Everyone knows that 1970s was the boom period for hippies in Goa, and
Anjuna was worldwide renowned for its full moon parties and flea market; its
recent addition is rave parties!
It all began with Anjuna boys in the early 1980s. They owned more
motorcycles than any other village in Goa. Every grown up boy in Anjuna
owned at least one motorcycle; my late brother, Manuel Fernandes, owned 35
motorcycles! Most of the boys parked their motorcycles next to the STARCO
Bar-n-Restaurant, which is why they came to be known as Starco Boys!
By the end of the 1970s, motorcyclists all over Goa had started plying
their motorcycles as passenger carriers, especially for the foreigners. The
foreigners found motorcycle ride cheaper than a car and better because the
boys would take them to the doorsteps of their destination which sometimes
was located in the interior of a place (they actually chose to live in the
interior of a place) where a car could not enter. A motorcyclist would
accommodate an additional passenger on his motorcycle for 50% of the quote
for a single person; the rider ended up sitting on the tank of the
motorcycle but he didnt mind it. The foreigners liked the motorcyclists so
much that they would share their food and drinks with them. Sometimes, they
also shared their drugs with them and gradually some of the boys became drug
addicts!!!
Suddenly, the Police Authorities began harassing the motorcyclists and
demanded money from them; they also harassed the foreigners and took money
from them forcibly. So, it became a big issue which affected the daily
income of the boys. Many boys in Anjuna were earning their daily bread on
this business; some had given up their menial jobs and opted for this trade.
They needed urgent help. I had left my job in Bahrain in November 1980
and was at home without a job for 8 months. All the Anjuna boys, including
my brother, approached me for help. This is where I filled in. I heard
their grievances and came to a conclusion that something had to be done to
legalize their business.
We contacted Mathany Saldanha, President of the Ramponnkars Association and
presented the case to him. He too was of the opinion that we could help the
boys provided there was unity among all of them. He in turn approached
Teotonio DSouza, President of Toddy Tapers Association. Thus, we managed
to attach two known personalities to our movement. We held the first
meeting at the Azad Maidan in Panaji which was attended by many
motorcyclists from all over Goa. The large response to our call convinced
us that they were indeed interested in having the business legalized. Once
this fact was established, we held more meetings in Anjuna, Calangute, at
Azad Maidan, Panaji, Margao, Curchorem, etc. We also got some MLAs and
ministers involved in the movement.
I left for Saudi Arabia to join Saudi Aramco in August 1981 but the movement
was carried on. They finally managed to form a Motorcyclists Association,
I think in the following year, which resulted in black and yellow colored
motorcycle taxis the only legal two-wheeler public transportation in the
world!
Just like the common expression Baba! which was very much in use among the
foreigners in Goa when addressing a local, the title Motorcycle Pilot was
also bestowed on the motorcyclists by the foreigners.
Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA
From : Rahul Goswami <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To : goanet@goanet.org
Sent : Friday, July 15, 2005 6:35:11 PM
To : goanet@goanet.org
Subject : [Goanet]Motorcycle pilots
This form of public transport seems to me to be unique to Goa - I haven't
encountered it anywhere else in India or abroad. Do list members know more
about
1) how such transport was formally organised in Goa and when, and 2) why the
riders are called 'pilots'? Best, Rahul
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