Second of February is marked as a feast day of Our Lady of Agonizante which is commonly known as “Condoi Saibinnichem Fest” celebrated on 2nd February in Candolim, at Pintos Vaddo, Asilo Chapel. It is called Asilo Chapel because it is attached to the Asilo or Old Age House for males only existing since the Portuguese rule in Goa. Both Asilo and Chapel are under the control of Provedoria, a government arm.
The Chapel of Condoi Saibinn.
Pintos Vaddo in Candolim is a world renowned place especially for intellectuals and historians because this Vaddo gave birth to the Pintos Revolt against Portuguese even before the French Revolution and secondly because this Vaddo gave birth to the world renowned Hypnotist, Abade Faria. Opposite to the Asilo Chapel, about a century back the much known in Goa, the Candolim “ Mandd” came into being. This Mandd is known for its miraculous Cross called “ Manddailo Khuris” as shown in the picture below. Hundreds of people of all the religions flock there with flowers in their hands to pray and ask favours from God thru Manddailo Khuris. Though this Mandd was formed not by any individual person yet it was promoted and developed more by two individual persons, one of them was my father and the other by Jose Rodrigues (Kavllo) though others have also supported in their own ways to develop this Mandd.
In the initial stages some elders from this Vaddo mainly the “Kaxttikar” manual workers were coming at that particular spot and sitting on the ground and discussing their affairs including their personal and family affairs. Gradually these meetings became regular feature which used to end with a small prayer. Then these people started playing “Ghumott” music there, hence Ghumott music became a part of any function organized at the Mandd. During those days “Bamonn Bhattkarshai” was suffering from pride complex and to show their brute power the next door Bhattkar stopped the activities of this Mandd. Hurt by this rude action of the Bhattkar, the Mandd people cursed the Bhattkar saying “Tumguer Sath-Chouda-Ekvis” Ceddvanch zaunk”. Incidentally, this cursed came into reality when the Bhattkar’s wife gave birth to all the seven girls only. Then the Bhattkar realized his folly and openly offered his apology to the Mandd. Then only they got a boy. Traditionally as per its history, this Mandd is very punishing for the wrong doers.
The first Tiatro at Mandd was organized in 1946, 2nd February to be precise, to mark the feast of Condoi Saibinn. The proposal and initiative for this first ever Tiatro was given by my father who encouraged one Santan Fernandes known as Genddo Santan to stage his Tiatro because he was an established Tiatrist of that time at local level.
Then on the advice of my father the profit made from this Tiatro a fund was established as Death Benefit, that is to purchase the Coffin for the dead members coming from Pintos-Araddy Vaddo only. During those days many people could not afford a decent burial for their dead due to abject poverty because of which their burial was done thru the coffin borrowed from the Fabrica – a rented Coffin from the Fabrica. Currently the death benefit amount is Rs. 20,000/-
My father during those days was the rare man among all the members of Mandd and he was the most intelligent as well having a very good vernacular educational background and fluency in spoken Portuguese language and hence he was a big asset for the Mandd then. The intelligence of those people of the Mandd can be gauged from the contents and clauses of the Rules and Regulations of the Mandd which looked as if they are framed by the great legal luminaries. They were born genii. I salute them. Because of these Rules there is a system still existing at the Mandd and every member is bound to act within the boundary of these Rules to avoid disciplinary action and castigation, even dismissal. In the earlier stages due to their backwardness educationally and socially, some of the members were acting like uncivilized and uncultured men and to control such members the intelligent members drafted these rigid Rules. Some of the Rules state that “No to use foul and vulgar language at the Mandd, No to raise one’s voice, no to show physical aggressiveness while discussing any topic, no to raise the topic of one’s Caste, no to talk on personal matters of the invividuals and etc”.
The feast of Manddailo Khuris is celebrated by the administrators of this Mandd by staging a Tiatro there. Since a long time now it is a regular event at Candolim Mandd which starts at 10.30 PM approximately but preceded by playing of traditional Gumott music. This Ghumott music consisting of three traditional instruments namely “Ghumott, Madyem & Kanxaem”, starts from two centres, one in Araddy next to my house and the other in Pintos Vaddo only, about 1000 metres away from the Mandd location, approximately 3 hours before the start of the Tiatro. This music is called “Sunvari” coming from two different directions as said above and converge at the particular location about 100 metres from the Mandd.
After reciting prayers there and playing the Gumott music with gusto for about 30 minutes, the entire Sunvari walks up to the Mandd by playing its music and with the rousing welcome by the people attending the Tiatro, finally enters the Tiatro Stage to the total excitement and pleasure of the people gathered there. They then play their traditional music for about 30 minutes on the Stage and after a short prayer for the success of the event, the first part ends and the second part that is Tiatro then begins.
From the time of the first ever Tiatro in 1946, the Stage preparation for the Mandd Tiatro was organized by Jose Rodrigues and Lights thru Petromax was provided by my father, rented for this purpose from the neighboring village till electricity came.
It is said, “my enemy is within me” and this was what had exactly happened in 1964. Some people wanted to destroy and liquidate the Mandd out of jealousy for the smooth running of the Mandd affairs under my father and Jose Rodrigues and their likeminded members. In 1963 following the Chinese incursion and grabbing of a vast tract of land by China, Morarjee Desai the Finance Minister of India introduced the Gold Control by which the pure gold was taken by the government as a means to boost the foreign exchange.
One of the major advantages for the members of the Mandd provided by the elders was the facility of Loans by mortgaging their gold. Thru this loan many of the members fulfilled their personal financial obligations. Since this was the case, the Box containing Mandd money and the mortgaged gold kept at the residence of one reliable member, annually brought to the Mandd for the annual general body meeting and if necessary to take inventory openly. This Wooden Box had three Keys with three different members and only they could open it. In order to create a disaster of the Mandd and also to create problem for the Mandd leadership for keeping the gold against the prevailing law, some members informed Police to confiscate the gold and arrest the leaders. When the Police Inspector in a civilian dress came to Candolim Tinto before proceeding to the Mandd, he met both my elder brothers who happened to be the good friends of that Police Inspector. When that Police Inspector confided in my brothers the purpose of his visit, my brothers impressed upon him to stop proceeding further and brought him to my place for the Lunch. In this way, the tragic incident thru the mighty power of miraculous Manddailo Khuris was averted and Mandd existence was saved. Immediately those who were found guilty of this foul play were shown the exit door of the Mandd.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.