Goa Streets - Issue 29

Thursday, May 23, 2013 | Vol. No. I | Issue 29 | Price Rs. 10 | Pages 28 | www.goastreets.com

Blues in Goa • 3

Scam Ads • 8

Vanishing villages• 17

a o G The News & Entertainment Weekly

Super homes in Goa Real estate goes uptown

s Plu ete pl / com event d/ e foo ghtlif i n de gui

Hi-Tech studying 18 • Vintage Britto’s 19 • Kindergarten Cop 26

2

what’s hot this

May 10 to May 30 Nizam Food Festival

Nobody relished food like the Nizams.

Taste it to believe it.

At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 12 pm to 3 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm +918322226291

week

May 23 to May 26 The Cricket & Cocktail festival hits Goa Watch IPL on a Giant Screen At Adamo the Bellus, Calangute +918322275331/32

May 26 Sunday family brunches

May 23 to May 29 Happy Hours

At Capiz Bar, Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Enjoy 25% discount on all beverages.

Happy hours, happier moments! +918323011658

“Rejuvenating cocktails, soul warming gourmet cuisine from around the world, activities to keep the kids entertained and specially get in rhythm with Ashley.

At Latitude, Vivanta by Taj – Panaji @ 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm +918326633636.”

Annual Pre Sao Joao Bash 2013 At The Park on Holiday Beach, Calangute @ 12 pm +919923590207/+919767182464

Sunday Live Brunch

Enjoy a Sunday Live brunch with live stations, a live band, best of live entertainment and an unlimited flow of wines! There’s live entertainment for kids too, including magicians, balloon sculpting and face painting, etc.

From 12:30pm to 03:30pm At Waterfront Terrace & Bar, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa +918322463333

Thursday, May 23, 2013

A case of the Goan blues

music & nightlife | 03

Clubs/Bars/Lounges/ Live Music Butter Lounge

Indulge yourself &soothen your senses At Patto, Panjim +919822126262

Blues in Goa

Raissa’s Sheesh Mahal Lounge Delicious food and lovely music At Margao @ 10 am to 11.45 pm +918322712899

lowdown | 06

Club IANOS

Club & Global Cuisine Calangute, Baga Road 0832 6528283

feature | 07

May 23

Thursday Night Live

Land of bridges

@ The Sofala American saxophone sensation M’Tafiti Imara jamming live with Smoking Chutney featuring M’Tafiti Imara (saxophone), 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 +918550919222

feature | 08 Job cons & Ad scams

Tardy Thursday

arts & entertainment | 10 Batty new play from Mustard Seed

With DJ Kiran At Club Margarita, Colva @ 8 pm +919823259008

Evolve with DJs Amol Reon, Usman, Su-Edit & Alli Marc At Butter Lounge, Panjim @ 9 pm +919822126262

cover story | 14 Flats get a luxury makeover

feature | 17

May 24

Old School Friday Night

With Henry At Cafe Mojo Pub & Bistro, Panjim @ 8 pm +918322426666

Friday Night Tribal Gathering With Graeme At Laguna Anjuna, Anjuna @ 7 pm +919011071941

Goa’s villages to disappear

Fiery Fridays

With Kanan & Fire Dancers At Tito’s Courtyard, Baga @ 8 pm +918322275028

feature | 18 E-teaching at Goan colleges

Ladies Night

With DJ Kiran At Club Margarita, Colva @ 8 pm +919823259008

Ladies Night

food | 19

feature | 22

Britto’s: An old-time diner

Priest of the trees

With the Valentinos, DJ Ashton & VDJ LRF At Down the Road, Panjim @ 8 pm +919823173757

May 25

Submerge Dance Project At Club Tito’s @ the Radisson Blu, Cavelossim @ 9 pm to 3 am

streetspeak | 23

sex | 24

give back| 26

The heyday of radio plays

Cougar mother-in-law

Iron lady of Vagator

At Art Escape Woodstock resort, Benaulim @ 7.30 pm +917350400655

Until May 31 Rock is Alive

At Art Escape, Benaulim @ 7.30 pm +919892286666

Until May 28

Retro and all time Hits

With DJ Aggie At Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim beach, Salcette @ 9 pm +918326726666/+918326726677

Until May 26

Watch, Play & Party

At Zaia Bar, Calangute @ 4 pm to 11 pm +918322275331/ +918322275332

Until May 30 Salsa Night

At L’Orange, Candolim @ 8 pm to 11 pm +919970173606

Until May 25 Saturday Sundown

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

With DJ Anika At Malts n Wines, Baga @ 8 pm +918308721200 With DJ Lasker At Cape Town Cafe, Calangute @ 8 pm +919923325638

7 architectural church styles

Semi Acoutics nite

Women’s Soul

Thursday EDM Night

Explore | 12

Until May 31

May 26

Annual Pre Sao Joao Bash 2013 At The Park on Holiday Beach, +919923590207/ +919767182464

Karaoke Night

Hosted by KDJ Pierre At Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim From 8 pm to 12 am +918322479446/ +918325625693

Until May 28

Retro and All Time Hits

With DJ Aggie At Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 pm +918326726666/ +918326726677

Uptill May 31

Beer, BBQ & Blues

Veeam & the Highway Stars to perform live.

At Sweet Chili, Sinquerim, Candolim.

From 8 pm to 11 pm +918322479446/ +918325625693/ +919890651163/ +919860182932

On-going

Pickled Mango

Multi Cuisine serving culinary delights from around the world. @ Resort Rio, Arpora @ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm Mon: Karaoke time with Bonny Tue: Music by Jus’ Leo n Zie Wed: Grill Nite with Music fever Thur: Rock n Retro by Country Joe Fri: Dance your blues away with Party Creation Sat: Rio Festival with Crossroads band Sun: Live entertainment with Hyden and Natasha +918322267300

Shivers Garden

Restaurant & Sports Bar At Candolim @ 7.30 pm Wed: Bingo Nite Sat: Dance Nite & Live football broadcast Sun: Sunday Roast (2 pm)

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Souza Lobo

Oldest restaurant on Calangute beach With live music in the evenings.

At Calangute Beach @ 8 pm +918322281234 Mon: Nelson & Leo Tue: Just Leo Wed: Lui one man band Thur: Nelson and Leo Fri: Just Leo Sat: Victor & Sol Sun: Valentino

Fort Aguada Beach Resort At Sinquerim, Candolim @ 7.30 pm +918326645858 Mon: Haydn & Natasha Tue: Mac Dorado Wed: Haydn & Natasha Thur: Flying Colours Fri: Shine on Duo Band Sat: Anslem

Martin’s Corner

Authentic seafood and Goan cuisine Along with entertainment with Live music every week.

At Betalbatim @ 8 pm. +918322880061 Mon: Savio Tue: Bryan Ivor-one man band Wed: Francis Paul Thur: Duo by Savio & In front Fri: Karaoke by Johnny Sat: Shane. Sun: Kenny

Night By Night Every Monday Karaoke Night

Live Filipino Band performance At O’ Goa, Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 7.30 pm 2226291

Every Tuesday

Retro & all Time Hits

Retro hits played by DJ Aggie At Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 pm onwards +918326726677 / +91 8888061199

Every Wednesday

Tuesday – Country Rock

At Café Mojo @ 10 am to 11.30 pm +91 9850980091/ +91 9860010061

Cosmopolitan Ladies Nite

Also introducing a pay for 1 JAGERBOMB and shoot another for absolutely FREE, along With free COSMOPOLITANS for the ladies all night long. At Butter, Panjim @ 8 pm +918308838888

Ladies Night

At Soul Souffle, Uddear, Verna @ 8 pm +918322782100/ +919404312100

Russian Ecstasy Nights

At Radisson blu resort, Cavelossim beach @ 9 pm +918326726666/+918888061199

Jam Session

A musical adventure with Goa’s one & Only Zezhinio At Sweet Chilli, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm +91 9820820254

Retro, Rock n Roll & Old School

By Sanket Sharma

S

o much of Western modern music, be it rock, country, jazz, rock and roll, metal, R&B, hip hop or rap, has been directly or indirectly developed from the blues.

Blues music is little over 100 years old, but has had a huge impact on music all over the world.

It can be traced to the early 1900s, when the African Americans from the southern region of the US would sit out on their porches after work, and belt out the 1-4-5 chord progression on their guitars, day after day, for years and years. This music was both an expression of their pain, as well as a way to heal it. In the times when this blues music began, there was a lot of ‘blues’ to heal. So, when the man suffered, the blues bloomed.

And so it is today. If you are feeling blue when you make your music, you are engaging in the blues.

To understand the blues music better in Goa, I conversed with three of its most active and famed blues artists: Elvis Lobo, Cliff de Souza and Shane Ballentine. Let’s hear what each has to say.

Elvis Lobo “The blues really began for me after listening to Jimi Hendrix, when I was 20,” said Lobo, Goa’s guitar hero, talking about his blues influences. He has been playing for almost 20 years now, with

Retro, Rock n Roll & Old School

At Resort Rio, Arpora @ 8 pm to 10.30 pm +918322267300/ +919552538203

DJ Roy Yod Live

At Saturdays, Varca @ 9.30 pm to 1 am +918326695066/+918326695025

Every Thursday Salsa Night

At L’Orange Marquis Vaddo, Candolim @ 8 pm to 11 pm +919970173606/+919823291413

Thursday Grill and Games Music, games & barbeque At Soul Souffle, Verna @ 7 pm to 10 pm 2782100, +91 9764694321

With DJ Saby Fernandes spinning Retro, Rock n Roll At Resort Rio, Tambudki, Arpora From 8 pm to 10.30 pm +919552538203/ +919011015959

Every Friday

Wednesday Nights

At Radisson Blu Resort Cavelossim @ 9 pm +918326726666/ +918888061199

Featuring DJs David and Ashley At Kamaki, Baga @ 7.30 pm +91 9923093408/ +918322276520

Ladies Night and Hoteliers Special

Retro Party

a journey through urban junctions like Delhi and Mumbai, where he has lived and played extensively.

“I play all kinds of music right from Indian to fusion to gypsy,” he adds. “But the blues is the mother of them all.” He says the blues is all about expression, and that is something he passionately seeks in his music. His guitar work is very blues inspired, but you can also hear fusion and Indian influences.

He has toured all over Europe to places like Ibiza, Holland and Portugal and played to crowds of over 50,000, but still claims that he enjoys playing in his home state the most. He says the ‘weather and the easy going vibe’ is what he enjoys here, as opposed to the urban culture he experienced in Europe.

Elvis has also played in Russia where he visits every year and plays with the Russian band Goatika. He has come to

At ‘Rewind’ Arpora, Near Go-kart, @8 pm onwards. Great 70’s ambience, home styled food, live retro music Featuring, ‘The Music Company.’ +91 8007112200.

Every Saturday Retro Party

At ‘Rewind’ Arpora, near Go-kart @ 8 pm onwards.

Great 70’s ambience, home styled food, live retro music Featuring, Live Retro Band. +91 8007112200.

Funky Saturday are Back At Butter, Panjim @ 8 pm onwards

Every Sunday

Sunday afternoon’s in Panjim are never gonna be

The same again. Mekong plays host to the hottest DJ’s In town with The Sunday Mekong Grind.

