IDEALIZED PASTS: AN INTRODUCTION TO SALIGÃO

Fr. Nascimento J. Mascarenhas is a very well known priest in Goa. Apart from being a priest for many decades, he has also authored several books on the clergy of Goa and is also intimately associated with the Archdiocesan bulletin Renovação. Fr. Nascimento was and is actively involved in various online forums about the village of Saligão in particular and online Goan forums in general. And through contributing village-related articles and trivia on such forums, The Land of the Sal Tree was born, a book entirely devoted to the myths, history and people of Saligão.

            Fr. Nascimento’s project promises to be a very novel one as all those quaint traditions, superstitions and trivia of a uniquely Goan village are included in the book. This book – as the author is humble enough to claim – is not an individual effort. Fr. Nascimento had the earnest backing of many Saliganvkars, chief among them being the Canada-based illustrator of the book Mel D’Souza and Frederick Noronha. Mel D’Souza (who is also a journalist and author) is a genius in drawing and sketching and his lines enliven the text and take the reader to an altogether different experience. In Acknowledgements, we do find Fr. Nascimento honestly considering Mel to be the co-author of the book, and Mel in his “trademark modesty” asking his role to be “played down”.

            The book introduces us to the village of Saligão: its various wards or vaddes, the prominent houses and monuments of the villages, the well-known as well as the not-so-well-known village personalities and the various stories that Fr. Nascimento as a young boy had heard and which stayed with him for the rest of his life. Fr. Nascimento also reminisces about his boyhood that was spent in Saligão and the various people who shaped his personality. The book is a remarkable introduction to a small village of Goa and a project that has the potential for emulation by other villages as well. Dr. Olivinho Gomes’ Village Goa, a book on the village of Chandor can be mentioned inthis context. Though academic, it can help in guiding such projects.

            Fr. Nascimento’s account of the construction of the Mae de Deus church is truly illuminating. He has dug out a lot of facts from the archives. But the lengthy list of the costs and materials incurred to build the church (pp. 104-112) could have been included as an annexure as it mars the flow of the book. The Land of the Sal Tree is not connected by a single large, unifying narrative. It is rather a collection of diverse stories written with and viewed from the eyes of passionate nostalgia (or should I say saudades?). It gives us an idealized picture of Sailigão; a picture the younger generation will be in awe of, but one that they may not be able to relate to. This book presents a rather fossilized picture of the past and it seems to yearn for a veritable museum where all that was cherished will be preserved as it is. 

            Amongst the many interesting stories that Fr. Nascimento narrates, is one of a boy called Galdinho (related to Mel D’Souza apparently) who climbed the steeple of the Saligão church in a bid to impress a girl! But by far the most surprising and awesome story in the book is of Anthony de Mello, one of the luminaries of Saligão. Anthony de Mello was a great cricketer who put Indian cricket on the world map and was also instrumental in establishing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The words of Vijay Merchant, another doyen of Indian cricket are produced here, as appearing in the book: “For sheer cricket administration capability, confidence and enthusiasm, there was never anyone to equal de Mello. He was the man who organized the Board of Control for Cricket in India, was its first Honorary Secretary, India’s cricket representative in international cricket conferences, and, finally, its President…His trump card was his bowling and tremendous enthusiasm…Anthony will always be remembered as the builder of stadiums without having anything in the bank to his credit…there will never be another Anthony de Mello in Indian cricket.” Surely now, Anthony de Mello rightfully deserves one of the stadiums of the Goa Cricket Association to be named after him.

            The book is neatly written with the quality of the language standing as a salient feature. But the various articles that have been collected in this book could have been edited further to avoid repetition and to maintain the focus on the theme that is the village of Saligão. Many of the traditions, superstitions and habits that are found in Saligão are also found in rest of Goa, such as the traditional games that were played and the way certain festivals are celebrated. Such commonly-occurring traditions and customs should not have been singled out for elaborate treatment.

