Football in Goa

The Goa Football Association : Associação de Futebol de Goa, was founded in 1959. The federation conducted its first Goan State League in 1959 also under the name of Goa First Division with Clube Independente de Margao becoming the champions.

The GFA then started the Goa Senior League in 1969.Then for the 1970-71 season they turned the league into a two division First Division, North Division and South Division. They then introduced the a Second Division and Third Division from 1971-72.

The GFA then started the Goa Super Division in 1977 with Salgaocar S.C. being the champions.The GFA also revamped the National State League by forming the Goa Professional League in 1997 with Salgaocar coming out as champions yet again.  

 Since 2002 the league was played as an eight team league with home-and-away fixtures making it 14 matches for each club. The GFA then announced that the 2011 season would 

be played with 10 teams under a new format.

I started playing football at the age of 7. I decided to make my career in football when I got selected to play for the U-13 Don Bosco school team. As I was praised a lot for the skills I had.Its not just a career option to me it's my passion, my life. 

It's a game loved by the world. 

Gautam Dias ( C15-540 ) - S.Y.C. 

     Catholic weddings in Goa

The Catholic wedding in Goa involves many customs and traditions that captures the happiest times of the Goan people.

In the earlier days a middle person known as a 'Mali' or 'Raibari' used to arrange the marriage by taking a proposal to the boy's or the girl's family. These days very few marriages are arranged this way and a family directly goes with a proposal if they like the boy or the girl. Next after they agree, a decision called 'Utor' or promise is taken by the families whereby they discuss the details of the wedding that include the dowry to be given to the bridegroom. 

The engagement is then traditionally held at the groom's place and takes place with the exchange of rings in the presence of family members, priests, relatives and friends.

After this all the wedding preparations actually start.Relatives of both, the bride and the groom go shopping on a particular day to purchase fabrics for the bridal gown, the 'saddo' and the dress material that the bride has to wear on the next day of the wedding.

Next the wedding banns are read in the church on three consecutive Sundays just some weeks before the wedding. on the very same day the bride is supposed to wear the 'Chuddo' in her maternal uncle's house who is supposed to invite her for lunch. The 'Chuddo' ceremony takes place here where the bangle seller i.e. the cankonkar comes to the house and fits bangles on the bride's hands in the accompaniment of 'zoti' which are special commemorative songs. The bangles worn are green in colour with yellow lines and it symbolizes the married life of the bride. Thus they should not be broken and the bride is not expected to do any work due to this. The bangle seller is paid some money for his services along with a measure of rice, one coconut and some bananas.

After this another ceremony known as 'Roas' is held on a day before the wedding. Here the bride and the groom, each at their respective residences are required to bathe in coconut water.According to Goan tradition coconut milk is poured even on the bridesmaids and the best men. Relatives and friends attending the function apply the roas to the bridal couple which symbolizes purification and signals the end of spinsterhood and bachelorhood. A sweet dish made of rice, coconut and jaggery known as 'atoll' is served to the guests at the end of the Roas ceremony.

On the wedding day, a close relative of the groom who is supposed to help the bride dress up comes to her house with the wedding dress and other items. Before going to the church all close relatives and friends bless the bride and the groom in their respective residences. The wedding car comes to pick the bride after reaching the groom to the church. Here at the nuptials the couple declare the wedding vows and the priest then pronounces them man and wife.

After this on their return from church, the newly wedded couple comes to the groom's house and the groom's mother puts a gold chain on the bride's neck and places the 'saddo' on her shoulder. Prayers are recited or sung.They then proceed to the venue for the reception where the wedding cake is cut and all dancing and merrymaking takes place with food and drinks being served. A toast is also raised for the happiness and prosperity of the married couple.

At the end of the reception all relatives and friends of the bridal couple who have remained till the end draw an imaginary line known as 'xim'. The bride's family assembles at one side and the groom and his family on the other. Prayers are offered and later few of the bride's relatives cross the 'xim' and formally invite the couple to the bride's house the next day which is called 'apovnemn' in Konkani. Thus all the festivities and celebration of the wedding come to an end after the reception.

                                              SANJAO                                  

               If a person residing in Goa has not heard the word Sao Joao , he isn't a true Goan  at all. Sao Joao is a feast which touches a million Goan hearts. Sao Joao is celebrated on 24th of June .

HISTORY

The reason it is called Sao Joao is because St.John the Baptist was born on that day glorious day . St.John the baptist was known to baptize Jesus the son of God who was sent to pay for our own sins.This feast has been celebrated over the past 1000 years. No one really knows the actual time of existence.The reason people jumped in the well symbolizes Jesus  being baptized in river Jordan .Besides this there are more tradition regarding this feast. 

TRADITIONS

This feast is known for its multiple traditions .Includes 

• Jumping in the well
• Distributing fruits 
• Singing Goan folks songs 
• Everyone coming together as reunion 

Fishing in goa

FISHING IN GOA.

Traditional fishing in Goa.

