Papal visit to Bangladesh and Myanmar brings hope for minorities

The tour of Pope Francis to Bangladesh and Myanmar next week has raised hopes of Catholics as well as other communities in these two nations. The visits are taking place at a time when both nations are witnessing strife in the form of the Rohingya crisis.

Pope Francis will visit Myanmar from November 27 to 30 and will tour Bangladesh from November 30 to December 2. A large number of Catholics in both countries are expected to attend the religious services and other public functions. In Myanmar, the Catholic Church has been making preparations for pilgrims in collaboration with other faiths.

Buddhist monasteries and Protestant and Catholic churches will provide shelter for visiting Catholics during the papal visit. The Yangon Sangha Buddhist community has offered their halls to be used as shelter for pilgrims.

A public mass to be celebrated by the Pope in Yangon on November 29 is expected to be attended by over 1.5 lakh Catholics and people from other faiths. Incidentally, a month before, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) had held an interfaith peace prayer rally across the country. Catholic priests, nuns and laypeople had taken part in the rally held on October 10.

Over the last two months, more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine state of Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, the next destination of the Pope’s tour. This is the third time a pope is visiting Bangladesh. Pope Paul VI had visited the then East Pakistan in 1970 for a few hours to sympathise with the victims of a cyclone that time. Pope John Paul II had visited the country in November 1986.

Pope Francis is scheduled to meet Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid. The pontiff’s itinerary includes a public mass at Dhaka where he will ordain 16 priests. Incidentally, the Vatican was among the first states to recognise Bangladesh soon after its independence from Pakistan in 1971.

As in the past, the papal visits to Myanmar and Bangladesh are not devoid of controversies. The Rohingya Muslims issue, referred to as ethnic cleansing, is very sensitive in Myanmar and the local Church authorities have apparently advised the pontiff to avoid references to the crisis to avoid a backlash against the local Christian community. Right wing elements in Bangladesh too will be keeping a close vigil on the Pope’s utterances and actions during his visit. Nonetheless, there is hope that the papal visit will usher in more religious freedom and better treatment to the minorities, both in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Why does India visit remain elusive?

Last year, Pope Francis had said that his visit to India and Bangladesh were ‘almost certain’. This had immediately led to some activities behind the scene between the Vatican, Catholic Church in India and the Indian government to realise the papal wish. Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had also personally met the pontiff when she led the Indian contingent to the Vatican for Mother Teresa’s canonisation at St Peter’s Square in September, last year. The Pope, besides being the spiritual head of the global Catholic Church, is also the head of the Vatican City state and therefore as per the protocol, needs formal invitation from the government authorities for his tours. While the government authorities in Myanmar and Bangladesh took the necessary initiatives in this regard, the Indian government has not shown that much enthusiasm. The Sangh Parivar has always opposed papal visits to India. Non-inclusion of India in the present Asia tour of Pope Francis could be attributed to this factor.he tour of Pope Francis to Bangladesh and Myanmar next week has raised hopes of Catholics as well as other communities in these two nations. The visits are taking place at a time when both nations are witnessing strife in the form of the Rohingya crisis.

Camil Parkhe

sakal Times

November 26, 2017

 Mother Teresa 

 Mother Teresa Home in Panjim, Goa is located at an important junction, connecting the 18th June Road and the road leading to St. Inez. St. Don Bosco School which is located nearby is an important landmark to help a visitor to find the Home for the Aged and Destitute run by the Missionaries of Charity sisters.

Many years back in late 1970s, I was a frequent visitor to this institution along with my Jesuits-run Loyola Hall pre-novitiate colleagues. We pre-novices who were also studying in Miramar-based Dhempe College offered our services to give regular hair-cuts to the poor, disabled and senior citizens inmates of the Mother Teresa Home there.

On Sunday morning, soon after the weekly mass, our group of three to four pre-novice (or pre-seminary) youths used to arrive at the Mother Teresa Home equipped with aprons, pairs of scissors, shaving cream, and razors. Our sole mission was to give a new or somewhat civilised look to the male inmates who most often looked barbarian with their long disheveled, unkempt hair and long grown beards.

The nuns there, a majority of whom were Keralites or Bengalis, would entrust us with the inmates and get themselves busy catering to the large number of destitute women, children and elders living there.

The next two to three hours, we would give the inmates haircuts, shave their beards and also cut nails of their fingers and toes. One by one, the inmates would step into the wooden chairs placed before us and by the time we finished our job, they would have a complete new look as they would get haircut and shaving done only once in three months. The old, destitute persons used to look very fresh and content after the haircut and shaving.

I recalled these scenes at Mother Teresa Homes when I watched a nearly comatose patient long haired `Anand Bhai’ getting a clean, new look in Sanjay Dutt’s film `Munnabhai MBBS’.

At that time, as a teenager, I had not even started shaving myself and so as a precautionary measure for the safety of those people, I confined my services only for giving haircuts to those senior citizen destitute.

The last time I visited the Mother Teresa Home in Panjim was in early 1980s when Mother Teresa arrived in Goa for the first time after she was conferred the Nobel Peace Award. The Government of India too had later honoured her with a Bharat Ratna award.

However this time I was visiting the Missionaries of Charity Home in a different capacity. I was no longer a Jesuit pre-novice, a person attached to a religious congregation. I had arrived there as a reporter of a local English daily, The Navhind Times. The nuns at the destitute home who knew me personally were transferred and others had replaced them.

I saw the Nobel laureate sitting in a wooden chair at the same open place where we used to give haircuts to the inmates. There were not many people there. I approached Mother Teresa and as was her wont, with her folded hands, she shook hands with me and mumbled some hardly audible words. The Mother at that time was already in her seventies. I lingered around her for some time, hoping to get a good copy for my newspaper. But I was disappointed.

