Above the Rice Fields of Pilerne

Set in the tiny village of Pilerne, Bardez, Goa, the three Furtado brothers move to Pilerne from Carambolim, their ancestral village. Noted engineers, they have been given the project of building a dam and dykes to control the saline waters of the creek, to save the rice fields from turning into wasteland. Like the famed food and drink of Goa, this family saga is redolent with earthy and piquant flavours it is the story of three generations of a family who uproot themselves to forge a new life in a new land, along with their fears of moving; the tensions of setting up home; and how they finally turn into gauncars (members) of Pilerne.The Furtado family could be any Goan family that has emigrated to a different part of the world in modern times. All Goans are proud of their roots and share a strong Portuguese influence in their cuisine, music, and way of life. And they always love to come back to Goa no matter where they live. This wonderfully human story makes for a compelling read. Here is the real Goa, no longer hidden behind the camouflage and trappings of a world famous tourist destination. There are no beaches, food shacks, luxury resorts and Kashmiri shops just an unvarnished peek at village life. The traditon of diving into wells, enjoying lavish meals, and looking at life and love steeped in typical Goan susegad, is all there for the reader to enjoy.

Marianne Furtado De Nazareth graduated in History, Sociology, & Economics, from St. Marys College, Shillong and then went on to do her Masters in History from Bangalore University and a second Masters in Journalism from Erasmus Mundus, Denmark, Amsterdam & UK. She is an accomplished pianist trained by the Trinity College of Music, London. She lives in Bangalore with her husband and one son and currently works as an environmental journalist and adjunct faculty, teaching PG media studies in two colleges in Bangalore. Marianne can be reached at: mde.nazareth@gmail.com.