Thursday, March 14, 2013 | Vol. No. I | Issue 19 | Price Rs. 10 | Pages 28 | www.goastreets.com

Lusofonia 17 • Diving into Shipwrecks 22 • Chastity Belt 24

Gen-Y’s Music Groove • pg 3

Homes of Great Goans • pg 10

The 300-buck Adventure • pg 12

The Rise of FeniFrom village brew to connoisseur’s delighFrom village brew to connoisseur’s delightLusofonia 17 • Diving into Shipwrecks 22 • Chastity Belt 24

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Colors of Music by Directorate of Art & Culture.

Pt. Anuradha Pal performing on International Women’s Day

The Phoenix Foundation Big Band from Germany playing at Nuns & Roses event in Panjim

Mahashivratri festivities at Old Goa.

Colors of Music

Mar 14Thursday EDM Night With DJ LaskerAt Cape Town Cafe @ 8 pm+91992325638

Tardy Thursday With DJ Herry TerryAt Club Margarita, Colva@ 8 pm+919823259008/+918322789728

Thursday Night Live @ Sol Bar and RestaurantJohn Gueizelar with Chrystal Farrell and Smoking Chutney Featuring John Gueizelar (vocals), Chrystal Farrell (vocals), Benoy Rai (guitar), Sancho Menezes (keyboards), Colin D’Cruz (bass) & Bosco D’Souza (drums)At The Sofala, Bhattiwaddo, Nerul@ 8 pm to 11.30 pm +918326714141

Ladies Night With DJ Nix & Paul on acousticsAt The Park on Holiday Beach, Calangute@ 8 pm+919823827828/+918322267600

Silent Noise presentsLove, Art, Music with DJs Ozgur Kurt, Small & BazookaAt Catalyst Club’s and restaurant@ 8 pm +919822584968

Thursday Retro Night At Cafe Mojo Pub & Bistro@ 8 pm+918322426666

Bollywood Madness With DJ AggieAt Radisson Blu, @ 8 pm+918326726666

Silent Disco With DJs Mr. E & FlakeyAt Alpha Bar, Canacona@ 8 pm. +919823593484

Thursday NightWith DJs Yuri & BrandonAt Cafe Mambos, Baga@ 8 pm+919822765002/+918322279895

Thrilling Thursday With LavinaAt down the Road, Panjim@ 8 pm+918087649050

Thursday, March 14, 2013

By Vincent Kola

Folks of the older generation who grew up listening to Dire Straits, Eagles, Led Zeppelin and Def Leppard may cringe

when they hear the present generation swooning to the sugary tracks of Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson or the overkill of Justin Bieber. What great music we listened to in our times, they brag! What rubbish are the kids of today listening to! Lady Gaga! Aarggh!

But are the youth of today, tagged Gen-Y as the millenial generation, really incapable of choosing between good music and the mediocre stuff?

Just the way the world is full of diversity, music, too, has its different avatars and evolving genres. If you’re no spring chicken and you think yesterday’s music is good and today’s isn’t, take a long look in the mirror and try to remember your younger self and what he or she thought of the old fogeys who criticized you for loving Zeppelin. Have you become that fogey?

Why not enjoy the new revolutions? And by the way, a lot of the young ones dig your old tunes, so why not give theirs a chance?

Talk to young Goans about their tastes and chances are you’ll be surprised by their nuanced, open-minded view of music. Here’s a sampling.

Wellington Vaz, a young bass and lead guitarist for a band called X-friends, is a hard-core heavy metal lover who appreciates both old and new. “I love metal and classic rock. I just love Iron Maiden, I think they are the best in metal, they have been playing for three generations now! They recently played at a concert in India. These guys are a living symbol for Rock and Metal.”

A student of Dempe College, Wellington takes his praise for older music even further. “They no longer have proper solos in a track. Metallica would have four solos in a single song as in ‘Fade To Black’. Today we don’t have such ground

Gen Y and their musical tastes

turn to page 5

If you hate it, you may be an old fogey

breaking bands that could script history. On the other hand, I feel Coldplay is a very creative band in the alternative genre. Chris Daughtry and Linkin Park brought in a whole new dimension to the rock alternative rock scene by introducing rap into it. And the band ‘30 Seconds To Mars’ has a little bit of the true Rock.”

Samuel Pinto, a drummer with The Streetlight People, a Goa-based blues-rock band, also has a hearty appreciation for all the music that preceded his not-very-long life.

“I like listening to Jazz, Blues, Rock and Alternative Rock. There is some

music & nightlife | 03Music taste of Goa’s Gen-Y

food review | 07Travel Bar

cover story | 14The lure of Goa’s famous brew

feature | 12How far can Rs. 300 take you?

fiction | 18Love on a bus

give back | 26Caritas Goa

what’s on | 13Everything there is to do

feature | 10Houses of illustrious Goans

sports | 17Lusofonia: Will Goa make it?

adventure | 22Scuba diving

sex | 24Chastity Belt

satire | 21Tale of a Statue

the low down | 06

Thursday Night: Newton & DJ DavidAt Kamaki, Baga@ 8 pm+919823276520/+918322276520

Mar 15Club NightWith DJ RintonAt SinQ beach club, Candolim@ 9 pm+919552100700

Friday Techno Garden PartyAt Hill Top, Vagator@ 4 pm+919822151690/+918322273665

Electro NightAt Micasa, Ashvem @ Sunset

Mar 16Another Saturday NightWith DJs Ashton, Anish & PawanAt Cafe La Musica, Baga@ 7 pm+919923447137

Saturday Night MarketAt Arpora @ 6 pm

Saturday ShowtimeAt Cafe Mambo, Baga@ 9 pm+919823186694/ +919822765002

Melting Saturday With Guest DJAt Butter Lounge, Patto Panjim@ 8 pm+919822126262

Mar 17Electronic NightsAt Sporting Heroes rocks, Morjim@ 7 pm+9183222106135

Reggae Sunsets At Teso Waterfront, Siolim@ 4 pm+918888554271

Dance, Party, Entertainment and AmusementAt Hill top, Vagator@ 4 pm +919822151690/+918322273665

Bikini BrunchAt The Park, Calangute@ 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm+918322267600

Upto Mar 30Happy HoursAt Cafe Mangii, Panjim@ 11.30 am to 6 pm+919370898848/+918322230773

Upto April 30Every MondayTamarin RestaurantRodden & Anselm play acoustic guitar and flute with a popular play listAt Tamarin Restaurant, Calangute@ 7.30 pm

Every SundayTamarin Restaurant“Richard Goes Solo” with his retro 60’s & 70’s setAt Tamarin Restaurant, Calangute@ 7.30 pm

Every ThursdayTamarin RestaurantMaxie - Bosa Nova and Latin sounds with guitarAt Tamarin Restaurant, Calangute@ 7.30 pm

Up to May 25Silent Noise with Barney Trouble and OthersBreak-free from your routine schedule and that too on a Saturday eveningAt Neptune’s Point, Palolem Beach, Canacona. From 9 pm to 4 am+919822584968

Saturday Sundown At Martin’s Corner, Betalbatim@ 8 pm to 11.30 pm+918322880061/+918322880413

Upto May 28Retro and All Time Hits With DJ AggieAt Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim@ 9 pm+918326726666/+918326726677

Up to May 31 Beer, BBQ & BluesVeeam & the Highway Stars

to perform live. At Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim, Candolim.

From 8 pm to 11 pm+918322479446/ +918325625693/

+919890651163/ +919860182932

On-goingSouza LoboOldest restaurant on Calangute beach with live music in the evenings.At Calangute Beach @ 8 pm+918322281234Mon: Nelson & LeoTue: Just LeoWed: Lui one man bandThur: Nelson and LeoFri: Just LeoSat: Victor & Sol Sun: Valentino

Fernando’s NostalgiaGoan soul in Goan foodAt Raia @ 7 pm +918322777054/ +918322777098/ +919822103467Tue: Brian BonesThur: Evergreens by Cedric LiveFri: Jazz/swing/ Retro by Tania & AndreSat: Oldies but Goldies by Friendly BrothersSun: Nostalgic Moods by Saxy Aggie

Fort Aguada Beach ResortAt Sinquerim, Candolim @ 7.30 pm+918326645858Mon: Haydn & NatashaTue: Mac DoradoWed: Haydn & NatashaThur: Flying ColoursFri: Shine on Duo BandSat: Anslem

Pickled MangoMulti Cuisine serving culinary delights from around the world.@ Resort Rio, Arpora@ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pmMon: Karaoke time with BonnyTue: Music by Jus’ Leo n ZieWed: Grill Nite with Music feverThur: Rock n Retro by Country JoeFri: Dance your blues away with Party CreationSat: Rio Festival with Crossroads bandSun: Live entertainment with Hyden and Natasha+918322267300

Thursday, March 14, 2013

real quality in that music,” says Pinto, a student of Journalism at St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa. He is very particular about his tastes. “I really look up to artists like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, who were the founders of Heavy Metal music, and Deep Purple. Even today we do get some good music like Robert Randolph playing the blues, Pearl Jam is still hot and so are the Foo Fighters. It’s just that there are fewer takers as preferences have changed over the years. And so has the music.”

As she sits in the food court of St. Xavier’s, earphones plugged in and a novel in hand, here’s what Sonia Fernandes has to say about music.

“I love listening to country western music. I love the sound of the fiddle and country guitar …Don Williams, Kenny Rogers and Zac Brown are few of the people I listen to. I would like to say I have developed an interest in this genre over time. As a high school kid I would listen to Hip Hop, Pop and Rap. I think it’s mainly because of the peer pressure and also because there is all that hype created.”

She feels youngsters like these artists for the images that have been created by the record companies. Boy bands and artists like Maroon Five, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and others are projected as cool and the kids connect to these images.

Wellington Vaz has his own likes and dislikes, but when it comes to playing for others, he’s not immune to the preferences of the market.

“In college we play only classic rock and heavy metal. As a performing band we go with the audience requirements. Youngsters love listening to pop and electronica now.”

Some savvy young musicians frown at the commercialisation of music, lamenting how re-cord labels have influenced the course of musical history and trends.

“What is happening now is that the record companies are producing for artists only for money. There’s no real creativity and talent. Just the hype,” says Samuel Pinto. “They cater to a particular audience and this section of the crowd is large. Today it’s more of a market. Record companies are producing mainly for money and are hence investing only in the hyped-up and mushy artists.”

Joshua D’Cunha says the kind of music he listens to depends on his

Music & Nightlife 5Alfama RestaurantThe Chef’ speciality restaurant with a Goan Portuguese Cuisine At Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula @ 7.30 pmTue: Cotta FamilyWed: EmillianoFri: Trio OrlandoSat: Trinity. Sun: Cotta Family

ZeebopSpecialized in Sea foodAt Utorda Beach @ 7.30 pm0832-2755333Mon: Frankston one-mand bandTue: jimmy JazzWed: Brian BonesThur: Newton & NezzFri: David BoggieSat: Disco Nite

Shivers Garden Restaurant & Sports BarAt Candolim @ 7.30 pm9860698281Wed: Bingo NiteSat: Dance Nite & Live football broadcastSun: Sunday Roast (2 pm)

Night By NightEvery MondayMonday - Corporates & CocktailsAt Café Mojo, Panaji @ 10 am to 11.30 pm+91 9850980091/+91 9860010061

Every TuesdayTuesday – Country RockAt Café Mojo @ 10 am to 11.30 pm+91 9850980091/ +91 9860010061

Retro & all Time HitsRetro hits played by DJ AggieAt Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 pm onwards+918326726677, +91 8888061199

Tuesday NightWith the electrifying Miramar. Free entryAt down the Road, Old Patto Bridge, Panaji @ 10 pm onwards. +91 8087649050

Every WednesdayKaraoke Nite With DJ TonyAt down the Road, Old Patto Bridge, Panaji@ 10 pm onwards+91 8087649050

Graeme Hamilton Performing LiveAt Jazz Inn, Cavelossim, Mobor@ 8 pm to 11.30 pm+91 9422437682

Wednesday NightsFeaturing DJs David and AshleyAt Kamaki, Baga @ 7.30 pm+91 9923093408/2276520

DJ Roy Yod LiveAt Saturdays, Varca@ 9.30 pm to 1 am6695066/6695025

Ladies NightShooter for all the ladies, music by DJ JoelAt Cafe Mojo, Panaji @ All day+91 9850980091/ +91 9860010061

Every ThursdayLadies Night Thursday@ The Park, Holiday Street, Calangute2267600/+91 8805028194

Progressive and Minimal Tech TunesWith DJs Brett, Jeff & EldrinAt Alpha Bar, Canacona@ 8 pm to 5.30 am+91 9823593484

Retro RevolutionRetro, country & slow rock with the Valentinos, Elvis on guitar & Edgar on keyboardsAt down the Road, Old Patto Bridge, Panaji @ 9 pm onwards+91 8087649050

Rock n RollRelive some of the best moments of Rock n Roll At Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm+91 9820820254

Karaoke NightLive Filipino Band performanceAt O’ Goa, Hotel Fidalgo, Panaji@ 7.30 pm2226291

Every Friday Trance PartyAt 9-Bar Vagator @ 5 pmBeer, BBQ n Blues Friday NightsFeaturing live entertainment by Veeam and the Highway stars.Unlimited beer coupled with set menus containing BBQ options starting @ INR 650/- per person for a package that includes, food, beverages and entertainment.

