Khasab Castle, North Oman

Khasab Castle
Musandam Peninsula

Oil painting Size 29" x 19"

by Tony Fernandes

Khasab Castle, a picturesque stronghold situated on the inner cove of Khasab Bay, was built in the 17th century by Portuguese explorers in their quest for seeking control over regional maritime trade.

Khasab Castle, Oman

Khasab Castle, North Oman.

Musandam Peninsula

Bas relief in clay. Size approx 10 in x 8"

by Tony Fernandes
Overlooking the harbor and representing Khasab’s eastern line of defense is the picturesque Khasab Castle.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Saying in Konkani

Von ranteleacho khuim ximur kaddcho poddta.

Lit. TranslationSomeone else may be required to clean the nose of a person who makes sweets.

Meaning:Sometimes we have to favour someone if he/she is found useful work for our own needs.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Saying:

Khuim guelo ? Khuim na; Kitem addlem? Kaim na.

Lit. Trans.: Where did one go? Nowhere.

What did one bring? Nothing.

This is usually used in reference to when one goes about a task or embarks on a journey without proper planning.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Saying:

Te firngi mele, and te undde kabar zale.

Lit translation:When the westerners left, the loaves of bread were out of stock too.

Meaning:

Applied in common conversational usage:

When the erstwhile Whites left India,

so did their ways, lifestyle and customs.

Firangi : A foreigner, especially a Portuguese, British or white person.

BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY PETROMAX

By the light of the Silvery Petromax

by Tony Fernandes

It was the light source that brightened many great and important occasions with its characteristic and luminescent white light for over three generations. It was also used in all shops in the towns and villages. The well-known and proven ‘Petromax’ lantern held centre stage for many nightly functions, celebrations and festivities in Goa. It was called colloquially as ‘petromas’. Till today, nearly a century after its invention by two German brothers, the brilliance of the Petromax has not faded.

In the absence of electricity in the old days, the ‘petromax’ was very popular mainly due to its use on significant and auspicious occasions that were held both indoor and outdoor. It adorned many high places like the ‘matou’ (canopy) for wedding celebrations at night, at sung litanies in homes, salves, vespers and feasts in churches and chapels, at school functions, Christmas and New Year dances, nataks and tiatros, at zagors and zatras, and at open-air night fairs and celebrations, for bhajans in the temples as well as at religious festivals like Divali, Dasera and others. Its main advantages were its reliability and portability. It shed its light all around during Ganesh Chaturthi festival and often led the procession to the river or pond for immersion. It also brightened the pre-wedding ritual of ‘ros” at the bride and bridegroom’s houses, and lit the way from the traditional ‘matou’ to the ‘xim’ (boundary line) at the concluding post-wedding finale when the relatives and guests from each side of the respective families parted ways.

At least three households in our small village owned a Petromax in the early fifties. Later by the early 1960’s my father had purchased one especially for my elder brother’s wedding. To get it working required some level of skill. At sundown just before the Angelus prayers I watched my father as he literally brought this amazing innovation to light. At the time I thought it seemed as though it was quite a ritual till the time it finally shed its super incandescent light on the surroundings. My father was quite adept at lighting it. I was quite young then. “Someday I got learn to light this thing’, I said to myself. I also closely watched my older brother as he trimmed and primed this awesome light source. As days went by, I was assigned with minor tasks before this self-contained apparatus delighted us with its full glow. The training involved fetching the kerosene container and funnel, filling the tank and cleaning the round glass cover with a soft cloth.

As a young lad I admired the elders in the village when they lit this lantern, going through the various stages of the entire procedure in the fading evening twilight. It was always at twilight time when we got around to lighting it. It had a great effect in brightening up an entire community. We had a special iron hook fitted to one of the roof beams to hang it after lighting it up.

I had always appreciated this shiny nickel-plated gadget, but did not have the slightest clue why it took so long for it to emit the bright light that it was so famous for. At the same time I also thought that this appliance was not something to fool around with. It appeared to be an appreciable appliance yet cumbersome and complex in its operation. It was only when I was in my mid-teens that I understood the working of this superb invention. Finally I was successful in lighting it all by myself, but of course with Dad’s supervision and I clearly recall my first experience in lighting it and became easy over the years.

