Bastora, a prominent village of yore

I am from a small village called Ucassaim which is very close to Bastora. Both are sleepy villages and life is very very slow. Everybody knows everybody here. So some gossip like "Damu's uncle's son's wife is working at my neighbour's son-in-law's shop" is not so uncommon. The closest town is Mapuca, Goa. Goans and non-Goans will surely have heard about this place. Don't be surprised that I had to mention "Goans"  explicitly here because many of my Goan friends have never given a thought to know anything beyond Mapuca. Its like entering some other world! He he.

My point here being that Bastora was a very prominent place in north Goa. Before 1960 (I think!) NH-17 (National Highway) from Mapuca - Porvorim - Panjim did not exist. Porvorim which is bustling now, was completely barren prior to NH-17. In the olden days, the national highway was Mapuca - Socorro - Bastora - Ucassaim - Pomburpa - Ekoshim - Britona - Betim - Panjim and these were important villages. Now I know why my grandfather bought a house besides that road in Ucassaim. This road looks like a winding village road today but it still wears the splendor of old glory.

We all know that when the Portuguese were forced to leave Goa in 1961, by the strong Indian armed forces, they resorted to bombing the bridges on the national highway to slow them down. One of the bridges was near Hotel Green Park, Mapuca where the road takes a turn over a bridge towards Bastora/Sucorro.

Bastora housed the first private printing press "Tipografia Rangel" in North Goa, established in 1886 by Vincente João Janin Rangel. It functioned for 108 years and was the first to print musical notations. The first private printing press was set up in Margao in 1859. Did you know?

There is a family in Bastora which runs a business of making iron safes since many generations. They were the suppliers of safes in Portuguese offices all over Goa (though many were imported too). Even today they make custom safes and locks if an order is placed. I remember an instance when we had an ancient Portuguese safe in the Communidade of Sangolda and it was so good that nobody could open it. It had, I think, around 7 locks and all the keys were lost. We had called this guy from Bastora to open it. It was so exciting!

A small temple on the top of a hill called "Pajir" is built around a small cave-like rock formation. The legend says that Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman had taken rest here during their "Van vaas". My grandfather used to take part in the "nataks" or drama during festivals here.

Another famous legend according to folklore is that Milagres Saibinn or the Lady of Miracles or Goddess Mirabai of Mapusa is one of 8 siblings; 7 sisters and 1 brother. Mirabai was converted into a catholic by the Portuguese and built the Milagres Church at the site. It is said that the old idol of Goddess Mirabai still exists inside the church. Both Hindus and Catholics celebrate the Milagres feast. One of the sisters is Goddess Lairai from Shirgao. The tradition is that Lairai gifts a "causo" of oil to Milagres during the feast and Milagres gifts a basket of "mogrim" (marigold) to Lairai during Shirgao zatra (feast). The brother's name is Lord Khetoba (Khetko) who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. His temple is located in Chopdem. The rest of the sisters are Mahamaya of Mayem, Kelbai of Mulgao, Morjai of Morjim, Ajadipa of Anjadiva Island and Shitalai.

St. Xavier's college, Mapusa which is an extension of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai was first established at Bastora in 1963 and shifted to Mapusa in 1968. The old campus is still there and at a stone's throw distance from Holy Cross High School where I did my schooling.

A village with such prominence in the past has now slowly gone off steam. A movie which follows a similar tale is "Cars". Watch it to know exactly how I feel. :-)

Holy Cross High School, Bastora celebrates its Platinum Jubilee

The Holy Cross High School, Bastora is where I did most of my schooling until I left after Std. VI. I have vivid memories of the years I spent there. Today if I know good manners and polished English (sort of!),  or if I wear clean shoes, clean clothes, cut my nails regularly, comb my hair, its all attributed to this school. I cannot imagine that it has completed 75 years in 2010! It is a privilege to have been taught by the founding teachers like  Ms Margaret Mascarenhas, Mr Anthony Noronha, Ms Maria D’Mello, Ms Conception De Souza, Sr Pushpika (Sr Antoinette Coutinho), Ms Sushila and many others. Here is a small article about the school's history, published in The Navhind Times. The school is like a castle inside, many rooms locked with old memories and mysteries, huge "bhatt" to roam around. It was quite exciting! At least this article unravels a lot about how this institution came into being. Here it is!


