WO'GOA something is always brewing...August 2014 Issue by WG Magazines

‘ W GOA O

AUGUST 2014

something is always brewing

BARON WOLMAN

www.wogoa.in

45 YEARS AFTER WOODSTOCK

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Editor Fabian deCastro Associate Editor Ryan Largo-Afonso Feature Editor Vijaya Pais Creative Consultant Datta Gawade Historical Culture Teotonio R. de Souza Contributors Jasmine Chopra Heidi Fuller-Love Joachim Haider Gary Azavedo Photographers Jasmine Chopra Datta Gawade Heidi Fuller-Love Creative Design Studio FJM design Publisher

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WO’GOA™ is an online digital publication published by: Izzy Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Unit 14, Agnelo Colony, Kerant, Caranzalem, 403002 Goa, India +91 (832) 2463234 fax +91(832) 2464201 sales@wogoa.in. Company registration number U22100GA2011PTC006731 Web Administrator Joel Savio Nazareth Marketing & Advertising Business Manager Mohnish Arora Call: +91 98 20413209 E-mail: mohnish@wogoa.in Business Executive Gary Azavedo Call: +91 98 22295795 E-mail: gary.azavedo@wogoa.in (Mumbai) TECrafter Corporation Call: +91 99 20370263 E-mail: sales@wogoa.in © IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in WO’GOA™ digital publication do not necessarily reflect the views of IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. WO’GOA™ and IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. can not be held responsible for any inaccuracies or errors and do not accept responsibility for the advertising content. All contents are strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Production in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission from IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. © 2014 WO’GOA™ All rights reserved.

Image Woodstock 1969 6

Photo ©

Baron Wolman

‘ GOA W O ™

something is always brewing

45 Years After... August 1969 saw the world’s greatest concert, the Woodstock Music & Art Fair which took place over a period of four days, four days of peace and music with over half a million people on Max Yasguar’s farm in Bethel, New York and the rest is history. A culture which evolved and defined by the hippie counter-culture craze that invaded the lives of every citizen in the United States and around the world in the 1960’s, it was Woodstock that ended the hippie era and later Goa became an important symbol of this culture in late 69 and early 70’s. The legendary photographer Baron Wolman, the first chief photographer of the Rolling Stone magazine captured the experience and atmosphere of Woodstock like no other photographer, and 45 years later WO’GOA’s publisher has had the pleasure to associate himself and the magazine with Baron Wolman, the legend. An exclusive and extensive interview with the legend who speaks about his passion, his creativity and recalls memorable moments with great artists of the late 1960’s and 70’s. Teotonio R. de Souza, historian and life-member of the Menezes de Bragança Institute, interviews Dr. Sushila Sawant Mendes over her Ph.D. research and her forthcoming book entitled Luis de Menezes Bragança ‘Nationalism, Liberalism and Free-Thought in Portuguese Goa’, an excellent insight on her book. Goa has a depth of culture and Dom Martin enlightens us with an urgent plea – The Goa State Museum ‘Endangering Goa’s Timeless Heritage’. This August, WO’GOA takes its readers through the small towns of Goa - Moira and Cortalim, the Childhood Days in Curtorim and further on a culinary journey with Goa’s prominent chefs. Burger season is far from over… on second thought, burger season is never over, Chef Andy brings us the taste of New York with his Perfect Classic Burger, Fudgy Gooey Brownies and the Classic Apple Pie. Dining Out is a mix of the 5 star culture and the unheard yet very prominent Goan restaurants, which are highly recommended to savour authentic Goan and Portuguese cuisines and then to surrender to a world of serenity and rejuvenation with blissful spa treatments at Cidade de Goa’ Clube Saúde Spa and Rejuv at The Lalit Golf & Spa Resort Goa. Goa is a place where people know how to relax…something is always brewing…enjoy!

Fabian deCastro Editor

CONTENTS 16

We Are Golden

The Legendary Photographer

Endangering Goa’s Timless Heritage...

Chef’s in the City

Goa’s Spice Plantation

In the Life and Work of Luis de Menezes Bragança

Childhood Days in Curtorim

Stepping back in time - Moira

Laid back - Cortalim

‘ GOA W O ™

something is always brewing

Perfect food, tableware, service and then...

100

Pousada Tauma

104

Siolim House

110

luxury in the hills of Arpora...

117

Healthy Living

118

Spa’s

124

GO GOA

126

Signature Dishes

140

Dining Out

Goa...always green 9

contributors Heudi Fuller-Love - From food reviewer for Asia Life in Cambodia, to trainee gaucho on a farm in Argentina, food, travel and lifestyle writer/photographer Heidi Fuller-love regularly contributes to 68+ publications (including her own French website Femme Voyageur) and travels the world for her awardwinning city/country guide show for British Airways inflight radio. A regular Goa visitor, Heidi Fuller-love has penned guides to the region for Trip Advisor and countless other publications.

Teotonio R. de Souza - An Indo-Portuguese historian, researcher and columnist. Fellow of the Portuguese Academy of History and Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa. Founder-Director of the Xavier Centre of Historical Research (1979-1994). Head and Chair, Dept. of History, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisboa (since 1996).

Jasmine Chopra - Mumbai born, Goa raised, Konkani speaking AngloIndian Jasmine returned to India after 10 years in the UK pursuing her studies in Tourism and gaining professional experience. During her time there, she developed a flair for writing, photography and volunteer work. Her passion took her deep into the indigenous rainforest of Costa Rica for community work and gave her a love of the Spanish language. A stickler for linguistics she has a repertoire of hotels, publications and travel. She divides her time between England, France and India but Goa, according to her is where the roots are. Joachim Haider came to Goa in 2006 from Germany and the first thing Joachim Haider invested in was a Bullet (a motorbike) and he began to explore Goa over the weekends, where he fell in love with the place. When work as an architect started to get stifling, Joachim decided to try something different in the field and in 2012 joined a young architectural company based in Panaji called Organic Arts and Architecture, as their head designer. Today Joachim lives in Goa with his Indian wife Sadhana, and enjoys trekking to exploring the Goan hinterland.

Chef Andrzej Andy Zyla is the Executive Sous Chef of DAMAC Hotels & Resorts Mgt LLC, his cuisine is simple and delicate which he shares with WO’GOA readers. In the past 10 years Chef Andy has been the Chef de Partie at the Chelsea Arts Club in London, Sous Chef at the Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas in the Maldives, Head Chef at the Earl Spenser in London, the Speciality Sous Chef at The Address Montgomerie in Dubai, Chef de Cuisine at the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Palm Jumeirah Dubai and Watatsumi a fine dining Japanese restaurant, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi. 10

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Baron Wolman sitting back stage Carlos Santana playing at Woodstock Photo ÂŠBill Graham 16

We Are Golden... pointed my rental car toward Woodstock thinking I would be covering just another summer music festival. Wow, was I wrong! As I moved ever closer to the actual festival site, I was shocked. The traffic was incredible – I encountered a sea of automobiles lined up bumper to bumper, and people marching forward on foot. “I came upon a child of God, He was walking along the road…” Little did I know I was about to experience the most famous music festival in the history of the world.

My personal Woodstock experience was somewhat different than most of the photographers shooting the festival. The line-up of musicians was second to none: The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Richie Havens, Ravi Shankar, Joan Baez, Santana, Jefferson Airplane with Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, and on and on. Most of the performers I had photographed already in concert, and although I was impressed by them all, what fascinated me more, what captured my imagination, was the event itself. Never before had I seen so many people gathered at one place. Never before had I seen children of the “counter-culture” sitting together peacefully, helping one another, enjoying the music and the rural atmosphere and one another. It was indeed a weekend of peace, love and music. No one could have predicted the enduring influence of Woodstock. Yes, the bands were first-rate and there were many of them. And the location, isolated in nature as it was, was picture-perfect and tranquil, a bucolic setting for relaxing with friends and listening to music and getting high. But in unexpected ways, Woodstock became more than a concert for all of us. My photographer friend and cohort, Jim Marshall, stayed on the stage and behind the stage, high on who knows what chemical and tripping with the best of them, yet still producing impeccable and memorable images. I, on the other hand, was fascinated, captivated, enchanted and transfixed by the crowd, the hundreds of thousands of kind and gentle souls who made the trek to Yasguar’s farm. It was the people upon whom I focused my cameras. I wandered among them, taking pictures, building a personal diary of three miraculous days that I somehow knew were both a promise and an aberration. We held out hope that the former would characterize our future lives. Yet, as we look at the world in which we now live, we realize with great sadness it was only an aberration. But for me – I give thanks to the photo gods who put me and my cameras at that place, at that time, and gave me the foresight to remember the moment in pictures.

Baron Wolman

“WOODSTOCK” Unseen photographs from the most famous music festival of all time. Baron Wolman and Michael Lang Foreword by Carlos Santana 192 pages, 11-3/4 x 10 inches • US$49.95 + Shipping from the U.S. To order one or more autographed copies, contact the author at baron@baronwolman.com

"Woodstock showed the world how things could have been, and for this reason it's important that we never forget this experience, this place, this time, this dream that came true, if only for three days..." Baron Wolman’s stunning black and white photographs of Woodstock are published here for the first time. The majority of the images have never before been seen. The photos are accompanied by text featuring an interview with Wolman and Woodstock creator, Michael Lang, and a foreword by guitarist Carlos Santana. Wolman captured the experience and atmosphere of Woodstock like no other photographer. More interested in the crowd than the performers, his photographs are hugely evocative and offer an insight into this legendary event that is rarely seen. "I ended up spending most of my time out in the wild with the crowd because what was happening out there was just too interesting not to explore. "The thing to remember about the 60s, even near the end in ’69, was that everything was totally different, the behavior was new and unexpected. Plus, the 1960s were simply wildly photogenic in every way imaginable...the changes that were taking place in the heads of the people were visually manifested. I mean, how could you not take pictures?" Baron Wolman began his music photography career as the original, first photographer of the new Rolling Stone magazine in 1967. He went on to capture the 1960s pop rock explosion including Janis Joplin, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, among many, many more. 19

In an exclusive and extensive interview with Baron Wolman, the first chief photographer of the Rolling Stone magazine. Baron Wolman speaks about his passion, his creativity and recalls memorable moments with great artists of the late 1960’s and 70’s. WO’GOA: Hi Baron, it’s an honor to interview you today. Having lived among the legends, you’ve had the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the greatest musicians of our time. How did it all begin for you? What is your story?

the legendary photographer

Baron Wolman chief potographer Rolling Stone magazine speaks to WO’GOA Vijaya Pais Ryan Largo-Afonso

Baron Wolman: My complete “story” is a long one, a much too circuitous journey for an afternoon interview… It began when, as a teenager, I received (bought) my first camera. The moment I looked through the viewfinder I knew I had found my own personal way to communicate about the world as I experienced it. In fact, it was curiosity about the world that became my photographic guiding light, the energy behind my drive to make pictures – what’s going on out there, how to make sense of it? Search for the essence, take a photo, share my visual insight with the world – I communicated better with images than with words. Over the years, my subjects were many, from music, to sports, to aviation, to fashion, to travel and beyond. In order to “study” anything with my camera about which I was curious I gave myself an assignment. From those assignments came photo books and magazine articles and prints for sale. And from them, too, came my opportunity to immerse myself in the world of rock & roll music as the chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine. Although I have made countless photos of many and varied subjects, it for my music photos, made mainly for Rolling Stone for which I am best known. The opportunity to become associated with Rolling Stone came in April of 1967; our first issue was published in October of ’67, dated 9 November 1967. The rest, as they say, is history. I photographed musicians who were icons and those who would become icons. I worked in the days when music was innocent, before the business of music became more important than the music itself. I was blessed to have been at the right place at the right time: at the very beginning of Rolling Stone magazine, in the early days of the popular music explosion, and in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury as U.S. and global society were experience massive changes

Photo ©Lynn Lown 21

politically, culturally, and most importantly, visually. For having been given the opportunity to shoot for Rolling Stone during those years, I consider myself one of the luckiest men alive… WO’GOA: At 3 score and 7 years, decades of significant achievements what is it that drives you, replenishes your enthusiasm and your zest for life? Your Profession love, people and relationships or your Creator.

me that I wanted to experience fully, to be aware. If I had been stoned, those experiences would have been a blur. Just as there were no auto-focus or auto-exposure cameras – if I had been stoned, all my photos would also have been blurred…

WO’GOA: You’ve pretty much seen the Rolling Stone magazine come to life, what were the early days like? And what was your experience shooting for the cult magazine? In capturing these expressive lifetime shots is there an emotional connection Baron Wolman: Although my body demands that I created with the artist? pay attention to it, I simply cannot admit to myself that I am “old.” I don’t think old and I don’t act Baron Wolman: The early days of Rolling Stone old – it’s not by decision, it’s by inclination. As were wonderful, everything and anything was cynical as I am about the future of our species, I am possible. We covered music, we covered politics, still fascinated by the myriad of cultures inhabiting we covered art. We were irreverently creative but our planet, by the colors and the customs, by the always honest. The magazine looked good, it read geography, by the technology, and, of course, by well – we hired talented writers and editors. We the women of the world… knew we were at the beginning of something good, something very, very good. WO’GOA: Back in the day, on the road documenting chronicles of great artists and events, leading I It didn’t take long for the public to become aware assume a nomadic (may be described as hippie) of Rolling Stone. On my first assignment for the lifestyle, What are factors kept you grounded, first issue the musicians asked who I was. “Baron,” focused and single minded to the job at hand and I said, “from Rolling Stone.” What was Rolling Stone, they wanted to know; at that moment the your quest? magazine didn’t yet exist. After we published a few Baron Wolman: I never called myself a “hippie,” issues it was clear we were becoming an important I never considered myself one. I understood and voice in the world of music in general, of rock and appreciated what it meant to be a hippie, but I was roll in particular. The musicians soon wanted to much more grounded in a traditional lifestyle. (If be seen in the pages of the magazines - and they I had been a true hippie, I would have been to became accessible and cooperative. Goa decades ago when Goa earned its deserved reputation as a must-visit destination.) I was For concert photos there was no emotional married to a dancer in the San Francisco Ballet connection created with the artist – there was no and we had a fabulous life as members of San need to. I was there to capture a moment in the Francisco’s artistic community. I had a home and a performance that, in a picture or two, would show mortgage. And I loved, loved, loved photography what it was like to have been at that concert. I – loved discovering something new to photograph needed to “see” the music, not listen to it. I watched and experience through my camera. I never ever for magic visual moments that were occurring on considered my “job” as work – it was always fun, stage. exciting in unexpected ways, always satisfying. For portraits it was an entirely different experience; Nor was I much into drugs. OK, I inhaled now yes, I always tried to establish an emotional and then, but drugs never much interested me. Life connection with my subjects. You see, because I interested me – there was so much going on around love music, I “loved” the musicians. They gave to February 1, 1969 Rolling Stone Cover Photo © 22

Baron Wolman

me the gift of their music and for that gift I was most grateful. In return I wanted to give them my gift of memorable and compassionate photographs of themselves. In my photos session I urged them to share with me a piece of their soul, something from within that I could capture on film which showed them as they saw themselves, in the best possible light. WO’GOA: Based on the wide spectrum of your work with the camera, which I imagine is a part of your persona and a roving eye, as a professional, which of the exceptional moments captured would be by intuition, with intention or incidental? Kindly narrate some circumstances and examples. Baron Wolman: An interesting question. Generally speaking, on every assignment, be it one I give myself or one given me by a client, I start off with intention and in a given direction. But I leave my mind open to the possibilities along the way of the “incidental,” as you call it. Woodstock is a perfect example. As was always the case for events such as this, I went with the intention of covering a festival, from the natural setting, to both the onstage and back-stage crowds, to the musicians, to the gentle folks who came to hear the music and chill out. However, the pictures I took, the subjects I photographed, came as a series of incidental experiences - the people bathing in the pond, the cows relaxed and listening to the music, the size and nature of the enormous crowd, the local residents bewildered but welcoming the children of the counter-culture. In other words, I usually have an idea where I’m going, I’m just never sure how I’ll get there… WO’GOA: The music scene has changed tremendously from the lyrically rich, gut wrenchingly soulful music of the 60’s and 70’s to what it is now. What is your take on this musical evolution? Similarly with new age technology what really has changed in the art of photography? Baron Wolman:Well, all of us, photographers and “civilians,” have experienced – are experiencing – the results of the digital revolution in photography.

