Issue No: 4 by Goa Streets

Digital Goa 02

Show Me The Money

Why doesn't the Goa government seem to have any these days?

Diana King In Goa

Goa LitFest

Famous Jamaican R&B singer graces a Goan stage and speaks to Goa Streets about her decision to come out as a lesbian.

The Goa Arts and Literary Festival starts Dec. 10th with a 100 delegates from 12 countries. Goa Streets is proud Media Partner.

Inside:

• Marbela Beach Bash • Clinton Vaz on Garbage • Dogs and Firecrackers • Gingerbread • Konkani Audio Book • Difficult Dialogues

Even Your Grandma Is Googling :-) Page 10

02 enquire

Show Me The Money Why Doesn’t The Goa Government Have Any?

newspaper, Sunaparant, shut down after a 28-year run this past August. The government’s much touted garbage collection campaign – with green-clad employees clearing waste from major roads – has been an on-again, off-again affair, with work stopping for long periods at a time because contractors have not been paid. This list goes on. What is happening here? For one, the three-year-old mining stoppage has deprived the government of much-needed tax revenue. Secondly, a drop in high-end tourism has meant fewer taxable transactions. And third, the age-old problems of corruption,

By Aliya Abreu

t’s not like the Goan government doesn’t have an ambitious agenda. There are plans for a Smart City in Panjim, state-of-the-art waste treatment plants, major new bridges, and upgraded infrastructure designed to attract tourists who might just spend more money than the current hordes of visitors who live out of buses and cook in open fields. Increasingly, however, officials are acknowledging that there simply isn’t enough money to pay for these initiatives. The total budget for Goa’s government for the year 2015-16 has been estimated at Rs. 13,330 crore, but it’s a paper budget without any real guarantee the money will be made available, let alone spent. The question of why the Goan government seems to have run out of money is not an easy one to answer because of a lack of transparency (Officials I contacted for this story would not reveal rupee figures). But evidence of a major financial crunch abounds. When Goa Streets asked authorities about plans to build a bridge to Chorao Island, they said plans were there but

Nice first try, Grandma, but that's not how you Tweet.

the money wasn’t. When Nilesh Cabral, Chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, was asked recently why planned tourism infrastructure had yet to be built, he cited lack of funds. Unpaid government advertising bills were one of the reasons the state’s only Konkani-language

mismanagement, inefficiency and insufficient tax collectionpersist. I asked Shailesh Ugadekar, who is Personal Assistant to Chief Minister LaxmikantParsekar, to explain the money shortfall, but he wasn’t able to do so. “As far as money is concerned, each department, or each municipal council, or each panchayat, sees to its own finances,” he said. When I spoke to Babita Angle, the Chairwoman of the Margao Municipal Council, the subject of the Sonsddo garbage dump came up. A plan to treat 40 years of accumulated waste through so-called “scientific capping”at the dump has yet to come to fruition. I asked her to comment on where the money comes from to deal with Margao’s garbage menace, and she said private “self-help” groups currently go “door-todoor” collecting money from ordinary citizens, but that the municipal council has now sent a proposal requesting state funds. Good luck!

To be sure, Chief Minister Parsekar has worked hard to reassure Goans that all is well. In his budget speech last March, he spoke of vast increases in government spending plans. Recently, he spoke of a Rs 1,054 crore increase in the allocation of funds from the Centre. “We are already getting the requisite funds from the Centre for all our development works,” he said.The 2015-2016 budget declares that the Government “continues creating worldclass infrastructure for the benefit of the people” – an assertion a large portion of the “people” would undoubtedly contest. The latest tax levied on citizens is the Swachch Bharat (Clean India)is a cess of 0.5 % on services. Of course, those same citizens have yet to see a Clean Goa. The thing about taxation is that if you see its results – good roads, uninterrupted electricity, decent schools and hospitals, well-

maintained public infrastructure – then most of us would not mind paying up. It’s when the perception arises that the money is pocketed, ill-spent or otherwise squandered, that paying one’s taxes becomes an issue. Is Goa’s government running out of money? From the looks of it, the answer is a resounding yes. That said, India is now the fastest growing major economy in the world, and Goa is certainly an integral part of India, so there’s certainly some reason for optimism. And yet Goans are wondering how many stalled projects, unpaid vendors and unfulfilled promises our little state can take.

Friday, December 04, 2015

A ‘Shy’ Girl Named King TURN TO PAGE 6

Goans Get To Hear A Jamaican Great Who Takes A Brave Stand On Who She Is

By Claron Fidelis Mazarello

very person will have their own yardstick to what they call freedom. Those yardsticks get tougher for public figures like Jamaican singersongwriter Diana King, who hails from the land of Bob Marley. Diana’s tryst with freedom took place on 28 June 2012, when she came out in the open about her sexuality. After years of crooning to her soulful R&B hits, Goans got to hear the ‘L-L-Lies’ star at Café Lilliput at Anjuna on 21st November this year. This was her third visit to India. The difference this time was Jassim Ali, a.k.a. King Jassim, who toured alongside her. “I got in touch with Diana six years ago, looking at doing an interview with her on my radio show,” Jassim speaks of how he met his role model, who has definitely influenced his music. Imagine his joy when she not only replied, but also appreciated Jassim’s own work in the reggae and rap realm of music. “It’s such a lovely feeling of being blessed when someone like DK not only appreciates your work, but is also open for collaboration,” he says about finally getting to share stage space with King. “We became friends online, leading to our first meeting this month,” adds the rapper, whose India tour with Diana King climaxed with the Goa show in November. Also popularly known as ‘Kingsinga’, Diana King first shot to fame with her song ‘Shy Guy’ from her 1995 ‘Tougher Than Love’ album. It blazed through the Euro, UK and French singles charts, ran for about 20 weeks on

the Billboard Pop song chart and the RnB – Hip Hop song chart, and sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. It also featured in the sound track of the movie ‘Bad Boys’ starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The Julia Roberts starrer ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ hosted her next popular song ‘I say a little prayer for you’, a cover of Dionne Warwick’s 1967 hit. Then in 2012, Diana King made a public announcement about who she is. “Yes I am a lesbian,” she declared to her fans from her official Facebook page. “Personally, I needed to be authentic,” she explains her stance. King had grown up as a lesbian in Jamaica, a country notorious for its intolerance toward the LGBT community. “For me, it is very important to lead an honest life more than anything else—to love yourself and be yourself regardless of what others or society thinks or chooses to dictate.” She is a woman of deep conscience who was not able to live an honest life without being open about her sexuality. This made her realize that she did not care about what may happen negatively. In any case, she had so many positives in her life, especially when it came to people. And this belief in people paid back, she says, given the encouraging feedback she got from so many people when she finally came out in 2012. “This is how change in general occurs,” says King. “And it is never a bad thing to be true and stand up for one’s human rights. So when I felt my moment of courage, I took it.” Gay people in Jamaica and much of the rest of the world need laws to be changed to protect the human rights of

this community, most of whom are still underground and stigmatised, as Diana was. “Humans of all types, men and women, deserve the same rights, opportunity and protection especially when one just wants to live one’s own life authentically without encroaching or hurting anyone else,” says King, reflecting the views of those in the straight community who also oppose all forms of prejudice. After ‘Treat her like a lady’ was covered by Grammy winner Celine Dion, remixes of ‘I say a little prayer for you’ and the infectious song ‘L-L-Lies’ further increased Diana’s popularity, with these chart topping favourites turning into unforgettable hits. A private and introverted person by nature, eventually it was the truth that brought redemption. And all she did was follow intuitions from her heart. “I am happy with the decision I made to come out three years ago,”’ sums up the brave King. “I recommend it. There is no freedom like the truth.” 

