24 Jun 2017  |   03:36am IST

Where are the wells for Sao Joao?

The feast of St John the Baptist has a unique flavour in Goa. Wells are decorated and the revellers adorned with a crown of fresh flowers, make it a point to take a grand leap into the wells. Over the years, the number of wells in use has dropped drastically as it is tedious to maintain them. Café looks at the new scheme by the Government, ‘Nital Goem Nital Baim’ and how the tradition of Sao Joao still continues in villages of Goa

Dolcy D’Cruz

Traditionally, the festival of Sao Joao was celebrated with youngsters from a village getting together at a village well. They would wear a

 

copel

 

made of colourful leaves, fruits and flowers and visit several houses where they would be offered fruits and local alcohol. After consuming the fruits and drinks, the youngsters, especially boys would take a traditional dip (jump) in the closest well.

To help maintain these wells throughout the year, the State Government launched the scheme ‘Nital Goem Nital Baim’ in a bid to provide financial assistance up to Rs 50,000 to repair the existing wells that is only private wells for public use. “The scheme is valid for owners of wells which are registered with the department, and a total of Rs 50,000 will be provided per well for the repairs which include the construction of a parapet, plastering with glazed tile pieces, repairs of electrical equipment if necessary and cleaning of said well, including de-watering,” says Chief Engineer of WRD, S T Nadkarni. However, one will have to source the labour to get the work done themselves, as the Government scheme only provides the financial assistance.

Marius Fernandes of Salvador de Mundo has been solely relying on well water and doesn’t have a Government water connection. “For the past 16 years, we have been cleaning and maintaining the well on an annual basis. There are skilled people in the villages itself who do it for us. Vinayak cleans our well every year and he brings along another person as it is a two person’s job. They use a ladder if the well is too deep. One person clears the well and cuts all the plants and shrubs, while the second person clears the flow of the water, letting the spring water flow. Those who build the wells are more aware of the origins of the spring for the wells,” says Marius.

69 year old Thomas Fernandes from Pomburpa has seen the Sao Joao of his childhood evolve into the trending swimming pool Sao Joao celebrations. However, as a strict disciplinarian and a respected member of his village, Thomas for 13 years, has been heading the ‘Sao Joao on a Whistle’ celebrations, at Arao Ward in Pomburpa. The villagers will be jumping in ten wells in the ward, with permission from the families, and each one will be monitored by Thomas Fernandes, who will blow the whistle for youngsters to jump in the well and get out of the well in a synchronised pattern. “The celebrations begin at 3pm and we meet at the First Cross near the St John the Baptist Well. We say a few prayers and then sing

 

mandos

. I blow the whistle and they are allowed to jump in the well and enjoy a swim. After around ten minutes, I blow the whistle again and they all have to come out of the well. Earlier, we had nine wells, and then the tenth one was built by the government,” says Thomas. The celebrations end with prayers at the St Cajetan Chapel before sunset.

Newly married couples serve an assortment of fresh fruits called ‘dhali’, but no alcohol is allowed at this celebration. Interestingly, nearly 50 per cent of the village wells are still maintained and used for drinking water. The villagers even request the participants to take a leap in their wells. “The villagers clean their wells by May and even the Health Department in the village gives them medicinal powder to keep their wells clean. Another important aspect of the celebrations is the

 

Zagracho Khuris

 

or the Sao Joao Cross, where we say our prayers. The Cross is nearly 150 years old and

 

Zagor

 

used to be performed near it. My only hope is that the true tradition of Sao Joao is continued by the youngsters of the village,” concludes Thomas.