`Sao Joao’ Festival On June 24 In Goa Is Most Unique

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Camil Parkhe

Pune, 23rd June 2021: On June 24 every year, there is a festive atmosphere in Goa, especially in some villages in North Goa. That is because the Sao Joao festival is celebrated on this day, June 24.

This is the time when after the onset of the Monsoon, streams overflow with water, lakes get filled with water and waterfalls come alive in the hilly areas in Goa. The lush greenery in Goa this time is breathtaking.

The Sao Joao festival celebrated on June 24 is in a way a festival of fertility in Mother Nature. The festival as it is related to the Christian calendar also commemorates Biblical incidents connected to two famous nativities, the nativity of St. John the Baptist and the Nativity of his close relative who is none other than Jesus Christ, his birth now celebrated all over the world as the Christmas.

I vividly remember the days when as a higher secondary student in the 1970s, I visited a village near Mapusa in Bardez taluka, to spend holidays with my friends during the monsoon days. I would not like to reveal the name of the village for the fear of exposing it to the threat of visiting tourists. The place where we landed for the picnic was at the foot of a hillock. Water crashed from the hilltop as we joyously soaked ourselves on the rocky ground. Even then it was an understanding among all of us gathered there that we would not reveal the name of our picnic site to anyone else, a promise I have kept for four decades up to this date.

So, the Monsoon season or the days immediately after that are the best days to visit Goa. By June end, the tiny state of Goa is filled with water and this sets the stage for the celebration of Sao Joao fest or festival.

Sao Joao in Portuguese and Konkani means St John the Baptist, a relative and contemporary of Jesus Christ. On this days, the revellers – the youth and others – move in procession to the tune of traditional musical instruments including the ghumat to nearby water bodies – well, overflowing streams, lakes and rivers. There, shouting `Sao Joao’, the revellers jump into the wells or the lakes.

The Sao Joao festival is celebrated on the occasion of the feast of St. John the Baptist which falls on June 24. The Catholic Church has its calendar of feasts of various saints and various seasons like Advent, Lent, Christmas, etc.

The Sao Joao festival celebrations – the jumping into the well and other water bodies – is related to an incident mentioned in the Bible. This refers to the meeting of Mother Mary who was pregnant with Jesus Christ and her elderly relative, Elizabeth who was pregnant with St. John the Baptist.

St. John the Baptist is an important figure in the New Testament of the Bible. It was St. John the Baptist who baptised Jesus Christ with water in the Jordan River. After this baptism, Jesus launches his mission of preaching to the people. St. John the Baptist is also among the first martyrs in the New Testament.

One needs to know the sequence narrated in the St. Luke’s Gospel in the Bible to understand the Sao Joao festivities in Goa.

Archangel Gabriel appeared before Mary with a message that she will be conceived with the power of the Holy Spirit and the baby will be named Jesus.

In the same appearance, the angel also told Mary that her relative, Elizabeth – although very old- had also conceived six months back.

As per St. Luke’s account, the story goes thus:

‘’Soon afterwards, Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill-country of Judea. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greetings, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said in a loud voice: You are the most blessed woman in the world and blessed is the child you will bear. Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me? For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness.‘’

The Sao Joao festival celebration revolves around this theme of the ‘Baby (St John the Baptist) in the womb jumping with gladness.’

Incidentally, it is only in Goa that the feast of St. John the Baptist or the Sao Joao festival is celebrated in this manner.

Carnival celebrated in February-March in Goa in India, and also in Portugal, Spain in Europe and various countries in Latin America, is another festival linked to the Church’s annual calendar. The Carnival celebration which consists of King Momo leading his team of revellers starts on Saturday, preceding Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of the 40-day Lent or fasting Season. The Church however has long ago disassociated itself from the Carnival festivities described as not in keeping with Christian values.

The prevailing Covid-19 situation in Goa this year has indeed dampened the spirit of the Sao Joao festival revellers for the second consecutive year. The festival will be celebrated with a limited number of participants and with the observation of the pandemic regulations.

Veteran artist and cartoonist Mario Miranda who hailed from Loutolim village in south Goa has drawn numerous pictures related to Goan culture. One of his famous paintings is based on Sao Joao festival and truly describes the spirit behind this unique celebration.

Exactly six months after the June 24 Sao Joao festival, follows the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, the Christmas festival, on December 24th at midnight.

(Camil Parkhe is a senior journalist based in Pune. He started his journalism career in Goa and has worked in various newspapers in different capacities.)

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 बार्देसकर समाजाची संस्कृती : भाग २

(फोटोमध्ये लेखक कामिल पारखे एका प्रसिद्ध बार्देस्कराबरोबर, येशूसंघीय फादर प्रभुधर, यांच्याबरोबर पुण्यातील पेपल सेमिनरीच्या आवारात)

महाराष्ट्र व कर्नाटकच्या सीमावर्ती भागात राहत असलेले गोयंकार कॅथोलिकांनी म्हणजेच बार्देसकर समाजाने आपल्या मूळ वैशिष्ठ्यपूर्ण सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक आणि धार्मिक परंपरा दोनशे वर्षे गोव्यापासून दूर राहूनसुद्धा जपल्या आहेत. त्यांची मातृभाषा कोंकणी टिकवल्यामुळे आणि आंतरजातीय विवाह न केल्यामुळे त्यांना आपली खास ओळख कायम राखण्यात यश आलं आहे. तथापि, त्यांना स्वतःला अथवा त्यांच्या नवीन मातृभूमीतील लोकांना ते `परके’ वाटत नाहीत.

