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By DoLCY D’ CRUZ goasheartbeat@herald-goa.com

Before the girl even agrees to the proposal of marriage, the family especially the mother is thinking about what will be a part of her trousseau. After consulting family members and relatives, months before the wedding, the work starts on getting the trousseau ready. It mainly consists of everything that the girl uses in her everyday life with the assurance that once she is in her husband’s house, she doesn’t have to depend on them. Right from her jewellery, clothing to the utensils used in the kitchen, everything was provided to the girl. A few months in advance, the bride’s family starts preparing the dennem which was earlier worth thousands and now, lakhs of rupees. Dennem is a gift that the girl’s parents willingly give the girl to begin her married life.

Dr Fatima Da Silva Gracias has an MA in History from the University of Bombay and a PhD in History from the Goa University. She is the author of books like ‘ Kaleidoscope of Women in Goa, 1510- 1961’ and ‘ The Many Faces of Sundorem’ which highlights health, women and social institution issues in colonial Goa.

Elaborating about the tradition of dennem she says, “ Dennem or dote ( dowry) was sent to the house of the groom at least two days before the wedding. The trousseau which varied from class to class consisted of clothes and jewellery. In the early period among the upper classes a fator set was also included in the jewellery. It was a custom to send a small image of baby Jesus in the trousseau. The bride was provided with some furniture. The main piece of furniture was an armario ( wardrobe). Inscribed on the wardrobe, was the name of the bride and the date of the marriage. Lower class brides were also given copper vessels. It was a practice to carry betel and areca nut along with the dowry. Among the lower classes, dowry was given only in kind. The trousseau was displayed in the house of the bride before it was sent to the house of the groom. Crackers were fired on the occasion when the family of the bride sent to the house of the groom.” She further adds, “ On this occasion, the family of the bride sent to the house of the groom an ojem ( basket) with fruits such as bananas, a variety of sweets, mainly bol and doce. The number of ojins ( baskets) sent depended on the economic condition of the bride’s family, custom of the place and demands of the bridegroom’s family. Ojins were sent soon after the engagement, a day before marriage, important festivals and after the first confinement.” A mother who vividly remembers her trousseau and is gearing up for her daughter’s now says, “ My father and my brothers all contributed to my trousseau. My father used to say, ‘ You need to have everything for you so that you don’t have to ask your mother- in- law and get insulted. My family gave me a cupboard, a sewing machine, a kollso , a xeddi, set of 12 utensils for different purposes, a set of six dresses, saris, lingere, shoes, slippers and night garments. They also gave me a set of bedsheets, table cloths, cushion covers, altar cloths, table mats and much more.

Ultimately, it was to satisfy the girl with what her family is giving her, not what the boy is demanding from the family. Dennem has existed since time memorial and in Goa, it is not on a scale where it is a compulsion for the bride’s family. It depends on the social strata. The system of dowry depended on what is the worth of the gifts given to the bride, if the goods are worth Rs 50,000 then Rs 5000 had to be handed to the family of the groom. This, however, is no more in existence or if it is done, it is not on a large scale. Dennem is followed not only by Goans in Goa but also by Goans in other part of the world.” Tradition has variations over generations and that can also be noticed in the tradition of dennem . Unfortunately, the cost of living is high and the poor are the ones who suffer hugely because of the demands for dennem . Dr Fatima says, “ Even though today families don’t demand dowry, some form or the other is accepted by the groom’s family. Now, the trend has changed to offering the bride cars, flats and other electronic items. A girl is entitled to much more.

Goa is the only state which has the right for a girl to have equal share of her father’s property. After the father’s death, half of the property is for the mother whereas the other half has to be shared equally among the children respective of sex.” She laments, “ It is sad for the Hindu families which are poor because the daughter has to be sent ojem for every festival like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali.

The sweets have to be sent for the entire family and relatives.

The bride’s family gets ruined with lifelong debts to satisfy the groom’s family.” once a rampant act, now dennem or dote ( dowry) is presented to the groom’s family on the quieter side. herald finds out more about the families’ sentiments attached to giving a bride her dennem The TRousseau whIch vaRIed fRom class To class consIsTed of cloThes and jewelleRy. IT was a cus- Tom To send a small Image of baby jesus In The TRousseau. The bRIde was pRovIded wITh some fuRnITuRe. The maIn pIece of fuRnITuRe was an aRmaRIo ( waRdRobe)

Published Date: November 7, 2011

Over 30 intellectuals from around the world converged on Goa last weekend to look afresh at poverty, justice and environmental issues.

Thomas L. Friedman, US author of The World is Flat – an analysis of globalization – and addressing the November 4-6 Think Fest 2011, stressed the need to uphold old values of discipline and simplicity in the modern world.

Friedman termed God as an active agent who intervenes in history and is also present in one’s actions.

“It is the old fashioned stuff that protects us. It is not in cyberspace and cannot be downloaded. Hence the need to upload it,” he added.

Friedman also said his country is now facing financial insecurity because it chose to chase terrorists and failed to follow the examples of India and China in what is a changing world.

He regretted the US has neglected education, infrastructure, incentives for growth and ground breaking research while concentrating on al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Neglecting these core principles have weakened the US and strengthened Asian economies, he noted.

Tamara Abed of Bangladesh Rural Advance Committee said something was fundamentally wrong with the west, which wastes so much food while millions starve in other parts of the world.

She noted that the US wastes around 222 million tons of food a year which amounts to Africa’s total food production.

Esther Duflo, professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, attributed poor education standards in the US to overburdened teachers and an “insane curriculum.”

