Travel Bytes-GOA

There came this point in my life when I felt that I had to be ALONE. Took the map of India- zeroed in 3 of the places- Ahmedabad, Goa and Mumbai. The card fell for Goa. So there I was with a suitcase bundled with things to last for the next 6 months at the Karmali railway station. My destination- Panaji [pronounced as Paanjim], the capital of Goa.

Around Panjim ….

Most of you might head to Goa with the beaches and parties in mind. But wait, if you want to get a taste of good old Goa, then do get down at Panjim. Unlike most of the capital cities, it is pretty laid back and is best explored on foot. Most of the old houses [with storage quarters downstairs and the living quarters upstairs] have been converted into shops over time. And trust me,  you would never get fed up with the window shopping!! The fashion savvy have reasons to cheer up- there are designer boutiques at every other corner. Most of them are highly priced [targeted at the tourist folk] but if you know the right fabric and designs, then I guess some of them are worth the buy.

Panjim with its grid iron pattern would at first encounter seem like one of those sets in the European movies. There are cafes where you get to taste the Goan delicacies, do some people watching or maybe even hole up with a book.  If you happen to get into Kala Academy I am sure you would get addicted to it. It is one place where you would lose track of time, for there are exhibitions happening every other day, if you are lucky you would be able to catch a concert in the amphitheater. And if all this aint enough, head to the rear side, and you find the vast expanse of the beach. Reddish purple sky, cruise boats with blaring music and some seats where you can cuddle with a book [if not a book then your own thoughts]. What more could you ask for?

Then there is ‘The church of our lady of the Immaculate Conception’ [what a long name for such a beautiful church]. It is a magnificent church to be seen from a distance. Probably the development authorities realized this fact, for they have provided seats in the divider facing the church. So, many a times you would see 2 sets of people gathered there- the loners gazing at the church lost in their world and the honeymoon couples in their odd poses to get themselves photographed.

Must see…

Let’s move away from Panjim and head to Old Goa. You have lots of ancient cathedrals, the Basilica of Bom Jesus being the most famous. It is here that you would get to see the casket holding the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier. This also happens to be the only church in exposed plaster [there were at least   a few architects and environmentalists who were strong enough to resist the government’s move to plaster it- this piece of information is especially for my fellow  architects in Kerala]. 
If you thought there were no temples down here, get down at Ponda. An interesting feature in all the temples here is the lamp tower modeled in the form of a bell tower [an inevitable element of the churches].

Most of the websites have detailed info [if not anything else], on the beaches. So let me have a brief say- All the hallabulla in goa is by the tourists who flock there. So almost all the beaches are partying grounds, with discos and drugs filling the scene. Calangute was supposedly one of the famous ones, now the dirtiest too. Head to Colva or Palolem if it is a quiet and relaxed holiday that you are looking forward to.  There are the flea markets that run through the nights. They sell everything and anything. Spiced up by the designer tourists you get everything from western to eastern to fusion and God knows what.

Hilly as the terrain is, you cannot miss out on the forts. Especially the one at Vagator beach, for it is here that the scenes in Dil chahta hai were shot! So far there have been just two places where I stood awestruck by nature’s beauty. This was one!

Last but not the least - The Goan houses. They are just as famous as the beaches [especially among the architecture crowd]. With porticos and shell windows they are worth an explore. It is interesting that Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks has his collection exhibited in one of these old houses.

PEOPLE facts..

This is surprising but Goans are conservative to the core. I could maybe compare them with the Keralites. There is a difference though, they sure know how to enjoy their lives. There are two distinct cultures that you get to see here. The Christians speak Portuguese and English, dress up in skirts and trousers and have travelled to the Portugal at least once. The Hindu population is more on the traditional side, and it is from them that you get to hear konkani. I am perhaps making the division all too clear, but it was quite interesting to see 2 communities living so harmoniously with each other!  In most of the shops you would find the women handling the business while the men doze off to their siesta [forgive me if I hurt the sentiments of the Goan men- but this is just a generalization]. Feni is the traditional drink [made from distilled cashew fruit] and a section at the rear end of almost of every other shop caters to those wanting the same [hope this comes as a very useful piece of information].

I guess I have exceeded the limit for a post now or I would go on and on, especially since it is on Goa….for this is where I fell in love …where I discovered a part of me…where I started the quest through my lens…