बार्देसकारांच्या गेल्या कित्येक पिढ्या नेहमी खेड्यातील एकाच भागांत राहुन देखील फक्त त्यांच्या घरातच गोवन कॅथोलिक राहिल्या आहेत. पण तरीदेखील त्यांनी इतर समाजांशी सामंजस्य राखले आहे. ते महाराष्ट्रातील कोंकण आणि कोल्हापूर भागांतील नमुनेदार मराठी आणि कर्नाटकातील बेळगांव जिल्ह्यातील वैशिष्ठ्यपूर्ण कन्नडिगा आहेत.

रोमन कॅथोलिक धर्माप्रमाणे कोंकणी भाषा हा त्यांची पूर्वसुरींच्या भूमीशी (गोव्याशी) नाळ जोडणारा एक महत्वाचा घटक आहे. साहजिकच, कालौघात म्हणजेच त्यांच्या लादलेल्या स्थलांतरपासून बार्देसकरांच्या कोंकणी भाषेत मराठी किंवा कन्नडमधील नवीन शब्द आल्यामुळे बरेच मोठे बदल झाले आहेत. तरीसुद्धा, हे शक्य आहे कि बार्देसकरांच्या कोंकणीत असे बरेच शब्द ते अजूनही वापरत असतील, जे गोव्यातील कोंकणीत कधीच नामशेष झाले आहेत. याशिवाय, कित्येक जुनी कोंकणी लोकगीतं ह्या समाजात प्रचलित आहेत, जी विविध सामाजिक प्रसंगी गायली जातात - जसे लग्न, धर्मगुरुदीक्षा आणि इतर धार्मिक सेवा. कोंकणी भाषेच्या संशोधकांना बार्देसकर बोलत असलेल्या कोंकणीत संशोधनाचे मुबलक विषय मिळू शकतील.

काळाच्या ओघात नष्ट होण्याअगोदर त्यांची कोंकणी लोकगीते पुढील पिढ्यांसाठी जपून ठेवण्याची तातडीची गरज आहे. आजदेखील बार्देसकर विविध प्रार्थना म्हणजे पवित्र मिस्सा, रोझरी किंवा पवित्र माळ आणि लितानी कोंकणी भाषेत म्हणतात. गोव्याप्रमाणे इथेही धार्मिक उपासनाविधींसाठी वापरली जाणारी अधिकृत मिस्साग्रंथ किंवा लिटर्जी रोमन लिपीत आहे..

रोजच्या जीवनात कोंकणीचा वापर हा सार्वत्रिक असला तरीदेखील वाङ्मयीन कोंकणी इथपर्यंत अजून पोहचली नाही. काही मोजक्या जेसुईट धर्मगुरुंनी मराठी साहित्यविश्वात आपले वेगळे स्थान निर्माण केले आहे. त्यांत मराठी निरोप्या मासिकाचे संपादक फादर प्रभुधर आणि फादर कारिदाद द्रागो उर्फ संदीप हळदणकर यांच्या मोजक्या साहित्यकृती आहेत.

बार्देसकरांबाबत आणखी एक रंजक गोष्ट म्हणजे त्यांचा गोव्याशी गेल्या दोन शतकात खूपच कमी संपर्क असूनसुद्धा त्यांनी त्यांच्या मूळच्या मायभूमीत असलेल्या मालमत्तांवर असलेला हक्क सोडला नाही. हे विस्मयकारक आहे कि गोव्यातील राज्यकर्ते हे नेहमीच ब्रिटिशांच्या अमलात असलेल्या भारतीय भागांतून येणाऱ्या लोकांविषयी साशंक असत, तरीसुद्धा कोंकण, कोल्हापूर आणि बेळगांव जिल्ह्यांत वाढलेल्या व तेथे बरीच वर्षे वास्तव्य असलेल्या बार्देसकरांनी पूर्वजांच्या भूमीतील मालमत्तेवर आपला हक्क आजमितीपर्यंत कायम राखला आहे.

मी माझ्या पश्चिम महाराष्ट्र व बेळगांव जिल्ह्यातील वास्तव्यात बऱ्याच बार्देसकरांना भेटलो आहे, जे स्वतःची ओळख गोवन, गोयंकार अशी करून देतात आणि ते बार्देस तालुक्यातील आल्डोना, शिवोली, पार्रा, तिव्हिम व इतर गावचे असल्याचे सांगतात. असं म्हटलं जातं कि गोव्यातील बार्देसकरांच्या पूर्वजांनी आपल्या मुलांची नांवे त्यांच्या गावातील कम्युनिदाद या पारंपारिक सहकारी संस्थांमध्ये नोंदवून ठेवली होती. कित्येक बार्देसकरांनी ते जेंव्हा-जेंव्हा गोव्याला भेट देत, तेंव्हा आपले या संस्थातील भाग, शेअर्स किंवा झोण मिळविले, मग ते कितीही छोटे असोत.