At Mekong, Panjim 12:00 pm to 8:00pm. +918380072277 / +918888662233

build a strong reputation not just among musicians but also among the local crowd.

Elvis is also ready to release his first album, where he collaborates with friends, as early as next month.

Cliff de Souza Cliff is another blues musician to emerge from Goa. His unusual rhythmic guitar playing will catch your attention immediately. His approach to songs is never the same as the original, something a good musician always does.

He exclusively plays an acoustic guitar, quite a few times accompanied by other musicians on an electric or acoustic guitar.

He states his musical influences are Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Martyn, to name a few.

Of the blues music he says it’s the form of music he instantly connects with. He

turn to page 6

6 The Lowdown The Lowdown

Cliff Dsouza

In a Goan fish market, when a prized catch of pomfrets is hawked for thrice its usual price, there will always be the well heeled gent who will pick it up without flinching, much to the dismay of the regular buyers. The real estate market too has its share of such affluent buyers. In this issue’s cover story, we look at the rise of the Superflat and its new denizens.

The Chief Minister’s plans for six new bridges in the state are bound to bring Goa’s villages and cities closer. Census experts also say our villages are rapidly urbanizing, and that Goa could soon turn into one big city. There are some intriguing sex ratio statistics thrown up by the latest census too.

We bring you both these stories - of fancy bridges and vanishing villages.

Pedro, our intrepid investigator, has been probing the dubious get-rich-quick advertisements in the Goan papers and on your cellphones, and brings you a detailed report.

Cliff de Souza jamming with his compatriots

from page 5 has been playing for the last 30 years. He started at the age of 12, playing his guitar at every place he got a chance, right from funerals to birthday parties. And as time passed, he started playing in better gigs and gradually made a name for himself.

He is one of a handful of musicians who actively pursue blues music in Goa. Shane Ballentine Shane, from Parra, is another musician who can be spotted playing in the blues circuit almost every other night. Primarily a guitar player, his style is very smooth and melodic.

“I never planned on being a musician, it just happened,” he says.

Starting in his early teens with the guitar, Shane jokes about how he played the guitar until the whole village woke up.

“I listen to all kinds of music,” he muses. “I think that makes you a better blues musician too.

After listening to different types of music, when you come back to the blues you have a different and fresh approach to it.”

A really good example of this can be Derek Trucks, an amazing blues guitarist who is also heavily influenced by eastern forms of music.

Shane lists him along with blues greats such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King and B B King as his blues influences, and artists like Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan, and Ali Akbar Khan as his influences from Eastern music. Shane also features in the album by Elvis Lobo.

The above mentioned musicians can be seen regularly performing together or individually, in places like the Saturday Night Market, Cafe Looda and Sea Rock, and it is highly recommended that you check them out at least once.

Musically, the blues can’t be defined with a set of rules and regulations. There might be a few universally accepted guidelines or starting points,

but there are no textbook rules that can define it. The intention and expression is everything.

This intention is what has kept the blues alive all these years, and has been passed down to newer generations of musicians.

It is also the common thread between other forms of music like jazz, hip hop, punk and blues rock.

This intention was what was passed from Muddy Waters to Jimi Hendrix, and in the same way passed from John Lennon to Kurt Cobain.

And now on to Jack White. It’s not difficult to understand. It can be argued that any raw, pure expression of emotion in music is the blues.

The Sex Pistols are no less bluesy than Eric Clapton, and so are Nirvana, The White Stripes, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf.

Before the Second World War, the main instrument of choice was the acoustic guitar.

Using a glass or steel slide was also made popular at this time.

The classic continuous weeping tone that you hear in many movie soundtracks, jingles and songs, is all from the use of the slide. Once you are aware of it, it is hard not to recognise it again.

During the pre war years, musicians like Robert Johnson and Son House were known for their distinctive sounds. This was the blues in its most original and raw form.

Then came the electric guitar, and with it, one of the most important transitions for the blues.

It changed modern music forever. The electric guitar was pioneered by the likes of Muddy Waters, B B King, Buddy Guy and Chuck Berry, some of the most important musicians of the blues. Everything that came after, like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Doors...you name it, and it came from here. 

For a visual and audio sampling of Goan blues, log on to www.goastreets.com

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the wise men say. We would like to add that the way to a kid’s brain is through his cellphone and laptop.

Charlane Pereira has been checking out colleges around Goa, and she tells us that E-learning in all its exciting formats is the new cool mantra for kids of the Digital Age. There are many more engrossing stories in this issue - an exclusive interview with Madhav Borcar at All India Radio who delves into the saga of the Radio Play, the amazing story of Florence Mendes, a veteran activist from Vagator and the new ‘batty’ play from Isabel Santa Rita Vas and her Mustard Seeds.

Do something new this evening or this weekend.

Choose a restaurant or event from our extensive listings on music, nightlife, food and the arts, and make hay while still in May. Happy reading!

José Lourenço

Chief Advisor - Steven Gutkin Publisher - Marisha Dutt Editor - José Lourenço Senior Correspondent - Ashley Do Rosario Business Manager - Praveen P Sales Executive - Rajeev Radhakrishnan Sales Executive - Kedar Prabhugaonkar Web Sales Executive - Alisha Naik Data Entry Operator - Radhika Naik Photographer - Arun Pavaratty Administrative Assistant - Nilesh Shetgaonkar

Feature 7

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Goa: Land of Fancy Bridges

By Ashley do Rosario

I

f Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has his way, Goa could soon come to be known as ‘bridge country’ foregoing its current, well known ‘beach country’ label.

Parrikar’s government has unveiled plans to build half-a-dozen bridges in the state, one of which will run across the Mandovi river to connect the capital city with the North and be a spectacle replete with a 360-degree revolving restaurant at its apex.

According to Parrikar, the cost of the six bridges will collectively be a whopping Rs 5.7 billion and his government has already initiated the process of calling for bids from contractors by floating the tenders.

Actual work on the bridges will commence on Independence Day (August 15) this year.

In addition to the bridge with a revolving restaurant in Panjim, the other five bridges the government proposes to build include one in the eastern hinterland at Amona-Virdi and another in the North linking Camurlim village to Tuem in the northernmost Pernem sub-district. Two other bridges will be in the north―at Chorao-Pomburpa and Keri-Tiracol―while only one is planned in the south linking Shiroda to the historic

Rachol village.

The state, already strapped for cash following the halt in mining revenues due to a court imposed ban, will fund these bridge projects through borrowings from government owned funding agencies like NABARD and HUDCO. Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation will construct the bridges.

The Shiroda- Rachol bridge will be meant for light vehicular traffic (two and four wheelers) only, while the one linking Camurlim and Tuem will include a 200-metre tunnel instead of an approach road on the Camurlim side.

Goa, which has six rivers running horizontal into the west coast-hugging Arabian Sea, already has over a dozen major bridges, besides several other smaller ones and two railway bridges.

It also has a showy cable-stayed bridge linking Aldona village to the Korjuvem island, which several Bollywood film makers have in the past chosen as a shooting locale.

Goa’s tryst with bridges had begun during the 450-year colonial rule of the Portuguese, known then as a maritime superpower. The colonial rulers built a number of bridges and causeways. The one linking the capital city to Ribandar, known as the Ponte de Linhares is over 350 years old and three kilometers long, is said to be one of the longest in

Asia. These bridges and causeways were built by the Portuguese to supplement the inland water transport and improve intra-state transportation.

In his first innings as Chief Minister, Parrikar had built a couple of bridges including the cable-stayed Korjuvem bridge.

Now, he says, two of the new bridges (PanjimBetim and Keri-Tiracol) will be high-cost, signature ones and ‘very beautiful’ to look at.

Atop the one being

built on the Mandovi River in Panjim, there will be a revolving restaurant set up at a height. It will have only two piers and culminate at the current ferry wharfs, to avoid constructing additional approach roads which will interfere with the existing road patterns in the capital city.

But the story of Goa and its bridges hasn’t always been rosy. In 1986, the Mandovi bridge named after India’s first Prime Minister (Jawaharlal Nehru) suddenly collapsed on the morning of July 5, killing at least half a dozen people and injuring several others. The bridge (since repaired and rebuilt) was just 16 years old when two of its spans collapsed.

Ironically, Jagjivan Ram, a central leader minister and father of current Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who had inaugurated the bridge in the 1970s also breathed his last in a Delhi hospital the same evening after it collapsed. In another irony of sorts, a span of the second bridge parallel to the Nehru bridge, also collapsed during construction killing two workers.

With all these ambitious plans been unveiled, Goa could soon be better known for its spectacular bridges than its world-famous beaches, if things go as per Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s plans. 

8 Feature

Scam Ads and Con Jobs

By Pedro Menezes

Incredibly more than a dozen Goans – going by police records have actually gone and deposited that $ 10,000 into somebody’s bank account. But what is even more troubling are the various Internet-based software scams which a large number of Netsavvy, educated Goans are falling prey to.

H

ope they say springs eternal.

We all hope – sometimes against hope – that we’ll soon start making a lot of money without really working too hard, or that some brilliant new thing we learn will help us rake in the moolah. And there are also many who simply hope to land a windfall, well, without doing anything.

There have been a large number of Goans who have been duped by SMS’s or emails which tell them they have just won a jackpot prize of $ 500,000 or even more and it’s all theirs for the asking. They only have to do one thing, deposit a processing fee of $ 10,000 into a certain bank account and that half a million dollars is theirs.

Incredibly more than a dozen Goans – going by police records - have actually gone and deposited that $ 10,000 into somebody’s bank account.

But what is even more troubling are the various Internet-based software

scams which a large number of Netsavvy, educated Goans are falling prey to. Their modus operandi is simple.

Seductive advertisements are placed in local newspapers with words like “Work from home and make Rs 15,000 by sending SMS’s for ten minutes.

No need for qualifications. Ideal for housewives.” There will be a phone number. Once you call the phone number you will be directed to their website for further details.

When we called a number we were directed to a website. It was all obviously hard-sell, but incredibly a lot of people seem to be falling for such marketing. The website was full of their marketing spiel. One section went: “After joining us you will be our messenger, you will have to send our SMS to other mobile numbers. We will provide the mobile phone, charger, sim card, numbers and messages. You will have to send 100 to 1,000 messages every day. We will pay you Rs 4 to Rs 7 per message. We are always at your

service to develop your real income and fight against financial bondage.”

There are various jobs you can do, according to them. SMS sending jobs, SMS reading jobs, 10 minute job work, Content writing jobs, Tweet and earn, Form filling jobs, Copy paste jobs, Web reading jobs, Offline form filling, and many more. Basically you will be sending the same messages which had been sent to you, in a sort of chainmarketing system.

Check out what they have to say – in bad English - about the SMS sending job: “SMS processing is a 100% Home based jobs. Be your Own Home at Your Convenient Time Start earning within 2 Hours from now. Earn just by sending free SMS. Your jobs is SMS sending, and refer your friends and others through SMS and Ad Posting ... Work is very Simple to do, just forward our ADD Message Our Sending Mobile Numbers.

We will give you the thousand of Mobile Numbers…”

Feature 9

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Now here’s the hitch: You have to pay a registration fee of Rs 10,000.

As they put it, “Once a new member pays the enrollment/registration fee, he/she will be given access to the members area where they will find the information needed to get started.

