HOPING FOR A BETTER YEAR - 2013

However long the night
 of 31st December,

the dawn
of 1st January
will break.

  

FOR AULD LANG SYNE



We have said this before, but then we shall say it once again. 'Adieu' to another year that seemed to have just passed so quickly, or so it seems, and it is time now to usher in yet another.

Every year we wish and pray for peaceful days ahead, free from turmoil, shooting and killing of innocent people, war, economic and natural disasters.

Some folks happily attend parties, family get-together, large social gatherings in communities irrespective of caste or religion to celebrate the New Year. Some may be thinking of their loved ones who were with them in the last year, and this day sadly are not with them.

We can, however cherish the happy memories of our dear one and think of the good times we shared in the happy time of yesteryear.

Perhaps the good old days when we attended New Year’s Eve Ball and house parties that followed. That was the norm. We were young then. Today as we are much older as we reminisce about the good old times that we shared with our friends, some of whom sadly are not longer with us.

Sometimes I tend to ask myself why we refer to those days as the good old days. Conversely, I believe that the days are the same, the only difference being that we are getting older.

Poignantly though and quite aptly, some of us may reminisce once again in forming a circle with our friends at the Ball, waiting for the count-down at the stroke of midnight and singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

At the same time, in true fashion of “Old Long Ago’ we take time to re-kindle cherished memories of our loving dear departed relatives and friends.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and days of old lang syne.

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

STREETS OF PANJIM, GOA

RUA JOSE FALCAO

Altinho, Panjim, Goa - India

A typical shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Goa

Grotto - Mapusa Municipal Market - 2009

Christmas time in Goa 1965

Pictures converted to digital from

Kodachrome Transparency 35mm 64ASA

Camera: Samoca, Japan.

YULETIDE OF THE 1960's - Goa.

(Christmas in Goa of my youth - 1965)

On the left of the window is a sign that reads 'Happy Xmas'. This sign was painted on walls of all Christian homes using a cut-out stencil by us, youngsters of that generation, in the wee hours of Christmas Day soon after attending Midnight Mass.

Two lads held the cardboard cut-out stencil in place, while I brushed blue through the stencil and two others held lanterns on each side. Stealthily we moved from house to house when the folks were asleep. They were surprised to see the signs when they woke up in the morning on Christmas day.

Seen on the top right of this picture is the typical and traditional 5-pointed 'Noketr' (Star) in every home (except in the year when a family grieves for a lost one). It was made from a set of two star-shaped expanded pieces of bamboo framework, put together with translucent paper, guruth (glue made from flour and water) tassels for the five pointers, 'pontti' (oil lamp) or candle to illuminate it, a 20 feet long bamboo pole, pulley and coir rope to haul the 'star' up into the sky! This common star has never gone out of style since then, and for sure never will.

My bicycle tilting on its stand in the picture is 'Atlas' complete with horn, bell, lamp, rear view mirror and bracket. On the sopo (seat) on the right of the 'balcão' (balcony) is a Philips portable transistor radio, quite possibly tuned to Radio Ceylon, the most powerful Short-wave Radio Station of that era..The house was built by my late father in the year 1935 when he was 34 years old.

As can be seen by the length of the shadows, I took the picture early in the morning. Camera: Samoca, Japan. Film: Kodachrome Transparency Film 35mm 64ASA.

Power for the lighting of the crib was provided by batteries. I collected as many as possible discarded standard size 1.5 V batteries from old radios in the village, in advance; checked and kept only those that had some life in the them. I made a plywood box to hold 8 batteries of 1.5V each and wired them in series to give about 12V or less, then used 2 bulbs of 6V each in series - 1 for the manger and the other for the star.

At other times of the year I fitted a salvaged reflector from an old torch and fitted it to the front end of the wooden box mentioned above. This was the most powerful flashlight in our village and perhaps, beyond!

. 

