GREATEST SHOWMAN
BOBBY Art of Assagao is holding an exhibition of cinema posters titled “The Great Showman” to celebrate the birth centenary of Hindi cinema’s legendary filmmaker-director-actor Raj Kapoor. The exhibition will continue till January 16 from 12 noon and 8pm. If you love Raj Kapoor and who doesn’t, catch up, it may be worthwhile. Legendary and memorable Raj Kapoor of the Kapoor khaandan.
BEACHES FULL, HOTELS EMPTY
ON New Year’s eve, the beaches of Goa were totally house full. This was because of the thousands of domestic tourists from the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra, who flocked to the beaches to say goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025. Goa’s huge migrant population too was out on the beaches to celebrate the arrival of the new year.
Relatively, the three-star hotels were rather empty though the super luxury five-star rooms were full. The reason why the beaches packed and hotels more or less empty is because beaches are free and hotels too expensive.
CAR SALES DECLINED
THERE are not many people buying new cars in 2024. Car sales are reported to have declined by 5% during the year. Car manufacturers are struggling with huge inventory and offering heavy discounts to push sales. Part of the reason for the decline in car sales is the steep increase in price. Since 2020 there is been a sharp decline in the sale of high-end cars. Tata Motors have overtaken Maruti as the biggest sellers of cars in the country. Interestingly, it is the SUVs that are in greatest demand.
CM BLAMES SOCIAL MEDIA
CHIEF Minister Pramod Sawant is unwilling to accept the truth that discerning tourists are avoiding Goa because of the high cost. There is no point in blaming social media and the influencers. The bold and beautiful will come to Goa because price does not matter to them. But for middle-class tourists Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam are cheaper, better options. Goa at ground level must grow up and control hotel and taxi rates to attract upper-income, better educated tourists.
FEELING THE CHILL
THE cold wave sweeping Goa is not over. Goa is been witnessing a temperature rise of 22% to 25%, particularly in the early mornings. The temperature is expected to drop to 20% or less next week. While the nights and mornings are very cool the day time temperatures are shooting up reaching up to 35 degrees centigrade.
`DUDH-BHAV’ DAMODAR MAUZO
THE New Year starts on a very bright note for the secular spirit of Goa. Damodar Mauzo, the Jnanpith-award winner tells us a real-life short story. When Damodar Mauzo was a young infant over a year old, his mother fell seriously ill. His mother had developed a high temperature and could not breastfeed her one-year-old baby. Realizing this a Catholic neighbour who had a child of a similar age heard the cries of a one-year-old Damodar while passing by. The kindly neighbour stepped in and offered the crying baby her own breast to feed from and Damodar stopped crying immediately.
To quote the gentle author Damodar Mauzo – “I was crying because I was not breastfed. She did it for me and I became a dudh bhav (milk brother) for her children, a relationship that has transcended religion and has lasted this long.” It’s a relationship which has lasted into 2024. While the world is rife with ethnic and religious conflict the tiniest state stands as a beacon of hope in communal harmony, where religious boundaries are practically non-existent. It is an inherent character of Goa that even 450 years of Portuguese rule could not change.
Damodar Mauzo spent his childhood in Goa where inclusive culture did not differentiate between social identities. When he was studying in Mumbai, Mauzo first encountered a caste identity. “The hostel rector asked me whether I was a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB)? It was my college mates who confirmed it. For me it was news. But then it never affected my diverse friendships across religions. Ours is a traditionally inclusive culture. At least till now, Damodar mentions, though a little disturbed over the changing dynamics in Goan society. (Based on a TOI feature titled “What Makes Goa Tick” it the January 1, 2025 issue.)
YOUNG INDIANS HAVE FUN!
A MAJOR trend coming up is that young couples prefer live-in relationships to marriage. Increasingly, young people are not anxious to go for “saath phera” or say “qubool hai qubool hai.” The slogan of 2024 and for 2025 seems to be single is great. Divorce is great also and so many couples are going for it without too many tensions and stresses and agonizing.
THE SPIRIT OF GOA
The secular sprit of Goa was dramatized by the Zagor festival at Siolim which was celebrated on December 31, 2024. The unique feature of this festival is that both Hindus and Catholic Christians participated with the chanting of prayers of both faiths. This was followed by a very popular dance drama folk festival which goes on all night. Traditionally, a Catholic is the main celebrant in this Hindu festival dedicated to Zagreshwar. Remo Fernandes, living in Siolim, was the main celebrant in earlier Zagor festivals.
DRUG ABUSE AT SUNBURN
THE Goa police revealed that five revellers were arrested for abuse of narcotic drugs at the Sunburn electronic dance music event which took place from December 28 to 30, 2024 at the village of Dhargal. The police reportedly arrested five young people from Texas in US, Hyderabad, Chennai, Madhya Pradesh and a local from Cuncolim who tested positive for consumption of narcotic drugs at the venue. The five tested positive for ganja and cocaine. The Anti-Narcotic Cell had bought saliva test kits to check on the use of drugs at Sunburn. It is now officially confirmed that drugs were widely consumed at Sunburn EDM event. To date the organisers have been insisting no drugs are sold or consumed during their electronic festival.