While we cannot guarantee your success, we do guarantee that you can make money entering data for the companies included in the members area. The more companies you work with entering data, the more money you can make.”

In other words it’s all at your own risk and there’s no guarantee that they will actually pay you. There’s more for those who are the more ambitious types. You can be a partner with them in their con jobs!

Says their website: “As a business partner /franchisee your job will be not only just collecting order from the customers but to visualize the market and marketing strategies to expand the business. After joining as a business partner / franchisee you

can enroll dealers and the all dealers / members will work under you. If you work properly, you can earn more than 1 lakh per month. One should not think that achieving these targets are impossible, we are here always to help you…” This also costs Rs 10,000.

The unpleasant surprises start once you get the starter kit. Usually it fails to install properly, and after you’ve broken your head trying to figure out how to install it and after having run around to various software experts in Goa to see if they could help you install it properly (of course, after paying them also), customer support will tell you to send the starter kit package back for rectification.

Usually that will be the last you

will see of the starter kit and finally realization will dawn that either you’re too stupid for this simple work, or if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realize you’ve been had. Carlos G from Panjim fell prey to one such outfit which boasted of being associated with a well-known Indian software company based in Chennai. Being out of a job, his NRI relatives offered to fund him with a little start up money. So armed with Rs 5 lakh he became a franchise manager and was given 20 packages of software which he had to sell to shopkeepers and retailers who wanted to computerize their shop billing and inventory systems.

Through his network of friends and relatives, he managed to sell a few of

the packages – but there was one hitch: none of them worked well. There were always glitches, and to solve them he had to employ software engineers who were certified by the same outfit which sold him the packages. The software engineers – who were also tricked into the operation – obviously could never rectify the problems. The story went on for months and five years down the line, Carlos G is still left with the software packages because word got around that what he was selling was well, fake.

There are many others who get caught in these kinds of con jobs. But instead of admitting their mistakes and getting out, they go into denial and try to recover their money by trying to con others. If you dial any of the numbers given in the advertisements in the local newspapers, you will find honest Goan men trying to sell you all kinds of tools. We called up a guy called Johnny who was marketing an American product providing ‘Cellular Nutrition’.

He very sweetly invited us for a ‘free’ information conference at a local hotel.

Next of course – if we wanted to make lakhs like him - we would have to buy the start-up kit…

What’s worse is that your phone number and email ID gets added to their long list and then you’ll be constantly pestered by some marketing or advertising.

A few years back, a firm set up shop in Panjim, offering hefty payments for the simple task of typing out the scanned words and numbers that appeared on one’s computer screen.

One had to pay Rs 3000 per unit of assignment, and payments in multiples of that amount were made every month, in cash. Word spread quickly and the office was soon besieged by aspiring ‘data-entry’ associates, ranging from housewives and students to even government and private sector employees. After all, how could any job be easier than this? The ease of the job, which even a school kid could do, and the cash payments should have sounded alarm bells. But the mad rush continued, with people putting down thousands, even lakhs of rupees as assignment fees. Another warning sign should have been that the scanned handwritten numbers and words that were to be typed out kept repeating themselves quite often. Of course, one fine morning the office was found closed, and all hell broke loose. Those typists who had gotten out of this racket early made some bucks, but the hordes who came in late lost a lot of money.

‘But the company directors even had PAN cards!’ pleaded the hapless victims. It appears that scamsters can go to great lengths to fabricate a respectable façade. And a gullible public believes what it wants to believe, and ignores all red lights.

Bottom line: beware of the scam. 

Thursday, May 23, 2013

May 24

Konkani Play

Chedvem Tim Gadvam Nhoi Directed by Com Ambe At Kala Academy, Panjim @ 3.30 pm +918322420453

Konkani Play

Goemkarponn Directed by John D’ Silva At Pai Tiatrist Hall, Margao @ 3.30 pm +919823595978

May 25

Goencho Mog

At Kala Academy, Panjim @ 7 pm +919850207420

Menezes Braganza hall

May 27 to May 28

At Ferry wharf, Panaji +918322224143

“No Bats In My Attic”

A play by Isabel de Santa Rita Vas, performed

by Mustard Seed Art Company 27th May At the Dinanath Mangueshkar Kalamandir, Kala Academy, Panaji.

28th May At the Black Box, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. +919422446635

Xavier Centre of Historical Research

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

Everyday

Art Chamber

Gallery Gitanjali

Galleria de Belas Artes At Gauravaddo, Calangute @ 10 am to 1 pm & 4 pm 8 pm +918322277144

At Opp Panaji Inn, Fontainhas From 9 am to 9 pm. +919823572035

Ruchika’s Art Gallery

Yemanja Art Gallery

Ruchika`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

Painting Art Gallery At Betim, Reis Magos +918322416930

Surya Art Gallery

Here contemporary works of canvas paintings on Goan subject and art crafts are displayed.

At Bandawalwada, Pernem +919404149764

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem, a newly opened art and learning centre in Majorda.

At Majorda from 10 am to 6 pm +918888862462

Panaji Art Gallery

Kerkar Art Gallery

Promotes Goan Art Figurative and individual works of artists.

At Panaji Art Gallery From 9 am to 8 pm. +919822168703

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

Exhibition of paintings

Art Escape

Art 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

Casa Popular

At Municipal Market, Panaji +918322262135

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 +919822147148

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

The ‘batty’ cast of the play

No bats in my attic!

H

By José Lourenço

ouses are fascinating. They often have beautiful façades that front the road, sometimes sporting ornate architectural detail. Houses also contain brooding passages and attics that are rarely open to public view. What goes on behind the façade of a heritage house, what stories, what secrets, what laughter, what heartache? The much-vaunted heritage surely consists of more than walls and market value? The old are mostly gone, the young have migrated. Is the attic of that mansion conquered by bats by now?

Thus muses the playwright of ‘No Bats In My Attic!’, an original play by Isabel de Santa

Rita Vás. This play, with its story set in Goa, is the 56th play to be staged by the Mustard Seed Art Company. It features original songs and music, composed by Clifford Sequeira.

Crazy old Matilda (Chrisilda Dias) is in a retirement home, but sees herself as a liberated woman. Vincent Elijah (Clifford Sequeira), an ageing football player, stubbornly refuses to leave his crumbling mansion. Adventurous young Tanvi (Marisse Coutinho Bhobe) discovers secrets in an old attic. And there’s ambitious young Sarvesh (Marlow Lawrence) and restless Daniel (Kiran Bhandari) who is roams the world in search of himself.

Art must touch the heart, so the Mustard Seed Art Company believes. And the old must

Thursday, May 23, 2013

inevitably meet the new. This play focuses on old loves and new ones, old secrets and new revelations, old dreams and new ambitions. The connections lead to much drama, some glimpses of sadness and moments of fun and laughter.

The first play staged by the Mustard Seed Art Company was ‘All My Sons’ by Arthur Miller, back in 1987. Isabel is particularly fond of Athol Fugard’s plays. Many years ago, she even acted in a play ‘The Road To Mecca’ written by the South African playwright, directed

by Sonya D’Souza, which also had architect Dean D’Cruz and Sonya starring in the cast.

Could any of the 56 plays be termed as Musicals? “Oliver and Run Baby Run were full fledged musicals. Many of our productions have had original songs. There are altogether 45 original songs from all the Mustard Seed plays.”

This play uses an old house as a platform for the meeting of the old and the new. “It is the setting and also a reality that we can empathize with,” says Isabel.

“But hopefully it can go beyond the generational issues and delve deeper into meaning and identity, and how other people often define our identity for us.”

Do you resist change, I ask her. “I believe that many of the changes that are taking place are positive,” she replies.

“But at the same time, we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Some good things of the past must not be cast aside mindlessly.”

Will modern generations have memories of the new concrete flats and houses of today?

Arts&Entertainment 11 “Memories will always be there, they can come in any kind of house. Human relationships are more fundamental than the shape of walls. I have seen families that are very warm and welcoming even though they live in small flats, and have had to convert a table into a bed for the night.

At the same time, a beautiful and peaceful house that is in tune with Nature and has its own little backyard, a well and a tiny poultry coop, gives you a lot of peace and satisfies your aesthetic sense. So you must have both, an aesthetically satisfying house as well as warm, loving residents. That is true beauty.”

The play will be staged at 6.30 pm on 27th May 2013, at the Dinanath Mangueshkar Kalamandir, Kala Academy, Panaji, and at 7.30 pm on 28th May at the Black Box, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Donation Passes are available at Magsons Supercenter, Miramar, Panaji, and Optica Opticians, Near Longuinhos, Margao. 

Plays staged by Mustard Seed Art Company from 1987 to 2013 • All My Sons – Arthur Miller • Jonathan Livingston Seagull – (adapted)Richard Bach • Ile- Eugene O’Neil • Trifles- Susan Glaspell • Is There Room at the Inn? – Ted Hughes • Oliver! –(adapted) Charles Dickens • One Flew O’er the Cuckoo’s Nest – (adapted) Ken Kesey • Seize the Day – (adapted) Dead Poets’ Society • Run Baby Run – (adapted) David Wilkerson • The Valley of Brightness –(adapted) Cry, the Beloved Country • A Leaf in the Wind – Isabel S.R. Vas • Asterix in Goa – Mario Coelho, Harvey d’Souza • Pinocchio – adapted from the story by Carlo Collodi • On the Road to Damascus – Harvey d’Souza • Swinging Time – Isabel S.R. Vas • Who Sits Behind My Eyes – Isabel S.R. Vas • Who Killed the Ministers – Harvey d’Souza • A Slice of the Moon – Mario Coelho • Fiddlesticks! – Isabel S.R. Vas • The Dancing Statue – Isabel S.R. Vas • My Name is Goa – Isabel S.R. Vas • The Stars are Dancing – Isabel S.R. Vas • The Mask of Hiroshima – Ernest Farlita • It’s a Hot Day, Thank God – Isabel S.R. Vas • Suddenly in the Twilight – Katherine Snodgrass • A Harvest of Gold – Isabel S.R. Vas • Murder in the Cathedral – T.S. Eliot • Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck • Prophets and Losses – (adapted) Khalil Gibran • Before Breakfast – Eugene O’Neill • Suppressed Desires – Susan Glaspell • The Sexes – Dorothy Parker • Hello Out There – William Saroyan • The Valiant – Holworthy and Middlemass • I Beg Your Pardon – (adapted) Joe Carrie • The Case of the Missing Piece – Isabel S.R. Vas • Tara – Mahesh Dattani • Little Boxes – Isabel S.R. Vas • Ask the Mask – Isabel S.R. Vas • The Peacock Has Gone for a Walk – Isabel S.R. Vas • Spectacles of Peace – Isabel S.R. Vas • Birds – an adaptation of the story by J. Hart • Whose Dog is it Anyway? – (adapted) A. Chekhov • Bhaji Puri – Isabel S.R. Vas • On the Holy Trail – Isabel S.R. Vas • Kator re Bhaji – Isabel S.R. Vas • Ghosts at Large – Isabel S.R. Vas • Rabindrababu at the Post Office – Isabel S.R. Vas • Those Ragamuffins – Isabel S.R. Vas • Art for Art’s Sake – Isabel S.R. Vas • Karuna – Michelle Noronha • A Harvest of Gold – Isabel S.R. Vas • My Name is Goa – Isabel S.R. Vas • Spectacles of Peace – Isabel S.R. Vas • Sandals on the Doorstep – Isabel S.R. Vas • No Bats in My Attic! – Isabel S.R. Vas

7 Fascinating Features of the Parish Churches of Goa

By José Lourenço

T

he old churches in villages around Goa have architectural features that have evolved over the centuries. Here are seven features to look out for when you look up at those mighty edifices.



