The Church of St. Anne
at Talaulim. Ilhas
Of
all the churches in Goa, the most ostentious and notable for its excellent architeture
is that of St Anne. It was reconstructed by Mons Francisco do Rego with his
own funds and with the constributions of some villagers. Unfortunately he could
not complete the task thus the onus befell on Fr Antonio Francisco da Cunha
for its completion which he did 1965. The main altar is consecrated to St Anne.
There is a belief that the main altar is pledged to this beloved Saint due to
certain reasons as narrated By Fr F de Souza in his ‘Oriente Conquistado’
- In the island of Goa (Tiswadi) in the year 1577 some devotees purchased the
site which came to be known as ‘Quinta de Sant Ana’ where every week
the students of ‘Colegio de S Paulo’ used to indulge themselves in
some leisure activities.
The priest who was residing at the local was entrusted for the conversions of
the villagers of Moula and Talaulim decided to consturct a small hermitage though
he failed to consecrate the same in honour of any known saint.
However a ‘Gaokar’ Bartalomeu Marchon said that he saw an old woman
coming down the hill with a walking cane and a hat and claimed that the hermitage
was her abode and wanted to set her residence therein.
Not knowing the name of this lady the priest propagated in the village this
reported instance. On hearing about this incident, an old Brahmin lady, claimed
that when she was seriously ill the same old lady appeared to her in her dreams
and held her hand to rise from her stricken bed and said that her name was Anne
and wnted a house in the village.
The result of this dream was her miraculous cure and subsequent conversion which
precipitated the priest to avow that the
glorious
St Anne had to be revered in theta village as such the Church was consecreated
to St Anne.
The festivity of St Anne which falls on July 26 is celebrated throughout Goa,
but more with aplomb in the tiny village of Talaulim (near Goa Velha) where
it is known as ‘Touceachem Fest’ (Cucumber Feast). It is a recorded
fact that though the Portuguese introduced their Christian festivals to Goa,
Goans with their characteristic ingenuity modified these festivals to befit
their seasons without altering the dates.
The ‘Touchachem Fest’ is a well attended festival by people of all
walks of life and communities who beseech the venerable saint with various offerings
to comply with their most ardent wishes. The most common ones bing: ‘Senhora,
Tomai Colher, dai me mulher’ - pertinent to the bachelors who pledge with
a wooden spoon to appeal for a wife; the females intone - ‘Senhora, tomai
urido (Dhal type - phaseolus max) dai me marido’; the newly weds supplicate
- ‘Senhora, tomai pepino (cucumber) dai me menino’. Devotees say that
the boons in most of the cases are granted.
It is notable to mention that the Church of St Anne follows the Indian architecture
amalgamated with Western propensities to adopt the 5x5 scheme appropriate the
Indian way to a grand temple but modifies the proportions of the pilasters according
to the native flavour, forsaking the European fixedness, while molding the shafts
in consonnance to the rural needs.
