OPINION Pg8

HERALD
www.oheraldo.in

o= HERALD o=
Vol No CIX No: 87
Myth and Art at Santa Monica in Goa
Goa, Saturday 28 March, 2009 TEOTÓNIO R DE SOUZA recounts the history of the Monastery of Santa Monica and draws attention to its artistic riches

Put off your lights P

rofessor Vitor Serrão, a prominent Portuguese Augustinian convent accounts for the 17th century at
art historian, delivered a public lecture last Mon the Goa Historical Archives, I could find a Hindu carpen-
day, 23 March, at the Lisbon Academy of Fine ter paid 9 xerafins for producing an altar retable in the

at 8.30 pm today Arts, reporting his findings during his first research
visit to Goa a couple of years ago. He was invited to
participate in a seminar to mark the fifth birth cente-
sacristy, and 530 xerafins for painting and gilding a ret-
able of St Anne (July 1614). There are several other such
entries, but no names of the artists so far.

T
onight, millions of people from all over the world will shut off
their lights for one hour, from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm. It’s called
Earth Hour. And it is meant to be a call to world leaders that their
people want action on the climate change. Starting with the lights on
the historic Sydney Harbour Bridge, this wave of darkness will roll slowly
around the world till the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco on the
USA’s west coast.
On the way, Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic Stadium, the India Gate,
the Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State
Building and Niagara Falls will all go dark at the appointed hour. They are
among the major landmarks in 84 countries that have agreed to observe
Earth Hour.
Earth Hour was first introduced in Sydney, Australia, two years ago.
That year, just 2.2 million people – around half the population of the city
– switched off their lights. This year, over 2 billion are expected to dim
their lights and add their voices to the growing call for action on global
warming.
And, this year, it isn’t starting in Australia. Officially, Earth Hour will
start at 6.45 am GMT (12.15 pm in India) at Chatham Island, a tiny Pacific
island 800 kilometres southeast of New Zealand. The island will mark
the Hour by switching off its diesel generators at 8:30 pm local time.
Why is this year’s Earth Hour so important? In December 2009, a UN-
organised conference in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, is meant to
approve a new global warming treaty for the period after 2012, when
the Kyoto Protocol – an international agreement that places obligations
on participating countries to cut carbon emissions – expires.
But a number of countries, including the USA, China and India – the
world’s three largest producers of greenhouse gases – haven’t signed
the Kyoto Protocol. With the departure of George W Bush from the
White House, the position of the US on the question of global warming
is now expected to change, creating a unique opportunity for real change
in Copenhagen.
That is why UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged citizens
around the world to observe Earth Hour. He says it will be “the largest
demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted”,
and that it is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message
that they want action on climate change. Event organiser Andy Ridley
looks at it as a “referendum on the issue”.
The enthusiasm may be infectious, but by no means is it unanimous.
The event has its critics, who say that it is little more than empty
symbolism. Director of the think-tank Copenhagen Consensus Centre
Prof Bjorn Lomborg has claimed that the use of candles during the hour
could actually produce more carbon emissions than electric lights!
What he says is probably true. Others would point out the hypocrisy
of those who would turn off their lights at the appointed hour, but not
their air-conditioners…
But that isn’t the point at all.
nary of St Francis Xavier. He had used that research
visit profitably, to visit two historic places that inter-
ested him most – namely, the Monastery of Santa
Monica (presently Mater Dei) and the Historical Ar-
chives of Goa. He was enchanted by what he saw and
found.
I had the privilege of sharing some academic and
friendly advice with the scholar before he left for Goa.
My sharing was based on my personal long-term fa-
miliarity with both those institutions. I had the rare
privilege of being a visiting professor of Church Histo-
ry to the nuns studying at Mater Dei for 15 years till I
left Goa. My week-long courses with residential facil-
ities inside the monastery gave me the rare opportu-
nity to appreciate the historic wealth of that institu-
tion, including its architectural and artistic treasures,
besides the traditional conventual culinary charms.