06 music & nightlife Dec 4

Dec 6

A Musical Legend, Live in Concert Remo & the Microwave Papadums At Teso Waterfront, Siolim 7 pm onwards +91 832 2270091/ 92

MIAMI BEATS Lorenz Brown | Sid | Chris Joy At Club Zero Gravity, Vagator +91 96193 99117

Boiler Sunset with guy J Dress Code- White/Smart At Marbela Beach, Morjim Goa 4 pm onwards +91 832 6450599/ +91 9158881180

Live music By Alla Kutepova from Moscow pop and jazz At Mama's Corner Vady Siolim 7 pm on wards +91 9223251259

Krank 2015 Pre party Goa Edition Featuring Sashati/Tekk'n, Varun Fernandes At Chronicle, Vagator 5 pm onwards + 919167239345

Oct 24 to Dec 26

Friday Night Live By Saazish a musical conspiracy At Bay 15 Odxel beach, Dona Paula, Goa 7:00 pm onwards +91 7350 14 6000 www.bay15.in

Sunset Serenade at Park Hyatt Latin Connection with guest artists from all over the world will fill the air with magic while Peruvian chefs cook up some amazing seafood against a breath taking sea view. 7 pm to 10 pm At Palms restaurant, Park Hyatt Goa, Cavelossim +91832 272 1234

Dec 5

Every Fridays & Saturdays

Wild Bar Session Drink All You Can Special Performances At Nyex Beach Club, Anjuna 8 pm onwards +91 7387410421/ +91 9545550571

Every Wednesday Free bird nights at Cotinga Free bird nights at Cotinga presents, Elvis and Anirban, with a classic rock and blues session, this Wednesday 8:00 pm onwards. At Cotinga at the Tamarind Hotel, Anjuna 8:00 pm onwards +919822851155, (0832)6519999 Live music at Mustard Krishna Vamsee is live on Wednesday, only at Mustard playing the best in blues, mo-town rock, and country tracks, 8pm onwards.  Come savour the flavour that binds cuisines together at the newest culinary destination in Goa. 8:00 pm onwards  At Mustard, Sangolda +91 98234 36120

Every Fridays

Cavala Every Wednesday: Cavala Acoustic Latin Retro Every Friday: Tidal Wave’s live act Every Saturday: Piano played by Bosco Cavala, Calangute - Baga Road, Baga 8:30 pm onwards. +91 832 2276090 sales@cavala.com | www.cavala.com

Friday Nights @ A Reverie With Anika Noronha Live At A Reverie, Calangute 7 pm onwards +91 98231 74927

The Park, Calangute Every Monday: Retro Night By Jus Leo Every Thursday: Retro Night Every Friday: Karaoke Night with KDJ Tony The Park, Calangute 8 pm onwards +91 8805028194, +91 832 2267600 resv.goa@theparkhotels.com www.theparkhotels.com

Live Music Jukebox - Andre & Tania At The Fisherman's Wharf, Cavelossim @ 7 pm onwards +91 832 287 1317

KARAOKE at GURU BAR Karaoke Night Kony Hindi, English & Russian Free entry At GURU BAR, Anjuna 8 pm onwards +91 98233 83257

Fusion Live Music  Shanti Fusion A Fusion Of Indian Classical Music & Western Music. The Lead Instrument Is A Sitar Accompanied By Tabala, Drum Set, Saxophone, Keyboard & Double Base Guitar At Deltin Royale, Mandovi River (Offshore) 8 pm onwards +91 86985 99999

Every Thursday

Every Saturday

Karaoke Nite Come & be with Mojo Rockstar Kdj Seby At Cafe Mojo Pub & Bistro, Panjim 7 pm onwards +91 7774054353

Music Spots in Goa

Wicked Fridays Wicked Fridays launches again this Friday! Gear up for an amazing season, and join us to welcome the 3rd season of Wicked Fridays in Goa!  At Waters Beach Lounge and Grill, Ozran beach, Vagator 8:00 pm till late +919767200012 & 9702025555 & 9850561111

Saturday Live Music Saby Fernandes At MUSTARD, Sangolda 8 pm onwards +91 98234 36120

Casinos in Goa

Deltin Royale Casino Get lucky on a big boat. D.Bandodkar Road, Panjim +91 9820 616515 or email: groups@ deltin.com (If you’re based in Mumbai) +91 7875 024455 or email: groupbookings@deltin.com (If you’re based in Goa) Casino Carnival Casino Carnival Goa offers premium entertainment in Goa, anchored in the Mandovi River overlooking the charming city of Panjim. Offers High Quality Entertainment and Live Gaming experience in Goa comparable with the best practices of international casinos. At Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, Panjim +91 8888885314

Boiler Sunsets with Guy J at Marbela Beach Marbela Beach Resort Presents "Boiler Sunset" - an incredible musical event featuring DJ Guy J at sunset on Morjim Beach, starting at 4 PM, on Friday, Dec. 4. Watch the sky's hues change while being transported to another space. Don't miss this one!

n tune with its tradition of pioneering ventures, Marbela Beach Resort is igniting a new property - Boiler Sunset - catapulting the best of live music sessions to a new-level. This out-ofthe-box concept is the brainchild of Jaydeep Rajebhosale and his team at Marbela Beach, which is now recognised as a premier international platform of Goa’s party scene. The soft virgin sands of Morjim beach will play host to DJ Guy J and his phenomenal talent at the Boiler Sunset party on Friday, December 04. As the sun dips below the horizon, the driving beats, warm synthesizing and journey-like arrangements of Guy J’s sets will transport music lovers and party animals to another space. At this entirely new Boiler Sunset concept at Marbela Beach Resort, the DJ and raving revelers will both soak in the colourful palette changing before them as they face the sunset together and celebrate the dusk. This Friday marks the debut of the Boiler Sunset stage at Marbela Beach, and with the resort known to pull in the best international acts, this concept is sure to take off in Goa.

Guy J is the perfect DJ to kick-start Boiler Sunsets. The young Israeli producer-DJ-live act is among the cream of those moving towards the melody-rich and emotionally charged roots of house music. His killer singles made listeners sit up and take notice, until he hit the scene hard with his much-anticipated full-length artist album Esperanza on producer-DJ John Digweed’s Bedrock label in 2008. Only recently, Guy J released singles like Lamur on Bedrock, Pleasurety EP on Sudbeat and Shaman for Turbo records, as well as a whole list of thrilling remixes for the likes of Global Underground and others. The House music world is eagerly awaiting his second artist album as Guy J travels the world, setting the scene ablaze at festivals like Global Gathering and Tomorrowland, and on tours to South America, Australia, and the US. He is now in India’s party capital, marking the debut of Boiler Sunsets with a four-hour party at Marbela Beach, eager to show Goa what he can do. With limited entry, invitees must RSVP to ensure their names get on the confirmed guest list. 

Friday, December 04, 2015

Dec 13

Goa River Marathon The 6th edition of the Goa River Marathon (GRM) is being held. Fitness is in, so is this picturesque event along the Zuari Riverside. RUN FOR FUN! At Chicalim, SAG Grounds Vasco

Dec 5

Dec 12 and Dec 13

Yuva Mahotsav The 21st Goa Yuva Mahotsav organised by Konkani Bhasha Mandal in collaboration with Goa University and City Corporation of Panjim will be held in the city. At Kala Academy, Panjim. +91 832 242 0450

The Indian Council for Culture Relations (ICCR) An Instrumental Music (Sarod Recital) by Debanjan Bhattacharjee. He will be accompanied on tabla by Pt Prasun Chatterjee. At Mini Auditorium, Ravindra Bhavan, Vasco 5:30 PM +91 832 272 6980

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Dii Tekha Time to fall in Love Varun Carvalho invites you for the launch of his Konkani Album At Lecture Hall Central Library PattoPanjim 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm +91 832 240 4500

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Dec 6

Annual Bal Mela The Big Foot 12th Annual Bal Mela '15, a day out for the under privileged Children with fun and entertainment are being held once again this year. At Big Foot Sanskrit Kendra, Loutolim. 9:00 am to 4:30 pm +91 832 275 0430 Trek to Vozara Eco Treks Goa is hosting a trek to Vozara Sakala waterfall. Special buses will leave from Panjim from Heera Petrol pump opposite Panjim Bus stand by 7.10 am and from Gandhi Circle, sharp by 7.30 am, Assanora by 7.45 am, Bicholim by 8 am and Sanquelim by 8.10 am +91 9833155713

Dec 7

Talking Trash The garbage situation in Goa and where its at. A presentation by Patricia Pinto At Sunaparanta, Altinho, Panjim 6.15 pm +91 832 242 1311

Dec 12

Christmas concert Child's Play India Foundation presents the Nirmal Goswami Memorial Concert, a Christmas concert featuring the Child's Play, Camerata Child's Play India And the debut performances of the Child's Play choirs. Entry free all are welcome. At Institute Menezes Braganza, Panjim 6:00 PM +91 832 222 4143 Oktoberfest Goa The 8th German Culture Week and Oktoberfest will be held which will be a great opportunity for everybody to get in touch with the Goan German speaking community. At Clube Vasco da Gama, Panjim 6:00PM onwards +91 832 242 3768

