-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm | | | |The Riviera Opposite Hotel Mandovi, Panjim (near Ferry Jetty/Riverfront)| | Attending.......drop a line to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Fred,
The Vasco Police Station has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in the official premises since many years. The devotional Bhajans are sung by the policemen themselves.The decoration , which includes a huge static tableau (Hope I am using the correct word in English) depicting mythological scenes, is also put up by the policemen themselves. I have personally seen policemen of all religions actively giving a helping hand to their Ganesh celebration. So the crib is not unexpected. I do not recollect now if the crib was there in the yesteryears. Though definitions of secularism may seem opportune to the discussion, for the moment i would prefer not to enter into any debate on the point. The Kadamba Transport workers have Ganesh idols with tableaus as well as Christmas cribs at Margao & Panjim bus stands. All workers especially the mechanical staff participate to create the tableau. If some amount of communal harmony is created by these celebrations, I think secularism would be the ultimate winner. I am not redefining seccularism with any "indianised" versions. I am simply saying that the goal of secularism can only be achieved by traversing a tortuous path which MUST NECESSARILY start (today) with an understanding of the level of consciousness of the average policemen, the average Kadamba employee and the average "common man" who IS religious but not bigoted. Regards, Thalmann ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frederick Noronha (FN)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 1:27 PM > [Should policemen be celebrating religious festivals in their stations > in a secular state, which ought to have no link with religion? Or do you > see this as a good means of building inter-community understanding and > tolerance? Your views? FN] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