These sojourns permitted me to countercheck
many of my readings about the fascinating history of
that Augustinian nunnery: from the motives of its
founding, through suggestive reports of child skele-
tons in the tunnel linking the male and female monas-
teries, till the scandalous rebellion of 62 nuns who left
the cloister for some days in protest against the be-
havior of Archibishop Ignacio de S Theresa in 1771-
73. The protesting nuns sought the mediation of the
Jesuits and I had a look at a detailed report of the Jes-
uit Fr Francisco Maria del Rosso about alleged scan-
dals. This unpublished report can be found in the Jes-
uit archives in Rome. More recently, in the mid-19th
century, Richard Burton, who spent three hours
with the nuns, trying in vain to peep into the clois-
ters, gave vent to his frustration by depicting the
Shiroda nautch girls and the Santa Monica nuns in
his typical lewd style.
The nunnery was set up at the dawn of the 17th
century, when Portuguese imperial fortunes were
beginning to decline, confronted by the English and
the Dutch who also emboldened the native chieftains
to gain courage and resist more effectively. The diffi-
culty of finding well-employed bridegrooms was com-
pounded by the declining fortunes of the empire. For
long-term Portuguese settlers, known as casados, the
difficulties were compounded by the orphan girls
which the king of Portugal would send in regular batch-
es to Asian settlements with instructions to the local
Tongue in Cheek
HISTORICAL EXPLORATIONS
governments to find life partners for them. Portugal
was solving its problem at home, but was adding to the
woes of the colonial settlers.
It was against this socio-economic background that
the Municipal Council decided to plead before the king
to set up the nunnery of Santa Monica. The city council
justified the request “to enable the daughters of the
poor and respectable Portuguese settlers who were
left without means to offer decent dowries to their
many daughters, to praise God through lives conse-
crated to virginity and evangelical perfection”. The
Augustinian archbishop D Aleixo de Meneses of Synod
of Diamper notoriety was particularly interested in the
project of the nunnery and two other homes for pro-
tecting orphan girls and “repentant” women of lost
virtue. He got his way in 1606 when he was called upon
to function as interim governor. Even though he left
Goa in 1610, the project was carried forward and com-
pleted by an enterprising Augustinian Fr Diogo de San-
ta Ana, against much hostility of the city councilors who
resented the trend of rich widows entering the con-
vent, leaving the growing number of eligible bachelors
high and dry. They obliged the nuns in 1634 to sign a
notarial deed obliging them to restrict the number of
inmates to one hundred, and no new entrants would
Voter’s Code of Conduct
bring in land property that could add to 8000 cruzados
of revenue to the convent. Each new novice could bring
up to a thousand pardaus in cash and other values.
The viceroy Count of Linhares backed the city coun-
cil, but the Augustinian archbishop and protector of the
nuns refused to sign the accord dictated by the munic-
ipality. As reported at length in the published diary of
the viceroy Count of Linhares, Fr Diogo de Santa Ana
was the mastermind behind the resistance of the nuns
and religious superiors. He sent a written Apologia to
the king. Prof Vitor Serrão and his fellow-researcher
Maria Adelina Amorim have traced a couple of copies
of this unpublished manuscript in the archives of Lis-
bon. They regard the text as the best source for docu-
menting much of the architectural and art treasures of
this monastery, including the well-known Pelican mon-
strance of the Museum of Sacred Art. Perhaps the
most important discovery of Vitor Serrão is the identi-
fication of Aleixo Godinho and João Peres as two paint-
ers who worked for the Augustinians in Goa during
1606-1639. Until now it was believed that Manuel God-
inho Heredia referred by the Portuguese archivist-
chronicler was one of them. We have to await further
confirmation, which could come from the archival
records in Goa or elsewhere. When I consulted the
Fr Diogo de Santa Ana was the grand planner and
executor of Santa Monica project. He was a very dynam-
ic and resourceful person. He even claimed that, as
deputy of the Inquisition, his religious superiors had no
jurisdiction over him to comply with the deportation
orders of the Governor. The government resorted to
the threat of confiscating and auctioning all the land
properties of the convent, depriving the nuns of their
sustenance. It was against this background that an un-
holy hysteria produced an incident in 1636 that is still
recalled by the “weeping crucifix” that is still preserved
in the church of the monastery. An account of that mir-
acle was divulged by the same monk and published in
Lisbon in 1640. It appeared to be an orchestrated cam-
paign of the Auto da Fé style to drum up public emo-
tions against the State and city authorities in order to
protect the “unjustly” persecuted nuns.
