By Manisha Rege
I have known John Aguiar since the time I covered Goa assembly elections of 2003 and 2007 . He was an officer of the Goa Information and Publicity department.
Got in touch with him after several years again when I decided to take "academic" interest as a journalist in knowing developments in Goa. When I told him I come to Goa for my family puja at the Shri Shantadurga temple or the Jatra Utsav, I remember he had spoken about his association with the deity.
It is now that I get to know a different aspect of his life- he is also a lyricist and wrote konkani devotional songs dedicated to the deity.
A born catholic and devotional lyrics on a hindu goddess? One would wonder.
In MUmbai, we see hindus pray at Mahim church and Mount Mary with the same devotion and faith they would at the feet of lord ganesh.
Goa too is different. Devotion and faith to the almighty is Supreme for catholics and Hindus in Goa.
In Panaji, you will find the church, temple and a mosque co-exist peacefully .
John Aguiar retired from his government job. He did a short film in which he played the main character.
After the devotional track on Shri Shantadurga, several projects on songs are in the pipeline. A song on mahalaxmi Ambabai is almost complete and will be released soon.
The Konkani devotional video "Shantai" was released on the occasion of Magh Jatra at Shri Shantadurga Sausthan premises.
The song is written by John Aguiar , composed by Milind Sakhardande and sung by Annapurna Sakhardande. The music is produced and arranged by Akshay Naik and was recorded at Mhalsa recording studio Savoi Verem . The cinematography , direction and video editing is done by Prashant shirodkar. Another song "Shantadurga Ayee" written by me is very popular on you tube which has crossed over 80 thousand views. The song is musically composed by Mukesh Ghatwal and sung by Gautami Hede.
In conversation with me , John said ,"I was longing to write a devotional song dedicated to Devi Shantadurga since she was my mothers deity and very close to my heart. My mother belongs to Gaud Saraswat Brahmin family of Rau Valaulikars and I have been attending the temple festivities at Kawlem right from my childhood along with my mother. So I wrote a devotonal song and my friend Mukesh musically composed, arranged and mastered it. The song was sung by Gautami Hede Bambolkar.
Later another friend Milind Sakhardande wanted to do a song on Shree Shantadurga so he requested me for lyrics. I readily agreed to write lyrics for him. Milind has composed the song himself while music is arranged by Akshay Naik. I am happy that I could serve devi shantadurga through my songs at her feet."
John said he comes from a family where devotion and faith in hindu and catholic rituals and festivals is common. "My mother is Hindu. my wife is hindu and my daughter in law too is Hindu. I bring ganesh idol and worship in my house for past four years. My wife performs haldi humkum, and we celebrate Diwali, tulsi vivah as well as Christmas and Easter festivals. As regards Goans are concerned Devi Lairai and our lady of milagres are said to be sisters so people of hindu faith too offer pay their reverence to Our lady. Again many hindus attend old Goa feast and many goans of christian faith visit their hindu bretheren on Diwali to eat pohe (pressed rice)."
Shri Aguiar recalls the tradition of catholic farmers coming to the temple in kavale during jatra Utsav to offer their harvest produce to the deity and then sit outside for selling it.
Even during the old goa feast, most of the stalls are by Hindus. Religious divide never existed in goa.There are temples and churches are close to each other at many places in Goa.
Goans are literate and religious divide never existed and will never exist in future,he says proudly .
John is a konkani poet and has written Six books, Four on konkani poems. I have penned several lyrics for All India Radio and for Music composer Shri Sidhnath Buyao. I wrote Seven Hymns on Jesus for Shri Buyao's CD titled "Grateful to Jesus". Therafter I along with my friend Music composer Mukesh Ghatwal wanted to do a Ganesh video for Chaturhi festival since there was no such video in konkani.I wrote the lyrics and the song was composed and therafter video was filmed for the song "Ganapati bappa morya" which was appreciated. My song on Lord Damodar titled "Dambaba to pav re" in Yaman raag from the CD "Hey Damodara" by Shri Buyao and Sung by Gautami Hede Bambolkar is also well accepted and crossed 1.50 lakh views on You Tube. Encouraged we shot another video dedicated to Lord Damodar ,lyrics written by me and sung by Samiksha Bhobe Kakodkar. The song was composed by Sindhuraj Kamat and Dilip Vaze.
Can a hindu and catholic deity be sisters?they can.
I google searched Our lady of milagres and goddess Lairai on being told by John about this.
Our lady of Milagres is at the church in Goan town of Mapusa whom hindus consider as sister of their goddess Lairai of Shirgao whose temple is located about 15 kms away.