Although we owned a petromax we used it only for certain important occasions like feasts and litanies whenever my father or brother came home for holidays from Bombay. Our village neighbours often borrowed it whenever they needed it. Lighting it up always made me wary as it involved an element of risk – a rather potentially flammable substance with increased risk from the pressurized tank and the flame itself.

The petromax had an enormous lighting power of the value of 500 candlepower. It had a luminosity equivalent to 4 units of 100 watt tungsten bulbs. Its bright white light was nearly 5700 lumens. The white-washed walls reflected the light and enhanced the interior of the house even more.

As a self-contained and independent apparatus, this powerful light-source had a huge candle power to match. It comprised of many different parts and features. It had to be first primed or pre-heated. This was done by igniting spirit in the receptacle inside the round glass cover above the tank through an opening below its chimney. To provide pressurized kerosene to light up, it had to be pumped by hand. Among its other important features was an air-pressure gauge that needed constant attention. The complete pump assembly was fitted into the tank. The piston, rod and washer assembly were retrievable for checking the expansion of the washer into the cylinder. This had to be kept in a trim shape making sure it fitted snugly in order to provide optimum pumped pressure into the tank quickly. This assembly locked in, and out of the way into the side of the tank with a quarter-turn. Its most delicate part was the light source itself – the mantle – a mesh bag of fabric made from rare earth elements. If touched, rattled or shaken after it was lit and cooled after its first use, chances were that its very existence could be history, as it would just fall apart and disintegrate rapidly, crumbling and falling to pieces at the base of the glass cover. Amazingly, this fragile net was the hub of the light source. A torn mantle emitted diminished light with a reddish glow. A new mantle could be installed by removing the top cover or hood and tied around the inverted flange of the nozzle. The mantles could be purchased from dealers in the towns. They felt like silk to the touch and came flat. On lighting up the mantle resembled a modern incandescent light bulb.

The nipple had to be cleaned periodically - a manoeuvre requiring a special technique. The automatic cleaning or the ‘pin-mar’ operation required deft expertise. It was done by rapidly turning the cam-operated hand- wheel clockwise and anti-clockwise within a fleeting fraction of a second. This wheel could be also used to shut it off with the arrow on the wheel pointing upwards. Holding it any longer than the ‘prescribed’ duration would mean throwing the whole venue, litany or a mando-singing competition into complete darkness while at the same time also demonstrating one’s incompetence publicly!

A quick ‘pin-mar’ action instantly gave the petromax a renewed brightness. The mechanism consisted of a knob that operated a lever/cam fitted in turn vertically to a fine pin to clean the tiny hole of air/fuel mixture nipple. The pre-heater nozzles had to be cleaned manually by inserting a pin that was attached to the end of a teaspoon-sized holder through a side opening.

I remember the time when we all sat around our sala for an occasion or immediately after the litany when someone among the guests remarked in Konkani: “Pin mar-re teka’, after noticing a slight drop in the glow of the petromax. In technical terms this meant that the nipple must be cleaned with the pin action by whoever is in charge. At this juncture I tend to wonder whether the expression ‘pin marli’ in Konkani by any chance has been derived from this action.

The original glass came in as one cylindrical piece. Local innovative craftsmen were able to replace broken ones by putting together thin strips of glass placed vertically around the grooved metal frame at the top and bottom. In fact I felt that the glass strips were better as they gave out a prismatic effect.

The petromax reigned supreme and had successfully proven to be a very reliable and powerful light source for large nightly gatherings for many decades. In the old days many shops that did not have electricity used a petromax lantern. And those that did have electricity used it as an emergency light source or back-up.