It’s the same with the music. Photographs are more easily taken with digital, music is more easily made with digital. The amount of music and the number of photos have increased dramatically, and therein is the problem. How does the best music, how do the best images rise to the top of the pool for us to encounter? After all, the instruments of both music and photography are simply tools to make art. But now there is so much of both. We are awash in art…

I love music, I “loved” the musicians. They gave to me the gift of their music and for that gift I was most grateful. In return I wanted to give them my gift of memorable and compassionate photographs of themselves...

Every generation makes music that reflects its own current reality. You may not like rap music, but it’s all about what it means to be living in the world today, a world of violence and mutual disrespect. You may be bored by EDM (electronic dance music), but that’s part of one of today’s important musical experiences, especially among the young. Classic rock seems to persist for two reasons: 1) because it’s more musically “accessible,” with a sympathetic and harmonious beat, and 2) because the lyrics clearly and simply deal with some of our universal, pan-generational experiences like the joy of love, and the heartbreak of loss in its many forms. The advent of the digital camera has caused a sea change in the world of photography, a case of “good news/bad news.” The good news is that it is now so easy to take photographs that everybody is doing it, some even doing it well! The bad news is that everybody is taking pictures; the result is that we’re inundated by digital images, some good, some great, most forgettable. How do we access the great ones, where do we find them? The other “bad news” is that it’s now so incredibly difficult to make a living as a professional photographer, no more so than in the world of music photography. At a concert, for example, like a herd of sheep, photographers are herded into the “pit” in front of the stage, given two, maybe three songs to get their best shots and then kicked out. Unlimited access to the stage and the musicians, which I know from experience is virtually the only way to make great music photos, is a thing of the past. Explaining the “why” of this situation is somewhat complex, a subject to discuss on another day.

Photo ©Fred Kaplan 25

Janis Joplin “Concert for One” Photo © 26

Baron Wolman

The other major change engendered by advent of the digital camera is how easy it is to become a so-called professional. Invest a bunch of money in high-end pro digital equipment, set the dial to auto, and off you go, everything automatic; the camera does all the hard work…except for the eye! Having an eye for a great image is what sets the real pros apart from even the serious amateurs. Nothing will replace the eye of a great photographer; no camera will automatically take great pictures if the man or woman holding it is lacking creative, artistic photographic vision.

and successful, the main stream media took notice. Because we were printed on newsprint, we could not run color photos or color ads. The “big boys” decided they would try to match us with a large format magazine produced on glossy stock and printed in color. One of those magazines called me and asked if I any color photos of Janis Joplin in concert. I did not because for obvious reasons at the time I was shooting primarily in black and white. So I phoned Janis – she conveniently lived only a few streets away – and asked her if she had any upcoming concerts where I could shoot her in color. She did not. So I created a “Plan B.” I WO’GOA:The 60’s marked a beautiful time in asked her to come to my studio with a microphone, history, where the youth came together in love dressed in her performance best. My idea was to and peace to celebrate music in rebellion against set up the studio lights to resemble stage lighting. the war. 50 odd decades later, wars still rage on. I told her she could lip-synch; I was sure we could What’s your advice for our generation and the fake it and the magazine would never know. generations to come? Anyhow, I prepared the lights, Janis came over with Baron Wolman: I’m not the one to ask. While I’m a the mic, and we started shooting. In the beginning short-term optimist, enjoying much of what life has she lip synched as planned…for about a minute. to offer, I’m a long-term cynic. The generations Then she started singing quietly…for about another to come must be prepared for an increasingly minute. Pretty soon she’s singing full-tilt, as if she perplexing and unsettled existence. The easy really is on stage, and this went on for nearly an times are over, the impending challenges are hour. She is performing for me alone – giving me huge: global warming, air and water pollution, an amazing, touching, moving, soulful experience. over-population, lessening of natural resources, Janis Joplin could never do anything halfway; weapons in the hands of irresponsible people – the never do anything less than 150%. I call that series list is long and frightening. As the so-called “one- of photos the “Concert for One.” percenters” adopt a bunker mentality with infinite resources to protect themselves, the rest of the world WO’GOA: On your journeys, could you tell me an will have to do with less and fend for itself. It’s instance, an encounter or situation that had a lasting important to remember that all of these problems impact on you as a person or was instrumental in are man-made; we caused them, the responsibility shaping your outlook of life? is on our shoulders. Because of our behavior we are becoming an endangered species. Honestly, I Baron Wolman: You mean epiphanies, “ahdon’t see how humanity can survive itself… ha” moments. There have been a few. I recall a couple that are photographically related. The first WO’GOA: You have had the privilege of was during the two times I and my cameras were immortalizing so many iconic musicians of the onstage with Jimi Hendrix. I suddenly felt as if I 60’s and 70’s. Any special moments that comes myself wasn’t taking the pictures; rather, I was only to mind? And who would you say was your most a conduit for a greater force that was guiding me challenging subject? (We’d love to have a little and my camera. Some people call that “being in insight into our favorite musicians!) the zone.” You will hear athletes talk about being Baron Wolman: One very special moment comes in the zone, but until I experienced it myself, I didn’t to mind. As Rolling Stone became more popular realize it could happen to photographers, as well.

“Baron & Friends” Photo ©Dianne Duenzl 28

I subsequently learned how to “click myself” into the zone when I needed to be there, when I need the assistance of that mysterious higher power. The other situation happened one day (I don’t recall the exact day, only that the “ah-ha” moment occurred) as I was shooting when I came to realize that when I looked at my subject through the lens – any subject, it applied to them all – I had to adjust my “eye” to the film I was using. If I was using color film, I had to “see” in color, pay attention to the color itself. Conversely, if I were using black & white film, I had to see in black and white and gray. I also came to understand that the film determined how I was to look at the subject: switch on my color eye or switch on the black and white one. In color pictures, color plays an often undesirable role, causing the viewer to see the color rather than the subject, rather than experiencing the essence of the moment the photographer is trying to share. Black and white photos are much more “content aware:” without color, the content becomes the message, more easily perceived. WO’GOA: The creative process of different photographic genres, especially contrasting subjects through distant aerial imagery and the close proximity of nude human forms. Why or how such diverse subjects? And have these two aspects in any way altered your perspectives of the intelligent human beings against the vast, beautiful backdrop of brilliantly created earth-scapes? Baron Wolman: Beauty has no limits. There is beauty everywhere, near and far, close-up and at a distance. How does one compare the beauty of a New Mexico sunset to the beauty of a woman, perfectly sculpted by Nature, or the close-up beauty of a rose to the snow-clad majestic beauty of California’s Sierra Nevada as seen from the window of a small Cessna? Yes, the subjects are diverse but beauty is the common denominator. WO’GOA: Holiday in Goa; Being an artistic person your curiosity may have lead you to do some research on Goa and what is has in store. Do you have a notion to optimize this sojourn by blending both pleasures, an exploring vacation with your professional passion? If so, please interest us with your thoughts and plans. Baron Wolman: As you know, my long-time slogan has been, “Mixing Business with Pleasure since 1965.” That ethic persists. I approach the idea of visiting Goa with both intense curiosity and some anxiety. The affluent Goa of today is not the hedonistic Goa of yesterday. Or is it? If I dive deep into the history of Goa, what will I find? If I dive deep into the culture of Goa, what will I find? What remnants of the hordes of hippies from the 60’s and 70’s remain, what fragments of their spirit remains? What is left of the pleasure seekers with their full moon ceremonies on Anjuna Beach? What is left of the spiritual seekers? A woman who visited India as a travel agent in the 70’s claimed India was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen, but returning in the 90’s she saw

Photo ÂŠTony Bonanno 30

Who knows what wonderful encounters follow a “Yes,” who knows what marvelous experiences may be missed upon a “No” answer.

a significant change in Goa; for her it had become an inexpensive haven for European travelers to go, get drunk, return and forget they were ever on another continent. In a video interview Goa’s director of tourism proclaimed quite openly and with surprising honesty that now Goa’s primary interest is to attract big spenders to Goa… Is that the Goa of today? As a tourist I start out by exploring the surface of any new destination I visit, usually with a guide or on a tour bus, to get the “lay of the land,” as it were. These days, even for a professional photographer– thanks to digital - it’s difficult to take photos that stand out among the millions of photos that have already been taken of any given location, no matter how beautiful it may be. Me, I tend to go close, to look for expressive faces of the people, locals and visitors, to search for compelling colors, to be open to surprising human moments that occur without warning, and, of course, to continue my endless quest of beautiful women…. WO’GOA: Drawing from your experiences, placed as a mentor what key counsel or direction would you offer this generation that they may need to imbibe, seeking to pursue excellence in any walk of life. Baron Wolman: I would suggest to each that he/she finds within themselves a passion, something that brings him/her great joy, something without which they cannot live. Honor and accept that passion, pursue it, fill your life with it. Our time here is short. Take your own path, do what you want to do, what you must do, not what you are expected to do. Try not to take on so many responsibilities that they impinge upon your freedom to experience the variety and multitude of joys that life has to offer. Joseph Campbell, the great American mythologist said it best when he exhorted us all to follow our bliss. “Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.” “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” I always suggest to my students that they, “Assume success.” If they do, success will come their way. It they don’t, it won’t. This simple mantra is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I also admonish them to say “yes” to every opportunity that comes their way. Who knows what wonderful encounters follow a “yes,” who knows what marvelous experiences may be missed upon a “no” answer. Where would I be now if I had not said “yes” when Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone magazine’s founder, asked me if I wanted to be that magazine’s photographer…

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I’m going on down to Yasgur’s farm I’m going to join in a rock ‘n’ roll band I’m going to camp out on the land I’m going to try an’ get my soul free

Photo ©

Baron Wolman

Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane 34

Baron Wolman captured the experience and atmosphere of Woodstock like no other photographer, stunning black and white photographs of Woodstock published for the first time. Photos ÂŠ

Baron Wolman 35

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I ended up spending most of my time out in the wild with the crowd because what was happening out there was just too interesting not to explore...â&#x20AC;?

Baron Wolman

Photos ÂŠ

Baron Wolman 37

Max Yasgurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm, Bethel, New York the site of Woodstock

Photo ÂŠ

Baron Wolman 39

“THE ROLLING STONE YEARS” Every Picture Tells A Story – Baron Wolman, The Rolling Stone Years 176 pages, 12 x 10 ½ inches • US$37.95 + Shipping from the U.S. To order one or more autographed copies, contact the author at baron@baronwolman.com

Baron Wolman not only witnessed what is without a doubt the most important period of change in popular music and popular culture, but his photographs helped shape it. Rolling Stone magazine encapsulated and distilled the most important events and changes as they were taking place. Each issue would speak to this evolving youth culture in a language that was all its own and Baron’s photos captured the events and personalities, and visualized the music. The 176 pages of “The Rolling Stone Years” are filled with photos and text. Some of the photos have never been seen; none of the words have ever been read – other than by Baron and the editors, of course. It’s a picture book with text, the stories behind the photos. “For years I’ve been asked to talk about the photos, how they came to be, what happened on assignment at the various shoots. This book answers those questions and more. I and my camera were fortunate to be around at a seminal time in the history of our country and the music business. The book is my ‘thank you’ for the privilege. “I was living in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury and working as a photo-journalist in 1967, when a fortuitous meeting with Jann Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone, resulted in my becoming the publication’s first chief photographer. From Issue Number One and for nearly three years thereafter, my photographs were published regularly in Rolling Stone and became the magazine’s graphic centerpiece. The collection of pictures and the stories behind them in the book represents some of the most significant artists and events of the period.” 41

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Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry

ENDANGERING GOA’S TIMELESS HERITAGE . . . . . Dom Martin

The Goa State Museum’s bid for tenders to store some 10,000 artifacts for a speculated two-year period while the “unsafe”1 edifice itself undergoes “demolition” and reconstruction, foments some rather alarming concerns. Essentially, the State Museum is on the lookout for a “godown”. Such a drastic move is tantamount to signing off the museum’s priceless assets to the administration of doom and decay. There is a colossal ravine between the purpose and function of a museum and that of a godown. Museums are walk-in encyclopedias, or the authoritative repositories of the world’s cultural property. To the extent necessary and beyond, museums have the onus to remain scriptively faithful to the tenets of preservation and accordingly, safeguard the artifacts they have come to acquire through public funds or from private donors. A godown, on the other hand, is a repository for anything from a sentimental piece of junk to everything else having some street value. Since it is not codified to any environmental settings or 1

Table and Chair of the Portuguese Governor General

“No takers for safekeeping of state museum exhibits” (Times of India, July 22, 2014)

Untitled - Oil on Canvas

Untitled - Oil on Copper Plate Donated by Dom Martin to the Goa State Museum

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Inquisition may be described as an ecclesiastical tribunal for the suppression of heresy and punishment of heretics. Though the first demand for the establishment of the Inquisition in Goa was made by St. Francis Xavier, earlier, the Inquisition was actually established in Goa in 1560. After the trial by Inquisition, the punishments inflicted upon the heretics, were different types of torture, and went to the extent of burning alive. Its activities ceased for a while in 1774 due to efforts of Marques de Pambal, the liberal Minister of Portugal, but revived to five years later in 1778 during the reign of D. Maria, Queen of Portugal. Only in 1812 it was finally abolishedâ&#x20AC;?. 46

ethical expectations, it becomes an unregulated, viable habitat for pests and other insidious microorganisms. Yet, irony aside, it is truly unprecedented that the State Museum would solicit the services of a godown “owner” and officially “collaborate”, in appointing such an unqualified entity, to be the interim curator of its historical assets! From another perspective: Museums are posterity’s vanguard to all that preceded our present day lineage and coexistence. In this singular context, the preservation of historical artifacts becomes a monumental undertaking and involves multiple disciplines, the most significant being the meticulous documentation of the artifacts, conscientious guardianship and ironclad security. Of the reported 10,000 artifacts in the State Museum’s collection, a mere 500 or so are on display. What’s the genealogy of the remainder? How circumspectly have these been documented? Will a staff from the State Museum be assigned quarters at the proposed godown to ensure that all the artifacts in storage do in reality exist, and continue to materially reflect the inventory? All artifacts, organic or inorganic, will in time begin to deteriorate for a variety of reasons from climatic binges to over-handling and natural decay. Additionally, each artifact within its classification dictates its own climatic sensitivity. Stone or metal artifacts can withstand a wider range of temperatures than paper or textile objects.

