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O HERALD O
Vol No CX No: 329 The Saraswats who Invented Goa
Goa, Saturday, 1 January, 2011
learning lessons from the past will only help save our identities, says tEotÓnio r. DE soUZA
A brand new year
with compassion I put it on record in my autobiographical intro-
duction to Goa to Me (1994) that as a child,
till five or six years of age, I would only sleep
adopted lingo.
Thanks to Valmiki Faleiro, a brilliant investiga-
tive journalist, we can now identify each of those

A rchbishop Patriarch of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri
Ferrão has done well to point at the growing trend of
supposedly democratic and representative institutions
being used to foment religious and communal tensions,
fuel communal divides and abet communal violence. His
address, at the annual civic reception on the occasion of
Christmas held at the Archbishop’s House on Wednesday,
offered the hand of the Church in Goa to collaborate “in the
building of a society that sincerely and genuinely promotes
the dignity of the human being, religious freedom and
cultural harmony, as well as peace and justice for everyone”.
These words are doubly significant in the context of events
in neighbouring Karnataka, which is ruled by a Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) government. Some years ago, it saw horrific
communal violence against the peaceful Catholic community
in the state by the stormtroopers of the Sri Ram Sene, the
Bajrang Dal and other fascist outfits on the pretext of a
leaflet released by a minuscule Protestant evangelist group.
Significantly, the government of the state did little or nothing
to prevent the violence. Instead, police beat and arrested
Catholic youth who resisted the violence.
Even more recently, the state has passed a draconian law
banning slaughter of not just cows and calves, but of bulls
and buffaloes as well. This has nothing to do with religion.
The Hindu religion may consider the cow to be holy, but
certainly not the bull – which is used for ploughing fields –
or the buffalo. The whole purpose of the law is purely to
harass minorities which eat beef, like the Muslims, Christians
and Dalits. Thankfully, the Karnataka Governor in a political
masterstroke has referred the bill to the President of India
for an opinion, and it is now stuck in limbo.
As the Archbishop said, the country and this state presently
face a threat to their minority communities, even though
the minorities do not represent any threat to the majority.
He has called not for any resistance or protest in this matter,
but rather for an opportunity to conduct a genuine dialogue
and promote mutual cultural enrichment. He pointed out
that right from the United Nations to parliaments, legislative
assemblies, municipal corporations and village councils like
our panchayats, there are vast opportunities for people to
sit at a common table and discuss matters of common interest,
which contribute to the common welfare of humankind.
It is only when these very structures of participation be-
come tools in the hands of a few to wield power over
national and state communities, instead of being genuine
community empowering instruments, that they cease to be
the democratic institutions that they purport they are.
Without taking any names, the Archbishop slammed
“large conventions” that take place, sometimes with the
sole aim of disturbing inter-religious peace and harmony
existing amidst citizens. He was probably referring to the
in my grandma’s lap, listening to her tales that
had a fascination for me. Among them were the
stories of Addtulem and Biddtulem, two Saraswat
mavxeo (aunties). The former built a house of
wax and the latter a house of cow dung. These
building materials rhymed well as mennachem
and xennachem, but I do not remember having
heard a complete story ever, and hence, how
those structures fared when monsoon rains struck
them! After the exhaustion of a day’s pranks it
was too difficult to keep awake to listen to the
tales till their very end. Besides, I knew there
was nothing to lose because my grandma would
start telling the story all over again the following
night.
My grandpa Lam Jaku introduced me to real-
life stories and would tell me how he often left
the Portuguese revenue officers baffled during
the triennial rice-field auctionings in the village.
His presence with his expertise in field measuring
techniques was a must for his village co-ganvkars,
who never trusted the government-backed in-
truders, who were prone to dupe them on such
occasions.
Mind you, the intruders were not unknown
outsiders, but village elites that held government
jobs in the district municipality or as henchmen
of the village regedor. A controversial book enti-
tled The Invention of Goa (A Invenção de Goa in
its original Portuguese version) seeks to explain
the pragmatism of such elites that helped the
consolidation of the Portuguese colonial rule. It
is not an earth-shaking revelation because no
foreign ruler has ever ruled long without the help
of the insiders. The beauty of the new-found
democracy is that we rule ourselves and often
exploit our people with the help of the outsiders!
