SoBo Garden Bonds Kodial's Trio Couples

April 24, 2017

Every evening from 5 pm to dusk three Kodialgar super senior couples, all above 70 years, take their seat on concrete benches with back-rest in the vast BPT (Bombay Port Trust) Garden close to the south tip of Bombay (now Mumbai). The English media in Mumbai abbreviates South Bombay as SoBo, about which more later.

Who are Kodialgars? The Catholics living in Bombay mainly comprise the native East Indians and migrated and settled down Goans and Kodialgars (or Konkani-speaking Mangaloreans) which term embraces people from the undivided South Canara (present-day Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts) and North Canara (now Uttara Kannada) with Karwar as headquarter. Before Independence the undivided South Kanara was part of Madras Presidency and North Canara part of Bombay Presidency. The common bond between the Catholics of these two districts was, and is, Konkani language. Perhaps the most prominent Konkani Catholic from Karwar was Joachim Alva who considered himself Kodialgar (Mangalorean and Konkani). More about him later. A little digression on Bombay and SoBo, the setting for this feature, is in order.

Historically, Bombay comprised seven islands south of Mahim on the west and Sion on the east. It was first under the British and later under the Portuguese. When in 1661 King Charles II of England married the Portuguese Catherine of Braganza, as part of the dowry Charles received the seven islands of Bombay. In accordance with the royal charter of March 27, 1668, England leased these islands to the English East India Company for British Pound Sterling 10 per annum. Of these seven islands, present-day SoBo, also called Island City, comprises Colaba, Old Woman’ Island and Bombay – the main harbour and the nucleus of British port from which the modern city grew, stretching from Dongri on the east to Malabar Hill on the west. It was, and is, home to Reserve Bank of India, Mint, Port Trust, High Court, Government Secretariat, Gateway of India, the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel and, later, the Bombay Stock Exchange Tower – a modern landmark of SoBo. Even in the harbour there are colourfully named landmarks like Middle Island, Dolphin Rock, Oyster Rock, Butcher Island and Elephanta Island.

SoBo was, and is, home to many ethnic and linguistic groups, including Kodialgars who, in the absence of buses and taxis connecting Mangalore and Bombay until post-1960s, came by train via Kadur/Biroor or by passenger ship service of Scindhia Steam Navigation Company. They landed in Bombay docks or Victoria Terminus, now renamed Chatrapthi Shivaji Terminus. Most such Kodialgars arriving in SoBo found boarding and lodgings in “Coods” - self-managed community rooms with kitchen attached. The oldest of them was in Sitaram Building, near Crawford Market, the second oldest, St. John’s Club at Fort Market and the third St Paul’s Club, near Lions Gate - – all over 100 years old now. While many arrivals, with nominal education, worked for British expatriates on the home turf, with accommodation in the servant’s quarters of bungalows – popularly called “Cotris”. Others went as seafarers for low–end jobs with the Clubs/Coods as their Bombay anchors while exiting from and returning to their homes in Tulunadu..

From there to today it is a story of Prometheus, a titan in Greek mythology, the greatest benefactor of mankind who stole fire from Mount Olympus and gave it to mankind – inviting eternal punishment from Zeus – the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion, who ruled as king of gods of Mount Olympus. Prometheus was chained to a rock where his liver was eaten daily by an eagle only to be regenerated by night, due to his immortality. Years later, the Greek hero, Hercules, slays the eagle and frees Prometheus from the eagle’s torment. English author Percy Shelly wrote a four-act lyrical drama titled “Prometheus Unbound” in 1820.

A similar liberation took place among Codialgars who unbound themselves from their rural roots and cycle of poverty, either as farmers or farm-workers, and climbed the ladder of success in SoBo and elsewhere in Bombay. Some of them came equipped educationally and others educated themselves in night schools and colleges, hugging their jobs by day and supporting themselves and their families back home. And when the next generation came in, their education was supported on full time basis and as a matter of prime priority. With the result, for example, while the first generation Codialgars were engaged in low-end jobs on the ships, the present-day generation of shippies work as Captains and Chief Engineers. This is reflected in the brief overview of super-senior three Codialgar couples bonding together in the PBT garden on a daily basis.