The Holy Cross High School, Bastora celebrates its platinum jubilee this year. This great edifice, an institution which withstood the test of time, has produced great luminaries, outstanding personalities and strong willed men and women who have contributed immensely to the society in Goa, India and the world.
It all started with the dream and vision of a young girl in France, Claudine Echenier, who in her own little way – right from childhood – spread the love and care of God to the world. She chose the path to serve the Lord and dedicated her life for the up liftment of mankind. Mother Claudine began her little congregation in a small farmhouse in 1838. This has spread, today, to 16 different countries covering four of the five continents.
In 1933, the Sisters of the Cross were invited to Siolim to start a school for girls. Meanwhile, prominent citizens in Bastora were taken up by the work done by the sisters in Siolim. They approached Mother Celine Dumolin, who was the provincial head then, asking for a school to be opened in Bastora. Sr Margaret Lollioz was made superior and teacher at the institution while Sr Beatrice became the first headmistress. They were assisted by lay sister Agnes.
There was a small school being run in the premises of one, Abel Dias. This was handed over to the sisters, who started the school in June 1936. Dr Jaime Rangel gifted a part of his property to the sisters. Other parts of the property were purchased at nominal rates. Dr Rangel is also credited by the school authorities, for being a legal advisor, benefactor and a friend.
During the year 1942, even as the construction of the school was in progress, the sisters toiled hard to raise funds to complete the building. Every year, a fete was organised in Mapusa during the Milagres feast. This year also saw the introduction of boarding facilities to girl students.
In 1944, a new wing was added, which now forms the library, staff room etc. It was then used as a chapel premise. After 14 years of unstinted labour, the first batch of four students was sent for the matriculation examination in March 1950. In the mid-fifties, a very young Nicholas Quadros joined the service of the school. The sixties marked the advent of the first lay persons, Ms Margaret Mascarenhas and Ms Conception de Souza, being absorbed as staff teachers in the school.
At the same time, pressure mounted on the sisters to admit boys to the school. All along, the village boys had to walk to Guirim or elsewhere for schooling.
The school was made a co-education institution in 1970. Sadanand Narvekar, Joe Lobo and Anthony Noronha, joined in as the first set of male teachers.
The seventies marked the addition of the new wing for the high school which brought in more space for facilities like: a library, workshop rooms and laboratories. The school also got a proper residence for the sisters and a hall.
The eighties marked the golden jubilee year of the school. These years also marked the completion of the primary school building, and the closure of the boarding facility given to students.
At the time of the diamond jubilee, the Comunidade of Bastora gave the school a plot of land, to be developed into a playground.
The turn of the millennium marked the retirement of several stalwarts of the Holy Cross school-Ms Margaret Mascarenhas, Mr Anthony Noronha, Ms Maria D’Mello, Ms Conception De Souza, Mr Sadanand Narvekar and Mr Nicholas Quadros; and to close the decade, headmistress Sr Antoinette Coutinho, popularly called Sr Pushpica. This decade also marked the starting of a resource room to cater to children with special needs, and the enrolment of boys from the ‘Margaret Bosco Bal Sadan’ as students.
As the school heads into its platinum jubilee year, at its helm is Sr Alzira Furtado, who, herself, studied in this institution as a boarder. Apart from its past pupils, who returned to it as teachers or are serving elsewhere; this institution has produced a wide spectrum of students – from vegetable and fruit vendors to owners of departmental stores and managers of shopping malls; from waiters and bakers to confectioners and chefs; from clerks to accountants and managers; from drivers and mechanics to foremen and engineers; from lab technicians and nurses to doctors and professors in medical and dental colleges. It has also produced two scientists at the National Institute of Oceanography, a software engineer at Silicon Valley, USA, and senior-level journalists working for reputed newspapers and magazines.

http://www.navhindtimes.in/iexplore/holy-cross-high-school-bastora-celebrate-its-platinum-jubilee
Courtesy - The Navhind Times

Today I fast...

Since the past few days, every morning when I wake up, the first thought sends shivers down my spine! I cannot imagine an old man fasting and its been four bloody days! My conscience does not let me do nothing about it. I have to do something. It is not possible for me to join the Anna Hazare agitation against the government to form a Jan Lokpal, formally. I cannot leave my work.


Therefore I want to do my bit to contribute to what this old Super Man is determined to do. I will fast today!