[Goanet] Love Lost? Claudia, a novel set in the Goa of the 1960s
LOVE LOST? CLAUDIA, A NOVEL SET IN GOA IN THE 1960s Sophia Lorena Benjamin (soph...@gmail.com) recently wrote her debut novel 'Claudia'. It is set in Goa during the 1960s. The news of the intensified resistance by the Indian Government to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule has caused sudden distress, turmoil and conflict in Claudia's life. When she had her first encounter with Damiano, the attractive son of her Portuguese master, she never imagined their meetings would grow so intimate. Claudia is a young Goan village girl. Clever. Charming. Ambitious. With two older sisters, unmarried because their reputation is spoiled by insensible premarital affairs, Claudia is the family's only hope whose arranged marriage could restore honour and lost respect within their conservative community. Amidst advancing armed forces, blasting bridges, a bombarded Dabolim airport, departing Portuguese families, and chaos, Claudia needs to consider the offer made by her Portuguese lover, Damiano to escape to Portugal as a servant girl where their covert affair can continue. Much relies on Claudia's choice: the call is urgent and decisive. Will Claudia abandon her family's honour and choose forbidden love? Will she proceed with an arranged marriage to Ferrao, the rich sailor from her local community and end the social stigma her family has endured? Claudia, set in a Portuguese-ruled Goa, is an uplifting story of a woman's struggles and the triumph of finding hope will unravel the answers. Claudia has a secret affair going on with Damiano her Portuguese master's son. Meanwhile, Claudia's grandmother has brought a marriage proposal from a local businessman. The rich man has shown interest to marry Claudia despite knowing Claudia is not from a well to do family and cannot afford any dowry, which is customary in their community. Under these circumstances, Claudia decides to end her affair with her Portuguese lover before anyone finds out. As the dominating thoughts of the freedom to romance and everything that she is going to miss after marriage flood her mind, there is a turn of events that take place when Damiano takes her to a deserted corner of the house to tell her that the Portuguese are expected to leave Goa for good and that they may never see each other again. The secret meeting in the darkroom is supposedly an intimate farewell. A few yards from the family house was a row of huts for the cattle: cows, ox, buffaloes and two giant fighter bulls. Pigs and fowls had separate fenced yards. Workers belonging to a local Kunbi tribe worked all around the property; they were the live-in servants of the Ferrao family. Fresh dung cakes, salt fish and new hay lay drying in the sun. The backyard was full of pig slop, cattle fodder, cows in the huts, pigs in the sty, chickens shitting on the ground; all of it spread a peculiar, pungent odour. It was indeed the smell of abundance and prestige; that's how it was measured in the suburban areas, the village folk called it prosperity. The girl selected to settle in this family would be privileged, thought Claudia in her mind, the lavish abundance of the Ferraos overwhelming her greatly. This was what Father had dreamt for the three girls; Jakin, Bula and Claudia. The dream had failed him while he was alive; if ever there was an opportunity it could be revived it was now, Claudia was having this conversation in her mind. On the way home, Gormai told Claudia that the Ferraos said they liked her, that they were willing to go ahead with the match even without dowry; they told Gormai that the priests and elders of Oroshim had given a good reference about Claudia. The news brought a strange thrill to her heart. Later that evening; sitting in front of the fire, while heating up water to bathe, Claudia was lost in thought of all the happenings of the day with the Ferraos. She understood well that this was a precious opportunity, and that she was one among the most fortunate girls around the suburbs. It would be the first time in many years that something good was about to happen for Claudia's family. Gormai told her that the Ferraos needed a little more time to decide if it was going to be a new year wedding or a summer wedding. Claudia gazed at the fields and hills above. She would miss Oroshim so much. If it was going to be a New Year wedding; she would miss celebrating carnival in her village; the humour filled intruz skit, and also the villagers painting each other's faces and watching little boys throwing cocotes. And then, she would have loved to watch Damiano taking part in the village carnival for the first time ever; she smiled at the thought of it, just imagining his
Re: [Goanet] Love Lost? Claudia, a novel set in the Goa of the 1960s
