Neglected, Se Cathedral's iconic bell unable to toll in homage to the Pope
Even as church bells around the world tolled as a mark of respect for Pope Francis, who died on Monday, the iconic golden bell of Goa's mother church, the Se Cathedral in Old Goa, remained silent. The bell in the cathedral, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is awaiting repairs.
Following the death of the Pope, the
Archdiocese of Goa and Daman
on Monday asked all churches and chapels to toll bells on Tuesday and Wednesday and on the day of the funeral of Pope Francis in homage and as a call for prayer for his eternal repose.
Se Cathedral's parish priest, Fr Rosario Oliveira, wrote to the ASI in Sep requesting repairs of the two main bells. 'The cathedral has five bells, and all the bells need to be pealed when the relics of St Francis Xavier solemnly enter the cathedral for the Exposition,' Oliveira said in his letter to the superintending archaeologist, Goa circle, Old Goa.
On Tuesday, the ASI's superintending archaeologist holding additional charge of Goa circle, Abhijit Ambekar, told TOI that he just learned about the non-functional bell. 'I will ask my officials to visit the site and take care of whatever repairs are required,' he said.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
The cathedral's golden bell, along with the four other bells, traditionally peal during the Exposition when the relics of St Francis Xavier are taken from Basilica of Bom Jesus to Se Cathedral and back, but that too did not happen this year.
A Se Cathedral parishioner, Xavier Rodrigues, wrote a letter regarding the bell to the ASI, CM, governor, Cumbharjua MLA, and the Archdiocese. He told TOI that despite the parish priest's letter, the bell did not function during the Exposition, a significant event in the Catholic calendar.
The bell, when tolled, could be heard as far as Corlim and Divar, he said.
'Despite its historical significance and cultural importance, the golden bell has remained inoperative for a considerable period of approximately 18 months,' Rodrigues said in his letter. 'The bell's silence was particularly noticeable during the untimely demise of His Holiness Pope Francis when the traditional bell ringing to mourn the demise of the head of the Catholic Church did not take place even after the circular requiring all the churches and chapels to do so.'
'As a parishioner of Se Cathedral, I have witnessed the bell's silence, which has not only affected the aesthetic experience of visiting the cathedral but also raised concerns about the preservation and maintenance of our national monuments,' he said in the letter. 'In light of the cultural and historical significance of the golden bell, it is essential to rule out any intentional damage or tampering. I urge you to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter, including inspecting the bell's mechanism, reviewing maintenance records, and interviewing personnel responsible for the monument's upkeep.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
After two-decade wait, 400-year-old twin forts in Palamau set for facelift
RANCHI: The long-pending restoration of the historic twin forts located inside the Palamu Tiger Reserve has finally received a government go-ahead, ending an over two-decade wait marked by bureaucratic delays and forest clearance issues. According to PTR Deputy Director, Prajesh Kant Jena, a detailed project report for the conservation of the over 400-year-old forts, built by the Chero dynasty, has been prepared and is awaiting final inspection by agencies under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Inside in deep forests on the banks of the Auranga River around 30 km from Medininagar, the two forts — Purana Quila and Naya Quila — were built at the beginning of the Mughal period by the kings of Chero dynasty. 'All the hurdles, which were coming in the way of its restoration, have been cleared and the stakeholders have already given a go-ahead to the project,' said Jena. Now, they have to find out a proper party or agency which can do justice to this cultural heritage, he added.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Golf Course Road testing ground for state's 1st plastic-free urban stretch
Gurgaon: Starting with Golf Course Road, Haryana's pollution control board HSPCB will start handing out eco-friendly items to residents and businesses to help the city eliminate single-use plastics. HSPCB officials told TOI they will launch the initiative from the Golf Course Road and cover a radius of one kilometre in the first week of Aug. The drive will include commercial buildings, residential societies, schools and roadside vendors. The idea is simple, officials said, eliminate single-use plastic from one of the city's most prominent stretches and set a precedent for sustainable urban lifestyle. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Instead of taking penal action for flouting the ban on single-use plastics, the board is opting for a transition phase that gives people time and tools to adapt. Over the next three months, HSPCB teams will provide paper, cloth and biodegradable alternatives of single-use plastics to residents and businesses. A buffer stock of biodegradable materials is being built to support the change. "We want this to be real, not symbolic. It's not enough to ban plastic; we need to make sure people have substitutes before we ask them to stop using it," said Akanksha Tanwar, HSPCB regional officer, Gurgaon. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle Japanese hair growth method for men and women's scalp Hair's Rich Learn More Undo This preparation period, officials believe, will reduce resistance and confusion when enforcement begins. HSPCB is also working with resident welfare associations (RWAs) to drive awareness campaigns. Engagement with vendors and shopkeepers, often the biggest users of disposable plastic, is part of the strategy too. "If this pilot on Golf Course Road works, the model will be gradually expanded to other parts of the district. The idea is to treat this stretch as a testing ground for how to go plastic-free in a real-world setting," Tanwar said. Around 14% of all plastic waste generated in the state ends up in landfills, according to an annual report published by HSPCB last year. The state recycles approximately 78% of its plastic waste, the report said, but it also pointed out an alarming rise in plastic waste generation – a 38% increase from 129,866.7 tonnes in 2022-23 to 179,406.5 tonnes the next fiscal year. This is despite the ban on single-use plastics (SUPs) imposed nationwide from July 1, 2022. Single-use plastics include plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates, food and beverage containers, coffee cups and lids, drink stirrers, cigarette butts, balloons and balloon sticks, wrappers, wet wipes, and most plastic packaging designed to be used once and discarded. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), plastic packaging that is not covered under the ban and is abundantly used to pack processed food items contributes to 60% of the waste generated. Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the world produces over 300 million metric tonnes (MT) of plastic every year. Of this, 14 million MT ends up in the ocean. It estimates that India generates 3.5 million metric tonnes of plastic waste annually, or around 9,500 MT daily, and the country's waste generation has doubled over the past five years. "While the intent behind India's plastic ban has been commendable, enforcement has largely fallen short due to inadequate alternatives, patchy monitoring and a lack of coordinated waste management. That said, I am cautiously optimistic about the focused approach being tried on Golf Course Road. If authorities ensure genuine availability of eco-friendly substitutes and involve communities actively, this pilot could set a practical example for other regions to follow," said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at CSE.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Keep plots clean near airport to deter dogs and birds: PMC
Pune: The civic body has issued a notice to owners of private land plots near Lohegaon airport, instructing them to remove garbage from their properties within a week. The decision was made after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and his team conducted an extensive survey of such properties in Lohegaon, Wagholi and Kharadi on Saturday. Ram told TOI, "If we don't keep properties in the airport's vicinity clean, air operations won't be smooth. I noticed large birds flying over many spots filled with rubbish. We have instructed the owners to ensure their properties are clean. We will fine them if they do not comply. We will seize the properties under the Municipal Act if they still fail to act." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune The Indian Air Force (IAF) manages the Pune Air Force station (AFS) and officials have raised several civic concerns regarding the area surrounding Lohegaon airport because of recent incidents of bird strikes and stray dogs on the runways. In response, PMC has made changes in its waste collection process. Now, garbage is lifted in three shifts and a dog-catching team does the rounds twice a week. "Despite our efforts, plots in Wagholi and Kharadi remain filled with trash and attract large birds which then fly in the airport's flight zone. It poses a significant risk to air operations and we must act quickly. I have directed our civic officials to work diligently and improve the situation on ground over the coming months," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Lohegaon, Wagholi and Kharadi have hundreds of empty plots owned by developers and real estate agents. Residents living nearby dump garbage at these sites daily. It hinders the civic teams' attempts to lift trash, according to officials. "Our teams will also visit private shops and warn them not to throw waste in open areas. We will conduct awareness campaigns. Cleanliness has improved in Lohegaon relatively speaking, but it is still to be the best," said PMC chief. Civic officials are working in tandem with the IAF in Lohegaon and surrounding areas to maintain required cleanliness standards in the airport's vicinity. "However, it will take a few months to see the results . We have also decided to increase our manpower in Wagholi and Kharadi to push the cleanliness drive and streamline garbage collection," the commissioner said. A senior IAF officer, who has served at the AFS Lohegaon, told TOI on the condition of anonymity, "Our primary concern is to make areas in the vicinity of the station free of garbage. We have deployed a team to keep away birds from inside the airport. However, it is not possible to manage the situation outside. It is very risky for pilots if there are flocks of birds in the flying zone. Birds react to aircrafts as just another bird and often do not change their flying trajectory. We have experienced such incidents at the Pune station." PMC officials also visited the Hadapsar trenching ground in the industrial zone, where the Pune Cantonment Board dumps garbage. "We will develop a dedicated biomining plant to process the waste at the site. This particular zone also attracts large birds, which can interfere with the flying zone," said a senior PMC official.