नंतरच्या काळात पोर्तुगीजांनी त्यांच्या हद्दीत प्रवेश करणाऱ्या `परकियां’विरुध्द कडक कारवाई करण्यास सुरुवात केली तेंव्हा अनेक बार्देसकर सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेविअरच्या दर्शनाच्या निमित्ताने किंवा इतर काही कामासाठी सुरक्षा नसलेल्या सीमेवरील गावांतून गोव्यात प्रवेश करत.

कालपरवापर्यंत म्हणजे कोल्हापूर आणि कोंकणातील कॅथोलिक धर्मविभाग गोवा धर्मप्रांतापासून वेगळे होईपर्यंत आणि ते पुणे धर्मप्रांताशी जोडले जाईपर्यंत या भागातील सर्व चर्चमधील बाप्तिस्मा, लग्न, मृत्य, इ. विषयीच्या नोंदी पोर्तुगीज भाषेमध्ये असत. बार्देसकारांच्या पूर्वजांविषयी नोंदी असलेली महत्त्वाची माहिती आजही कोल्हापूर जिल्हयांतील आजरा, हलकर्णी आणि इतर ठिकाणी असलेल्या धर्मग्रामातील म्हणजे पॅरिशमधील चर्चमध्ये उपलब्ध आहे. काळाला बार्देसकरांना त्यांच्या भूतकाळापासून तोडण्यात अपयश आले आहे. त्यांनी आपला हा भूतकाळ प्रामाणिकपणे तर कधी कट्टरपणे सांभाळून ठेवला आहे.

माझ्या मते बदलाला विरोध हा नव्या कालानुरूप सुसुत्रीकरणामुळे नसून केवळ रूढी टिकवण्यासाठी आहे. उदाहरणार्थ, कित्येक तरुण बार्देसकरांना त्यांच्या समाजातील काही रितीरिवाजांची कारणे माहित नाहीत तरीदेखील ते पाळण्याची इच्छा त्यांच्यात आहे. परिणामी, बार्देसकर समाजातील विविध गटांत लग्ने होत नाहीत कारण धर्मांतरापूर्वी ते वेगवेगळ्या हिंदू जातींत विभागले गेले होते.

जातीयवादाचं अरिष्ट, जरी कॅथोलिक चर्चची त्यावर अधिकृतपणे बंदी असली तरी, गोव्यात प्रचलित आहे व बार्देसकरांनी ते आपल्याबरोबर गोव्याबाहेर आणलं आहे.

बार्देसकर समाजात काही ‘आंतरजातीय’ विवाह गेल्या काही वर्षात झाले आहेत. काही बार्देसकर अजूनही बिफ खात नाहीत, जे पूर्वाश्रमीचे सवर्ण हिंदू असल्याचे दर्शवते.

त्यांच्या गोव्यातील पूर्वजांच्या परंपरेप्रमाणे आजही या भागांतील विविध चॅपेल आणि चर्चमध्ये वार्षिक सणाचा सोहळा साजरा केला जातो. त्याप्रमाणे म्हापसा शहराजवळील शिवोलीहुन आलेले आणि कोल्हापूर जिल्हातील चंदगड तालुक्यातील अडकूर गावी स्थायिक झालेले बार्देसकर सेंट अँथनीचा सण साजरा करतात. दोन वर्षांपूर्वी जेव्हा तेथे एक चॅपेल बांधले गेले तेंव्हा शिवोलीतील रिवाजाप्रमाणे ते सेंट अँथनीच्या स्मृतीस समर्पित करण्यात आले. गोव्याप्रमाणे येथेही चर्चच्या कारभारात महत्त्व असलेली सामान्य लोकांची कॉन्फ्ररिया आहे.

अशाप्रकारे महाराष्ट्र आणि कर्नाटकातील सीमेवरील गोवन समुदायाने आपली भाषा, धर्म आणि संस्कृती पोसली आणि सुरक्षितपणे टिकविल्यामुळे त्यांना आपली ओळख पुसली जाण्याची भीती ते रहात असलेल्या नवीन ठिकाणी कधीच वाटली नाही. कारण त्यांची पाळेमुळे तेथे खोलवर रुजली आहेत. बऱ्याच बार्देसकरांना पुणे, कोल्हापूर आणि मुंबई येथे नोकऱ्या मिळाल्या आहेत. तर काही मोजके लोक शिक्षक म्हणून कार्यरत आहेत किंवा किंवा आपला व्यवसाय चालवीत आहेत.

((मूळ प्रसिद्धी ३० जून,, १९८५, इंग्रजी दैनिक द नवहिंद टाइम्स, पणजी, गोवा )

बार्देसकर Part one

गोव्यातील बार्देस तालुक्यातील बार्देसकर !