Fishing is the chief and the traditional occupation of the Kharvis. Usually after 10 years the boys from the family are sent with the elders of the family to the beach so that they could carry out the same occupation in the near future.

 The different kinds of fishes usually caught on the shores of Goa are ; Pomfret ( Surgutee) , Prawns (Sungta) , Shark (Mori) , Sardines (Tarle ) , Mackerel (Banged) etc.

After Liberation the Kharvis migrated from Maharashtra to Goa and settled near the sea side as they had an excellent knowledge of fishing. Nowadays we don't really find fishing activities carried out in Goa due to education facility and  development in the  state like due to development of barges , fishing quantity is decreased. Whereas we now see that there are many job opportunities open as the youngster are interested in that other than fishing , so after 4 to 5 years fishing activities will be decreased in Goa and the Goan fish markets will be taken over by the people of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The different types of  modern fishing techniques are :

1)  Hand fishing: where the fisherman or the person uses fishing rod to collect or remove different fishes. 

2) Spearfishing : It is an ancient method of fishing conducted with an ordinary spear or specialised variant such as a harpoon,arrow or eel spear. 

3) Netting :  Fishing. nets are usually meshes formed by knotting a thin thread.  under this there are various and different types of nets used.

4) Line fishing.

5) Angling etc.

Caranzalem beach

Traditional fishing techniques.

• Stick net:  this is the type of fishing where the fisherman bury stick around the river attached with stick net and the net catches the fishes.
• Louring: This is very common in Goa, this takes place in all the parts in Goa and in konkani it is known as garovap.
• Caste net : this is the type of fishing methods usually used during the low tides. the fisherman spreads the net in the water and then catches the fish.
• Gill net : this type of fishing activity is carried out during the high tides .

MY EXPERIENCE ABOUT FISHING IN GOA
 Okay to me when I visited the beach one fine evening I saw that the village boys were busy playing football on the beach where on the other hand people and the firsherfolks from that village were busy pulling up the net off the shore .While there were trucks, fisherwoman ready with their fish baskets ,and the local people and the small children were all gathered near the the raponkars to see them pulling the net.
they caught a lot fish as you can see in the picture above and these fish is sold to the buyers there for cheap rate and to the fisherfolk at a lower rate in large quantities . I have seen the smile on the face of those people which make them happy on seeing the big catch for that particular day through which they know they would earn a lot of money. If there were no people fishing we would not get fish nor would some people earn their leaving,their family would be probably starving. This takes a lot of courage for the fisherman to go in the middle of the sea for the catch of fish which sometimes risk their life.

THANK YOU.

The Goan Carnival

Goa Carnival is the most famous festival in the state and has been celebrated since the 18th century. Carnival was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled over Goa for over five hundred years. It is the  funkiest fest of India, the carnival is held in February for three days and night King Momo introduced Goa Carnival just before the Lent season of the Christian calendar.

 

 

Carnival in Goa! Huge colourful parades take over the state's cities with bands, floats and dances, while the evenings mean serious partying wherever you are. And it concludes with the famous red-and-black dance held by the Clube National in Panajim on the final day.

I have participated twice in the same, dancing &grumping the participants have to cover at least 2-3km, but when you dance, sing & marry, nothing else matters not even the distance. when I first participated it was a dream come true, cause as a child I always wished to take part in the carnival parade, I mean who would not want to! seeing people dance and sing, wearing crazy costumes & the colorful floats on the streets, it just sets you in the mood of enjoying and going crazy yourself. I totally love the festival of carnival and I bet you also do. Its going to be my forever wish to participate in carnival parade and I will as long as I can. To all of you out there never miss the parade, trust me you'll enjoy yourself every time you watch the parade and every time you'll enjoy a whole new experience.

Goan traditional bakery

The first Goan pao were legendary in that they were made using local toddy as a source of natural yeast; this gave the bread a distinctive character that is quite impossible to replicate with any other kind of yeast.

As the last batch of poee came out and the blackened aluminium trays of pao began going in, we were handed a poee each – the freshest I had ever held, scalding hot, coarse and deliciously sweet.

Goa’s Traditional “PODER” The Bread Makers

The three main varieties of Goan bread are the soft and chewy pão (PAO), the crisp undo, and the poie (whole wheat pockets) & Kankna (the bangles). The undo is delicious dipped in hot tea, but it goes especially well with xacuti. Another intriguing form is what is known as katricho pão (lit. scissored bread) where the dough is shaped with scissors. Then there is the kaknam (lit. bangles), rings of crusty bread, so called because they tinkle like glass bangles when fresh out of the oven. 