Pascal Boniface D’Sa (b 1931) first of six children of Jacob and Cisilia, had his initial education at St Mary’s in Shirva and continued in night school in SoBo. He has been living in Naju Mansion, at the junction of Wodehouse Road (now Nathalal Parekh Marg) and Kitridge Road, since 1970. He married Juliana (nee Castelino - b 1941) in 1956 when she was 16 years. Pascal went to Soudi in 1950 and following the marriage returned to SoBo to start his life in general insurance consultancy with office at Arun Chambers, Tardeo. Though he has tapered off his business, he continues to be the Hon. Secretary of the building society and visits his office once a week.

Their eldest son Robert, a Chartered Accountant, started his career as lecturer at HR College and then went to Dubai, now owning and managing a chain of restaurants and bakeries. He is married to Myra Pinto. Their elder daughter, Premila is married to Dr Donald Fernandes who is a Cancer Specialist at Manipal. Their younger daughter, Priya, is married to Norbert Miranda and they are settled in Canada.

Born on July 5, 1932, Valerian Lawrence Crasto is the second of four children of Camil Crasto and Margarita (Nee D’Souza) of Balkunje where they had just a darkas (a small plot of dry land). After initial education in St. Paul’s School in Balkunje, he came to SoBo in1946 with his mother, popularly Maggiebai, who passed away in 1995 and lived in a tenement in WestView Building on Wodehouse Road and shifted north to a proper flat in Satya Bhavan in middle Colaba in 1977. Since landing in Bombay, he improved his educational status by doing his SSC attending night classes and BA through Jaihind College and also kept terms for one year for LLB. He got an opening in the then prestigious leading foreign firm ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) with head office in Ballard Estate, then Bombay’ main business precinct, with factory in Sewri, in 1948. He was a trade unionist holding various positions leading up to President of the All-India Federation. Despite his trade union involvement, he advanced in his career to the highest position of general staff – Departmental Head. He took VRS in 1990 at the age of 58 after a service of 43 years.

Valerian married Philomena (b 1945), daughter of George and Lucy Gonsalves of Madanthyar, on September 6, 1964 when she was 20 years under the traditional proposal system. She had done her teachers training course at Capitanio, Mangalore and, after marriage, from 1966 taught in Muncipal schools in Bombay until she, too, took VRS with pension in 1999 after 33 years of service.

The Crasto couple has four children. The eldest, Sandra D’Almeida, a BCom works for Board of Airlines, chaired by Air India head. Elder son, Cedric Joseph, Marine Chief Engineer, is working in Brazil – receiving and dispatching oil from tankers – with alternate months of work and leave. Their second daughter, Sarita Milred, a BCom, works for Emirates Airlines. Their second son, Selwyn Jude, is on a cruise liner (Celebrity) overseeing its catering function.

The last of the BPT Garden trio couples is Mark Francis Martis. Born on March 9, 1939, he is first of five children of Michael and Dulcine Martis of Kemman-Padukudru of Kallianpur. He did his SSC from Milagres-Kallianpur and came to Bombay in 1958 and trained himself under his maternal uncle in the dry-cleaning laundry service. Then he started on his own Dryman’s Drycleaners in south Colaba’s Hampton Court, with his residence close to his laundry, in Usha Sadan, moving yet closer to his business address to a modern high-rise named Jamuna Sagar in 1983. He is now chairman of the building Society. After running his laundry for55 years, Mark sold his business in 2014. Apparently he had garnered a lot of goodwill with his customers as reflected in the continued printing of an annual calendar in the same name of the laundry.

Mark married Monthi Castileno (b 1948) of Shirva on on October 28, 1965 at the age of 17. After her SSC, she did teachers’ training from Capitanio. She helped her husband in his business. The couple have a flat in Udupi and they spend three months in a year there. The Martis couple have only one son, Melson, born in 1968. He married Relma Soares in 1995. He has done engineering degree from Manipal, followed by MBA in finance in USA and has settled down there. He is married and has his consultancy in USA.The parents Martis go once in two years to USA for three months’ stay with their son’s family.