It is an Invention dedicated to aunties Carmita
and Manuela, resident of Salcete, prominent as
cradle of the native elites in colonial service,
thanks to the spiritual assistance of the Jesuits
and bamboozling by Inquisitors. We were told
in a debate on Goa Research Net cyberforum that
the study was inspired by Aristotelian rhetoric,
even if the term Invention may be derived from
the Latin invenire, meaning to find. Things that
were found since ages by the natives get discov-
ered and invented by the clever Europeans, and
their orientalist and neo-orientalist disciples.
Even though Lusoleaks are not yet a new off-
shoot of the beleaguered Wikileaks, I came to
Tongue in Cheek
HistoricAl ExplorAtions
know of a niecey (sic) leak circulating: It advised
the aunties in Goa to avoid reading my Herald
column. It would save them from headaches
and depressions. A sound piece of advice that
made the Portuguese Invention of Goa possible
some 500 years ago and during centuries that
followed.
The brilliant Invention of Goa in question,
points out precisely to the Goan native elites
that were pampered by the Portuguese colonial
regime after they had been battered into sub-
mission as ‘willing’ collaborators. With their col-
laboration Goa could continue to be re-invented
till Thy Kingdom come, had it not been for the
2010 – A year of scams
non-elites that protested with their feet into
waves of emigrants into the neighbouring Indian
regions, building up pressure that would ulti-
mately lead to satyagraha movement and to the
Operation Vijay.
Contrary to what some pro-colonialists con-
tinue to glibly represent as invasion, the conquest
of Goa and its integration into India was deftly
conducted with the help of about half a dozen
high-ranking Goan commissioned officers from
the three branches of the Indian armed forces,
chosen for their strategic experience and ability
to relate to the Portuguese colonial administration
and its native collaborators in their native or
Goan officers, Catholics and Hindus, who served
the nation. Three of them had their names as-
signed to Goan roads: Air V/Mshl Erlic W Pinto in
Dabolim, Lt Col Sylvester M D’Souza in Sangolda,
and Wg Cdr Clarence J D’Lima in Socorro. We get
to know that nearly 70 per cent of these military
officers were from the Saraswat Brahmin caste,
mostly from Bardez, and with lesser number from
Salcete.
I am itching to lay my hands on Valmiki Faleiro’s
just released Patriotism in Action. I was lucky in
the meantime to interview the author by internet
and to get answers to my many queries.
He tells in the Prologue that he was provoked
to write the book, partly to respond to taunts
that described Goan Catholics as “unpatriotic
and anti-national,” and as such deserved to be
deported to Portugal.
This book responds not just to taunts of the
fundamentalist Hindu politicians, but also to the
politically naïve neo-orientalist rhetoric, disguised
as brilliant piece of research.
As we close the year 2010 and enter 2011, we
can cherish what Goa has gained from 450 years
of Portuguese colonial legacy and its positive im-
print upon Goa’s identity.
We cannot forget that all life implies a constant
resistance to forces of death. There is no healthy
growth in democratic politics without an effective
opposition. Fifty years of liberation have woken
the Goans sufficiently to the risks and challenges
of democracy.
Nothing comes free, and costliest of it all is
Freedom. If 450 years of colonial rule have not
taught that to us, may God save us from worse
kind of Inventions!
Knowing how inquisitive aunties can be, the
lusophone tias in particular, they are likely to fol-
low Oscar Wilde, who admittedly did not resist
only to temptations, and continue looking out
for my ‘Historical Explorations’ into the pre and
post-Portuguese Inventions of Goa.
Otherwise, they could be sorry to miss knowing
that their ancestor Saraswats first invented Goa
with the assistance of Parashurama, and in 1961
re-invented Goa as Catholic Saraswats in Indian
military garb, short-circuiting a chimeric Por-
tuguese Plano Sentinela at Vasco da Gama, with
Afonso de Albuquerque in attendance: A dim
finale for a grand overture by those pioneers of
Portuguese Discoveries / Inventions.
