[Goanet] GTDC Sao Joao on 21st June
[Goanet] GTDC Sao Joao on 21st June Miguel Braganza braganza.miguel at gmail.com Fri Jun 20 12:46:42 PDT 2008 I too feel GTDC was not wrong in celebrating Sao Joao on 21st. People talk anything nowadays. Today, we went to Pomburpa, villagers there celebrated their Sao Joao today on 22/6/08 at the Pomborpa spring and it was well supported by their village parish priest. We even saw him wearing Sao Joao Copel (Crown) plus he was distributing Sao Joao goodies to newly married couples of Pomburpa on stage. Videos appearing shortly. Check this pic in the mean time http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk1/2601921082/sizes/l/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] for Goa NRI related info... http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/GOAN-NRI/ For Goan Video Clips http://youtube.com/joeukgoa __ Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
[Goanet] GTDC Sao Joao on 21st June irks Catholic community.
Several Goans mainly in the Velhas Conquistas and from the Gulf countries have expressed bitter resentment over the intention of the Goa Tourism and Development Corporation a government undertaking, to celebrate the Feast of St John the Baptist tomorrow Saturday, on 21st June 2008.. According to advertisements released on the local dailies and on its website www.goa-tourism.com it states….” to brand Goa as a Whole Year Destination through its festivals and to kick start Monsoon Promotional Campaign Goa Tourism Development Corporation is organizing SAO JOAO FEST on board Santa Monica on Saturday, 21st June, 2008 “ It adds further that “ traditionally, the feast is celebrated with joy and mirth with young and not so young men, wearing crowns (copels) of tender coconut leaves, leaping into “ swollen wells and rivers” to commemorate Saint John the Baptist's leap of joy in his mother's womb when he sensed the unborn child Jesus in Mother Mary's womb.” ”The cruise will leave Panjim (instead of Panaji ) Jetty at 10.00 a..m, sail along Old Goa/Chorao/ Diwar islands and Savoi and return at 4.30 p..m. There will be plenty of entertainment on board for the whole day with a live band playing sensational music meant for dancing, cultural dances performed by cultural troupe and other acts associated with Sao Joao Festivities”. Significantly the highlight of the day will be “the professionals divers doing Sao Joao jump into the river and the crowning of Sao Joao King and Queen”. The question being asked is how can the feast of St John the Baptist which is celebrated by the Catholic Church on 24th June and is of significance to the Catholic community tworld over be celebrated arbitrarily by the Government of Goa on dates convenient to it? and in the interest of promoting tourism? They feel that while tourists could be ” invited “ to watch the festivities ( pagan ) going on associated with this Feast viz : jumping in the village wells, or rivers ; by men and children it cannot advance the date to suit the tourists. This they felt may have been the demand made by the hotel lobby to fill in the rooms being a weekend as other wise the actual date being a working day i.e Tuesday. They also stated that hotels celebrating the festivities associated with this feast on different dates should not be permitted to do so. Would the Government not be setting a precedent by celebrating feasts in Goa to suit the tourism interests on the days they want? some asked in vengence ? Some feared that sooner or later other feasts like Colva Fama which is celebrated on a Monday or Christmas day would if it comes on a week day may be celebrated on Saturday/Sunday. They made an impassioned plea to this writer to address the concerns of the community to the Archdiocese of Goa Daman. When this wirter spoke telephonically to the GTDC Chairman, Mr Shyam Satardekar the MLA Curchorem to express these sentiment of the people he admitted that he was not aware of the implications that a change in date would have on the community by celebrating the Feast of the Saint on a different date; to suit the tourists; and hence requested the writer to contact the official of the Department one Mr Armando to impress upon him the need for a change if necessary. Mr Armando when contacted telephonically informed this writer that he had made sure that the programme which is intended for 21st as chalked out by the department was only restricted to “ family groups “ and individuals would not be permitted . As a result 17 individuals who had applied have been rejected and only 27 families have been booked for the festivities so far. Mr Armando also assured this writer that the families partaking in the festivities would be explained the religious significance of the Feast so that sentiments of the community observing these festivities are not hurt. Mr Armando also expressed regrets over the entire issue over the change in date and the objections and swore to ensure that no festivities were celebrated in future on changed dates or to suit the interests of the tourists without taking the Church into confidence such matters involving religious sentiments. This writer contacted some officials in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and expressed the sentiments of the community and urged them to put an end to all these arbitary celebrations in the name of promoting tourism by the Government without taking the community into confidence. They asked not to be quoted for the moment but promised that the issue will be deliberated at the highest forum urgently before informing the Government on its views. When Mr Armando informed this writer that indeed Hotels were having such celebrations in the past on the dates of their choice , this writer informed that the past should not be looked as precedent and perpetuated by the
[Goanet] GTDC Sao Joao on 21st June
Dears, I do not believe we need to nitpick on every trivial issue. Feast dates are flexible. They have always been so. the unchanging die like the dodo and become extinct like dinos. One suggestion that I would make to the GTDC is to name the King and Queen as Herod and Herodia, as in the case of the original Sao Joao story. If a Princess is to be selected she should be name Pincess Salome. I do not know if Herod had a son. The prize should be a carved watermelon on a platter ...in lieu of St. John's head that Salome asked her father. The complimentary drink at Sudesh Shetye's is blood red Amrit Kokum or Xarope de Brindao. That goes well with the story. It is a pleasant journey. [I went on it last week ...and you can see me on RTP after a month or so, talking about spices] On Sao Joao day watch RTP for the snippets on the Opinion Poll KPA and GBA ...the sagas of 1967, 1987 and 2007 all 20 years apart! that is if you are not in Siolim or anjuna to see the boat parades and music shows, dunking newly-weds in the wells at Aldona or doing similar things elsewhere in Goa. In India, Sao Joao happens only in Goa. Sao Joao, Sao Joao, gunvta mure Khuim pavle kovona! Sao Joao, Sao Joao! Oslim festam vorsak dhon panvttim kiteak ye'na? Viva Sao Joao! Mog asundi Miguel Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:41:30 +0530 (IST) From: godfrey gonsalves [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Goanet] GTDC Sao Joao on 21st June irks Catholic community. According to advertisements released on the local dailies and on its website? www.goa-tourism.com to kick start Monsoon Promotional Campaign Goa Tourism Development Corporation is organizing SAO JOAO FEST on board Santa Monica on Saturday, 21st June, 2008 It adds further that traditionally, the feast is celebrated with joy and mirth with young and not so young men, wearing crowns (copels) of tender coconut leaves, leaping into swollen wells and rivers to commemorate Saint John the Baptist's leap of joy in his mother's womb The cruise will leave Panjim (instead of Panaji ) Jetty at 10.00 a..m, sail along Old Goa/Chorao/ Diwar islands and Savoi and return at 4.30 p..m. There will be plenty of entertainment on board for the whole day with a live band playing sensational music meant for dancing, cultural dances performed by cultural troupe and other acts associated with Sao Joao Festivities?.?? Significantly the highlight of the day will be the professionals divers doing Sao Joao jump into the river and the crowning of Sao Joao King and Queen. Mr Armando when contacted telephonically informed this writer that he had made sure that the programme which is intended for 21st as chalked out by the department was only restricted to family groups and individuals would not be permitted . As a result 17 individuals who had applied have been rejected and only 27 families have been booked for the festivities so far.? Mr Armando also assured this writer that the families partaking in the festivities would be explained the religious significance of the Feast so that sentiments of the community observing these festivities are not hurt. Mr Armando informed this writer that indeed Hotels were having such celebrations in the past on the dates of their choice ,? ?GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
