An enduring dialogue with Old Goa's saint

The Good God and the Evil God met on the mountain top.

The Good God said, “Good day to you, brother.”

The Evil God did not answer.

And, the Good God said, “You are in a bad humour today.”

“Yes,” said the Evil God, “for of late, I have been often mistaken for you, called by your name, and treated as if I were you, and it ill-pleases me.”

And the Good God said, “But I too have been mistaken for you and called by your name.”

The Evil God walked away cursing the stupidity of man.

– Kahlil Gibran, poet

It was a cool night with soothing music coming from far. In a part of the mind, the rustle of waves sounded clear, whilst in the other, the verses of Bob Marley’s I shot the sheriff kept resounding.

The exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier is set to start, and yet the feeling was sanguine. Somehow, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, but along the way, the pace appeared out of tempo.

Within a few days, thousands of people are set to in Goa – Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Sikh … name the religion, and they will be there to see St Francis Xavier from close.

Both men are part of history, a history that speaks of truth of being, or at least trying to be, good.

An old friend, now no more, used to constantly remind me that the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Old Goa has a special connect with the people and the place.

Both, and Mahatma Gandhi, are part of history, a history that speaks of a truth of being, or at least trying to be, good. And, both liked the human in others. The feeling of standing below or around both is superficial.

mystifies because he draws a distinct line of goodness between man and divinity. Mahatma Gandhi styled himself as a giver with no instinct in taking. Both gave as much as they could without wanting in return.

For many, a visit to Old Goa is always incomplete without a dialogue with the two saints that make the place so special.

Old Goa in the morning, Old Goa at noon, Old Goa at night, or Old Goa at dawn, the feeling is unique and static because it is one place that brings the best out of us.

Millions of people from all over the world descend on Old Goa every ten years to spend hours in queues just to get a closer glimpse of the saint. Two hours, or sometimes even three hours in the sun, just to see the saint from close quarters seems a staggering effort, but not to those doing it.

Looking at the effort put in to be there, faith appears obscure and it is because it is personal. Faith cannot be explained; another’s faith cannot be understood. Faith is individual and will remain so always.

Millions of people from all over the world descend on Old Goa every ten years to spend hours in queues just to get a closer glimpse of the saint.

Divinity is universal, and yet, so personal. This is faith as understood by an entity. As millions come to pay their obeisance to a saint and to Gandhi, the lesson is simple – let us not trample on others' faith.

The link between divinity and man is direct and none can explain what it is, and should not try to because plagiarism has no room in the field because faith is direct – straightforward, something not accepted by all.

Actually, we falter when we try to make others understand, and it is then that religion gets crystallized and divinity gets lost.

From November to January, the party at is going to begin and this time, try and make it between Xavier, Gandhi and you.