Peaked gable façade

These early churches have a two-storey high façade topped by a large triangular gable with a circular light, an oculus. The large single bell tower rises to three storeys.

The appearance is sparse, without any ornamentation.

The massing of the three blocks of gabled body, tower and porch contrasted to the flat compartmented façades that would come later. With the exception of the Assolna church, built in 1616, all the other peaked gable façades are in Tiswadi (Ilhas), the first area to come under Portuguese rule, at Sao Pedro, Agasaim, Ribandar and Corlim.

upper lantern. This cupoliform structure is built in solid masonry, but gives the illusion of a three-dimensional dome. There are five parish churches (at Moira, Assagao, Bodiem, St Estevao and Calangute) and at least three chapels in Goa having this feature. The only true domed church in Goa is in the church of Our Lady of Divine Providence (St. Cajetan) at Old Goa.



Pozzoan Pediment The Pozzoan pediment is a Baroque decorative motif named after the Late Baroque architect Andrea Pozzo (16421709). It has three parts, two curled sides and a raised center with a crowning curved cornice.

The Holy Spirit Church at Margao has the finest example of this feature.

Churches at Cavelossim, Curtorim, and Macasana also sport this motif.



Templet A templet is a motif imitating a classical Roman temple. The templet motif may take the form of a niche with a pediment, held up by four pairs of (at Loutulim) or a central niche flanked by coupled columns (at Consua). It also appears in high relief, framing the niche. The templet may be capped by broken, swannecked or volute pediments or other devices like fanshaped alettes.



Neo-Gothic



Rococo Gable



Gothic is the name generally given to the pointed style of medieval architecture in Western Europe in the 13th15th centuries, using the pointed arch, rib vault and flying buttress. It was revived in Europe in the 19th century.

In Goa, the Neo-Gothic expression is restricted to the cosmetic treatment of the façades by the use of pointed arches for openings, Gothic pinnacles for the apex and rustication of the facades. The churches at Saligao, Chandor, Revora and Siolim are fine examples of the NeoGothic style in Goa.

Cupoliform façade



The cupoliform front is a uniquely Goan feature.

Here the usual gable is replaced by a wall, which is slightly curved in plan on the façade side and having a dome shape in elevation. It looks like a regular cupola – with a cylindrical base drum, skirt-like calotte and

The Rococo style emerged as an extension of the Baroque period in 18th century Europe. It was an ornate style of decoration, in which scrolls, volutes and shells were worked together in lavish, profuse detail. Rococo had little influence on churches in Goa in a tectonic, structural sense. It is seen more as a cosmetic treatment with volute curves in gables.The typical Rococo curved front was highly favoured in Franciscan Bardez, with 15 of the 18 parish churches having Rococo frontons – especially at Mapusa, Tivim and Ucassaim.

Sequence of ArchRectangle-Oculus Many old churches in Goa show this sequence three voids― arch-rectangleoculus―often topped by a niche or a relief. These voids are generally placed in succeeding storeys in the central bay.

Altogether 23 parish churches exhibit this sequence of three voids. 

13 Thursday, May 23, 2013

May 26

April 7 to May 26

Spice Farms

At Sunaparanta, Panaji @ 10 am to 12 pm +918322421311

At Sunaparanta, Panjim @ 10 am to 12 pm +918322421311

Traditional Picnic

Summer Aloe Fresh This summer beat the heat with the summer aloe fresh, Treatment Treatment: Aloe Vera wrap with Face Treatment: 1 Hour At Shamana spa, Grand Hyatt, Bambolim +918323011658/+917709004914

Elephant rides, authentic Goan cuisine, mini bird sanctuary and a boat to row or paddle. At Arla Bazar Keri, Ponda Call: +918322340329 or Email: tropicalspice@rediffmail.com

Drawing Workshop

Clube Vasco da Gama presents this Traditional picnic for its cherished members and their guests.

At Bambolim Beach Resort @ 10.30 am +919823036417

May 21 to May 26 Windsurfing National

Over 50 windsurfers from all over India Are expected to compete in the National Windsurfing Championship and the Goa State Windsurfing Championship organised by the Goa Yachting Association (GYA) At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim @ 4.30 pm +918888250019

May 22 to May 28

Patch work mirror Workshop At Ravindra Bhavan, Margao @ 3 pm to 6 pm +918322726980

May 16 to May 30

Exploring Great Theatre Scripts-

Fortnightly Play Readings At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 6 pm to 7.30 pm +919765404391

May 20 to May 25

Read Your way across India At Bookworm, Taleigao @ 10 am to 1 pm

May 19 to May 29

Theatre Orientation Course

At Swami Vivekananda Higher Secondary School, Ponda @ 9.30 am to 1 pm +919822983541

Until May 26

Spanish Language Course At Chowgule College, Margao +918322759504/+919422062928

Uptill May 30 Summer Camp At BM Hall, Margao @ 4 pm +919890163433

April 1 to May 2013

Ballroom and Latin- American Dance Classes: At Peddem, Margao

By Gold Medalist (FATD) Tony Fernandes.

Take advantage of the summer holidays and enjoy the technique and grace of the ballroom dancers. +919769896806.

Drawing Workshop

This summer

Until May 26

Drawing Workshop With Elena Fedosenko At Sunaparanta, Panjim @ 10 am to 12 pm +918322421311

Until May 31

Photography course CMYK institute, Mapusa +91 9822581232

Every Friday

Free Swimming Guidance Organised by Walter Macarena At International Center Goa, Dona Paula from 5 pm to 7 pm +919822911161

Every Sunday

Tailoring Classes

Near Holy Family School, Porvorim From 3 pm to 6 pm +919765731003

Everyday

Yoga for the Body, Mind & Soul

By Ms. Hoor Girglani Monday to Friday At International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 8 am to 9.30 am & 5 pm to 6.30 pm +919765404391/ +918322452805-10

Want to be Fit & Healthy

Presented by Calburn Fitness Solutions in association with the ICG At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. +919811511595/ +919823578880

Tuk Tuk

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

Monday & Friday

Taekwondo Sessions

Martial Arts, Fitness, Health & Self-defence Trainer: Vincent Rosario, Introductory Fee: Rs. 400 per month At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula @ 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm +919823696138

Tropical spice plantation

Sahakari Spice Farm

Guests 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

Savoi Plantation

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

Water sports Scuba Diving

Attractive 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 India

Pool parties and underwater celebrations among other water sports activities.

At Sun Village Resort, Baga, Arpora & Chalston Beach Resort, Calangute +918322269409/ +91 9822182402

Big Foot Cross Museum

Cyrus Da Costa Dance Classes

Ancestral Goa

Dr. Martin & Dance Illusions Team

Houses 80 classifications of crosses of around the world.

At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 10 am to 5 pm +918322777034 A center for Preservation & Promotion of Art, Culture & Environment started by Maendra J. A. Alvares. At Big Foot, Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 6 pm +918322777034, info@ancestralgoa.com

Monday to Saturday Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Margao 2715906/ 9921039537

@ Panjim, Vasco, Margao Waltz, Jive, Cha ChaCha, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Salsa +91 9823014397

Casa Araujo Alvares

David Furtado Dance & Aerobics

Courses LANGUAGES

Cyrus Da Costa Dance Classes

Goa`s first automated sound and light museum. A 250 year old mansion showcasing traditional inheritance.

At Loutolim @ 9.30 am to 5.30 pm +918322777034

Alliance Francaise

Learn French courses, Panjim 2420049/ +91 9922813950

St. Britto

Learn French, Mapusa 2293812/ +91 9049018214

Don Bosco Provincial House

Odxel. Beginner’s German language course

COOKING

Theresa’s Cookery Classes Margao +91 9970037242

Cooking Classes for foreigners

@ Panjim, Mapusa, Porvorim, Candolim, Aldona and Saligao.

Learn Salsa, Jive Waltz for Adults & Bollywood, Hip Hop & Contemporary dance for kids +91 9975914195 Monday to Saturday Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Margao 2715906/ 9921039537

Jason and Sylvia dance academy Hip/Hop, Bollywood, Latin American, Jazz Ballet for Kids Panjim/Mapusa 9822161652/9822151614

Snaden Shawn dance and aerobics Learn dancing Mapusa 9890163433/7798609859

Nritya Sankul

Detroit Institute +91 9822131835.

Margao 9823936483/9689468712

A 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

Taeng’s Cookery Classes

Kalangan

Fatima Menezes E Moniz

Asha Shivam

Dolphin Sighting Trip

Cynthia Dsouza Cooking Classes

Dance Illusions

Dive Goa

Four 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 or johnsboattours@gmail.com

Goa Aquatics

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

Splashdown

Water Park that boasts of 5 pools, a variety of slides, flumes and other interesting features. At Splashdown Waterpark, Calangute-Anjuna +91 9637424023/024, +918322273008,

Museums Goa 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/ +918326570877, Email: goachitra@gmail.com

Margao +91 9822585944

Cooking classes, Raia. 2776035 Verna. 2783281

Bertha Pereira Cooking Classes 2734589. Margao

Vandana’s Bakery Classes Caranzalem. 2462163

Meena’s Cooking Classes Caranzalem. 2462163

GESTO Culinary & Hospitality Academy Margao, 2730873

Branca’s Cooking Classes Panjim +91 9822131835

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

Fatima Moniz

Cooking courses, Margao.

2776035/ +91 9370275702

Dance

Dance for Life Academy Mapusa +91 9823765523

Margao. 2735191 Porvorim. 2410357 Panjim 9823014397

Fatima’s Ballroom Dance Classes Margao. 2786191

Maxie’s Guitar and Dance Classes Panjim. 2230178

Osler Furtado Dance Classes Porvorim. 9822481695

Simply Ballroom,

The Western Dance Academy Vasco. 2528272

Raeconz

Porvorim. 9923826572

Music

Rhythm House Margao. 2714299

Binow Zacharia music classes Porvorim. 9822386385

B X Furtado and Sons Margao. 2715719

Pilar Music School Pilar. 2218595

Super homes

Photographs by Arun Pavaratty

Goan real estate goes uptown

By Ashley do Rosario

W

here in Goa can you get a seaview apartment with a terrace as large as a banquet hall, a private elevator and master bathroom fit for a

maharaja?

These days the answer is: lots of places.

Welcome to the luxurious world of the Goan superflat – a place of opulence and extraordinary square footage and breathtaking amenities and views.

Many of these abodes are being bought up by the rich and/or otherwise privileged classes from Indian metros and other fast-urbanizing cities. Goa’s real estate developers are cashing in, even though many Goans complain that demand from Delhites and others from

richer Indian cities is taking real estate far beyond the reach of the average Goan.

If in the nineties it was the Mumbaikars who jacked up prices of real estate by liberally buying rent-back apartments in Goa’s coastal locales for between Rs 12-15 lakh, it is mainly the rich and affluent from North India, especially Delhi, who are picking up plush flats for prices upwards of a crore of rupees.

