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More Kashti thoughts
1.
From: "T.R. de Souza" <teodesouza@m...>
Date: Thu May 25, 2000 1:19 am
Theo , my loud check kashtti saw many a happy moment in an Assagao khonn
( quarry ) , the village pool after the traditional San Juan deluge --
it is also available !! -- eric
If that were to become a flag it would hide our shame. The dress today
reveals more than hides our shame. What I mean is that most of this
discussion is sheer kaxtti. It reveals more and hides less. --
William da Silva
What a delightful post! And entirely relevant. A kashti waving
triumphantly overhead!...Oy weh! Or, as my grandmother would have said,
"Yem re kittem baba!"
I may not be quoting her right---I was in rompers when she was living
with us (or we with her)...By the way, going by the trends on American
beaches, some women here might find the kashti more liberating even than
the string bikini!
Perish the thought. -- Victor Rangel-Ribeiro
************
2.
Years back when the statue of our Lady of the Mount (Bandra) was taken
visiting all the parishes of Bombay and Bassein, the wardens of the
Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount were the only ones empowered to take
the statue down from the high altar and take it in procession to the
various parishes churches. One of the wardens or one of their family
members remained with the statue throughout the pilgrimage.
As you may recall the statue of our Lady of the Mount is supposed to
have been picked up by fishermen of Bandra in their nets and installed
in the special church built for this purpose. These fishermen and their
descendants continue to be the wardens of this Basilica.
At the formal ceremony of starting this pilgrimage, all the hierarchy of
the Church in Bombay including Cardinal Gracias and most of the priests
and nuns
were present. A number of foreigners were also present.
After reciting all the
various prayers, these six wardens came up resplendent in beautiful silk
shirts, gold suds and cuff links and -- KASHTHIS -- with their well
calloused buttocks exposed to the admiring view of the whole
congregation in the Church. A foreign lady sitting next to my Mum in
Church was shocked and pointed them to my Mum and said "They have
forgotten their trousers". Mum had to explain that this was their
national dress.
Possibly times have changed now -- our fisherfolk now have powered boats
(so no calloused buttocks) and probably the younger generation would be
wearing western style suits (in our hot climate).
Aloysius D'Souza,
Bombay, India
May 25, 2000
************
3.
I recall my grandfather wearing and living in his kashti, except when he
had to wear a kalçao
to go to the Porvorim or Mapuca market, or his formal attire for
church. He lived to be nearly 100 comfortably attired for the prevailing
climate. He wore it when tilling the fields, when fishing in the
neigborhood creek which meandered through our village rice fields from
the Mandovi, when collecting cashews as well as kindling for the cooking
fireplace from his
various properties on the "dongor", and when sleeping.
As for the toddy tapper and coconut toddy, it is hard to find "suur" or
coconut toddy in Goa these days. I have to wait for the coconuts on the
numerous trees on my property to fall naturally.
Your vignettes bring those happy memories of a by-gone era vividly back
for our enjoyment.
Thank you very very much, and keep writing -- Please !!!
Vivian A. D'Souza, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
May 25, 2000
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