Salsa Workshop A Series of Salsa Classes will be conducted. At Carpe Diem, Majorda 6 pm to 7 pm +91 88888 62462

Yoga With Nikhila Trikha at Carpe Diem At Carpe Diem, Gomes Waddo, Majorda 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm +91 832 2881 035/+91 8888862462

Dance Classes

David Furtado Dance Classes Salsa & Waltz for beginners At Casino Motel, Porvorim 6.40 to 7.40 +91 9975914195 Jason & Sylvia Dance Academy At Las Viegas Dance Studio, Taleigao +91 9822161652/ +91 9822151614 Snaden Shawn Dance Academy Dance Style: Hip hop, Bollyfunk, jazz, contemporary At All Over Goa +91 7798609859/ +91 9890163433

Great Goan Experience

Froggy Land Froggyland is a venue for all the water lovers. Some of our activities would include the wave pool, lazy river, slides, rain dance, children’s pool etc. At Pateipur, Nuvem +91 9823480057 Birds & Breakfast Have your morning breakfast watching birds. The Best time of bird watching is October to Mid April. At Gauro Waddo, Calangute +91 832 2276711/ +91 9822149002 Horse Riding Majorda Beach Horse Riding It offers riding on Goa’s longest beach At Majorda 5 pm to 7 pm +91 9822586502 Wildernest Crocodile Safaris Offers boat safaris starting from Britona Jetty (Near Panjim) through the backwaters and mangrove-lined canals, which are home to fresh water crocodile locally called ‘Muggers’. At Kamat Centre, D.B Marg, Panjim +91 9595553799/ +91 9341112721 Seaeaglecruises.com Canopy Eco – Tours

Offers a wide variety of experiences including nature-treks, butterfly tours, dragonfly & damselfly tours, and boat safaris on the Zuari River as well as their original bird watching tour. At Housing Board Colony, Margao +91 9764261711, +91 9764052225 Canopygoa.com

Relax under a dense forest cover and take in the aroma of a variety of spices grown in the farm. Also, enjoy a traditional Goan lunch served in earthen pots & banana leaves. At PondaBelgaum Highway, Curti, Ponda +91 832 2312394 Email: info@sahakarifarms.com

With a collection of over 4,000 artefacts, Goa Chitra is an ethnographic museum that focuses on Goa’s traditional agrarian lifestyle and technology. At Mondo Waddo, Benaulim 9 am to 5 pm +91 832 6570877 Email: goachitra@gmail.com

Goa Butterfly Park & Conservatory A small park on a hill that’s a great place to spot stunningly beautiful butterflies. Near Tropical Spice Plantation, Ponda +91 832 2985174, +91 9822125474 Bcogoa.org

Book Centres

Naval Aviation Museum Displaying a number of vintage aircraft and armaments used at different stages by Naval Aviation dating back to the 1950`s and a vast number of memorabilia related to Naval Aviation history. Near Bogmalo Beach 10 am to 5 pm +91 832 2538668

The Bushmasters Owner Rahul Alvares is one of our state’s most experienced snake rescuers. Snake Watch programmes costs Rs. 1600 per person inclusive of transport and breakfast. At Almeida Vaddo, Parra 6.30 am to 9.30 am +91 9881961071 Rahulalvares.com Off the Grid Offers a unique home stay experience in a secluded village in the Western Ghats At Western Ghats John +91 9623451758 Sylvia +91 9049081097

Go Karting

Track I Goa Karting Single and tandem go karts are available for Rs: 180 for ten laps or Rs 200 for ten lap’s tandem At Panjim - Margao Highway, Nuvem 4 pm to 10 pm +91 832 2757899/ +91 9850736334 Track II Goa Karting Single and tandem go karts are available for Rs: 180 for ten laps or Rs 200 for ten Laps tandem At Anjuna - Calangute Rd, Arpora 4 pm to 10 pm. +91 832 2914526

Outdoors

Tropical Spice Plantation The Tropical Spice Plantation guided tour is certain to refresh your senses and make you feel at one with Mother Nature. At Arle Bazar Keri, Ponda +91 832 2340329 Abyss Spice Farm Located on high hills amidst stunning surroundings near Ponda. Many tourists visit it for the medicinal herbs grown here on a large scale. The Plantation also offers ayurvedic massage. At Sai Farm, Savoi Verem, Ponda Pascoal Spice Village A wide variety of spice plants and cash crops is grown here. For visitors there is a restaurant with an open-air party facility along with boating At Khandepar, Ponda +91 832 2344268/ +91 832 2344536 -39 Atreya Vedic Farms Set amidst nature’s abundance at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Molem is Atreya Vedic Farm, a unique ecotourism venture. At Bondu Mol, Mollem 9 am to 5 pm +91 832 6570877 Sahakari Spice Farm

Literati It’s a Bookshop and Café At Gauro Vaddo, Calangute 10 am to 6.30 pm +91 832 2277740 Broadway Book Centre Broadway Book Store offers great books at amazing prizes to passionate readers of all ages At Aguada Fort Road, Candolim 10 am to 9 pm +91 9860030339

Notable Forts Aguada Fort Fort Aguada and its lighthouse is a well-preserved seventeenth-century Portuguese fort Daily 10 am to 5.30 pm At Candolim Reis Magos Fort This Fort, surrounded by sturdy laterite walls studded with typically Portuguese turrets, was erected in 1551 to protect the narrowest point at the mouth of the Mandovi estuary. The fort stands on the north bank of the Mandovi River at Reis Magos, and is visible from the Panjim side of the Mandovi River. At Verem 10.30 am to 5.30 pm +91 832 2410711/ +91 832 2410715 Tiracol Fort The fort was originally built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century. Now, in a state of ruins, Fort Tiracol has been converted into a luxury hotel, the Fort Tiracol Heritage. At Tiracol, Keri Cabo de Rama Fort Interesting fort named after Lord Rama. Inside the fort, check out the church of Santo Antonio, still used by devotees. At Cola Beach Chapora Fort One of the most loved forts of Goa; it was built in place of an older fort on the same location after the Maratha-Portuguese war. At Vagator Chapora Fort One of the most loved forts of Goa, it was built in place of an older fort on the same location after the Maratha-Portuguese war. At Vagator

Museums Museum of Goa Art Museum At Pilerne Industrial Estate, Pilerne 10 am to 6 pm +91 7722089666 Goa Chitra

Wax World Museum A brainchild of Mr. Shreeji Bhaskaran, the man behind India’s first wax museum at Ooty, here’s Goa’s very own Madame Tussuad’s. With over 30 lifelike wax statues of the who’s who of India, including the most eminent personalities from culture, religion, politics, heritage and more, it’s a huge attraction. At Gandhi Circle, Old Goa 9.30 am to 7.30 pm +91 9970126202 Museum Of Christian Art Open all days of the week Located at the Convent of Santa Monica, you may pray if you wish to, else just soak in the ambience of peace. At Old Goa From 9:30 am – 5 pm +91 832 2285299 Goa Science Centre The Centre has a science park with interactive exhibits, 3D shows, galleries on oceanic science, explaining mysteries of the underwater world. At Miramar 10 am to 6 pm +91 832 2463426 Goa State Museum Has some 8,000 artifacts on display including carvings, paintings, manuscripts, rare coins and stone sculptures. A museum shop is planned soon with the aim of popularizing Goan culture through museum objects. At EDC Complex, Patto, Panjim 9.30 am to 5.30 pm +91 832 2438006 / +91 832 2437306 Xavier Centre of Historical Research See exhibitions of paintings, browse through rare books and attend symposiums with particular emphasis on contemporary cultural & social issues affecting Goa. At BB Borkar Road, Porvorim +91 832 2417772 Archaeological Museum Check out the sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses, antiques from the Hindu period and currencies leftover by the Portuguese. At Old Goa 9 am to 5 pm +91 832 2285333 Monsoon Heritage Studio Treat yourself to some amazing collection of mirrored mosaic art and handpicked artifacts at this upscale studio by Yahel Chirinian. At Mainath Batti, Arpora 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM +91 9822122771