There were also special ‘petromax’ lamps that could be rented from dealers and suppliers in the towns. Some of these appliances were used for tiatros and nataks. These special types were fitted with remote pressurized tanks that were placed on the ground while an assembly of two lamps was hung high in front of the stage facing the actors. They were connected by means of copper tubing to the tanks. The complete assembly was even fitted with hinged flaps which could be lowered, thereby partially dimming the lights. Thus, the ambience of a particular stage scene in a Konkani or Marathi drama could be altered in order to successfully create the required effect or to set a melancholy or sad mood. An expert with a couple of assistants manned this system of lighting during the entire show.

The petromax had proven to be very useful in lighting up social and cultural events for many years. But then some years later when electricity came to the villages along with the availability of portable generators, fluorescent tube lights and re-chargeable battery-operated lanterns, the use and popularity of these grand old lamps eventually diminished. They can still be seen around being used in road-side tea-stalls, by hawkers and other vendors at the beaches, fishermen and contractors, and in emergency situations.

A table model kerosene mantle lamp, with an elegant and pleasing appearance, that was easier to use, was also visible on the night scene. This was none other than the great Aladdin lamp. These types of lamps are collector’s items now. With their characteristic tall glass chimney and distinct chrome-plated vase-type base, they once stood tall and graced the centre or side table of many white-washed ‘salas’ (sitting rooms) in Goan homes of yesteryear. Many were brought in by Goans working in the Arabian Gulf in the late 1950’s. My cousin brought one for us from Bahrain and we used it until circa 1970. It was a pride to own one and also brought in extra joy and happiness in the home. More light about it in another episode about the illumination devices of a bygone era.

Tony Fernandes

http://tonferns.blogspot.ca/2010/05/blog-post_17.html

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Saying in Konkani:

Dekonk aslelea bemrean, dekhlem kalum,

addlem ghara, khuimche toulen galu'um.

Lit. translation:

A person sees clams for the first time,brings them home, but is confused and cannot decide for himself in which container he should put the clams in.

Meaning:

This proverb alludes to the fact that when someone is exposed to new found riches or wealth, he acts greedy and does not know a sensible way to enjoy his newly found bounty.

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Goan Proverbs & Sayings

Dhorian assa tia masso, mol korta pisso.

Literal translation:

The whale is in the sea, but its worth is estimated by a fool.

Meaning in English:

Building castles in the air.

This expression refers to the fact when someone is foolishly trying to estimate the worth of, or dreaming of something that is very difficult to attain.

TIME - WHERE DID YOU GO (2)

FOR AUDIO PLEASE PRESS 'PLAY' & TURN UP THE VOLUME

Time

Pozo Seco Singers

Some people run, some people crawl,
Some people don't even move at all
Some roads lead forward some roads lead back
Some roads are bathed in light, some wrapped in fearful black

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good, good time where did you go

Some people never get, some never give
Some people never die and some never live
Some folks treat me mean, some treat me kind
Most folks just go their way, don't pay me any mind

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good, good time where did you go

Sometimes I'm satisfied, sometimes I'm not
Sometimes my face is cold, sometimes it's hot
Sunset I laugh, sunrise I cry
At midnight I'm in between and wondering why

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good good time where did you go

Time oh time where did you go
Time oh good good time where did you go

TIME - WHERE DID YOU GO (1)

For an enlarged view please double click on image.

The Players

The Players

I grew up in the fifties with parents so loving

May they rest in peace

Mom waited up while I studied by the candle light

Late into the sombre night;

Too afraid she was

Lest should I on my book fall asleep.

A name for her we siblings had

Our very own Florence Nightingale

For everyone around her she cared

Tending to a neighbour’s sick child

Or making a cup of hot soup for the old man

Who nearby alone lived.

A Father who was happier

Fixing the ancient cupboard hinges that creaked

Than buying a new cupboard… a name for him we had too

The Handyman around the house

There wasn’t anything that he could not fix.

Their marriage was good,

Their dreams not grandiose but focused.

Mom ever raising her voice I do not recall

Dad over his anger always kept control.

Our best friends lived barely a wave

Or a stone’s throw away.