Table of Goa Inquisition

In a museum setting, a compromise is generally computed and a temperature threshold -conducive to the preservation of all of the artifacts -- is consistently maintained. Would the proposed godown come equipped with climate control and exactly who would be regulating it, the watchman? Even more seriously, has a structural master plan been drawn up on just how 10,000 artifacts are suddenly going to be stashed in a given, confined,

Resignado by Conceicao Silva

Painting by F.N. Souza

Painting by V.S. Gaitonde

Vasco da Gama - 68cms bronze statue

unventilated space? Aside from environmental factors that can shorten an artifact’s worth-span, it is even more susceptible to loss from theft, vandalism or disaster. Will the proposed godown have some credible insurance coverage against theft and damage? Will it be supplemented with an adequate system to detect smoke, leaks, flooding, and burglars so that emergency services can be instantly in the loop? Will it have a secure, tamperproof electronic log of who comes in and out, when and for what? And if there is going to be a watchman armed with a lathi, how lethal will that weapon be against an armed heist?

Painting by S.H. Raza

Brondeuse by Dalou (1838-1902) 27cms bronze statue

If such a godown exists, one which so happens to have all the functions, amenities and safeguards of an accredited museum, it will be the very first of its kind in Goa, or thereabouts. And if such is the case, why not acquire it instead of spending the taxpayer’s money to reconstruct the existing “unsafe” building into another one, which in time, is likely to be reduced to the same metamorphosis: construct-demolish- reconstruct! But let’s not continue to be conspicuously oblivious to the existence of the Adil Shah Palace (former Secretariat) in Panjim. A submission was earlier made to shift the State Museum’s entire collection for safekeeping and display therein, while the deteriorating museum undergoes demolition and reconstruction. However, the submission pathetically ground to an impasse as a consequence of interdepartmental bickering, apathy or whatever. Fortunately, it isn’t too late to reset our mental GPS and find our wayward path back to the Adil Shah Palace, overcome the superfluous impasse and let the artifacts take precedence over bureaucratic appeasements. In the larger sensibility, all aspects of heritage are time’s bequeathal to posterity and it is our responsibility to be its worthy custodians. For once, can we fulfil this collective obligation in a dignified resolve? 49

CHEFS IN THE CITY

CHEFS THECITY CITY CHEFS ININTHE

Mum’s Kitchen Text Vijaya Pais Photography Datta Gawade

We go down memory lane with Suzette Martins of Mum’s Kitchen. She takes us through the finer nuances of Goan cuisine to tell us how it ended up on the plates of every satiated patron at Mum’s Kitchen. The year was 1996. Rony and Suzette Martins, a young enthusiastic couple from Goa, were busy running their advertising agency in the heart of Panjim City. A decade had passed since they started their creative pursuit of running advertising campaigns for businesses and restaurants in Goa. A flash of genius struck the couple when they realized the stark vacuum of authentic Goan cuisine in the heartland of Goa. If one had a food craving that spelt Goan, then he or she would have to travel either to O’Coqueiro or the Mandovi Hotel for a decent meal. The Martins, being avid foodies themselves, wanted to give visitors coming to Goa a feel of authentic Goan cuisine. Together they braved the challenges of their times to start ‘Mum’s Kitchen’ – a home away from home, a place to find comfort food right here in Goa. Suzette scoured the length and breadth of Goa looking for authentic recipes from the ladies of Goa, beginning with her own mother in law who was a brilliant cook herself. The recipes changed along with the flavours and ingredients; from the north of Goa to the south, from the Saraswat Hindu households to the Portuguese influenced Catholic 51

households. Suzette reached out to the aunties and grandmothers of the land, and got them to come to her restaurant to demonstrate their techniques to her, ensuring a high level of authenticity. 18 years have passed since the conception of Mum’s Kitchen and Suzette continues on her quest to serve home-style authentic Goan food. Her kitchen has no chefs. Instead she trains and encourages local women to work in her set up. The vinegar, toddy, spices, meats and vegetables etc are specially sourced and bought from local vendors. Suzette emphasizes the fact that creating a great Goan meal takes a lot of patience and hard work and is much more than the ubiquitous fish curry rice. The exquisite

taste of an authentic Goan meal is in the details. Button chilies bring in the flavor and spice of most pork dishes. ‘Xacuti’, the coconut based curry, needs to be coarsely ground and is incomplete without ‘star anise’. Adding toddy to the ‘Sanna’ batter brings out the sweet tinge it is famous for. The tanginess of an authentic ‘Vindaloo’ is achieved by adding local Goan vinegar and absolutely no water. The palm black jaggery available at the local markets is an integral part of cooking a Goan meal, while sugarcane jaggery is used mainly by the Hindu Goans for their desserts. Stocking up on the pulpy local tamarind, kokum and coconut is a must, as it is used in most dishes. The menu at Mum’s Kitchen is a confluence of Hindu and Catholic cooking styles. It is rich and vast in flavors and reflects the culture of Goa. Every dish is special and seems to tell a little story of its own. The tiny sardines or milk fish colloquially known

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Tisryo Sukhem - Goan shellfish 53

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Hot and Sour Squid 54

CHEFS IN THE CITY

as Tavlele Tal’le or Vel’lim brings back memories of the days of yore. The rarely found fish takes over a few hours to clean and is deep fried till it is crisp. The ‘dry prawn hooman’ a Goan Hindu curry made with coconut, button chilies and dried prawns is meant to be eaten with a large portion of Goan rice, the perfect meal for a cold rainy day. The ‘Chaurico’ or Goan Sausage in the ‘Chaurico com Batata’ is seasoned, smoked and left out to dry in the summer months, only to be consumed during the rains. The ‘Harem Mas’ is a side dish you

‘The Grinding Stone’ used for grinding spices in a dry or wet paste (commonly known as masala) which is used in the making of the famous Goan curries.

won’t find at most restaurants in Goa. The salted pork is marinated with button chilies, ginger and garlic after which it is cooked with kokum and onions, to be served a side with prawn curry rice. No meal in Goa would be complete without a plate of ‘Sannas’. The steamed bread is made with ground rice and palm toddy. It balances out a spicy ‘Sorpotel’. ‘Mangganem’ which is relatively unheard of, is a dessert served at village weddings. The sweet preparation of blended gram dal, grated coconut, jaggery and cashew nuts, is made mainly in Hindu homes. Suzette has recently revived the art of pickle making. She stocks a range of Tendli, Bimli, Balchao, and Parra among others. Suzette and Rony’s attempt at sustaining the authenticity of traditional Goan cuisine against the onslaught of modernization seems to be working. The couple does not believe in advertising. The restaurant has grown from strength to strength purely through word of mouth. The ISO 22000 certified restaurant is now one of the most sought after for Goan cuisine in the State. Ambade (Spondias Hog Plum) Curry

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CHEFS IN THE CITY

Chef Kayomarz Bharucha Leela Mobor Goa

Text Vijaya Pais Photography Datta Gawade

oday I have a meeting with Chef Kayomarz Bharucha, of the Leela Mobor. His is the first interview from my series of brilliant chefs, who have been instrumental in making Goa an epicurean delight.

the western coast of India or Italian fine dining at ‘The Riverside’

Chef Bharucha’s journey began in Mumbai where he did his hotel management course at the Sophia College. From there he went on to join Fariyas We drive down from the north to the south of Goa Hotel in the beautiful hill station of Lonavala. “Cost in approximately 2 hours for a meeting at 3pm. The control bored me; I had to find a way out” says Chef Leela, Mobor is a magnificent property. The hotel Bharucha. After his brief stint at number crunching; is set on 75 lush acres with a pristine beach on one he decided to try his hand at the kitchen. He spent side and the river Sal on the other. The property a good seven years learning the ropes at Fariyas. houses a 12 hole golf course and is renowned for He joined the Leela Mobor back in 1992 as a sous chef and he has stayed there since. He takes no its world class dining. credit for all the accolades bestowed upon him. He The man behind this world class dining experience instead credits his team, and the encouragement meets us at the lobby, Chef Kayomarz Bharucha he received from the top management at Leela’s. strides in dignified and poignant dressed in his Humility at its best coming from one of the top crisp chef whites. At the onset he informs me he is Executive Chefs in Goa! a man of few words. It is evident his work speaks for itself; after all he is the Executive Chef of the five Chef Bharucha likes to stay on top of the game by award winning restaurants at the Leela Mobor. If researching the net for new trends and ideas. He there is one thing that is consistent, it is the praise gains inspiration from reading culinary books and interacting with fellow chefs. He travels regularly bestowed on the Leela for its gourmet delights. to other Leela properties where meet ups are Whether it be ‘Jamawar’ where you can dine like a organized with international and local chefs. The Maharaja, with an exquisite selection of food from exchange of ideas brings about a creative flow. He the North and South of India. ‘Susegado’, where believes this over all experience adds value to what an extravagant BBQ of fresh seafood like lobsters, he does. prawns, crabs, calamari, snapper, chicken and meats are charcoal grilled to your liking. ‘The Chef Bharucha’s expertise in the kitchen is wide Restaurant’ dishes up an extensive buffet with live spread, with the five restaurants under him serving chef stations. ‘The Poolside’ serves up cuisine from food and beverages from across the world. He 57

Fresh mozzarella, parma ham and melon starter

believes in giving his guests a truly global dining experience by reviewing and selecting the best ingredients to cultivate menus and dishes that suit the wide spectrum of guests visiting the Leela. As Datta busies himself with the photo-shoot, I steal a few more moments with Chef Bharucha. It’s almost 4pm and the buffet at ‘The Restaurant’ is still buzzing with guests; their plates laden with mounds of Chef Bharucha’s global offerings. With so much of variety, I wonder which countries’ cuisine peaks his interest.

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Pistachio crusted goat cheese, beetroot carpaccio

The subtle flavors of South East Asia win hands down with Nasi Goreng and Satay being favorites. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a long fruitful journey for the dignified, reticent Chef who speaks more of others than he does of himself. We sit down to lunch with Chef Bharucha, where we chat about Goa and his 22 year stay here. And how does one unwind after a long hard day of feeding people? He himself would rather go home to a nice Parsi Dhansak and Patrano Macchi with his favorite, Mozart playing in the background.

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Chef Urbano De Rego Taj Holiday Village 60

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Text Vijaya Pais Photography Datta Gawade

Chef Urbano De Rego of the Taj Holiday Village regales us with stories of how he began his career as a football player to now being one of the world’s greatest Goan Chefs.

ur meeting with Chef Rego has been set up at the Caravela restaurant situated in the Taj Holiday Village. I’ve heard so much about ‘The world’s greatest Goan Chef’, the man who has the biggest dignitaries, celebrities and VVIP’s clamoring for his unsurpassable Goan offerings. The mirage of a larger than life personality I have created in my head is shattered by this wonderful, humble, unassuming gentleman. On a rain drenched Monday afternoon, with the Arabian Sea churning by the side of this beautiful Taj property, Chef Rego takes us down memory lane to a place in Divar Island where his story began. As a young lad Rego had a different plan. His life revolved around football. He nurtured his dream of being a pro football player while he trailed with the Tata football club. But as destiny would have it, Rego’s dreams prematurely came to an end when he met with a sports accident and injured his left ear. It was then that he saw an advertisement in the newspaper. The Taj group of Hotels was looking for apprentices. Rego did not know much about cooking at the time, but he applied anyway. That was the turning point in his career. His passion for the kitchen grew. From there on he spent all his time engrossed in learning new culinary skills. Three years went by at the apprentice course, honing his skills in the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ sections. In 1974, he was transferred to the newly opened Taj Aguada as a continental chef specializing in cold food. Although the resort’s clientele

Semolina Fish Fingers with chili tomato dip on a bed of sautĂŠed spinach, coconut, nuts and corn kernels 62

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Prawns in Coriander on a bed of sautĂŠed cauliflower with mustard, turmeric and grated onions

was mostly British and German at the time, their food cravings were mostly Goan! They would travel to O’Coqueiro or the Mandovi Hotel for their fix of local food. It was then that Chef Rego decided to begin promoting Goan cuisine at the Taj. He researched recipes by visiting Old Portuguese, Hindu Saraswat and Catholic Goan homes from the north right up to Canacona in the south. He debuted his Goan menu at the Taj Aguada Resort’s beach-side café, ‘Afonso de Albuquerque’, which is now known as ‘Morisco’. Chef Rego tweaked the recipes to suit the western palate. He retained the flavours of Goa and recreated his own versions of old Goan favorites. He then spent a few years on deputation at the Al Gubre Guest House in Muscat; after which he moved to Florida, where he looked after Sultan Qaboos, Sultan of Oman’s guest house. There he had the opportunity to interact and cook for some of the world’s top dignitaries like the Shah of Iran, Henry Kissinger, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, King Hussein of Jordan, Prince Charles, Prince Phillip, and George Bush Sr. amongst others.

con cilantro (tiger prawns in coriander sauce); salad idalilea, Camarao Frito, Caranquejos Recheados and the Balchao cheese naan are a hit with every visitor. Chef Rego lives to please his patrons. He speaks with his guests before hand to ascertain their preferences. He is always looking for feedback. He even gauges his dishes by looking for signs of leftovers in the used plates going back into the kitchen. Regulars at the Taj are like family. He has literally watched the children of Goa’s top Industrialists grow. The Dempos, Salgaonkars and the Choughles specially ask for Chef Rego to cater for their functions, parties and weddings. So close is he to his craft, that he knows exactly what his guests’ favorite dishes are without them having to ask for it. He tells us about his celebrity guests and how he propagates Goan cuisine through them- Bollywood actor John Abraham loves his clams; Shobha Dé prefers the prawn Amto and so on.

After 44 years of diligently cooking up gastronomical delights for millions of guests, what does Chef Chef Rego’s journey took him back to the Taj Urbano De Rego like doing when he wants to kick Mumbai and finally back to the Taj Holiday Village back and relax? Well the only thing that gives where he worked as an Executive Chef. He continues our Chef a good night’s rest is knowing that his to oversee the operations at all the Taj properties guests are happy. They are his inspiration and he as a Chef Consultant for Goan Cuisine. He has would rather spend all his time in the kitchen than traveled the world promoting Goan cuisine, been anywhere else. He does go back to his village in a representative at the World Economic Forum, the Divar occasionally, where he gets together with ITB Forum in Bali and given demonstrations on his family and friends over homemade fish curry Goan cuisine for various television programs. rice and Sorpotel, while they reminisce about the Chef Rego operates out of ‘The Beach House’ at days gone by when food was cooked in mud pots the Taj Holiday Village which specializes in Goan on wood fires, in smokey kitchens and water was cuisine. His signature dishes: the Camarao Tigre drawn from bore wells in glorious Goa.

