April 8, 2008

Symphony by the Sea


Following my yesterday's post on Goa, I got a feedback from a friend in the form of an email today that my post was not like my usual posts, and that the details sounded more like a presentation for promoting a travel site. Probably what was expected of me was to voice out my chirpy thoughts and make it a post full of personal experiences.


Well, I do admit that, yesterday while at work, I came across those few pictures of Goa on my office pc and when I had a few moments to spare, I uploaded them and quickly wrote a few sentences and hurriedly pressed publish.


Now that I am home right now, I have found some more pictures on my laptop of my December trip to Goa, and I thought I would upload some of these and try to write with a more personal approach before publishing them. The question is: what could I write about ever popular Goa that has not yet been written about on the world wide web? I do not think I can come up with anything new or interesting, however, let me try and write something.



What could I write about? Ah, yes. How could I forget about the much talked about Scarlett Keeling murder case. Enough has been said and discussed on that, but if you wish to hear my two cents worth on it, I want to say please do not be slanted and blame it all on the mother. Which mother would want her daughter molested and murdered? Is it so complicated to know who is at fault there? Enough of blame game. Dammit, condemn the drugging and molesting, condemn the violence and murder and if you can, do something good, and if you cannot do that, be quiet! Or else you would be indirectly collaborating with the wrong-doer(s) when you are speaking against the deceased and her mother. No one has a right to take another person's life - it's as simple as that. I'm done ranting. Thank you for reading.



In my view, despite the Scarlett case, tourism in Goa would not remain affected for long. I hope Goa continues to remain a safe place for all, and please tell me, who would wish that the confidence of a young lady like this, walking on the beach of Goa in the night, be shattered?



Now about Konkani, the official language of the State of Goa. Yes, I can speak Konkani though the dialect can a little awkward sometimes. I know enough of it to reply and retort, if and when the need arises, whether it is in thoughts, words or action, err, I mean to say, to read, write or speak.


What else about Goa? Oh yes, no one cares what your sexual preference is. According to an archaic law, 'gayness' is prohibited and still illegal in India, but as I said in my last post Goa presents a somewhat different picture when compared to the rest of India, and as long as overt displays of affection are avoided, there should be no problems in Goa.



What else? Are psychedelic and other recreational drugs legal in Goa? The answer is of course not. They are illegal, however, is it not a known fact that drug business is going on, like in so many other places? If one is caught in possession of even a minute quantity, severe penalties can be imposed.


Did I try Feni while in Goa? Yes. A few drops. Gosh, the spirit is so potent, I'd need five bottles of soda water to mix with 30 ml of the Cashyo. (I know, I know, it is not supposed to be consumed that way).


What is an average person's idea of a good holiday in Goa? The most likely response would be: Have a good time on the beautiful beaches. I went about being an average person and did just that - I got into the ''eat, drink and be merry'' mode.



Rather than going about exploring the same old (but interesting) churches and temples, and the usual tourist spots, this time I spent most of the time on the finest stretches of sandy beaches and I was content doing just that while enjoying some delicious Goan food. Goa's cuisine is a fine blend of Portuguese and native cultures.



The bright sun, the warm sands, the shimmering waters of the sea and the graceful coconut trees, as captured in many filmi songs of Bollywood, never fail to fascinate me. It is no wonder Goa has become one of the most popular destinations and a honeymooning ''hotspot'' for newlyweds (ahem, Kolkata hear me!?). The moments I spent this time also included a post midnight bike trip to Baga beach and boy, oh boy, it was fun enjoying the cold waters in the wee hours of the morning with the sand clinging on to the skin while the cool December breeze was blowing on my face as I watched a glorious sunrise!



In spite of bellowing of countless hawkers, superfluous souvenirs, traffic filled roads, and its commercialization, Goa is attractive. There is a certain charm and romance about the atmosphere of Goa that I enjoy.



I could write more on the Goan happy-go-lucky attitude, and about Goa’s love for rhythmic music and dance, its festivals, its arts and crafts, and its culture in general. But, now that I got down to writing a bit of my experience, my mind is once again wandering and filling up with wave after wave of good memories spent on the shores of Goa as the cool winds kiss my face, and I can once again hear the symphony of the sea in my ears.


So allow me to listen to those sounds and that would spare you from any further reading.

Cheers!

24 comments:

durano lawayan a.k.a. brad spit said...

Hi,

Beautiful photos with the right exposure and carefully selected angles.