In his conference on 23 March, Prof Vitor Serrão drew
special attention to the Chapel of Holy Trinity, which
continues to be used by the Sisters presently in Mater
Dei Institute. Heta Pandit had referred to it in her In
and Around Old Goa and even included a rare painting
of Trinity in which all three Persons look identical, a
veritable translation of Hindu Trimurti. The three Per-
sons can be identified only with symbols (Sun, lamb
and dove) represented in round gold-coloured medal-
lions which they hold in hands.
The chapel belonged originally to the novitiate wing
of the monastery. The walls of the chapel were adorned
with paintings of various scenes of the Holy Family with
local cultural flavour. In another scene, for instance, on
the corridor ceiling covered with biblical scenes, the
fatted calf is replaced with a fatted Goan pig to cele-
brate the return of the prodigal son. Vitor Serrão sug-
gests Flemish influences in the paintings, from Johan-
nes Sadeler to Adriaen Collaert, and from Cornelis Cort
to brothers Wierix. While many of these frescoes await
recovery, the gallery of 48 portrait-type mural frescoes
on the ceiling of the convent dining hall were luckier.
The restoration remained incomplete when the one-
month course conducted by the Lucknow School of Res-
toration ended! Perhaps the Portuguese foundations
and scholars could take up the challenge proposed by
Prof Vitor Serrão in his conference and do something
more tangible for the heritage they cherish and pro-
claim?
By Adelmo Fernandes

When millions of people living in over 2,800 cities in 84 countries all
put off their lights at the appointed time and propel that wave of
darkness across the globe, it sends a powerful message. It shows that
the issue matters. Earth hour may be just symbolism, but it certainly
isn’t empty. It is a massive awareness-raising exercise. Earth Hour is not
about saving energy or reducing carbon emissions through one event.
It is about spreading awareness of the need to save energy.
Simple steps, taken collectively, can reduce carbon emissions. From
turning off lights, fans and air-conditioners when you leave a room or
your office, to turning off your TV or music system rather than leaving
it on standby (appliances kept on standby consume three-fourths of
the power they normally do).
In India, a large number of corporates have pledged to observe Earth
Hour. The roster starts with India’s largest, the Tata Group. HP, ITC, ING
Vysya Bank, HSBC, PVR Cinemas, Wipro, Google, Nokia, Intel and a host
of others, including even the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, have
pledged to dim their lights at the appointed hour.
And what about you; will you put off your lights today for an hour at
8.30 pm?
W
ith elections round the corner the Election Commission has put
forth the Model Code of Conduct for the politicians and the political
parties they are affiliated to. It is like the “Ten Commandments”
which the politicians are expected to follow, the difference being that the
Model Code of Conduct has more than ten directives. Not obeying them
will not land them in hell but the EC can make life a living hell for the erring
politicians.
But then it must be said that the electorate forms as much a part of the
election process as do the politicians. As a matter of fact the voters could
be considered more important than the candidates standing for the elec-
tions. What would the politicians do if all the voters decide to boycott the
elections? This has occurred in some villages in the country in the past. If
the voters are important in the democratic process of elections, why not
have a code of conduct for the voters as well? The Model Code of Conduct
for the voters could read something like this.