Mother Teresa spoke very little, almost in a whispering voice, about loving everyone, especially those in need. About being selfless and doing everything in the name of Lord! That was not exactly the content which would make page one headlines or news. While returning to my newspaper office, I wondered what would be the intro for my news copy. The Navhind Times next day carried my news story on an inside page with a photo of the Mother Teresa at the destitute home.

Of course to be honest, at that time I was not awed by her personality. The realisation of being privileged to have come in contact with Mother Teresa came only in retrospect.

Mother Teresa passed away on 5 September 1997. Fifteen years after her death, once again I came in association with the Missionaries of Charity in another role and in a foreign land, at Rome in Italy. On an Europe tour along with my wife and daughter, I stayed along with the priests belonging to the Missionaries of Charity (Male), a congregation co- founded by Mother Teresa and doing the similar work for the destitute.

We had camped at the Missionaries of Charity centre at Via S Agapito 8 in Rome for a week, I realised that the poor, destitute and the homeless in Europe are, of course, are not as those in India. They are well-dressed and when moving outside, one can hardly believe that they are inmates of the destitute centre. A majority of these destitute and homeless are alcoholics and drug addicts.

These inmates are expected to return to the centre before the supper at 7 pm as the gates of the institution are locked for them by this time. Although offered free food and shelter at centre, some of these inmates are seen on the road, famous churches, begging to earn cash to purchase liquor or drugs.

During my stay there, twice I witnessed one or inmates returning to the destitute centre past the deadline totally sozzled and therefore forced to spend the night on the road. Since this was quiet routine affair with these inmates, no compassion was shown to them, I was told.

We journalists are privileged to come in contact with veterans from various fields, power wielding politicians, senior government officials, celebrities, and so on. Often, we tend to view them with cynicism.

Pope John Paul II canonised Mother Teresa, making her the first person to be declared a saint in a shortest period after her death. Incidentally. Pope John Paul himself became the second person to be declared a saint posthumously in a shortest duration.

Both Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul are the two saints I observed from a very close distance during their lifetimes and as a journalist, covered their functions for my newspaper.
Camil Parkhe 

Pope Francis elevates Goa archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao as a Cardinal

 

Pope Francis elevates Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao as a Cardinal in Vatican City 

Christianity in Goa is over 450 years old but it was only on Saturday, August 27, 2022 , that a `Real Goan’ Goa and Daman Archbishop Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastiao De Rosario Ferrao was appointed as a cardinal in the Catholic Church. 

 

I said `Real Goan’ because many Pogo or Persons of Goa Origin have been appointed as cardinals in the past. (By the way, Persons of Goa Origin (Pogo) Act, a private member’s Bill was recently moved in Goa Assembly to define Goans).

 

Filipe Neri Antônio Sebastiâo Do Rosario Ferrão is such a long name, but that is the style of Goan Catholic names. And Mind you, these are the person's names, not of the father or the middle names.

Like his name, the new cardinal also has a long list of his designations. 

 

Besides Goa, he is also the archbishop of Daman, located near Gujarat and far off from Goa - and he is also the Patriarch of the East Indies. 

 

Pope Francis elevated Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao as Cardinal during a consistory for creation of Cardinals held at St. Peter's Basilica at Vatican City. He was among 20 new cardinals including Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad. 

 

Mumbai Archbishop and later Cardinal Valerian Gracias was the first Asian to be appointed as a Cardinal by Pope Pius XII in 1952, a few years after India achieved her Independence. Born in Karachi, Cardinal Gracias was a Person of Goa Origin, hailing from from Navelin near Margaon. 

 

Pune Bishop late Valerian D’Souza, though born in Pune, was also a native of Goa, hailing from Parra near Porvorim. Goa has given several bishops and archbishops - and thousands of priests and nuns - to the Catholic Church. 

 

Pakistan’s first Cardinal Joseph Marie Anthony Cordeiro, also hailed from Goa. As a staff reporter of the Panjim-based English daily, `The Navhind Times' , I had met and interviewed Cardinal Cordeiro when he had visited Goa in early 1980s. 

 

Cardinal Simon Pimenta, the first Marathi-speaking Cardinals of Mumbai was another cardinal I have interviewed. 

 

The post of cardinals in the Catholic Church is very important. These senior ranking clergies with Red Hat were in the past referred to as Princes of the Church. 

 

It is among these College of Cardinals that a new Pope is elected whenever there is a vacancy. (This is a very rare situation that for the past over a decade we have two popes, Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. 

 

Those cardinals less than 80 years old are entitled to participate and - also to be candidates - in the secret elections held at the historic Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to elect the new Pope. Incidentally, the number in the College of Cardinals does not exceed 120. 

 

The number of cardinals from India has remained static to six during the past many years. 

 

However this does not reduce the chance of an Indian cardinal being elected to the papacy. 

 

Camil Parkhe 

^^

गोवामुक्तीचे हिरकमहोत्सवी वर्ष आणि अंतोनियो कोस्टा पोर्तुगालच्या पंतप्रधानपदी

Caption : Portuguese\ Prime Minister Antonio Costa during his Goa visit in 2017

गेल्या महिन्यात पोर्तुगालच्या मतदारांनी अंतोनियो कोस्टा यांना बहुमताने पुन्हा एकदा पंतप्रधानपदी निवडून दिले आहे.

पोर्तुगिजांची तब्बल साडेचारशे वर्षे वसाहत असलेल्या गोव्यात तसेच दमण आणि दीव येथे भारतीय लष्कर पाठवून पंतप्रधान पंडित नेहरुंनी हा चिमुकला प्रदेश भारतीय संघराज्यात सामील केला, या घटनेससुद्धा गेल्या डिसेंबरात साठ वर्षे पूर्ण झाली.

गोवामुक्तीचे यंदाचे हे हिरकमहोत्सवी वर्ष आणि अंतोनियो कोस्टा यांची पोर्तुगालच्या पंतप्रधानपदी फेरनिवड यात एक महत्त्वाचा संबंध आहे.