Friday – Old SchoolAt Café Mojo, Panaji@ 10 am to 11.30 pm+91 9850980091/ +91 9860010061

Every Friday/SaturdayDJ NightsAt Capiz Bar, Grand Hyatt@ 10.30 pm. 3011125

DJ Sindhiya Performing LiveAt Club Margarita, Colva@ 8 pm to 11.30 pm+91 9823259008, 2789745

Every SaturdaySaturday ShuffleAt Café Mojo, Panaji@ 10 am to 11.30 pm9850980091/9860010061

Motels NightAt Club Cabana@ 9.30 pm9158257000

Three man bandLive music by Neil, Ignatius & GraystonAt Joet’s Bogmalo, Vasco @ 8 pm. 9860765337/2538036

Saturday Karaoke Karaoke session with KDJ PierreAt Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm9820820254

Sexy SaturdaysFeaturing DJ Joel, DJ Navin and DJ Pierre. Entry fees Rs 500 per couple.At Hype, Tito lane, Baga@ 10 pm onwards. 9822379000

Every SundaySmooth SundaysWith jazz and funk music played byMac Dourado. At Soul Souffle, Verna @7 pm. +918322782100/+919764694321

from page 3

mood. He stood with his Dr Dre headphones perched on his head as he pondered, “My all-time favourite would be reggae. What I don’t like about the music of today is the variations introduced in pure genres. For example, the Reggae-Tonga which is a mixture of reggae and a bit of the jumpy Latin music.”

He, too, appreciates both the old and the new. “The old belonged there. It catered to the audiences of that particular era. Some marvellous music is being produced these days, but now there are so many divisions that a line cannot be drawn between genres.”

So as music television and the powerful record companies push their pet bands to the teeny-bopper market, many young listeners initially go through the teen ritual of adoring this ‘trendy music’. At some point, many begin to turn away, towards the classics of earlier generations and the vast branches of music ― soul, rap, grunge, alt-rock, jazz, trance, chillout and more ― finally choosing their groove for adulthood.

But the journey of music never ends, and these Gen-Y travellers will see even more changes in the skies of music ahead. Music, that immortal organism, will keep looping into itself as well as evolving forward forever.

It’s a little bit like parenthood. You have these tiny bundles who grow and grow and suddenly you realize that the precious little person you raised from infanthood is

something else – sure, still a child, but one who’s intellectual capacity now rivals yours. Something like this has happened with cashew feni. For decades and even centuries it was a backwater brew often relegated to the back of the liquor cabinet. And then suddenly it was something else – a connoisseur’s favourite at the top of any list of the things that most make Goa Goan! Sure, there’s still a long way to go before feni brings in the big bucks or takes its place alongside the world’s great spirits. But there’s no denying feni has come of age (in more ways than one). On these pages we explain how this extraordinary transformation came about – and also provide you with a tip or two on how to enjoy your own feni!Also, dear reader, please take a look at our in-depth story on how Goa is expecting to host the all-important Lusofonia Games just eight months from now. Unfortunately, preparations to do so are woefully inadequate. We outline the problems and issues. We’ll let you decide if you think Goa can be ready in time. When you do decide, we invite you to log on to www.goastreets.com, and at the end of the story, vote!As many of our readers know, we set out to accomplish two main goals. We want to provide comprehensive party/nightlife/events/food listings so that both Goans and visitors

to Goa will have a complete picture on everything there is to see, do and eat in the state each week. At the same time, we’re providing fun-to-read, world-class journalism, with stories on a wide variety of topics. This week, be sure to check out our stories on two different kinds of adventures – one on how to enjoy Panjim on just 300 bucks, and the other on the joys of scuba diving. Think about it. Two-thirds of the planet is covered in oceans. Isn’t it time you found out how the creatures in that part of the world live?We hope you enjoy our piece on the homes of great Goans, as well as our story on the musical tastes of Goa’s Generation Y. As always, sex columnist Acaricia May dispenses her sassy wisdom, and we bring you lots of good reading on food, art and culture. In this vein, we’re trying out something new in this edition – with a couple of pages featuring a short story and poetry. We hope you like it! If you do, let us know by logging onto our website or Facebook page, which, we are very pleased to announce, is about to cross the extraordinary threshold of 10,000 “Likes.” That’s in addition to the nearly 1 lakh YouTube hits for the Goa Streets Flash Mob. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!Goa Streets. Way ahead!

The Goa Streets Team

Thanks for all those kind words. Frederick, I appreciate your perspective. I’m someone with a deep attachment to Venezuela and Colombia. Between the two neighbouring countries, I lived there for 11 years. I was privileged to know Chavez, as well as many people who suffered under his rule. My friends include people who lost everything, were forced into exile or who were silenced because of their opposition to Chavismo. At the same time, I would never underestimate or disparage the hope Chavez gave to many, many people.

In my years covering Chavez, I spent time in his home village trying to find out who he was. He grew up poor in the village of Sabaneta, dreaming of one day becoming a professional baseball player. He never forgot a face or a name, and he wrote notes to each person he met along his ascent to the top, making them all feel special. We all felt a sense of awe when this poor kid from the ‘barrios’ came to power through the ballot box - something no one ever thought was possible. What ensued cannot easily be put into neat categories of good or bad. I saw the hope and jubilation first hand, but also the suffering. I was there to bear witness, not sit in judgment.

- Steve Gutkin

The Tiatr piece was very informative. Would love to attend a Tiatr some day soon. I didn’t know this theatre form was experimenting so much.

- Salil Chaturvedi

feed

Bac

k Was delighted to read this personal account and analysis of the Hugo Chavez years in Venezuela by Steve Gutkin. Very good and evocative piece, Steve. http://goastreets.com/goa-news/hugo-chavez/

- Vivek Menezes

Superb!Whatever I’ve seen of Goa Streets till now

(and I’ve become an avid follower) has been impressive. Once again, great mag, and it’s good to see something so good coming out, from Goa or Jhumritalaiya or New York, makes no difference.

- Vidyadhar Gadgil

It is a fine publication, Vidyadhar, and it should keep getting better.

- Victor Rangel-Ribeiro

Congrats on a piece well written and which was an eye-opener in many ways for me.

- Veena Patwardhan

Your article about Chavez was riveting. I am certain that there are few people who could write such an intimate and insightful article about this man, and it revealed a character that few - especially in the US - could possibly know. Just my two cents, but wanted you to know how much I enjoyed the article. Thank you for writing such a great piece!

- Leah Roberts

Loved your article about Chavez. What a history and whiplash for Venezuela.

- Allegra Alessandri Pfeifer

India lacks a leader like him.- Natesh Chandra

He proved that Socialism does work and there are people and countries who say NO to uncle Sam right into his eyes.

- Rajiv Kishore

I read the piece as coming with the usual dose of strong US-bias, specially against Third World leaders who have the guts to stand up to the lone surviving global empire of the day. Which makes me think: does a “free press” really have to toe the line of national policy (or self interest) so strongly? Can it really claim to be “free” if it does so?

Forget the “duality” in Chavez’s persona, isn’t there always a duality in all our writing, specially journalistic, which talks about “coup attempt and subsequent rise to president” (interesting, the word elections is not mentioned here!), the attempts to explain away his popularity, comparing “deeply-flawed socialism” with “crony” capitalism (again, an interesting choice of words) and so on...

I don’t think the dominant media of the West would ever understand what makes an individual at the other end of the globe think of the just-dead 58-year-old leader of a tiny country. Or why the Third World finds its heroes in people like Thomas Sankara, Sukarno, or even the Robert Mugabe of another era and Julius Nyerere. Despite all their many shortcomings....

- Frederick Noronha

6 The Lowdown

turn to page 9

Thursday, March 14, 2013 FOOD www.goastreets.com/food

7

Mar 16“Picnic” For Lunch & Dinner MenuAt Green Acres, Panjim@ 7.30 pm+918322420049

Mar 17Brunch “A la carte”At Bardo, Ashvem @ 12 pm+919890167531

Brunch BuffetAt Villa Blanche, Assagao@ 10 am to 3 pm

Mar 31Gastronomic extravaganza At Goa’s Grand addressAt The Dining Room, Grand Hyatt, Bambolim+918323011125

Mar 6 to Mar 31Lunch & Dinner Menu With Multi CuisineAt Tito’s Retro Club, Calangute@ 12.30 pm to 11 pm+919822765002/+918322275028

Lunch & Dinner Menu With Multi CuisineAt Souza Lobo, Calangute@ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm+919822120516/+918322281234

Lunch & Dinner MenuWith Multi CuisineAt Horizon Grill Restaurant, Candolim@ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm+919822466682

Lunch Menu With German CuisineAt Lila Cafe, Calangute@ 12.30 pm to 3 pm+919822150533/+918322279843

Time 11am-12 midniht non stop food service, open everyday.

Home delivery: 0832-2411959 & 976415986Caterin Service Contact: Mr. Roland Rodrigues @ 989042440

Lunch & Dinner Menu With Chinese, Malaysian & Thai CuisineAt Pan Asian Bowl, Panjim@ 12.30 pm to 11 pm+919923499429/+918326455549

Dinner Menu With Italian CuisineAt Tuscany Gardens, Candolim@ 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm+919922914663/+918326454026

By Goa Streets

It’s easy to miss the Travel Bar, not because its location is anything but perfectly convenient – right in the heart of the Calangute-Candolim beach belt. The reason you could pass and not notice it is

precisely because of that locale. With so many restaurants crammed into the stretch, at some point they all seem to meld into some kind of generic, multi-cuisine, grab-the-tourist blur. And when the restaurant pretty much looks like nothing from the outside, all the more reason not to take note.

Stop. Look. Do take note. Not all beach-belt joints are created equal. And Travel Bar is a beneficiary of this discriminatory creation – better than the vast majority of the establishments on the same road that offer every cuisine under the sun but none done well. First, the menu does not go on for two dozen pages. The selection is good, but fortunately, also finite. It is “multi-cuisine” in a finer sense, drawing inspiration from great culinary traditions rather than trying to be all things to all diners. The Sesame Seared Yellowfin Tuna – black and white sesame encrusted seared tuna served with stir fried vegetables – hints at Japan without calling itself Japanese. The Prawn Cocktail, on the other hand, is labelled “Mexican.” With fresh prawns, avocado, jalapeno peppers and a sprig or two of cilantro, it does evoke a south-of-the-border (the U.S. border) vibe.

Travel BarA welcome break from multi-cuisine hell in the tourist belt Mexican Prawn Cocktail

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Photographs by Arun Pavaratty

8 foodDinner Menu With Multi CuisineAt I 95 Restaurant, Calangute@ 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm+919881301184/+918322275213

Break Fast, Lunch & Dinner MenuAt Santa Lucia, Siolim@ 7.30 am to 11 pm+919890451579/+918323162444

Lunch & Dinner MenuWith Multi Cuisine At Joecons Garden restaurant, Benaulim@ 12 pm to 11.30 pm+919822110511/+918322770077

Lunch & Dinner Menu With Multi CuisineAt The Upper House, Panjim@ 12 pm to 11.30 pm+918322426475

Lunch & Dinner Menu With Multi CuisineAt Terry’s Restaurant, Betim@ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm+919823028448/+918322411961

Every Thursday Seafood Night Market Feel the pulse of a Grand Goan Carnival with special stalls with tempting fresh seafood, artefacts jewellery, clothes, pottery, and a lot more.Rs. 1800 + taxes per personGrand Hyatt, Bambolim@ 7 pm to 11.30 pm +918323011658/+917709004914

Every SundaySunday Family BrunchesGet in Rhythm with Ashley LiveAt Latitude, Vivanta by Taj, Panaji@ 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm +918326633636

Champagne Sunday Brunch Enjoy brunch with French champagne with food from five interactive and live stations dishing out Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian Cuisine and desserts. Rs. 2200 + taxes (includes buffet, champagne, wines and select drinks)At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim@ 1 pm to 4 pm+918323011658/+917709004914

Baga, Calangute & aroundA ReverieServes continental cuisine. Popular dishes are seared fillet steak tournedos, smoked Australian duck breast, insalata caprese, basil oil, baby bocconcini, smoked tuna, chicken liver pate.At Holiday street, Calangute@ 7 pm to 12 am. +919823174927 /+919823505550 FiestaBased on contemporary European style of cooking. Signature dishes lobster au gratin, herb ricotta ravioli and death by chocolate At Saunta Waddo, Baga@ 11 am to 11.30 pm+918322279894/+918322281440

Le Poisson RougeA French alfresco Restaurant by Gregory Bazire offer imported wines Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Italy. House Speciality includes king prawns, roasted black pomfret, Goan sausages crump and kingfish. At Baga, Calangute @ 7 pm to 11 pm+91 9823850276/ +918323245800

J&A’sItalian alfresco restaurant specialised in country style Italian cuisine & Pizzas. The restaurant recommends prawns and zucchini soup, Tuscan-style beef stew, Carpaccio and slivers of raw beef.At Baga @ 10 am to 11 pm+919823139488

Bhatti VillageSpecialised in Indian, Goan FoodAt Bhattiwaddo, Nerul@ 7.30 pm to 11 pm+919822184103

Copper BowlThe copper theme is reflected in the restaurant’s furniture, lamps, bar details and even the crockery. It offers Multicuisine menu.At PousadaTauma Hotel, Porba Vaddo@ 12 pm to 10.30 pm+918322279061

AmigosThis Specialised in Indian, Goan and Seafood which open throughout the YearAt Nerul Bridge, NerulFrom 12.30 pm to 4 pm, 7 pm to 10.30 pm+919822104920

Anjuna & aroundMamma MiaItalian cuisine with a blend of Italian imported ingredients and local organic produce. At Resort Rio, Arpora@ 12.30 pm to 10.30 pm+918322267300

ArtjunaSet up in an Old Portuguese house surrounded by a beautiful garden. The café serves up chilled café au lait, milkshakes, sandwiches, juices and baked goodies, homemade dips, iced lattes, blended coffees and more.At Monteiro Waddo, Anjuna@ 9 am to 6 pm+918322274794

Baba au RhumIs a Coffee ShopAt Kudachwaddo, Arpora@ 8 am to 4 pm+919822078759

Alcove Restaurant and BarSpecialised in Chinese, Goan, Italian, North Indian, seafood, At Ozran beach, Anjuna@ 8 am onwards+918322274491/+918322273349

BasilicoIt’s a best place in North Goa for Italian FoodAt D’mello Waddo, Anjuna@ 6.30 pm to 11 pm+918322273721/ +918323953744/ +919822599130