“They formerly used to indulge in lavish farm-houses in Haryana. Now, having a holiday home in Goa with ceiling to floor glass partitions, overlooking the rivers and sea, is their latest craze,” says Farooq A Shaikh, a Panjim-based architectural design and real estate consultant. turn to page 16

from page 14 One reason why costs of real estate in some locales in Goa have hit the roof is because developers are offering worldclass amenities and fabulous sea/river views, an out-of-the-world scene for many residents of land-locked northern India.

According to Shaikh, some builders in Goa are also roping in top Indian architects like Hafeez Contractor and Bollywood star wives like Gauri Khan and Twinkle Khanna, to design signature flats for select clientele.

Some developers are also going out of their way to offer daily-life amenities in-house.

Take the Peter Vaz-owned Models Constructions, for instance. This company’s ‘Models Status’ project located on the Taleigao plateau is one of Goa’s first housing projects to have a visitor’s lobby, and better still, an in-house supermarket.

“It’s a unique housing complex equipped with all amenities a modern lifestyle needs … elevator, club house with gym, swimming pool, tennis court, extensive lawns and back-up power,” says Alfred Fernandes, a sales executive at Models.

Other real estate offerings from the company include 2, 3 and 4 bedroom residential suites and penthouses at the Models Boulevard, closer to Panjim city. Elevators, stilted car parks, back-up power, swimming pool, club house and gymnasium all within the complex, are add-ons which a few years back were available only at five-star resorts.

Alfred says Marine Heights, the company’s under-construction project alongside the Miramar-Dona Paula coastal road, offers classic homes at two levels -- one along the Caranzalem main road offering 2 bedroom homes and 3/4/5 bedroom luxury homes on the top level nesting on the Dona Paula Hilltop, with 180-degree sea views.

Yet another project, ‘Models Marine Vistas’ is meant for the “rich and famous”.

Aesthetically designed, two and three bedroom super homes with large balconies, equipped with all modern amenities and overlooking the Arabian Sea, the project is located on Marine Drive facing the beautiful Caranzalem Park.

“It’s our flagship project,” Alfred said, adding that its features include

covered car parking, swimming pool, V3F enabled automatic lifts, children’s play area, CPCB eco-friendly generator back-up for common areas/lifts, CCTV surveillance, 24hour security, solar water heater, gym and club house.

A number of other Goan builders and real estate companies also offer these and more features.

“Most of us who’ve been in the business for some time have moved into the premium market because there is demand and returns are higher for lesser effort,” said one top Goan builder who didn’t want to be named.

He cited the entry of big players like Rahejas, Gera Developers and others as the reason why most are focussing on quality and have upped the ‘luxury’ quotient in their real estate offerings here.

Milroc’s projects at Ribandar and on the Kadamba plateau, Emgee Anantam in Dona Paula, DB Realty’s Aldeia de Goa in Bambolim, Ashok Beleza in Porvorim, Solitaire by Anand Bose in Vasco, Regalo in Goa Velha, Edcon’s Rio Grande in Panjim, Gera’s Astoria at Caranzalem and the Mathias Ocean Park in Dona Paula are among the projects that have raised Goa’s real estate market several notches higher.

But the luxury does not come cheap.

A 100-square metre apartment in any of the above mentioned projects costs at least a crore (10 million) rupees.

Depending on the square footage and the luxury quotient, the price can rise to twice that amount, while premium villas can even cost upto 8 crores.

Most builders Streets spoke to, however, shied away from discussing prices. But real estate costs are soaring in Dona Paula, an uptown suburb of the capital city, the Palolem coast in South Goa and Morjim-Arambol and Keri in North Goa, which are all seeing frenzied construction activity.

Prices of real estate in semi-urban locations of North Goa like Taleigao,

Santa Cruz, Old Goa, Ribandar, Goa Velha and even the hinterland Marcela, where Gera Developers is developing a large project, too, have sharply appreciated in the last couple of years.

South Goa too is not lagging behind and prices at a number of luxury housing projects coming up in most coastal villages of Salcete and Mormugao subdistricts compare with similar pieces of real estate in the North.

Concerns over the soaring prices of real estate have found an echo in Goa’s socio-political realm with activists blaming politicians for selling off Goa’s scarce land resources to the real estate lobby, which many complain is catering only to the affluent clientele, from the Indian metros and rich, Goan NRIs. “It’s happening all over Goa. Only posh buildings and villas are being built.

Housing needs of the middle and lowerincome Goans are getting ignored. This is a dangerous trend,” said social activist Soter D’Souza.

The trend was acknowledged by celebrated Mumbai-based architect

Charles Correia, who headed a task force that recently formulated a development plan for Goa. Correia, who is of Goan origin, had recommended that the government impose a hefty non-occupancy tax to discourage outstation buyers from keeping ‘second homes’ unoccupied and ‘artificially’ raising demand for housing in Goa. Panjim-based architect Sunil Sardessai strikes an optimistic note. “Many flats in such projects are indeed bought as second homes, but eventually a lot of retired people come to stay in them.

Initially most of the flats built by Kamat (a leading Panjim-based builder) were bought by Goans working in the Gulf or onboard ships.

But now, after retiring, they and their families are all staying in these flats. It takes time for a community to be built in such projects.”

He opines that many wealthy buyers who earlier bought farmhouses now prefer flats or grouped villas in Goa as they want the security, collective maintenance and neighbourhood that comes with these luxury projects in Goa. Sardessai is candid about the approach of builders towards the middle and lower income groups. “Builders feel that building for low income groups invites more hassles. Many occupants refuse to pay maintenance fees, as they are not accustomed to a community culture. Builders tend to equate the economic status of the buyer with his or her behaviour. It also makes sense to them to build for the premium market where units are large as they have to deal with a lesser number of customers for the same project size.”

The delay in the implementation of the revised Regional Plan for Goa has also resulted in several residential projects being blocked, explains Sardessai. “After the Regional Plan is unlocked, new projects will start, the market will open up and the resultant competition will hopefully lower the prices in the middle segment.”

The middle class family in Goa may get that roof over their heads after significant struggle, but the niche market for the well-to-do is certainly here to stay.

For the Superflat with a Superview, the sky is the limit. 

Cover Photograph: Artist’s impression of Models Constructions’ Boulevard project

Thursday, Thursday, May May 23, 23, 2013 2013

Feature   17

18 Feature

E-learning rocks, dude!

By Charlane Pereira

W

elcome to the new age of e-learning in Goa. And say goodbye to the traditional blackboard method.

Summary notes on the college website, discussion forums, ordering reference books online, use of Powerpoint presentations during lecture hours, recording each student presence on an e-attendance sheet are just a few tricks of the new trade of hi-tech studying in schools and colleges in Goa today.

Senior teachers, brace yourselves for a shocker. You may find it tough to change over to the new ways ― using pen drives, correcting project notes on the computers, and answering your student’s doubts on some social networking sites.

Or even solving your students’ queries at midnight over your iPhone!

So what is e-learning? Is there a need to attend regular classes if e-learning has been introduced in the academic curriculum?

E-learning is defined as the use of electronic media and is inclusive of all forms of educational technology in learning and teaching.

As per the rules and regulations of Goa University, 75 percent attendance is a must. There is no escaping the heavy lectures and odd hours. However, that leeway of 25 percent gives any student a chance to have fun and frolic about in the college campus or hang out with their buddies.

E-learning has kick started its way in a few Goan colleges. Chowgule College in Margao has embraced this new concept, spurred on by the efficient management and whole-heartedly supported by

faculty members who have been exclusively trained to impart knowledge the hi-tech way.

Sameena Falleiro (Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Chowgule College of Arts and Science) comments on her new e-teaching style, “I create well-designed slides keeping in mind sound instructional design principles and Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning, so that I am able to create an environment in the classroom wherein students don’t just view my slides but there are also interactions taking place in the classroom.”

Sameena proudly asserts that Chowgule College is the first college in the State of Goa to launch an innovative e-learning initiative called CLAAP (Chowgule’s Learn Anytime Any Place) which is a Learning Management System that enables students and faculty to login from anywhere, at any time and access their subject resources and communicate with students.

She adds, “I upload many activities in CLAAP like quizzes and assignments for the students after each module or lecture.

I also encourage students to post in the various discussion forums that are set up so that certain topics and queries can be discussed online with the faculty and peers.”

Students at this wi-fi enabled college have internet access anytime. “Every classroom of the college has wallmounted LCDs and nodes available for the students to plug in their laptops,” says Sameena. “Some classrooms are equipped with interactive white-boards too.”

She adds, “There is a separate Office of Information Technology (OIT) that

looks into all the technical needs and software support of faculty and students on campus.”

A lecturer at Carmel College at Nuvem in South Goa says, “Some of us encourage our students to send us soft copies of their projects or dissertations.

We correct them and email them back.

It’s much convenient and faster. It also saves the student the expense of printing innumerable pages of rough draft till the final draft of the dissertation is finalized.”

Annie Rajan, an Assistant Professor at Dhempe College of Arts and Science in Panjim, is also into e-teaching. “We use a learning management system MOODLE for our IT paper for First Year students of Bachelor of Science and Arts classes,” she says. “Notes, question banks and quizzes are uploaded on MOODLE. The students can access it on their mobile phones.”

DEITI (Distance Education, Information and Training Infrastructure) is a bold initiative of the Goa University.

It is a live one-way video -way audio interactive facility, using Satellite Technology, Internet and Telecom network, financed by the Research Department, Govt. of India with support of Distance Education Council (Goa) and the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization).

In one of its major projects at Goa Medical College, six live pediatric surgeries were video recorded and projected live to the doctors sitting outside the operation theatre. The doctors sitting outside the operation theatre could interact with the surgeons while performing the operations.

DEITI has also organized a training programme under Sarva Shiksha Abiyan

to train about 2500 primary teachers in Goa. The training was carried out from the DEITI studio in two phases of ten days each through its 22 centres, with the help of satellite communication.

In 2006, DEITI produced DVDs on the subjects Physics, Maths, Botany, Chemistry and Computer science for the students who had appeared for Goa Common Entrance Test (GCET) for professional courses.

What are the advantages of e-learning?

With just a click of the mouse, students can access course material from anywhere and they are not restricted to being physically present in the classrooms. This ‘anytime anywhere’ educational experience is indeed a great head-start especially in an Indian educational system over the conventional lecture method.

And there’s more. Students can actively participate in online discussion forums and tutorials, and email their faculty members with academic queries.

Each faculty member and the student is provided with the special facility of institutional login. Such e-learning caters to a wider audience of students.

Jessica (an undergraduate student in one of the colleges in Goa) speaks out, “E-learning should be incorporated on a larger scale. I am fortunate enough to be in a college where I can access the study material and other course details even if I miss out on some lectures for some health reasons. Or sometimes when the whole class mass bunks, the online summaries of that topic come handy,” she smiles.

Clara (name changed) says, “Our college does not have the facility of accessing lecture notes online. But most faculty members here make LCD presentations and encourage us to do the same when we have to make presentations on a given topic.”

Jennifer Salopek in her write-up on “Training and Development Magazine,” speaks about how e-learning courses progress up to 50 percent faster than traditional courses, as the individualized approach allows learners to skip material they already know and understand, and to move on to the issues they need training on.