India has always been a mystical place for me. One region has a different language and culture from another; like being in another land with a different set of customs, traditions and values. Going from one region to the next is like going abroad.

Some Asian countries may have different dialects per province or region too, but there are similarities and behaviors that will let you feel you're still in the same country.

India is deeper, more mysterious and more complex. It is one of the countries I hope to revisit and stay longer in than the last time I was there.

Thanks for dropping by and the comment. You're welcome anytime! :-)-- Durano, done!

Raghu Ram Prasad said...

You have travelled a God's gift place....it is soo nice to visit and stay

Unknown said...

fantastic post, love reading about goa,didnt much of it before, tks a million for sharing :)

indicaspecies said...

Durano~

Welcome and thank you for your kind words re: the pictures and mystical India. I do hope you get a chance to revisit India and have a delightful time then.

I also hope you drop by here sometimes, and have a great week. :)

indicaspecies said...

Raghu,

I agree. :)

indicaspecies said...

Kate,

I am delighted that you liked this post. Thank you. :)

San said...

Ravishing photographs, Celine. The rich colors, combined with your reflections make me want to get going to Goa! The food sounds delicious, as does the open atmosphere.

I do not believe I was familiar with the murder case, but what you have to say about it resonates with me. It is not fair to blame family members for the murders of loved ones, based on an often-slanted, sensational report by the media. It's nightmarish in fact.

indicaspecies said...

San,

I'm glad you liked the photographs. I hope you get an opportunity to visit India someday and if you do, in addition to Goa and other interesting places, may I suggest there is the majestic Himalayas to enjoy as well? :)

Thank you for your thoughtful comments on the Keeling matter.

AJEYA RAO said...

Nice post...Are u from Goa or South canara? i mean how do you speak Konkani?

Lakshmi said...

I love Goa.period.
Its sad that such cases are affecting the confidence of the tourists and locals there..I agree with all that you say...but tell me, which place is safe by that standards ?

indicaspecies said...

Ajeya,

I was born in Mangalore, and Konkani is one of the languages spoken there.

If you have noticed, people there turn out to be mini-linguists at a young age: learn Konkani, Tulu, Kannada, sometimes even before starting school, and then English, Hindi and/or Sanskrit etc taught in school - that makes it 5-6 already.

In my case, additionally, I did learn Urdu and Arabic too. :)

indicaspecies said...

Lakshmi,

Such incidents can occur anywhere, also abroad. No place in the world is 100% safe.

I shall continue to go to Goa and definitely with similar enthusiasm, like yours. :)

AJEYA RAO said...

Very true, We in Mangalore are introduced to many languages...Good to know you are from the same place as me. So do you keep visitng your hometown?

Rahul said...

It really nice to see somebody is so fascinated by nature and India travel.
Nice keep it up.u r the first one I hv ever seen who really write something informative n not just for the hake of it

di.di said...

nice beach indeed...

Merisi said...

Where there's sun there's also shadows, unfortunately that's life.
I greatly enjoy reading about your adventures in a world I'll probably never going to see for myself. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

indicaspecies said...

Ajeya,

Thanks. At least once or twice a year, sometimes more. :)

indicaspecies said...

Rahul

Welcome and thanks for your gracious comment.

You've got some awesome pictures of the Sahyadris yourself, and I hope you will continue to share more of those 3000+ pictures that you have. :)

indicaspecies said...

Di,

Thank you. :)

indicaspecies said...

Merisi,

You have well summarized the essence of life.

I do hope you get an opportunity to see this part of the world some day, like I wish for the same for me from your end. Thank you for your gracious and heart-warming words. :)

Anonymous said...

Don't take criticism too seriously, I focused on the picture in your last post and that was very good. We are all busy... can't always write too much!

One of my students is originally from Goa, born and raised here. I'll show him your pictures tomorrow at recess! Make him homesick... ;)

indicaspecies said...

Zhu,

Glad you like the picture and thank you for your encouraging words. As you may notice, I am fine with constructive criticism. :)

About your student from Goa..haha..don't make him long too much to return home!

Anonymous said...

yea! now that is a Celine style post. I remember reading this the other day but I wonder why I didnt finish reading it beyond the part about 'gayness'. Goa is very much charming and easy going. A midnight bike ride to the beach? boy! that must be fun ;-)

indicaspecies said...

Priyank,

You must have got introspective then. :P
Goa was indeed fun. May I presume Celine style post was better than tourist site style? :)