Villa Blanche Bistro it is set in a tropical garden of a restored Portuguese house and one of the few restaurants serving breakfast all day.At Socolwaddo, Assagao@ 9 am to 5.30 pm+91 9822155099

Nilaya HermitageSpecialises in Mediterranean cuisine using plenty of fresh sea-food and home grown organic vegetables. Also has a variety of Goan cuisine specialties and serves Indian curries upon request.At St. Joseph School Road, Arpora+91832 227 6792

ThalassaGreek and Mediterranean food by the sea.At Vagator beach @ 4 pm to 12 am+91 9850033537

Blue TaoSpecialised in Italian, Seafood, Organic FoodAt Anjuna beach Rd, AnjunaFrom 9 am to 11 pm+918975061435

CandolimSusse CafeA fine-dining restaurant specialising in European and fusion cuisine. Restaurant offers seafood dishes prepared in fusion and Goan styles.At Candolim @ 12.30 pm+91 9011379804/ +91 9822089818

AngaaraMulti cuisine, Tandoori, Goan, north Indian, seafoodAt murrodwaddo, Candolim beachFrom 9 am to 12.30 pm+918326647601/+918326647604

Banyan TreeSpecialised in Thai food, An open airy Restaurant surrounded by lush green lawnsAt Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim @ 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm 10.30 pm+918326645858

Bomra’sThe food has a distinct Burmese soul but draws on and fuses influences from nearby regional cuisines of China, India, Laos and Thailand. At Souzawaddo, Candolim @ 6.30 to 11.30 pm+91 9767591056

Barbeque and GrillSpecialised in North Indian, seafood, Grills, Live entertainmentSeafood Bazaar is on Monday and WednesdayAt Fortune select Regina, Candolim@ 7.30 pm to 11 pm+918323988444

Beach HouseSpecialised in Goan, Portuguese, SeafoodAt Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim@ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm+918326645858

Wok & RollA multi-cuisine restaurant which serves Japanese, Thai, Pan-Asian cuisine. The restaurant recommends: Honey glazed pot roast pork ribs, Thai garlic-peppered prawns, deep-fried prawns tossed in garlic, black pepper and colourful bell peppers. At Sinquerim, Candolim @ 12 pm+91 9049022348

Stone HouseThe restaurant started in 1989 by Christopher Dsouza serves multi cuisine. Christopher recommends: Seafood salad, tzaziki with papadam, Swedish lobster, and chicken stroganoff At Souzawaddo, Candolim@ 10 am to 12 pm+91 9890392347

AddahIt’s a sea view deck on the beach. Specialised in Indian, BarbequeAt O Hotel, CandolimFrom 7 pm to 10.30 pm+919890800073

Café ChocolattiIt’s a Coffee Shop, At Fort Aguada Rd, CandolimFrom 9 am to 7 pm+918322479340/+919326112006

Panaji & aroundCaramelIt’s a Bakery & ConfectionaryAt Vivanta by Taj, PanjimFrom 10 am to 10 pm+918326633636/+918326633646 Global Shore Restaurant Global Shore Restaurant is a multi-cuisine restaurant and we specialize in Goan Seafood/Chinese/Thai/Indian & Tandoor.At Hotel chandrageet, Porvorim+91832 2414125/+9193731113205

Thursday, March 14, 2013food Review 9

TamariServes Chinese, Thai & Japanese cuisine (Sushi) in fine style.At Vivanta, St Inez @ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm+918326633636

A’tona Bar and RestaurantSpecialised in Goan and Portuguese food At Carina Desa, BetimFrom 7 pm to 11 pm+919823129239

Baba’s Wood CafeAn Italian wine bar and restaurant with pizza oven and homemade gelato. Wide choice of pure Italian dishes with beef fillet and fish always on the menu.@ 6 pm - Monday to Sunday. Closed on TuesdayAt Mala, Fontainhas, Panaji+918323256213/ +919923414098

Ritz ClassicKnown for Goan fish curry rice and seafood. Very popular for lunch, especially with the Panaji office crowd.At 18th June Rd, Panaji@ 11 am to 11 pm+918326644796

Pan Asian BowlChinese, Malaysian & Thai cuisine. Some of the finest Asian food in Goa.At Miramar, Panjim@ 12.30 pm to 11 pm+91 9923499429/ +918326455547/ +918326455548

Viva PanjimGoan cuisine& seafood. Linda and Michael’s place has long been a favourite for those in search of very tasty Goan food.At Fontainhas, Panjim@ 12 pm to 11 pm+918322422405/ +91 9850471363

Cantina BodegaPizzeria, bakery & cafe. Owner Vandana utilizes her expertise earned from her years as a top pastry chef in New York City.At Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim @ 10 am to 7 pm+91 9011662233

Tea CafeCakes, Coffee and other goodies. A newcomer to the Panjim cafe scene.At Fontainhas, Panjim@ 11 am to 7 pm+918322223050

Antonio D’silvaSpecialised in Goan food, strictly for the sausage lovers.At velha, PanjimFrom 6 am to 9 pm+919822184433

Upper HouseGoan and continental cuisine. One of the tastier and more elegant restaurants of the capital. Good bar, too. At Panjim @ 12 pm to 11 pm+918322426475

Little Chocolate BoxSpecialties include cupcakes (red velvet YUM), cakes (themed and otherwise), chocolates (of course) and brownies. At Kranti Nagar, Alto PorvorimEmail id: lcbee91@gmail.com+919822984224

FantasiaFast food & snacks, plus lively bar in the heart of Panjim. Check out the live music.At Panjim @ 9 am to 11 pm+918322226684

City PrideSpecialised in SeafoodAt Opp. Vivanta by Taj, PanjimFrom 11 am to 11 pm

Cafe MojoArguably Panjim’s best pub. Innovative, fun and lively.At Salida Del Sol Hotel, PanjimAll day. +91 9850980091

Down the RoadPub and a Multi Cuisine restaurant, often with live entertainment. A favourite Panjim hotspot.At Old Patto Bridge, Panjim, @ 11 am to 11 pm. +91 9823173757

BarbequeBeach Front Grill enables a guest to choose from a display of seafood, Meats & vegetables and have them cooked to his/ her liking.At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim Beach@ 7 am to 11 pm+918322454545

Mum’s KitchenAmong the best upscale Goan cuisine in Panjim, drawing from Goa’s Christian and Hindu traditions.At Panjim-Miramar Rd@ 11 am to 11pm+91 9822175556

ChulhaIndian Street food and TandoorAt Grand Hyatt Goa, Bambolim@ 3 pm to 11 pm+918323011504

GoenchinSpecializes in Chinese and Thai cuisines. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian items are available.At Mandovi Apts Panjim12.30 pm to 11 pm+918322227614/ +918322464877

A PastelariaBakery & ConfectioneryGateaux, Pastries and Cookies. Chocolate and strawberry flavoured the mousses are soft and melting, a treat for the kids. Its maska all the wayAt Hotel Mandovi, PanajiFrom 9 am to 9 pm+918322426270/+918322426273

Margao & aroundGavin’s Restaurant & PubSpecialised in Goan cuisine, Goan Curries, CafrealAt Verna, around a kilometre off NH-17+919822177179

Fish GrillServing seafood in European and Goan style. Meats and vegetarian food are also available At Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim @ 11 am to 11 pm+918322871303

PeppersKnown for steaks and other meat dishesAt Pajifond, Margao@ 11.30 pm to 11 pm+91 9822133506

ShandongAsian-cuisine restaurant with fine dining ambiance At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach@ 11 am to 11 pm6726666

Upper DeckCoffee shop offerings traditional coffee along with light snacks and drinks.At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach @ all day6726666

Martin’s CornerJoint popular with celebrities and just about everyone else. Serves Goan cuisine.At Betalbatim @ 11 am to 11 pm+91 9822166996/ 2880061

Casa SaritaOffers a blend of Indian and Portuguese culture. Signature dishes include chouris pao, prawn curry & Goan fish curry. At Park Hyatt, Cansaulim@ 6.30 pm to 11 pm+918322721234

Fernandos NostalgiaGoan Cuisine in a favourite landmark restaurant featuring very good food and a great collection of “nostalgic” antiquesAt Raia, Salcete, Margao@ 11 am to 11 pm+918322777098/ +918322777054/ +91 9822103467/ +91 9822151296

Spice StudioGoan dinner. Elegant outdoor restaurant in a well-appointed resort in the South.At Alila Diwa, Majorda@ 7 pm to 10.30 pm+918322746800

LucioSpecialty restaurant serving Goan-Portuguese cuisine.At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach @ 11 am to 11 pm+918326726666

Cafe Mardi Gras24 hrs cafe serving seafood, Goan, North Indian, Coffee & snacksAt Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim@ All day+918322871303

Morjim & AroundMarbellaThe restaurant is located beachside, with full service extending to the sun bed area. Complete with lounge music giving the place a relaxed, creative, beach vibe. At Morjim. +91 9158881185/ +918326450599

Sublime-Fusion RestaurantSublime is set in the charming beachside, offering innovative and eclectic cuisine.At Vithaldas Waddo Morjim. +91 9822484051/ +91 9923608674

CanaconaCanaconaMulti-cuisine serving breakfast, Lunch & dinner At Lalit, Canacona@ 7.30 am to 11 pm2667777/2667711

Corta’sGoan cuisine beach shack restaurantAt Lalit, Canacona @ 12.30 pm to 11 pm. 2667777/2667711

VeriFeniBar offering a variety of cocktails, Exotic fenitails, wines, beers, spirits, liqueurs and cigars. At Lalit, Canacona @ 12.30 pm to 12 pm2667777/2667711

Gazebo The poolside sunken bar with A Polynesian theme. At Lalit, Canacona @ 12.30 pm to 12 pm. 2667777/2667711

Sirocco Fine dining restaurant serving Mediterranean Cuisine At Lalit, Canacona @ 5.30 pm to 11 pm+918322667777/ +918322667711

Is that to say that each of those dishes were perfect during lunch on a recent lazy afternoon? Nope. Perfection seemed to be within reach, but missed the mark when the promised “seared” tuna arrived cooked through. Thankfully, it wasn’t overcooked and was still tasty. But a promise is a promise.

What makes us order one dish over another? Obviously, ingredients and one’s own mood play a big factor. But sometimes so does word choice. Perhaps this explains our decision to order the Sexy Fig Salad of fresh greens, feta cheese and bacon, with citrus dressing. You cannot put those ingredients together and fail. Yes, this one worked well. But there’s one way Travel Bar could perhaps elevate this creation a notch or two: Slightly warm the cheese and bacon, and then juxtapose it with the cool greens.

Next came the Spaghetti Bolognaise. Think about a grandmother’s kitchen in Bolgna, Italy. Rich and meaty, it tastes like something she might cook. Which in itself is a feat – a hearty, home-cooked-tasting Italian pasta sharing the culinary stage with creations with names like Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Cozido (Portuguese stew) and Moroccan Chicken legs.

Travel Bar’s ambience is a testament to a little secret many successful restaurateurs know: You don’t have to spend a fortune to make your establishment shine. The feel is upscale bohemian (if that’s possible), with wooden tables, stone floors, bold colours and the canopy of an almond tree (yes, most of Travel Bar’s seating is outside).

We didn’t order dessert at lunch in the interest of bulge avoidance, but we are told that a wise choice for those with the sweet tooth – or disinterest in waistline maintenance – is the chocolate fondue with ice cream.

As mentioned, Travel Bar draws inspiration from various cuisines, but it would not be incorrect to call it a Mediterranean restaurant. It would also not be incorrect to call it a good one.

Food: Good, wholesome, tasty MediterraneanAmbience: Harmonious, casual and creativePrice: Expect to spend around Rs 500/person, without alcoholWhere: On the main Calangute-Candolim Road, Opposite Tarcar Ice Factory. Phone: 0832 2275788

from page 7

A hearty, home-cooked-tasting Italian pasta sharing the culinary stage with creations with names like Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Cozido (Portuguese stew) and Moroccan Chicken legs.

10 feature

By José Lourenço

The house of Charles Dickens in London has been converted into a museum.

Albert Einstein’s house in New Jersey has been designated a US National Historic Landmark. And we all know of Graceland, the Memphis memorial to Elvis Presley. All around the world, the houses of great achievers and statesmen are preserved to acknowledge their greatness. What we do to the homes of illustrious Goans in Goa?

Abbe Faria, or Abade Faria, the legendary discoverer of hypnotism, was born at his mother’s house in Candolim. It now functions as a home for orphans, run by the government of Goa. A plaque stands on the outer wall of the house

stating ― “Here was born on 31st May 1756, the creator of scientific hypnotism, Padre José Custódio de Faria, known to the world as Abade Faria.”

The house of his father in Colvale has collapsed, its stones carted away. Alfred de Tavares, a Goan based in Sweden, tells of another house in France, where the Abbe lived. “Back in the 1960s, in Nimes, France, I saw a plaque, commemorating the house where Abade Faria once lived.”

Isabel Santa Rita Vas, a playwright who has co-produced a documentary on Abbe Faria, speaks of yet another house―” Behind the collapsed Colvale house there is still another house standing, which belonged to the Farias, too. It has an inscription on it calling it the Chateau Abbe Faria. It is in a terrible state of disrepair, but it is a beautiful house sloping down to a lower level that leads to a river.”

Menezes Braganza house at ChandorPhotograph by Pantaleao Fernandes

Thursday, March 14, 2013

showered upon the Konkani music scene. The house of Jose Inacio Loyola, the

founder of the Partido Indiano, a political party supporting local rights, is in Orlim. It now houses the Convent of St.Pius X. A portrait of Loyola and his brothers hangs in the library.

The father of the game-changing Goa Opinion Poll of 1967, Joao Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira, popularly known as Dr Jack de Sequeira, hailed from Bambordem, Moira in Bardez taluka. It is an old house of the Indo-Portuguese style, with oyster shell windows and a large tiled roof with a country tile cornice at its eaves. The roof unfortunately caved in some years back.