By Adelmo Fernandes

alleged ‘Hindu Dharma Jagruti Sabhas’ that are organised
by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti in Goa. In these meetings,
strident rabble rousing is the order of the day. Hinduism is
falsely proclaimed to be ‘in danger’, and vitriol is poured on
the minority communities, on the Congress government in
Goa, and in particular on the Chief Minister of the state. Many
of the speeches made at these meetings could easily attract
criminal charges of causing disaffection among communities.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was present at the recep-
tion, along with a host of other dignitaries. He could not
have failed to have heard the Archbishop Patriarch. There
was no hatred or anger in his words; just a longing for com-
munal harmony and a rebuke for those who sought to
disturb it without any real cause. The next time there is a
Hindu Dharma Jagruti Sabha, maybe the CM should ask for
a report, and then take what action he feels is appropriate.
W
e are into the first day of a fresh new year 2011. The year
also marks the beginning of a new decade. The year 2010
is now history. But for our country it has been a history
of scams and scandals. There indeed were scams galore varying in
size depending on the amount swindled from the public exchequer.
In a way it seemed that there was a race for the biggest scam of
the year award which could ultimately be the biggest scam of the
decade, of the century and of course of all time.
Till last year the big league of scams in India included the Bofors
guns scam, Satyam scam, scams involving big bull Harshad Mehta,
Ketan Parekh, Abdul Telgi of the fake stamp fame, and the UTI
scam. Of these the biggest for several years was probably the
Satyam scam involving Raju which was pegged at a whooping
Rs14,000 crore. Internationally there were scams galore too. There
was the Ponzi scam, The Maddoff scam and the Enron scam to
name a few. Of course scams involve scamsters. And there have
been several of them in the year 2010. India is not a poor country.
It is a rich country but the wealth is concentrated in the hands of
a handful of rich people.
Ours is a country where the divide between the rich and the
poor is growing wider with each passing year. These scams have
been responsible for the public money finding their way to the
Swiss banks and other foreign banks. The year 2010 saw three
major scams. There was the IPL scam involving 1,200 to 1500
crores. This just isn’t cricket and has Lalit Modi on the run.
The CWG involved irregularities to the tune of Rs8000 crore
and all guns are pointing towards Suresh Kalmadi who in all prob-
ability has to spend sleepless nights. Then there was the Adarsh
building scam which brought down a state Chief Minister. But by
far the mother of all scams has been the 2G Spectrum scam which
deprived the government coffers of a mind boggling 1.96 lakh
crores in potential revenue.
This scam is making history in more ways than one. Thanks to
the opposition party, it has paralysed the entire Parliament session.
The Opposition party is trying to implicate the Prime Minister of
the country. There is a toss-up between an investigation by a
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and a Joint Parliamentary Com-
mittee (JPC). One thing on the mind of every Indian is whether at
the end of it all the truth will come out. Where does this leave the
common man? Well one thing is for sure. It has left everyone
gasping in belief.
The amount involved in the scam is probably more than the
budget of the biggest state of the country. Why do people get in-
volved in scams? How much money do some want to stack? Are
these persons trying to save for another four generations down
the line? We have probably not seen the last of the scams unfolding.
Who knows the 2011 could see bigger scams coming to light. We
can only hope that we have seen the last of the scams.

Letters to the Editor

New Year resolutions
Allwyn George, Carmona
It is time to ring in the New Year and a
time to make more resolutions. The com-
mon man will be forced to make a resolu-
tion to cut spending to keep up with
inflation. The Government and its fat min-
isters have to make a resolution to serve
the interests of the people rather than their
own. The Sarpanchas have to listen to the
views of the Gram Sabhas and not their
bosses in power. The Goa Police have to
oblige to the people’s complaints and not
100 Years Ago
PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS
1 January 1911
Agriculture prevails in Goa
Is agreed by one and all that Goa is es-
sentially an agricultural land where
therein sustains its social and economic
fabric.
‘Akbary’ regimen
The Governor of the State has appointed
a Committee to formulate the renovation
of ‘Akbary’ regimen which concerns the
agricultural development.
Government and change
It is admirable that while the Govern-
ment is propounding changes, it still
follows the regimen of yore.