            In tracing the history of the village and its people, Fr. Nascimento has done a commendable job. But one can’t help but notice some very problematic statements being made in this process. While categorically acknowledging that the legend of Parasurama “is just a myth” Fr. Nascimento when speaking about the migration of non-indigenous people states, “…the attractions of this land subjected it to an influx of various races in the course of human migration, resulting in the establishment of certain social patterns that evolved into a distinct Hindu culture. This civilization prevailed for thousands of years until the late 15^th century when countries in Europe started seeking new lands to colonize or expand trade.” The term “race” is very problematic as the boundaries defining one “race” from another are vague and blurred due to miscegenation. Secondly, Fr. Nascimento sees such migration of people culminating into a distinct Hindu culture. This is not surprising as the colonial and the subsequent nationalist historiography, on which Fr. Nascimento draws quite substantially, has tried to conceptualize a pre-Portuguese past that is Hindu in its conception. But this is not so. Muslim or what is known as Islamicate and other identities have also shaped and influenced the culture of Goa and, sadly, they do not seem to have been included in Fr. Nascimento’s analysis.

            We all know how some Brahmin or “Indo-Aryan” settlers came to Goa in the dim and distant past from north India. Apparently many of them had settled in Saligão. Such families find mention in the book along with their genealogies after conversion to Christianity. These families had displaced the indigenous population. The way such a process is talked about is a matter of concern. Ages ago, the “upper-caste settlers” pushed the indigenous people to the fringes of Saligão and this is but a microcosmic reflection of how in our society today such indigenous or low-caste people are kept on the “fringes” and hence cannot be spoken in such idealized, conflict-free terms. Here’s what Fr. Nascimento says, “When the Indo-Aryan clans arrived in Goa, they took over the agricultural land and neighbourhoods from the indigenous people who were moved to the fringe of the villages. They divided the territory into malos (provinces), and sub-divided the malos into gãos (villages).”

           The Saligão project (if I may call this book) will hopefully inspire many such books focusing on Goan villages produced by the villagers themselves. But rather than the quaint and nostalgic account, we look forward to more critical engagement that would promise to go beyond our ideas of idealized pasts as well as saudades.

Land of the Sal Tree, Stories of the history, legends and traditions of Saligão, a typical Goan village by Fr. Nascimento J. Mascarenhas (Saligão, Goa: Goa 1556), 2012; pp. xix+290, Rs. 350/- [ISBN: 978-93-80739-35-9]

 
(A version of this article appeared on Gomantak Times, dt: June 11, 2012)

SHRI CHANDRESHWAR BHUTNATH TEMPLE: THE ABODE OF THE LUNAR LORD

Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath is the most famous and ancient temple in Quepem taluka. Perched on the Chandranath Hill in Paroda, the temple has stood for over 1,500 years, undergoing many transformations and renovations. And just like the parvath which is full of green cover and rich in flora and fauna, the temple too has a tremendous wealth of history, inspiring devotees, history-seekers and nature lovers to embark on a journey to pay their respects to Lord Chandreshwar Bhutnath.

The Hill

The recently-built, magnificent Mahadvar (entrance gate), off the Quepem-Margão route, waits in welcome to lead one to the foot of the Hill at Mullem. Here, where the gradual climb towards the temple begins, one encounters the first Shrine of Shankabhairav. Moving higher, through dense foliage and small streams of cascading water, breath-taking glimpses of the villages below can be seen. Parvath is not only full of many herbs with medicinal properties, there are many tirthas (sacred water springs) as well, whose perennial water is sweet and cool. Kapil tirtha, Ganesh tirtha, Kamandul tirtha are a few springs which have been named after the rishis who had once sanctified them with their presence. The Hill is so large that circumambulating it from the foothill takes one through the villages of Mullem, Paroda, Ambaulim, Tolvode and Solvode.

The old and the new ‘steps’

Arriving at the end of the tar road, one is greeted by a steep flight of stairs numbering more than three-hundred. There is also a lesser known and less travelled route to the top, made of rough stone-steps and stretches from the foothill to the top. During one summer camp, this was the ‘trekking-route’ that we students had used. Many devotees still prefer this path even today.

The history and architecture of the temple

At the top in a small clearing stands the Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath temple. The edifice has a roof of Mangalore tiles, which is split in two levels. It has a pillared mandapa (hallway) with side entrances and a vestibule that leads to the garbhakudd (sanctum). The interior ornamentation is minimum and chaste. A dome rests on a hexagonal drum, which gives it a slender appearance. The kalash perched on the sikhara has been done in gold some years ago. The mural above the lintel of the main entrance depicting the Amrut Manthan makes a striking statement, although this seems to be a later addition. Under the shade of a peepul tree, one finds a deepsthambha or lamp tower on a raised platform. There is also an old Nandi bull – which was worshipped earlier – in the vicinity of the temple.

There have been many Chandras in Goa’s history. Right from Chandragupta Maurya to Chandraditya who was put on throne by his father Pulekesin to rule Goa on its behalf in the 7^th century AD. All these have had the name of the nearby city of Chandrapur attributed to their honour. It has also been suggested that Chandra may have given his name to this deity on the hilltop, according to Maurice Hall’s book, Window on Goa.   

The temple was established by king Chandravarman in the 4^th century AD, possibly a Bhoja ruler. The deity is mentioned in the 5^th or 6^th century copper plate inscription grants of the Bhoja king, Prithvimalla Varman, found at Bandora. Dr. Olivinho Gomes in his book Goa also mentions, “… Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath at Paroda, that being the original deity of the Kadambas…”  It is believed that the Kadambas renovated the temple in the 10^th or 11^th century AD.

The importance of Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath Temple also finds mention in one of the chapters titled Chandrachundha of the Sahyadri Khand, written in Sanskrit and claimed to be a part of the Skandapurana.

In his book, Hindu Temples and Deities, Rui Gomes Pereira says that the temple was founded by the ancestors of the present Mahajans. The affiliates of Lord Chandreshwar are Bhutnath, Sidhabhairav, Kalbhairav, Shankabhairav and [Brahma temple at] Mulguddi. The first four have temples located at the Chandranath Hill and the last at Katta-Amona, Quepem.

About Lord Chandreshwar

Chandreshwar, an incarnation of Shiva, is worshipped as the Lord of the Moon. It is believed that the lingam oozes out water when the rays of the full moon fall on it. Consequently, the temple is so constructed that the full light is cast in the sanctum. The lingam is called svayabulingam, one raised from the ground. The lingam and the sanctum are carved from a single natural granite stone, which was in the same place and has never been moved. In the sanctum known as Panchayat sthan five gods and goddesses are worshipped: Chandranath, Ganapathi, Navdurga, Mahalaxmi and Vishnu.

About Lord Bhutnath

There is another shrine near the peepul tree dedicated to Lord Bhutnath, main Pradhan of                       Lord Chandreshwar. The temple hence is called Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath. The shrines of both the gods are so arranged that each god can view the other through the window opening called zharukha.

Temple Trivia

The temple possesses four raths: the Vijay rath (horse), the Ambari rath (elephant), the Chandi rath (silver) and the Maha rath (the greater chariot). The temple has a body of eight representatives from an equal number of villages and together they form the Vangodd. The villages are Xeldem, Quepem, Avedem, Paroda, Cotombi, Assolda, Xelvona and Mullem. Some of the religious ceremonies celebrated with pomp are Shravan Somar, Navratr and Dussehra. During the ‘dusro’, a palkhi (palanquin) procession from the top of the Hill to the Paroda bazaar is held. Here, an annual tradition takes place where Shantadurga Chamundeshwari of Guddo, Avedem, sister of Lord Chandreshwar, meets her brother. The annual zatra (feast) is celebrated for five days during which devotees from Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra throng to the temple.

The temple of Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath stands invitingly, in a perfect setting where scenic beauty, faith, myth and history blend together.

The Temple Committee of Shri Chandreshwar Bhutnath Saunsthan is headed by Dr. Venkatesh Prabhu Dessai. Nilesh Raut Dessai is the treasurer, Sanmer Gauns Dessai is the Attorney and Sanjay Gauns Dessai is the secretary who furnished valuable information.

(A Version of this article appeared on Gomantak Times, dt: October 17, 2009)

LEGENDS AND LORE... THE QUEEN'S CURSE

The memory of the last attack by Mohammad Bin Tuglak on the Kadambas is still kept alive by legends and beliefs in the lives of the people of Chandor.