कोस्टा यांची पंतप्रधानपदी निवड ही केवळ गोव्यातील नव्हे तर तमाम भारतीयांना अभिमान वाटेल अशीच घटना आहे. युरोपातील या देशातील निवडणुकीच्या या बातमीने गोव्यातसुद्धा जल्लोष केला गेला.

याचे कारण म्हणजे पंतप्रधान अंतोनियो कोस्टा उर्फ बाबुश हे मूळचे गोव्यातले आहेत. `बाबुश’ गोव्यातील एक आवडते टोपण नाव आहे. उदाहरणार्थ, पणजी मतदारसंघातून निवडणूक लढणारे भारतीय जनता पक्षाचे उमेदवार 'बाबुश' मोन्सेरात आहेत आणि त्यांचे प्रमुख प्रतिस्पर्धी भाजपचे बंडखोर उमेदवार मनोहर पर्रीकर यांचे चिरंजीव उत्पल पर्रीकर आहेत.

अंतोनियो कोस्टा सरचिटणीस असलेल्या सोशालिस्ट पार्टीला पोर्तुगालच्या या मध्यावधी निवडणुकीत निर्विवाद बहुमत मिळाले आहे. पंतप्रधान कोस्टा यांनी गोव्याला २०१७ साली भेट दिली तेव्हा मडगाव येथील त्यांच्या वाडवडिलांच्या घरी ते गेले होते, आपल्या जवळच्या नातेइकांना ते भेटले होते.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa during his visit to Mangueshi in Goa in 2017

कोस्टा यांची २०१५ला पोर्तुगालच्या पंतप्रधानपदी पहिल्यांदा निवड झाली होती. त्यावेळी त्यांचे सरकार अल्पमतातले होते. एकेकाळी एक बलवान राष्ट्र असलेले पोर्तुगाल आज युरोपमधले एक सर्वांत गरीब राष्ट्र गणले जाते. पंतप्रधान झाल्यानंतर कोस्टा यांनी पोर्तुगालची अर्थव्यवस्था बळकट करण्यासाठी केलेली उपाययोजना खूप लाभदायक ठरली. मात्र त्यानंतर युरोपातल्या कोविड साथीमुळे या देशातील अर्थव्यवस्थेतर खूप वाईट परिणाम झाला आहे. आर्थिक संकटातून बाहेर येण्यासाठी पोर्तुगालला आजही युरोपियन युनियनच्या मदतीवर अवलंबून राहावे लागत आहे .

मूळचे गोव्यातील असलेल्या व्यक्तीची पोर्तुगालच्या मंत्रिमंडळात निवड होण्याची मात्र ही पहिलीच वेळ नाही. ऐंशीच्या दशकात मी गोव्यात पणजी येथे बातमीदार असताना मूळचे गोमंतकीय असलेले पोर्तुगालचे मंत्री किंवा खासदार गोव्याच्या दौऱ्यावर येत असत तेव्हा त्यांच्या या भेटीच्या बातम्या मी अनेकदा दिल्या आहेत. हे पोर्तुगीज मंत्रीमहोदय किंवा संसदसदस्य कुटुंबियांबरोबर आपल्या पूर्वजांच्या घरी आल्यावर नातेवाईकांना भेटत, स्थानिक चर्चला प्रार्थनेला जात अशा बातम्या आणि फोटो आम्ही वृत्तपत्रांत छापत असू.

पोर्तुगालची वसाहत असलेल्या `पोर्तुगीज इंडिया' म्हणून ओळखल्या गोवा, दमण आणि दीव येथील नागरिकांना पोर्तुगालचे नागरिक म्हणून हक्क होते. गेल्या तिनशे-चारशे वर्षांच्या पोर्तुगीज वसाहतीच्या काळात गोव्यातील अनेक लोक विविध कारणांनी पोर्तुगालची राजधानी लिस्बन येथे गेले, तेथेच स्थायिक झाले किंवा तेथून इतर युरोपियन देशांत गेले.

पंतप्रधान अंतोनियो कोस्टा यांचे आजोबा गोव्यातल्या मडगाव इथले, अंतोनियो यांचा जन्म पोर्तुगालमध्ये झाला होता, त्यांचे वडील ओर्लांदो यांचा जन्म पोर्तुगालची दुसरी वसाहत असलेल्या मोझाम्बिक येथे झाला होता.

माझ्याबरोबर पणजी येथे कॉलेजला शिकणाऱ्या माझ्या अनेक मित्रांकडे पोर्तुगीज पासपोर्ट होते. त्यापैकी नंतर काही जण पोर्तुगालला गेले आणि तेथून मग इतर पाश्चात्य राष्ट्रांत स्थायिक झाले आहेत.

विदेशांत जन्मलेल्या व्यक्तींविषयी किंवा इतकेच नव्हे भारतातल्याच मात्र मूळचे इतर राज्यांतल्या व्यक्तीविषयी आपली मते फारशी सहिष्णू नसतात. मात्र भारतीय वंशाच्या व्यक्तीने परदेशात महत्त्वाचे पद मिळवल्यास आपल्याला अभिमान वाटतो.

जन्माने इटालियन असलेल्या सोनिया गांधी यांच्या नेतृत्वाखाली काँग्रेस २००४ साली सत्तेवर आली. त्यावेळी खासदार असलेल्या सोनिया या घटनात्मक तरतुदीनुसार पंतप्रधान होणार हे निश्चित झाल्यावर सत्तेतून पराभूत झालेल्या भाजपच्या खासदार सुषमा स्वराज आणि उमा भारती यांनी काय वक्तव्ये केली हे जाणून घेण्यासाठी त्याकाळची वृत्तपत्रे पुन्हा चाळता येतील.