The ancestral house of committed freedom fighter, crusading Konkani editor/journalist & dedicated teacher Felicio Cardoso, in Seraulim has been renovated by writer and activist Soter Barreto. He has installed a library and offered its facilities including a conference hall to research scholars and for seminars.

Many houses of great Goans have been adapted for reuse as heritage houses, libraries or schools. But as many are

ignored and languish away,

awaiting ruin as torrential rain pours down every monsoon. Documentation and restoration of these important houses is badly needed. Otherwise, like many great houses of the past, these too will crumble away, living on only in grainy photographs and a hazy memory in our collective Goan mind.

feature 11

Francis Newton Souza, hailed as one of the greatest artists from Goa and founder of the avant garde Progressive Artists Group in Bombay in the mid 1900s, settled in the US after 1967. His father was from Assolna and mother from Saligao. The maternal house is now undergoing renovation, under new owners.

At the edge of the village of Cuelim, near the hill of the Chapel of Three Kings, stands the ancestral house of the Braganza Cunha family. Tristão de Bragança Cunha, the most famous son of this house, is remembered as the Father of Goan Nationalism for his efforts in the independence movement to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule. The house is a two storied edifice with Rococo curves at the left gable and a modern porch added on at the right. The large arched entrance gate is flanked by twin turrets.

Dharmananda Damodar Kosambi, a prominent Buddhist scholar and Pāli language expert, was born in Sancoale. He was the father of the illustrious mathematician and prominent Marxist historian, Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi. Their house is now an ashram run by the Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation, where meditation retreats and other events are held.

The house of Mario de Miranda, Goa’s beloved cartoonist, stands proudly in Loutulim, close to the church. Mario passed away in 2011, but the palatial house is in good condition, having been

cared for lovingly by Mario and his wife Habiba. “The house was in bad shape when we returned to Goa after Liberation.But we gradually restored it, even bringing back the original furniture,” said Habiba.

The house of the late Pai Tiatrist, Joao Agostinho Fernandes, at Modsai in Margao, is in bad shape. Crumbling walls, damp floors and cracks indicate that this home of the pioneering tiatr

writer and producer needs

urgent restoration. It’s now inhabited by Fernandes’ humble but gregarious granddaughter Sharmila and her family. Promises of help from various government bodies remain just that, promises.

Cris Perry lived in a little house in Borda, now empty. A musical clef sign adorns the metal grille of that verandah, a mute symbol of the genius that Perry

Many houses of great Goans have been adapted for reuse as heritage houses, libraries or schools. But as many are ignored and languish away, awaiting ruin as torrential rain pours down every monsoon. Documentation and restoration of these important houses is badly needed.

trying not to break the bank, it’s best to stick to a ‘small’ rum or beer. A local feni won’t be out of the question. Everything is economically priced, with a beer costing Rs 50. Light snacks like french fries or roasted papad are also cheap.

Bus= Rs 10Beer = Rs 50Roasted papad = Rs 10

Total expense= Rs 70

7.30 pm, Rs 10

After a relaxing drink, take a walk down to the Dona Paula jetty which is just 5 minutes away. The view from here is spectacular. After walking on the side walk for some time you can relax on one of the benches and enjoy the lights of the evening and the stars, while enjoying the sound of the sea. Don’t forget to climb the stairs to the hilltop viewing point boasting one of the best vistas in the state. Take a bus and head back to Panjim city.

Bus = Rs 10

8.00 pm, Rs 0

4.00 pm, Rs 105

On your way back, find a bus stop. Take a mini-bus to Miramar beach, a place that is underrated in a few ways. On the days when it’s not so crowded, you can have enjoy a nice peaceful walk along the shore. On the opposite side of the river meeting the sea, you will see Betim, all the way to Candolim, and even spot the Aguada lighthouse. Sundown is

wonderful to watch from Miramar beach. While at the beach, try out the local Sev puri at the numerous stalls that line the edge of the beach.

Minibus = Rs 5Sev Puri = Rs 20Total expense = Rs 25

6.00 pm , Rs 80 Sunset is a great time to get a drink.

Although drinking at any of the local bars will be

economical, a local bar like Arcangela is a great place to settle for the evening. You can easily catch a bus from the beach that will also drop you right outside the bar. It is situated at the Dona Paula circle, bang on the left. The bar serves you local as well as some high-end brews. Since we’re

10.30am, Rs 225

After a 20-minute walk in the heart of the city from the market, you will reach the glorious Panjim Church, a marvellous structure. You can take the steps to the top and enjoy a top view of the whole city. While up there, look east, you will see the area called Altinho (meaning an elevated place).

12.30pm, still Rs 225

Climbing down from Panjim Church, take a little walk towards the west, where you will reach Cafe Tato. One of the oldest eateries in Goa, you can sample the best local food here at economical prices. You can either have a thali for Rs 80, or a plate of mushroom bhaji and mix bhaji, along with a plate of puri or pav. And a glass of cold drink to cool you off.

Bhaji= 25 x 2 + 50Puri = 15Cold drink= 15Total expense = Rs 80

1.30 pm, Rs 145

After lunch, you can head back towards the Church Square, and browse through Singbal’s Book Store. Spend a few minutes there and then head uphill to Altinho.

2.00 pm, Rs 145

The climb up to Altinho is quite a workout. So you might want to take a motorcycle trip up and walk back. You can hire a local ‘pilot’ who will charge Rs 20 to take you up the hill to Sunaparanta, an old Indo-Portuguese house turned into an art centre, where you can enjoy a lot of diverse art works by upcoming as well as established artists. They also have a Cafe and an amphitheatre. Leafy canopies cover this great hub for artists and art lovers. Have a cuppa tea and enjoy the works of art.

Motorbike = Rs 20Tea = Rs 20 Total expense = Rs 40

8.am, Rs 300

Get down at Panjim bus stand, catch a local bus to go to Kala Academy, have breakfast (Tea/coffee, egg patties/samosa, omelette), all nominally priced. After a light breakfast, take some time to stroll around, enjoy the architecture of this premier arts institution in Goa, designed by Charles Correa. Visit the art gallery inside, there is no entry fee. There is also an adjoining jetty, where you can view the Mandovi river and throw a fishing line.

Breakfast:Tea/coffee= 6 Pattie/samosa= 7 x 2= 14Omelete = 20Total expense= Rs 40

9.30am, Rs 260

Once you leave Kala Academy, you can set out for a walk in the city. Walking is one of the best ways to explore Panjim, and with enough trees flanking the streets, the sun is not a problem. If you are sensitive, carry an umbrella or sun screen and a bottle of water. Stroll past the Inox multiplex into the Panjim Municipal Market. This complex is well designed, the ground floor occupied by the vegetable and fruits section, along with a few grocery stores, while the top floor is occupied by shops of various other kinds, right from electric shops to tailors. A giant mural by the great Goan artist Mario Miranda adorns one wall. Grab a quick drink at a stall, that will fuel your walk ahead. A delicious full glass of chikoo shake should cost you Rs 20. Walk straight down 18th June Road, which is lined with shops and you will reach the Panjim Church Square.

Total expense= 35 (milk shake 20 + water bottle 15)

By Sanket Sharma

Keeping in mind that the best things in the world are free, you can make do with the rest with very little. As little as Rs 300. Here is how you can enjoy the capital city of Goa with just three hundred rupees!

You don’t have to be rich to have a blast

The Great Panjim Adventure On 300 Bucks

Dolphin Sighting TripFour to five hours trip includes Bbq, Free beers and soft drinks. Also offers No See – No Pay policy as far as dolphin sighting is concerned. Sinquerim – Baga beach stretch+91 9822182814/+918326520190 orEmail: johnsboattours@gmail.com

SplashdownWater Park that boasts of 5 pools, a variety of slides, flumes and other interesting features. At Splashdown Waterpark, Calangute-Anjuna +91 9637424023/024, 2273008,

MuseumsGoa Chitra Ethnographic museum that preserves its universality in its collections of artifacts representing the culture of ancient Goa. At Goa Chitra, Mondo-Waddo, Benaulim@ 9 am to 5 pm+91 9850466165/ 6570877, Email: goachitra@gmail.com

Big Foot Cross MuseumHouses 80 classifications of crosses of around the world. At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 10 am to 5 pm2777034

Ancestral GoaA center for Preservation & Promotion of Art, Culture & Environment started by Maendra J. A. Alvares.At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 6 pm2777034, info@ancestralgoa.com

Goa Science Centre & Planetarium Exhibits and playthings which provide means to experience and explore science while playing with them. Entertaining shows on wonders and magic of night sky @ planetarium. At Goa Science Centre, Miramar, Panjim@ 10 am to 6 pm2463426

Casa Araujo AlvaresGoa`s first automated sound and light museum. A 250 year old mansion showcasing traditional inheritance.At Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 5.30 pm2777034

CoursesLANGUAGESAlliance FrancaiseLearn French courses, Panjim2420049/ +91 9922813950

St. BrittoLearn French, Mapusa2293812/ +91 9049018214

Don Bosco Provincial HouseOdxelBeginner’s German language course

COOKINGTheresa’s Cookery ClassesMargao+91 9970037242

Mar 14Film Screening: Aleesha(Konkani with English Subtitles, 2004)Directed by Rajendra TalakAt The International Centre Goa Dona Paula @ 6 pm+919765404391/+918322452805

Mar 15Friday Health TalkBy Dr.J.S.ParwanaAt The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula@ 6 pm to 7.30 pm+919765404391/+918322452805

Mar 16Gastronomic PicnicAt Green Acres, Tonca, Panjim@ 7.30 pm

Mar 11 to Mar 16Workshop on “Basic Jin Shin Do Body Mind Acupressure 40 + Hours”At Art Escape, Benaulim@ 10 am to 5.30 pm+919820695272

Up to May 1Yoga ClassesAt Art Escape-Resort, BenaulimFrom 7.30 am to 8.30 am & 5 pm – 6 pm+919881568756/+919323590051

Every Tuesday Zumba FitnessLearn a variety of rhythms including salsa, merengue, samba, flamenco, reggae and more from Zumba fitness instructor Cecille Rodriguez. At Grand Hyatt Goa,BambolimFrom 6 pm to 7 pm+918323011603/ +918323011604

Every ThursdayAqua ZumbaZumba in the water. A water-based workout for cardio-conditioning and body-toning At Grand Hyatt Goa, BambolimFrom 10 am to 11 am+918323011603/ +918323011604

Every Friday Free Swimming Guidance Organised by Walter MacarenaAt International Center Goa, Dona Paula from 5 pm to 7 pm+919822911161

Every SundayTailoring Classes Near Holy Family School, PorvorimFrom 3 pm to 6 pm919765731003

EverydayYoga for the Body, Mind & SoulBy Ms. Hoor GirglaniMonday to FridayAt International Centre Goa, Dona Paula@ 8 am to 9.30 am 5 pm to 6.30 pm+919765404391/+918322452805-10

Want to be Fit & HealthyPresented by Calburn Fitness Solutions in association with the ICGAt The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula.+919811511595/ +919823578880

Tuk TukFrom apparel to jewellery, bags to accessories, everything at Tuk Tuk is hand-picked from across India.At A104, Pereira Plaza, Opp.Hospicio, Margao@ 10.30 am 1 pm & 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm+919049017182

Monday & FridayTaekwondo SessionsMartial Arts, Fitness, Health & Self-defenceTrainer: Vincent Rosario, Introductory Fee:Rs. 400 per monthAt The International Centre Goa,Dona Paula @ 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm+919823696138

Spice FarmsSahakari Spice FarmGuests are entertained by folk dances, elephant rides, art of climbing the tall betel nut palms and swinging from one stalk to the other. Lunch in earthen pots and banana leaves. At Ponda Belgaum highway, Curti. Call: +918322312394 or Email: info@sahakarifarms.com

Tropical spice plantationElephant rides, authentic Goan cuisine, mini bird sanctuary and a boat to row or paddle. At Arla Bazar Keri, PondaFor reservation call: +918322340329 or Email: tropicalspice@rediffmail.com

Savoi PlantationOffers traditional Goan Saraswat cuisine served in mud pots and banana leaf plates along with seasonal fruits grown in the plantation. At PondaFor reservation call: +918322340272/ +919423888899 or Email: savaiplantation@rediffmail.com

Water sportsScuba DivingAttractive corals, coloured and beautiful, shells and fishes all invite exploration.At Scuba Diving India, Alfran Plaza, M.G. Rd, Panjim @ 9 am to 5 pm. +918326711999

Barracuda Diving IndiaPool parties and underwater celebrations among other water sports activities.At Sun Village Resort, Baga, Arpora & Chalston Beach Resort, Calangute2269409/ +91 9822182402

Goa AquaticsOffers Scuba Diving Equipment retail at competitive international price.At Little Italy, Opp Tarcar Ice Factory, Calangute. +91 9822685025

Dive GoaA dive shop and training centre established by Ajey Patil - marine engineer, naturalist, raconteur and PADI certified dive instructor. At O’ Pescador Resort, Dona Paula, Panjim+91 9325030110

Cooking Classes for foreignersDetroit Institute +91 9822131835.