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CHEFS IN THE CITY

Chef Peter Araujo Radisson Blu Goa 66

CHEFS IN THE CITY

Text Vijaya Pais Photography Datta Gawade

am astounded by the warmth at Radisson Blu. The staff at the 5 star Resort obviously love their jobs. Every single one of them seems happy! We are guided through by Vikram Antao the General Manager. He leads us to Lucio, a specialty restaurant serving authentic Goan cuisine. This is the only known genuine Goan fine dining concept in a starred hotel. We sit down by the open show kitchen where the sous- chef seems rather busy tackling a stack of meat!

I have an appointment to meet Chef Peter Araujo at Lucio. The brand ambassador of Goan cuisine turns out to be a lovely, kind gentleman with a gentle smile. Chef Peter has travelled the length and breadth of India propagating Goan cuisine at the various Radisson Hotels, and also at other food festivals. His passion for food is quite evident. It all began for Chef Peter in his home in Santa Cruz, Goa. His mother and Chef Rego, his mentor and brother-in-law, were instrumental is helping him hone the finer nuances of his culinary art. He started his career 25 years ago at the Taj Holiday Village after which he moved to the Taj, Muscat where he spent 19 years under the tutelage of Chef Rego. On returning to Goa, Chef Peter joined the Hotel Mandovi, one of the only Goan restaurants at the time. It was there that Mr. Albuquerque, the owner of the Radisson Blu, sampled Chef Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s irresistible fare. So impressed was Mr. Albuquerque, that he just had to invite Chef Peter to join the Radisson team as a Goan Master Chef.

Country Chicken Cafreal

Pork Sorpotel with Poee 68

Chef Peter has stayed true to his passion through his long epicurean journey. He believes in cooking from the heart. He infuses the flavours of authentic Goan and Portuguese dishes into his creations. His signature dish, the Chicken Cafreal in a crepe, is one such example of how he sublimely blends in traditional Goan and Portuguese influences into his cooking. For this masterpiece, small confit pieces of chicken are wrapped in a soft crepe that is immersed in reduced cafreal sauce and finally drizzled with butter. The Portuguese influenced Fish Caldeirada- king fish seared in olive oil and white wine is another one of his specialties. The Bruschetta using poi, the local multigrain bread, topped with reduced balchao masala is another one of his innovative takes on food. Chef Peter makes no compromises in making his dishes look stunning and taste divine. A part of Chef Peter’s mission is to propagate the healthy aspect of Goan cooking. He explains to us the health benefits of Sol Kadi. The juice of the kokum fruit aids digestion, cures skin rashes and is used in Ayurveda for its medicinal properties. Goan rice has antioxidants that bode well for diabetics. He stresses on the use of seasonal produce. During the Monsoons, he uses wild caught shrimp, mud crabs and red mullet instead of pomfret. All this talk of healthy Goan food is making us hungry, but before we sit down to sample some of Chef Peter’s specials I ask him what his favorite comfort food is. Good ol’ home made Pork Vindaloo with steaming hot Sannas and fried fish is the answer. P.S: He also holds cooking lessons at the resort for those interested in learning the art of Goan cooking. With personal interaction between the chefs and guests being the top priority, the unique blend of scrumptious food and warm hospitality is the USP at The Radisson and all its restaurants.

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Rawa Fried Prawns 69

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Goaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spice Plantation

Text & Photography Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.

he history and culture of Indian spices is probably as old as human civilization itself. It is a history of lands discovered and destroyed, kingdoms built and brought down, wars won and lost, treaties signed and flouted. Spices provide wealth of flavours colour and aroma to the cuisines across the country. They improve taste in food and also help as medicine to various ailments. It is said that Vasco da Gama risked everything and started on a sea voyage primarily in search of one thing pepper, known as the king of spices and accounts for lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of spice exports from India. Goa is doted by spice plantations mainly located in its midlands. In fact this Agri-Tourism product gives enough reason for visitors to see Goaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s verdant hinterland after they have had enough of the sea, surf, sand and tan. There are a number of Spice farms spread all over the state. To name a few Savoi plantation in Savoi village, tropical plantation in Keri, Sahakari plantation at Curti are all located at Ponda taluka. There are others like Pascoal farms at Kandepar, Atreya Vedic farm at Mollem, Jivana plantation located at Dandos Vada Mandrem in Northern Goa, Tanshikar spice farms in Netravali located in Sanguem, , Herbarium Abyss, Rustic plantations and Nagesh love forest. Savoi Plantation managed and run by Shetye Family is now over 200 years old and covers an area of 100 acres and is located in the village of Savoi in Ponda Taluka. This plantation boasts of purely organic and natural environment, in which the guest can enjoy nature at its very best. The pond situated within attracts a number of birds of different species. Bird watching is one of the attractions besides enjoying and exploring the spices, tropical fruits and getting acquainted with medicinal herbs. The plantation founded by Mr Shetye has opened its gates to the world by Sachin & Sudesh since 1985. The families employed are housed in the estate. Guided walking tours along a shady path are lead by an expert to explore the spices like Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cardamom, clove, Nutmeg etc and also fruits like mango, Jackfruit, Cashew,

Papaya, Chickoo and medicinal herbs, shrubs and trees. You can also enjoy an authentic Goan meal. Tropical spice plantation situated in Keri village at Ponda taluka is a farm where betel nuts, coconuts and spices are cultivated along with several other varieties of plantation. This plantation has carefully preserved the eco system and natural habitats. Wide variety of 75 species of birds and animals dwell here. The coexistence of man and the wild is peaceful and non- intrusive simply taking delight in the company of each other. You can enjoy elephant rides here and feast on authentic regional cuisine. Shahakari Spice Farm is situated amidst lush green surroundings at Curti in Ponda Taluka. A place to relax with an aroma of a variety of spices, one can enjoy a sumptuous Goan meal. The sloppy terrains of the plantation are covered by cashew trees, spices and medicinal herbs. The visitors are given both theoretical as well as practical information about the different uses of spices both in normal diet as well as treatment of common diseases. Jivana Plantation is located at Dando Wadda at Mandrem Village in the Northern Goa. Jivana plantation is an oasis of calm where you can enjoy the bliss of nature. The garden house is surrounded by palms, banana plantation and cashew trees. Pascoal Organic Spice Village is primarily surrounded by a forest and is situated on the banks of river Khandepar that originates from the famous Dudhsagar falls. The farm covers 20 hectares supporting the three major crops of coconut, cashew and areca nuts inter planted with spices which thrive in the dappled shade. They also have a lot of medicinal herbs. The flowers cultivated add vibrant colour to the scenic beauty of the plantation. There are absolute no pesticides but compost materials that include sugarcane waste, cow dung, poultry and fish manure. Hence Pascoal Spice Village is Organic. Tanshikar Spice Farm situated in a quite village of Netravalli, Sanguem blessed by nature. Tanshikar family is in this organic traditional farming since the last two generations. This farm has a very good vanilla plantation.

Here you can sniff various spices, enjoy tropical fruits and get acquainted with medicinal herbs. Traditional Goan Veg and Non Veg cuisine that the farm offers is an experience to taste. The farm has nutmeg cultivation, spices like pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and cashew processing done by traditional methods. Atreya Vedic farm set at the foothills of the Western Ghats at Molem is a truly unique eco- tourism venture. The 36 acre estate comprises of sylvan forest land, wooded groves, plantation of coconut, areca nut, nutmeg, mango, pine apples and climber vines of pepper. The highlight of the farm is Charak- Vatika an ayurvedic plantation, the Astrological Plant Park and above all, Prasidica butterflies - the Butterfly garden. Those who are simply interested in a day long rendezvous with nature at the best, then this environmentally oriented farm is the ideal place to head for. Herbarium abyss presents a superb herbal garden which includes Medical and aromatic plants as well as a spice plantation maintained in its natural ecology. The plantation serves delicious Goan as well as Indian cuisines to the visitors that come there. Parvati Madhav Plants Park Plantation is situated at the village Keri in Ponda. It is gifted by natural beauty, heritage in backyard industries, Indian classical music and Aryurvedic. Rustic Plantation is situated in the extreme North east of Goa at Dongurli Village, Thane Valpoi, and Satari Taluka. The plantation is a rejuvenation experience of a life time. Nestled in a valley amidst verdant mountains with grossy expanses, lush green fruit bearing trees and gurgling rivulets, Rustic plantation is a getaway one looks for. Nagesh Love Forest is situated at the Gudi in Paroda village of Salcete Taluka covering an area of 88,000 square meters. The top most portion of the hill is at the height of 200 meters above sea level. It is bounded by the famous temple of Chandreshvar Bhutani towards the south and Chandor village in the North. 77

The Portuguese Liberal Politics and the seeds of Goan nationalism In the Life and Work of Luis de Menezes Braganรงa

eotonio R. de Souza, historian and life-member of the Menezes de Braganรงa Institute, interviews Sushila Sawant Mendes over her Ph.D. research and her forthcoming book entitled Luis de Menezes Braganรงa: Nationalism, Liberalism and Free-Thought in Portuguese Goa. The book is sponsored and published by the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Goa. Dr. Sushila Sawant Mendes is presently in-charge of the Department of History of the Government college in Quepem. Dr. Sushila Sawant Mendes has worked in great detail the writings of Luis de Menezes Branganรงa and studied his times and reactions of his contemporaries to provide us with a critical analysis of his personality and contribution to free-thought and kindling of nationalism through a life dedicated to journalism. The

order of key-concepts in the subtitle of the book may need more reflection, but that can be done more satisfactorily now with the help of inputs of this research. Good research always raises new questions and calls for new research. The author has traced well the inherited strengths of Luis de Menezes Bragança. Despite health problems that did not permit him to complete formal education at a higher level, the inherited social and economic means allowed him to perform as he did. It is clear that his convictions about free-thought and “neutral” education meant growing out of conditionings imposed by the colonial church, but also by cultural impositions of the caste-system which he described as a cancer, and political restrictions of State censorship which dismantled his printing press at the end of his life.

Dr. Sushila Mendes

resist being referred to as Mrs. Coutinho was by the nuns for my children’s P.T.A programs in their school. I saw no point in discussing my stand with the kindly sisters.

The following interview with Dr. Sushila Sawant Mendes through e-mail can help those who may hopefully read the book to gain some additional insights.

In the middle years of my life I had, not one but four aims: learning to drive, to use computer, to complete my PhD, and to learn swimming. I had a mental bloc about each of these for many years. I accomplished all four. During my student days I TRS: Dr. Sushila Sawant Mendes, does your middle had done training in paratrooping. name contain any evocation of Goan nationalism? Do you feel your PhD research has permitted you TRS: You seem to admit that the questionings of to fulfill a life’s aim? Pedro Correia-Afonso helped to handle the hero of your research more critically. Do you see the My father, late Adv. Louis Gabriel Mendes, a controversy raised by his questionings as a Goan staunch nationalist, chose Indian names for all his intercaste rivalry? four children: Babu, Jai, Jahan and Sushila. He also added Sawant as the middle surname, as an I was aware that this controversy was looked upon assertion of our Hindu Kshatriya ancestry. That was as an intercaste rivalry, but I decided as a researcher the family surname in the pre - Portuguese period to accept each argument on its merits. As a nonbefore conversion. I have discussed in my book biased researcher, this controversy excited me to that my father did many things in his own way. He dig further and understand LMB’s writings from its refused to get married in the Church, and preferred different perspectives as well as the choices that he Gandhi’s Sevagram Ashram. He regarded the made at different stages in his life. I am actually Church and the State as two sides of the same coin. grateful to Pedro Correia-Afonso and Antonio That much about my dad. da Cruz for their arguments, irrespective of their mutual intentions, be it caste or otherwise. To come to my story, I decided to retain my family surname with no objection of my husband Adv. TRS: Would anti-colonialism and fight for civil rights Cleofato Almeida Coutinho. The only time I did not by itself be tantamount to nationalism? 79

Absolutely not. The idea of nation and nationalism was not a concept well defined in the early modern period. Territory, religion and language were three important factors that all colonizers employed in their endeavor of taking over the ‘natives’. Chapter II of my book is a synoptic account of the anti - colonial struggles against the Portuguese. It provides the setting or the background to introduce LMB in a historical context. The writings of LMB evoked India’s culture and heritage and reflected nationalist sentiments.

LMB wrote and discussed extensively on the need to recognize the importance of one’s mother tongue in primary education. O Debate of 21st October 1918 had a front page article A Roda do Concani, which I have translated and used in my book. The post-republican Provincial Congresses, especially the first and the second, expounded the cause of Konkani (Heraldo, 28/4/16 and 29/4/16). A special session was held during the proceedings of the second Provincial Congress (Heraldo 28/1/1918). LMB was an active member of these Congresses and the debates are recorded in the published proceedings edited by A.M. da Cunha. LMB´s thesis on ‘Education and Instruction in Portuguese Goa’ also discusses the importance of the Konkani language.

TRS: You admit that the journal O Nacionalista, run by LMB´s close relatives was not nationalist in the modern sense of the term. It was moulded in the context of the Portuguese metropolitan politics, was conservative catholic and monarchical. LMB Each of us make our contributions to society in our distanced himself from it over time. way: LMB did it his way. He definitely took a clear cut ideological stand but this may not categorize Yes, O Nacionalista was almost a family newspaper him as an activist for the cause of Konkani. and it provided a forum for LMB in his early years as a journalist. Three points need to be considered (1) The ‘Third Force’ cannot be compared to the LMB’s association with this paper was from 1905 ideology of LMB, as his thinking changed after to 1909 (a year before the Republic);(2) The front his interactions with the Indian National Congress page had the column entitled Cartas Sem Politica leaders at the annual session of INC in Calcutta in (=letters without politics) in which LMB published 1928. These interactions convinced him that Goa’s his views anyway; (3) LMB stopped his contributions future was with India. The Acto Colonial of Salazar on ideological grounds of disagreement with his regime in 1930 sealed LMB’s new orientation in uncle priest, Fr. Isidoro da Cunha. This battle of the last decade of his life. words was published in the O Commercio from TRS: You suggest that LMB died from a shock soon January to April 1910. after his press was vandalized and began to face TRS: Why LMB never cared to break out of his the heat of the censorship of Salazar regime? Is aristocratic comforts and to master Konkani to be not that an indicator of his inability to face the closer to the masses of the Goan people? Was he just hardships of a real nationalist struggle, beyond an arm-chair idealist, however well-intentioned? journalistic blah-blah? Does he not remind one of the Margão-based The journalism of today cannot be compared to aristocrats who wanted autonomy for Goa on the the period of Menezes Bragança. Bipin Chandra eve of Goa’s liberation? Dr. Francisco Martins has discussed this in his book on India’s Freedom refers to them in his autobiography, as politicians Struggle in the context of Lokmanya Tilak. Instead who wanted to keep their privileges without facing of being paid to write, money was taken from the Portuguese jails. Constantino Xavier, a rising young family coffers to maintain the newspapers: it was a Goan political scientist, has recently called them a mission, not a profession. Third Force that Goa´s liberation failed to benefit LMB’s daughter-in-law Aida Menezes Bragança from! Any comments? 80

first suggested this angle, as it had been a part of the oral tradition in the Menezes Braganza family. His family has pride in belonging to the rich intellectual heritage of their illustrious ancestor but is also aware of the many hardships that they had to face during his lifetime as well as after he passed away. The palatial house in Chandor was almost abandoned as the family sought refuge in Bangalore till 1961. I have cited instances wherein I believe that LMB played the role of an activist but I have nowhere claimed that LMB was a hard core activist throughout his life. He was certainly a journalist who has been described by the poet Manohar Sardessai as Saglleam Poros Voddlo Tum. TRS: LMB defended the Portuguese Padroado rights in British India during his visit to Portugal. You do not see any contradiction in his position on this issue? Obviously it earned him the goodwill of the Portuguese politicians!

of the Acto Colonial. His submissions in front of the Portuguese Governor General in a meeting of the Government Council (4/7/1930), was a defiant protest as compared to the deafening silence from all the other Portuguese colonies like Angola, Mozambique, Timor etc. A protest meeting was organized by the Goa Union in Bombay which was discussed by LMB in the Pracasha (21/6/1933). LMB wrote in a column entitled ‘In Clear Terms’, “Portuguese India must speak up, silence would be cowardice. Inertness would have been the abdication of collective dignity. Apathy is characteristic of voluntary slaves”. His arguments with António Alves, the Portuguese Consul in Bombay discussed about the great literary heritage of India.