 

 

 

 

Culinary uses

Bread pudding

Bread can be served at many temperatures once baked, it can subsequently be toasted It is most commonly eaten with the hands, either by itself or as a carrier for other foods. Bread can be dipped into liquids such as gravy olive oil, or soup it can be topped with various sweet and savory spreads, or used to make sandwichescontaining meats cheeses, vegetables, and condiments
Bread is used as an ingredient in other culinary preparations, such as the use of breadcrumbs to provide crunchy crusts or thicken sauces, sweet or savoury bread puddings or as a binding agent in sausages and other ground meat products

Temples of Goa

Shri Mangeshi temple 

Shri Mangesh temple is located at Mangeshi Village in Priol, Ponda taluka, Goa. It is at a distance of 1 km from Mardol close to Nagueshi, 21 km from Panaji the capital of Goa, and 26 km from Margao.
This temple is one of the largest and most frequently visited temples in Goa. In 2011, the temple along with others in the area instituted a dress code on visitors of the temple.

This temple had its origins in Kushasthali Cortalim, a village in Saxty (Salcette) which fell to the invading Portuguese in 1543. In the year 1560, when the Portuguese startedChristian conversions in Salcete taluka, the Saraswats of Vatsa Gotra moved the Mangesh Linga from the original site at the Kushasthali or Cortalim on the banks of river Aghanashini (Zuari) to its present location at Mangeshi in Priol village of Atrunja Taluka, which was then ruled by the Hindu kings of Sonde of Antruz Mahal (Ponda), to be more secure.
Since the time of the shifting, the temple has been rebuilt and renovated twice during the reign of the Marathas and again in the year 1890. The final renovation occurred in the year 1973 when a golden kalasha (holy vessel) was fitted atop the tallest dome of the temple. 

Maruti temple, Althino Goa

The Maruti temple is situated on top of of the Altinho hillock overlooking the Fontainhas district in Panaji, the capital of Goa. It is dedicated to lord Hanuman, the monkey god and enshrines Lord Hanuman as the presiding deity. 

Near the Maruti temple on the southern edge of Fontainhas, the Fontainhas of Phoenix spring is situated from which it derives its name. This spring has three tanks where water collects from the mountain before flowing into a reservoir. It was once the lifeline of the area and even today it is in use.
The Maruti temple is also beautifully lit up at night and as it is brightly lit the temple is visible from a distance. One can approach the Maruti Hanuman temple by following the old Margao road that runs parallel to the Qurem creek.

MY EXPERIENCE WHEN I VISITED SOME OF THE TEMPLES

Another beautiful place is the temple of shri. kshetrapal mandir and Shri. Tulsimaata Pandurang Temple in Taleigao.

They are one of the most ancient temples of Taleigao. Many Devotees come to visit these places in order to fulfill their wishes.According to me every beliver should visit these places atleast once in their life.  

Churches of goa

The Convent and the Church of the Cross of Miracle

The Convent and the Church of the Cross of Miracle is perched on the top of the hill in the southern outskirts of Old Goa. The visitors would surely love the view from the hill top. The church, though in ruins now, exhibits the medieval European church architecture

The Convent and the Church of the Cross of Miracle is perched on the top of the hill in the southern outskirts of Old Goa. The visitors would surely love the view from the hill top. The church, though in ruins now, exhibits the medieval European church architecture.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church

The Panjim Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is placed on the hillside and just high above the Idalco Palace built by Adil Shah. Standing on the gallery of the church, you can see the entire view of the lovely Panjim city. It is one of Panjims best attractions located in the heart of Panjim city and is the first church of Goa, built in 1541. 

The decoration of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church is simple, but still it is amazing to the eyes because of it simplicity. In the year 1871, the great bell belonging to the Augustinian Church of Our Lady which is in Old Goa was brought here in Panjim Church to install. After the Golden Bell in Se Cathedral, this is second bell which is large and heavy in weight and due to this the whole pediment of the faade was renovated and increased in the size.

MY EXPERIENCE WHEN I VISITED SOME OF THE PLACES
When i visited the church of cross of Miracle/ St. Joseph Vaz and Mount Merry at old Goa. I was mesmarized with the beauty of the Church. From the church we could see the entire the Old Goa.

The Church is also popular in Bollywood, For example: Golmaal Returns. In my opinion i feel that all the readers of this blog should visit this place.
We also visited the famous Panjim Church Immacuate. Which is also popular in bollywood. Examples: Rocky Handsome and Dhamal etc. 

Portuguese House.

Goa is a small  state on the western  cost of india though the smallest indian state.Goa has played an influential role in Indian history. Goa was one of the major trade centres in India 

Goa as always been attracting the influential  

Most Goan houses standing today were built between the 18th century and the early part of the 20th century. They display a mix of neo-Classic and neo-Gothic styles 

When I  visited  the small village of goa   St estevam. it was looking like portugal houses .The whole  village  is of  Portuguese  houses. The  climate  was cool and peaceful. The structure  of those  house was Beautiful.  

The structure walls of this Portuguese houses are made of mud and then later of laterite stone; they were usually plastered then painted. Very few buildings are coloured exactly alike and solid color. they are Cool in summer nd warm in winter. 

The interiors of this houses are usually  in  paler colours/white with solid color highlight.  the dim lights. The candal stands.  Furniture. Etc. everything  usually is vintage.  The outside painting of those houses  mostle be with bright colours .