is the novel available in bookstores in Goa or on Amazon? eugene On Thu, Aug 9, 2018, 9:57 AM Goanet Reader wrote: > LOVE LOST? CLAUDIA, A NOVEL SET IN GOA IN THE 1960s > > Sophia Lorena Benjamin (soph...@gmail.com) recently wrote her > debut novel 'Claudia'. It is set in Goa during the 1960s. The > news of the intensified resistance by the Indian Government > to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule has caused sudden > distress, turmoil and conflict in Claudia's life. When she > had her first encounter with Damiano, the attractive son of > her Portuguese master, she never imagined their meetings > would grow so intimate. Claudia is a young Goan village girl. > Clever. Charming. Ambitious. With two older sisters, > unmarried because their reputation is spoiled by insensible > premarital affairs, Claudia is the family's only hope whose > arranged marriage could restore honour and lost respect > within their conservative community. Amidst advancing armed > forces, blasting bridges, a bombarded Dabolim airport, > departing Portuguese families, and chaos, Claudia needs to > consider the offer made by her Portuguese lover, Damiano to > escape to Portugal as a servant girl where their covert > affair can continue. Much relies on Claudia's choice: the > call is urgent and decisive. Will Claudia abandon her > family's honour and choose forbidden love? Will she proceed > with an arranged marriage to Ferrao, the rich sailor from her > local community and end the social stigma her family has > endured? Claudia, set in a Portuguese-ruled Goa, is an > uplifting story of a woman's struggles and the triumph of finding > hope will unravel the answers. > > Claudia has a secret affair going on with Damiano > her Portuguese master's son. > > Meanwhile, Claudia's grandmother has brought a > marriage proposal from a local businessman. The > rich man has shown interest to marry Claudia > despite knowing Claudia is not from a well to do > family and cannot afford any dowry, which is > customary in their community. > > Under these circumstances, Claudia decides to end > her affair with her Portuguese lover before anyone > finds out. As the dominating thoughts of the > freedom to romance and everything that she is going > to miss after marriage flood her mind, there is a > turn of events that take place when Damiano takes > her to a deserted corner of the house to tell her > that the Portuguese are expected to leave Goa for > good and that they may never see each other again. > > The secret meeting in the darkroom is supposedly > an intimate farewell. > > A few yards from the family house was a row of huts for the > cattle: cows, ox, buffaloes and two giant fighter bulls. Pigs > and fowls had separate fenced yards. Workers belonging to a > local Kunbi tribe worked all around the property; they were > the live-in servants of the Ferrao family. > > Fresh dung cakes, salt fish and new hay lay drying in the > sun. The backyard was full of pig slop, cattle fodder, cows > in the huts, pigs in the sty, chickens shitting on the > ground; all of it spread a peculiar, pungent odour. It was > indeed the smell of abundance and prestige; that's how it was > measured in the suburban areas, the village folk called it > prosperity. The girl selected to settle in this family would > be privileged, thought Claudia in her mind, the lavish > abundance of the Ferraos overwhelming her greatly. This was > what Father had dreamt for the three girls; Jakin, Bula and > Claudia. The dream had failed him while he was alive; if ever > there was an opportunity it could be revived it was now, > Claudia was having this conversation in her mind. > > On the way home, Gormai told Claudia that the Ferraos said > they liked her, that they were willing to go ahead with the > match even without dowry; they told Gormai that the priests > and elders of Oroshim had given a good reference about > Claudia. The news brought a strange thrill to her heart. > > Later that evening; sitting in front of the fire, while > heating up water to bathe, Claudia was lost in thought of all > the happenings of the day with the Ferraos. She understood > well that this was a precious opportunity, and that she was > one among the most fortunate girls around the suburbs. It > would be the first time in many years that something good was > about to happen for Claudia's family. > > Gormai told her that the Ferraos needed a little > more time to decide if it was going to be a new > year wedding or a summer wedding. Claudia gazed at > the fields and hills above. She would miss Oroshim > so much. If it was going to be a New Year wedding; > she would miss celebrating carnival in her village; > the humour filled intruz skit, and also the >
Re: [Goanet] Love Lost? Claudia, a novel set in the Goa of the 1960s