What initiatives has our Goa Government taken in this direction? Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has made promises of delivering e-notepads to class V and IX from the coming academic year. These e-notepads will be loaded with the e-syllabus.

Prior to this, students have been receiving desktops and laptops at a nominal price under the Cyberage Scheme. Parrikar was the first chief minister to distribute free computers to students in the country in 2002. Last month he also announced that all Goan schools will be wi-fi enabled in four months.

The education sector is clearly making great strides in promoting e-learning among students. Nowadays most students know at least the rudiments of computers and the Internet, but are all our teachers and professors (especially the senior ones) e-savvy? After all, it’s a two-way street. 

Thursday, May 23, 2013

May 24

Theme Dinner

At Latitude, Sinquerim @ 7 pm +918326645858

May 23 to June 5 Mango Fiesta

At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim +918322226291

May 23 to May 30 Nizam Food Festival

Nobody relished food like the Nizams Taste it to believe it.

At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 12 pm to 3 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm +918322226291

May 1 to May 31 The Sizzler Festival

Is sizzling from the hottest view point In Vasco only at Z the roof top Bar & Grill At The HQ, vasco Call: 7709003237.

Multi Cuisine lunch and Dinner Buffet At Cidade De Goa @ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm +919822130743

Vintage cuisine at Britto’s

By Pedro Menezes

T

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

Home delivery: 0832-2411959 & 9764159686 Caterin Service Contact: Mr. Roland Rodrigues @ 9890422440

his is a story about what is arguably the most famous restaurant in Goa. How has Britto’s achieved this elevated status? To say it has the state’s best food or best atmosphere or best service or best prices would not be true. Yet somehow there’s a mojo here – a combination of factors, some tangible, others not – that puts Britto’s in a class of its own. And its popularity feeds on itself.

Britto’s, at the far tip of Baga (away from the Calangute side), is a favourite old-time haunt with an atmosphere, suffused as it is with sea breeze, washes away all the grime from your soul.

If I want a no-frills, simple, great beef steak, I head for Britto’s. I order the pepper steak with French fries and salad and then down a beer or two, as I wait for my food to arrive. Britto’s seafood platter is the most affordable in Baga. For Rs 440 you get mussels in white wine sauce, calamari butter garlic, baked crab, fried fish and

turn to page 21

Happy Hours

A pot-pourri of diners at Britto’s

Buy 1 and get one free On Domestic Drinks At Hotel Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 7 pm to 9 pm +918323011234

Lunch & Dinner Buffet With Multi cuisine At The Stone House, Candolim @ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm +918322479909

Lunch & Dinner Menu

With multi Cuisine At Tito’s Retro club, Calangute @ 12.30 pm +919822765002

Lunch Buffet

With German Cuisine At Lila Cafe, Calangute @ 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm +919822150533

Dinner Buffet

With Continental & Indian Cuisine At Casino Carnival, Panjim @ 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm +918326456301

Dosa Festival

At Baywatch, Calangute @ 9 pm to 11 pm +919850452711

Until May 31

Summer Fiesta

Coolers, Salads, Desserts and more...

It’s all about the Mango At Cafe Mangii, Panjim +918322230771/73

May 26

Lounge & Lunch @ The Sofala

Featuring live music by Joanne Fernandes (vocals,guitar), Elvis Lobo (guitar) & Bosco D’Souza (Percussions) Join us for Goa’s most authentic Italian food at our new restaurant Mia Cucina Delicious homemade dishes and unlimited beer, wine, Sangria and selected cocktails for INR 1,000 plus tax per person Mia Cucina Restaurant at The Sofala, Bhattiwaddo, Nerul @ 12 pm to 4 pm +917774008822

Sunday Live Brunch

May 28

“Rejuvenating cocktails, soul warming gourmet cuisine from around the world, activities to keep the kids entertained and specially get in rhythm with Ashley.

At Latitude, Vivanta by Taj – Panaji @ 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm +918326633636

Mia Cucina presents Pizza Feast @ The Sofala Unlimited pizza from our wood fired oven,beer, wine and Sangria for INR 1,000 plus tax per person Mia Cucina Restaurant at The Sofala, Bhattiwaddo, Nerul 8 pm to 11.30 pm +917774008822

Everyday

Happy Hours

At Capiz Bar, Grand Hyatt Goa @ 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Enjoy 25% discount on all beverages.

Happy hours, happier moments! +918323011658

Every Sunday

Oriental Sunday Brunch

Goa Marriott Resort & Spa hosts an Oriental Sunday Brunch featuring Pan Asian delicacies, including Thai, Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine! Plus Oriental desserts, continental pastries, fruits and ice-cream and a complimentary round of wine, beer or a mojito.

From 12:30pm to 03:30pm At Wan Hao, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa +918322463333

Enjoy a Sunday Live brunch with live stations, a live band, best of live entertainment and an unlimited flow of wines! There’s live entertainment for kids too, including magicians, balloon sculpting and face painting, etc.

From 12:30pm to 03:30pm At Waterfront Terrace & Bar, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa +918322463333

Sunday family brunches

Monday to Sunday Happy Hours

Beers (Pints)-50%, Cocktails-rs 100/- off Spirits-20% off At Maracas Restaurant, Porvorim @ 6 pm to 8 pm

Baga, Calangute & around Ciao Bella

Specialised in Italian Food At Assagao, Badem Rd @ 7 pm to 11 pm +919767557673

Fish Tales

Specialising in Seafood At The Glitz, Calangute @ 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322281800

Artjuna

Set 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

Casa Portuguesa

Housed in an 18th Century colonial house, it offers Portuguese cuisine along with some dishes reflecting Goan influences, complete with the pleasant ambience of Fado Music At Baga Rd @ 7 pm to 11 pm +91 9822122960

Flame

Multi- Cuisine Restaurant At Double tree by Hilton, Arpora, Baga @ 7 am to 11 pm +9183266556672

Eat Street

Candolim

Beach House

Specialised in Goan, Portuguese, Seafood At Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim @ 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918326645858

Chilihip

Specialised in Thai At Fort Aguada Road, Candolim @ Noon to 3 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918888610500

Flambé e

Specialised in Chinese, European, French, Goan, Indian At Souzawaddo, Candolim @ 9 am to 11 pm +919326114271

O’Asia

Specialising in Pan Asian At The O Hotel, Dando, Candolim @ noon to 3 pm , 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323047000

Barbeque and Grill

Forest Veg Food Court

Specialising in Chinese, Indian, Italian At Bhagwan Mahavir BAL Vihar, Panjim @ 11 am to 11 pm +918326454353

George Bar and Restaurant

Specialising in Goan, Seafood Near Mary Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim @ 10 am to 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322426820

The Verandah

Is the signature grill restaurant, serving fresh market produce of seafood, meat and vegetables. At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 7 pm to 12 am +918323011658

Cantina Bodega

Pizzeria, 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

It’s a place to dine, drink and dance the night away, specialising in Multi- Cuisine At Calangute @ 24 hrs a day +918326636000

Specialised in North Indian, seafood, Grills, Live entertainment Seafood Bazaar is on Monday and Wednesday At Fortune select Regina, Candolim @ 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323988444

Anjuna & around

Panaji & around

Specialised in Italian, Seafood, Organic Food At Anjuna beach Rd, Anjuna From 9 am to 11 pm +918975061435

“A Pan Asian restaurant serving Chinese, Thai & Japanese cuisine. Specialty to try is the fine style Sushi. At Vivanta by Taj – Panaji Lunch @ 12.30 pm to 03.00 pm and dinner @ 07.30 pm to 11.30 pm +918326633636.”

Alfama

Giardini

A multi cuisine fine dining restaurant specialised in ravioli, steaks and pasta At Miramar, Panjim @ noon to 3 pm to 7 pm to 11 pm +918605020020

Blue Tao

Mamma Mia

Italian cuisine with a blend of Italian imported ingredients and local organic produce.

At Resort Rio, Arpora @ 12.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918322267300

Tamari

Live Music on most nights, Specialising in Multi-cuisine At Curca, Bambolim @ 11.30 am to 11 pm +918805873335

Chilli ‘n’ spice

a carnival fusion cuisine, a bar to enlighten your spirits, Specialised in multiCuisine At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim @ 7 pm to 2 am +918322226291 Well known for fado evenings At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim Beach @ 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918322454545

Coros Velvet

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Courtyard

Specialised in world cuisine, fusion At Hotel Campal, Panjim @ 11 am to 3 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm +919822384084

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

A’tona Bar and Restaurant

Specialised in Goan and Portuguese food At Carina Desa, Betim From 7 pm to 11 pm +919823129239

Pan Asian Bowl

City Pride

Specialised in Seafood At Opp. Vivanta by Taj, Panjim From 11 am to 11 pm

Café Azul

All day dining restaurant offering buffet combo option. At Cidade de Goa, Vainguinim Beach @ 7 pm to 11 pm +918322454545

Upper House

Goan 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

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

Cafe Mojo

Baba’s Wood Cafe

Delhi Darbar

An 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.

12 pm to 3 pm & @ 6 pm Monday to Sunday.

Closed on Tuesday At Mala, Fontainhas, Panaji +918323256213/ +919923414098

Viva Panjim

Goan 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

Ritz Classic

Known 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

Chulha

Indian Street food and Tandoor At Grand Hyatt Goa, Bambolim @ 3 pm to 11 pm +918323011504

O’ Coqueiro

Goan Cuisine in Porvorim, made famous not just by its tasty food but also as the place where international criminal Charles Sobhraj was arrested. At NH 17 Rd, Porvorim @ 12 pm to 11 pm +918322417806/ +918322417271/ +918322417344

Cafe Mangii

Popular Dishes Risotto Champagne, Fusilli Mama Rosa, Baked Lasagna, Stuffed Chicken, Lobster Tail, Grilled Pork Rib, New Zealand Beef and Lamb and many more At Madhav Ashram Building, Panjim +919370898848/+918322230773

Barista Lavazza Outlet

Barista Lavazza’s famous beverages like Flavoured Hot Coffee, Cold Coffee, Hot Tea, Ice Tea, Mojito, Smoothie, Ice Cream Shakes, Juices. In bites section we offer Sandwiches, Calzones, Muffins and Cakes.

At Shop No. 15, 16, & 18, First Floor, Navelcar Trade Center, Opp. Azad Maidan, M G Road, Panjim +918322422130

Arguably Panjim’s best pub. Innovative, fun and lively.

At Salida Del Sol Hotel, Panjim All day +91 9850980091 Known for Tandoori, kebabs, biryanis & naans At M.G Rd Panjim @ 11.30 am to 11 pm +918322222544

Tea Cafe

Cakes, Coffee and other goodies. A newcomer to the Panjim cafe scene.

At Fontainhas, Panjim @ 11 am to 7 pm +918322223050

A Pastelaria

Bakery & Confectionery Gateaux, Pastries and Cookies.

Chocolate and strawberry flavoured the mousses are soft and melting, a treat for the kids. Its maska all the way At Hotel Mandovi, Panaji From 9 am to 9 pm +918322426270/+918322426273

Margao & around China Gate

Dedicated Chinese Cuisine At Fatima High School, Margao @ 12 pm to 11 pm +918322704655

Fig & Olive

Flavours of the Mediterranean, Arabian & Italian. At Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim @ 9 am to 11 pm +918322871303

Bistro

At Alila Diwa Goa, Majorda @ 7 am to 10.30 pm +918322746800

Spice Studio

Goan dinner. Elegant outdoor restaurant in a well-appointed resort in the South.

