The Boys & Girls of Cumbiem Morod

               I thought the attached picture might be interesting in the fact that's is a treasure for Cumbiem Morod, which I have treasured for many years. It was among the few pictures given to me by Aunt Flory - my loving godmother and my most favourite person in our Vaddo of Cumbiem Morod - a few years before she passed away, as she thought, for some reason, the picture would be best carried forward to the next generation if it was kept in my possession.

               Now, here's some light on the fading picture, so to say:

The photograph, I was told by Aunty Flory, that it was taken in Bombay (now Mumbai) at the famous Back Bay Reclamation, Churchgate, circa 1948. That makes the photograph nearly 66 years old.

In the now fading priceless photograph from left to right, standing on the ledge are:

Uncle Miki, Uncle Assis and Uncle Cosme. Look at how proudly they are standing. The seem to be the caring leaders of the the group of other youngsters of their generation.

From left to right, standing on the footpath are:

Peter, Mary's son  & Abdon Titi's nephew who is carrying Joseph  (Martha's husband), Johnnie (standing, and perhaps shielding himself from the bright sun), and Jack (my brother) carrying me.

Foreground: Aunty Irene (God bless her). 

Further, details as described by Aunty Flory: We are all taken on a day's outing to the scenic and popular Bay, one year after India's Independence. Irene has just recovered from a bout of crying because the big boys did not let her stand on the ledge! And as for myself, I just simply seem to have refused to look at the camera because I wanted a side pose and simply refused to look at the camera.  Funny though, ironically, the camera eventually turned out to be my life's best possession.

My guess is that the picture was taken by Michael (Grand-aunt Sabina's husband from Candolim) or by Custodio Piedade (and Virginia) who were my older brother's godparents. My Mum and Dad were Uncle Assis's godparents.

Incidentally, Uncle Joseph and myself were born in the same year in Bombay - 1947 - myself on 7 January, Joseph on 7th March. Uncle Assis was very fond of photography - it was probably his camera that was used for this picture that has stood the test of time. He had the largest collection of photographs of almost everyone from the village in a thick album that we enjoyed browsing through from time to time on sunny afternoons or on rainy days when time on many occasions seemed to have simply stood still. I believe the album is now with Uncle Miki. A real pictorial treasure of our simple past.