TRS: It is very little known that a cousin of LMB was personal secretary of Rabindranath Tagore. Even without that connection, did LMB comment on the LMB was in Portugal from May-November 1924 personality and work of RT, who became the first to attend the Second Overseas Colonial Congress Asian Nobel laureate who cultivated both English along with Roberto Bruto da Costa. It was only and Bengali unlike LMB? after meeting the members of the Indian National I have not come across any writing by LMB on Congress in the Calcutta session in 1928 and Rabindranath Tagore, in the different issues of especially his interactions with the editor of Amrita the newspapers that I have referred to either on Bazar Patrika, Motilal Gosh, that he changed his O Debate or Pracasha. Rabindranath Tagore’s stand. He then believed that the people of Goa had mother tongue was Bengali; can we say that LMB’s a right to their self-determination and that the Goans mother tongue was Konkani? Yes, his views did not need to fight shoulder to shoulder with their fellow filter down from the classes to the masses because Indians. It must have been an epiphanic moment he wrote only in the Portuguese language. His for LMB and I consider it as an enlightened change Portuguese is unanimously accepted as being of that took place in his thinking and the ideological a very high standard, perhaps even higher than stand that he adopted thereafter. those whose mother- tongue was Portuguese when it came to the use of satire, wit and humor in the TRS: LMB called the Acto Colonial a charter of Goan writing of the language. He did take a clear-cut slavery, and in a reply to the Portuguese consul in stand on the need to ‘resurrect’ Konkani. His book Bombay called Goans “foreigners” in their own on ‘Education and Instruction in Portuguese Goa’; land, meaning culturally alienated. Once again, his his writings in O Debate (21/10/1916) as well as “nationalism” was limited to verbal provocations, his discussions in the Provincial Congresses show which did not correspond to any practical measures that the cause of Konkani was never forgotten. that would invite violent backlash of the political However I agree that unlike Rabindranath Tagore powers? he never cultivated Konkani. LMB made a detailed analysis of the various articles

W O‘GOA

Childhood Days in Curtorim Prof. Louis Jose Dennis

reat were the days of our youth whether in Curtorim or elsewhere! Unlike senior citizens who probe into life with a seasoned mind, the magnetic charm of the youth will never be enjoyed by the middle aged and elderly. The innocence is noticed in whatever the youth do, or say or write. It is said “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the PRESENT”- a truly God given present presented to me by the magazine Wo’Goa – requesting me to write this article on “Childhood Days in Curtorim”a senior citizen who finds the strength to persevere and endure to preserve with nostalgic memories the bygone days in spite of overwhelming obstacles, for I believe that there is no gain without pain. During the days of my primary education in Portuguese, the importance of discipline was instilled in us by our teachers. This has been emphatically mentioned by me, because the teachers always moved about the classroom with a polished stick which was seldom used, but frightened us nevertheless. I remember acting in a Konkani play “Bhattkar” wherein the leading role of a bhattkar (landlord) was played by me, to the amusement of the audience. Later in life, the fictitious role of a bhattkar enacted by me became a living reality in Curtorim. I vividly remember the good old days in Curtorim, when I used to accompany my uncle, who was also my godfather, to our predio (property) comprising paddy fields, even in inclement weather. During the sowing season, the farmer used to sow the best variety of rice seeds in the fields, throwing them with a dexterity at which I used to marvel. The non’ni (weeding) and transplanting of the paddy 82

fields by the women labourers was interesting, as the women used to indulge in village gossip while performing their duties. Canja (rice broth) was provided by us during the short break at around 10 a.m. They made up a very jolly group that kept me amused with their jokes in Konkani. They addressed my uncle as ‘Mapit Bhattkar’ and would jokingly ask me when I would take his place. The harvesting season was equally interesting with the women harvesting and the men tying the sheaves, which were brought to my forad (open space in front of our house) for the boil-mollni (threshing with oxen). The height of amusement for me was at the threshing and winnowing time. This took place from late evening till the early hours of the morning. The labourers were treated with rice-curry, salt fish and mango pickle, along with maddanchi-feni (an alcoholic drink distilled from coconut toddy) after which they started the threshing accompanied with lively Konkani songs which continued throughout the night, with maddanchi-feni flowing, and the singing of the rhythmic Konkani song, “Xekoi! Xekoi!”(Drink! Drink!). At midnight attol (a rice and jaggery sweet) was served, to the delight of the labourers. I used to watch all this till early morning, when I fell asleep in the balcony, only to be awakened by my uncle for breakfast. The paddy was stored in a granary with a koddo (bamboo mat placed around the grain). I can never forget the paddo (coconut plucking) every three months. The paddekar (coconut plucker) would climb the tall coconut trees swiftly and fearlessly, wearing just a kashti (red loincloth). On reaching the top he would sing songs and whistle to let us know that he had reached the palm fronds. 83

Then, loudly counting the coconuts, he would drop them to the ground, either in bunches or singly. The May holidays were not complete without the mango plucking. Mangoes - Malcurada, Xavier and Monserratte - were stored in hay in one room of our ancestral house, and were relished by all those who visited us. Then again in the month of May, when all students studying outside Goa returned home, the Mocidade de Curtorim (Youth of Curtorim) of which I was the President, organized the traditional May Ball at Curtorim which was largely attended by the elite of Curtorim and the neighboring areas. Here the elders, all ‘suited and booted’, attended this Festa dancante (Ball) on the lookout with eagle eye for an eligible damsel for their son or an eligible macho male for their daughter. Arroz refogado (pulao) and orxata (an almond drink) were served to all those who attended the function, as the Ball continued till madrugada (wee hours of the morning) to the strains of a brass band. On 18th December every year, St. Alex Church of Curtorim celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe popularly known as ‘Kelleam Fest’. On the eve of the feast, relatives and invitees flock to Curtorim to celebrate the feast. San’nas, made from rice and toddy, are prepared in the copro (san’na oven) on the burning firewood, and the whiff of

delicious sorpotel (a dish made from pork) is in the air. At the break of dawn the villagers of Curtorim, wake up to the sound of the popular Goan Alvorada (wake-up call), and the young and the old, decked out in their best, attend the High Mass followed by a procession and the benediction. By noon, a sumptuous lunch is dished out in every house. In the evening all go to the kermess (fair) where friends gather to celebrate the event. I remember I was given just quatro tangas (4 annas) by my uncle to spend at my discretion at the fair. But till today I cherish the memory as with this amount I bought kaddio-boddio, chonne and other sweets. One Christmas season before the lotus bloomed in the main lake of Curtorim, the group “Curtorcares” in which I took part and which had been awarded the second prize at the Second All Goa Mando Festival at Panjim, performed the same Mando in a special canoe which went around the lake to the thunderous applause of the vast crowd that had gathered to witness this unique event. Words fail me to adequately express my gratitude for this golden opportunity afforded to me, a 77year old, silver-haired senior citizen of Goan origin. It was grabbed by me, for such an opportunity knocks at one’s door just ONCE! 85

Stepping back in time Moira

Text & Photography

Jasmine Chopra

reedom and laughter of children pour into the winding steep lanes that populate the village of Moira and life, well; it is lived a little closer to nature here. Blessed with a varied landscape of peaks and troughs, the breath-taking views fluctuate as you journey through the village. One may choose to be on eye level with the luscious green fields or rather, above it all, observing the smoke rise through terracotta roofs. Regardless of your observations, the sights serve as fuel for an old soul, bringing about a yearning to join in with the passive, sleepy life that is carried on the breeze. The fresh wet mornings of the summer months are a personal favourite of mine. Waking up to a meandering rivulet disguised among thick water foliage in paddy fields as far as the eyes can see, is a real treat. The village offers its visitor, its resident or its guest, the same abundance of spectacle, be it the 6am peacock dance or the final hues of the 7pm sunset. Moira is not a frequented village as it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall under the average touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; radar. However, venture a little further than Mapusa towards Aldona and along the way you find yourself making the little assent into the village. At the core of the village is its majestic and architecturally unique Our Lady of Immaculate Conception church that overlooks

the very rivulet that I, a resident, wake to in the mornings. The church is to be found further inland and many visitors seldom realise it is a mere 0.5km in from the main road that flows through Mapusa and pushes past Moira. Ask almost anyone where the main Moira church can be found and they’ll gesture to a lane on the right (from the crossroads at the village club) and tell you to follow straight. The church itself is a beauty! Founded in 1636, it is uniquely and intricately crafted to stand out among the most beautiful churches the state has to offer. Its grace and prominence unlike other better known churches (be it those of Panjim, Saligao or Old Goa) is an unkempt secret of the village- known by few but available to all. Sister chapels of the church can be found in the different vaddos of the village. Namely, Our Lady of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Alto-Sataporio (famous for its façade that has appeared in some Bollywood movies) and Lourdes Chapel in Calizor that often celebrates the feast of the church held on the 8th of December with just as much pomp as the church itself. However, something more widely known of ‘Moidekars’ is that they are said to have a slight ‘idiosyncratic’ disposition. A stereotype of course that dates back centuries that claims those who reside is Moira are slightly on the crazier side of things. Must be something in the bananas… This takes me onto my next point. Moira is famed for its production of the common tropical fruit, the banana! They are sold both locally and 88

nationally and are arguably some of the tastiest of the banana family here in Goa. Funnily enough, we inherited a banana tree ourselves when my family purchased our Portuguese house some 10 years ago. Sadly, it doesn’t do justice to the various banana offspring that certain neighbours are able to yield from theirs. Perhaps, it is because we are not Moira born and bred… You can find the original Moidekars at the Moira Club (more formally known as the ‘Associacao Academica de Moira) where of an evening, you’d observe the older men focused on a game of carom whilst the younger men indulged in conversations. Women, children and teenagers alike can also be found indulging in social activity at this hub that could arguably be the veins of the village if the church were considered the heart. The people themselves are jolly and cheerful, who like most Goan indulge in good food and chatter. They work the land and live off it too. Moira as a whole, despite its changes that come with each year (be it development, the arrival of foreign residents or a change in the attitudes of the youth) retains its legacy and tradition by adapting to the new while retaining the ideals of the old. Ideals being those that are instilled morally from family to family, through generation to generation.

Cortalim 90

6:15 am wake up and it feels like 5 am, there is heavy cloud cover and the rain is steady. “Nice day for an outdoor run” I think to myself, and roll over face down in my soft pillow. Not much joy there because snooze alarms are relentless.

Cortalim (Kuttale) in the Mormugao taluka nestles on the south bank of the Zuari about eight km east of Dabolim airport. The drive from the northern coast should take about 45 minutes I conclude. Datta, my local encyclopedia and photographer would meet me just past O’Coqueiro with his effusiveness so I must begin to align with that. Cortalim, like all sleepy little villages on the western coast of India, is born of legend, and sustained by early drama. One being that the Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva, left Kailash and reached (Cortalim) Kushastali, which was then a dense forest where wild beasts used to roam. Here the Goddess saw a giant tiger, which terrified her. In utter distress she sought the help of Shiva, exclaiming “Pahi Man Girisha” (Come to my rescue, Girisha). Shiva instantly appeared on the scene and killed the beast leaving behind his linga (phallic emblem). Datta seems to wonder why the Goddess would fear an animal she is normally depicted riding on. I was unable to counter the logic; my Goddess knowledge is limited! Despite early Hindu folklore, Cortalim is predominantly Christian now and suffused with its own, more modern counter to Hindu legend, this was so eloquently pointed out to me by John, whom I encountered at the wharf and coaxed into a quick conversation while being surrounded by huge trawlers, which apparently only dock there during the two months of no fishing and then go back to their original ports Text Vijaya Pais Photography Datta Gawade 91

to embark on the next ten months of fishing from the month of August. This explained an entire shed filled with massive mounds of fishing nets being readied for this impending event by several very busy looking fishermen feverishly working to fix any damage or breaks in that impressive weave. They did not so much as acknowledge Datta as he captured that moment. John, my point of interesting local history also let me know that if you are ever lost getting to Cortalim and asked for the perfect ‘milestone’, this would be the bar and restaurant FILSU. Apparently, Filsu (Whatever that means?) is higher in recall with anyone in the area than Cortalim itself, having been at that very spot opposite the jetty longer that John has walked the planet. I take a walk out to check but see it’s closed, I guess 9 am on a rainy day in Goa was not optimal business time! I look over my shoulder and notice a board, slightly rusty now from the relentless monsoon. It says Crocodile station, no croc no money! And right next to that ‘dolphin cruises’, so I walk across the road to get a closer look at the offering and see the ticket counter, the closed gate and a large metal raft with two giant pontoons. Closed for business for sure or was this too early again? Swimming in the Zuari was now clearly out of the question, for me at least! Dolphins are fun, but I still have not learnt to trust crocs! If you further fancy water life, you can also hire a villager with a canoe and go out into the river around Sancoale and scoop for cockles, fish for crabs, dive for mussels and the famous oyster shells ‘mendieo’. You are quite likely to find pearls, with many of the river’s soft shell clams reputed to contain them. This is something I recommend, and will do myself I am sure, in the very near future, even if it just an excuse to find a seat at Filsu, a nice Feni and some more folklore while I sort through my pearls. Back on the job, I see that the ferry point is still active. This is quaint I think, what with all the bridges

now in Goa that have made this very enjoyable experience redundant. Cortalim –Madkani with several available ferries through the day that will take you and your vehicles to and fro. I can’t help but wonder when the next bridge will cut across this awesome landscape and board up the gates of this ferry point? I shake myself out of that reverie and notice the glassed in statue of the Fr Jose Vaz and I drift back to my conversation with John who had so excitedly recounted to me the overpowering legend of how as a child Fr Jose Vaz would walk from his house to the church, where the church doors would automatically open for him! I had to find this church. Cortalim is a one-road village located on the periphery of a small mountain with the river Zuari on one side so it is a pleasant drive through. Its economy is mainly driven by agriculture and fishing with a few Hindu merchants and vendors dotting the road on either side. Crossing the highway again you enter Sancoale. A few ‘go straight and left’ instructions later, we find ourselves going down the ‘Slave of Mother Mary Road’. That strikes me as a rather interesting name, but before I get caught up in my moment of wonder we stop abruptly not at a Church but a sort of façade. The magnificently, ornate façade once belonged to the church of Nossa Senhora de Saude or Our Lady of Health. After prodding around a bit we find out that this was the very spot where Fr Jose Vaz, wrote his famed Letter of Bondage dedicating his life to Mother Mary, which would explain the name of the road. We spend about half an hour soaking in the grandeur and legend behind the façade which also happens to be a national monument. Back on the road… my quest to find the magic door led me to a rather new looking sanctuary, with a museum of Fr Jose, which was, unfortunately, closed at the time. This sanctuary also has a miracle spring across the road, where apparently the water had healing properties. The church had an office