BEACHES HOUSEFULL
THE beaches of Goa, particularly Baga, Candolim and Calangute, attracted thousands of domestic tourists on New Year’s eve on December 31, 2024. As usual there were huge traffic jams on the approach road to the beaches. Tourists started flocking to the beaches just before sunset and many tourists were prepared to spend the night on the sands beneath the starry sky till dawn to watch the sunrise of January 1, 2025. Besides a show of fireworks Panaji residents also witnessed a mega drone show over the River Mandovi courtesy Big Daddy casino.
MANIPUR CONTINUES TO BURN
PEACE did not return with the arrival of the new year in 2025. On the last day of 2024 more than 40 people were injured in a confrontation between Central security forces and women protestors in Kangpokpi in the district in Manipur. The armed forces were trying to dismantle community bunkers. For the last two years, there have been clashes between the two major groups of tribals, the Kuki and the Metei. The clashes broke out after the BJP captured power in a state which has a large Catholic population (41.35).
RECORD CROWD AT OLD GOA
WITH the decennial Exposition of St Francis Xavier coming to an end on January 4, 2025, there is a huge rush of last minute pilgrims. Reportedly over 70 lakh pilgrims have paid homage and prayed over the relics of SFX at Se Cathedral so far since the exposition commenced with the highest footfall seen from December 27 to 28, with the rush of pilgrims spilling over past the built up pandal and to the main road. The timings of the exposition have been extended by two hours for the last few days. Veneration will start at 6 am and will be extended to 7pm. The casket containing the SFX relics will be taken back in a procession to the Bom Jesus Basilica on Saturday, January 4.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!
THE Make It Happen event is an event happening at the heritage district of Fontainhas in Panaji between January 1 and 6. The festival includes a heritage walk, introduction to fenny and fenny drinking and a tapas food trail; also a session on Goan bread making and telling stories. Look forward to a Margao city food trail and Divar island heritage walk too. Another kind of tourism is happening in Goa and it is far more interesting.
LUCASINHO RIBEIRO’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
TIATRE Academy of Goa celebrated the birth anniversary of the late Lucasinho Ribeiro, the creator of tiatre, on January 2, 2025 from 3.30pm onwards at the Conference Hall of TAG in Panjim. Maria Conceicao Dias (Jessie Dias), senior tiatrist was the chief guest while Yuri Ribeiro, grandson of Lucasinho Ribeiro, was the special invitee. Senior tiatrist Tomazinho Cardozo was the spokesperson for the function. On this occasion a Konkani musical show was presented by TAG and tiatre mogi were present in large numbers.
RAJENDRA ARLEKAR CALLS ON GOVERNOR
THE governor designate of Kerala, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, met Governor of Goa PS Sreedharan Pillai at Cabo, Raj Bhavan, on Janaury 1, 2025. Governor Pillai explained various aspects of his home state Kerala to Rajendra Arlekar during his courtesy meeting and presented a shawl, a traditional samai and tulsi mala to him. The governor recounted to Rajendra Arlekar the special pooja and offerings that he conducted at Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa and Guruvayur Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, including tulsi mala offerings to Lord Krishna at Guruvayur Temple. The governor wished Rajendra Arlekar success and happiness in his new tenure as governor of Kerala.
CHRISTMAS WITH SENIORS
THE elderly residents of senior citizen homes were hosted by His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao to the Archdiocesan Christmas Celebration at the St Francis Xavier Training- cum-Production Centre in Old Goa. His Eminence and Most Reverend Simiao Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop, were both present for the celebration. The seniors were accompanied by their in-charges and assistants and ably supported by the Parish Youth from Carambolim and Ribandar Church.
It will be recollected that earlier the Archbishop would host the Christmas Civic Reception for the State and Central officials of government administration. However, since the last two years, he decided to move to the peripheries and host the celebration with different sections of the society.
The previous year the Archbishop joyfully spent his valuable time in the company of the deafblind children and young adults and their parents. It was a moment of excitement for the deafblind children to have the Archbishop amidst them even though they could neither see nor hear him, the exhilaration was infectious as they had been prepared for the event. The children’s parents were in tears as they realised that their children were getting close attention of the Archbishop.
Incidentally, the Archdiocese through Caritas Goa serves the community of the deafblind since July, 2012. Last year, in collaboration with Prison Authorities, the Christmas celebration was hosted at the Modern Central Jail, Colvale amidst the brothers and sisters in the correction home. The Archbishop took time to interact with our friends in the correction home (women and men) to share his concern and express solidarity with them. It was a moment of grace for the prisoners to have the presence of His Eminence amidst them for a meaningful Christmas celebration.
This year His Eminence decided to have the celebration of the birth of Jesus with the section of the society, that is full of wisdom and stories of experience, the older adults residing in senior citizens homes. The seniors ranged were in the mid-70’s till 99 years. The youthful participation of the older adults in singing the Konkani oldies (Adleam Kantaranchi Zannvai) and Konknni riddles (Sang tem Umanne) was mesmerising and conducted by Fr Savio Fernandes and Sr Petornila. Earlier, after a prayer service led by Sr Ana D’Mello, His Eminence and the Auxiliary Bishop personally blessed each of the seniors.
His Eminence in his message reflecting on the different journeys related to the birth of Jesus in the Gospel, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, shepherd’s exploration to see the new king and the wise men’s long journey to search for Jesus, he reminded that each one faces troubles in individual life journeys and encouraged all to pray for God’s grace to overcome the difficulties of life, especially those of old age, Fr Maverick Fernandes, on behalf of the Archbishop welcomed the gathering and Fr Walter D’ Souza proposed the vote of thanks. Tania Couto and Feliza compered the program.