AIZ – MAKA / FALEA – TUKA

It was a chance visit to one of the churches in Goa on a routine professional visit. Travelling through the urban landscape and into the marshlands of Goa, I set my eyes on the church along the quiet road leading to another of the Goa villages. The serene church premises, set amongst the greens and perched on what looked like a hillock, exhibited peace and calm only to be outdone by a low-lying cemetery adjoining the church premises. In fact, the entrance gate of the cemetery could be seen from the church premises albeit as the exit gate.

I walked into the church premises absorbing the beauty of a well-kept area and entered the church building. After having spent a few reflective minutes inside, I walked to the open space in front of the building entrance and I was exactly positioned to see the road from the cemetery leading to its entrance.

However, what caught any attention was the plaque at the cemetery’s exit gate. At first it did not make sense as it was a transliteration of something in the Goan Konkani language. I read it once more but carefully. It read thus – “AIZ – MAKA / FALEA – TUKA”. It did not take long for my little brain to process what it meant – “Today - Me/ Tomorrow – You”

It struck me like a bolt of sudden enlightenment reaffirming what is the hard reality of our life and remind