work may come out of it but it’s not art at all. It’s all about copy pasting,” he says.  

In the past he says there would be a single man handling the scene between the musicians and the ad film director. Today even for a thirty second jingle there will be not less than five people from the media company and another five from the client’s company who don’t have the slightest clue about  music and have heard little else beyond Bollywood music, telling the musicians what and what not to do. “It’s like taking human boredom and making it sound flowery,” Gomes vents.  

The commercial scene has allowed him to earn very well and travel the world and it’s very easy to get comfortable with that kind of life he says. “There’s a lot of work coming for me and it’s up to me to say this is not the work I want to do.” He owes this drive within him to his formation in the seminary. “It kept me on my toes all the time and this has helped in my song writing. It’s quite a deal to arrange 63 songs at one go and it has come because of that constant pushing and striving to be better,” he says talking of his latest songwriting project Grass is Green. He has plans to launch a series of nine albums with nine songs each, titled ‘A Stitch in Nine’. Of the 81 songs, he has 63 ready with arrangements a few of which he has already recorded. His first album is on the eclectic side with a mix of instrumental, lyrical and choral music. He began working on his project four years ago and decided to take it slow until he found the right people to work with. Guitar maestro Sanjay Divecha will be producing his first album and he hopes to have a worldwide release too. 

The independent music scene in the country depresses him. There’s no money and no crowd for good independent music. “When there’s crappy music playing there are crowds and crowds. I’ve had friends playing at the Royal Albert Hall in UK and the Nokia Theatre in LA and in Moscow too where wealthy Indians can afford to spend and are big fans of this type of music. In Bombay where you’d think people would come out and support you, the independent scene is dead. It’s the talented musicians who work hard who don’t get work. It’s very commercial. I’ve been looking at commercial music as paid rehearsals for me.”

Indian songwriting tends to be stale and he says it is his prerogative to bring in fresh new sounds. “Mediocrity has permeated through all genres of music. Even our electronic music is stale where it is only the hardcore commercial guys who play other people’s songs and mix them sometimes using melodies from traditional music. Electronic music can be really very beautiful because you have so many more options. In Berlin and Amsterdam the quality of electronic music is so progressive and futuristic, years ahead in time.”

He wants to follow the traditional method of recording his songs- writing them first and then going to the studio to record them instead of fidgeting on a computer where so many changes are possible and there are no time constraints. “If it is a three minute song I want to be able to nail it in three minutes where there’s no second chance. The computer has made recording it so lax giving one so many options. It has slowed down the process of song writing. I believe in the traditional method.”  

Gomes still yearns for Goa and is trying to record traditional Goan music before it is lost. He has played at Goa Chitra’s Retro-spective nites and hopes to visit his State more often should the independent music scene improve.