Friday, December 04, 2015

keep goa beautiful 9

Mixed Waste & You By Clinton Vaz

An emotional connect with your waste is a skill that comes with understanding your own waste. It’s important because this understanding helps you go beyond your duty to just start separating waste and start understanding how it all works, says Clinton Vaz.

ast week was a busy week for us. We had to empty a lot of compost out of composting units in Vasco to make room for new waste that would go into the compost chambers. This process involves sieving the waste to remove larger debris like coconut shells, branches and half composted mango seeds that take longer to break down. Once sieved, all this goes back into the composter to further breakdown. But the sieve also separates contaminants like plastic bags, plastic films from food plates and dishwashing scrubbers, all items that should not have been found in the food waste in the first place. This is a really time consuming process, quite similar to finding a few needles in a large haystack. The sieved compost is then offered to residents to use. While this was happening last week, a resident complained that her compost contained a few milk bag corners and tiny other plastic debris. “Why has your compost got plastic in it?”, she asked Dost Mohammad, our waste treatment professional. Dost Mohammad knew exactly what to say. “Madam, if you and your neighbours were more careful of what you put into the wet waste bin, there would naturally be less plastic in your compost.” World over, one of the most common problems in dealing with waste is that it is mixed in the first place. While we insist at vRecycle, the waste management firm my wife Emma and I run, that all our waste must be separated at source, it does not help us that everywhere else, mixed waste collection is the norm. We often have to deal with clients who ask us why we are being so strict when the ‘municipality’ next door picked up mixed waste with no fuss. Politicians who have absolutely no experience often complicate the problem by talking of mixed waste treatment

plants. I have yet to see a mixed waste treatment plant that works efficiently and without any smell. To put it simply, separating mixed waste is only possible if we believe in magicians that would shout out “Abracadabra!” and make the mess go away. Consider baking a cake. Mix the flour with the eggs and beat it all to a batter. Can you now separate the egg from the flour? Pretty much impossible, quite like mixed waste. I have seen mechanized forms of recycling and the first step of it all is using machines called bag cutters that slice open plastic bags to empty their contents. This then further contaminates everything in sight, making more waste non-recyclable. At the Fomento Green waste treatment plant located in Margao, this is exactly what happens. Mixed waste enters the plant, a large crane picks up a bucketful, and deposits it into a gigantic sieve. While spinning, food waste and other debris falls through smaller holes while the rest goes to the landfill. As a result, a lot of green waste, garden waste, recyclable waste, and a bit of non-recyclable waste all goes mixed into a permanent dump.

The food waste along with the smaller debris is treated and finally turned into compost which of course has a lot of contaminants that slipped through. The total efficiency of waste reduction is somewhere between 15-20% of the total waste that enters the plant. Now if everybody in Margao separated their waste as happens in Panjim, and Fomento’s plant were to get sourceseparated waste, with only food waste going to treatment, I can bet you that the waste reduction figure would shoot up to 80 or even 90%. Wow! Now that is efficient! But the real question is: Why are we still talking about waste separation? It’s because people don’t connect with waste. We need to emotionally connect with our own waste. Its only when that happens that things start to change. My connect to my waste started in 1999 after a two-hour workshop on composting that I learnt from Claude Alvares. I returned home excited and found a container to

Editor’s Note: This is the latest instalment of Goa Streets’ Keep Goa Beautiful initiative, inviting contributions from all those working toward a cleaner and greener Goa. The below contribution is from Clinton Vaz, a leading figure in Goa’s efforts to contain its garbage scourge and install a system of effective waste management.

compost. Over the next three months, I was fascinated to see earthworms eat up my food waste and turn it into fresh earthy manure. I kept asking myself why I had not begun earlier as it was so effective and fulfilling. 16 years later, everybody in my family would not think twice about composting their waste. Why, even Dollar, our dog digs up a tiny hole in the garden to compost her ‘business’ every morning. Animals always seem to be more sensible than us two-legged folk. So why don’t you try looking into your waste bin today? I must tell you that it is dirty and smelly and yucky when you do, but when you start to separate your waste, the dry waste bin is so clean, you can put your hand in it, and your hand will still be clean. The food waste bin looks just like a big mixed fruit salad and when it goes into your composter, besides the nice earthy, citrusy smell, you feel really good about the big-hugehumongous difference you’ve just made. This is a feeling I promise you will cherish. So what are you waiting for?

Clinton & his wife Emma run vRecycle Waste Management Services, an enterprise that helps over 7000 homes manage their waste in Goa. If you would like to learn more or participate, contact them at klintvaz@gmail.com/ +91 9890936828/ www.vrecycle.in

10 cover story

Our Digital Goa

Why You Shouldn’t Be Surprised If Your 85-Year-Old Goan Grandmother Loves To Google By Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello

t seems like only yesterday when “chatting” meant talking to another human being, when “liking” something did not require clicking, when “clicking” was the way you turned on your TV, and when “tweeting” was something done by parakeets. Yes, Goa still has cows on the road, climbers of coconut trees, stompers of cashew nuts and net-wielding fishermen pulling in the catch of the day. But that it also has WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest is a testament to how harmoniously tradition and modernity coexist in the sunny state. If the digital revolution is sweeping India, it’s inundating Goa like a veritable tsunami. India’s 2011 census showed that Goa has the highest percentage of Internet users in all of India, a country where overall Internet penetration grows

by around 30 percent a year, according to global digital analyst comScore. While some 30 percent of Indians now have access to the Internet in one form or another (usually through mobile phones), the figure in Goa is believed to be well over 50 percent, though no exact figures are available. “The availability of cheaper phones, various schemes, bold advertising, and higher standards of living have made it possible for almost everyone to own a phone and use internet. No wonder we see most teenagers and adults alike glued to their phone-sets for most of the waking hours,”

says Ketan, a mobile phone dealer. What does this mean in practical terms? It means you shouldn’t be shocked if the lady who serves tea in the office suddenly sends you a Facebook “friend” request. Or if the guy who clears your monsoon weeds requests a scheduling change via WhatsApp. Or if your kid thinks you’re old-fashioned because you still prefer Facebook to Snapchat. Or if your 85-year-old grandmother has suddenly learned to Google. It also means that if you’re a business person, a professional of any kind, an educator or just a regular person going about her daily sussegado Goan life, it’s probably a good idea to get wired and embrace the social media temblor, if only to make sure you’re keyed in to the world around you. And yet to not see the downside of all this is to deny reality. What is all that time staring at a screen really doing to the minds of the youngest among us? The science on this is far from clear, but as a psychologist I would definitely recommend limiting that time until we fully understand the lasting effects. Clicking selfies ... Putting up profile pictures ... Updating Facebook pages with the most recent news in your life… Our hearts and minds are riveted by digital content, and accumulating Facebook “likes” and Twitter followers can be like a heroin addict’s fix. Is it really healthy for happiness and self-esteem to come from Facebook likes? And what about those of us who don’t much care for Facebook or Twitter, who are happy with moderate-to-mediocre digital skills, and who miss the good old days of books, real conversation and other analog pleasures? Truth be told, however, there’s no reason we can’t enjoy the best of both worlds, and the digital world certainly has its own set of pleasures. For Savia D’Souza, Facebook is about catching up with online players in intellectual game of scrabble. The

moment she reaches home from her work, she rushes to her desktop to enjoy this game of forming words. She is a veritable Scrabble addict (better than heroin, no?). Many access the internet to download songs, watch movies, read articles, shop and, much to the chagrin of a great many Goan spouses and parents, access pornography. Online shopping is another phenomenon that has taken Goa by storm. Sophia Dias of Loutolim says, “Online shopping is quite cheap as compared to physically going and buying items from shops. My cousins and I love to purchase items from Myntra and Flipkart. No hassles of going out in the heat or getting wet in the rains! Wider choice! Who wouldn’t be happy?” Some retailers feel the pinch of online competition offering substantial discounts. Where does that leave the good old shopper who loves to frequent bazaars and stores in person? “I love to go and buy things. I am not net savvy. At my age, I doubt I can indulge in e-shopping. I am 63 years old now,” says Savia from Chinchinim. Want to travel to Mumbai or Bangalore or Pune? Book your train tickets online rather than queue up for that that small piece of rectangular paper given at the railway station. Are you planning a trip to the Holy Land or Europe or a vacation in the Maldives? Many prefer to book their own flight tickets online at various sites like MakeMyTrip.com rather than visit the travel agent (a dying breed if there ever was one!). Even medicines can be booked online, though beware of the risk of buying the wrong medication. Doctors form their own forums and offer medical advice on the net. Hubert Rodrigues from Fatorda adds, “Digitalization has helped people to make online payments of public utilities - water and electricity departments. Important property documents like Form I and XIV can be accessed online.” Students form another group who have benefited greatly from a digital Goa, conducting online courses, updating their knowledge base and applying for scholarships. Not too long ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg shared a stage in California and declared India as the world’s next digital frontier. Goa, the country’s richest and most well-educated state, is well positioned to lead the way. Even so, please remember to ask your Goan children to read books. And if they do so on an iPad or Kindle, it still counts.