1. Every adult citizen should compulsorily possess a voter’s card. Not pos-
sessing one would be as good as not being a citizen of the country.
2. The Election Photo Identity Card should have space to make entries
every time the voter exercises his franchise.
3. Not voting for two consecutive elections could result in the voter being
called a ‘foreigner’ residing in India – in other words he/she loses his/
her citizenship.
4. Voters should decide the candidate they want to vote for much before
the election date.  ness premises is closed.
5. Female voters should not be influenced by the distribution of sarees while
the male voters should not be influenced by distribution of crisp notes.
6. Voters should not read any election-related posters they may come
across. If possible, they should report the presence of such posters to
the State Election Commission.
7. Those who are addicted to the bottle that cheers should not be influ-
enced by the free distribution of liquor bottles.
8. Promise every candidate who comes to your doorstep that you will vote
for him/her. But since you can vote for only one candidate, choose the
right one. If politicians can break several promises after the elections,
why can’t the voter break just one before the elections?
9. It is understood that there will be 43 million first-time voters for these
elections. These voters have the opportunity to have a large say in the
formation of the next government. The youth should thus come out in
large number to exercise their franchise on polling day.
10. On election day voters should not head to the nearest beach but to the
nearest polling booth.
11. Since election time is notified as dry days, those associated with the
liquor business should see to it that even the back door of their busi-
12. Compulsive drinkers should not stock liquor bottles at home before
the dry days. Dry days should be adhered to in letter and in spirit, and
hence one should keep away from the spirit.
13. At every election it is seen that it is the old and the physically chal-
lenged who show more enthusiasm on polling day than the young and
able-bodied. Everyone should be equally involved.
14. Those having four-wheelers should take the old and physically chal-
lenged people to the polling booths. The old and the infirm should not
travel by vehicles provided by the candidates.
The electorate is not answerable to any commission, unlike the politi-
cians, who are answerable to the Election Commission. The voters cannot
be debarred from taking part in the electoral process for violating the
Voter’s Code of Conduct. But then the worst ‘punishment’ the electorate
can be subjected to is being governed by the wrong people for the next
five years, till the next elections.
So, be judicious and choose the right candidate.

Letters to the Editor

Empty vessels
R Fernandes, Margao
With reference to the article “Empty vessels
make the most noise’ by Uday Bhembre (Her-
ald, 23 Mar), the author should note that the land
was acquired and handed over to Cidade for a
consideration. The agreement was made to
safeguard the public interest and not Cidade’s
interest (Cidade was the only one to gain monetar-
ily), and hence the conditions in the agreement.
Cidade wilfully violated the agreement by
constructing concrete structures and further
recruited personnel and failed to inform them
and their chartered flight partners that they had
undertaken illegal works, jeopardising their in-
terests. Cidade failed to allow the ‘public’ to use
these facilities, either by direct refusal or by
charging fees far in excess to ordinary people’s
paying capacity. Besides, today a motorable path
with parking facilities is a minimum requirement
100 Years Ago
PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS
28 March 1909
Theft in Fontainhas
Yesterday night a theft occurred in Fontain-
has. The burglars decamped with 10 quintals
of rice and some other valuables.
Foreign trade debate
Mr Harold Cox, of the Chamber of Deputies,
has asked if there were any attempts to in-
duce France to treat Indian merchandise on
par with that of other countries.
Tilak is Hindustan’s pride
On the horizons of Hindustan, the personali-
ty of Bal Gangadhar Tilak shines forth. He is
the owner and editor of Kesari (The Lion), a
native weekly with a circulation far larger-
than any other Indian newspaper.
Marathi/Gujarati exams
A jury has been nominated to conduct the fi-
nal examinations of the 2nd degree of prima-
ry instruction in Marathi and Gujarati.
for proper access to the beach.