गोव्यातही आज काय वास्तव आहे ? तिथे 'भायलो' ही संज्ञा आजही वारंवार ऐकायला येतेच. दहा मार्चच्या निवडणुकीनंतर गोव्याच्या इतिहासात पहिल्यांदाच दोन 'भायलो' आमदार असण्याची शक्यता सोशल मिडीयावर व्यक्त केली गेली आहे कारण दोन संभाव्य आमदार दाक्षिणात्य आडनावांचे आहेत, मात्र. जन्माने ते गोमंतकीय आणि कोकणी बोलणारे आहेत !

दादाभाई नौरोजी हे ब्रिटिश संसदेचे पहिले भारतीय सदस्य. ब्रिटिश काळातच गोपाळ कृष्ण गोखले यांची निवड मुंबई विधिमंडळावर आणि केंद्रीय मध्यवर्ती कायदेमंडळावर झाली होती, म्हणून त्यांना `नामदार' हे संबोधन वापरले जाते..

ब्रिटनचे पंतप्रधान बॉरीस जॉन्सन यांचे आईवडील ब्रिटिश, मात्र बॉरीस जॉन्सन हे जन्माने अमेरिकन आहेत ! भारतीय वंशाच्या कमला हॅरिस यांनी अमेरिकेच्या उपराष्ट्राध्यक्ष म्हणून गेल्या वर्षी सूत्रे हाती घेतली. अमेरिकेत, इंग्लंडमध्ये आणि इतर युरोपियन राष्ट्रांतसुद्धा भारतीय वंशाच्या अनेक व्यक्ती विविध महत्वाच्या पदांवर आहेत.

पोर्तुगालमध्ये मात्र ही परंपरा फार जुनी आहे. पंतप्रधान अंतोनियो कोस्टा यांच्याच मंत्रिमंडळात मूळ गोव्याच्या इतर दोन व्यक्ती आहेत.

महाराष्ट्राच्या सीमेवर असलेल्या गोवा या चिमुकल्या राज्यात सहलीसाठी, पर्यटनासाठी अनेक लोक जात असतात. समुद्रकिनारी असलेला एक सुंदर प्रदेश अशीच गोव्याची ओळख असली तरी गोव्याविषयीच्या अनेक नाविन्यपूर्णगोष्टी आपण कधी ऐकलेल्याही नसतात.

उदाहरणार्थ, स्वतंत्र भारताच्या इतिहासात आतापर्यंत फक्त एकदाच आणि केवळ गोवा, दमण आणि दीव येथेच सार्वमत घेण्यात आले आहे. हा प्रदेश पोर्तुगीज सत्तेतून मुक्त केल्यानंतर या प्रदेशाचे भवितव्य काय असावे याबाबत तेथील लोकांचे मत जाणून घेण्यासाठी पंतप्रधान इंदिरा गांधी यांच्या कारकिर्दीत १९६७च्या जानेवारीत तिथे चक्क मतदान घेण्यात आले होते.

गोव्याचे महाराष्ट्रात विलीन करावे कि गोवा स्वतंत्र असावा याबाबत बहुसंख्य लोकांनी स्वतंत्र गोव्यासाठी अनुकूल मतदान केले. महाराष्ट्रात विलीन न होता गोवा अशाप्रकारे स्वतंत्र प्रदेश राहिला.

गोव्याबाबतची आणखी एक वैशिष्ट्यपूर्ण बाब म्हणजे संपूर्ण भारतात केवळ याच राज्यात समान नागरी कायदा किंवा युनिफॉर्म सिव्हिल कोड गेल्या शतकापासून अस्तित्वात आहे.

येथील हिंदू, ख्रिस्ती, मुस्लीम व इतर कुठल्याही धर्माच्या लोकांना लग्न, घटस्फोट, वारसाहक्क वगैरे विविध कायदेकानूंसाठी हा समान नागरी कायदा लागू आहे.

शंभर वर्षांपूर्वी पोर्तुगाल राजवटीने गोव्यात हा कायदा आणला आणि आतापर्यंत तो बिनबोभाट, विनातक्रार पाळला जात आहे. धर्मविरहित आणि लिंगाधारित भेद न करणारा समान नागरी कायदा भारताच्या एका राज्यात खूप वर्षांपासून अस्तित्वात आहे याची देशातील अनेक लोकांना कल्पनाही नसेल.

पणजीला मी कॉलेजात आणि नोकरीला असताना अनेकदा मित्रमैत्रिणींकडून ऐकायचो कि त्यांचे `सिव्हिल मॅरेज’ झाले आहे आणि एकदोन महिन्यांत चर्च मॅरेजही होईल. नंतर लक्षात आले कि युनिफॉर्म सिव्हिल कोडनुसार गोव्यात सिव्हिल मॅरेज वा नोंदणी विवाह बंधनकारक होता.

भारताच्या उर्वरित राज्यांतही आता लग्नाचे नोंदणीकरण अनिवार्य करण्यात आले आहे.

गोवा म्हणजे सुंदर समुद्रकिनारे, हिरवागार निसर्ग,सुट्टी आणि पर्यटनासाठी एक उत्तम आणि जवळचा प्रदेश अशी अनेकांची समजूत असते. गोवा याहून खूप काही आहे, गोव्याची स्वतःची अशी खास संस्कृती आहे, इतिहास आहे. साहित्य, संगीत, क्रीडा वगैरे अनेक क्षेत्रांत गोव्याने खूप मोठे योगदान दिले आहे.

सत्तरच्या दशकात `बॉबी' या गाजलेल्या चित्रपटात राज कपूरने गोव्यातील `देखणी' या लोकप्रिय लोकगीतातील 'घे घे घे घेरे, घेरे सायबा' या ओळी वापरल्या होत्या. चित्रकार मारिओ मिरांडा यांनी आपल्या कुंचल्याच्या रेषांतून गोव्याच्या वैशिष्ट्यपूर्ण वास्तुकला असणाऱ्या मंदिरांची आणि चर्चेसची तसेच या प्रदेशाच्या बहुअंगी संस्कृतीची देशभर आणि जगभर ओळख करुन दिली.