The ornate faรงade of the church of Nossa Senhora de Saude, the rest of the church was gutted in a fire 94

too! So, I popped in to find out more. I was at the Sanctuary of the Blessed Jose Vaz, apparently built over the same spot where his house used to exist. We also stumble on a bit of interesting trivia- Cortalim was one of the first villages to be initiated into Christianity by the Portuguese in their crusading fury way back in 1543, in order that the “ruler and ruled” share the same faith. The stories are beginning to tally with Johns (from the wharf)

The church of St. Phillip & James

My raison d’être was now only a short drive away. We finally reach the church dedicated to the Saints Philip and James that was opened for public worship on 1 May 1566. Interestingly, the Church was earlier a chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus erected on the site of a demolished temple. This is where you find a larger and more modern glassed in statue of the Fr Jose Vaz and by now you have found out that he is also referred to as Fr Juze or Joseph. The doors to the church are shut but at the side I find a plaque dedicated to the moment he walked through those doors and found Jesus. I have finally found my door! I stay there awhile taking in the reverence of that moment. My long drive from Candolim to Cortalim is complete. Alas, I was out of time now, with a schedule to do many other things for the day. I promised myself that I would come back another day, as anyone reading this should. To visit Cortalim again and soak in its quaint charm, breathe in the clean air, contemplate swimming with crocodiles after a visit to Filsu. A word of warning though, if your car has the propensity to overheat, as mine did, the petrol station in Cortalim has no coolant. So, with an emergency refill of mineral water I drove away from this lovely village, wondering what it would be like to live here… You could too!

W O‘GOA The door that would automatically open for Fr Jose Vaz 95

Perfect food, tableware, service and then ...

Type “RESTAURANTS IN GOA” on your keyboard and you’ll receive plenty of results. After reading that there are even four German restaurants found, I assume that only a few other very, very exotic cuisines haven’t been served here till now. I any case you can be assured there is abundance of choice in Goa to make your taste bud feel happy. In other words, Goa as a tourism hot spot attracts year after year more domestic and foreign tourists and they all want to have a choice of different foods served on their plate. Which means life in Goa can be so wonderful; An outing with your best friends; The restaurant shows a true cozy ambiance; The furniture and tableware are stylish and clean; The food is finger-licking good; Served by more than friendly staff; It is one of these moments where you cannot decide exactly if you are gourmet type or you just give into the glutton side of you … … well, well, well only if there was not the call of nature! 96

In an ideal world, you would get up and follow the illuminated but discreet signboard to the washroom; You open the door to a lobby where there are wash basins, fresh towels, soap and what you appreciate first is the fresh scent that welcomes you. The room has a decent lighting design and soft music playing from hidden speakers. The tiles and all other surfaces look clean and well maintained. You look around, see your smiling face reflected from a large mirror. You walk through another door and it opens to the WC’s (and urinals, considered you belong to the male half of this planet’s population). The thoughtful design provides enough space and privacy to relieve yourself and there are water faucet, toilet paper, hooks for jackets/bags and STILL no foul smell because of proper ventilation. Before leaving the washroom you notice a wall mounted board, listing the timings for cleaning and maintenance procedure. In a way, you feel that this place has really lived up to customers expectations.

a visit to your next door eatery can show that the reality is far from ideal. To a large extent, cleanliness and hygiene can be adopted from the grandest of restaurants to the smallest tea stall. Every restaurant should take a pride in the hygiene of their washrooms, as it can simply indicate how other parts of this place might look like. Be the latter true or not true but why take the risk of carrying a “smelly” reputation forward? As surveys show that a step-motherly treatment to washrooms could turn almost 30 % of guests into never-come-back-customers, restaurateurs/hotel operators should be careful not to lose business because of negative publicity by word of mouth.

According to a poll*, the top 10 restroom issues that would prevent restaurant guests from returning are, in order of importance: • Overflowing toilets: 58 % said this would prevent them from going to a restaurant We know that there are these kinds of excellent • Floors that were slippery or dirty with buildup, facilities in our beloved sunshine state. And we also gum or other residue: 49 % know that Goa’s reputation as a sought after travel • Partitions, doors, doorknobs, walls or fixtures destination depends heavily on such places, since were dirty: 38 % tourism seems to be the only source of contribution • Dirty and wet sinks and countertops: 38 % to exchequer. • Insufficient toilet paper: 33 % The let down is, there are not enough of them • Overflowing trash cans: 31 % and since we all had experienced at least one • Insufficient liquid soap: 28 % ghastly washroom in our life, there is a lot to do • Toilet paper dispenser didn’t work: 22 % for updating the mindset of some restaurateurs / • Management/employees unavailable to report problems to: 19 % operators. Local Goans may wait till they reach home and spare themselves some unpleasant Think of the snowball effect if even one unsatisfied memories but non-locals = tourists = revenue guest tells only two others! You don’t have to be won’t have a choice or an escape route but it will Einstein to figure out the numbers and what might remain for sure in their memory. follow, first the bad publicity and then may be I am certainly not advocating the above high closing of your business. standards of an ideal washroom everywhere, but 97

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Pousada Tauma 101

he best small luxury hotel in Goa is the Pousada Tauma, in Calangute, India. This 13 all-suite small luxury boutique hotel is located in the heart of Calangute, Goa. Being at the Pousada Tauma is like stepping into a world of your own, a sort of distant paradise. The pool is the focal point - soothing and refreshing, the sound of running water, lends to a tranquility that is truly captivating. Walking through this Goan hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cool shade of the trees, along cobbled pathways, you suddenly are at a pond filled with goldfish. There were tulips, orchids, touch-me-nots and other exotic flowers surrounding the place and the twittering of birds and the beautiful flora and fauna enhance the old-world charm that makes your experience at Pousada Tauma, a tryst with nature, a solace for the soul. It is the only Goan boutique luxury hotel which has been built on the lines of natural, traditional architecture, using exposed laterite stone. The thirteen air-conditioned suites at this small luxury boutique hotel, comprising three standard suites, seven superior suites and three deluxe suites. Each suite has a theme and its own private dining area, a bedroom with a dressing table, wardrobe and a patio with a private, detached garden or terrace. The restaurant, at the hotel, is named the Copper Bowl and it has a secluded setting for an intimate dining experience under a canopy of stars with an air of casual elegance providing the perfect setting any meal. The cuisine is classic Goan curries and specialties from different parts of the country - the Konkan region, North India and to top it all, with its sinful desserts! The Pousada Tauma, has an eclectic bar. It had been decorated with broken chips of coloured glass bottles. We finally indulged in the soft pancakes oozing a fine coconut and jaggery molasses filling, served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

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Siolim House 105

an architectural marvel! Text Gary Azavedo

uilt in the 17th Century, the ‘Siolim House’ is situated on the banks of the Chapora river in the Siolim village of Bardez taluka in north Goa. Presently owned by 45-year-old Varun Sood, who has made Goa his home despite his globetrotting business. Sood has an interesting tale to narrate about how the ‘Siolim House’ came into his possession. Remarking that due to his father’s Naval background, he had lived in various parts of the country, especially Cochin and Goa and that he was quite taken by the colonial legacy and its architecture. During his many travels to Goa in his early 20s, Sood was always on the lookout for an old Goan house that he would restore when he spotted the ‘Siolim House’ that was lying in a very dilapidated condition. Immediately falling in love with this place, the then 26-year-old Sood then employed in a Dutch bank, made an eventful journey that passed through Lausanne, Switzerland to Compton, California in USA in his frantic effort to trace the owner of this property. After its purchase in 1996, it was time to commence the renovation works as despite withstanding six successive Goan monsoons sans any maintenance, the ‘Siolim House’ had suffered enormous structural damage with there being gaping holes in the roof and walls, besides the timber being terribly damaged. A portion of the ‘Siolim House’ that had been unlived since the last 50 years witnessed the large part of the roof having fallen.

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Restoring the crumbling edifice... The services of a local architect were engaged for the civil works while Sood undertook the painstaking task of its restoration. However, keeping in mind that instead of indulging in creativity, it was vital that it was restored utilising the finest and traditional materials while permitting modern living. Pointing out to the quaint oyster shells window panes and pure shell lime wall plaster that Sood insisted upon using since he strongly believed in utilising material and craftsmanship that had been lost for a generation, he remarks that â&#x20AC;&#x153;this intransigence was something our workers could not understand since cement and modern materials were so easily available. In addition, pure lime is around four times the cost of cement and he had to visit the last few remaining lime kilns across the river to procure the lime. There they made it from the river shell, baked in the kiln and after it had passed through becoming quicklime (explosive!), it was usable for plaster.â&#x20AC;? Through the restoration process, Sood learnt that pure lime plaster made of crushed shells was resilient and healthy since it possessed anti-bacteriological properties and that the combination of using lime plaster with the stone mud filled walls was probably the most perfect way of building for the climate in Goa. Since in the summer, it kept cool while during the monsoons, it stayed dry and in the winter, it kept one warm during the cool nights! Sood further informs that he had also utilised the 400-year-old tiles discarded by the chapel in front in the kitchen as well as the patterned Marseilles 107

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tiles, where for each tile one had to pour coloured cement into the intricate moulds using a spoon! Besides recreating some tile designs, colonial Fazenda designs observed during a research in Brazil were adopted. Having visited the finest properties in Lisbon and Porto in Portugal to understand about the style and meeting up with Helder Carita who wrote book called “Palacios de Goa”, which he very much desired to maintain the originality. Now beckoning visitors to enter... The ‘Siolim House’ that initially had 24 rooms, now has seven suites and seven bathrooms with spacious large halls. “But no walls were broken except the one around the courtyard to open it up,” he says, adding that there was no hurry to undertake this passionate project that took two-and-a-half years to complete. About its history, Sood divulges that the ‘Siolim House’ is one of the last surviving houses of the 17th Century in north Goa built in Goa’s colonial Portuguese architecture of the two-storey Casa de Sobrado style of Portuguese nobility. “The front house was built first and the courtyard and rear portion was added 100 years later. It was built by a noble family who owned all the land around the house. The chapel in front was part of the property as well. The family hailed from the Saraswat Brahmin caste and had served in the Portuguese empire as administrators from Macao to Mozambique. Hence, it is also known in the village as ‘Mosmimkar’ which in Konkani signifies a ‘person from Mozambique.’ The ‘Siolim House’ was probably built in 1645 and we have taken care to maintain it as a home by employing locals as our staff with some of them being with us since inception,” Sood concludes.

W O‘GOA

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Nilaya Hermitage luxury in the hills of Arpora...

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oaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading boutique hotel sits elegantly tucked into the hills of Arpora, surrounded by luscious gardens with a breathtaking view over palm groves and the stunning Arabian Sea. Shrouded in mystery, a dream like atmosphere infuses the place for it rests in its own parkland of 20 acres, achieving the exclusive and unique serenity that sets it apart to create a supreme experience. Gently curving walls hand cut of natural laterite stone, organically shaped free - form structures, natural pathways connecting the scattered rooms, trees in abundance on lush green lawns embrace the 33 meter swimming pool that occurs like a jungle lagoon on the cliff edge. Nilaya speaks of romance without saying a word. The blue domed hall furnished with silk covered mattresses and cushions lend it an atmosphere reminiscent of Rajasthani palaces. Each of the eleven rooms is an exercise of style. All are individually named, designed and decorated with inspiration drawn from the eastern cosmic elements and nature (fire, soul, moon, sun, stars, air etc). The design such as it is an eclectic jumble of Mogul, Mediterranean, Portuguese, Spanish influences and even touches of Hindu temple. All bedrooms feature plenty of living space. Large beds with dressing rooms, indoor/outdoor bathrooms and a terrace with the sea view. Ethnic handpicked pieces from Rajasthan and Gujarat with antique colonial style furniture. This blend results in perfect harmony with an avant- garde, classy twist.

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Nilaya in Sanskrit means abode in the blue, “heaven”. The atmosphere with no signing of bills and waiters looking for tips or bellboys or front desks, is that of living in a private summer retreat of a friend rather than a commercial establishment. This eleven room refuge is part palace, part commune, unabashingly elegant. The rooms are not numbered but named after cosmic elements. For example: sun, moon, earth, fire. Two Luxury Tents composed of a front verandah, a fully furnished bedroom with a four poster bed, a dressing room which leads on to a large attached built-up bathroom with running hot and cold water. Nilaya dinning is unique, the menu does not offer a choice of Goan, Chinese, Italian and Tandoori Specialties. Nilaya’s cuisine is a subtle, personal blend of Eastern and Western flavours and certainly not formal. You can dine al fresco by the pool, wrapped in a sarong in the dining room or privately on your own terrace or in your room. Savour the outstanding menus at the poolside restaurant overlooking the ocean. The Executive Chef specializes in his personal blend of East and West, using plenty of fresh sea-food and home garden grown organic vegetables. A variety of Goan Specialties are available and Indian curries are upon request.

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NATURE & HEALTH ATMOSPHERE & RETREAT

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A health fiction based on hard facts and centuries old knowledge that will touch you. As you turn the pages and get intimate with the lives of each of the friends, you will find yourself drawing parallels to your own self and your life. And before you know it, you too will be pulled onto the path of Dosha Healing, much like the three friends and be transformed, inside out. If you thought that Ayurveda was boring and had only to do with your physical health, you are about to find out how wrong you are.

Dr Sonica Krishan

AYURVEDA

Dr Sonica Krishan, is an Author and Speaker in the areas of Healthy and Joyous Living through Ayurveda, Meditation, Yoga and other Contemplative practices. Author Herbal Healers, Home Remedies, Healing through Ayurveda and Healing through Ayurveda Herbs in your Kitchen Garden, available at Amazon. Contact details: www.drsonicakrishan.com.and sonicakrishan@gmail.com.