12 give back

Our Goa, Our Strays The Festival of Lights Is No Party For Dogs Petrified Of Fireworks This Christmas and New Year’s, Let’s Think About Our Furry Friends

By Charmaine Fernandes, Rishee Kwatra & Rakhi Puri

iwali is one of the biggest festivals in India, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. But for a dog, loud fireworks can turn the festival of lights into a dark nightmare. No, our furry friends derive no pleasure from watching fireworks light up the sky, as we do. With hearing 10 times better than ours, the explosions for them can be what a bomb sounds like to us. Strays and household dogs kept outside suffer especially, as they’re without walls that cushion sound and humans that offer reassurance. If they could speak, they would probably plead with us to celebrate without fireworks. Now with Christmas and New Year's Eve around the corner, they will be at the receiving end again. To dogs, fireworks are louder than claps of thunder. A dog can anticipate a storm but has no ability to sense when a firework will burst, resulting in nervousness and a rush of adrenaline. If you have to leave the house, you can reduce your dog’s stress by preparing

a comfortable environment that minimises noise. The yard is not the best bet, if you can avoid it. Not everyone has one, but if you do have an air-conditioned room, it’s a good idea to let your pooch stay in it if you have to leave her alone on a festive night of pitakas. Keep the windows closed to reduce noise, and put her bedding in the room with her favourite toys and treats. Leave some music on. And if you can, try to arrange for a friend or family member to stay with your dog or dogs. There’s nothing better than human companionship to make them feel more secure. We at the Haven Of Miracles Enclave, or H.O.M.E., an upcoming NGO devoted to animal rescue and the well-being of street dogs, get a lot of calls and messages about runaway dogs the day after Diwali, and complaints that dogs have escaped from the home. We have seen a lot of collared dogs, confused and disoriented, roaming the streets. Every year there's a repeat. This year was no exception, even though it’s fair to say the amount of fireworks went down. A young man was on his morning jog when he saw a collared dog being chased by a pack of strays. He shooed the strays away

and took the pooch into his home, fostering him for a couple of weeks. He also contacted us at H.O.M.E. to try to find the dog a permanent home as the good-hearted jogger couldn’t provide one. Meanwhile, while we conducted our search, he kept up his - for the dog’s owners. Days went by with no leads in finding a home or the owners. But then something extraordinary happened. One morning, a couple on a bike spotted the duo and shouted excitedly out to the dog, who wagged his tail with full vigour, recognising his human parents. It was a very "yappy" reunion! Sadly, not all such stories have a happy ending. Some run away from home and, if they are lucky, find another one. Others just add to the growing number of strays. Of late we have had an increasing number of abandoned dogs on the road. A lot of labradors, beagles, unwell dogs, and senior dogs. Concerned citizens have gotten in touch with H.O.M.E. and informed us. The rate at which dogs are being abandoned has alarmingly increased. Over the past few years of our work, we have successfully “rehomed” and rescued a great many dogs, includes ones that were beaten, tied up for days

or otherwise mistreated. We can change all this together. Keeping a dog requires a lot of committment, dedication and responsibility. Sometimes one has to forfeit travel plans. Or take him to the vet when he gets sick. But the unconditional love and unbridled loyalty you get back from these delightful creatures make it all worth it. We can reduce the number of strays on the road if we commit to adopting an Indie – giving our Goan strays loving homes rather forcing them to fend for themselves on the road. The love they give you is the same you would get from a pedigree. And these mixed-breeds on the streets often have superior dispositions because of less inbreeding. With Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day around the corner, we at H.O.M.E. make a humble appeal to everyone to celebrate with cheer, but keep the firewoks at bay. If you have any questions about this story or Goa’s strays – or see a dog in distress – you can contact H.O.M.E. (Haven of Miracles Enclave) at +918975275785

13 Friday, December 04, 2015

Gingerbread

By Kornelia Santoro

or years, I have been wanting to make a gingerbread house. I had done my research, cut out a template and yesterday everything went according to plan. My house seemed to hold together until it collapsed and broke. I don’t know what went wrong. Maybe my royal icing was too liquid. In the beginning, it seemed to stick. Then the gingerbread softened and broke into pieces. There was no way I could fix it. So I tried a piece and decided that the taste is good enough for my newsletter. I cut out some cookies and decorated them with the coloured sugar pieces meant for the house. Honestly, I was quite happy I did not have to fiddle with decorating a full gingerbread house. It was so much easier just to bake some cookies. That’s why my newsletter for the Christmas season features a recipe for gingerbread. I admit defeat and I don’t know if I will ever try my luck with a gingerbread house again. Maybe in a couple of years… Ingredients (for three dozen cookies): • ½ cup brown sugar • ½ cup raw sugar • 1 egg • 100 grams butter • 2 cups whole-wheat flour • ½ teaspoon baking powder • 2 tablespoons cacao powder • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon • 1 tablespoon ground ginger • 1 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice • pinch of salt

Royal icing: • 1 egg white • 1 ½ cups icing sugar

Method: Use the butter at room temperature. If you don’t have time to wait, 20 seconds in the microwave will do the trick. Beat the butter together with the sugar. You can do this in a food processor. I use my hand mixer for this job. Add the eggs and the spices and beat the mixture until you have a creamy substance. I add cacao powder to enhance the colour. Because I like gingerbread spicy, I add a lot of cinnamon and ground ginger. If your taste buds are sensitive, you might want to cut down a bit on the spices. Work in the flour. In the beginning, I use the hand mixer and then I knead the dough by hand until it is smooth. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest. My recipe for the gingerbread house suggested resting it overnight. However, if you only want to make cookies, the usual half hour in the fridge should be enough. When you need to roll out dough that tends to crumble like this one, using cling film is the way to go. Place the dough between two sheets of cling film and roll it out. When it flattens, you have to lift off the cling film several times to give space to the dough. If you want to make a gingerbread house, you need a cardboard template like this. Use three times the

amounts given above for the dough. Lift off the upper sheet of cling film. For a gingerbread house, now is the time to cut out the template pieces. Keep the piece on the cling film and turn it upside down onto a cookie sheet that has been buttered. I use a silicone sheet that works great. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius. It should brown slightly. For the royal icing, beat half of the icing sugar with the egg white. Then add the rest of the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. When you want to make a gingerbread house, bake all the pieces of the template and then stick them together with royal icing. Use glasses or tins to prop up the pieces until the royal icing has set. I thought my gingerbread house was quite stable. I removed the props and it seemed to hold. But one minute after it collapsed.

First one part and then the rest. So I rolled out the rest of the dough – luckily I had some leftovers – and cut out cookies with a cookie cutter. At this point, I did not even feel like attempting to cut out a gingerbread man by hand. Bake the cookies and then decorate them as you wish. I stuck on the coloured sugar pieces meant for the house with a bit of royal icing. Please tell me, if anybody of you ever managed to make a gingerbread house. Kornelia is a German food writer living in Goa, India, with her Italian husband and her son. She has published two cookbooks, Kornelia's Kitchen - Mediterranean Cooking for India and Kornelia's Kitchen 2 - Cooking for Allergies. Both have won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award. All her recipes are easy, fast and delicious - the right kind of food to keep your family healthy and happy without spending too much time in the kitchen.

