St Bartholomew/Piro-God

[Paul Castro]

Dear all,

I’ve been reading the 1894 novel Os Maharatas by Leopoldo Dias, which contains the following exchange [my rough translation in square brackets]:

– [...] que idade tem você [how old are you?]

– Eu não sei senhor, mas o que lhe posso dizer é que saí daqui quando o meu tio que Deus tenha na sua glória festejou S. Bartolomeu [I don’t know, sir, but what I can tell you is that I left here when my uncle, God rest his soul, celebrated Saint Bartholomew].  Ouvi dizer que quando saí em companhia de José que me levou à Piro-God, tinha os meus dez anos [I’ve heard it said that when I left with José, who took me to Piro-God, I was ten years of age].

St Bartholomew’s is a feast day on the 24th August, but I was wondering if anyone could comment on the particular significance of it in a Goan context. I don’t understand the reference to Piro-God. It sounds like a place (here, presumably, the uncle was called José and took the speaker to Piro-God as part of the celebrations).

Any help gratefully received.

All best,

Paul