Taengs Cookery ClassesMargao. +91 9822585944

Fatima Menezes E MonizCooking classes, Raia. 2776035

Cynthia Dsouza Cooking ClassesVerna. 2783281

Bertha Pereira Cooking Classes2734589. Margao

Vandana’s Bakery ClassesCaranzalem. 2462163

Meena’s Cooking ClassesCaranzalem. 2462163

GESTO Culinary & Hospitality AcademyMargao, 2730873

Branca’s Cooking ClassesPanjim. 9822131835

Fatima MonizCooking courses, Margao. 2776035/ +91 9370275702Dance

David Furtado Dance & Aerobics @ Panjim, Mapusa, Porvorim,

Candolim, Aldona and Saligao.Learn Salsa, Jive Waltz for

Adults & Bollywood, Hip Hop & Contemporary dance for

kids. +91 9975914195

Dr. Martin & Dance Illusions Team

@ Panjim, Vasco, MargaoWaltz, Jive, Cha Cha-cha, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Salsa+91 9823014397

Cyrus Da Costa Dance Classes Monday to SaturdayViennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Margao2715906/ 9921039537

Dance for Life AcademyMapusa9823765523

Jason and Sylvia dance academyHip/Hop, Bollywood, Latin American, Jazz Ballet for KidsPanjim/Mapusa9822161652/9822151614

Snaden Shawn dance and aerobicsLearn dancingMapusa9890163433/7798609859

Nritya SankulMargao9823936483/9689468712

KalanganMargao. 2735191

Asha ShivamPorvorim2410357

Dance IllusionsPanjim9823014397

Fatima’s Ballroom Dance ClassesMargao. 2786191

Maxie’s Guitar and Dance ClassesPanjim. 2230178

Osler Furtado Dance ClassesPorvorim. 9822481695

Simply Ballroom, The Western Dance AcademyVasco. 2528272

RaeconzPorvorim. 9923826572

MusicRhythm HouseMargao. 2714299

Binow Zacharia music classesPorvorim. 9822386385

B X Furtado and SonsMargao. 2715719

Pilar Music SchoolPilar. 2218595

Bondo PercussionPorvorim. 6452492

Brianne Music ClassesSt. Cruz. 9503968920

Diniz’s Piano Practice ParlourPanjim. 2430943

Gabriel Music ClassesCalangute. 9850463544

Indo-Western Music AcademyMargao9890942949

Joe Gonsalves Guitar/PianoPanjim9850339418

Maesto Camilo Xaviers School of MusicMargao2714656

Maestro Fernando Music AcademyPanjim9890008424

Molly’s Music ClassesPanjim9822137298

N E Diniz Music InstituteMargao2738645

Peter Nazareth Music CentreMapusa 2253936

Placidos Music Classesnear Panjim. 2218402

Quadros Music ClassesMargao 2787043

Ronnies Guitar ClassesPorvorim. 2410339

Savio Noronha (Classical)Panjim 2540532

Solfa Music ClassesMapusa. 2212166

Thursday, March 14, 2013

13

14 Cover Story

Feni used to be something you stored at the back of your kitchen cupboard, taken out to pay workers at the end of a hard day and served neat in a coconut shell. Now it’s asked for at the most happening parties attended by the bold and the beautiful.

By Joseph Zuzarte

Visit the hills and villages of Goa and you may well come across the distinct smells of cashew

feni being distilled in makeshift ‘bhattis’, or distilleries, the old, traditional way – crushing cashew apples with your feet and distilling the juice in an earthenware pot. Now contrast this scene with upcoming plans to invite a select group of feni connoisseurs to try out the latest Goan Treasure – the world’s most premium feni fetching Rs 3,000 a bottle.

Yes, something extraordinary has happened in the world of feni. How it went from a village curiosity to one of the most sought after beverages in this part of the world – to the point where connoisseurs now engage in intense debates over quality and aroma – is a story of inspired vision and deep devotion.

Cashew feni is unique to Goa, the only place on earth where it is distilled. The

peak cashew season in Goa is beginning now and goes through May.

“What I like the most about cashew feni is that it has an identity of its own, it is linked with the people of Goa and their traditions, the people are proud of it. I don’t think any other place in India has that,” explains Shatbhi Basu, a leading cocktail consultant based in Mumbai.

And now, adding to the sense of excitement, Goan cashew feni has a Geographical Indication certificate – providing it with invaluable trademark protection, though critics lament more hasn’t been done to capitalize on the GI designation.

It wasn’t always this way.Feni used to be something you stored

at the back of your kitchen cupboard, taken out to pay back workers at the end of a hard day and served neat in a coconut shell. Now it’s asked for at the most happening parties attended by the bold and the beautiful.

Printed and published by Marisha Dutt for and on behalf of Free Voice Media Pvt Ltd at Gomantak Pvt. Ltd. Plot no. 4/4A, Corlim IDC, Tiswadi Goa, 403 110. Editor: José Lourenço. Regd. Office: 711/32, Green Hill, Socorro, Porvorim 403 501. Editorial Office : H. No. 133, Mae De Deus Vaddo, Sangolda, Bardez, Goa 403 511. (R.N.I. registration no. applied for and under process).

How it went from backwater brew to world-class beverage

The Heady Rise of Cashew Feni

A traditional ‘Bhatti’ being operated

Stomping the cashew apple

Thursday, March 14, 2013

To be sure, there’s no evidence that feni sales have risen substantially. Lots of sales go unregistered, to the point where, according to the Excise Department, excise collections have actually decreased over the years. Industry executives believe sales, however, have remained more or less constant, while exports are just in a nascent stage. Many Goans, especially young ones, look down on feni as some kind of substandard drink. They’re not to blame, because most of the cashew feni sold in taverns and bars across the state is adulterated hooch, which can kill your liver and perhaps you along with it.

What’s changed is perception – and the palpable sense of excitement that permeates cashew feni in Goa. The world of pure, genuine cashew feni is alive and well, even if you have to look for it. When you dine in decent restaurants, chances are when you ask for cashew feni, they will pour a measure of Big Boss. For many years it was the only safe, reliable brand of cashew feni. A new entrant is Cazcar, which is also pure cashew feni. There are others, too, offering quality cashew feni. A good place to buy top-notch, non-branded cashew feni is at the many spice plantations which have opened their doors to tourists, as well as a number of local taverns.

It all started when the Portuguese brought cashew plants from the newly discovered colonies in South America, some four centuries ago. The locals here were probably already distilling coconut feni from the toddy of coconut trees, and a similar distillation process was used to make the first cashew feni, probably around 200 years ago.

Nobody really knows when cashew feni started being adulterated on a large scale, but the ‘fake’ cashew feni trend probably began in the mid-1970’s when the first ‘desi’ tourists started flocking to Goa in large numbers, and started tanking up on the local brew. With cashew feni produced only on a limited scale, unscrupulous entrepreneurs began adulterating it.

Then something amazing happened. One man saw an opportunity in the interest in cashew feni shown by visitors. That was Valentino Vaz, owner of the Pedro Vincent Vaz Group, which markets and distributes various national and international liquor brands in Goa. A connoisseur of cashew feni, he was convinced cashew feni was as good a drink as the best whiskys

Cover Story 15

or wines. So Valentino started sourcing and bottling good quality cashew feni from around Goa. He then packaged the bottle in an attractive wrapping and thus was born the Big Boss brand of cashew feni.

When Goan want to impress a guest – especially fellow Goans who’ve left the state and come back to visit – they often open up a bottle of Big Boss.

However, Shatbhi Basu says the strong flavours of cashew feni tend to overpower other ingredients when used in cocktails. “I use it more like a liqueur, because it has a strong, aromatic taste. Instead of using it in cocktails, you can use it to flavor a martini or something like a gin-tonic. You can make your martini or a long, tall, cool glass of a gin and tonic and add a little cashew feni on top to give it that flavor.” She also likes the fact that cashew feni has different variants, like a first distillate, urrack, a second distillate and so on.

Francis Gracias, former cocktail specialist with the Taj Group and now manager of the fine dining restaurant Susse Café in Candolim, authored a small book, ‘The Goan Feni Cocktails’ back in 1987. “You need to cultivate the taste for cashew feni. Only when you drink it over a period of time you can do that. It’s an indigenous drink with its own taste.” A tip: the bouquet should be fruity, and not acidic.

Largely a passion, the distillation of cashew feni is both an art and a craft. Bicholim-based Pratapsing ‘Appasaheb’ Rane is one of the biggest landlords in Goa. In the late 1970’s the cashew bug bit him and he decided to get into cashew farming.

For years he would sell the cashew apples to other distillers, but he was never happy with what their results. Not being a traditional ‘bhaticar’ (distiller) himself, he was unsure about turning into one, but finally made up his mind to do so. “I started doing feni on an experimental

turn to page 16

16 Cover Story

basis only last year, to see what I could make,” he says modestly. Located in Latambarcem, in the midst of one of his cashew plantations, the small distillery makes completely organic, pure cashew feni, which he then sells in bulk to others who bottle it up or sell it directly to the bars. He uses the traditional pot-still method, and makes sure only the ripe cashew apples which have fallen to the ground are picked up for crushing.

Gurudatta Bhakta, the owner of Cazcar Heritage Distiller, comes from a family of old-time ‘bhaticars’ and distills some splendid cashew feni in his modern distillery in Nanora, Bicholim. He is the first, and probably the only distiller in Goa to go in for some modern technology. One of the things which puts people off from feni, he realized, was the drink’s overpowering smell. So he joined hands with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Old Goa and created a method of taming the aroma, without losing the feni’s distinctiveness.

Bhakta crushes around five tons of cashew apples every day during the peak cashew season, buying the apples from cashew growers all over Goa.

The makers of Big Boss feni, Madame Rosa Distillery, have taken a different route. They do not distill their own cashew feni, but procure it from traditional distillers from around Goa. Valentino Vaz’s son Mac Vaz, who now largely manages the business, says his father was inspired by the story of Verghese Kurien, whose Gujarat-based Amul milk brand involved

dairy farmers in a co-operative movement. The strategy of Madame Rosa Distillery,

located in the Pilerne Industrial Estate, was similar: Involve the traditional cashew feni distillers because they know best how to make it.

Valentino Vaz is credited with putting cashew feni on the high table. As Mac puts it, “Feni is now intrinsically linked with the Goan culture and is enjoyed as an appetizer, a digestive, a sedative and a stimulant. Many feni aficionados go further, and vouch for their favorite drink’s qualities as a diuretic, curative, laxative, and even as an aphrodisiac!”

Speaking about the annual feni festival at his ancestral mansion, Mahendra Alvares of Ancestral Goa in Loutoulim, says, “Through the feni festival we’re trying to educate the people about what is the real cashew feni. People think it’s an alcohol to get drunk, which is not really true. It also has medicinal values.”

According to Alvares, experienced cashew feni drinkers know immediately what is authentic and what is not. He says there are a couple of infallible tests to check for authenticity. In one, you take a spoonful of feni and ignite a match over it – real cashew feni will be aflame. The other test is pouring a few drops of cashew feni on a piece of wood. It should leave sugar-like crystals when it dries up.

Five-star resorts in Goa have also done a lot to put feni on the map. Pavithran Nambiar, the General Manager of the Goa Marriott who has just moved to the JW Marriott in Mumbai and his team have aggressively positioned feni as a cocktail for tourists. And Thomas Abraham, General Manager of Park Hyatt in South

Goa, last year started the Cashew Trail Festival, which was a huge hit and will be held again this year on April 7.

Still, much more needs to be done before feni reaches the level of, say, tequila. Explains feni distiller Gurudatta Bhakta, “The GI has not helped much in the promotion of cashew feni. For example, cashew feni is not allowed to be sold in other states of India because of the ‘country liquor’ tag, because other states have their own country liquors.”

However, Bhakta is certain that cashew feni can compare with spirits like tequila and is confident that his own cashew feni will reach that level. “I need three-four more years to achieve that. I’ve done the required things to bring it to international standards,” he says. “If you’re looking at exporting you need a refined product,” he adds.

Mac Vaz says the GI tag for feni was meant to prevent feni from being replicated by other states which produce

much larger quantities of cashew when compared with Goa. He also says the tag allows Goan feni to fetch a better price. A typical 750 ml bottle of good feni will set you back around Rs. 250, though aged, premium feni, like Big Boss’s Goan Treasure, fetches much more (produced in Limited Edition, the best stuff comes with gold flakes and this year will be available by invitation only at select liquor stores).

“It is now up to us as to how we take this forward,” he says. “The journey of feni has a long

way to go, so that the industry gains the consumers’ trust and for this we also need to protect ourselves from those few within the industry who consistently weaken and tamper with the quality of the beverage for fast and greater money. “

Also needed, Mac says, are government guarantees of sufficient cultivable land and a switch to hybrid variations to increase fruit output. Overall, he said, what’s needed is the kind of commitment from the Goa government toward cashew feni that the Maharashtran government has given to wine.

“I don’t know why tourism planners in Goa are shying away from positioning feni as one of Goa’s highlights and most precious assets. If we can have successful wine festivals in Goa without Goa growing a single grape, why don’t the concerned departments have feni festivals which will also support this vital cottage industry that generates employment and revenue for our state?”

All true – in addition to that other intangible feni gives Goa: Identity.

How do you tell a good feni from

a bad one?

Well, I think a good one should be

well rounded.

I was talking about feni, not fanny!

from page 15

Distillation tanks at a modern unit

Thursday, March 14, 2013Sports 17

By Ashley Do Rosario

If you are a member of Goa’s sports fraternity – and even if you’re not - the question “Will Goa be ready to

host the Lusofonia Games by November?” isn’t likely to escape your mind.

So far, those in charge of setting up the infrastructure for these important games, including Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, have shown a penchant for spawning controversies and questions over the enormous amounts of money they are spending – Rs 222 crore at last count. Given the past performance of Goa’s governing classes on every issue from garbage to water, there is reason to doubt their verbal assurances that everything will be in place on time.

There are just seven months to go for the Games. More than four of these seven months will be lost to the lashing rains of the South-West monsoons and there’s hardly any physical signal on the ground that the games will kick off in time on November 2, 2013.

The Lusofonia Games, an international sports competition held once in four years, take place between nations or territories that were formerly part of the Portuguese Empire, styled much on the lines of the Commonwealth Games where ex-British Empire nations take part.

Competition will be held in nine disciplines – athletics, basketball, football, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, volleyball, beach volleyball and wushu, which is a kind of martial sport .

Thirteen countries―Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Macau (China), Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome, Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka and India (represented by Goa) will participate in the Games.