At Alila Diwa, Majorda @ 7 pm to 10.30 pm +918322746800

Betty’s Place

Specialising European, Goan, Indian, Seafood At opp. Holiday inn Resort, Mobor, Cavelossim @ 6.30 pm to 11 pm +918322871038/+918322871456

Boat Quay Grill

Specialising in World Cuisine, European, Grills At Royal Orchid beach resort, Uttorda @ 7 pm to midnight +918805013553

Shandong

Asian-cuisine restaurant with fine dining ambiance At Radisson Blu Resort Goa, Cavelossim Beach @ 11 am to 11 pm 6726666

from page 19 more, with French fries and salad.

But it’s the baked crabs that could make you a life-long addict of Britto’s. You get three pieces of crab shells with minced crab meat baked right inside the shells, which you scoop up like ice-cream with a small spoon, with a salad on the side. This is what eating crabs should be like, your soul will tell you. None of that painful cracking of the shells and dirtying of your hands before you get a tiny sliver of crab meat.

But first you’ll have to decide where to sit. There’s the old Goan verandah which is a nice place to watch the world enter and leave Britto’s. Then there’s the cavernous shack with its numerous tables which I suggest you avoid.

And finally there’s the bar deck overlooking the beach which is our favourite place to chill out with a drink and enjoy a satisfying meal as some of the pretty folk do their thing on Baga beach.

Britto’s is an old-fashioned Goan restaurant which has sought to keep up with the changing times and tourists. So to cater to the numerous domestic tourists, they have an Indian menu and also some Chinese dishes. The menu stays away from such Continental offerings as pastas, and instead offers up steaks and British fare like kidney pies and roasts. Britto’s is a favourite place for British folk when they want to have a ‘real’ Goan fish curry rice. Plus there’s pork sorpotel and sannas, too.

The menu is also a treat to go through, originally designed by the late Mario Miranda, the great Goan cartoonist. There are various scenes of Goan life on its pages. The liquor list is more than the food list and you can have everything from single malts to deluxe scotches and champagnes – but be warned, they don’t accept credit or debit cards! It’s strictly cash, so bring plenty of it if you want to order a shot of Johnny Walker Blue Label, which will set you back by nearly 10 grand.

There’s a decent selection of Indian dishes considering domestic tourists make up the bulk of Britto’s clientele, and the foreigners come

looking for ‘tandoori’ chicken with rotis. And for ‘Gobi Manchurian’― that famous IndianChinese veg dish which exists nowhere in China.

Everything costs between Rs 200-400, so it’s all very easy on your wallet, especially if you’re going there with a large group.

The portly owner Cajetan ‘Caji’ Britto oversees all the action in the kitchen. “I just love food,” he once told us. Cooking, eating, serving, watching others eat, the whole works.

Caji deserves all the compliments, especially for his take on the cafreal lamb, bringing out that essence of the Goan taste.

Being a celebrated Baga restaurant, Britto’s has an impressive display counter of lobsters and other big fish like pomfret, which you can be prepared to your specifications, the price depending on the season. One of the specialities of food joints on the Calangute-Baga strip is ‘butter garlic’ fish – be it squids, prawns or fish, and Britto’s too does the ‘butter garlic’ thing if you don’t know of any particular way to do the fish. Quite nice too, as the subtle tastes of butter and garlic enhance the flavours of the oceanic creatures. Perhaps better than smothering the poor things with loads of masalas and obfuscating their tastes.

Britto’s also scores high on the desserts and you’ll have a tough time deciding what to dig in from the choice offered. We go in for the caramel custard, that Goan speciality, which is made to perfection here. The Tiramisu is also outstanding, but again you’ll be spoilt for choice when you look at the desserts display. If only we could have it all!

Britto’s also has various live music acts through the week, to top off a great vintage dining experience.  The Food: Not bad for the heavily trafficked tourist strip The Ambience: Overlooking the sea. How can you go wrong?

The service: Swift Contact: Sauntavaddo, Baga, Calangute Tel. 0832 2276291/2277331

22 Feature

The green fingers of Father Inacio Almeida

By Pantaleao Fernandes

I

n the eastern corner of Goa, in the taluka of Sattari, lies a piece of paradise. An old fashioned gate made up of bamboos welcomes visitors into the farm. A rustic shack serves as the office in which is placed a long table packed with various farm products. A little away sits the farmer with green fingers and a deep love for this red earth.

He is Father Inacio Almeida, a seventy year old priest from the Pilar society. He’s been greening this piece of land for the last four and a half years.

“When I arrived here the locals were disappointed,” says Father Almeida.

“They mumbled that this desolate place has neither a doctor on call nor a pharmacy and how will this old man survive in this wilderness? But soon they realised that the old man’s bones were still strong.”

“Staying in this farm, I have been transformed from a priest to a doctor.

People come here with diseases like ulcer, cancer, arthritis, fibroids, colloids, aids, common cold – all this is cured by this

one tree that we grow here. The tree is Simarouba glauca.”

Simarouba glauca is an important tree species growing in the forests of Central and South America. Natural bureau of Plant Genetic Resources first introduced it in 1960s in the Research Station at Amravati, in Maharashtra. This was brought to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore in 1986 and systematic Research and Development activities began from 1992 onwards.

A booklet on the same tree published by the University of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore and Indian Council of Agricultural Research New Delhi, and authored by professors Syamasundar Joshi and Shantha Joshi of the University of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore mentions: the chemical present in leaf, fruit pulp and seed are known to possess medicinal properties such as amoebicide, analgesic, antihelmintic, antibacterial, antidysenteric, antileukemic, antimalarial, antimicrobial, antitumorous, antiviral, astringent, cytotoxic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, skin hydrator, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, vermifuge. They are useful in curing amoebiasis, gastritis, ulcers in the alimentary system, diarrhoea, chikun gunya and malaria.

Father Almeida has taken it upon himself to grow this plant at the

farm abundantly, harvest its various components and make available the medicines to the people. He also has a nursery of the same and saplings are available at the farm. Every single day, people from all walks of life and from all over Goa flock here. He patiently listens to their woes, counsels them and prescribes the right medicine.

“Its leaves bark, and fruits are taken and people have been cured. Doctors from Manipal send the patients here.

Within three months, cancers of the intestines have been cured. People bring the certificate from the doctors. On Thursday we go to Pilar with our stack of medicines to serve those who cannot make it to the farm,” he informs.

Father Almeida laments that after Liberation in 1961, pharmacies have sprung up everywhere and for even the slightest cold, people pop pills. “Earlier, local medicines were available but were neglected after the revolution of the

pill. It is only recently that the side effects of these drugs are raising their ugly face and that is drawing people to these (local/herbal) medicines again. Some Christians who used to practice this art have carried away their secrets to the cemetery and the Hindus to the crematorium. We have researched through old books and taken help of old practitioners and collected the recipes. Now we also give medicine

for diabetes and cholesterol, acidity, face cleaning against pimples. A book has to be written but we are always short of time. But for that, one requires the blessings of God. All this good work happens through the hands of God only. “ Zagati Nature Farm as the place is known belongs to the Archdiocese of Goa. It has been handed over to the Pilar Fathers as a mission station. However back in 1947 there was a centre here for unwed mothers. The children of these mothers were taken into the care of Father Amar Pinto who was responsible for the centre. Later, it became a boy’s tuition centre. Father Ferrao took charge next, and cultivated sugarcane. He was concerned about the poor local populace, where each family had many mouths to feed. He helped feed them with the jackfurits and mangoes that grew on the farm. He also distributed American wheat and milk that came from abroad.

He encouraged them to buy his locally made jaggery for 25 paise.

“So this centre has always had concern for the need of the people,” informs Father Almeida. “Even now, the locals collect the mangoes and prepare a dish called sansu. The jackfruits are of high quality and ripen in June in time for the voje of San Juan.

Father Almeida opines that the forest department should use this tree extensively. “Simarouba glauca can be grown everywhere. It is a wonderful tree that does not need much water. Acacia on the other hand which is planted to green areas, sucks up the ground water and dries the springs around it. It is a faulty decision to plant Acacia.

They should gradually remove such trees or they will soon dry up all the ground water.

No birds nest on these tree. It does not even provide food for the birds. This was a trick to fool the people to allow the mining giants to plant these cheaply available trees and show the greening of the dumps.

They cut our local trees; dig up the earth for the ore and then dump it on more trees, further destroying the forest. Birds have no fruits, rabbits have no shelter, so the big cats have began venturing into the villages. People used to plant fields and live happily. Now the gaurs stray into their fields and destroy them.”

Father Almeida feels that all these ill effects could be reversed by substituting the Acacia with Simarouba glauca. 

Street Speak 23

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Theatre on the Airwaves

Radio Plays in Goa M

adhav Borcar is the Assistant Station Director at All India Radio-Panaji. He joined AIR in 1984. He is also an accomplished Konkani poet whose poetry collection Yaman won the Sahitya Akademi award in 2001. In conversation with Streets Editor José Lourenço, Borcar reflects on the saga of the Radio Play, a theatrical genre that is still going strong.

José Lourenço: Madhavbab, please tell us about the history of radio plays in Goa. Madhav Borcar: The radio play has a fairly long history in India. Since the inception of this medium, plays have become an integral part of the whole program structure. It enjoyed immense popularity since the beginning. It began first with Radio Bombay, then Delhi, Calcutta and Madras.Earlier these plays would be performed live, so a play would be rehearsed for two to three days before broadcasting it. This was around 1928, in other parts of India. In 1952, Konkani was introduced in AIR Bombay and since then radio plays have been produced and broadcast in Konkani.

Could you name some early popular plays or producers?

Raghuvir Nevrekar was one of the earliest playwrights for Konkani radio plays. One of his popular plays was Popaybabali Mumbai, wherein Popaybab visits Mumbai and on his return to Goa narrates his experience, it was a humorous play. Nevrekar had a keen sense of this radio media and he had a wonderful voice. Then there were some artistes from Mangalore, a lady called Rosy D’Souza, she was a very prominent radio playwright. Most of the varieties of Konkani dialects could be heard in these plays which were of maximum half an hour’s duration. Sometimes they

were broadcast in 3 to 4 parts, in serial broadcasts.

When did All India Radio Panaji commence broadcasting ?

Sometime in 1946 during Portuguese rule, a radio station started broadcasting from Altinho under the name Emissora de Goa. Broadcasts were in different languages – Portuguese, Urdu, Gujarati and Konkani. The radio play was not a popular form then, it was introduced later, after Liberation in 1961. We don’t have any documentary evidence of radio plays of that time, but it is possible that they had some kinds of radio theatre.

After Liberation the station was initially called Radio Goa. It was only on 9th January 1963 that it became Akashwani All India Radio Panaji. On the 9th of January 2013 we celebrated 50 years of AIR Panaji.

How did radio plays progress over the 50 years after Liberation?