It is these issues that any ordinance should
have addressed, with a view to protecting public
interest. To suggest that the Ordinance as issued
was prepared in wisdom is to compete very hard
with ‘empty’ vessels. Wisdom would have been
in having taken legal action against Cidade the
day the agreement was violated. When the
agreement was first made, all parties were con-
sulted. Hence, if the agreement was to be re-
viewed, all parties, including the public, should
have been consulted.
Empty vessels may be noisy, but it is interest-
ing to see the kind of noises emanating from
our “full vessels”. We must conclude Goa has no
true intelligentsia, only pretenders to that sta-
tus.
Pathetic cover
Ayesha Madon, Parra
Sujay Gupta’s articles on Goa and the Goan way
of life are, to put it mildly, shallow and patronis-
ing. His weekly eulogies in Herald Mirror are
nothing short of an insult to Goans. His forays
into little-known bars and family-owned restau-
rants serving the most authentic bebinca and the
best xitt-kori are a pathetic cover for what he
really is – a representative of the mining lobby.
If he cares for his ‘adopted’ home as he pro-
fesses to, he should put his pen to better use.
You can’t run with the hare and hunt with the
hounds.
GFA mess(ias)
Filomeno Cascio Barreto, Navelim
I have read the comments from Savio Messias,
Honorary Secretary, GFA, blaming AIFF and the
President of his own Association, Joaquim Ale-
mao, for failing to secure the transfer of land for
the Football Academy at Cuncolim.
Maybe Mr Messias could answer a few ques-
tions. What has happened to the GFA academy
which he launched with so much fanfare? After
spending around Rs 10 lakh on this project, why
was it abandoned? Is it true that the boys and
the coaches were not paid traveling allowanc-
es? What is the outcome of the Youth Develop-
ment programme, started by GFA, by adopting
schools in different parts of Goa?
Mr Messias appears to know how to get things
be given by the government at least on a case-
Words of Wisdom
Letter of the Day to-case basis after considering the actual facts
instead of solely relying on surveys? Rachel Carson
Education as business
Earth Hour is an annual international initiative,
Election tamasha created by the World Wildlife Fund, that asks
Efigenio Dias, Colva households and businesses across the world
James Moraes, Cuncolim With the Lok Sabha Elections fast approaching, to turn off their non-essential lights and elec-
After Goa attained statehood, all aided schools had to change to imparting primary education the Collectors, Mamlatdars, and their subordi- trical appliances for one hour at an appointed
compulsorily in Konknni or lose aid from the government. Today the Govt of Goa provides aid to nates and staff are very busy with preparations time to raise awareness of the need to take
Marathi-medium as well as Kannada-medium schools but not to English-medium schools. for elections. The administration work, as well action on climate change. Today, Saturday, 28
Keeping their children’s futures in mind, most middle-class families opted for English-medi- as cases, are also totally or partially affected, caus- March, 1100 cities around the globe (including
um private schools to get the best education. But today these schools have turned into business ing great loss to the affected people and liti- Mumbai and Delhi) are joining the campaign and
houses. One clear example is Vidya Vikas, Margao, which has hiked the school fees by 78 per cent, gants. switching off lights for one hour at 8.30 pm.
putting them beyond the reach of the middle class. Politicians are taking advantage of the elec- On this occasion, we bring to you extracts
This is being done in the name of the Sixth Pay Commission and quality education. Teachers do tion campaign, making promises for develop- from the book Silent Spring by Rachel Car-
deserve a good pay package on par with teachers in aided schools, and this can be easily met with ment and for bringing new legislation. But after son, which can be said to have started the
the present tuition fees. The representative from VVA says that the management has so far not elections, all promises remain unfulfilled by the modern environmental movement.
“The history of life on earth has been a histo-
charged rent for the school building, which works out to Rs 51 lakhs. But the management should elected representatives.
note that parents have paid huge amounts towards the building fund for every child and the land ry of interaction between living things and
their surroundings. To a large extent, the
where the building stands has been acquired by the government and handed over to the manage- Distorted ideologies
ment. physical form and habits of the earth’s vege-
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai tation have been molded by the environment.