With no facility of international standard in place, Goa is now struggling to build three new projects, while refurbishments are proposed for two other existing playing arenas―the Nehru Stadium at Fatorda in Margao and the Tilak Maidan in the port town of Vasco.

The three new projects include an athletic stadium (Rs 61.82 crores) at Bambolim village along the National Highway 17 near the Goa Medical College, a multi-purpose indoor hall (Rs 61.25 crores) at the Goa University Complex and the indoor hall (Rs 46.77 crores) at the Peddem Sports Complex in Mapusa.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar heads the Lusofonia Games Organising

A long race to a short finish line

Committee. He and his ‘Man Friday’ for the Games, Elvis Gomes, the bureaucrat he picked to head the Sports Authority of Goa which is overseeing the construction of the projects, are confident the last brick will be put in place in time before November.

Of concern to the contractors awarded the works, however, are the four months between June and September that will be lost to the monsoon, when no major outdoor civil works are possible. And the works in progress at the sites are nowhere even half complete.

Mumbai-based M/s Simplex Projects Ltd. are the contractors entrusted with the task of building the athletic stadium at Bambolim and the multi-purpose indoor hall at the nearby Goa University complex. Both these works are worth upwards of one billion rupees and the engineers posted at the sites supervising the

works, despite the worried looks on their faces, do not shy away from expressing confidence of meeting deadlines.

“It’s a daunting task but we’ll jump the hurdle in good time,” said one engineer at the Bambolim site in-between blurting out instructions to a set of labourers.

Interestingly, Simplex was among Parrikar’s trusted contractors who delivered, in similarly challenging circumstances, the infrastructure needed for the International Film Festival of India, about a decade ago.

Goa’s race against time to ready the infrastructure and successfully host the Lusofonia Games 2013 in November has had more than its share of controversies which only buttresses doubts over the successful conduct of the games.

Top on the list of such controversies was the shocking suspension of the Indian Olympic Association by the International Olympic Committee a little over three months ago for failing to hold elections in accordance with its charter.

The Lusofonia Games are conducted under the Olympic banner as National Olympic Committees are involved. And IOC’s suspension puts a huge question mark over the conduct of the Games in

for the Lusofonia Games is the Goa government’s recent appointment of two Delhi-based officials as ‘advisors’ to the organising committee.

Both the officials, Rajkumar Sancheti and V.V. Saxena, have the Commonwealth Games taint on them and were probed in last year’s infamous CWG infrastructure scam ―when the game’s organizers were accused of pocketing thousands of crores ― along with disgraced former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi.

Shripad Naik, one of Goa’s three members of Parliament, quit the committee in a huff over the appointment, saying he felt “suffocated” at the way things were being conducted within the organising committee. Shripad, incidentally, also heads the Goa Olympic Association as its honorary president.

“There’s a lot of suffocation. It was not right being part of the Lusofonia Games team and so I resigned,” Shripad had told the media soon after he quit.

According to Elvis Gomes, however, Sancheti and Saxena were recommended by the CWG Organising Committee. He argued that they had not been hand-picked by the state government.

Parrikar himself had kicked up a row when he claimed that Rs 78 crores received from the Central government for the Games had “disappeared”, hinting at malfeasance indulged in by the government from whom he took over reigns after the 2012 elections.

However, he later clarified that the games would be held in time and alternative funds had been set aside.

Another key BJP legislator, Vishnu Wagh, even questioned the very logic of Goa hosting the games.

Goa, he said, is not a country and India was never ruled by the Portuguese colonialists, so there’s no reason why the games should be held here.

But away from these and other controversies, officials in-charge of the sports ministry in Goa are quietly going ahead with the tasks at hand. For instance, the organising committee has already bagged an assurance from the CWG organising committee that the Rs 57 crore aerostat, a gigantic moored balloon, which had audiences across the globe drop jaws, will be lent for the opening and closing ceremonies, for free.

Goa’s education department officials are also engaged with authorities of schools across the state to time the mid-year vacation at Diwali to coincide with the schedule of the games. All schools have been asked not to hold any extra classes during the nine days between November 2 and November 10.

Besides giving the students the opportunity of sharing the thrill of the games, it will also give the organising committee the luxury of inviting students to be volunteers, which they will need in plenty.

The Lusofonia Games could emerge as a grand spectacle and feast of sports, with the bonus of new stadia and sports venues in Goa, if only those clenched fingers uncross themselves in time.

Lusofonia Games

Goa.The Associacao dos Comites Olimpicos

de Lingua Oficial Portuguesa (ACOLOP) or the Association of the Portuguese Speaking Olympic Committees, the parent body of the Lusofonia games, is affiliated with the IOC and if the ban extends for a year, no participating country will risk the wrath of the IOC and participate. Also, international sporting federations, who conduct the respective games at the event, will also certainly stay away.

Elvis Gomes said as much in words― “There’s no question of holding the Lusofonia Games if the IOC ban on the Indian Olympic Association stays.”

Gomes, however, pins his hopes on an “early resolution” of the stand-off between IOC and IOA.

Another controversy that threatens to derail other organisational schedules

aRts&ENtERtaiNmENt18

www.goastreets.com/arts&entertainmentThursday, December 13, 2012Thursday, March 14, 2013

Mar 14Konkani Play: AleeshaAt The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula@ 6 pm+919765404391/+918322452805

Mar 16Bonjour India FestivalPique-Nique GastronomiqueAt Alliance Francaise, Panjim@ 7.30 pm+918322420049

Mar 17 Creativity WorkshopAn Art Therapy ApproachAt the International Center of Goa, Dona Paula+918322452805

Digital Jukebox With HenryAt Cafe Mojo pub & Bistro@ 8 pm+918322426666

Mar 26The Haydn Baryton trioFrom BudapestAt Art chamber, Calangute@ 7.30 pm+919823217435

Classical Music SoireeThe 20th Programme At Art Chamber, Calangute@ 7.30 pm. +919823217435

Bonjour India FestivalFrench Writer, Chowra Makaremi in conversation with Dr. Edith Mela FurtadoAt Goa University, Dona Paula @ 4 pmAt Sunaparanta, Panjim @ 6.30 pm+918322420049

Mar 27Sacred Choral ConcertAt Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa @ 6.30 pm+919011051950

Mar 9 to Mar 16Jin Shin Do Body mindAcupressure WorkshopAt Art escape, Benaulim@ 9.30 am to 5.30 pm+919881568756/+919323590051

Mar 12 to Mar 17Beauty Home ExhibitionConsumer, Interior Décor ProductsAt Near Kadamba Bus stand, Margao @ 10 am to 8.30 pm

Mar 14 to Mar 17The Carpenters CrossAn original rock musical on the life and Death of Jesus Christ presented by the Don Bosco Oratory, composed and directed by Alfwold Silveira.At Don Bosco Grounds, Panjim @ 6.45 pm to 9 pm+919881901269/+919665939350

Mar 15 & Mar 16Naval Symphonic OrchestraAt Indoor Auditorium, Kala Academy, Panjim @ 6.30 pm+918322420453

Mar 15 to Mar 174th Annual Goa Salsa Festival 2013At Sun Village, Baga @ 11 am to 11 am+919845239123

Mar 15 to Mar 19Film Festival of Prabhat FilmsAt Maquinez Palace, Panjim @ 5 pm

Mar 15 to Mar 19The State Art Exhibition In the Student category organised At Kala Academy, Panjim +918322420453

Mar 21 to Mar 23Art ExhibitionCarpe Diem Art & Learning Centre,

Majorda presents an exhibition of art by visually impaired artist Stacy Rodrigues.

This collection of over 20 paintings, acrylic

on canvas, dwells on her personal struggle and triumph over her

disability.Her collection of 48 poems ‘Reflections’ will also be available.

At Carpe Diem, MajordaFrom 10 am to 6 pm

+918888862462

Feb 23 to mar 30Charlie & the Music Factory LiveAt Art Escape, Benaulim@ 7 pm to 11 pm+919323590051

Feb 25 to mar 26Indian classical nightAt Art Escape, Benaulim@ 7 pm +919323590051

Feb 25 to mar 15The 6th Anniversary At Ruchika’s Art Gallery, MiramarArtistree 2013-master strokes The exhibition will be inaugurated by eminent master artist Mr. Prabhakar Kolte@ 7 pm +918322465875/ +919850571283/ +919881836400

Mar 11 to April 10Thomas Stephens Konknni KendrKonknni Basic Course in Roman ScriptAt PorvorimFrom 2.15 pm to 5.15 pm

EverydayRuchika’s Art GalleryRuchika`s Art Gallery displays fine arts, performing arts and new forms of art. Opp. Goa Marriott Resort, Miramar. From 10.30 am to 6 pm +918322465875/ +919850571283/ +919881836400

Mapusa-boundBy José Lourenço

She sat at the window of the bus, gripping her bag firmly in her lap. It was a

cool October evening and the leaves fell soundlessly around as the bus rolled along towards Porvorim. But Laxmi gazed at the passing scenery on her right with unseeing indifference. What intrigued her was the man seated to her left. He seemed to be in his thirties, neatly dressed in a short sleeved shirt and jeans, with his hands casually resting on his thighs.

The barren rocks of Porvorim with its ugly nouveau-riche buildings streamed past her window, with an occasional old house putting up a defiant show of dignity.

She looked sideways at his hands and noticed the curly black hair on his forearm and the veins on the back of his hand. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her inhaling had pushed her shoulders deeper into his side and she flushed all over.

She wondered who he was, Hindu or Christian, married or unmarried. There was no ring on his finger, but nowadays many married men didn’t wear one. Was he salaried or into business? A salary would keep life steady, business brought risks.

She was bound for Mapusa, like most of the passengers on the bus. At Mapusa, her maternal aunt awaited her with another of her endless marriage proposals. Of late, getting her married seemed to be Sheela-tai’s sole mission in life.

What right did anyone have to force an arranged marriage on her, she grumbled silently. She could break this inevitable pattern of her life. Why, she could even talk to this stranger sitting next to her right now and take control of her life. She would talk to him, they would converse. He would then invite her for tea at the Mapusa bus stand. They would meet again, fall in love, get married and have children. He would be her choice, their love affair would be her adventure. Then someday they would travel by bus together like this and she would fall asleep with her head resting on his gently rocking shoulder.

But which girl would initiate a conversation with a strange man in a bus! Shameless! What would he think! But why not? She was a modern, broadminded girl. Dressed in a skirt and blouse as against the sari that her mother had advised her to wear!

Maybe an interesting magazine she was

reading might have sparked his interest, but she had no magazine, not even a newspaper with her.

Talk to me, talk to me, she began to mentally urge him, say something, anything! But his eyes kept travelling idly outside the window and back inside the bus. He too seemed lost in thought. Thinking of his wife and kids? Work? Girlfriend? She had to ask him if he was married. How! Within ten minutes, before reaching Mapusa and the waiting Sheela-tai? Relax, she could ask him the next time they met. But what if they never met again? His deodorant smelt heady. Laxmi inhaled deeply. Her shoulders dug into his side again and she blushed at the increased contact.

She was prone to fantasy like this. The art teacher at school, her cousin Pundalik from Shiroda, even Shirish, the young bhat who performed puja at their place, she had had torrid affairs with them all, in her mind. It didn’t matter that she had never exchanged more than a few words with them. The imaginary liaisons were exhausting enough.

She decided she would ask him a casual question. ‘Do you know where Pharma Labs is

turn to page 20

Fiction

Fort AguadaBuilt in 1612 by Portuguese, this fort has an old lighthouse erected in 1864

and underground storage of over 2 million gallons of water.A moat surrounds the upper fort. The lower fort provided berthing for Portuguese ships.

Tiracol Fort

Located at the mouth of the Tiracol River, accessed by ferry from Querim.Originally built by the Raja of Sawantwadi, taken by Portuguese in 1746.Was the site of satyagraha protest in 1954. Church of St Anthony is located within.The fort has been converted into a heritage hotel.

Reis Magos FortBuilt in 1551, reerected in 1707 and restored recently.The bastions have cylindrical turrets and a walled corridor links the main fortress with the anchorage at the riverfront. Gets its name from the Reis Magos Church nearby, referring to the Three Magi.

Alorna FortBuilt around the 17th century by Bhonsles of Sawantwadi. The fort had four barracks. Captured by Portuguese in 1746.The fort was mostly used by the Portuguese to defend Maratha attacks and invasion which used to come from the north. Two watchtowers at the front are still standing. The cannon ramparts are still well preserved.

Rachol FortThese ruins lie close to the Rachol Seminary, 7 km from Margao. Of the fortress itself, only a single gateway stands on the road leading to the seminary. The imposing fortress once encircled the hill on which the Seminary stands today, built by the Bahmanis.Captured by the Vijaynagar kingdom, it was ceded to the Portuguese in 1520. It once had a 100 guns on its ramparts.

Chapora FortThe fort changed hands many times, being in great demand for its strategic location on the Chapora river. The present fort was built in 1717. The walls of the fort follow the steep rocky profile and the ramparts have cylindrical turrets.A church dedicated to St. Anthony once stood here.

Cabo da RamaName means Cape of Rama. In the past, the fort has switched hands between Hindu, Muslim monarchs and the Portuguese and seen many battles. The ramparts have turrets and rusty cannons, vestiges of the Portuguese. It had 21 guns and military barracks, as well as commandant quarters. The St Anthony chapel stands in the courtyard.

Corjuem FortThis fortress is 4 km from Aldona on the island of Corjuem. It was originally occupied by the Bhonsles of Sawantwadi. The fort came under the Portuguese during the rule of Viceroy Caetano de Mello e Castro. In the early 1800s the fort was used as a Military School and had in its defenses a battery of four guns. aNciENt sENtiNEls

20 Arts&Entertainment

located in Mapusa?’ But when? Now? Yes, now, she decided to ask the question five seconds from now. She looked at her watch, 5..4..3..2..1. She turned around to him and mumbled, ‘Excuse me….’ But she choked the rest off as he had turned to the bus conductor to pay his fare. She fumbled in her bag and paid her own. He hadn’t heard her.