General Assembly Elections
Took place in the City the elections for
the Managing Committee of Commercial
Association for the year 1911 being
elected Dr Antonio Maria da Cunha and
Luis Guilherme Dias to be the Presidents
of the General Assembly and of the Gen-
eral Assembly respectively.
Military and strikes
Although the Press Body from Bombay
is mentioning insubordination amongst
the Military and the strikes taking place
in this territory, the Government issued
a circular stating that it is absolutely er-
roneous in context.
follow instructions of the ministers. The
government contractors have to improve
the quality of their work. The teachers
have to make a resolution to improve the
quality of education they impart to our
children to make them competitive enough.
Lastly, all of us have to make a resolution
that we are going to serve our country
better in the best way we can.
Business dictates media!
Samir Kelekar, Bangalore
This refers to the article “Is media losing
credibility (Herald, 31 Dec) by Bharati
Pawaskar. I think the problem with the
media is the business model. Since media
has to depend on advertisements for sur-
vival, they dictate what is to be written
and what is not.
One way out could be that people need
to be charged more for an independent
media outlet. People have to be told that
it will cost to be independent. It doesn’t
come free.
What’s your price?
M Fernandes, Benaulim
I refer to PS Reddy’s letter ‘Ensure fact find-
ing’ (Herald, 31 Jan) in reply to a news report
‘Wake up Goa police and smell the Coffee’
(Herald, 28 Dec) and quote his words “I am
not agreeing specially with the report ‘Rs10
is all that you pay to evade border post
checking!’ by Vibha Verma mentioning my
name, who never contacted me or any of-
ficial from the Head office.”
So, Mr Reddy, what is your price?
Let us unite!
Cdr Akeel Shaikh (Rtd), Dabolim
I read the article by Raul Fernandes ‘If we
do not stop the rot now, we are damned’
(Herald, 28 Dec) and am in complete agree-
ment with you.
We the residents of Goa, must do some-
thing to ensure that our elected represen-
tatives do not forget the welfare of the
State and its residents, once elected. I sug-
gest that either your newspaper or an NGO
organises committees, dedicated to mon-
itoring the activities and achievements of
politicians, and also key bureaucrats.
individuals unconnected with the exami-
Paths of Wisdom
Letter of the Day nations used to enter the examination halls.
I had sent detailed reports to the concerned
Samartha Ramdas
authorities. I do not know what happened
Journalism or to the reports, but I was discontinued as
the observer.
A lighthouse
The birth name of Samartha Ramdas
Swami was Narayan Suryaji Thosar. He
sensationalism? Thanks to ‘Godfather’
Agnelo AF Dias, Panaji
was born on ‘Ramnavami’ in the year
1530 (Marathi), (1608 AD) in Jamb village
on the banks of Godavari river. He was a
Jehangir Gai, Consumer Activist, Mumbai On the beginning of the New Year, this is
firm believer in God and stood by his
This refers to the article by Bharati Pawaskar, “Is media losing credibility?” (Herald, to appreciate the glorious Tiatr ‘Godfather’ principles. He felt sad because people
31 Dec). It’s really sad that the journalism is no longer what it used to be. It’s now which has crossed the 50th show mark.
got stuck in the unending cycle of life
sensationalism and nothing more. This is because many of the important newspapers Being a very simple and heart rendering and death. At the age of 11, he attained
are directly or indirectly controlled by politicians owning or managing such media. story shown through the humble prospec- enlightenment. He started his spiritual
Certain senior journalists also want to curry favours from bureaucrats and politicians, tive of a Municipal sweeper aptly portrayed
and this result in conflict of interest, where vested interest prevails over journalistic by Salu de Loutolim, the play has high-
journey soon after.
For next 12 years, he crisscrossed India
values and ethics. The quality of journalists which are being churned out by colleges lighted the moral responsibility of the so- and minutely observed condition of peo-
of journalism is not good. Many journalists can be bought over. If that fails, the next ciety towards the garbage issues and also ple. He realised that frequent floods,
step is the PR agencies that contact the newspaper’s Advertising Department to get enlightens us on the total lapse of the con- famines and attacks by fanatics had de-
stories killed – here, advertising revenue weighs over journalistic values. cerned authorities in creating social aware-
So, sadly, the Fourth Estate no longer helps in mobilising public opinion. It is only ness towards the same. There is a play
stroyed social life of people. Everyone
was scared and depressed. Based on his
interested in reporting ‘masala stuff ’. which has been used as a very entertaining experiences he wrote two books named
medium to educate the general public on ‘Asmani Sultani’ and ‘Parachakraniroopan’.