I can imagine seeing them now,

Dad in his favourite khaki shorts,

Tee shirt and a pith helment;

And Mom in a house dress,

Broom in one hand, dish-towel in the other

Doris Day’s Que Sera Sera played on the radio.

And Patti Page sang the Tennessee Waltz

While the dog lazed on the patio.

For Dad, it was always the time for fixing things

I don’t ever remember seeing him idle –

A curtain rod, the kitchen stool,

The backyard fence, the rake handle, the broken tile

Or the pedal of my bicycle.

He could fix it all.

For Mom, it was the hem in a dress,

A quilt she would stitch

A sweater she would knit;

The missing shoe lace

Or replacement of a lost button

On my school uniform that had quit.

A few years later my Mom died,

And on that clear August night,

About her death I received a telegram,

For the first time I was struck with pain,

A void and loneliness in my little room;

Realised someone was not there any more

Felt lonelier than ever before.

Sometimes, what we care most about

Gets all used up without we knowing it

It goes away...never to return.

So...while we have it … it is best we love it.....

And care for it.....and fix it when it's broken.....

And heal it when it's sick.

This is true...for marriage...and old bicycles...

Children burdened with homework...

And dogs in the daytime that rarely barked

But somehow into the darkness the whole night yelped;

The myna and the parrot mimicked one another,

The cat that slept most of the day,

And untiring parents...and grandparents… with a house neatly kept.

The same goes for friends too -

Good old friends who were always there

And those we have known for so long;

Some things we keep - because they are worth it.

Classmates, neighbours and buddies we grew up with.

For me all things old are not just nostalgia,

A mere musing or reminiscence,

They are just some things that have made my life worth living,

Like people we know who are special

Who we keep close to our hearts and minds,

And remember and treasure.

Mom and Dad were THE Players in my team.

So were my neighbours and class-mates

And friends I met along the way;

You are no different.

You are my friend

A REAL PLAYER in my life too!

You have given your share

In making life worth living.

Tony Fernandes

Goan Proverbs & Sayings - Ghoribank nhuim tim Pomburpechim Festam

Goan Proverbs & Sayings
(Konkani: Opari ani Mhunn'eo)

Goan proverbs and sayings are often and generally quoted in passing conversation, in wit and humour, and in satire and sarcasm. They are often used to make a point and drive it home at the same time - as a Goan would use them figuratively to 'kator' someone (colloquially meaning as bringing someone 'in line'). These proverbs and sayings have been handed down from previous generations. There are also some variations in their text and quotation. No doubt every culture have their own, but the wit and meaning is best delivered in its own original phrase and form.

Saying in Konkani: 'Ghoribank nhuim tim Pompurbechi Festam'
(Literal translation: 'The feast of Pomburpa is not meant for the poor'.)
Applied connotation: It is wise not to bite more than what one can chew.

'Boats at Pomburpa' - Bardez, Goa, India.

Water-Colour by Tony Fernandes

Pomburpa is the name of a beautiful village in North Goa, India, located in the district of Bardez, along the tributary of Goa’s well-known river, Mandovi. One of the events that Pomburpa is well-known for is the feast that is celebrated annually with great pomp and fervour at the imposing church of Nossa Senhora de Candelaria, situated on its scenic river bank.

I recall when as a young boy my grandmother often quoted the above saying. In later years I remember accompanying my parents, travelling by the ‘carreira’ or ‘caminhao’ to Pomburpa to attend the grand feast. I was truly amazed in seeing the huge fair along the river bank. Surely then I did find for myself a lot of truth in the saying: 'Ghoribank nhuim tim Pompurbechi Festam' (Literal translation: 'The feast of Pomburpa is not meant for the poor'.)

Part of the celebration included the sale of furniture of all kinds – beds, folding dining tables, roof tiles from Mangalore, timber and bamboo from as far as the Malabar coast in Southern India, and of course there was a huge variety of sweets, food, drinks, a gamut of children's toys, and household provisions of all kinds. Hence it was obvious that one must have sufficient money to travel from far away if the intention was to purchase household furniture or other items at this acclaimed feast and legendary fair.