She had lost her nerve now. She lapsed back to curious wondering. Would he like her? Was she likeable? Her clothes, her speech, her smile, were they good? Did people like her? If they did, why did they?

He hadn’t moved any closer, but Laxmi was intensely aware of the side of his thigh touching hers. Her skirt and skin felt warmer, and she shifted slightly to relieve the heat.

Shameless girl! Going to see a prospective match and lusting after a stranger in the bus! She was skeptical of Sheela-tai’s matches. Those fellows always fell short. One was handsome, but a Mama’s boy. Another was good looking and rich, but kept making sniffing sounds every five seconds. She had timed him. And then there was the goldsmith whose ears bloomed with hair and whose eyes were constantly fixed six inches below her chin.

Maybe if she were not happy in her marriage, she would have an affair with a man like the one seated to her left. Stop! Stop! Shameless bitch! The more she tried to rein in her imagination, the more perverse it became. Her mind filled with

Galleria RalinoPainting Art Gallery At Souza towers, Panaji+918322228370

Kerkar Art Gallery Installations and sculptures and paintings by Dr.Subodh Kerkar. It also showcases works by contemporary artists from all over India. At Gauravaddo, Calangute. From 10 am to 7 pm +918322276017

Xavier centre of historical researchWith particular emphasis on contemporary cultural and social issues affecting the State of Goa.At B B Borkar Rd, Porvorim+918322417772

Art EscapeArt Escape Goa is a knowledge sharing our of home experience through learn-by-doing workshops which include painting, Pottery, photography, theatre, dance, films, yoga, recycling & waste Management. At Art Escape, Benaulim+919892286666/+919881568756/ +919323590051

Gallery GitanjaliAt Opp Panaji Inn, FontainhasFrom 9 am to 9 pm.+919823572035

Casa PopularAt Municipal Market, Panaji+918322262135

Mario’s Art GalleryPainting Art GalleryAt Chandor, Salcete+919850460095

Yemanja Art Gallery Painting Art Gallery At Betim, Reis Magos+918322416930

Chaku Arts and CraftsPainting Art GalleryAt Vaddy, Candolim+918322279039

Rosem villa Art GalleryAt Porvorim+918322276329

Persian Arts and CraftsAt Taj holiday village, Sinquerim+918322479016

Surya Art GalleryHere contemporary works of canvas paintings on Goan subject and art crafts are displayed. At Bandawalwada, Pernem+919404149764/ +919422064754

Panaji Art Gallery Promotes Goan ArtFigurative and individual works of artists.At Panaji Art Gallery From 9 am to 8 pm. +919822168703

Jupiter ArtsAt Jamundas building, Sangolda+918322650784

Exhibition of paintings The Gallery displays paintings on canvas of original art & international print arts. It also showcases works by contemporary artists from India & abroad. At Arte Douro Art Gallery, Calangute from 9 am to 9 pm +9183222882266 / +919822147148

Menezes Braganza hallAt Ferry wharf, Panaji+918322224143

Carpe DiemCarpe Diem, a newly opened art and learning centre in Majorda. At MajordaFrom 10 am to 6 pm+918888862462

Big Foot Art Gallery Display of works by various artists from India and abroad. At Big Foot Art Gallery, Loutolim from 9 am to 6 pm +918322777034

Moksa Art GalleryDisplays of Contemporary Art are displayed by Salvador Fernandez.At Naika Vaddo, CalanguteFrom 9.30 am to 8.30 pm+918322281121/+919326717386

Arte Douro Art GalleryThe Gallery displays paintings on canvas of original art & international print arts.At Porba Vaddo, CalanguteFrom 9 am to 9 pm. +919822147148

PicturesqueThe museum displays works of Original Art & International print arts.At near Domino’s Pizza, PanajiFrom 9 am to 1.30 pm & 3.30 pm to 7 pm+919822124245

thoughts of straddling him in his seat, pulling his face into her breasts and kissing the top of his head.

In desperation she suddenly turned around to him again and said ‘Hi!’ At that very moment the bus horn blared and her courageous greeting was drowned out. He had begun dozing lightly. She turned back to the window, red and furious with herself.

She had tired herself with these bouts of fantasy and began dozing off. Her nodding head slowly slumped to rest against the man’s shoulder. She remained asleep in that position as the bus wound its way through the suburbs of Mapusa.

The man sat still, slightly dozing himself. He dared not move for fear of waking the sleeping girl at his shoulder. But as the bus entered Mapusa bus stand, he gently nudged her awake.

‘We’ve reached,’ he half whispered to her.He collected his newspaper from the overhead

rack and headed for the door. The meeting was fixed for five thirty, in just another ten minutes. He would have to take a rickshaw, he thought. He had detailed directions, but his mother had said to just ask for Sheela-tai’s house near Pharma Labs.

The bus almost emptied out and some passengers headed off walking towards the market while others moved toward the rickshaw stand. Laxmi sat alone for a while, sleepily gazing through the window at the bustling people outside, wondering whether to alight or to take the same bus back to Panjim.

from page 18

Baina

Four muted men sit with their old backs to the seaTheir waterfall eyes cascade   down womanly shapes that have come to compete with the sunsetTheir minds constantly moving from epiphany to information and back againThey turn around only when it’s darkTheir eyes in need of dimmer lights

Beach poems By Salil Chaturvedi

Hollant

They beat the water with long sticks to startle the sea

they draw them in  they pull them up in their shiny nets

  they let them drop   at their feet   on the floor of the boat    till they lie still   in the nets of language  all finisheddead fish   poems

Odxel

Mid-tide at Odxel – the sea has its pants down Ships slowly entering the river’s wide mouth Grasses stroking each other’s thighs Curly waters foam  around black, testicle rocks Or is it just the young ones stepping into the pleasure ocean of their eager bodies in a beached Maruti car

Thursday, March 14, 2013Satire 21

By Cecil Pinto

“Dada, was Jack Sequeira a big man?”“You’re asking about Dr. Jack

de Sequeira, Father of the Opinion Poll?”

“Yes Dada.”“Of course he was a big man. Without

his efforts we would probably be a small district of Maharashtra and you would be speaking Marathi instead of Konkani.”

“That I know Dada. We were taught in History class. What I mean is, was he a big man physically?”

“Oh yes he was a giant of a man in many ways. Tall and big chested and broad shouldered.”

“But Dada the statue in Calangute is of a small built man with a large head.”

“Oh that! It’s a long story. It starts in 1983 in Aldona and the triangular plot of land near the market.”

“You’re making up a story again no Dada?”

“Arre Baba. What is truth? What is fiction? History is written by the victors…”

“Ok, ok, go on. But make it short.”

“Well this triangular plot belongs to the Aldona Church, as does most of the market area. On 13th March 1983 there was a mini-riot between Hindus and Catholics about a ‘tulsi’ that was illegally built there. It caused a lot of tension between the two communities which had till then had a peaceful co-existence. The plot was then left unused and untended for many years and was an eyesore till in 2005 somebody suggested that a Holy Grotto be built there. A few village elders got together and decided that rather than open up old wounds with a religious structure let Aldona be different.”

“Different? How?”“An open meeting of the villagers was

held and a suggestion was made that rather than honour a religious head or a political head, like other villages did, we would honour an educationalist – Principal Edward J. Soares who died in 1955. Everyone agreed. Not surprising, considering almost everyone in Aldona

Myths of Goa and their origins

“Woh Goa-wallah body de do!”

has studied at the St. Thomas High School founded by Edward Soares in 1923. We decided to raise funds ourselves and not approach the Government. While fundraising activities were going on in full swing a three-member team of village elders was sent to Mumbai to the best statue foundry to get costings. Just a bust would cost Rs. 4 lakhs and a full-body statue would be Rs. 7 lakhs. We decided nothing but a full-body statue would do for our beloved Principal.”

“What has all this got to do with Jack Sequeira?”

“Arre Baba I’m getting there. Our team in Mumbai then phoned us saying that there were standard ‘bodies’ available on which a head could be attached. But then the head of Edward Soares, who was a small built man, would look absurd on the body of an Ambedkar or a Tilak - or sitting on a horse with a sword in hand like Shivaji. The foundry said that if they

were supplied with full length photos of Edward Soares they could make an exact body – for an additional cost of Rs. 2 lakhs. Fortunately our team had carried many photos and a deal was struck. On 9th December 2006 the exact replica statue of Principal Edward Soares was installed in the Aldona market triangle. Students of his from Aldona, Moira, Nachinola, Olaulim, Pomburpa, Assnora…”

“Dada! Jack Sequeira!”“Yes! Yes! Well simultaneously a group

of well-wishers were planning to honour Dr. Sequeira with a bust to be installed at the main junction in Calangute in January 2007. It was being prepared at the same foundry that had made our statue. The President of the Jack Sequeira Bust Committee realized that they had more funds than they had calculated. He phoned the foundry and a strange conversation ensued. It sounds better in Hindi but…”

“Just go on Dada!”

“Well the President asked the supervisor if the bust could be converted into a full-body statue. The supervisor said a made-to-order body was not possible at such short notice but offered him the standard ready-made bodies of Marathi saints and political leaders - and of course Shivaji. The President asked if they had any ‘Goan’ body. The supervisor recalled that just last week a Goan statue had been installed and the body mould was still intact. The President was besides himself with joy at having found a Goan body befitting Jack Sequeira. The deal was done. And that’s how the statue at Calangute has the head of Jack Sequeira on the slim body of Edward Soares.”

“Dada you just made this up didn’t you?”

“Son, what is history? Somebody’s version of the truth. This is my version. Simple.“

“Oh yes he was a giant of a man in many ways. Tall and big chested and broad shouldered.”“But Dada the statue in Calangute is of a small built man with a large head.”

Disclaimer: The article on this page is a satire and is not in anyway factual. It is only a humorous and satirical take on the events unfolding around us. We don not in anyway intend to offend any individual or institution through our satires and regret any offense caused inadvertently.

22 Adventure

Adrenalin Dose in the Deep

By Praveen P

Our boat has stopped just off Grande Island. Our young bearded instructor mounts the prow and drops anchor. I

gear up―wet suit and flippers on, scuba air tank strapped onto my back, goggles fitted tight on my head, breathing tube in my mouth―and perch on the edge of the boat, my back facing the water.

“Lean back, kick your flippers in the air and go!” barks the instructor. I’m about to plunge down into the Arabian Sea, to a depth of a four-storied building.

A week back we had trained up at the Goa Aquatics swimming pool training center at Candolim. Scuba dive master Gautam, 25, briefed us on the technical aspects of our gear, and on how to breath underwater and show hand signals. Let’s go up, let’s go down, I’m in trouble, Running low on air―these are a few important underwater signals that all divers have to be familiar with.

“Heads Up... Breath in...Breath out...Do it again...raise your arm & swing it slowly backwards like in slow motion, you will now find your breathing tube...” he exhorts us. “Yes that’s the way to do it...All set ready, now calm your body and soul for a

minute...” Now perched on the boat’s edge, this is the real

thing. I take a deep breath, lean back and fall into the water with an explosion of foam and bubbles. My diving companions follow suit and soon we are a crowd in the blue waters. Pule Sebastian, a Frenchman, has been on dives in Paris and Brasilia. He is happy with the water temperature. “French water is very cold,” he smiles, taking off his airpiece as he bobs in the water.

We grab on to the anchor rope one by one and make our descent. My ears block up, as though during landing/takeoff in an airplane. I breath out against my pinched nose as trained, and it clears up. Jason is by my side. He is senior instructor and underwater photographer, hence my best friend for the dive...I want to live to see those underwater photos and video of me―the macho diver. Facebookians, eat your heart out!

We go down the murky water, where ‘viz’ (visibility, in diving jargon) is not great, but the welcoming committee of fish is in full force. Lion fish, groupers and silver gliders are all around us. The bones of an old shipwreck loom up below us. This was an old Portuguese ship that hit a rock hiding just below the sea surface back in 1949.

I gear up – wet suit and flippers on, scuba air tank strapped onto my back, goggles fitted tight on my head, breathing tube in my mouth – and perch on the edge of the boat, my back facing the water.

Thursday, March 14, 2013Adventure 23

It broke into two and came to its eternal rest on the seabed here off Grande Island. We tap at a part of the wreck and rust particles soar up. Immediately a school of fish dives in, thinking it is food.

A beautifully coloured fish cruises by. I lean out to touch it. Jason gives me the danger sign―waving his palm horizontally―and warns me away. That is a scorpion fish, he tells me later, just a touch of it will be poisonous.

“ When I started my first jump I was equally excited going around underwater and dating lion fish, it has black & white stripes and frills all over its body, looks almost like a bride on her wedding day,” says Jason. “ But the lion fish, like the scorpion fish, is poisonous, all its frills hold blade like edges with sufficient amount of venom to kill us instantly under water.”

Wynelan Luis, our dive instructor, is originally from Bandra, Mumbai. He dropped out from his graduate studies in Commerce to come to Goa and the love of his life―scuba. Gautam, a dive master from Noida, flew all the way to Goa to pursue his dream goals of becoming a scuba diving instructor and dive around the reefs of the world. Goa Aquatics was founded by Anindya Mukherjee, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer.

The lion fish has black & white stripes and frills all over its body and looks almost like a bride on her wedding day.

Certification courses available at Goa Aquatics cover: Open Water Dive, Open Water Expert, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor and Instructor. Goa Aquatics are affiliated to The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), the world’s largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966.

A Scuba diving course provides a tremendous adrenalin kick for the adventure seeker, as well as career opportunities in professional diving around the world.

Praveen P. is Business Manager at Goa Streets. To see video of him and other divers, log on to www.goastreets.com.