Now is the time for parents to get together and oppose the fee hike, forgetting that the
management will harass their wards in school. Parents should note that the Delhi High Court has The Shri Ram Sene (SRS) claims to follow an ide- Considering the whole span of earthly time,
already given a judgment in favour of parents in a similar case in a private school. ology of protecting India from the influence of the opposite effect, in which life actually
All parents have a good opportunity to make a demand during this election to convert all aided Western culture. Supported by the communal modifies its surroundings, has been relative-
schools back to English medium, at the same time protecting our mother tongue by making BJP and the more action-oriented members of ly light. Only within the moment of time rep-
Konknni a compulsory subject. This will teach a good lesson to all private schools. The govern- the saffron brigade, they have taken on them- resented by the last century has one species
ment should also see that all private schools are governed by the Goa Education Act, as this Act is selves the rights of not just moral policemen, – man – acquired significant power to alter
also applicable to all private schools, irrespective of their board of examination. but also those of judge, jury and the execution- the nature of his world.
er, all rolled into one. “During the past quarter century this pow-
done from the government. If so, why has it tak- them on top of it, alive, and making sure they The attack on the girls in Mangalore has clearly er has not only increased to one of disturbing
en him over five years to get the agricultural land never come down again! exemplified the SRS’s hatred and distorted per- magnitude but it has changed in character. The
at Duler transferred to the GFA? And why is he ceptions. What sort of a society do we live in, most alarming of all assaults upon the envi-
seeking help of his president to achieve this, Define ‘private forest’ where girls are pulled out, abused and ronment is the contamination of air, earth,
even though, according to his press statements, bashed? It is even more disgusting to know rivers, and sea with dangerous and even le-
Tony Alvaro, Mapusa that the law and the government did nothing thal materials. This pollution is for the most part
the GFA President could not get the land in own
constituency for the academy. With reference to the letter of Charles Fern- about it. irrecoverable; the chain of evil it initiates not only
andes on the above subject in Herald, it is nec- Now the Ram Sena has set its sight on our
Mr Messias’s statements to the press are just in the world that must support life but in living
essary first of all for the authorities concerned beloved Goa, and a few fellow-travellers from
an attempt to hoodwink the public and cover up tissues is for the most part irreversible...
to define clearly and unambiguously the criteria our side of the fence, birds of a feather like the
the mess in the GFA. “It took hundreds of millions of years to
for private forest. All applications for sanads, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and the Sanatan San- produce the life that now inhabits the earth –
Politicians’ pedestal especially of small plot owners, which have been stha, have pledged their support. I hope and pray eons of time in which that developing and
marked as private forest by the Sawant-Kara- that Ravi Naik sticks to his word and does all he evolving and diversifying life reached a state
Robert Castellino, Calangute purkar Committee are referred to the Forest can to prevent these creatures from entering of adjustment and balance with its surround-
Our patriotic politicians acted with commenda- Dept for NOC, without even considering the Goa. At the moment we have enough monkeys ings. The environment, rigorously shaping and
ble alacrity in scuttling the plans of Kannada film ground realities. The Forest Dept refuses the on our backs, whom we are fighting to tackle directing the life it supported, contained ele-
maker Hemanth Hegde to erect a 67-foot stat- same as the matter is sub judice. The small plot and contain, and could very well do without add- ments that were hostile as well as support-
ue of ‘Christian’ Charlie Chaplin, in Baindur, Udupi, owners are prevented from having a roof over ing some more. ing. Given time – time not in years but in
as the installation would hurt Hindu sentiments. their heads for absolutely no reason. We just cannot allow these sort of distorted millenia – life adjusts, and a balance has been
We should honour these patriotic politicians Would it not spur demand for housing, espe- ideologies, breeding cultural and communal re- reached. For time is the essential ingredient;
by erecting a 67-foot pedestal and putting all of cially in these times of recession if relief could sentment, in our beloved Goa. but in the modern world there is no time.”

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