mitagars of goa

337 Pages·2013·4.48 MB·English

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MITAGARS OF GOA
(A Sociological Study of a Community
in Transition)
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Thesis Submitted for the Award of the Degree of
Doctor o Philosophy in Sociology
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Department of Sociology
Goa University
GOA
December 2009
DECLARATION
I, Ms. Reyna Sequeira, hereby declare that this thesis entitled "Mitagars of Goa (A
Sociological Study of a Community in Transition)" is the outcome of my own study
undertaken under the guidance of Dr. R. B. Patil, Reader and Head, Department of
Sociology, M.E.S. College of Arts and Commerce, Zuarinagar, Goa and Dr. Ganesha
Somayaji, Head Department of Sociology, Goa University. It has not previously
formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma or certificate of this or any
other university. I have duly acknowledged all the sources used by me in the
preparation of this thesis.
Place: Goa University Reyna Sequeira
Date:
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(cid:127) CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis entitled "Mitagars of Goa (A Sociological Study of a
Community in Transition)" is the record of the original work done by Reyna Sequeira
under our guidance. The results of the research presented in this thesis have not
previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma or certificate of this
or any other university.
Place: Goa University Dr. R. B. Patil
Ph. D Guide and Reader
Date: 28'42=2009— M.E.S. College of Arts and
Commerce,
1) -
( Zuarinagar,
Goa – 403 726
Dr. Ganesha Somayaji
Co-Guide,
Reader and Head
Department of Sociology,
Goa University,
Goa – 403 206.
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PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The salt industry in Goa is one of the oldest traditional industries. This
industry is in a precarious situation now and needs serious attention from
academicians, policy makers and politicians. There is a drastic decline in the number
of villages producing salt. Out of the 20 traditional salt producing villages of Goa,
only 11 villages produce salt in Goa today. This in turn affected or led to the
displacement of the salt makers engaged in traditional occupation. There are five
different jatis extracting local salt working in this sector in Goa. They are the
Mithgaudas, the Gauddis, the Bhandaris, the Agris and the Ager.
My association with the Agris of Batim of Tisvadi taluka in Goa began when I
worked on my M. A. dissertation in the academic year 1992-1993 wherein I had
studied this community. Later, in the year 2006, while deciding to register for Ph.D., I
felt the need to continue to work on the same topic. Before registering for Ph.D., I
revisited villages producing salt after almost a decade and a half. I noticed that the
salt-making community in Goa is experiencing transition and in consultation with my
guides, I decided to study this transition.
I received help from a number of people and institutions in the course of this
study. First and foremost, I take this opportunity to express my profound sense of
obligation to my guide Dr. R. B. Patil, Ph. D. guide in the Department of Sociology,
Goa University for giving me the opportunity to work under him. I am grateful to him
for his patience, help and encouragement. Likewise, I express my sincere gratitude to
my co-guide Dr. Ganesha Somayaji, Reader and Head, Department of Sociology, Goa
University, for his generous help, advice, support and encouragement throughout this
study.
To Principal Bhaskar Nayak, of the college where I teach, go my special
thanks for allowing me to take leave for three years and thus providing me the
opportunity to undertake this research. He has always been supportive and
understanding. I am truly grateful to Dr. Renji George Amballoor, Vice Principal of
Government college of Arts, Commerce and Science, Quepem, Goa for the
administrative assistance rendered during the course of my research.
My grateful thanks also go to Dr. Harishchandra Nagvenkar, my teacher, for
all his support and inspiration throughout my study. He spared his valuable time in
discussing and commenting on the various aspects of my study.
I also express my sincere thanks to Prof. Michel Wiverocha, President of the
International Sociological Association from France, and Prof. Tom Dwyer, President
of the Brazilian Sociological Association, both of whom took a keen interest in my
study and for their kind encouragement during the study. They visited the salt
producing villages that I worked in and they, in turn, gave me valuable suggestions
regarding my study.
Prof. N. Jayaram, former Head, Department of Sociology, Goa University, and
presently the Dean, Faculty of Social Science at the TISS, Mumbai, was someone
with whom I often discussed issues, pertaining to my study. I am grateful to him for
his advices. I wish to thank very specially for the help received from Shri Alito
Siqueira, my teacher in the Department of Sociology, Goa University. Discussions
held with him proved beneficial for embarking on an empirical research of this kind.
I also acknowledge, with gratitude, the valuable information supplied by my
key respondents, the help I received from the bhatji's (temple priests), Parish Priests
and government officials, and above all the active assistance received from the salt
makers of Agarvaddo, Batim and Arpora villages.
I place on record my gratitude to Frederick Noronha, a noted journalist for his
advice and suggestions on all the chapters, and for always. being understanding, '
supportive and obliging.
I would like to thank the staff of the Government College, Quepem for all their
support during my study period. In particular, Deepa Prajith, Bharati Parab, Purva
Hegde Desai, Vidhya Dalvi, Josephine Dias, Asha Mangutkar, Sushila Mendes and
Remy Dias helped me in various ways in completing my thesis and I would like to
thank them as well.