 

THE MANGER - Yuletide in Goa 1965

Converted to a digital picture

from a Kodachrome Transparency 64 ASA 

My house in Goa, Christmas 1965

Above the Nativity scene on the left is the altar (Konkani: Olontor)

On the right of it is a picture of

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

Lighting to the manger and to the star above it,

 is powered by batteries.

Please note the antique chair on the right.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/2010/12/blog-post_23.html

'CLAYMARKET' - Goa, India

'Clay market'

Mapusa - Goa - India

NATIVITY SCENE - GOA 2004

The 'Confro' - Traditional Goan 'Sanna' maker

The 'Confro' - Traditional Goan 'Sanna' maker

PICTURESQUE GOA

PICTURESQUE GOA

  Yuletide scene - St. Anne's Church, Parra, Bardez, Goa.
December 2009

  'Ye shall find the babe wrapped in

swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.'

WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS ON EARTH

'WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS ON EARTH'

A touching, appropriate and thoughtful caption
on the pylon sign at the entrance to the parking lot of the
Church of St. Catherine of Siena, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 

PICTURESQUE GOA



COUNTRYSIDE AT YULTIDE - GOA

YULETIDE ON WHEELS

 Yuletide on Wheels

 Going back in time to a Christmas in Guirim,

 Cumbiem Morod, Bardez, Goa.

Noel 2006

It was a typical joyful evening of the season. As usual during this particular time of year happiness abounds everywhere around the countryside in Goa. During one such late evening, while I was on a holiday in Goa, I went to visit my relatives in the quaint little village of Cumbiem Morod, Guirim, Bardez, Goa, where I had spent my childhood.

The sun was about to disappear over the horizon and call it a day. The cool late December evening breeze blew across the village. Cars, trucks and scooters whizzed by the winding narrow road, quite unlike the old days when I went to school. The sunset had cast a reddish glow over the western evening skies. It was apparent the day was bidding adieu.

I gently swung back and forth on a rocking chair in the ‘balcao’ of my cousin’s elegant home, admiring the two beautiful ‘stars’ that glowed beautifully on both sides of the entrance of the house facing the hills of Mapusa in the distance.

Then suddenly as I turned my head towards my right I noticed that a bullock cart was approaching from the eastern part of the village. My curiosity led me to rise from the chair and proceed towards the road to try and get a closer look of the bullock cart.  A hurricane lamp attached to the arch made out of coconut tree leaves gently swayed to and fro. The bullock cart slowly drew nearer. It was then that I heard a chorus of children’s voices singing. I could hear the timeless and the most melodic eternal carol ever of Yuletide, Silent Night. The children’s voices gradually grew louder as the cart drew nearer. Soon the cart passed by us. It was then that I realized that it was a tableau on wheels featuring a simple Nativity scene on the deck of a good old and humble bullock-cart as seen from the rear.

This rare and beautiful treat for one’s eyes, nativity scene of the Holy Family was extremely touching. It was innocently portrayed by young kids. The scene touched the core of my heart reminding me of my own younger days. I was so overcome with admiration and joy that I instinctively followed the cart till the border of my village towards the west. People came running out of their houses and followed behind. The cart then slowed down and made a full turn heading back toward the eastern part of the village. The children singing Christmas carols followed dutifully behind the cart. All the kids following, including one in a garb of Santa Claus in this mini-tableau continued with their medley of carols, from one to another, in quick succession. The lone rider in front of the cart was quite careful and adept in leading them safely on the slow journey through the village.

One could say that the bullocks pulling the cart played their part too in presenting this awesome 'tableau on wheels' – with the bells in their necks chiming aptly just like Christmas bells. Their hooves kept time with their staccato while the grinding of the iron rims of the cart’s wheels over the paved road provided subdued percussion.

Bringing up the rear accompanying, guiding and helping this moving “holy young bunch” was a smart young lady, who I undoubtedly guessed, was in charge of this movable feast to everyone’s awe and wonder. The scene with all the strings of bright lights and typical ‘stars’ adorning the balconies of homes along the way added to the joyous spirit.

