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Showing posts with the label Monitor Lizard

In my childhood days i had the great pleasure of viewing one of the grandest houses of Goa by launch that ferried us from Divar Island to Panjim jetty. Solar Dos Colacos is a over 300 hundred year old mansion on the banks of the river Mandovi facing the islands of Chorao and Divar.

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Late Bishop Mathias Fernandes was born in St Mathias, Divar Island on the 4th November 1917. He was ordained as a priest on the26th October 1944, and later a Bishop on the 3rd of February in 1964. He was responsible in opening many educational institutions and was a revered figure in his village of St Mathias, Divar and Mysore, now Karnataka. He passed away on the 9th May 1985.

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The imposing St Jerome Church is the parish church of Mapusa and was founded by the Franciscans in 1594 and dedicated to St Jerome. It was rebuilt in 1674. Today the church has a huge congregation from neighbouring villages and the church feast of Our Lady of Miracles (Milagres) is celebrated on the 2nd Monday after Easter by all communities with great pomp and ceremony.

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DOVORNNEM was used by our ancestors to rest their goods and as a resting place for their onward journey. Usually built of laterite local stone and mud, this mound was common in many villages of Goa. Sadly today this goan heritage is not maintained and in many cases are totally neglected. This photo is taken on Divar Island .

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Our Lady of Health Church at Sancoale is also known as Nossa Senhora de Saude Church. The Jesuit missionaries came by the way of Sancoale in 1560 and decided to settle there. By way of commemorating their occupation they established this Church. The first Church of Sancoale was founded in 1606 and dedicated to Our Lady of Health. The construction of the church was completed in 1566.

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If its August its the season of the delicious " Patolleo ' monsoon delicacy in Goa, which are made of steamed rice with a sweet filling comprising coconut, goan jaggery, etc. On 15th august a festival celebrating this goan heritage is celebrated " Patoienchem Fest " in the beautiful village of Socorro., Bardez.

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Salt pans were a common sight in the past but there are still some areas of Goa that these can be seen. Ribanader, Batim Keri are some villages that during the months of late April and May one can see salt being harvested.

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My son Ashley Fernandes has always been interested in music from a very young age. So it was no surprise that he returned back to the UK to do a three year degree in Audio Engineering. As his final research paper he chose to work and find a alternative synthetic membrane for the Ghumot, so we can avoid killing the Monitor Lizard for its skin. In 1972 the Government of India placed it on the endangered list and banned its killing.

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