Not in the swimming pool, but residents of Naikavaddo in Aldona still do jump into wells to celebrate Sao Joao, just as their ancestors had done.
This is how the feast of Sao Joao was celebrated in the past, by each ward in the village. Residents of the ward would gather at the chapel, and after a short prayer, visit the homes in the ward to welcome the first son-in-law and the first child.
Carrying ghumots (Goa’s heritage musical instrument) and cymbals, members of each family would go around the ward singing a mando (Goan folk song).
On reaching the house where the child or son-in-law was, would be offered a dhali – a tray that contained seasonal fruits, a bottle of wine, a bottle of caju feni and cash.
The group, after singing along with the family they had visited, walked to the next house until all had been visited, stopped at the chapel for a prayer and then walked towards a water body – a well in the good old days – for a dip, and to consume the fruit and drink the alcohol, whilst singing and making merry.
Today, Sao Joao has turned commercial, except perhaps for a few wards in Goa, like Naikavaddo in Aldona in North Goa, where villagers stick to tradition.
The residents of the ward, irrespective of the commercialisation creeping in, try to keep traditions alive.
“I am excited because my son-in-law will be there, and our family will be giving the dhali for the first time. Even more excited is my husband, who has decided to have a small function after the festivities at the well are over,” disclosed Jennifer Fernandes, whose only daughter got married recently.
“We will be calling friends for a function, where traditional Goan sweets will be showcased and consumed thereafter,” added Fernandes.
“Sao Joao is a tradition born in the midst of the social fabric of Goa during the time of the feast of John the Baptist. Just like Carnival, which happens to be celebrated three days before Lent, the church has no links with the celebrations,” confessed Fr Joaquim Loiola Pereira, Secretary to the Cardinal of Goa.
And the celebration, through time, is losing its luster as commercialisation is putting a different perspective to the traditions. For tourists seeking the feel of the essence of Sao Joao celebrated in Goa in the past, a visit to Naikavaddo in Aldona is the best bet.
The traditions that used to be held in every ward, or most wards, in the past, primarily stopped because of a decrease in the flow of water in many wells.
“With most villages overlooking illegal constructions, wells have been buried or abandoned. People have opted for public water, and in Aldona, there is just one well that the people can use to continue this tradition,” thinks Estilo Fernandes.
Follow the tradition, follow the lifestyle. Try understanding an old tradition that is on the verge of being gobbled by commercialisation.
Be there for the Sao Joao festivities at Naikavaddo which normally commence around 5 pm at the ward chapel and wind up just after sunset. Aldona is 6 km from Mapusa town, and is easy to locate.