Dr. Olivinho Gomes, in his book, ‘Village Goa,’ refers to the famous historian, Dr. George M. Moraes’ Kadamba Kula, in this regard:

“The people of the city were happy and prosperous, when suddenly one night the city was invaded by the enemy who murdered the King and many of the inhabitants. The princesses and the ladies of the Court destroyed their jewels and committed suicide by throwing themselves into the river, which, it is popularly believed, still leaves gold powder on the shore. The tradition associated with the Fort is that the Queen who was absent in some other part of the Kingdom, visited the city one day, but found it in desolation and was given the sad news of her husband’ demise. As a sign of her grief she removed her jewels, crushed them and threw them all over the place, and cursed the women of Chandor, wishing them all to be like herself. She came out of the fortress and, stamping her feet four times, said she would not take away any thing, not even the dust of her feet from the city…”

The stone bearing the anklet-prints is located near the Chapel of St. James, at the entrance of the fort area. Mr. Joaquim Pereira, owner of Juliet General Stores in Chandor-Kott, and an elderly villager, informs that the curse of the ‘Xrapacho Fator,’ as he calls it, is still dreaded by the villagers of Chandor, as it is believed to be striking a particular caste of Chandor-Kott. It has not affected the population of other castes in this village.

Village Goa informs us that many women of this caste are widows before old age has set in. The fear of the curse goes to such an extent that it is understood that several landlords of this caste have taken up residences in Margao or elsewhere and their palatial houses are deserted.

The curse of the Queen, as taken from one of the old residents of Chandor-Kott and transmitted through generations by word of mouth, is believed to be worded somewhat as follows according to Dr. Gomes:

                                    “Kadam(b)as…

                                                Chandra ganv padd zanv

                                                Vhoiloleank borem zanv

                                                Haddlolim randd zanv.”

In English:

                                    “Kadambas…

                                                Let Chandor village perish

                                                Their outgoing women be blessed

                                                Incoming women widows become!”

 The curse of the Queen thus makes a fascinating, frightening and an intriguing story.

(A Version of this article appeared on GOA PLUS, a weekly supplement of the Times of India and the Economic Times, dt: January 19-25, 2007)

CHANDRAPUR: THE FORGOTTEN CAPITAL

Present day Chandor was once the ancient city of Chandrapur, which served as the capital for the Bhoja and the Kadamba dynasties.

A temple site in the middle of Chandor Kott is known as ‘Isvorachem.’ In 1930s Fr. Henry Heras, SJ excavated the site and unearthed a 11^th century Shiva temple and also a Nandi bull. Dr. Olivinho Gomes in his book, ‘Village Goa,’ informs that the Nandi bull is, “said to be the biggest in India after that of Mysore, which latter it resembles in its art but not in size. The Muslims cut out a large part of its stomach to see if it contained diamonds, pearls, or other precious stones, broke its mouth to see if there was any treasure hidden in it, chopped off the tail to see if they could find any precious stones in its arms. Seeing that it did not have anything in it, they broke its legs, dislodged it from the seat of stone and turned it up-side-down, to see if there was something underneath it, but without success.”

After the 1930 Heras excavation, interest was lost and as a result huge trees grew around it. In 1974, the Archaeological Survey of India intervened and began excavating, under the direction of superintending archaeologist, S. R. Rao. According to a Navhind Times, dated 8^th April 1974 report, the discovery of the 1500 years old temple complex consisted of a Garbhgriha (sanctum), surrounded by Pradakshinapatha (circumbulatory passage), a large Sabhamandapa (assembly hall) and a medium sized Mukhamandapa or porch.

While a few finds of the Fr. Heras excavation were taken to his museum at Mumbai, the remaining were lodged at the museum at Old Goa. Today all that one finds at Chandor Kott is a severed Nandi bull, a silent and solitary witness to a glorious port-town that Chandrapur was, once upon a time. 

(A Version of this article appeared on GOA PLUS, a weekly supplement of the Times of India and the Economic Times, dt: December 8-14, 2006)