To start with, the committee/s should From elections to corruption, injustice social issues and awareness. Ramdas Swami felt bad when he saw the
prepare a list of promises made by politi- and the power and tyranny of wealth and Thanks to Comedian Agostinho for ed- society depending so much on fate and
cians, parties and the government. The inefficiency of administration make life hell ucating the general public on major social providence. He highlighted warrior’s role
committee/s should then organise, regular for a common citizen in the name of free- issues. in society. Samartha Ramdas Swami es-
and time-bound meetings with the Minis- dom is given to us. tablished many study centres across the
ters, MLAs and the Government depart- In India’s present day socio-economic Virgin-birth country. His teaching of patience and
ments attached to the ministries. The and political environment, the daily news Paul Rodricks, Caranzalem faith in the face of adversities helped
reports of these meetings should be pub- media presents the height of corrupt prac- people to deal with difficult conditions.
Bernard Simoes in his letter ‘Words of Wis-
lished in your paper and a copy sent to all tices of our politicians and bureaucrats He understood the importance of the
dom!’ (Herald, 30 Dec) writing about Mary’s
the Chairmen of these committees for fol- currently rocking the Indian and Goa. role of women in a harmonious society.
low-up and raising questions in the Assem-
Annunciation and Immaculate Conception,
invites attention to common parallel motifs He encouraged women to participate in
bly. Opening Open Schools? of virgin-birth and mother- of-god, religious work and gave them positions
SND Poojary, Miramar ‘Theotokos’, found in ancient pagan god- of authority. He had 18 staunch women
Tree of corruption desses like Astarte, Hathor, Ishtar, Isis. disciples. He strongly reprimanded an
It has been reported in the press that the
Socorro D’Souza, Fatorda Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Sec- Mythological characters of Zoroaster, old man who was against women partic-
Corruption is a tree whose branches are ondary Education wants to start open Mithra, Osiris, and Dionysus were believed ipation by saying that everyone came
immeasurable length. They spread every- schools in Goa. I was once an observer ap- to have been born to divinely impregnated from a woman’s womb and those who
did not understand their importance
where and the dew that drops from thence pointed by the Open School Authorities at virgins.
hath infected some chairs and stools of Like Mary, the Egyptian Isis, Madonna, were not worthy of being called a man.
the X and XII examinations held at certain
our authorities in Goa. (child Horus on her knee), was worshipped He abhorred distinction based on caste
centres of open schools. The examinations
In any part of India or Goa, one can get as ‘Our Lady,’ ‘Queen of Heaven,’ ‘Mother and creed. According to him, all human
were literally ‘open’; candidates openly in-
anything done through political circle, cash of God’ and so forth. beings are equal. He was a true supporter
dulged in malpractices, either with the
and muscle power the police. The truth is She likewise declared: “My name, my of socialism and secular society.
connivance of the officials of the centres
hard to take; there is a lack of transparency divinity, is adored throughout the world, His contribution to the field of literature
or, the authorities at the centres were un-
in India. The politicians, bureaucrats and in diverse manners, in variable customs is unparalleled. Dasbodh’, ‘Manache
able to act against the candidates indulging
the government employees at all level mis- and in many names...” Hieroglyphic im- Shlok’, ‘Atmaram’, ‘Manapanchak’, ‘Anan-
in malpractices under their very nose. In
use their power. There is no respect for ages of Annunciation, Immaculate Con- davanbhuvan’, ‘Shivakalyanaraja’ and
one case, many unauthorised individuals
the law and the fear factor, because all in ception, Birth and Adoration of Horus are many more are relevant even today. Like
assembled near the centre; the authorities
power are above the law or carry law in depicted on the walls of Luxor Temple in a light house his teachings are guiding
entrusted with the conduct of the exami-
their pockets because it is lacking. Egypt. force in today’s troubled times.
nations could not do anything. Sometimes,

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