Margao: Over 70-odd churches and chapels across Goa have installed musical bells, called ‘Pulsator’, that chime the popular hymn of ‘Ave Maria’ (dedicated to Our Lady) at specific hours of the day.
One such church is the Our Lady of Grace Church, Margao. It’s parish priest Fr Carmo Martins said, “This bell was gifted by my friend (who is a philanthropist) in 2016. I like the sound of these bells as they play the ‘Ave Maria’. This is even more significant as Our Lady of Grace is the patroness of our church.”
Terming it as ‘a good concept, that is well appreciated’ by parishioners, another priest told Times of India that it was installed in his parish church last August. “The chimes of the bell function on a timer and the electric signals are amplified,” the priest said.
These musical bells have been installed in churches such as St Alex Church, Calangute; Our Lady of Hope Church, Candolim; Saviour of the World Church, Salvador do Mundo; St Joseph Church, Sao Jose de Areal; Saviour of the World Church, Lotoulim; Our Lady of Livra Febres Church, Consua-Verna; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church, Assolna; Our Lady of Succour, Socorro, among others. Besides, various chapels in Goa such as St Joseph Chapel, Davorlim; Our Lady of Rosary Chapel, Zoriwaddo-Davorlim; Our Lady of Piety Chapel, Cobravaddo-Calangute; Our Lady of Gloria Chapel, Ilha-de-Rachol; St Anthony Chapel, Deussa-Chinchinim; Our Lady of Piety Chapel, Panzorcone-Cuncolim, among others.
Former fisheries minister Avertano Furtado, too, said that he has purchased equipment from Mumbai and successfully installed these musical bells in the four chapels of Our Lady of Enfermos Chapel, Sinquetim-Navelim; Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapel, Telaulim-Navelim;
St Xavier Chapel, Fradilem-Navelim and St Sebastian Chapel, Nagmoddem-Navelim at cost of Rs 60,000 each.
“These bells have been set to a timer that rings at the time of the Angelus (7 pm daily),” said Furtado. Meanwhile, few churches and chapels in Goa such as the St Sebastian Church, Aquem-Margao; St Alex Church, Curtorim; Our Lady of Miracles Church, Sanguem and Our Lady of Lourdes hapel, Consua-Tivim have now decided to opt for modern technology by installing electric bells instead of manually ringing the traditional church bells.
St Sebastian Church, Aquem-Margao parish priest Fr Ligorinho D’Costa said, “The musical bell, fully automatic and programmed, was installed four years ago. It is rung daily— at 5.30am for the daily first mass, at 12 noon and 7pm for the Angelus, 8pm for the Rosary, besides other occasions such as daily masses, funerals, etc. It has been installed by Felix Madonna from Kochi so it can be controlled from there, too.”
Madonna said, “Pulsator is a Latin word for church bell ringer/time keeper, so this Pulsator is an automatic church bell ringer with a remote and can ring in any pattern. It is fully automatic and requires no manpower or maintenance. It is priced at 200,000 rupees and over 86 church bells have been installed all over India with the first installation in my parish, Holy Family Church, South Chittoor, Kochi, Kerala on September 8, 2012.”