14 FOOD & DRINK Every Wednesday Pizza Night @ Ciao Bella Dive into a selection of authentic Italian wood fired pizzas At CIAO BELLA, Assagao  7 pm onwards +91 97675 57673

Every Thursday Pasta Thursdays Treat yourself to a selection of pastas At Bar Code Lounge & Grill, Porvorim +91 832 241 0027

Every Friday FRIDAY- ALFRESCO NIGHTS Walk over to the Pool Bar and Grill and enjoy comfort food accompanied with live music by DJ Thelma. At Grand Hyatt Goa, Bambolim 7:00PM – 10:30PM +91 832 301 1234

Every Saturday SATURDAY-SPANISH NIGHTS Head over to the Palace Lawns every Saturday; where we give you an evening of live entertainment and food inspired from the Mediterranean coast of Spain. INR 2200 + taxes At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim 7 pm to 11:30 pm +91 832 301 1234

Brunches Every Sunday Sunday Brunch Happy Hours Buy one Get one free Lunch Buffet Starting 899/Pool Usage At Bay 15, Dona Paula 12 noon onwards +91 7350146000 Sunday Barbeque Brunch Poolside Sunday grills with live music 12 pm to 5 pm At Banana Republic Bar - Cavala, Baga +91 832 227 7587 Sunday Brunch at Barrels & Bones 12 noon onwards At BARRELS & BONES, Fontainhas +91 77740 78276 Super Brunch   The Super Brunch at Vivanta Panaji is a decadent affair with an astonishingly wide selection of Live grills. Serving up the finest cuisine from around the world.   At Vivanta by Taj, Panaji, Off D B Bandodkar road, Panaji  +91 832 6633636 Sunday Family Brunch Live Music by The Actacy At Gawin's Restaurant, Verna 12 pm to 3 pm +91 9822177179

Bikini Brunch Sunday BBQ Brunch @ Rs. 950 ++ with unlimited drinks Enjoy Live Karaoke with Emmanuel At The Park, Calangute 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm. +91 8805028194/ +91 832 2267600 resv.goa@theparkhotels.com www.theparkhotels.com

Casa Sarita For truly outstanding authentic Goan Food. Open only for dinner, this classy fine dining restaurant is a delightful place to explore Goan and Portuguese cuisine. At Park Hyatt Goa, Cansaulim +91 832 2721234

Sunday-Champagne Brunch Relish a sumptuous meal over five interactive food counters along with free flowing cocktails, champagne and live music by Thelma. INR 2500 + taxes At The Dining Room, Grand Hyatt Goa, Bambolim 1 pm to 4 pm +91 832 301 1234

Tato’s Fine Dining Goan, Indian, Chinese Tato’s fine dining makes its presence felt in the culinary circles in Margao. Opp. New Collectorate, Margao 12 pm to 3 pm and 6.30 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2758590

Sunday Brunch Highlights: Free Use of Swimming Pool, Rain Dance with DJ, Lavish Buffet with live counters, unlimited house brands alcohol & cocktails & games & Activities Cost: Rs. 1500/- inclusive of all Taxes (with alcohol); Rs. 1100/- inclusive of all Taxes (without alcohol) At Resort Rio, Tambudki, Arpora 12 noon to 3 pm +91 8322267300 / +91 8322267302

South Goa Restaurant Palms Restaurant The Beachside Restaurant Palms with the Peruvian delicacy for the first time in Goa. Enjoy Ceviche delicacies and Peruvian drinks all night long! At Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, Cavelossim +91 832 2721235 Allegria Goan, Portuguese This fine-dining restaurant at the Taj Exotica serves mouth watering food. On offer are all the classic Goan dishes like Chicken Cafreal, Pork Sorpotel, and Kullanche Mass Kottnim, which is crab meat in a shell, and of course, the all time favourite, Fish Curry Rice. At Taj Exotica, Calwaddo, Benaulim, Salcete 7.30 pm to 10.45 pm +91 832 6683333 Peppers Gourmet Cuisine Seafood, Tandoor Indulge in innovative desserts and local flavours at this exciting food joint. Near Child Care School, Margao +91 832 2711125. +91 9822133506 A Tartaruga Multi – Cuisine This eating space is a great venue for weddings and parties with sprawling beach front lawns that can accommodate up to 1000 pax. At Colva Beach, Salcete 7 am to 11 pm +91 832 2788068/69

Fisherman’s Wharf Authentic Goan It’s a fantastic restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. At the riverside, near Holiday Inn, Cavelossim – Salcete +91 832 2871317 Soul Soufflé Goan, North Indian, Continental, Chinese, Seafood Casual Dinning At Off The Old Verna Highway, Near Udder Water Fall, Ambulour Village, Verna, Margao +918322782100 Gawin's Restaurant & Pub Seafood, Goan, Continental, Chinese Enjoy Sunday Brunch every week At Cansaulim Road, Verna +91 9822177179 Dropadi Restaurant Casual Dining North Indian, Chinese, Continental, Seafood, Goan At Palolem Beach, Palolem, Goa +91 832 264 4555 Vasco Square Casual Dining North Indian, Goan, Continental, Seafood At 211, Joseph Vaz Road, Vasco, Goa +91 832 250 0644  Coconut Creek Serves Non veg, Alcohol, Outdoor Seating Goan, Continental, Chinese, North Indian, Seafood At Bogmalo, Bimut Ward, Bogmalo +91 832 2538100/+91 9823117647 Konkani Restaurant Casual Dining North Indian, Konkan, Goan, Seafood At Jigisha Building, Varde Valaulikar Road, Margao +91 97638 22983 Pentagon Restaurant & Garden Pub Eclectic Asian, Indian and European menu. Sizzle your taste buds with awesome food at pentagon from starters to main course we have it all for you At Majorda Beach Road, Opp. Majorda Beach Resort, Salcete 12 pm to 12 am +91 832 2881402/ +91 9822091402

Cherry Tomato Burger Cafe and Italian Restaurant At Vanelim, Colva +91 9561379963

North Goa Restaurant Om Made Cafe @ Teso Waterfront A mélange of international and local cuisine is specially conjured to seduce and tease the epicure’s palate. Enjoy the taste of our food while being seated by an immaculate view of the river and coastal foliage, surrounded by the glimmering of the distant villages. Open 8 am - Midnight Breakfast: 8 am – 11am At Teso Waterfront, Siolim +91832 227 0091 Marbela Beach Italian, Seafood One of the finest beach resorts in the state, Marbela Beach is the ultimate destination to party or to unwind during the sunset with refreshing cocktails and decent food to hog on to. At Morjim –Ashvem Road, Morjim 7 am to midnight +91 832 8450599 Goa Marriott Resort & Spa Open for dinner 7 pm onwards every day, Wan Hao is also open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Re-orient your taste-buds with the choicest of Oriental cuisine all this season only. At Wan Hao, the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa! +91 832-246 3333. Avanti Bar & Restaurant Indian, Goan & Seafood Serves Goan specialties like Rawa fried prawns, stuffed squid, and gratinated stuffed crab masala among other Goan delights. Near Patto Bridge, Panjim 11 am to 3 .30 pm, 7 pm to 11.30 pm +91 832 2435884/ +91 832 2427179 hotelavanti@yahoo.com Peep Kitchen Indian, Continental, Goan, Chinese A family restaurant with a bar run by a Goan family serves food with an authentic Goan and homely touch. At Caranzalem, Near Petrol Pump, Panjim Noon to 2.30 pm and 7 pm to 10.30 pm +91 832 6454474 Go With the Flow Brazillian, Mediterranean, Fusion  In an enchanting location on the Baga river bank, offering stunning views of the river, and sea beyond. Oh did we mention? The food’s really good, too. Chef Guto from Brazil really knows what he’s doing. We mean it.  At Calangute, Baga   +91 7507771556   contact@gowiththeflowgoa. com www.gowiththeflowgoa.com