The radio play was the most popular program of this station in those years, it enjoyed good listenership. All strata of society would tune in, because radio was the only medium of entertainment. Hence it attracted people from all walks of life to participate in this. Luckily we had very good producers of radio plays here, like Allen Costa, Baldino Araujo, Pundalik Narayan Dande, Puroshottam Singbal and Krishna Laxman Moye. They were on the AIR staff. A noteworthy quality of Dande and Moye was that they used to write instant plays. If given a theme they would write and produce a 30 minute play within a day.

What were the themes of these plays?

Mostly social issues, like dowry, complexities of human life, etc. There were some plays on the history of Goa and India. We introduced a program called Foddni Fov which became very popular, they were short humorous radio plays broadcast in serial form. We cannot forget Nagesh Karmali, during his stint as announcer at AIR he wrote over 100 episodes for Foddni Fov. He created the popular characters called Pattu Potekar and Rajaram Rattawaddi.

We also produced the regional versions of national level plays in Konkani. So we could get the best plays in Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Sindhi and other languages.

Other than the in-house productions, what was the involvement of outside theatre groups?

A lot of folk plays were presented through this station. I remember Piety

Perry from Benaulim, he would write and produce. Every month we would produce at least one folk play, and the practice still goes on. The plays would have titles like Mogacho Ghutt (The Secret of Love), they would have a mix of comedy and tragedy, they would show the problems faced by the seafarers community and other people.

What is the connection between radio plays and tiatr?

Some of the tiatr producers also produce radio plays. Even now we invite the producers of the best tiatrs, which have won awards, to produce the radio version of their tiatrs. There is a lot of difference between stage and radio.

You have to make things more obvious for radio, it is very challenging. Certain plays cannot be adapted for radio. The number of characters for a radio play should not be more than six or seven, else the characters cannot get established.

With the use of narrative, dialogue and suitable sound effects we have to enact the situation so that the listener can visualize it well in his mind’s eye.

What about book readings?

AIR Panaji has done work there too.

Serial readings of short stories, we had a program of Katha Saptak, we chose seven short stories in Konkani for one week, and had them read by using drama voices. Those seven stories enjoyed good popularity, I remember Ashok Bhosale’s story Chinch, we received very good response for that story.

What studio facilities are available for the radio play producers?

A Radio play studio has a special

design. There is special equipment, different kinds of mikes and even some props to allow some movement. To develop perspective is very important so that people can feel the story as they listen. As the characters approach or move away from the mike, there has to be some distance to maneuver. That’s why they say a radio play should not have too many characters. I have two volumes of BBC’s Best Plays in print form, which I find very useful. Our station has won an award for Best Radio Production at national level for Pundalik Narayan Naik’s Shri Vichitrachi Zatra.

Any interesting incidents during recording of radio plays?

I have seen some actors during radio plays, even though they are in a studio and not on stage, they get deeply immersed in the play. One character in a very intense scene in a play actually wept, he was in tears. The play was very effective and the listeners really felt his emotion.

Do you plan to publish the station’s radio plays in print form or as audio files for public access?

We don’t have immediate plans of publishing past radio plays in print form, but some of the old folk plays are really worth publishing. The copyright for the play remains with the Station for one month and then it reverts to the writer.

In modern times there was Devdas Baboy and GL Goes, they were good writers.

Dilip Borkar has also written radio plays.

We are in the process of digitizing our archives of radio plays. We will eventually be releasing volumes of select plays in digital format for public access. 

24 Hot Streets

Dear Acaricia May

I

Broken roof tiles ruin the mood

am a happily married man in my mid thirties.

There’s only one problem in our love life. When we are in the middle of an intimate moment, my wife asks me whether I have locked the doors properly, or whether the broken roof tiles have been replaced or some nonsense like that. Sometimes she does mental calculations throughout our foreplay and suddenly says we have been spending too much on instant coffee and that we should switch to brewing tea. All these mundane comments are literally a complete downer and I can’t carry on with our intimacy. How do I get her to stay in the moment and keep the worrying for the daytime?

Signed, Pedro in Panjim Dear Pedro, Don’t let the broken roof tiles and unlocked doors and instant coffee get in the way. You’ve said yourself that you’re in an intimate moment, so go with it. Let your fantasies fly.

Don’t let the domestic talk get in the way. Instead, take her with you on an intimate adventure. Accompany the roof talk with a particularly naughty sleight of hand, and the coffee references with some creative intimate action (I would spell it out further, but my bosses at Streets insist this is a family publication!). She’s only human, Pedro. Do what you can, both verbally and physically, to make her forget the mundane. Have fun. Keep it light. Never criticize.

If you take the lead on this, my bet is that she will follow!

Love, Acaricia May

Dear Acaricia May

M

y wife and I married in our early twenties. The side effect of that is that we have her widowed mother staying with us, who is in her early forties. She is an attractive and sophisticated lady and I admire her a lot. But it’s purely respect and affection that I have for her. Since the day we got married, she too has been very affectionate, but of late she seems to tease me a lot. I keep a straight face. I have been thinking that she should remarry, considering she is a lady still in her prime. But how do I broach this topic with my wife? Goan society is still quite conservative in these matters, and my wife may not take it well.

Signed, William Dear William, It sounds like your modern mother-in-law is longing for some love. There’s no reason she shouldn’t have it, and it’s OK if those who love her encourage her to pursue fulfilment in life. If she hopes to find romantic love with you, of course she’s barking up the wrong tree. But you and your wife clearly want the best for this sophisticated and attractive lady, and by all means let her know that you think she deserves a second chance at love. Maybe that’ll help make it happen.

Love, Acaricia May

If you have questions about sex, relationships or any other matter relating to the heart, please write to Acaricia May at acariciamay@goastreets.com.

USEFUL STUFF www.goastreets.com

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International Museum Day at MOCA

he Museum of Christian Art (MOCA), Old Goa celebrated International Museum Day on 18th May 2013.

Each year since 1977, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has been organizing International Museum Day (IMD), a special time for the global museum community. On this day, museums all over the world interpret a topic affecting cultural institutions. International Museum Day is also a fantastic opportunity for museum professionals to meet their public and highlight the role of museums, which are institutions meant to serve and develop society. The theme for 2013 was Museums (memory + creativity) = social change On this day, MOCA encouraged the public to visit the Museum by not charging an entry fee.MOCA also organized various activities for its visitors.

The ‘Seek and Find game @ MOCA’ gave children an opportunity to observe the art objects on in detail. The ‘Paper Creation’ craft activity facilitated by Ms. Milan Khanolkar let the children use newspapers to creatively shape them into baskets, and magazine papers were used to make paper jewelry and other trinkets. Another group of

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visitors (of different age groups) participated in ‘Working with Threads’ observed the embroidered textiles at the museum and drew inspiration from some of the motifs to create their needle art on cloth bags. This activity was facilitated by Ms.Aira Mirchandani of Naree Artisans Movement.

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Florence Mendes

Kindergarten Cop

By Jonathan Rodrigues

T

here are some who flaunt every single act of charity they indulge in, even if it involves helping a dog cross the road; and then there are those who quietly go about serving society, putting their very life on the line.

Meet Florence Mendes, a Montessori trained teacher who is remembered by many as the ‘Hugging Teacher’ and ‘Kadak Laxmi’ !

“If you love children and are patient, then there is nothing to stop you from making the best of this career,” reveals the nurturer at the nursery, whose tiny alumni have now grown up to be her friends on Facebook.

Most people like working under an NGO brand or Institution, however Florence has always lived beyond titles and applause. After training as a counsellor, she started ‘Kids.Com’, an activity and counseling centre at Vagator, which mostly caters to toddlers from foreign nations.

Her ability to empathize with these kids has helped her understand the trauma and psychological changes they undergo at a very young age. Some of the little ones have had to deal with substantial difficulties, from drugaddicted parents to family situations with little or no stability.

“Some of these parents have absolutely no time for their children. Sadly these little ones are a confused lot, and I am glad to be instrumental in being their guiding force. My heart cries when they tell me stories even of what happens in their homes abroad.”

Of course most of the folks who bring their children to Florence are hardworking, honest folk in search of some quality day care. But Vagator being Vagator, with its long tradition of drug use and alternative living, the reality is not always perfectly friendly to the youngest members of society.

“A parent from Denmark related a shocking incident when a few five-year olds were dancing to the music being played by a beach shack, when a group of Indian tourists came up to them and threw 100 rupees notes and told them to ‘come to my house and dance we will give you more money’. Fortunately the kids told their mothers who came running and scolded these tourists.”

Florence does not shy away from hugging the children, no matter what the current politically correct thinking is on the topic – where some oppose embracing a child.

“My children are taught about ‘Good touch’ and ‘Bad touch’ right from the age of 3. I find it very rewarding when a child

screams ‘Teacher!’ from the gate and charges towards me hugging. Children need hugs from their teachers, especially when they know they have achieved a task after a struggle and many parents and teachers overlook the importance of this gesture,” says Florence.

In addition to her work with the youngsters, Florence is a well-known activist in the Vagator region who has done a great deal to educate people about disability, women’s rights, domestic violence, among other issues.

She has also been instrumental in creating awareness about autism in Goa and marked Autism Week in April by wearing blue. Her work with a Russian child with autism spectrum disorder helped bring the issue to the forefront.

His drawings were published in the local newspapers and his parents were

happy to see him improve his speech and take part in various activities.

Florence has done a lot to help those who are lost and abandoned.

She has been handling cases of rapes, molestation and domestic violence since the 1980`s. Just recently she came across a once beautiful lady, now an abandoned widow, in a corner of her house lying in her own urine and defecation, with ants crawling all over her. Since she was schizophrenic the neighbors refused to help her, fearing they would be abused.

It took Florence over an hour to coax the emergency services and cops to get her admitted to the District hospital.

She believes the government is not doing its bit to provide free medicines to mentally ill patients, which is often a great burden on their relatives. “I do not

understand why the patient’s relatives are forced to stay at the hospital? They end up doing all the work the staff is supposed to do and the staff end up drawing fat salaries.” Florence once reprimanded an arrogant doctor, telling him that she was instrumental in paying his salary, being a taxpayer.

“Our older generation did solve many of the marital problems during their time, as there were no counselors at that time,” she muses over the past. “But, as I see it, the verdict was more male oriented. Bedroom matters were never discussed openly and even if one did, the wife was always told to please her husband. ‘After all he is your husband, if you do not have sex with him them where will he go?’ This was what one policeman told a victim of domestic violence. I immediately intervened and informed him of her right to her body and that there is such a case called ‘marital rape’. Such male chauvinistic mindsets affect everyone.”

Some of the issues she has taken up have instigated a lot of unnecessary rumours and

created risky situations.

In the year 1983 when she was instrumental in organizing the women of the village to tackle ‘goondagiri’, she received many anonymous letters threatening to rape or kill her. “Jealousy is everywhere. But by and large I am happy to be known as the one who is fearless and can stand up for my rights, whether it is against stones thrown at our mango trees or being cheated by any shopkeeper.”

Many villagers remember her by a nickname `Kadak Laxmi`, given to her by a former senior cop; who has witnessed her stand as firm as rock.

“I am just a traveller in this world,” says Florence with a smile, “and I don`t know what lies in future for me but I am blessed to have loving family members, who have supported each other through our worst travails of life.”  Florence Mendes can be contacted at florence_mendes@rediffmail.com

Goa

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Glimpses of

Fire Walking Zatra at Shirgao