गोव्याच्या बहुअंगी सांस्कृतिक अंतरंगात डोकावून पाहिले तर अशा कितीतरी गोष्टींची ओळख होते

गोवामुक्तीचा यावर्षी सुवर्णमहोत्सव साजरा करणारे गोव्यातील लोक गेली काही आठवडे एका वेगळ्याच म्हणजे लोकशाहीच्या उत्सवात गर्क होते.

१४ फेब्रुवारी रोजी गोव्यात विधानसभेच्या निवडणुकीसाठी मतदान झाले आणि यावेळी इतर पक्षांप्रमाणेच तृणमूल काँग्रेस आणि आप आदमी पक्ष सुद्धा निवडणुकीच्या रिंगणात आहेत.

`गोवाके लोग अजिब है'' असे पंडित नेहरुंचे वाक्य प्रसिद्ध आहे. दहा मार्चला जाहीर होणाऱ्या निवडणूक निकालात पंडितजींच्या विधानाचे कसे पडसाद पडतात हे आता पाहायचे .

`दिव्यमराठी' तला लेख

Meeting Raj Kapoor in Bulgaria

 This is very old incident which took place three decades back. I was young then, 26 to be exact. Nonetheless the incident is still afresh before my eyes. Some of us Indian journalists who were undergoing a journalism course in Bulgaria were enjoying drinks and music at a garden restaurant in Bourgas town of the East European country. A music group dressed in traditional Bulgarian attire was playing music in the dimly lit restaurant. Some of the hotel customers would leave their tables to join the dance floor at the centre. After spending more than a month in Bulgaria as a part of our journalism course there, even we Indian delegates had become bold enough to join the dancing floor, the young girls and women did not mind strangers joining them on the dance floor!

It was our daily schedule to have the supper at our guest house at 7 pm and then leave for some hotels where we would hang around till 10 pm. There we would enjoy the music, some of us like me drank various varieties of the Bulgarian wines or Vodka, smoked Bulgarian cigarette Phoenix and also joined the dance floor.

While sipping Vodka (pronounced as Bodka in the local lingo), I happened to glance at one of the portraits there on the wall and I could not believe my eyes. There was a black and white photograph hung of the garden wall. But I was not too sure.

I had to draw attention of my Indian friends to confirm about the portrait. There was disbelief which soon turned into loud murmurs and an excitement among us Indian journalists . Now there was no mistaking about the photo. It was the photo of Indian actor, Hindi film industry’s veteran hero, Raj Kapoor !

Raj Kapoor’s photo in a town in Bulgaria ! It was amazing !

Some of us could not suppress their curiosity and rushed to the reception counter to know how the photo of the veteran Indian actor had surfaced there. Of course, none of the people at the reception counter knew English but with the help of wild gestures and a few words, we learnt that Indian actor was indeed a very popular hero in Bulgaria too.

One of the stewards then approached the music group to have a word with the group leader . And lo! The music group soon started playing the famous tune of Raj Kapoor’s famous song ‘Mera Juta Hai Japani..’

One of the music group members had also started dancing in the legendary Raj Kapur dance steps style. Then we learnt that Raj Kapur’s Hindi films and his songs like ‘Aawara Hoon.. Aawara Hoon’ were very popular among the people in Russia and also the East European nations .

Now I must explain what we Indian journalists were doing in Bulgaria. Our group of 30 Indian journalists was undergoing a journalism course organised by International Organisation of Journalists (IOJ) in Bulgaria. During that last phase of the Cold War years, in 1980s, the IOJ used to conduct such courses for Indian journalists in the East European Block or the Warsaw Pact nations including East Germany, Poland, Italy, Rumania, Czechoslovakia, and others. That year, Bulgaria had hosted the journalism course for Indian delegates and as a general secretary of the Goa Union of Journalists, I was also a part of this course and a nationwide tour of Bulgaria and a brief visit to the Soviet Russia . The Navhind Times in Panjim where I was a staff reporter had sanctioned me full paid leave for the course.

It was then we realised that Hindi actor Raj Kapoor was an household name not only in Bulgaria but in the Soviet Russia and also in the USSR-influenced East European nations. During that 1986 East European tour, I realised that the two most popular Indian names in the Soviet Russia were the recently assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and actor Raj Kapoor. During our Moscow tour, I had also seen a life size statue of Indira Gandhi on an important traffic square in the USSR capital.

In Bulgaria, besides Indira Gandhi and Raj Kapoor, a third Indian name was equally popular. That was Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore who had visited Bulgaria in early 20th century. Rabindrababu’s poems have also been translated into Bulgarian language. During my stay in Bulgaria, I had leant to speak many sentences in Bulgarian language and was also able to read the Cyrillic script, also called as Russian script which is common among many East European countries’ languages.

Once our group had finished a visit at a textile factory in a Bulgarian city when a middle-aged employee approached us near the lift, held his cap in his hand and started taking those typical Raj Kapoor steps, singing ‘Aawara Hoon.... ‘Aawara Hoon.... !’’

All of us were spellbound. It was amazing to experience Raj Kapoor’s magic among the common folks in Bulgaria.

(A few years back, these incidents had flashed before my eyes as I conversed with a young manger in a supermarket in Paris. When Aditi, my daughter, told him that we were Indian tourists, his instant exclamation was ‘Oh, Shah Rukh Khan’s India!”.

That was a pleasant surprise. He was not fluent in English but we somehow managed to strike a conversation. He said that he was a SRK’s fan, liked his Hindi films, the music in the film and the very frequent dance sequences. He said that that even without French sub-titles, he could understand the Hindi film story and that he also watched Hindi films of Rhitik Roshan, Aamir Khan and other Indian actors. How our actors have crossed national, linguistic and cultural borders to act as ambassadors of their respective nations !