Mr. Damodar K. Ghanekar and Mr. Prakash Parienkar rendered help in
translating the Konkani terms.
I would also like to thank the Goa Government for giving its approval for me
to avail the Teacher Fellowship of the University Grants Commission. Similarly, I
wish to record my gratitude to the U.GC for awarding Teacher Research Fellowship,
which gave the much needed financial assistance to carry out this research.
I am grateful to Ms. Sheila D'Souza lecturer at the Centre for Women's
Studies, Goa University for rendering a helping hand during various stages of my
thesis.
I would like to thank my husband Mr. Melwin Lourenco for all his
encouragement and for being so supportive of my goals, and even accompanying me
during my field trips, as well as my sons Sushant and Yash. My elder son Sushant in
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particular left aside play and games to accompany me during field trips and stay with
me in salt producing villages during his vacations.
In a special way I would like to thank my uncle Fr. Joaquim D'Mello for all
his support, prayers and encouragement to do well in my Ph. D. I am grateful to my
parents, Mr. Manuel Sequeira and late Mrs. Ela Sequeira for her prayers to
accomplish this task. Dr. Marina Fernandes and Denzil Fernandes, my cousins,
deserve a special word of thanks. Last but not the least to my sister Bertha, my
brother-in:law Joaquim Rodrigues, my brother Denrick Sequeira and my sister-in-law
Celia for providing me with all the modern equipment required for my study. My
special thanks to all of them.
Although I cannot mention all the names — of those who made this study a
reality — for want of space, I wish to thank everyone else, who helped me in every
little way, and whom I may have not have mentioned here. I am extremely grateful to
all of them.
Reyna Sequeira
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CONTENTS
(cid:9)
Preface and Acknowledgement iv
(cid:9)
List of Maps ix
(cid:9)
List of Tables x
(cid:9)
List of Diagrams x
I (cid:9) Introduction (cid:9) 1
II (cid:9) Studying Mitagars of Goa: Research Methods and Tools (cid:9) 26
HI (cid:9) Salt Making in Goa (cid:9) 44
IV(cid:9) Mithgaudas of Pernem. (cid:9) 99
V (cid:9) Agris of Batim (cid:9) 154
VI(cid:9) Bhandaris and Gauddis of Arpora (cid:9) 210
VII(cid:9)
The Mitagars of Goa: Some issues in change and continuity (cid:9) 257
VIII (cid:9) Summary and Conclusion (cid:9) 281
Selected Bibliography (cid:9) 288
Appendix - Glossary (cid:9) 305
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LIST OF MAPS
Map. No. Name of Map Page No.
1.1 MAHARASHTRA: Mith Gaudas in the Southern Konkan 17
2.1 GOA: Salt production villages (Past) 31
2.2 GOA: Salt Production villages (Present) 32
2.3 GOA: Talukas producing salt 34
2.4 GOA: Three study villages 36
3.1 GOA: Rivers 47
3.2 GOA: Old and New Conquests 53
3.3 PALIEM: Salt Pans 79
3.4 ARAMBOL: Salt Pans 80
3.5 CORGAO: Salt Pans 81
3.6 AGARVADDO: Salt Pans 82
3.7 ARPORA: Salt Pans 83
3.8 CALANGUTE: Salt Pans 84
3.9 NERUL: Salt Pans 85
3.10 PILERNE: Salt Pans 86
3.11 MARRA: Salt Pans 87
3.12 CALAPUR: Salt Pans 88
3.13 MERCES: Salt Pans 89
3.14 CURCA: Salt Pans 90
3.15 BATIM: Salt Pans 91
3.16 GOA VELHA: Salt Pans 92
3.17 TALAULIM: Salt Pans 93
3.18 ASS OLNA: Salt Pans 94
3.19 AMBELTM: Salt Pans 95
3.20 CHINCHINIM: Salt Pans 96
3.21 DEUSUA : Salt Pans 97
3.22 CAVELOS SIM : Salt Pans 98
4.1 AGARVADDO : Location Map 100
4.2 AGARVADDO : Wards Location Plan 102
5.1 BATIM: Location Map 154
5.2 BATIM: Wards Location Plan 158
6.1 ARPORA : Location Map 210
6.2 ARPORA: Wards Location Plan 214
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LIST OF TABLES
Table. No. Name of Table Page No.
2.1 Respondents Selected for the Study 35
3.1 The Deteriorating Conditions of Salt Industries situated in 76
the Khazan Land Areas of Goa
5.1 Names of the Landlords and the Tenants 191
6.1 Names of the salt makers in Arpora 224
6.2 Names of the Original Owners in Arpora 225
7.1 Occupational Features of Mitagars of Three Villages 258
LIST OF DIAGRAMS
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Diagram. No. Name of Diagram (cid:9) Page No.
2.1 (cid:9) Diagram showing declined Salt Pans and Salt Workers
2.2 (cid:9) Total number of Respondents Interviewed (cid:9) 39