All the three families have nine celebrations collectively every year – six birthdays and three wedding anniversaries. The senior couples who meet daily evening in BPT Garden are part of senior citizens group which includes, Gujaratis, Maharashtrians and Parsees and they discuss at random anything under the sun. Some of them go to the garden in the morning as well. Ocassionally they hire a bus and go for a day’s picnic.

Alert readers would observe that the number of children per couples down the two generations has declined so that the next generation of children, progressively limited in number, can be better focussed on in terms of education. Also, in all the three Kodialgars cited, there is what has come to be known as “Empty Nest Syndrome”. Educated and made to manage on their own, the children fly off the nest to lead their nuclear families. All the three couples interviewed dismissed the situation as inconsequential. With the technology advancing every day, families can be connected across continents at the press of a button over mobiles, land telephones, E-mails and Skype at ridiculously low costs as also visit each other with ease. The three couples cited have not only their children visiting them and they visiting their children but also they jointly tour the world and have relaxed combined family holidays at exotic tourist destinations which are too numerous to detail here.


Tail-piece

Among the Kodialgars in SoBo, as noted above, was Joachim Alva, leading freedom fighter and Parliamentarian who was a SoBo resident with his flat in Queen’s Court at the west of Oval Maidan and opposite the High Court complex. When I shifted to SoBo in 1970, the waiting list for telephones in SoBo was 15/20 years. I approached him, with Stany Rebello of Allied Publishers (We were working jointly to put together a special issue on Mangalorean Catholics for the Illustrated Weekly of India under the dynamic editorship of Kushwant Singh for which I wrote the cover story on Mangalorean Catholics) with my application as a journalist, which I was, for out-of-turn allotment. He readily obliged by signing the form and I was a proud owner of a telephone within a month.

I conclude with another incident narrated by Margaret Alva in her autobiography, Courage & Commitment, which was released in Mangalore on March 11, 2017: “A week later (after the death of Joachim Alva) at the dinner we had at home after the religious ceremonies, George Fernandes spoke movingly about his association with Bab (Joachim) during his early trade union days in Bombay. He recalled their first meeting – how Bab accidentally bumped into him on the footpath, and asked after him. When he heard that George had neither a roof over his head or proper food, he insisted that he have his meals at his house whenever he wished. ‘Joachim Alva was the only man who opened his door when I started my life on the footpaths of Bombay’, said an emotional George Fernandes.” (pp 124/25)

(Incidentally her autobiography is available at Biblio, Bunts Hostel Road, Mangaluru).

I also add a bit, on the basis of my own research, that George, in his early days in SoBo would sometimes go for lunch at St Paul’s Club and then take a nap there, sleeping on the row of trunks (steel suit-cases) of permanent members lining the main room walls before going off to his trade union activism.



By John B Monteiro
John B Monteiro (b 1938), is author and journalist, having written three books – Corruption – Control of Maladministration, Some Current Issues for Debate and Corruption – India’s Painful Crawl to Lokpal. Besides writing for print and electronic media, he is also Editorial Consultant for major publication projects.
To submit your article / poem / short story to Daijiworld, please email it to news@daijiworld.com mentioning 'Article/poem submission for daijiworld' in the subject line. Please note the following:

  • The article / poem / short story should be original and previously unpublished in other websites except in the personal blog of the author. We will cross-check the originality of the article, and if found to be copied from another source in whole or in parts without appropriate acknowledgment, the submission will be rejected.
  • The author of the poem / article / short story should include a brief self-introduction limited to 500 characters and his/her recent picture (optional). Pictures relevant to the article may also be sent (optional), provided they are not bound by copyright. Travelogues should be sent along with relevant pictures not sourced from the Internet. Travelogues without relevant pictures will be rejected.
  • In case of a short story / article, the write-up should be at least one-and-a-half pages in word document in Times New Roman font 12 (or, about 700-800 words). Contributors are requested to keep their write-ups limited to a maximum of four pages. Longer write-ups may be sent in parts to publish in installments. Each installment should be sent within a week of the previous installment. A single poem sent for publication should be at least 3/4th of a page in length. Multiple short poems may be submitted for single publication.
  • All submissions should be in Microsoft Word format or text file. Pictures should not be larger than 1000 pixels in width, and of good resolution. Pictures should be attached separately in the mail and may be numbered if the author wants them to be placed in order.
  • Submission of the article / poem / short story does not automatically entail that it would be published. Daijiworld editors will examine each submission and decide on its acceptance/rejection purely based on merit.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to edit the submission if necessary for grammar and spelling, without compromising on the author's tone and message.
  • Daijiworld reserves the right to reject submissions without prior notice. Mails/calls on the status of the submission will not be entertained. Contributors are requested to be patient.
  • The article / poem / short story should not be targeted directly or indirectly at any individual/group/community. Daijiworld will not assume responsibility for factual errors in the submission.
  • Once accepted, the article / poem / short story will be published as and when we have space. Publication may take up to four weeks from the date of submission of the write-up, depending on the number of submissions we receive. No author will be published twice in succession or twice within a fortnight.
  • Time-bound articles (example, on Mother's Day) should be sent at least a week in advance. Please specify the occasion as well as the date on which you would like it published while sending the write-up.

Comment on this article

  • Nixon Menezes, Kalmady/Jeddah,Saudi Arabia

    Mon, May 01 2017

    Excellent article about the Kodial's Trio Couples, how they achieved success thru hard work and patience. We have lots to learn from their journey of life. May Almighty God bless the D'sa couple, the Crasto couple and our own Mark Uncle and Monthi Aunty with good health, happiness and many many more years of togetherness.

    With lots of Love,
    Nixon Menezes and family.

  • John B. Monteirob, Bondel Mangalore

    Mon, May 01 2017

    Very relevant and inspiring story, Dr Mohan Prabhu. I was fishing for hundreds of such stories which are out there waiting to be to be told and could have surfaced. now it is the fag end of the article on the home page and it will descend into the archives. thank you Dr Prabhu and all the rest of you for your response.
    Also thanks to Daijiworld Editorial group for giving me this valuable platform.

  • Dr Mohan Prabhu, LL.D, QC, Mangalore (Kankanady)/Ottawa, Canada

    Sun, Apr 30 2017

    John, a very interesting article with historic background. I can relate to that era as I grew up during those times in Mangalore and Mumbai (when I lived in India, called Bombay), though I am older by a few months than your “super senior” Pascal D’Sa. I don’t know if Pascal or the other two younger Codialgars (Kudladars) ever knew me. Immediately after high school (SAC) my brother and I went to Bombay via Kadur on the eve of Independence and started working at the Army Depot in Kandivili (then called COD or Central Ordnance Depot), and lived in that city for 13 years before leaving India in 1960, for ten of which I worked with Hindustan Lever in Ballard Estate. Like a few of my contemporaries, I too continued my education from where I left (not in night school but in morning colleges, the first of which opened in downtown on Hornby Road, near Flora Fountain in 1952), thanks to my bosses who gave me time concessions. I had enrolled myself after a gap of six years, earning a few degrees (including law) between 1953 and 1960. It has been 57 long years since I left India (with four years spent in London UK to do a Master’s in Law and call to Bar at Lincoln’s Inn, while working for Unilever, again thanks to the bosses who gave me time off to attend classes). While I went back on short holidays in those days I travelled by the same Kadur route, never used the “munjios” that were plying between Mumbai and Mangalore and beyond.
    Your article brings back so many good memories which are still very fresh in my mind. Then, of course, Bombay had less than 3 million inhabitants.