गोव्यातील बार्देस तालुक्यातील बार्देसकर !

गोव्याच्या सीमेबाहेरच्या नजिकच्या परिसरांत म्हणजे कोल्हापूर जिल्ह्यांत आणि कर्नाटकातील बेळगाव जिल्ह्यात फर्नांडिस, डिसोझा, मस्कारेन्हास अशी गोव्यात आढळणारी आडनावे असणारी अनेक लोक आहेत. रोमन कॅथोलिक असलेली ही मंडळी घराबाहेर मराठी आणि घरात आपली मातृभाषा कोकणी बोलतात. या लोकांना बार्देसकर म्हणूनही ओळखले जाते. हे लोक मूळचे गोव्यातील बार्देस तालुक्यातील म्हणून बार्देसकर !

गोयंकारांबद्दल म्हणजे मूळचे गोवन असलेल्या लोकांबद्दल बरंच काही लिहिलं गेलं आहे. मुंबईत किंवा आखाती देशांत स्थायिक होऊन देखील त्यांनी आपलं वेगळं सांस्कृतिक अस्तित्व कायम ठेवलं आहे. त्यांच्यापैकी बऱ्याच जणांनी आपल्या मायभूमीशी आपलं घट्ट नातं कायम ठेवलं आहे. गोव्यात राहणाऱ्या त्यांच्या सग्यासोयऱ्यांना याबद्दल त्यांच्याविषयी खूपच अभिमान वाटत आला आहे.

मात्र गोव्यापासून फक्त २०० कि.मी. अंतरावर महाराष्ट्र-कर्नाटक सीमेवरील भागात २०० वर्षांपूर्वी स्थायिक झालेल्या गोवन कॅथोलिक समाजाच्या एका मोठ्या समुदायाबद्दल लोकांना फारशी माहिती नाही. आपल्या मायभूमीशी इतकी वर्षे फारसा संबंध नसूनदेखील त्यांनी आपली मूळ गोवन संस्कृती, कोकणी मातृभाषा आणि ख्रिस्ती धर्म टिकवून ठेवला आहे.

मागील २०० वर्षांतील स्थित्यंतरामुळे व बार्देस्करांच्या समाजातील विशिष्ट स्थानामुळे हा समाज ऐतिहासिक, सामाजिक, धार्मिक व भाषिक संशोधनाचा विषय झाला आहे. बार्देसकरांनी त्यांच्या मूळच्या व स्थानिक अशा दोन वेगळ्या संस्कृतींचा अफलातून संगम साधला आहे.

बार्देसकर समाज छोट्या-छोट्या समूहांमध्ये या सीमावर्ती परिसरात - पश्चिम महाराष्ट्रातील कोल्हापूर ज़िल्ह्यातील गडहिंग्लज, आजरा आणि चंदगड तालुक्यांत तसेच कर्नाटकातील बेळगाव जिल्ह्यातील चिक्कोडी, कुकेरी आणि खानापूर तालुक्यांत स्थायिक झाले आहेत.

गमतीचा भाग असा कि गोव्यातील लोकांचे ह्या स्थलांतरित गोयंकारांबद्दल खूप गैरसमज आहेत. गोवा पोर्तुगीजांच्या जोखंडातून १९६१ साली मुक्त झाल्यावर काही मोजके बार्देसकर आपल्या मूळ गावी गेल्यावर स्थानिक लोकांनी त्यांना परकं मानलं. त्यांची आडनावं डिसोझा, फर्नांडिस, डीकोस्टा अशी असूनसुद्धा काही वेळा त्यांची 'घाटी' (म्हणजे घाटमाथ्यावर राहणारे) म्हणून संभावना केली जाते. गोव्यातील ऐतिहासिक घटनांवर फक्त एक दृष्टिक्षेप, अठराव्या शतकाच्या अखेरीस बार्देसकरांचं शेजारच्या प्रदेशांत झालेलं स्थलांतर आणि त्यानंतरचं त्यांचं जीवन ह्या गोष्टी त्यांच्या महाराष्ट्र-कर्नाटक सीमेवरील सद्यस्थितीवर प्रकाश टाकू शकतात. अठराव्या शतकाच्या शेवटी त्यांनी केलेल्या मोठ्या स्थलांतराबद्दल आपण खात्रीने बोलू शकतो, परंतु हे स्थलांतर का झालं? यावर इतिहासकारांचं एकमत नाही.

काहींच्या मते बार्देसकरांच्या या एकगठ्ठा स्थलांतरामागे काही राजकीय कारण असू शकतात त्याकाळी भारतात ब्रिटिशांची सत्ता काही भागातच होती. पोर्तुगीजांकडून गोवा काबीज करण्याच्या इराद्याने त्यांनी सत्तारीच्या राणेंची मदत घेतली. प्रतिकार करताना पोर्तुगीजांनी इंग्रजांची बाजू घेणाऱ्या खालच्या जातींतील गोयंकरांना पकडले व दहशत निर्माण करण्याच्या इराद्याने त्यांची कापलेली शरीरे सार्वजनिक ठिकाणी टांगण्यास सुरुवात केली. त्यामुळे बार्देस्करांनी पोर्तुगीज वसाहतीतून पलायन करून कोल्हापूर, व बेळगाव परिसरात आश्रय घेतला.

तथापि, हे पुरेसं पटणारं नाही कारण स्थलांतर करणारे फक्त कॅथोलिक होते आणि ते सर्व कनिष्ठ वर्गातील नव्हते. एक लोकापवाद असाही आहे कि पश्चिम युरोपात उदयास आलेल्या इन्क्विझिशन कॅम्पेन या नावाने कुप्रसिद्ध असलेल्या कडव्या ख्रिश्चन कॅथोलिक चौकशी मोहिमेमुळे हे स्थलांतर झाले असावे.

या मताप्रमाणे, पोर्तुगीजांनी स्थानिक लोकांचं धर्मपरिवर्तन केल्यानंतर ख्रिश्चन धर्मतत्वांचा चुकीचा अर्थ लावून त्यांना जबरदस्तीने पाश्चात्य पद्धतीची जीवनशैली स्वीकारण्यास भाग पाडलं. पोर्तुगीजांनी स्थानिक ख्रिश्चन लोकांचा Aqui e Portugal' (Here is Portugal!) या मोहिमेचा भाग म्हणून अत्याचार करण्यास सुरवात केली. मूळच्या उच्च आणि कनिष्ठ स्तरांतील हिंदूंचा या लोकांमध्ये समावेश होता. ह्या पाश्चात्तीकरणाचा भाग म्हणून नवख्रिश्चनांना पाश्चात्य कपडे घालण्यास तसेच खाण्याच्या सवयी बदलण्यास सांगितले गेले. गोमांस खायला लावणे हे स्थानिक ख्रिश्चनांच्या सहजासहजी पचनी पडणारे नव्हते कारण त्यांची नाळ हिंदू धर्माशी जोडली गेली होती. ह्या अतिरेकी चौकशी मोहिमेचा धसका घेऊन प्रामुख्याने बार्देस तालुक्यातील बहुसंख्य कॅथोलिक कुटुंबांनी १७६१ ते १७८० च्या दरम्यान ह्या सीमावर्ती भागात स्थलांतर केले असावे.

ह्या स्थलांतरित कॅथोलिक समाजात गेल्या २०० वर्षांत काय बदल घडले असावेत? आणि अशा कोणत्या गोष्टी होत्या कि ज्यामुळे ते गोव्यातील पोर्तुगीज सत्ता हे ब्रिटिश अमलाखालील भारतात राहण्याऱ्या लोकांच्या विरोधात असून देखील आपल्या मायभूमीच्या, मूळ संस्कृतीच्या संपर्कात राहू शकले? असं म्हटलं जातं कि ब्रिटिश सत्ता असलेल्या प्रदेशातील भारतीयांना गोव्यात प्रवेश करण्यास बंदी असून देखील बरेच बार्देसकर आपल्या मूळगावी जात असत. आणि दरवर्षी गोयंच्या सायबाचं म्हणजे सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेवियरचं दर्शन ३ डिसेम्बरला या संताच्या फेस्ताला, फिस्ट डे म्हणजे सणाला घेत असत.

बार्देसकरांचा त्यांच्यावर लादलेल्या स्थलांतरापासून ते आजमितीचा इतिहास थक्क करणारा आहे. तो वाचल्यावर ह्या समाजाचं कुणालाही कौतुक करावंसं वाटेल सुरुवातीला अत्यंत हालअपेष्टा सहन करून त्यांनी आपल्या नव्या प्रदेशांत आपले बस्तान बसवले, स्वतःसाठी सन्माननीय स्थान निर्माण केलं. ह्या कॅथोलिक समाजाने आपल्या भोवतालच्या बहुसंख्य समाजाच्या चालीरीतींशी जुळवून घेतले आहे. नव्या जागी ही बार्देसकर मंडळी इतकी मिळून मिसळून राहिली कि कालांतराने त्यांची ही स्थलांतरित गावंच त्यांची दुसरी मायभूमी बनली. त्या ठिकाणी त्यांनी शेती केली तर काहींनी स्वतःचे व्यवसाय सुरु केले. ते पश्चिम महाराष्ट्रात मराठी तर कर्नाटकात कन्नड अस्खलितपणे बोलू लागले. तरीदेखील त्यांनी वेगवेगळ्या खेड्यांत आणि गोव्यापासून दूर राहून देखील आपली मायबोली म्हणजे ‘आमची भास’ कोंकणी जिवंत ठेवली.

बार्देसकर महिला सुके-ओले मासे विकतात. बाजाराच्या दिवशी वेंगुर्ल्याहून मासळीचा पुरवठा होतो. गोव्याच्या अगदी विरुद्ध, जिथे हिंदूंना ख्रिश्चन लोक 'कोंकणो' संबोधतात, ख्रिस्तीधर्मीय बार्देस्करांना मात्र स्थानिक लोक ‘कोंकणी’ म्हणतात कारण ते कोंकणी भाषा बोलतात म्हणून.

