Reading the news titled ‘Whisky-fuelled station master runs Dabolim station’ (Herald, 4 May), I have missed a heat beat as I cried. Yes it has served its purpose and is now dying the slow death. But in its prime it had it’s glory. When I was young I still remember it vividly. Just opposite the Dabolim Railway Station there is a Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima.
And it was there the novenas of Our Lady of Fatima were held every first Saturday of the month. Many people of the surrounding area especially Vasco, Bogmalo and Chicalim used to come for these novenas. Although there was no other mode of transport (Birla road NH17B was not there, even the Birla Railway Station was not constructed) only the railway and Bogmalo bus which used to go through the now fenced area through the runway. And as usual those who had bicycles were the lucky guys to give the lift. To come to the novenas from Vasco the devote used to come by train and after the novena there was 07:30 PM train which was the only mode of transport to go to Vasco and Bogmalo, Chicalim/Dabolim people were used walking or cycling.
There was the uniqueness of this Chapel. The old Priest Fr. Rosario whose voice was hardly audible (there was no mic at that time) yet he said the mass, hear confessions. And as children we used to go especially in the months of March/April before our school final exams for blessing. Inside the Chapel it was cool, calm and breezy. And when the window curtains flutter with the breeze it used to be like the angels are coming down to bless us with Our Lady of Fatima and we heared the flutter of their wings. There were only two/three houses on the chapel side and about ten houses on the station side. The dry grass breeze was very soothing and calm.
And the Railway station was the only mode of transport for the people of Dabolim to go the Vasco and the people of surrounding area of Bogmalo and Chicalim/Dabolim to go to Margao for their work and other essential purchases. Now with the new mode of transport like buses, cars and motor cycles hardly anybody uses the railway station because the Margao railway station is now far away from the market as well the train timing doesn’t suit the people even to go/use the other stations. Since those old days I have not seen any change but the station has lost it’s beauty with a change of its surrounding.