HEALTHY LIVING through “Dosha Healing”

Three childhood friends part ways only to meet after nine long years. But the reunion takes an unexpected turn, forcing them down a road they never dreamed of. Along the way, they find out several things about each other that are both shocking and heart wrenching. More importantly, each finds out things about herself that changes who she is forever. After a lifetime of questions, they finally find the answers. And all this because of one man, who introduces them to the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic Dosha Healing.

Dr. Sonica Krishan

ealthy Living through “Dosha Healing” is Dr. Sonica Krishan new book which is health fiction and based on hard facts and centuries’ old knowledge that will touch you. As “Easily accessible, entertaining and a truly unique book to you turn thethepages and get introduce reader to Ayurveda. ” - Dr. intimate Marc Halpern with the lives Author of Healing Your Life; Lessons on the Path & of each of the characters, youof Ayurveda will find yourself President of the California College of Ayurveda. drawing parallels to your own self and your life. And before you know it, you too will be pulled onto the path of dosha healing, much like the three friends, and be transformed inside out. If you thought that ayurveda was boring and had only to do with your physical health, you are about to find. Her new book discusses the application of ancient Ayurveda wisdom for modern life.

Three childhood friends part ways only to meet after nine long years. But the reunion takes an unexpected turn, forcing them down a road they never dreamed of. Along the way, they find out several things about each other that are both shocking and heart-wrenching. More importantly, each finds out things about herself – things that change who she is forever. After a lifetime of questions, they finally find the answers. And all this because of one man who introduces them to the ancient wisdom of ayurvedic dosha healing.

“I recommend this amazing story to anyone who wants to live happily ever after.” Roxana Jones, Best-selling Author and Energy healer

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“Dosha Healing” A Y U R V E D A Dr. Sonica Krishan

holistic wellness using this age-old practice. Dr. Krishan is a qualified Ayurveda doctor with more than 15 years of practical experience. She imparts her vast knowledge of Ayurveda in her book. Based on ancient Indian texts, “Healthy Living through “Dosha Healing”” is written in an easy-tounderstand language and is told in a unique storymode.

The book provides readers with self-help tools that will aid them in self-identification, selfunderstanding and self-care. It also includes easy and doable diet and lifestyle modifications tailored to cater the needs of the dominant dosha innate Ayurveda is an ancient science started by Indian in one’s personality. Following the dosha healing sages who wanted to find new ways to be healthy. guidelines would help the reader to live his life in It aims to achieve holistic health by maintaining balanced and holistic realm of natural health and a physically and emotionally balanced state. In happiness. her new book, “Healthy Living through “Dosha Healing”” (published by Partridge India), Dr. Sonica Practical and timely, “Healthy Living through Krishan, a published author, speaker and leading “Dosha Healing” is an easy-to-follow roadmap to expert on Ayurveda, guides readers to a life of vibrant health and better quality of life. 117

Rejuve The Lalit Golf & Spa Resort Goa

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ejue – The Spa is a tranquil escape midst the sprawling environs of The Lalit Golf & Spa Resort Goa. Spread across 15000 sqft on two levels, it is the second largest spa in the city. Rejuve – The Spa, follows a unique concept that brings together the heritage of the Asian and Indian philosophies of wellness and well-being. Rooted in ancient Indian healing knowledge, the spa gets its name from the word ‘Rejuvenation’ The name signifies an experience of rejuvenation for Body, Mind and Soul. The spa includes Gymnasium, a Yoga studio, wet area (Comprising of Steam, Jacuzzi, Chill Pool, Pulsating shower & Chilled shower), a beauty salon and 10 state-of-the art treatment rooms, including one spa suite and several Ayurveda & Western therapy rooms that offer variety of body & beauty treatments. Each well spaced out therapy rooms opens on to a private relaxing area. Rejuve – The Spa offers blissful body treatments like the Indian traditional Ayurvedic treatments, Western and Oriental treatment, besides a Hydrotherapy tub which has a pressure jets from ankle to hips where you can relax in the water and be gently massaged. Choose from a range of more than 50 therapies on offer to revitalize & restore your senses. Rejuve, The spa promises you a world of bliss & pampering.

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A Haven of Rejuvenation & Wellbeing Cidade de Goa

Text Miss Neeta Sen General Manager, Cidade de Goa

ocooned in an ambience of subtle fragrances and plush corridors is a place that promises you an experience of invigorating indulgence. Amid the luxurious environs of Cidade’s Clube Saúde Spa, you can escape from your fast paced lifestyle and surrender to a world of serenity and rejuvenation. Here, qualified masseurs gently release the stress and strain from deep within you using the soothing essence of aromatherapy and the rhythmic movements of Swedish massages to revitalize your mind and body. You can also take advantage of a range of special treatments such as a natural healing Foot Massage, a cleansing Body Exfoliation and Massage with essential oils, a traditional Balinese Massage that induces deep relaxation or the detoxifying and skin nourishing Chocolate Body Wrap – the ultimate in spa indulgence. In addition, the Spa offers a spectrum of other services to keep you feeling relaxed and refreshed. When you want to unwind, simply slip into the hushed ambience of the sauna or steam room and clear the tension within your body, linger in the invigorating jacuzzi while the bubbling waters restore your energy levels or experience the inner transformation and peace that can result from a

stimulating yoga session. At Pavitra – Ayurveda Spa, age-old principles are used to restore harmonious balance in your life through therapies customized by in-house doctors trained in this ancient science. Throughout Pavitra, Ayurvedic traditions are specifically maintained. Everything from the teak wood massage tables to the herbal steam equipment and natural herbal oils are designed to preserve the authenticity of Ayurveda healing. The signature therapies exclusively offered at Pavitra include Lepanabhyanga to nourish the skin and body, Punnagathi Kizhi for arthritic problems and Padamarmabhyanga to induce sleep and improve body posture. A variety of other treatments also help tackle medical issues such as rheumatism, high blood pressure, stress, skin conditions and other ailments. As important as feeling good is the desire to look good. That’s why Cidade also provides you access to experienced beauticians at its Salon. These expert practitioners pamper you with an array of make up and grooming services, including facials to enhance your complexion, hair treatments and styling, manicures, pedicures and more. In short, everything you need to look as fabulous as you feel.

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GO GOA! Heidi Fuller-love FORTY FIVE YEARS ON

ravel writer Heidi Fuller-love’s (www.heidifullerlove.com) regular column packed with insiders tips on how to get the best out of your time in gorgeous Goa. Inspired by the 1969 Woodstock festival, fuelled by the Beatles fascination with India, and led by hippie icons like ‘the king of hippie’ ‘Eight Finger’ Eddie, Goa become an important symbol of hippie culture in the late Sixties. Goa’s flower power past has been immortalised in countless films and documentaries including classic documentaries like German filmmaker Marcus Robbin’s Last Hippie Standing, to Australian filmmaker Darius Devas interactive Goa Hippy Tribe videos. But if many of the original hippies have moved on, Goa’s balmy climate, idyllic beaches and laidback vibe still attracts a new generation of hippies - and celebrities - who come here to feel sand between their toes, chill to great music or just soak up that spiritual vibe. In this Go Goa special, 45 years on, follow me on an insider’s tour of Goa, then…and now. HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE SPACES Goa Gil, akka Gilbert Levey, left San Fransico in the late Sixties to live the hippie life in Goa. A talented musician, Gil launched Goa’s fabulous full moon parties and is credited with creating, the now celebrated, mystical-style Goa trance music genre. Gil, and companion African Djembe drummer Ariane, are still a big part of the Goa scene today, so look out for gigs by their band The Nommos. Beach parties still abound in Anjuna, the hippies original HQ, at venues like Hippies Ocean Cafe, but you’ll also find plenty of edgy, neo hippie action in the chillum-smoker-packed cafes of Chapora and Vagator.

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HIPPY BEACH HAVENS Legendary epicentre of the Seventies hippie scene, palm-tree-studded Arambol, where the first flower children lived in thatched huts on the beach. Is bigger now, with plenty of cool cafes and hip sleeperies. But if you’re seeking to get off the beaten track and get that deserted beach vibe, head for Morjim’s stunning sandy beach, where rare Olive Ridley sea turtles come to lay their eggs, or go further north to seek out Keri, one of the last beaches in northern Goa that still remains relatively undeveloped. HAPPY HIPPY MARKETS Goa’s orginal hippies remember how Anjuna’s famous flea market was ‘like a party’ where people came to barter, or even gave things away for free. These days the Wednesday market that Eight finger Eddie started back in the Seventies is now a sprawling bazaar where you’ll find everything from glittering saris to second-hand cell phones – if you go, make sure you have a vegetarian thali at Anjuna’s first hippy café Joe Banana, now run by Tony Almeida, the son of the man who opened this eatery back in the Seventies. Another quintessential hippie bazaar is Ingo’s Saturday Night Market at Apora, a lively bazaar where musicians strum live music alongside stalls selling sea shell jewellery, precious stones, sumptuous food and much more. HOT HIPPIE HIDEAWAYS Back in the Sixties the hippies would sleep on the beach; if you want to try similar Sixties-style beach living head for Palolem or Patnem or Arambol beach and stay in Papayas eco-friendly beach hut, or one of Molly’s Nest’s cosy cottages. Spurred on by visits from vagabond A-listers like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, a host of luxury, feet-in-the sand properties have sprung up in Goa, so if you want to make like a celebrity hippy check into the very exclusive tented accommodation at Elsewhere and go boho in style. 125

Tiger Prawns and Scallop Duo

Ingredients: Tiger Prawns 3 pcs Scallops 3pcs Asparagus 50gms Red bell peppers 100gms Tomato 100gms Balsamic reduction for plating Tomato oil for plating Basil oil for plating Orange reduction for plating Micro herbs 5gms Olive oil 15ml Lemon juice 15ml Salt to taste Pepper to taste Method: Marinate the tiger prawns and scallops with lemon juice, mustard, rock salt and dill leaf, grill them. Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Coulis: Roast the bell pepper and tomato. De-skin and de-seed it, keep aside. SautĂŠ onion, garlic, put the chopped roasted bell pepper and tomato and cook. Then blend it and make a smooth paste and season it. Plate attractively and enjoy! 126

Recipe Chef Kayomarz Bharucha Executive Chef - The Leela Goa 127

Perfect ‘Classic’ Beef Burger Burger season is far from over… on second thought, burger season is never over! the taste of New York, delicious and juicy… enjoy! Ingredients: 1kg Rangers Valley 300days Beef Neck minced 2 medium size Spanish onions, small dice 4 cloves of garlic, grated 55ml oyster sauce 15ml soy sauce 50gr bread crumbs 2 whole eggs 6 fairly thick slices, mature English cheddar 6 slices of Gruyere cheese 12 slices of beef tomato 2 large pickled cucumbers, Polish if possible (Krakus or Rolnik Brand) 1 large red onion cut to rings 6 large pieces of cos lettuce or baby gem 6 burger buns (I like sesame or caramelized onion) 3tbl spoons of Dijon mustard 80gr of butter Black pepper (be generous) Salt (careful just a pinch of salt, as the soy and oyster sauce is salty) Method: Take half of the butter and sauté the onions and garlic, till medium soft, cool it down and add to the minced beef together with oyster sauce, soy sauce, bread crumbs, eggs, salt and black pepper. Make six equal patties and cook them on the grill to your own liking (medium rare or medium well done). When the patties is nearly cooked as per your liking, place the English cheddar and Gruyere on top of the patties and cook it for 45 seconds until the cheese starts to melt. Take the burger bun and cut in half and lightly grill with smear of butter. Take the bottom half of the burger bun, smear it with mustard and place the pickled gherkins, lettuce, tomato slices and onion rings. Place a burger patties on top of the onion rings and cover it with other half of the bun with mustard. Recipe Chef Andrzej Andy Zyla Executive Sous Chef of DAMAC Hotels & Resorts Dubai 128

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Poppy Crusted Lobster

Ingredients: Lobster meat 450gms Roasted poppy seeds 10gms Potato 80gms Porcini mushrooms 15gms Wild mushrooms 15gms Morels 15gms Olives 15gms Truffle oil 5ml Flour 100gms Parsley 20gms Mint 10gms Onion 10gms Tomato 30gms Burghul 10gms Lemon juice 20ml Cinnamon powder a pinch Dill leaves 5gms Chives 5gms Olive oil 10ml Tarragon 5gms Butter 10ml Clarified butter 15ml Capers 5gms

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Method: LOBSTER: Remove the head and de-shell the lobster leaving about 450gms of tail meat. Marinate in lime juice, dill leaves and salt. Grill the lobster and coat with roasted poppy seeds. Finish roasting in the oven till cooked. GNOCCHI: Boil the potatoes and mash it thoroughly. Finely chop all mushrooms, olives. Add to the potato mash. Season. Mix well, dust with flour and make three equal size gnocchi in quenelle shapes. Blanch in boiling water till they float to the top. Then sautĂŠ in a pan with olive oil to a golden colour.

Recipe Chef Kayomarz Bharucha Executive Chef - The Leela Goa

TABOULEH: Soak the bhurgul in water for 30 minutes. Chop parsley, mint leaves, onion, and tomato. Mix all these ingredients with cinnamon powder and lemon dressing. 131

Red Mullet Recheado Red Mullet Recheado Ingredients: 200gms Kashmiri Red Chili (Dry) 5gms Cinnamon Stick 5gms Cloves 10gms Black Pepper Corn 1 Star Anise 5gms Jeera (Cumin Seeds) 3 Garlic (Whole) 3/4 piece of Nutmeg 75ml Toddy Vinegar A pinch of Turmeric powder 10gms Ginger 10gms Tamarind 1 Mullet Fish Boneless (Big) Juice of 1 Lemon Salt to taste Method: Rechado Masala: First you have to prepare the Rechado Masala by making a mixture of fine paste of the following Ingredients: Kashmiri Red Chili (Dry), Cinnamon Stick, Cloves, Black Pepper Corn, Star Anneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Jeera (Cumin Seeds), Garlic (whole), Nutmeg, Toddy Vinegar, Turmeric powder, Ginger and Tamarind. Wash and clean the fish and make cut along the side of the belly side of the fish to stuff the fish with the masala, season the Mullet with salt and lemon juice and let it rest for thirty minutes. After the fish is marinated, put a little oil in a frying pan and add the Recheado masala, fry the Recheado masala till it becomes thick and dry. When the Recheado masala cools down, stuff the fish with the Recheado masala. Grill the fish till it is well done for a few minutes and serve it hot, garnish it with coriander, onion rings and lemon wedges.

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Recipe

Chef Peter Araujo

Radisson Blu Resort Goa

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Fudgy Gooey Brownies Ingredients: 90gm cool melted butter 160gm sugar 2gm salt 2 eggs 60gm all purpose flour 25gm cocoa powder 10gm chocolate chip 10gm chopped white chocolate 10gm chopped milk chocolate Method: Mix sugar, salt, flour and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Then add in the eggs to the flour mixture. Mix well. Next add in the melted butter followed by the chocolate chips. Mix well. Pour mixture in a baking tray and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve in chiller if required. To garnish sprinkle the chopped chocolates and pecan nuts.