बार्देसकरांची अतिशय नवलाची बाब अशी कि ख्रिश्चन धर्मात एकत्रित मिस्साविधी, प्रार्थना व जीवनाच्या विविध टप्प्यांतील स्नानसंस्कार म्हणजे सप्त सांक्रामेंत महत्वाचे समजले जातात. असे असूनही त्यांनी कित्येक दशके धर्मगुरूंच्या उपस्थितीविना आपला धर्म सांभाळला. ह्या समाजाने आपल्या गोव्यातील पूर्वसूरींच्या धर्माचं पालन करत कोणतंही धर्मशास्त्राचे ज्ञान नसताना आणि धर्मगुरु नसताना प्रार्थना आणि धार्मिक चालीरीतींचे जतन केले, कौटुंबिक प्रार्थना, रोझरी जपमाळ आणि लितानी चालू ठेवल्या. गोयंचो सायबा म्हणजे सेंट फ्रान्सिस झेव्हिअर हा त्यांचा अर्थातच महत्त्वाचा संत होता. नंतरच्या काळात गोव्यातील धर्मगुरूंना बार्देसकरांच्या धार्मिक गरजांसाठी वेळोवेळी या परिसरांत पाठवण्यात येत असे.

पोर्तुगिजांच्या सत्तेतून १९६१ साली गोवा मुक्त होईपर्यंत सावंतवाडी आणि कोल्हापूर हे विभाग गोवा धर्मप्रांताचे भाग होते. नंतर त्यांचा पुणे धर्मप्रांतात समावेश करण्यात आला. धर्मगुरूंशिवाय किंवा धर्मशिक्षकांविना धर्मपालन करीत राहणाऱ्या ह्या समाजाविषयी चर्चच्या अधिकाऱ्यांना आजतागायत कोडं पडलं आहे. नंतर जेसुइटांनी बार्देसकरांच्या नव्या पिढीला ख्रिश्चन धर्माचरण नव्याने शिकविण्यास सुरवात केली. ह्या समाजाने २०० वर्षांच्या कालखंडात आपल्या वाडवडिलांच्या धर्मात राहून आणि धार्मिक उपासनाविधींपासून वंचित राहूनसुद्धा आता मुख्य प्रवाहात येऊन ख्रिश्चन धर्मातील आधुनिक प्रवाहांचं स्वागत केलं आहे.

( मूळ प्रसिद्धी : कामिल पारखे. जून २३, १९८५, इंग्रजी दैनिक द नवहिंद टाइम्स, पणजी, गोवा )

Bardeskars Part II , Goan Catholics settled in Maharashtra and Karnataka in 18th century

Articles on Bardeskars, Goan Catholics from Bardez taluka settled in border areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka in the late 18^th century and  published in Sunday supplement of  The Navhind Times, Panaji, Goa, on 23 August and 30 June, 1985. Bardeskars 23 June 1985

The Bardeskars Part II – June 30, 1985

The Bardeskar community, the Goan Catholics scattered in border districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, has maintained an unique social, cultural and religious set up there, akin to that of Catholics in Goa despite their migration two centuries back. Ppreservation of their mother tongue Konkani and lack of inter-religious marriages have been the major components enabling them to have a distinct identity of their own. Yet the community has never considered nor is considered by others as an 'alien' to the culture of their new homeland.

The last many generations of these Bardeskars have remained Goan Catholics only in their homes, often residing in the same areas in a village but still intermingling with the rest of the communities. They are typical Marathi people in the Konkan and Kolhapur regions of Maharashtra and Kannadigas in Belgaum district of Karnataka .

Konkani language, like their Roman Catholic religion, is an important factor maintaining their umbilical cords with their ancestral land, Goa. Obviously with the passage of time since their forced migration, Konkani language of Bardeskars has undergone tremendous changes when new words from either Marathi or Kannada were incorporated in it. Despite this, it is likely that many of the Konkani words used during old times and now almost extinct in Goa might be used by the Bardeskars even now. Besides, several of the old Konkani folksongs meant for various social occasions like marriages, ordinations and other religious services are still widely used by the community. Those studying the development of Konkani language will find ample subject matter for their research in the Konkani language spoken by the Bardeskars. There is a urgent need to collect the Konkani folksongs for posterity, lest they are wiped out in the passage of time.

Even to this date, Konkani language is widely used by Bardeskars in religious services like mass, rosary and litany. The liturgy utilised for religious services is in Roman script, the same script also used in Goa. However in spite of widespread use of Konkani in daily life, the Konkani literature movement has not yet reached to these regions while a few of the Bardeskar Jesuit priests like Fr Prabhudhar, editor of Marathi monthly 'Niropya', and Fr Caridade Drago, have carved a niche for themselves in Marathi literature, having a few literary works to their credit.

