I purchased Themistocles D'Silva's book (Beyond the Beach: Arossim Goa, in Historical Perspective) at its launch but only got around to reading it a few days back. A very interesting and well researched book.
A few questions come to mind: Page 72 describes the unprecedented rains from August 10th to 27th in 1940 that caused a lot of damage to Arossim, Colva and Benaulim. Were other Goan villages also effected or was this a local phenomenon? Page 66 describes 'habshis' using the hollow stalk of a papaya leaf as a snorkel while fishing in ponds. Was that a general practice for fishing? Is there anyone practising such papaya snorkel fishing in Goa now? Page 57 describes how village fresh water ponds function as "rainwater catch basins, necessary to maintain a high water table, watering holes for cattle, source of fish, water for various other needs, and as a pass time for rod-fishing enthusiasts". At a recent Aldona Gram Sabha there was discussion of filling up some small village ponds as they were breeding grounds for mosquitos and parasitic weeds. But if village ponds serve so many other roles surely they should not be filled up. Any opinions on this? Page 50 describes how after the visit of a Statue of Our Lady of Fatima to Goa in November of 1949, later in 1951, a replica of the statue was carried from house to house. Was this the first instance of the Saibin tradition all over Goa or is there some other origin in other villages? Page 32 describes the cutting of the paddy sheaves or Novem as one of the Hindu traditions retained by the Catholic church in Goa. If this indeed is a Hindu tradition then do the Hindus also celebrate it? In what form and where? And why and different from the Catholic celebration? Page 17 says there are only two toddy tappers left in Arossim, one being Jose Cruz. Could someone get me in telephonic touch with them? I haven't had good Coconut Feni in many years. The stuff available in the market is either adulterated or outright chemical. I look forward to explanations and opinions specially from our very own one-man-encyclopedia Domnic Fernandes. Feel free to change the Subject line depending on which of my queries you are commenting upon. Cheers! Cecil =========