Oops, saw Amazon but I can' t purvhsd in rupees? I want printed version. eugene On Thu, Aug 9, 2018, 11:01 AM Eugene Correia wrote: > is the novel available in bookstores in Goa or on Amazon? > > eugene > > On Thu, Aug 9, 2018, 9:57 AM Goanet Reader wrote: > >> LOVE LOST? CLAUDIA, A NOVEL SET IN GOA IN THE 1960s >> >> Sophia Lorena Benjamin (soph...@gmail.com) recently wrote her >> debut novel 'Claudia'. It is set in Goa during the 1960s. The >> news of the intensified resistance by the Indian Government >> to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule has caused sudden >> distress, turmoil and conflict in Claudia's life. When she >> had her first encounter with Damiano, the attractive son of >> her Portuguese master, she never imagined their meetings >> would grow so intimate. Claudia is a young Goan village girl. >> Clever. Charming. Ambitious. With two older sisters, >> unmarried because their reputation is spoiled by insensible >> premarital affairs, Claudia is the family's only hope whose >> arranged marriage could restore honour and lost respect >> within their conservative community. Amidst advancing armed >> forces, blasting bridges, a bombarded Dabolim airport, >> departing Portuguese families, and chaos, Claudia needs to >> consider the offer made by her Portuguese lover, Damiano to >> escape to Portugal as a servant girl where their covert >> affair can continue. Much relies on Claudia's choice: the >> call is urgent and decisive. Will Claudia abandon her >> family's honour and choose forbidden love? Will she proceed >> with an arranged marriage to Ferrao, the rich sailor from her >> local community and end the social stigma her family has >> endured? Claudia, set in a Portuguese-ruled Goa, is an >> uplifting story of a woman's struggles and the triumph of finding >> hope will unravel the answers. >> >> Claudia has a secret affair going on with Damiano >> her Portuguese master's son. >> >> Meanwhile, Claudia's grandmother has brought a >> marriage proposal from a local businessman. The >> rich man has shown interest to marry Claudia >> despite knowing Claudia is not from a well to do >> family and cannot afford any dowry, which is >> customary in their community. >> >> Under these circumstances, Claudia decides to end >> her affair with her Portuguese lover before anyone >> finds out. As the dominating thoughts of the >> freedom to romance and everything that she is going >> to miss after marriage flood her mind, there is a >> turn of events that take place when Damiano takes >> her to a deserted corner of the house to tell her >> that the Portuguese are expected to leave Goa for >> good and that they may never see each other again. >> >> The secret meeting in the darkroom is supposedly >> an intimate farewell. >> >> A few yards from the family house was a row of huts for the >> cattle: cows, ox, buffaloes and two giant fighter bulls. Pigs >> and fowls had separate fenced yards. Workers belonging to a >> local Kunbi tribe worked all around the property; they were >> the live-in servants of the Ferrao family. >> >> Fresh dung cakes, salt fish and new hay lay drying in the >> sun. The backyard was full of pig slop, cattle fodder, cows >> in the huts, pigs in the sty, chickens shitting on the >> ground; all of it spread a peculiar, pungent odour. It was >> indeed the smell of abundance and prestige; that's how it was >> measured in the suburban areas, the village folk called it >> prosperity. The girl selected to settle in this family would >> be privileged, thought Claudia in her mind, the lavish >> abundance of the Ferraos overwhelming her greatly. This was >> what Father had dreamt for the three girls; Jakin, Bula and >> Claudia. The dream had failed him while he was alive; if ever >> there was an opportunity it could be revived it was now, >> Claudia was having this conversation in her mind. >> >> On the way home, Gormai told Claudia that the Ferraos said >> they liked her, that they were willing to go ahead with the >> match even without dowry; they told Gormai that the priests >> and elders of Oroshim had given a good reference about >> Claudia. The news brought a strange thrill to her heart. >> >> Later that evening; sitting in front of the fire, while >> heating up water to bathe, Claudia was lost in thought of all >> the happenings of the day with the Ferraos. She understood >> well that this was a precious opportunity, and that she was >> one among the most fortunate girls around the suburbs. It >> would be the first time in many years that something good was >> about to happen for Claudia's family. >> >> Gormai told her that the Ferraos needed a little >> more time to decide if it was going to be a new >> year wedding or a summer wedding. Claudia gazed at >> the fie