24 Hot Streets

Dear Acaricia MayI work on board a ship. I am happily

married with one child. I love my wife very much, and am very possessive of her. I worry sometimes that when I am away for a long time, that she may feel lonely and develop a relationship with another man. One of my married friends who works in the Gulf tells me he also worried about this, and solved his worry in a strange way. He would get his wife in the family way when he was about to leave for the Gulf. He feels a pregnant woman is less likely to ‘fool’ around and will also be less attractive to other men. By the time he returns, they have a baby and they are both happy. When he leaves again to go overseas, his wife is pregnant again. This repeated for four years and he has four kids. Now he is settled back in Goa. Should I do something similar? I too want three to four kids.

Signed,Antonio - Mapusa.

Dear AntonioWhat is higher on your mind? Having a large

family or safeguarding your wife’s fidelity? Do you feel insecure? A wife whose husband is abroad may not fall into the arms of another man just because of unbridled lust. One thing you can do is make sure she has a happy environment at home. This could come in the form of a good, supportive relationship with her parents or in-laws. Or other family members, or close friends. You must communicate with her regularly, by phone, by email, through letters. If you both have access to a computer and an Internet

connection, become best friends with this little program called Skype – it’s free and you can see each other while you speak (which affords all sorts of naughty possibilities, especially if you’re alone while you’re online. Yes, Acaricia May recommends Skype sex!).

You must make her feel loved all the time. If she has a baby, she may well be happy and busy with bringing up that child, but it is you who has to give her love, even if it is long-distance love. She could also take up a job in an area she loves working in, that would fulfill her emotionally. Does your friend think he tied a chastity belt to his wife by impregnating her? Doesn’t he know that a pregnant woman can have hearty sex even up to the ninth month? Let us not cast aspersions upon Mr. Keep

Her Fat, but let me also point out that a man’s chastity-belt children need not be his! Don’t be an ass and blindly follow him. Come to terms with your own insecurities, treat your wife like a lady, respect her emotional and physical needs and both of you will be happy. Have your large family by all means, but must they be the fruit of a chauvinistic chastity belt? They might end up being the fruit of another tree!

Love,Acaricia May

Dear Acaricia MayMy husband works abroad and I work

in an office in Panjim. I’m quite happy with my hubby, we chat on the phone a lot and he comes home every three months. I love Facebook and have loads of friends there. Of late one of my online friends emails me a lot and we have long chats online. I don’t know his real identity, and he doesn’t know mine. It’s great fun chatting with him, he makes me laugh a lot. Whenever I feel a bit low, I can tell him my problems, without any specifics, of course, and he makes me feel good. This is alright, isn’t it? A bit of harmless fun, like an invisible friend? I am not being unfaithful to hubby in any way, am I? Thomas, my online friend, is just that, a good friend.

Signed,Sayonara -Panjim

Dear SayonaraAcaracia May is here to guide and advise, not

judge. But do beware. If you’re online and you don’t know who the person on the other end is, that’s a danger zone. The Internet abounds with unscrupulous predators. And hey, how do you know that Thomas isn’t actually your hubby playing an anonymous Casanova to test you? Question everything.

Sayonara, every relationship is different. Very often, guys stick to guy friends and ladies stick to lady friends when having pals outside the marriage. But lots of modern couples do it differently, with each partner having friends of both sexes. Is that something your husband would be cool with? I assume you haven’t told your husband about Thomas, and that’s another danger zone. Too many secrets can cause cracks in a marriage.

Have your online friendships, by all means, but remember virtual space is inhabited by real people, and not all of them are good fellas.

Love,Acaricia May

Send all your questions about sex, relationships, love and romance to Acaricia May at acariciamay@goastreets.com.

Chastity Belt

Police 100 Ambulance 108 Coast Guard 1718 Women Helpline 1091 Goa State Aids Control Society 1097 Child Helpline 1098 Airline Offices Air Arabia Airlines 9225906416/15 Indian Airlines 18001801407 Air India 2431100/04 Jet Airways 1800225822 Spice Jet 18001803333 Kingfisher Airlines 18002093030 GoAir 1800222111 Singapore Airlines 2438813 Qatar Airlines 7930616000

Ambulance ServicesGoa Medical College 2458725 Vintage Ambulance +91 8322232533 /+91 9823059948 Ambulance Trust (Margao) 2731759/2714464 Mapusa Ambulance Service (Mapusa) 2262372 Helpline (Dona Paula) 2453303

Super mArketSMagsons Super MarketMiramar, St Inez, Caculo Mall, Caranzalem, Vasco, Verna and Varca2463700/2463701/2463702Orchard Stores Anjuna. 2273231 Newton’s Arcade Candolim. 2489056Delfinos Super Stores, Candolim, 2356895 / 5235685Maple Leaf Supermarket Porvorim, 6454099

Bus ServicesKadamba Road Transport Corporation 133 Kadamba Transport Corporation 2438034/2438036 Manish Volvo 2444056 Paulo Travels  2438531 Neeta Volvo  2438088

medical and HospitalsDial-A-Doctor (Toll Free) 1911 Blood Bank 2458724Vrundavan Hospital, Mapusa+918322250022/+918326713535Apollo Hospital Margao. 2728888/ 6728888 Manipal Hospital Panjim. 3048800 Vintage Hospital Panjim. 2426650

pharmacies Jeevan Rekha Medical Store Panjim. 2435946 Holy Spirit Medical Services Margao. 2737433 Bardez Bazaar

Thursday, March 14, 2013

UsEFUl stUFFwww.goastreets.com

Mapusa. 2256620/2250618 Walson & Walson Calangute. 2276366 Nayana Medical Stores Porvorim. 2417818

pOlice StAtiOnS Margao 2705095 Mapusa 2262231 Pernem 2201233 Anjuna 2273233 Calangute 2278284 Porvorim 2417704 Old Goa 2285301 Ponda 2313101 Colva 2788396 Vasco Harbour 2512234 Verna 2782325 Canacona 2633357

post OfficesPanjim GPO 2223706 Margao 2715791 Mapusa 2262235 Calangute 2276030 Department of Tourism 2438750/2438755 Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd2226515/2226728 Govt. of India Tourism 2223412/2420529 Panjim Information Counter 2438520 Margao Information Counter 2715204 Vasco Information Counter 2512673

railway StationsCanacona Code:CNO+918322643644Madgaon Code:MAO+918322712790Pernem Code:PERN+918322201283Thivim Code:THVM+918322298682Vasco de Gama Code:VSG+918322512398/+918322512131Karmali Code:KRMI+918322285798

Safety informationTourist Police Booths Miramar 2464260 Tourist Police Booths alangute 2281238 Tourist Police Booths Vagator 2274031GMC Casuality 2458725GMC Casuality 2458725

tOY StOreSTotally ToysTrionora ApartmentPanaji 2220304

Nilesh Store At Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Panjim 2230161

Casa Nita 2732070Near Gandhi MarketMargao

Peter Store At Grace Church Estate Margao 2730571

Petit Bebe At Adams Towers, Vasco 9958685102

Adventure SpOrtS/BOAt tOurS/diving/excurSiOnSWater Sports ClubBogmalo. 9822124457

Dive GOACaranzalem. 9325030110

Goa Aquatic Sports Private LtdCalangute. 9822685025

Goa KayakingChicalim. 9422056037/2541715

Palms Water SportsSinquerim. 9823850949/9823179913

25

DreamZ Spa and SalonAt Campal, Panjim@ 10 am to 9 pm+918322223628

Sukho Thai -The Thai Foot SpaAt Calangute@ 11 am to 11 pm +918326511265

Sohum SpaAt Royal Orchid Beach Resort & Spa, Utorda@ 9.30 a to 10 pm +918322884400/ +918322884401

Agua SpaAt The Kenilworth Resort & Spa, Utorda @ Daily 9 am to 8 pm +918326698888

Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa This summer, surrender yourself to the mystical healing of ancient Southern Indian traditions, as highly skilled therapists from the renowned Vasudeva Vilasam Ayurveda Institute, Kerala visit Park Hyatt Goa. At Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, Arossim beach, Cansaulim+918322721234/ +919923207075 edra.godinho@hyatt.com goa.park.hyatt.com

Children from Sister Christobel’s Trust, Mother Teresa’s Roses and The Phoenix Foundation Big Band from Germany

presented the ‘Nuns N Roses’ musical evening at the Garcia de Orta gardens in Panjim last Sunday, and kept a packed garden spellbound with performances of both, the young children and the nuns themselves.

The programme was supported by Colin D’Cruz’s Jazz Goa, among other organisations.

Sister Christobel herself sang the all-time classics- “What a wonderful world” and “When you’re smiling” - along with the children of the Parra and Quepem homes of the Trust.

The musical play Nuns ‘N’ Roses told the story of Mother Teresa’s Roses founded by Sister Christobel and Bishop Bosco Penha, the auxiliary bishop of Mumbai.

The children put on a splendid performance of monologue, dialogue, song, dance and live music. Mumbai theatre personality Annabelle Ferro directed the play and Angela Nagarajan choreographed the dances.

Also performing at the musical evening was the twenty-two piece jazz ensemble Phoenix Foundation Big Band, which played popular Michael Jackson tunes and a range of classics from rock, pop and jazz music.

The evening also had a special appearance by celebrated Indian classical virtuosos Ramamani and

Ramesh Shotham.Sr. Christobel who was diagnosed with cancer in

her early twenties underwent a great change when Mother Teresa visited and blessed her in hospital with a statue of Mary, a medal and a rose. She dedicated her life to caring for the homeless and less fortunate. Sister Christobel’s Trust has centres in Parra and Quepem as well as in Mumbai.

The trust helps hundreds of homeless people including children, offering them a clean set of clothes and feeding them a hot meal.

‘Nuns and Roses’ was an effort to spread awareness about the initiatives of Sister Christobel’s Trust and was supported by the Corporation of The City of Panjim (CCP), Jazz Goa, Indigo 91.9, The Royal Goan Beach Club, Furtado’s, Poco Loco, Goa Grooves and bigblueroad.com.

Nuns N Roses enthralls with theatre and music

CornerThe

26 Give Back

By Ashley do Rosario

Isabel, a hearing impaired girl barely into her teens, needles fabric to learn the art of embroidery, embossing

a design on a piece of cloth, which a few days later will perhaps find its way to the dining table of a home in Goa or elsewhere.

Isabel spends her days at the St Francis Xavier training-cum-production Centre at Old Goa.

Dozens of boys and girls and even a few adults, some disabled like Isabel and others with no disability, are trained in various technical skills at the Centre, run by Caritas Goa.

The centre deliberately puts the two groups of children together to provide them equal opportunities and take forward its ‘reverse inclusion’ concept.

Trainees at the centre, disabled or not, are imparted technical skills in tailoring and embroidery, fibre work, animal husbandry including piggery, poultry and dairy, candle making, carpentry and welding.

Caritas Goa is part of Caritas International, the Roman Catholic

CaritasNurturing girls and boys

and their children helped in academic and other needs. The family members are counselled, and whenever possible, they are united with their families.

In some ideal cases, a prisoner-victim reconciliation is worked on.

The prison ministry unit of Caritas Goa also assists in the rehabilitation of prisoners who have served their term. All this is done in close collaboration and with the consent of government authorities.

ASROCaritas Goa manages a care home for

children living with HIV/AIDS which it started at Tivim, a village in Goa’s hinterland, in 2002. Called ASRO (which in Konkani means hope) the home currently has 28 children who are being cared for by the Sisters of the Mercy of the Holy Cross.

ASRO was started as a private initiative by Dr Philomena D’Souza, the former head of the paediatric department at Goa Medical College. Dr Philomena started the work at her own ancestral home and eventually handed over its management to Caritas in 2002.

At ASRO, the children are treated and given nutritional support. They are also given home nursing care and terminal care. There’s no doomsday atmosphere at Asro. The HIV/AIDS infected kids are provided opportunities to train in skills and gain self-confidence.

Father Maverick Fernandes, directo

of Caritas Goa, explains that the children at Asro face many challenges concerning their education, relationships, health and societal acceptance.

“But the journey has been refreshing, to view the positive effort of the children,”said Fr Maverick.

Caritas also runs another ‘Community Care Centre’ by the same name ASRO at Cavelossim. It is a collaborative effort with the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King and is funded up to 80 percent by the National Aids Control

Organisation (NACO). The centre cares for the HIV infected,

gives palliative care to AIDS patients and provides value-based education for the prevention of HIV infection.The centre also provides support and trains family members how to care for loved ones infected by the disease.

Caritas Goa manages St Bridget’s Institute at Aldona village which conducts home science courses, a home nursing certificate course and runs home nursing services.

It also manages a physio-therapy centre at the Caritas Holiday Home in Panjim and a Childline service for North Goa, affiliated to the Childline India Foundation.

To help Caritas Goa either with donations or volunteer services you may contact its director, Fr Maverick Fernandes, at Institute Piedade, DB Marg, Panjim. Tel No. +918322422821

Church’s social action arm.In Goa it also runs an academic school

at the centre where formal education classes are held for the hearing impaired,

orthopedically handicapped, mentally challenged and

children with learning disabilities. The school, run by the Diocesan Society of Education, also

has a higher secondary section affiliated to the Goa Board of Secondary and

Higher Secondary Education.To overcome difficulties

faced by differently-abled children in pursuing higher studies in rigorous subjects prescribed by general curriculum, the school took accreditation from the National Open School, which offers a wider choice of subjects to suit their abilities.

The school was also thrown open to general category students, who otherwise would have dropped out from academics.

Prison ministryCaritas manages a large group of

people, both lay and religious, who reach out to inmates of various jails in Goa.

On securing permission from the jail authorities, volunteers of the prison ministry visit jails and counsel prisoners, conduct inter-religious prayer services and hold classes in literacy, art-craft and music.

The prison ministry program also facilitates under-trials and convicts serving jail terms to continue their academic pursuits by collaborating with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and other open universities.

On special occasions like Independence day (August 15), Republic day (January 26), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), Christmas and Diwali, the prisoners are also provided with their share of fun through drama and music contests and sports.

The prisoners’ families are also visited

CaritasNurturing girls and boys