“The King Khan and the new generation of Hindi actors have indeed continued Raj Kapoor’s legacy of being India’s cultural ambassadors abroad,” I had said to myself as I walked out of the supermarket. )

After the conclusion of the journalism certificate course in Bulgaria, we returned to India after a transit halt at Tashkent. The name of this city obviously revived our memories of Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who had breathed his last in Tashkent ( after the division of the USSR, now the capital of an independent nation Uzbekistan). When our flight arrived we arrived in New Delhi, the newly designed Indira Gandhi International Airport was already inaugurated. But those days, there were no moving walkways to help the passengers to easily cover the long distance from the plane to the airport’s immigration counters. I, along with other Indian journalists delegates, was moving on the enclosed corridor towards the check-in counters when suddenly my eyesight fell on an old co-passenger.

Unlike us who carried with us heavy warm clothes and other luggage as it could not be sent in cargo section due to weight limits , this very fair-complexioned, stout senior citizen carried absolutely no luggage with him. Visibly tired, he sat on one of those colourful bucket seats to rest for a while as I was about to pass by him. Looking sideways at him, I noticed that exhaustion had turned his very fair face totally red.

Suddenly, I froze in my steps.

It was Raj Kapoor who was now returning in the Aeroflot plane along with us from the Soviet Russia, a country where he was an idol.

What was expected of me, standing just a few feet away from this veteran actor? That too just a few days after realising how much was he was loved in those foreign countries !

How I wish I should have at least shaken hands with this doyen of Indian film industry, just to let him know our gratitude towards him for making us Indians proud on the foreign soil.

But I did neither. Perhaps, I was too shy or was not ready to disturb this celebrity’s privacy. Along with other colleagues, I hurriedly carried on my walk towards the airport counters, looked twice behind at the actor who had now resumed his walk.

Nearly two years later, Raj Kapoor, an asthmatic patient, collapsed during the ceremony held to honour him with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award. Few days later in a hospital, he breathed his last.

Since then, I have always wondered who do they bestow the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award on film personalities when they are too old to enjoy the honour?

Raj Kapoor’s that black and white photograph hung on the Bulgarian city’s garden restaurant’s wall and the `‘Aawara Hoon ... ‘Aawara Hoon ’ tune sung by people on the foreign land is still afresh in my mind.

------

December 14 is Raj Kapoor's birth anniversary

Thailand govt affirms transformation-led investments

Thailand govt affirms transformation-led investments

CAMIL PARKHE | Monday, 20 February 2017 AT 12:18 PM IST

    

Opportunity Thailand 2017, investment, Thailan, seminar

Bangkok: The Thailand government has highlighted partnership and collaboration on both regional as well as global level, also public and private sectors, as the keys to materialise transformation and competitiveness with five investment
agendas in focus.

Thailand Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha speaks to the audience during ‘Opportunity Thailand 2017’ seminar held by the Thailand Board of Investment in Bangkok.

In his speech at the opening of ‘Opportunity Thailand 2017’ seminar held by Thailand Board of Investment here on February 15, Thailand Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha told over 3,000 participants, “Amidst global changes and their impact on the economy of each country, Thailand has laid out a clear national development strategy for the next 20 years to enhance national competitiveness. We have achieved political and economic stability and we are ready to move further to get out of the middle-income trap. That can be achieved through the ‘burst from the inside’ strategy initiated by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, meaning using the inner strength to lead development.”

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak also confirmed the government’s commitment to promoting collaboration and partnership. “It’s now time for partnership, not competition. As a country, we have to bring together strengths in different sectors to create a new value chain,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

ST staffer attends Thailand initiative 
Sakal Times Assistant Editor Camil Parkhe was among the 62 journalists representing the print and electronics media from various parts of the world. Thailand Board of Investment had invited the international journalists to visit Thailand from February 13 to 18 as a part of 'Opportunity Thailand' initiative to witness various investment opportunities in the country.

Sakal Times was among the only five newspaper and industries federation agencies from India chosen by the Thailand government for the Thailand tour. 

The Indian delegation was led by Kanokporn Chotipal,  Director and Consul (Investment), Thailand Board of Investment, Mumbai. The other Indian journalists delegates were  Amiti Sen, Nivedita Mukherjee and Rajesh Rai from New Delhi, Pratik Ghosh from Mumbai, and Hari Kumar Maddi from Visakhapatnam.

Church call for Special prayer for peace and safety on borders

Special prayer for peace and safety on borders

CAMIL PARKHE | Monday, 10 October 2016 AT 11:24 AM IST

    

goo.gl/DPXqO7

Catholic Bishops, CBCI, prayer, Catholic church, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, religious event, Pune,Camil Parkhe

PUNE: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has called for a day of prayer all over the country on Sunday, October 16, in view of the ongoing religious events of various communities and the ‘extraordinary challenges’ on the country’s borders.

The CBCI is the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country.

CBCI President Cardinal Baselios Cleemis has issued a circular to the church hierarchy in the country, asking them to conduct special religious services for the nation on October 16.

Cardinal Cleemis in his circular has referred to Dasara festival on October 11, Muharram, a day of special significance to the Muslims, on October 12, and the birth of Guru Granth commemorated by the Sikhs on October 20 and the forthcoming Diwali festival.

“Amidst all these festivals, our beloved country is going through extraordinary challenges especially on its borders. The Catholic church prays for our beloved country, for justice, peace, prosperity and welfare, harmony and unity,” Cardinal Cleemis said.

While urging the church leaders to conduct special liturgies and prayers for the nation on this day, the CBCI President has also invited people of goodwill to join in praying for the country.

“May every place of worship chime with prayers for our beloved nation, its leaders and its people,” the cardinal has said.

Preface ‘Contribution of Christian Missionaries in India’

‘Contribution of Christian Missionaries in India’

Written by Camil Parkhe

Published by Gujarat Sahitya Prakash,

Post Box No 70, Anand, 388 001

Gujarat, India

Foreword byAnosh Malekar

Assistant Editor,

The Indian Express (Pune edition)

Email: booksgsp@gmail.com

First Published in 2007

ISBN 978 81 8937 36 2

PREFACE

by Author Camil parkhe

I was introduced to the missionary way of life for the first time when I was a primary school student. I was then studying in third standard in St. Teresa Boys School at Haregaon in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. In the 1960s, European priests were working in most of the mission centres in Ahmednagar district, as was the case in other parts of India. Most of these European priests were in their middle ages. Fr. Hubert Sixt, a strict disciplinarian, was the head of this rural primary school and Fr. Richard Wasserer was the local parish priest. Their personalities and nature differed. Children from the school and the hostel were friendly with Fr. Wasserer who was slightly elder among the two.

St. Teresa Boys School in those days was housed in rows of rooms with tiled roofs and small verandah. The local parish also owned a farm where a water tank was just constructed. Every morning, all of us staying at the school hostel would attend the holy mass in the church. The school would open at around 7.30 a m. Fr. Wasserer would take us hostelites to the water tank for a swim before the break of the dawn. Water was of course used to be warm at that time. Most of us hostelites took their first lessons in swimming there. Fr. Wasserer would help us to overcome the fear of water. Once when such swimming session was in progress, one of the walls of the tank got washed away and water gushed out, along with the children and the priest. Fortunately nobody was hurt.

The personality of Fr. Sixt was altogether different. The school students and hostelites were scared of this priest who had a German shepherd as his pet. However when any of the hostelites fell ill or got injured while playing, they would experience the care and affection of this priest. Fr. Sixt, a German who was drafted into the Nazi Medical Corps during the Second World War would personally examine the boys and give them medicines. If required, he also used to administer injections. The children dreaded the burning sensation experienced while applying iodine on fresh bleeding wounds or the injection needle. I think this fear had contributed to a great extent in creating fear about Fr. Sixt in our minds.

My two elder brothers were also in the same school and hostel. Children from nearby Ekwadi, Donwadi, Teenwadi (Wadi means hamlet in Marathi) and Undirgaon studied in the school. The lodging and boarding fee per hostelite was Rs five per month. Nonetheless, many of the parents found it difficult to pay even this small fee in time. However, Fr Sixt never admonished or expelled any hostelite for not paying the fees.

Today, Christian priests and nuns are running schools in several towns and villages of Ahmednagar district and also in the neighbouring Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and Beed districts. But during those days, a large number of local Christian students from Shrirampur, Rahuri and neighbouring talukas in the district completed primary education in St. Teresa schools for Boys and Girls at Haregaon and shifted to Dnyanmata School and St. Mary's School at Sangamner in the same district for the secondary education.

At both places, they were accommodated in the hostels. Poverty was the major reason why people kept their children in these hostels. Besides, most of these students would have not continued their education had they remained with their families in the villages. The atmosphere in their families or villages was not education-friendly. The entire Catholic mission centres in Ahmednagar district then were founded and run by the Jesuits, the priests belonging the Society of Jesus.

Ahmednagar and Aurangabad districts are among the areas in Maharashtra where there is a sizeable number of Christians - Catholics and Protestants. The grandparents or great grandparents of these people had embraced Christianity in the 19th century.

After appearing for the matriculation examination from Dnyanmata or even before that, many students used to join St. Joseph Technical Institute in Pune, which was also run by the Jesuits. Fr Ivo Meyer who founded the St Luke's Hospital (also called as German Hospital) in Shrirampur was later director at this institute. The students who hailed from outside Pune stayed in the institute's hostel and acquired diplomas in various courses like turner, fitter, and wireman. The institute during those days provided trained skilled workmen to Pune’s reputed industrial units including the Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto and Greaves. Most of these students were interviewed at the St Joseph institute's campus itself and recruited by these companies for various posts.

These young Christians whose parents or grandparents were erstwhile dalits (belonging to the erstwhile untouchable communities) and had no social or financial capabilities to take up graduation or post graduation courses. The Haregaon-Sangamner-Pune route proved very beneficial to these youngsters and their community as it led to their social and economical upward mobility. The number of Christian youths from Ahmednagar district who took this route is enormous. This path was followed by at least two generations. The financial status of the Christian families from Ahmednagar district, which migrated to Pune in search of greener pastures in this manner, is far better than those who lived behind.

This progress was possible only due to financial and psychological support offered by the missionaries to this otherwise neglected community. Although before their conversion, these Christians belonged to the erstwhile untouchable Mahar and other castes, they have been deprived of their right to reservations for education and jobs due to their conversion to Christianity. Ironically, reservations and other benefits are extended to their dalit family members and other relatives who embrace either Buddhism or Sikhism and others who have continued to be Hindus.

With their limited resources, missionaries have enabled this community to be self-reliant and succeeded in granting them social status. Jesus Christ has said that ‘Man does not live by bread alone’ but these missionaries made efforts to ensure that this poor community secured their bread as well. A majority of Christians in India belong to the erstwhile Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. I have referred to the example of the missionary work in Ahmednagar district only to illustrate the contribution of Christian missionaries to the progress of the underprivileged sections of society. The missionaries have given a similar helping hand to economically and socially backward Christians and also others in different parts of India.

There are thousands of schools, colleges, hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages and other institutions run by Christian missionaries in India. A large number of persons belonging to the so-called cream of the society and working in various fields are the alumni of these Christian institutions. A majority of the beneficiaries of all these institutions are, of course, non-Christians. The reason being, these institutions are open to persons of all religions and castes. The Christians studying in a majority of these institutions may be hardly one or two per cent. The alumni of these institutions include the present President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam and several veterans from different walks of life.

The contribution made by Christian missionaries especially in the educational and social fields is noteworthy. It is often alleged that Christian missionaries make use of these institutions to lure or compel the students and others to convert to Christianity. The millions of non-Christians who have been educated in the missionary educational institutions and others who have availed of services in other Christian institutions only can vouch whether the allegation holds good. If the allegation were true, the number of Christians in the country would have increased manifold during the past century.