Another interesting factor about the Bardeskars is that despite having almost very less contacts with Goa for two centuries, they have not surrendered their rights over their properties in their original homeland. It is amazing that though the foreign rulers in Goa were always apprehensive of anyone entering the territory from the British India border, the Bardeskars having brought up and spent many years in Konkan,Kolhapur and Belgaum districts, stakes their claim on the 'Zonn' of the comunidade of the areas of their forefathers and continue to do so upto this date. During my stay in western Maharashtra and some parts of Belgaum district, I met many Bardeskars who introduced themselves as 'Gaonkars' of Aldona, Siolim, para, Tivim and other places in Bardez taluka.

It is said that the ancestors of these Bardeskars faithfully registered the names of their children in the records of their respective communidades (cooperatives) in their villages in Goa and that many of them managed to take the Zonn (share) from these communidades whenever they visited Goa, no matter how small the Zonn was. In the later stages when the Portuguese rulers took strong action against any 'foreigners' entering into the Goan territory, many of the Bardeskars are said to have come to Goa either to pay homage to their patron St Francis Xavier or for some other works through unguarded border villages.

Till recently before the Catholic parishes from Kolhapur and Konkan region were bifurcated from Goa archdiocese and linked to Pune diocese, all the records of the churches in these areas, dealing with baptism, marriages, deaths, etc were in Portuguese. The records giving vital information of the forefathers of the Bardeskars are still available in Ajra, Halkarni and other church parishes in Kolhapur districts .
The passage of time has failed to severe the Bardeskars from their past and they have often faithfully, sometimes rigidly, preserved it. The resistance to change according to new times, I think, is not so much due to the rationalisation but merely due to keep up the convention. For example, many young Bardeskars do not know the exact reasons behind some dos and donts in their community although they are willing to abide by it.
Consequently, marriages are not so common in the Bardeskar community between its various groups, belonging to different Hindu castes before their conversion to Christianity. The scourge of casteism – a practice which is officially banned by the Catholic Church and still prevalent in Goa - was carried by them to their places outside Goa. Various efforts are being made by the Jesuit priests who also belong to the Bardeskar community to eradicate the practice of casteism and as a result, some 'inter-caste' marriages within the Bardeskar community have taken place during the past few years. Some of the groups of Bardeskars are still averse to beef eating – a fact hinting at their high caste origin in Hinduism in Goa.
The celebration of annual feast is held even to this date at various chapels and churches in these areas as per the tradition of their ancestors in various villages in Goa. Thus, the Bardeskar community hailing from Siolim near Mapusa and settled in Adkur village in Chandgad taluka of Kolhapur district celebrates the feast of St Anthony. Two years back when a chapel was constructed there, it was dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, as is the case in Siolim.
Like Goan villages, here too one finds 'Confraria', the laymen hierarchy in church affairs and the distinction between the Gaonkars and non-Gaonkars. However fortunately there were no disputes experienced on the style of the recent Cuncolim controversy in the past over this issue.. The Church authorities here are making efforts to establish equality among all in the Catholic Church all over the world.
Thus having nursed and safely preserved their language, religion and culture, these Goans in neighbouring states have never faced the crisis of loss of identity in their new homes as they have firmly established their roots there.
Many of the Bardeskars have found jobs in the mills in Pune, Kolhapur and Mumbai while a few of them are teaching in educational institutions or running their own business.

Bardeskars Part I, Catholics from Goa's Bardez taluka settled in Kolhapur, Sawantwadi and Belgaum districts in 18th century

Two articles about the Bardeskar Community (Goan Catholics from Bardez taluka settled in border areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka in the late 18^th century) published in Sunday supplement of The Navhind Times, Panaji, Goa, on 23 August and 30 June, 1985. Bardeskars 23 June 1985

Bardeskar Community, June 23, 1985, The Navhind Times 

By Camil Parkhe 

A lot has been written about the Goans who despite settling in Mumbai and Gulf countries have preserved a distinct identity of their culture. Majority of them have continued their close ties with their motherland, a fact which has been a matter of pride for their kiths and kins residing in Goa. However one is hardly aware of a large section of Goan Catholic community who has settled only about 200 kms away from Goa, in the border areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka states about two centuries ago. Though having lesser contacts with their motherland for a long span of time, they have preserved their culture, language and religion in a most unique way while intermingling in their new places and acquiring a respectable position there.