    One important reference (among a few others) in your article which is missing – the iconic Rajabai Tower, home of the University of Bombay where I spent two years towards my Master’s as in those days post-graduate studies were given by the Departments of the University, and only during the day. I frequented the grounds mainly for quiet reading time over the weekends as the “kotri” I was living in at Mahim with my brothers was too noisy, besides being too small. The University was founded in 1858, nearly 160 years ago, though I do not know how long the Rajabai Towers has been in existence.
    Dr. Mohan Prabhu, LLD. (Canada), QC (Canada)

  • Priya Miranda, Mississauga, Canada

    Sun, Apr 30 2017

    Great article on the SoBo Garden Bonds Kodial's Trio Couples. Thank you Mr. Monteiro for taking the time to share the amazing journey of the Crasto's, Martis' and our dear parents 'the D'sa's

    Its a great legacy they lead for the generations to come. A life of great endurance, relationships , health and happiness. May God continue to bless uncle & aunty Crasto, Martis and mom and dad.

  • Jimmy Noronha, Lucknow

    Sun, Apr 30 2017

    Even a cursory look at the article would well enlighten the reader that it encompasses all those stalwarts who have made their way up through sheer stint of hard work and dedication that they shed their humble beginning and entered into a better life.

  • John B. Monteiro, Bondel Mangalore

    Sun, Apr 30 2017

    Dear responders: Thanks for your insightful comments.
    I am not projecting the three families covered in the article but the larger constituency of Kodialgars in SoBo and elsewhere in Bombay and other Indian cities and worldwide who have climbed the socio-economic ladder with great grit and sacrificed a great lot to give a boost to the next generation, and its next, to float into an higher orbit.
    Also, in all the three families there is an empty nest syndrome and they are not making an issue of it as long as their issues are happy and continue to care for their parents with their emotional bonds - more than material support which in all the three instances cited is not an issue.
    I take this opportunity to thank the three families which gave me the required support - including sharp photos as requested by me.

  • Stan Ageira & Family, Mulki/Dubai

    Sat, Apr 29 2017

    Enjoyed reading. The journey of life is well depicted. Plenty to learn from their experience. These are the simple people who believed in their abilities and self worth that empowered them to walk down a brighter path. A true tribute to the Grand Masters. Thanks to the writer,

  • Jimmy Noronha, Lucknow

    Sat, Apr 29 2017

    It is indeed an informative article and throws enough light on the way these three men came up in life by educating themselves during the night and earning a living by the day. It is also refreshing to note that their partners too have well supported their husbands in their struggle for a better living. The fact that the Crasto couple keeps visiting Mangalore and stays in their flat at Udipi three months in a year, is quite heartening for I feel that quite a chunk of Mangaloreans, once up the ladder kick off the lower rung, which is quite disheartening.

  • Daisy Soares, Man galore/now residing in Melbourne, Australia.

    Sat, Apr 29 2017

    I am very proud of you Mr Mark Martis and Mrs Monthi Martis (lovingly called as Uncle and Aunty). You both are an awesome couple, as said Marriage made in Heaven
    Love you both to the Moon.
    Wishing you both good health and peace and happiness always.
    lots of love and kisses.
    From Cleon, Caesar and Daisy.

  • Janice Castelino, Kuwait / Dubai

    Thu, Apr 27 2017

    We new it. However delighted to read see such a great article. Happy that all my friends and colleagues can see it through this media. I personally and on behalf of my two sisters - Jovita and Jennofer, wish all trio SoBo couples but specially for our most dearest Milli Akai (Juliana ) and Bavoji Uncle ( Pascal ) the best of luck throught their life. May Al Mighty God Bless and give good health. Cherrs - Janice, Jovita and Jennifer.

  • Alfy, Bendur

    Thu, Apr 27 2017

    Its a great pride for all manglurkars to see these living legends. God give them long and healthy life Alfy and Suzan

  • Julian castelino, Nitte/ Dubai

    Thu, Apr 27 2017

    It's a great news. Congratulations to SoBo Garden Kodial's Trio couples, specially our dearest sister Juliana(Millibai) and our wonderful bhavoji(Pascal Dsa). May God bless them all and give them good health and long life.

    Love from: Julian Castelino & family

  • Antony D'Cunha, Permude/Muscat

    Mon, Apr 24 2017

    Well narrated article.


Leave a Comment

Title: SoBo Garden Bonds Kodial's Trio Couples



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.