Missionaries offered free education and medical services in remote parts of the country both before and after Independence. They have never taken into consideration the caste or religion of the beneficiaries. The term ‘missionary spirit’ now has become synonymous to selfless and dedicated service even in Indian languages.

While carrying out their routine work, the Christian missionaries in the past five centuries have contributed a great deal simultaneously in the fields of literature, social awakening, education and medical services in various States. This book however refers to the life and work of only a few missionaries. There are also many missionaries who have now gone into oblivion despite rendering great service to society. A majority of these European who toiled in the drought-prone Ahmednagar district for several years have found the final resting place at the cemetery in Sangamner town. A souvenir released by the Nashik diocese to commemorate the 150 years of evangelisation by German Jesuits in western India contained the list of Catholic priests and nuns who worked at these mission centres. Fr Joe Ubelmesser from Germany who said that he was adding the list to the German Jesuits archives in his message had rightly said that 'sometimes the cemeteries are containing more history than many books.'

While doing research on this project, I have learnt about the commendable service given by several Catholic and Protestant missionaries. My only regret is that it was not possible to write about all of them in this small book.

Camil Parkhe

April 2007

Pope Francis may visit India this year

Pope Francis may visit India this year

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 31 March 2016 AT 10:35 PM IST

    

Pope Francis, visit India, Catholic Bishops Conference, CBCI, Roman Catholic Church, Pune, Camil Parkhe

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5485323426147461785&SectionId=5171561142064258099&SectionName=Pune&NewsDate
=20160331&NewsTitle=Pope%20Francis%20may%20visit%20India%20this%20year

PUNE: There are high chances that Pope Francis may visit India this year as the Catholic Bishops Conference of India has formally urged the Indian government to invite the pontiff on a state visit. If Pope Francis accepts India’s invitation, it will be the fourth papal visit to the country.

Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, President of the CBCI, has recently sent an invitation to the Pope to visit India. As per the procedure, the CBCI has also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally in-vite the pontiff to India.

Head of the Roman Catholic Church is also the head of the Vatican City state and therefore as per the protocol, needs a formal invitation by both the Indian government and the Indian Catholic Church to visit the country.

The Church leadership in the country would be happy if the Pope attends the proposed canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa in Kolkata. Pope Francis has already announced that the Nobel laureate would be formally declared a saint on September 3, on the eve of her death anniversary. The visit of the global head of the Catholic community in India is expected to boost the image of the BJP government, which is often accused of being anti-minorities.

Pope Paul VI was the first Pope to visit India to attend the international Eucharistic Congress held in Mumbai in 1964. Pope John Paul II was on a 10-day India visit in 1986 and again on a three-day visit to New Delhi in November 1999. Incidentally, Pakistan had also last month sent a formal invitation to Pope Francis to visit Pakistan. Pope John Paul II had visited Pakistan in 1981.

Mandatory use of helmets for two-wheeler riders

‘To wear or not to wear’ cannot be the question, it’s a must!

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 4 February 2016 AT 10:33 PM IST

    

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Maharashtra government, CAMIL PARKHE, helmet, two-wheeler riders, Pune

At last, the Maharashtra government has decided to enforce the rule of compulsory helmets for all two-wheeler riders all over the state. The rule of mandatory use of helmets has been there for many years but not implemented due to the apathy of the administration in implementing it. This has led to avoidable deaths of a large number of people, especially youngsters.

There has not been a consistent policy of the government administration and especially the police department in enforcing the rule on mandatory use of helmets. A few years ago, when a new police officer took over the charge of the traffic wing in Pune police commissionerate, he announced the strict enforcement of the rule. Accordingly, for a few months two-wheeler riders were fined for not observing the rule. This had naturally the desired effect as all those who had helmets at their homes started using them and those who did not have helmets purchased them immediately. But the enforcement was again relaxed later and now the drive on helmets rule has been totally called off. This inconsistency on the part of the police and also the government administration is totally inexplicable.

What is most important is that some major automobile giants and other industries in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have been for the past many years strictly enforcing the rule on use of helmets on their campus areas. Having no other option, employees of these industries and also those desiring to enter these premises have been following the rule.

Use of helmets is also mandatory on campus of all defence establishments all over the country. The helmets rule has been enforced most stringently in Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai. Why is the same rule not enforced in other cities and highways in the state?

A couple of years ago, traffic police authorities in Pune police commissionerate started strictly enforcing the rule on wearing seat belts for four-wheeler drivers and have been consistent with this policy. As a result, the rule has been observed by most four-wheeler drivers in the city. It is strange why the police authorities are not consistent with the helmet rule as well.

At the national level, too, there is no consistency on implementing the helmets rule. In some metropolitan cities and states, the rule has been enforced while other cities ignore this rule. Implementation of the rule has been left to the whims and fancies of the in-charge police officials in these cities. This is despite the fact that over 1,50,000 people die in road accidents in India every year. In Pune police commissionerate area comprising Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, every year 400 people are killed in road mishaps and of them, 200 are two-wheeler riders. Of the total 479 two-wheeler riders who were killed in road mishaps during the past two years, 477 had not worn helmets.

Deaths of these two-wheeler riders would have been surely avoided in most cases had these people worn helmets. Indeed, there are many people who understand the importance and need of wearing helmets and would use the helmets even if there is no compulsion to do so. But a large number of people would be inclined to use the helmet only if it is mandatory. During my recent visit to Goa, I witnessed a large number foreign nationals zooming fast on two-wheelers without wearing helmets. I was sure that in their own countries, these foreigners would never dare to ride even a bicycle without a helmet as otherwise they would be penalised there. That is why we cannot afford to make use of helmets as optional or voluntary. There would be a heavy price to be paid for that. There is urgent need to enforce the helmet rule all over the country and that too consistently.