After retirement from government or private service, many dream of enjoying their sunset years just relaxing with their kin in the cosy corners of their homes. But there are some who consider retirement life as an opportunity and a dawn to indulge into something which could be considered as their passion.
Cristovao Caetan Francisco Souza from Macazana joined the postal services in 1963 and retired in 2009. In 1963 he joined the Panaji head post office and served as a postman on daily wages. “We were paid a meagre Rs 1.50 per day which would amount to Rs 50 per monthly,” he reveals.
After five years of dedicated service in Panjim, Cristovao was made a permanent employee in 1967 and transferred to Margao head post office. Here, he continued with his committed duty till 1970 when Cristovao joined the Army Postal Service (APS). Before his took up his first posting, he went for training to Kanti, Nagpur for three months. Soon after the training, he was posted to Srinagar during the 1971 war for one and a half year.
From Srinagar, this Goan proceeded to Dehradun in Uttar Pradesh, now Chhattisgarh, as a jawan and served there for two years. Promoted as a postman, he underwent training at Kamti, Nagpur as NCO.
After successful training there, Cristovao was transferred to Delhi and continued with his selfless service as a postman for two years (1972-73). In 1973, he was discharged from military duties and on return to Goa, joined the civil postal service in Margao.
In Margao, Cristovao served as leave reserve postman, followed by his duty at Verna, Benaulim and Curtorim post offices. During his service in Curtorim, in 1993 he started planning a farmhouse at Kupator.
“Duty at the post office would start at 8.30 am and conclude in the evening at 5 pm. Free time in the wee hours and dusk helped him to dedicate time for the farmhouse,” informed Cristovao. “From 1993 till 2009 it was light work at the farmhouse. But after retirement in 2009, work commenced in full scale,” he added.
The farmhouse at Kupator, Macazana, admeasuring 12,000 sq metres, has coconut, banana, papaya and pine-apple plantations. “Initially, it was plantation of around 63 coconut saplings in 1993. Umpteen hardships followed which included destruction of trees by stray cows and shortage of water. To keep cows at bay, cow dung paste would be sprayed on the coconut leaves,” revealed Cristovao.
Rain-water harvesting was the second thought in Cristovao’s mind. Although a bandh was built in 2004-05 to preserve rain water, rain water harvesting started only in 2009.
“With conservation of rain water, the problem of water shortage was finally solved,” disclosed this 66-year-old farm enthusiast. Banana, pine-apple, papaya, betel nut and lime plantations followed in the farm house with success.
Cristovao went a step forward and in 2012-13 he decided to start poultry in his spacious farm house. Today there are three rooms with 200 chickens in each and another room for 800. “The chickens are stored in such a position whereby their excreta get dropped in the hand-made lake, which serves as food for the fish. The stored rainwater also turns into rich manure, to be later utilised for all the plants,” he unveiled his secret bag.
The hand-made lake contains different species of fish like goldfish, ‘kilapi’, ‘kalla’ and ‘chonkam’. “This fish have been picked up from the Curtorim lake and now are in great demand,” noted Cristovao.
“With the first shower just before the monsoon, when the soil is wet and moist, the lake is emptied and the surplus fish is sold. The cleansing of the lake follows for rain-water harvesting for the remaining year,” stated the recipient of the ‘Best Farmer 2012 State Award’.
Residing at Unch Bhat in Macazana, Cristovao cannot handle the tedious multi tasks single-handedly. But in his old age, his wife Luiza, elder son Salvador and daughter-in-law Maria are his strong hands and legs. “My son is a seafarer. But on his return home, he assists me in various odd jobs. Besides, there are two labourers to help in watering the plants and taking care of feed in the poultry,” informed Cristovao.
Today, Cristovao’s farmhouse has 500 banana and 4,000 pine apple plantations, vast vegetable cover, besides poultry and piggery–all in one–for service to humanity.
