OBITUARY: Fr Planton Faria CUNCOLIM

OBITUARY: Fr Planton Faria
BY FREDERICK NORONHA
He was one of the priests who wrote a lot, and of direct interest to me (as
a collector of Goa books) was his work on his village of Cuncolim in Goa.
Both his knowledge and love for the place showed in his labour of love.

By the early 1990s, Fr Planton must have realised what a poor job Goa was
doing in training the next generation of journalists. So he himself
launched a training programme under the aegis (if I recall right) of the
Diocesan Centre for Social Media Communications. Classes were held on
Sundays in a classroom at the Mary Immaculate School, Panjim, again if I'm
not getting it wrong. That was the predecessor to the journalism training
schools we have today (attached to colleges like Xavier's, Dhempe's and Don
Bosco's) ... and even more is required. It was the foresight of people like
Fr Faria who saw the ball starting to roll.

I recall volunteering myself to teach there (having just returned from a
useful scholarship in Germany and feeling the need to give back), and Fr
Faria (who didn't know me personally) was quick to accept. He gave me a
slot to focus on photography, which then too I was interested in. If I'm
not wrong, some who attended those classes became journalists subsequently.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

portuguese nationality for goans

According to Portuguese law, Goans born before 1961 retained Portuguese citizenship after 1961 unless they officially renounced it. What that actually means is that those born in Goa before 1961 are still Portuguese citizens even today according to Portuguese law. However, since the birth records were left in Goa after the brutal invasion by the Indian army in December 1961, the Portuguese authorities are not aware of the existence of these Portuguese citizens in that part of the world. The fact remains that they are indeed Portuguese citizens according to Portuguese law and full Portuguese/European citizenship rights are available to them if they wish to avail of those rights. In order to avail of those rights, you need to register your birth in Portugal. So, this completely disregards what Indian law may say or claim about the subject. It completely disregards the pressures from UK and other European countries in closing the doors to these Goans. You need to understand the difference
Read more

Mother-of-Pearl Shell Windows - Architecture of Goa

Windows have several significant roles to play. Primarily, they help in filtering air and sunlight provide a passageway for them, however they remain an artistically explored part of Goan Architecture. In some Goan houses the window screens are fashioned out of nacre they remain characteristic of the traditional upper - classes. It is unclear where or when exactly these type of windows originated. However, thenacre of the mother-of-pearl shell was preferred over glass as it allowed for a subdued filtered light to come into rooms of a house while affording privacy. This gave windows in Goan homes a warm, translucent look from the outside while cutting off the light's glare on the inside. While superior quality timber was often reserved for the production of altars and fine pieces of furniture in Goan houses, the timber used for windows was inferior in comparison. The nacre of the mother-of-pearl, which is otherwise a waste material, was then cut into lozenge shapes and slid int
Read more

Jason Almeida brings a slice of Goa to UK via Potyo restaurant

Image
  Jason Almeida brings a slice of Goa to UK via Potyo restaurant The restaurant has quite a few artefacts from Goa including paintings by Mario Miranda in all the dining rooms. Restaurant has introduced flavoured feni on its menu London, United Kingdom: People of Goa are revered all over the world to be amazing hosts for their guests. Taking care of guests and ensuring they spend the best times of their lives is in the blood of Goans, a trait which has been passed from one generation to another. To be hospitable is drilled at a very young age to children this is exactly what a young Jason Almeida and his brother Jolan learnt from his Mapusa-born parents. The Almeida brothers are one of the many Goan brand ambassadors who are keeping the Goan flag high in the hospitality industry. Doha-based Jolan works as a Food and Beverage Manager for a leading hotel in Qatar while Jason’s UK restaurant Potyo located in the heart of Wilmslow Town Centre welcomes the guests to experience t
Read more