So I guess this proverb is implied in a lighter vein in the sense that this grand feast was not meant for the poor, or that it is wise not to bite more than what one can chew.

The Maritimes, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island

Double click on maps for an enlarged view

MERRY TIMES

On a warm Sunday at lunchtime

Our children unfolded a great surprise

Hey Mom, Dad, have a seat, our children said

You are off to the Maritimes, so please relax.

-----------------------------

You must be joking we insisted

No we aren’t – they retorted

As they handed us an itinerary

That by all means indeed was out of the ordinary.

As details began to unfold about the whirlwind tour

Stream of tears in my wife’s eyes began to pour;

A gift from us - they said - everything found;

In total disbelief I stood speechless anchored to the ground.

------------------------------------

Get ready to leave on a vacation next Saturday – the eldest said

While with a video-cam the youngest to record our reactions was prepared

Surely at the time it had not sunk into me

And I might not have shown a surprised rapture -

The truth is I felt very old and afraid

To go out in such a great adventure.

--------------------------------

Surely but slowly – the surprise began to take hold

When we noticed two slips of paper

That appeared like tickets of VIA RAIL

Tucked in a folder – and we at once knew

We were off to Halifax via Montreal.

---------------------------

That’s not all – one of them said – as she continued

With what seemed like the beginning of a fairy tale

A car will await you where you end your rail trail

Take a tour of the city and see the famous citadel

Where times stands still and silently stands guard the sentinel.

Don’t forget she said to take your favourite CDs including Chris Rea

As the rental car will have a CD player.

-----------------------------------

Far above the grey rocks as the eye can scan

The lone gleaming white light-house

At Peggy’s cove stands mighty and tall

Not far from where stands as a memory to lives lost at sea

A dedication on granite to reminisce silently.

-----------------------------------

Two days hence you will drive on

From Nova Scotia

On the “Acadia”

To St. John

From the port town of Digby

Into New Brunswick across the strait by ferry

In St. John at Carleton B&B,

Stan & Nancy

Will await you as evening falls

In their beautiful home not far

From the beautiful harbour

As you roll out of the ferry.

---------------------------

Then there’s the fascinating phenomenon of Reversing Falls

As you dine at the restaurant by the bridge and hear

Nature’s baffling tidal tale, a sight of unsurpassed beauty,

And later you will walk leisurely around the historic city.

--------------------------------

Then onwards to the City of Moncton

Through the coastal town of Alma where time stands still;

Roll backwards in your car on the mind-boggling slope

And mysteriously amazing phenomenon of the Magnetic Hill;

At the Hopewell Rocks you will walk on the ocean floor where amazing tides

Have you spellbound with an unfathomed and astounding thrill.

-----------------------------------

Drive over the longest bridge in the world

A spectacular engineering marvel, a work of art,

A wonder of the modern world -

Driving over it will seem like an eternity

Till you step into Prince Edward Island finally.

-------------------------------

The sea gulls soaring high

Above in the sky

Seem to greet you

In this wonderful land
where time stands still
with people around, happy and merry.
Dabble in the splendour of Charlottetown;

A land of great mariner’s tales

Timeless stories and fables

Of Anne of Green Gables

And of Lucy Maud Montgomery.

---------------------

Bed and breakfast by the sea

Two great and kind people – Anna and Frankie

Greet and welcome you in their home at Souris.

----------------------------------

Next day over breakfast you will briefly hear

The gentle and modest words

Of the island’s last lighthouse keeper

About happiness without wealth, always full of cheer.

There in a souvenir shop we bought a CD

With songs of the Island so enchantingly touching

I haven’t stopped playing them endlessly.

Drive through glorious landscape of pine and conifers

To the enchanting Woodlands Wharf at dawn.

----------------------------------

Then across to Cape Breton by Ferry

To the idyllic and serene setting

Of St. Ann’s Bay and Taigh Mairi

Where you will meet courteous

And friendly Ron and Mary.

--------------------------------

The hair-raising hair-pin bends of the endless Cabot Trail

Brought back out the good driver in me

And with my wife’s expert navigation

Through picturesque green hills, valleys, glens and dales

Land of beautiful lighthouses aplenty.

We made it finally through what seemed like an eternity.

-----------------------------------------

Through picture postcard towns of Baddeck and Ingonish

With their panoramic scenery to behold and relish;

Along the way when to a few we did about our escapade relate

And by their warmth and hospitality we were touched

Of what we saw and of the great times we had;

It’s true “what marvelous children we must have” one said

To grant - a gift of a holiday of a lifetime

That we for a long time to come will surely ponder -

“You must be good parents too after all” said another.

Bringing to a close we were back in Halifax

Our flight we reluctantly boarded

And back to Toronto we headed

With an experience of the Maritimes

And “Merry Times” that we indeed have had

Grateful to our children with memories

In our hearts and minds deeply etched.

-----------------------------------------

To our hosts in the Maritimes this verse I dedicate;

God-willing to revisit will not hesitate.

Moments to treasure - a spirit of adventure

In me revived and rekindled

Bringing back out of the closet again

The good old amateur photographer.

----------------------------------

Tony Fernandes

The Maritime provinces are also known as 'the Maritimes' or the 'Canadian Maritimes'. It is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada.

The Maritimes front the Atlantic Ocean and its various sub-basins such as the Gulf of Maine and Gulf of St. Lawrence. The region is located northeast of New England, southeast of Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula, and southwest of the island of Newfoundland.

VIA Rail - Toronto to Halifax via Montreal,

Shediac, Moncton,

Holiday Inn Select, Hallifax

Halifax City Tour

Citadel

Titanic Cemetery

Sightseeing drive to Peggy's Cove

Bay Ferries

Drive to Digby

Digby to St. John by Ferry

Carleton House, St. John

Reversing Falls

Coastal Drive to Moncton

via  Sussex,

Hampton (Fredericton)

Downtown B & B, Moncton

Magnetic Hill,

Hopewell Rocks

Drive over Confederation Bridge to PEI

Anne of Green Gables

Madame Tussaud

B & B by the Sea, PEI

Northumberland Feries,

Taigh Mairi, Cape Breton,

Cabot Trail

Alexander Graham BEll Museum

Fiddlin Whale Tours

Drive to Halifax Airport along coastal road

via Truro 

Board Flight to Toronto

Arrive back in Toronto

Picturesque Baddeck

Through picture postcard towns of Baddeck and Ingonish

With their panoramic scenery to behold and relish;

Along the way when to a few we did about our escapade relate

And by their warmth and hospitality we were touched

Of what we saw and of the great times we had;

It’s true “what marvelous children we must have” one said

To grant - a gift of a holiday of a lifetime

That we for a long time to come will surely ponder -

“You must be good parents too after all” said another.

Bringing to a close we were back in Halifax

Our flight we reluctantly boarded

And back to Toronto we headed

With an experience of the Maritimes

And “Merry Times” that we indeed have had

Grateful to our children with memories

In our hearts and minds deeply etched.

To our hosts in the Maritimes this verse I dedicate;

God-willing to revisit will not hesitate.

Moments to treasure - a spirit of adventure

In me revived and rekindled

Bringing back out of the closet again

The good old amateur photographer.

Tony & Edna Fernandes

The Maritimes - The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

The hair-raising hair-pin bends of the endless Cabot Trail

Brought back out the good driver in me

And with my wife’s expert navigation

Through picturesque green hills, valleys, glens and dales

Land of beautiful lighthouses aplenty

We made it finally through what seemed like an eternity.

CAPE BRETON - The Maritimes, Canada

Memories of our Trip

to the Maritimes

We drove through glorious landscape

of pine and conifers

To the enchantment

Of Woodlands Wharf at dawn;

Then across to Cape Breton by Ferry

To watch the idyllic and serene sunset 

At St. Ann’s Bay and Taigh Mairi

Where we met

So kind, friendly and courteous

Hosts Ron and Mary.