Recipe Chef Andrzej Andy Zyla Executive Sous Chef of DAMAC Hotels & Resorts Dubai 135

Caramelized Apples 500gm Granny Smith Apples 100gm Muscavado Brown Sugar 1no Madagascar Vanilla Bean 5gm Cinnamon powder 5gm Raisin Peel the apples and cut into wedges. Then mix the brown sugar, cinnamon powder with the vanilla bean to the apples. Place the coated apples on a frying pan and cook the apples till just tender, do not not over cook the apples. Remove from the fire and keep in chiller. Phyllo Pastry 200gm Phyllo pastry dough 110gm Melted butter Lay one layer of phyllo and brush with the melted butter, repeat the process 3 times so to have 4 layers of phyllo. Then placed the cooked apples onto the phyllo and wrapped as desired. Brush again with the melted butter and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes or till phyllo turns to a nice golden brown. Cranberry Compote 200gm Frozen Cranberries 60gm Sugar 10gm Orange Juice 1no. Orange zest Mix all ingredients and cook on a slow fire till the fruits are firm. Remove from the fire and keep mixture in the chiller. Vanilla Chantilly 100ml Cream 10gm Icing Sugar 1no Madagascar Vanilla Bean Whisk all till soft peak. Apple Cinnamon Crumble 50gm Butter 50gm Muscovado brown sugar 100gm Flour 5gm Cinnamon powder 5gm Apple cider Mix all ingredients till mixture crumbles. Place crumble on silpat and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes till crumble turn golden brown. Photograpgy Andrzej Andy Zyla 136

Apple Pie

Recipe Selva Kumar Chef de Partie - DAMAC Hotels & Resorts Dubai 137

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Tamari Vivanta by Taj 140

PAN ASIAN CUISINE TAKEN TO A NEW HIGH! Drawing inspiration from the lotus & cherry blossom, contrasted with mud-finished tiles and some intriguing artifacts on the walls, Tamari does Chinese, Thai & Japanese cuisine (Sushi) in fine style. A Teppanyaki counter makes for an interactive dining experience while two Private Dining Rooms set the stage for an exclusive experience, either for business or with family. A special Tea menu boasts a variety of fine teas like Darjeeling Pearl Tea, Monkey King Tea, Jasmine Tea, Bi Luo Chi tea and Long Jing Tea to name a few. Apart from the popular Pan Asian favourites, Tamari has some innovative options: the food can be ordered as small-plates, stirfries, sizzlers, big-plates, curries & sauces. Guaranteed to thrill!

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Flame Whether you are into health food, snacks or gourmet food all the way, at DoubleTree by Hilton Goa-Arpora-Baga, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got something to tickle your palate. Start your day on a bright note by enjoying our signature Wake up DoubleTree Breakfast at Flame, the multi-cuisine restaurant that serves an extensive buffet of Indian, Continental, Pan-Asian cuisines and a range of local specialties. The restaurant also offers an a la carte menu with a selection of dishes that come with the chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommendations.

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Latitude Vivanta by Taj 144

Latitude the all day dining restaurant is designed as a theatre, where delicious food takes centre stage and the chefs perform with the curtains up. Set within the atrium with natural light adding spotlights. An arresting mural, vivid furnishing, soaring palm trees, an open interactive kitchen and artistic food presentations. All for a fine performance that deserves applause. Each table is laid with a “Charlie”, containing preserves and condiments. There’s also an attractive selection of “to-go” offerings which comprises readyto-eat fruits, snacks, a health drink and refreshments. On display near the restaurant entrance it allows guests in a hurry to pick a readyto-take-away option. If you have the time, catch up with a minimum of three international newspapers. And if you have even more time there are magazines, board games, puzzles and leisure tools. Latitude offers flexible pricing options and buffet combinations, like soup & salad only, cereals & fruit only during breakfast. Every buffet features at least one action station. And a visible buffet guide proactively interacts and offers insights on specialty items and pairings and combinations. The menu features a section of wellness food, gluten free and dairy free items. As well as a selection of comfort food.

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CoBa DoubleTree by Hilton 146

CoBa is the pool side restaurant by DoubleTree by Hilton that overlooks the pool on one side and the lagoon on the other side. The restaurant specializes in Indian grills and barbequeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. You can enjoy a selection of freshly prepared grills along with refreshing beverages. CoBa is open for dinner.

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RAISE THE BAR!

Tease, the high-octane bar, brings exotic beverages and a unique brand of nightlife to Panaji. Quench your thirst for eclectic style. Soak in the vital, modern interiors that open out behind a virtual wine rack at the entrance. Sample the mix of signature Vivanta by Taj cocktails, Fuse - signature cocktails, Teasetinis, Premium Spirits and International beers. Mix biz with fun. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth many a repeat.

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TEASE Vivanta by Taj 149

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This is a perfect venue for a quick drink and some starters. Located at the lobby level. Caffeine, offers a choice of savoury snacks, fruit juices and freshly brewed tea and coffee, for you to dine in or take away.

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O’Coqueiro

’Coqueiro the quaint Goan restaurant in Alto Porvorim has a rather interesting history with a lot of firsts. The story goes as such… The restaurant started off as a tiny eatery way back in 1968 and was run by two buddies Lucio Miranda and Christavao Pinto. It was in the early 70’s that Chef Gines Viegas returned to Goa from East Africa, with enough catering experience to turn O’Coqueiro into a haven of authentic Goan Portuguese food. With him he brought the secret recipe of ‘Chicken Cafreal’ which he fervently introduced to Goa in all its glory. And thus began the eminent rise of O’Coqueiro. O’Coqueiro’s other claim to fame is the notorious serial killer Charles Sobraj. Sobraj had an affinity for Chicken Cafreal. He stopped by O’coqueiro for his fix after he fled Tihar jail. He was captured and cuffed between bites by Madhukar Zende of the Bombay police. That iconic moment in time has been immortalized in the form of a life size statue of Sobraj, which sits in the verandah of the restaurant. O’Coqueiro continues its legacy of dishing out authentic Goan-Portuguese meals to regulars and travelers coming in from far flung corners. The restaurant is strategically placed on the NH17 between Mapusa and Panjim, making it as much a tourist attraction as any in Goa. Set in a large house, the restaurant has many nooks where one has the option to dine, from the immensely private dining room area, the air conditioned Sala de Jantar to the open air Salao. Goan folk music, mandos and kataras fill the air on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening with the in house live band. 152

The restaurant prides itself on the fact that they serve authentic Goan cuisine made with the freshest of produce. The staff source the ingredients from remote villages. All the pastes and powders are made inhouse, thus ensuring a fine, flavorful meal. The menu consists of a wide array of Goan favorites, but if you have a craving for something not on the menu, perhaps a dish your granny made you, all you have to do is ask the obliging chef in advance. The chef won’t let us in on the secret ingredient that makes the chicken cafreal so special, but it definitely is a must try. O’Coqueiro is one of the few restaurants that serve pork and beef too. The roast pigling, pork vindaloo, roast tongue and beef tenderloin pan friend with chili, garlic and onions come highly recommended. Fish lovers can sample the tisreo sukhe and the shark ambotik. Vegetarians have a scrumptious section on the menu to choose from as well. O’Coqueiro will be running a food festival through the month of August in a bid to keep Goan home cooking traditions alive. Pork solatte, aadmas, samareche curry, para, kishmoor and the list goes on… It is all quite drool worthy! Average meal for two- INR 800/-

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Andron

M Antonio Nazareth

y quest for the perfect Goan meal leads me to Andron. I have heard much about the place from friends in Moira, who frequent the place. The pork is touted to be legendary. I switch on my google map and head toward Nachinola, a tiny village stuck between Aldona and Moira. The roads get narrower as they always do in Goa and few wrong turns later I reach Andron. I am greeted by the affable Antonio (Tony) Nazareth, his energy is contagious and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m immediately set at ease after a nice shot of Jambul Feni. Andron is set in a quaint home, which was built in 1999 as a residential bunglow. Tony converted it into a restaurant in 2005, where the homely feel still lingers on. The restaurant has a few wooden chairs and tables, with well thought out paper table mats describing the place. The walls are covered with caricatures of quintessential Goan characters. In the corner is a brightly lit bar show-casing Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive collection of vintage motorbikes along with his wide range of inebriators. The house also has an open area for parties, a number of private rooms and a terrace.

Beef Chilli Fry 154

Tony chats with us about his initiation into the restaurant business. He had just resigned from the merchant navy and had returned to Goa to be with his family. Finding a decent haunt that served pork and beef was proving to be difficult. It was then that he decided to start something of his own. He named his restaurant Andron after his children Anna, Andre and Aaron. He started off small, waiting tables himself, assisted by only a chef. His mother did, and still does make all the masalas herself. Andron has grown

in stature over the past 9 years with rave reviews pouring in but the situation stays the same. Tony still chats up his guests exuberantly, taking orders while swapping family stories. His mother still makes her special blend of masalas that make every dish at Andron spectacular and Chef John Fernandes from the neighboring village of Ucassaim is a legend by himself. Tony wouldn’t have it any other way, he loves making his guests feel at home.

Crab Xec Xec

Tony has laid out a lavish spread for us, his hospitality is astounding! The table is brimming over with pork chops, beef chilli fry, shark ambotik, goa sausage pulav, prawn rechad, kishmoor and crab xec xec. I’m rather clumsy with the crab; Tony promptly takes the crab in to get it cleaned for me. Now that’s what I call great service! Andron is a carnivore’s stairway to culinary heaven. Tony takes me through the authentic Goan specialsPigling roast leitaolean, Ard-mas pork spare ribs, Pork vindalho cooked in Andron’s signature masala, Pork Sarapatel (Sorpotel), Buch which is stomach lining washed and boiled with lemon leaves, cooked in red masala, Tongue roast in barbeque sauce, Chicken cafreal, Xacuti and fresh fish of the day cooked in butter garlic, rechad or pan fried. There is absolutely nothing vegetarian on the menu, but Tony is happy to whip up something to keep his vegetarian guests happy.

Prawns in rechad sauce

A few more guests walk in and Tony excuses himself. He busies himself with talking orders and chatting about the specials. The guests seem to know the menu inside out, local regulars I suppose. Turns out they have driven all the way from Vasco in the south! Such is the charm of Andron, people pour in from all over purely for the phenomenal food and wonderful vibe. Tony has never marketed or advertised it’s just been word of mouth, he says. I sit there contemplating as I nurse the last of my Jambul Feni. This is quintessential Goa. Long beautiful drives lead you to far away little eateries, serving good food from the heart, what more can one ask for. I can totally feel the love as I leave with my take away bag… I’m already making plans to go back.

Pork Chops

Average meal for two- INR 600/-

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A Lua Sangolda

Lua in Sangolda is part of a chain of dine-outs in Goa. I meet Andrew D’souza, the passionate proprietor there. He walks me through the restored Portuguese house in which the restaurant has been situated for the past 20 years. The old world charm has been retained, giving the restaurant a home away from home kind of feel. Andrew added a kitchen, dance floor, party hall and an airconditioned area to the original structure. The seating areas are neatly sectioned out, thanks to the many rooms in the house, giving one a sense of privacy. The restaurant is an ideal spot for families and couples to dine at. A Lua started off as a fledgling venture in 1993 in the village of Merces. It began with just four tables, 12 chairs, palm leaves for a roof and a menu that consisted of a few Goan dishes. Andrew’s passion for quality food took the restaurant from a tiny little eatery to what it is today- an expansive venue with spacious indoors and a large, laid-back lawn. The restaurant’s reputation began to spread and so did the number of branches. Andrew expanded his enterprise to Sangolda, Verna and now Panjim. A Lua which incidentally means ‘Moon’ in Portuguese also doubles up as a party venue. Every branch has a lawn or open courtyard where you can dance under the moonlight. The menu at A Lua is predominantly Goan, with a splattering of Indian, Tandoor, Continental and Chinese. The specialty at A Lua is the ‘Stuffed Crab’. The crab meat is scooped out and cooked with butter, finely chopped capsicums, onions and garlic, after which it is stuffed back into a shell and deep fried in egg and bread crumbs. The Rechad masala is a hit with the regulars at A Lua. A delicious portion of Rechad squid or prawns accompanied by a ‘melt in the mouth’ garlic naan is a must. The pickled Prawn Balchao and homestyle Mackerel Curry Rice are also wonderful and traditionally Goan. Try the Mutton Xacuti for a bit of variety or order the Butter Chicken. Andrew believes in quality. He runs his restaurants like a well oiled machine. The menus across all the branches are consistent. He believes that if the base of the dish is good, then you can’t go wrong. So next time you are in the North of Goa looking for a quaint eatery to spend your time in the company of family, friends and food, make your way to A Lua.

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Average meal for two- INR 600/156

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SHIVERS

Garden Restaurant and Sports Bar

Live Music Live Sports Broadcast All day Sunday Roast English Takeaway Full Monty English Breakfast We also take Party Bookings

Add: Opp Kingfisher Villa, Candolim, Dando, Bardez, Goa. Mob: +91 9860698281 / +91 832 2479192 Email: meljinx@hotmail.com

Art Inception

Set on the beach front, at the end of Holiday Street in Calangute, is the up market shack 'Flying Dolphin'. Spread over a large area skirting the beach, this open shack with its white flowing curtains, has a Mediterranean look and is a cut above the rest. Flying Dolphin is a magnificent restaurant, where the ambience is perfect for lazy beach days, where time stands still and happiness is a state of mind, where you witness the beauty of the setting sun while soft music soothes your sensesâ&#x20AC;Ś.. a veritable temple to chill out. Flying Dolphin has a great podium-deck from where one can watch the magic of the waves lashing on the shore as you relax and enjoy Goa at its best.

Holiday Street, Gaura Vaddo, Calangute, Bardez-Goa. Contact: +91 9822132850 / 9822125850

0091 9922410832 0832productions@gmail.com

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‘ GOA W O something is always brewing

To Advertise Business Manager Mohnish Arora Call: +91 98 20413209 E-mail: mohnish@wogoa.in Business Executive Gary Azavedo Call: +91 98 22295795 E-mail: gary.azavedo@wogoa.in (Mumbai) TECrafter Corporation Call: +91 99 20370263 E-mail: sales@wogoa.in Call: +91 832 246 3234 159

Asmita Studio Goa, India.

Public Profile www.dattaram-gawade.artistwebsites.com 160

Contact: +91 90494 41177/dattagawade@gmail.com www.asmitastudio.com

Art Inception

Contact us for.. ► Commercial Photography, ► Model portfolios, ► Portraits, ► Interior Photography, ► Product Photography, ► Industrial Photography, ► Jewelry shoots, ► Fashion Photography, ► Advertising and Editorial Photography, ► Automobile Photography, ► Travel Photography, ► Glamor Photography, ► Fine Art Photography.