It was then that I realized that I had forgotten something. And what could that be? It was my camera of course, that I had left at home - a little distance away in the adjoining village of Canca, Parra. I regretted for not having carried it along with me as I usually do. So I approached this lady and asked her to let me take a picture before proceeding to get my camera. Permission granted, I raced back home on my scooter to get my camera for a picture of this tableau. I finally caught up with the exuberant group of youngsters as they proceeded on their way home a kilometer away to their own village of Vancio, Guirim, where this spirit of Yuletide was made with a simple, rustic and uniquely designed and a well presented tableau. A tableau on wheels. I felt awkward to stop their carol singing, but they were quite eager to pose for a picture.

Seeing me approach them in the twilight, the leader of the pack beckoned the bullock cart to a halt. The kids gladly posed for a picture that I requested. They carried on through the rest of their journey on the winding road back home wishing me a good night. That made my day, a photograph that bears testimony to the spirit of Yuletide. May God bless this group of exuberant and wonderful children wherever they are today.

Tony Fernandes
Author of: Goa - Memories of My Homeland (Poems & Stories)

This article first appeared in Goanet-News

[Goanet-news] Goanet Reader: Yuletide on wheels... a Christmas in Guirim (Tony Fernandes)

Goanet Reader Mon Dec 18 14:46:23 PST 2006    

YULETIDE ON WHEELS: GOING BACK TO A CHRISTMAS IN GUIRIM

ALL JOKES ASIDE!

LEMONY GINGER—IT’S ALL WHAT’S IS IN ONE’S MIND

Our friend Carol in her booth at a Craft Show was serving sample of her favourite wine jellies.

Says Carol, after handing over a sample to her customer:

“Can you taste the GINGER in there?’

Customer: “Oh, sure I can.”
Carol hands over another sample saying: “Can you taste the GINGER in that too? Isn’t that great?

Customer “It sure is. Lovely zippy GINGER flavor”.

Carol herself later finds out that the samples that she had mistakenly handed over were in fact LEMON-flavoured.

So you see, our Carol could easily even sell APPLES as ORANGES (or vice-versa)! Couldn’t she? After all, it’s all what is in one’s mind.

  

ALL JOKES ASIDE

ONE OF A KIND NUTTY TALE

Customer at
the sampling station:      “What flavour is this?”

Vendor:                         “Hazelnut Chocolate”

Customer:                      “Are there nuts in it?”

Vendor:                         “Yes”.

Customer:                      “What kind?”

Vendor’s silent reply:    “The kind of the one who’s standing in front of me."

ALL JOKES ASIDE

OUT OF TOWN

And then just recently at a craft show, there was this couple who walked into our booth. They browsed around and then they started to read all the labels on the jars loudly. After they had finished reading them all, they said the labels looked very nice, but couldn’t take a jar home because the wife just can’t stand turmeric, mother- in-law is allergic to vinegar, and the husband’s system cannot handle garlic.

The only one who simply adores pickles is their son. And he is out of town.

 

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

Today is 
St. Nicholas Day
The Original St. Nicholas
Bishop of Myra, Greece

O good holy Nicholas, 

you who brought joy to children, 

put in my heart the spirit of childhood 

about which the Gospel speaks. 

Teach me how to sow 

happiness around me. Amen.

— Prayer to St. Nicholas

From the Franciscan Media

http://bit.ly/2isvUot

ALL JOKES ASIDE!

A customer admires my work and stares at every object for about an hour.

Then as he is about to leave my booth without a purchase, asks:

Q:  Are they all hand-made?

A:  No. They are all home-made by hand. I also have a machine

      that is connected to my wrists. Want to take another guess?

      Go ahead. You might as well. Or do you think  I use my

      feet?  And what do you mean “all hand-made”?

      Are you suggesting some are while others are not?

ALL JOKES ASIDE

Q:  Oh! Hand-made! Do you make them here?

A: No! We manufacture them in outer space.

      Then we hire aliens to ship them out here!