A Lua Chinese, European, Goan, North Indian, Seafood 11 am to 11 pm At, Bella vista, Sangolda +91 832 2416671/ 73 At Porie Bhatt, Verna Contact: +91 832 2782760/ +91 9881272080  At Bhueem Bhatt, St Cruz, Merces +91 832 2448172/ +91 2448757 Casa Bhonsle Indian & Goan All meals here are prepared in the authentic Hindu Goan Style. Above Café Bhonsle, Near Cine National, Panjim Noon to 3.30 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2222260/ +91 9822100684 O’Asia Pan Asian This is the ultimate destination for your pan Asian culinary fix. At The O Hotel, Dando, Candolim Noon to 3 pm, 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323047000 Hotel Sanskruti Chinese, Goan, Indian, Oriental It’s a pure vegetarian restaurant which is packed during lunch time. It’s really good for South Indian food, Thali, and chaat. At Near HDFC Bank, Porvorim 8 am to 11 pm +91 832 2414400/ +91 94233323822 A Pastelaria Bakery An ideal place for pastries, cakes, cookies and other baked offerings. 9 am to 9 pm At Hotel Mandovi, Panjim +91 832 2426270/ 73 Anandashram Hotel Chinese, Goan and Seafood This is one of the oldest eateries in Goa and is something of an institution for its affordable and delicious Goan Fare. At 31st January Road, Panjim 1 pm to 10.30 pm +91 9823195245 Edu’s Restaurant Indian, Chinese, International and Goan Pizzas are one of their specialties. There’s nothing fancy about it but it has the vibe of a street café. Next to Magsons on the main DB Road in Panjim, Miramar. +91 832 2463777, +91 832 2463888 Mustard A Flavour to Savour Serving Bengali and European food, using mustard as a key ingredient. The only Bengali restaurant in Goa! At House No 78, Mae de dues Vaddo, Chogm Road, Sangolda +91 9823436120 Facebook: /mustardgoa

Friday, December 04, 2015

The Art Curator

A Powerful Player in The Arts Game

Katharina Domscheit Shares Her Artistic Expertise With The People of Goa

“

By Perin Ilavia

A curator is like a custodian of art,” says Katharina Domscheit. German-born and educated in England, Katharina is helping catapult Goa to the forefront of the global arts scene by curating some of the most unusual and visually pleasing art seen in the state. When folks talk of Goa as an international arts hub and how the state is attracting a growing cadre of art connoisseurs, it’s people like Katharina they have in mind. Katharina has a degree in History of Art and Film Studies, and a Masters in Arts Management and Policy, acquired during her 12 years in England. She has been living in Ribandar, Goa, for the last two years. “Before selecting the art, you need to think through every exacting detail, leaving nothing to chance,” she explains. “This requires a lot of preliminary research, overseeing production details and working well with others, as it takes many skilled people to put on an exhibition.” Curator or curatorem in Latin means overseer, guardian, or agent. This overseer is a vital link in the art fraternity. A ‘star’ curator can easily make or break an artist’s career.Curators have to beknowledgeable in art culture, and need a passion and an 'eye' for the art they exhibit. Many are educated in art

history. They are mediators between galleries, museums, artists and the public. They need to multi-task, and be skilled in business communication, marketing, public relations, and fundraising. They have to write catalogue essays and promotional material for their shows, so they need good writing skills too. “I’ve come to Goa with the intention of contributing to the art scene in India, to raise awareness about the positive change that can result from visual arts, by getting involved in the artists’ work,” says Katharina. This desire to push boundaries through visual art propelled her to create ‘Peppina Art’, a platform for curatorial works, workshops and artist mentoring. Last November, she was invited to Kolhapur, to speak on how Indian artists could approach European art markets to develop their career. Her recent sessions atthe Kokum Design Centre atPorvorim in North Goa, on ‘How Art Can Create Change’, explored the power of art and culture for economic and personal benefits. The three-day workshop explained the impact that the visual arts have on the individual and people, and highlighted the power of

the artist and the curator. Despite the low turnout of artists for the interactive workshop, she noticed a desire to learn among those who attended. She interacted with themon developing their careers and on the importance of archiving their works. This sensitive curator believes in building a relationship with artists and getting acquainted with the background of the artist to relate to the work. She then guides them to exhibitions to promote their work. She has thus promoted several young and mid-career artists, who are doing quite well now. Katharina curated exhibitions of contemporary international and postmodern British artists at City Hall, South Bank Centre and the Regents Canal Festival in London in 2012. She also mentored a group exhibition titled ‘Pushing Boundaries’ in May this year at Bonn, Germany. It featured the works of four Indian artists: Praveen Naik and ShilpaNasnolkar from Goa, and Malika Das Sutar and Pradip Das from Kolkata. She also curated Japanese artist KitaMika’scurrent exhibit at Cube Gallery

in Moira, Goa, on display until Dec. 12. The curator’s expertise also comes forth in how the works are ‘hung’. ‘Hanging a show’ is art parlance for the technique that guides the flow and threads the display. The curator has to consider intriguing juxtapositions between artworks, and to create an interesting dialogue between the works and the audience. “It’s upto the artist how they want their work to be displayed,” says Katharina. “Sometimes it’s good to group one artist’s paintings together. Sometimes segregating one style of art—say, landscapes, portraiture, abstracts, etc.—of one or many artists makes a good equation.” On seeing Indian artists from an international perspective, she says, “It’s difficult to look at the context from within, if you’re not from that country. Older and contemporary artists have pushed boundaries and aesthetically shifted to broader horizons. They are thinking beyond, placing India on a global platform, like the contemporary artist JitishKallat, who gives a lot to the Indian art scene.” What does Katharina think of the art scene in Goa? “There’s much more scope for development, it requires more attention,” she opines. “One group of senior and younger artists regularly achieves exposure and sales, but is unable to move forward. Younger artists have a different mindset. They utilize art as a medium to address current issues and thus impact the growth of the art scene.” Katharina is presently working on showing Indian artists in March next year in Mumbai, and KitaMika’s works in Germany or London. 

Katharina can be contacted at: peppinaart@gmail.com

16 arts & entertainment

Goa Arts & Literary Festival 2015 A World-Class Litfest Dec. 10-13

Goa Streets Is Proud Media Partner Of This Delightful Event!

By José Lourenço

tiny arts and literary festival took place in 2010 in the tiniest state of India. Just 40 delegates took part that year. Though that litfest may have seemed small, many of the names that figured there were giants in their own rights and regions—Charles Correa, Mridula Garg, Urvashi Butalia, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, Remo Fernandes and the irrepressible U.R. Ananthamurthy, who opened the festival. By 2014, the number of delegates participating at the Goa Arts and Literary Festival had shot up to 182, with 133 of them travelling to Goa from other parts of India, as well as Europe, Australia, Pakistan and other regions. What is it about this not-so-littleanymore festival that makes it so desirable among the literary and artistic cognoscenti? Vivek Menezes and Damodar Mauzo are the founders of this eclectic fest that is being hosted for the sixth year running at the International

Centre Goa at Donapaula, Panjim. “Writers and artists experience a freedom of expression here at GALF, that may not be possible at other festivals,” says Vivek. “A poet can read intensely erotic verse here or express highly charged political and social views, that could easily get him or her censured elsewhere.” Writers like Teju Cole, Bilal Tanveer, Samanth Subramanian, Meena Kandasamy, and many others have rubbed shoulders with fellow writers here at the Goa Litfest over the last few years, as they rose to literary heights at an international scale. “The intimate and informal atmosphere at GALF allows writers and artists and their readers to mingle freely,” says Mauzo. “This is difficult at larger festivals like the Jaipur Litfest.” In past editions, the festival has focussed on NorthEast India, Pakistan, Singapore and other

regions. What is the theme focus this year, I ask Vivek. “History,” he replies, “we have invited historians from all around the world, including Ramachandra Guha, Ines Zupanov, Faisal Devji, Angela Barretto, Anjali Arondekar, Jonathan Gil Harris, Raghu Karnad, Vedica Kant, Parag Porob, Rochelle Pinto and others.” The international line-up of writers include six each from Bangladesh and Singapore, these two being the focus countries this year. Eight Pakistani

delegates, three from the UK, four from USA and one each from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Norway and Portugal will attend GALF 2015. Over 50 prominent speakers from Goa and the rest of India will complete the regional literary and artistic presence at the festival. The Indian government’s Ministry of Culture and the Goa government’s Department of Art and Culture are partners in the festival. A long standing partner of GALF is the Goa Writers group, a ten-year old association of writers based in Goa. There’s plenty to look forward to at GALF this week. Award winning food book author Naomi Duguid will make her debut appearance in India at GALF. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar will release his second book ‘The Adivasi Will Not Dance’. Annie Zaidi will showcase her powerful anthology ‘Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women’s Writing’. Tamil Dalit writer Bama will discuss her autobiographical novel ‘Karukku’ and the consequences it had on her life. The audience can also look forward to thought provoking keynote addresses by poet Keki Daruwalla and artist Dayanita Singh. The inaugural of Goa Arts & Literary Festival 2015 will take place at the Maquinez Palace, ESG auditorium, Panjim at 5pm on December 10. The festival continues over 11th to 13th December at International Centre Goa, Donapaula. For more details on GALF 2015 go to http://www.goaartlitfest.com/

arts & entertainment 17

Friday, December 04, 2015

Dec 10 The VI edition of the Goa Art and Literary Festival (GALF) Will open once again in December this year with some of the best known authors, Poets and historians in the world. Entry to all sessions is free and open to the public. Goa Streets is proud to be a media partner. At the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula 5:30 PM +91 832 245 2805

