Narali – Coconut – Punam festival day
Koli – fisher folks – worship their boats on Coconut Day, which falls on 1st and 2nd of August this year. Koli send their boats to sea, and start fishing on this day.
During the monsoon, the Koli are busy mending their nets, making new ones,
Repair and paint their country crafts. They moor their boats on sandy shores, covered with leaves of coconut palms, and cultivate vegetables on monsoon rains.
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They are one of the original residents of the islands of Mumbai.
The British, and the following governments, bulldozed the pristine creeks, hills and the sea, with increasing pressures of development economics.
The British, and the following governments, bulldozed the pristine creeks, hills and the sea, with increasing pressures of development economics.
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These pressures pushed the Koli communities of Mumbai to the brink, to “THE LAND’S END”.
Whenever I recall this map, an emotional tsunami erupts, my blood boils. I'm still a Konkani village brat.
What extraordinary place this land must have been then, with creeks, hills, tropical greenery and the nesting villages with sweet water wells and lakes, before the Portuguese landed here!
They attacked Mahim Fort, won the battle, and their soldiers walks on the streets of Mahim village, killed innocent villagers just to intimidated them. On their heels came Missionaries to spread the Good News, Gospel of Love !!
All the splendor Mumbai's nature was later bulldozed by the British bunya, forever!
They attacked Mahim Fort, won the battle, and their soldiers walks on the streets of Mahim village, killed innocent villagers just to intimidated them. On their heels came Missionaries to spread the Good News, Gospel of Love !!
All the splendor Mumbai's nature was later bulldozed by the British bunya, forever!
King is dead. Long live the king!
NOTE: While editing this post, I receive email from Nat Geo about World's Best Surf Towns with photos. A notable city is Venice with canals; it is said Venice is literally floating on sea water and is in danger of sinking. We may compare Mumbai before 1670 had it continued with same land mass for its organic growth with Venice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ NOTE: While editing this post, I receive email from Nat Geo about World's Best Surf Towns with photos. A notable city is Venice with canals; it is said Venice is literally floating on sea water and is in danger of sinking. We may compare Mumbai before 1670 had it continued with same land mass for its organic growth with Venice.
© Remigius de Souza. All rights reserved.
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