The Bardeskars, as these people settled in the border areas of the neighbouing states have come to be recognised due to their origin of Bardez taluka in Goa, provide an interesting topic for researchers in the fields of history, sociology, religion as well philology, due to their peculiar transitional period of over last 200 years and the position they enjoy at present. The Bardeskars represent tremendous amalgamation of two distinct cultures – one of their original places, the other of their new settled areas.
The Bardeskars have settled in groups mainly in Sawantwadi, Ratnagiri, Vengurla in Konkan area, Gadhinglanj, Ajra and Chandgad talukas of Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra, and Chikkodi, Kukeri and Khanapur talukas of Belgaum district of Karnataka. Ironically, there are gross misunderstandings about these migrated Goans in Goan society due to their food habits, eloquence in the language of their new areas and sometimes even way of worshiping despite the fact that all these migrated Goans have remained hardcore Catholics to this date. No only that a few of these Bardeskars who have returned to their home land after the liberalisatioon of Goa from the Portuguese regime are considered as aliens in their own villages and are sometimes derogatorily referred to as 'Ghatis' (people from the ghats) despite their typical Goan Catholic names like D'Souza, Fernandes, Costa and so on. Only a glance at the historical events in Goa beginning with the end of the 18^th century, the subsequent migration of the Bardeskars to other states and their life afterwards can throw light on the present status of the Bardeskars in the border areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Though it is certain that these Goan Catholics migrated en block at the end of the 18^th century, historians are not unanimous about the exact cause of their migration. According to one version, the migration can be traced to a political cause. Accordingly, it is said that the British, then ruling only in some parts of India, had planned to conquer Goa from the Portuguese with the help of the Ranes of Satari. The Portuguese, in retaliation, captured the lower class Goans who sided with the British and established a reign of terror by exhibiting the cut up dead bodies. This reign of terror is said to have led to the Bardeskars fleeing from the Portuguese colony and taking refuge in Kolhapur, Sawantwadi and Belgaum areas.
However the version is not fully satisfactory as the migrated people are only from the Catholic community and it does not consist of the lower class alone.
A popular version attributes the migration to the inquisition campaign- a fanatic religious movement which originated in Catholic western European nations and echoes of which were strongly felt in Portuguese Goa too. According to this belief, the Portuguese who had converted a large number of populace to Christianity, now forcibly tried to westernise the neo-Catholics while wrongly identifying tenets of Christian religion with the westernised culture. The harassment of the native Christians reached its zenith when the Portuguese rulers with their dictum, 'Aqui e Portugal' (here is Portugal!) sought to interfere in the daily lives of the neo-Christians, originally hailing from higher as well as lower Hindu castes. The westernisation campaign included accepting clothes in western style, food habits including beef eating – an idea which the native Christians could not digest very easily due to their umbilical cords with Hinduism. The popular version also says that a Catholic bishop, believed to be of Brahmin origin, was expelled from Goa and laid his life during his exile in British India.
Horrified by the sudden spurt of inquisition, a large number of Goan Catholic families especially from Bardez taluka and belonging to the cross sections of classes are said to have migrated en block between 1761 and 1780 to these border areas in British India.
What transitions this migrated Goan Catholic community has gone through during the last 200 years? And what are the things which enabled them to maintain contacts with their homeland, its culture despite the rulers in Goa being hostile towards them due to their migration into British India? It is said that despite the ban on entry of 'foreign nationals' from British India into Portuguese India, many of the Bardeskars continued to visit their villages in Goa as well as to pay homage to the 'Goenchea Saiba' (St Francis Xavier) on his December 3 feast day annually. The history of the Bardeskars, right from their forced migration to this date provides an interesting reading as it invokes admiration for this community which despite the hardships at the initial stages struggled to achieve its respectable position in their new places.
In these new places – which have become their homes in a true sense as majority of them have acquired agricultural lands and some are even running their own businesses – the Bardeskars have acquired fluency in local languages, Marathi in western Maharashtra and Kannada in Belgaum district in Karnataka. Yet Konkani, their mother tongue, is preserved by all of them, scattered in various villages in spite of having almost no contact with Goa. Like the Catholic community in Vasai in Thane district in Maharashtra, the women from the Bardeskars community have taken up the trade of selling fish- fresh and dry – which is supplied from Vengurla on bazaar days. In contrast to Goa, where the Hindu community is referred to as 'Konkano' by their Christian brethren, Bardeskars are referred to by the other local communities as 'Konkani' due to the Konkani language spoken among the Bardeskars.
The most amazing fact about the Bardeskar community is that Christianity - a religion which believes in regular community services and administration of sacraments at various stages of life – was preserved by the community in the absence of priests for many decades. The community followed the religion of its ancestors from Goa even without any knowledge of its theological position while continuing with the religious family services like rosary and litany. St Francis Xavier was, of course, their patron saint and it was only at later stages that priests from Goa were asked to nurture the faith of Bardeskars by visiting them periodically. Until the liberalisation of Goa from the Portuguese rule in 1961, the Sawantwadi and Kolhapur areas were a part of the Goa archdiocese and it was only after Goa's Liberation that these areas joined the Pune diocese. The preservation of the Christian faith by the community without the most essential guidance either by the clergy or the catechists has continued to baffle the Church authorities even to this date. While fresh efforts are being made by the Jesuits who took over the mission work from the diocesan priests very recently to imbibe the tenets and principles of Christianity among the younger generation of the Bardeskar community.
The community though having Christianity as religion of its ancestors is very receptive to the modern trends in the Christian religion due to the dark span of about two centuries in its history as far as religion is concerned. Consequently, while inculturation is almost well accepted fact among these Catholics, the priests have also been successful in introducing various reforms which are slowly showing some positive effects on the social and economic status of the Bardeskars.