Afghan parliamentarian Shukria Barakzai said her people have become victims of their country’s geo strategic position.

“We have paid with our lives for other nation’s interests,” said the woman who was publicly flogged for going to a hospital without an escort.

Father Feroz Fernandes, who edits Vaurvadencho Ixxt (Workers’ Friend), a Church weekly in Goa, noted a general consensus at the event on helping the poor.

“This is the same idea the Church has been harping on about for years. The time has come for the Church and corporations to come tighter [together],” he said.

The biggest challenge for both is to understand each other’s language, the Catholic priest added.

Source: ucanews.com

GCA drops Asnodkar for 2 matches for agreeing to a draw
PTI | Nov 7, 2011, 07.51PM IST
Article

Swapnil Asnodkar’s decision shocked his teammates and did not go down well with the administrators following which the GCA selection committee called for an immediate meeting and decided to drop him.

MARGAO: The Goa Cricket Association selection committee on Monday dropped skipper Swapnil Asnodkar for the next two Ranji Plate division matches following his controversial decision to agree for a draw against Maharashtra.

Young Keen Vaz has been named as his replacement for the next two matches, Goa Cricket Association secretary Prasad Phaterpekar said.

Having conceded a 38-run first innings lead, Goa bowled out Maharashtra for 91 in the second innings in their first Ranji Plate Division clash, and needed 130 for an outright win in 19 overs, on Sunday.

Asnodkar, who led the team in the absence of injured Shadab Jakati, was given clear instructions by the team management to go all out for a win.

However, the aggressive opener, who played for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, shockingly agreed to call-off the match with Goa being 18 for one in six overs, needing 112 to win in the 13 mandatory overs.

Asnodkar’s decision shocked his teammates and did not go down well with the administrators following which the GCA selection committee called for an immediate meeting and decided to drop him for the next two matches for taking the unilateral decision, Phaterpekar said.

Goa’s much-vaunted charm fading with crowds: Wendell

Friday, 04 November 2011 22:09
Mayabhushan | Panaji

Goan beaches are not as white and pristine as before, but are now sullied and red with over-exploitation due to tourism,” painful, but true words of renowned fashion designer Wendell Rodricks sent a hush across the conference hall where the designer had just announced launch of a collection of year-ender party special.

The collection, according to Rodricks, is an attempt to recreate the nostalgic charm of the sparkling sands brought the hippies in droves giving rise to the hippie era of Goa, but today is sadly no more.

To most Goans like Wendell who love their State, the reality was never clearer. “I remember Calangute as a pristine beach until say 1985, when you could walk in quiet and Baga (an adjoining beach north of Calangute) was a nudist colony. But now it is muddy and red and I do not go to that stretch anymore,” Rodricks said.

In a bid to save whatever’s left of his beloved State, Rodricks has made an impassioned plea that Goa be given a special status on the lines of those given to hilly States.

“Delhi (Central Government) should give Goa special status, like the rights the hilly regions have where land can only be bought by local residents and there are slabs on development,” said Rodricks.

Rodricks is not alone. Civil society groups in the State have been actively campaigning against multi-unit dwelling colonies, which they say cater only to buyers in Delhi and other metro cities as they are beyond the reach of the Goan buyer.

For Rodricks it is especially dear since he resides in the remote village of Colvale in Goa that is yet untouched by rapid development and maintains its quaint pre-modernisation era looks.

“I am in a best position to understand Goa, just as Rohit Bal understands Kashmir or Sabyasachi Mukherjee does Kolkata,” Rodricks said, adding that Goa was just not about its beaches. “There’s quiet villages, like the one I live in (Colvale 20 km from Panaji), there’s the forests of Goa, the tribals living in them,” he said.

Rodricks is known more for his classically minimalist fashion statement, and has managed to remain in the mainstream of the fashion industry creating new looks each season which inspire and influence Indian fashion.

Goan’s biggest grouse today is that while the number of tourists visiting the State is growing exponentially every year and so does the number of housing colonies, infrastructure such as width of roads, sewerage and garbage management systems continue to remain archaic and unable to support current loads of pressure.

Goa-born fashion designer Wendell Rodricks’ on Wednesday talked tough about preserving the identity of Goa, whose beaches he said “were not as white and pristine” as before.

The designer said that he tried to portray Goa in his designs as much as possible, because he was best suited to understand the vibe of the region where he was born in.

Eduardo appeals to NRIs to apply for PIO
PTI, PANAJI | 11 August 2010 16:23 IST

[Eduardo appeals to NRIs to apply for PIO]
Eduardo Faleiro

Goa’s NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro today said his commissionerate was following up with the centre a crucial issue of ‘Goan people with foreign passports’, who had to cut short their trip to native county due to short period visas given to them.

Faleiro said all the non resident Goans holding foreign passports should apply at the earliest for a PIO or OCI (Overseas Citizen ofIndia) card which will entitle them to stay in India for 15 years or 30 years respectively.

The NRI commissioner said that many goans having foreign passport rued that they have to arrive in Goa on visas valid for just three to six months.

“I brought this matter to the notice of Union Home Minister who agreed that the procedure being followed is not correct,” Faleiro, former union external affairs minister for state, said.

“The minister informed me that his ministry is advising the missions concerned as wel as FRRO (foreigners regional registration office) Goa to ensure that long terms visas are issued to such people and these visas may be extended from time to time,” he added.

Faleiro said that he will take up the matter with minister of external affairs and Indian missions abroad.

“I have also spoken to Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik so that the home department and FRRO deal leniently with NRGs even if they hold tourist visas and treat them not as foreigners but as a persons of Indian origin holding foreign passports,” the NRI commissioner said.