from daijiworld's special correspondent
December 25, 2006
Archbishop's Christmas Message
Panaji: Goa’s burning issue of land conversions is echoed in the special Christmas message by Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa that was released ahead of Christmas.
Archbishop in his message has listed destruction of ecology and framing of laws that help destroy land are amongst the various problems faced by Goan society.
“Our Goan society is beset with various problems like greed to make quick money, corruption in almost every sphere of life, unemployment of the youth, continuous political instability, inter-religious mistrust, destruction of ecology, framing of laws that help destroy land, etc. Such conditions degenerate our people and our place, gradually,” Archbishop has said in his message.
Land sale and its conversion are issues that have been talked about in Goa with activists protesting Rane government’s regional plan 2011. Huge sale of land to the foreigners was also issue debated during the current year in Goa.
“May this Christmas strengthen our resolve to help in the realization of God’s dream when he took birth in the cave of Bethlehem: a new world order, wherein people of all hues and colours can join hands with one another and carry on working in a collaborative spirit to re-create the earth into a place where justice, peace, understanding and forgiveness will be the hallmark,” the message reads.
Archbishop has said that Christmas is a feast of joy, a joy that is celebrated in various and many forms, ranging from the deeply spiritual to the purely secular.
“Whatever today’s commercial concerns and the media may have made of Christmas, this Feast will always stand for an eminently spiritual reality: God intervening in the history of humankind, being born in a human family and blessing every member of the human race with His Love, Peace and Joy,” the message says.
“This reality imposes on us, as human beings, the duty to work for the genuine development of the human person and for the wholesome transformation in our society,” Archbishop adds.
Ambience of Christmas
Panaji: Santa Claus hat-sporting youth, last-minute shoppers and decked up churches - Goa was already all set to celebrate Christmas on Monday amidst tight security thrown around churches and other important places.
The 140-odd Catholic churches of the state - which boasts of around 30 per cent Catholic population - planned midnight masses, which will begin on Sunday evening and culminate in Monday's celebrations.
Security concerns were clearly evident, with important churches like Basilica Bom Jesus at Old Goa - housing the holy relic of St Francis Xavier - being guarded by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guards.
"Two companies of CISF are stationed in Goa and they will be relieved only after we get our India Reserve Batallion team in March next year," state police chief B S Brar said.
He ruled out any specific threat and said that the measures are standard ones.
Important churches were provided with the metal detectors and parishioners were scanned before entering.
"This is happening for the first time but we have to do it due to security concerns," parish priest of Panaji's Immacculate Conception Church (ICC) Antimo Gomes said.
The four centuries-old church broke its tradition on Sunday and held Mass inside the church. "We used to have it on the steps. But since metal detectors cannot be installed in such a vast space, we are holding it inside the church," Gomes said.
Though concerned police officials met local priests, briefing them about measures to be taken during celebrations, officials at the Archbishop's palace contended that they did not have any specific instructions from the department.
Meanwhile, major markets in Goa were flooded with last minute shoppers. Youths sporting Santa Claus headgears were spotted on the streets, ahead of the celebrations.
It's Party Time in Goa
Panaji: The longest parties have begun in goa since Saturday night with many hotels hosting week-long parties on the beachfront which will culminate into a grand celebration on December 31 night.
The streets leading to sandy beaches have already begun getting jammed with vehicles every evening putting stress on thin Goa traffic police force which has hard time to manage the highways, city and internal roads leading to beach belt.
Conservative figures estimate that around one lakh tourists will be present in goa any given time during this week. The hotels have already stopping accepting bookings as they are choke-a-block.
Activity at the Goa’s lone Dabolim airport has also increased tremendously with airport authority of India imposing ban on visitors from entering the airport terminal. “We have done it with two things in mind. There is a security concern and also we don’t want to pose inconvenience to the passengers,” stated Paul Manickam, airport director, Dabolim airport.
The area in and around airport has been heavily guarded with central industrial security force (CISF) taking the charge. They are doubled by Goa police in their vigilance around the airport. The authorities have already banned parking near the airport terminal building.
The most happening places these days are the beaches. The 105-km-long Goa’s coastline has several stretches lit up to host parties. Government has relaxed loud music ban during certain days including Christmas and New Year.
The night life in Goa has attained massive momentum with discos and pubs becoming a hot spot for the tourists and locals alike. “We have kept a watch around these spots to avert Balli-like situation,” stated a senior police official.
Though security concerns are much talked about in the state, the Goa police refuse any specific threat. But scanning at discos and heavily guarded places like Santa Monica jetty and Bom Jesus Basilica church clearly indicates the worry.
But party revelers are unmindful of all these things. From the glittering celebrities to the swanky trendsetters, the busiest corporate honchos to the media, most of them are in Goa.
“We have made all the arrangements to host the series of parties at our beach resort and that, this year we will be known as the biggest party zone in India,” says Mr Abhishek Nath, President (Operations), La Calypso hotels, which is tucked on Baga beach in North Goa.
What makes our parties more happening is the fact that they are held right on the beach, Nath adds.
The hotel has booked India’s acclaimed deejays—Aqueel, Akbar Sami, Nikhil Chinnappa, Pearl, Piyush, Ivon, Megha, Clement, Boombaba, Jalebi Cartel and many who be playing. Besides, UK’s renowned deejay, Vicky Divine will also play at this hotel.
The five-star hotels are already decked up for the occasion. The posh-lobbies of these hotels have huge Santa Claus and Christmas trees to give a feeling of festive season for the customers. The celebrations which have begun in this coastal state will continue till first week of January.
Read our recent, related reports from Goa: