Juhu gaothans: rural idyll hidden within a plush suburb

Rapid development and the rising standard of living have pushed the community away from traditional professions.

Cecilia Gonsalves (53), wife of Alan Gonsalves, a member of Gaothans Active Residents Association of Juhu (GARAJ), gets nostalgic talking about living in one of Juhu’s oldest houses. “This is my great-grandfather’s house. Not many East Indians continue to live in their ancestors’ houses as maintenance is difficult,” she says.

On problems faced by residents of the gaothan, she adds, “We have a traffic problem. The government does not help us in matters of education and water-related issues. We have to help ourselves as a community.”

With uniqueness in all the aspects, Juhu gaothans have a special governance system. They are divided into zones by the church and each zone has a representative in the church. Discussions take place in the church after monthly zonal meetings regarding the issues faced by residents.

Across the road from St Joseph’s Church is Gaothan 3. Kandal and Agarwadi, areas of Gaothan 3, celebrate Agera, an East Indian harvest festival, along with members of Gaothan 2. They hold a Good Friday procession, a 70-80-year-old tradition, celebrate Christmas on the streets and get together for Improze, a Goan carnival. Their activities too are divided according to their zones.

The Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) launched a Gaothan Beautification Project in December 2015, and was inaugurated this May. The model gaothans for the project being the Juhu gaothans, it will be done through government funds or local associations. According to the MGP’s plan, arches and a history board at the entrances, lanterns, streetlights and benches will be installed in a couple of months.

Duffy Pareira (47) is a member of the MGP that was launched with the help of GARAJ in Juhu. He says residents of Gaothan 3 have suffered harassment from authorities when they tried to renovate their houses. “So, East Indians are selling their houses,” he admits.

MGP Spokersperson Alphi D’souza says the Gaothan 1 is now almost entirely encroached. “ The government did not consider the interests of the inhabitants of the gaothan. No redevelopment has been done in the gaothan till today,” he says.