Dec 12 A Christmas concert Child's Play India Foundation presents the Nirmal Goswami Memorial Concert, a Christmas concert featuring the children of Child's Play, Camerata Child's Play India and the debut performances of the Child's Play choirs. At Menezes Braganza hall Panjim. 6 pm onwards +91 832 222 4143

Dec 3 to Dec 5 Dress Festival Dress festival at Very Panjim in association with designer By Jyothsna Bhatt At Very, Panjim +91 832 2227121 Dec 5th to Dec 6th Lifestyle exhibition SHRINGAR Lifestyle Exhibition and Sale, featuring highly talented designers and entrepreneurs from All over India. The latest in garments, sarees, jewellery, Accessories and lifestyle products will be on display. At Goa Marriott Resort, Miramar 11:00 AM TO 8:00 PM +91 832 246 3333 National Youth Film Festival 2015, Goa 5th December, 2015 Formal Inauguration followed by cultural programme: At 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm 6th December, 2015 Screening of the 25 nationally selected films Award giving ceremony: At 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm At Ravindra Bhavan, Fatorda, Margao. +91 7506 31 9095 / +91 9823 05 9498

Dec 8 to 10 Exhibition of handcrafted items Handcrafted in Goa, an exhibition and sale of handcrafted products is being Organized by Naree Artisans Movement (NAM) Goa. At Institute Menezes Braganza, Panjim 11 am to 7 pm +91 832 222 4143

Dec 10 & Dec 11 49th Mando Festival Goa Cultural and Social Centre in collaboration with Dept. of Art & Culture & Kala Academy Goa presents All Goa State Level. At D. M. K. M. Kala Academy Auditorium, Panaji. 5:00 pm +91 9921 20 7297 /+ 91 9860 38 7234

Nov 5 to Jan 25 ‘GOPAKAPATTANAM – Exploring Goa’s histories through the lens of contemporary art’ Curated by Dr. Subodh Kerkar & Mr. Peter Mueller 10 am to 6 pm everyday At Museum of Goa, Plot No. 79, Pilerne Industrial Estate, Pilerne Email: subodh@museumofgoa.com / mail@museumofgoa.com Web: www.museumofgoa.com www.facebook.com/museumofgoa

Nov 6 to Dec 12 'Kite Mika' 'Drawn into Black and White' Curated by Katherina Domscheit. At The Cube Gallery, Moira Satinderbir@yahoo.com +91 832 2470415/+91 8422806748

Galleries of Note The Cube Gallery Every architect, since the beginning of time, has secretly tried to create a vision of paradise in the buildings they design. Discover one such paradise and much more. At The Cube Gallery, Calizor Vaddo, Moira. 11 am to 7 pm +91 832 2470415/ +91 9422806748 thecubegallerygoa@gmail.com Surya Art Gallery This gallery is situated in a quiet location where contemporary works of canvas paintings from Goa and artifacts are displayed. At Bandawal Wada, Pernem 10 am to 6 pm +91 9404149764/ +91 9422064754 Galleria Esperance Retrospective Art in oils, watercolours, crayons, still life photographs etc. on display Near Our Lady of Merces Church, Merces 4 pm to 7 pm +91 9922509704 Kerkar Art Gallery Exhibition of recent works of Subodh Kerkar “The Pepper Cross” & “Indigo”. Besides a new series of Laterite Stone Sculptures on display. At Gaura Vaddo, Calangute 10 am to 7 pm +91 9326119324 Mario Art Gallery Discover the original paintings and other memorabilia of the great Goan artist/cartoonist Mario Miranda. Here you can buy “The Life of Mario”, as well as prints, mounted prints, frames, tiles, mugs, card sets and other books. At ‘Houses of Goa’, Salvador-doMundo, Porvorim area 9:00 am to 5:30 pm +91 832 2410711 archauto@gmail.com www.mariodemiranda.com

Monsoon Heritage Studio Treat yourself to some amazing collection of mirrored mosaic art and handpicked artefacts at this upscale studio by Yahel Chirinian. At Mainath Batti, Arpora 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM +91 9822122771

Konkani Audio Book for the Visually Impaired

Off The Wall Discover a collection of deeply astounding works of art displayed on a daily basis at this thoughtful art cafe. Fort Aguada Road, Sinquerim, Candolim 10:30 am to 11:30 pm +91 9820083497, +91 9823289123 Panjim Art Gallery Get a dose of the local culture with figurative works of Goan artists. Near Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim 9:00 am to 8:00 pm +91 9822168703 Gallery Gitanjali An elegant art gallery in Panjim’s Latin Quarter is worth hopping into when you’re in the area. Fontainhas, Panjim 9:00 am to 9:00 pm +91 9823572035 gallerygitanjali@gmail.com www.gallerygitanjali.com Art Chamber: Galleria de Belas Artes One of the more interesting and pleasant art centers in the state featuring confident acrylic strokes that are somewhat three dimensional, put across the canvas by Yolanda De Souza and others. The musical acts here are worth looking out for too.  Gaura Vaddo, Calangute 10:00 am to 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm +91 832 2277144 artchamber@gmail.com www.goa-art.com Moksa Art Gallery Here you will find some immensely conceptual paintings by Salvadoran Fernandez and others. Naik Waddo, Calangute 9:30 am to 8:30 pm +91 832 2281121 mokshart@gmail.com www.mokshartgallery.com Sunaparanta- Goa Centre for the Arts The centre houses several exhibition galleries, a large multi-functional space for workshops and lectures, an in-house film club, sketch club, open air amphitheatre, pottery studio and an open courtyard that houses the al fresco café, Bodega. The red velvet cupcakes at Bodega are a must try! At Altinho, Panjim 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. +91 832 2421311 info@sgcfa.org | www.sgcfa.org

By Goa Streets ‘Shabdulim’, an innovative audio CD containing recited Konkani poems and short stories was released on 2nd November at the Goa State Central Library, Panjim. The compact disc features poems by Madhav Borkar, Ramesh Veluskar and other poets, along with short stories by Damodar Mauzo, Prakash Pariekar, Vincy Quadros and other writers, all recited by the authors themselves. Streets asked Salil Chaturvedi, who initiated this project, how it all came about. This is what Salil told us: I am a Trustee of Score Foundation, a Delhi-based NGO that works on communication programmes for visually impaired people around India. Before moving to Goa, I had produced a magazine for Score Foundation called ‘Beyond the Eye’ that got into the Limca Book of Records for being the only publication that was produced in print, braille and digital formats simultaneously. On a past visit to the Central Library in Panjim, I saw many braille books and tactile maps, and I noticed a recording room there too. I also noted that there weren't any audio books produced for Konkani-speaking visually impaired persons. Being a writer and poet (in English as well as in Hindi), I felt that blind and visually impaired readers in Goa should not miss out on the rich literary heritage of Konkani which I had had a glimpse of after moving to Goa. I had read only English translations, but I love the sound of Konkani that I hear sitting in the balcão of my house in Chorao, overhearing children and old women passing by. I am also fascinated by the different dialects of Konkani. Hence the idea of bringing out an audio CD in Konkani. I approached the noted Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo for contacts of poets and short-story writers. I then called them, telling them about the project and they immediately said Yes. The support was quite overwhelming. Meanwhile, my colleague Bina Datwani and I scouted for a recording studio. Carlos Fernandes, the genial head librarian at Central Library suggested we use the studio of the Department of Art and Culture, on the ground floor of the Library complex. He got us an appointment with Prasad Lolayekar who, when he heard about the project, offered the recording studio for free! Taha Haaziq, a blind person employed at the Central Library, converted all the audio recordings to the DAISY (Digitally Accessible Information System) format. The National Association for the Blind (NAB) will help in the distribution of the CD. The Art & Culture Department has also decided to form a committee that will oversee this project and hopefully many more audio books shall emerge in the near future.

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Friday, December 04, 2015

Global Thinkers To Converge in Goa

'Difficult Dialogues' Conference Coming Soon

s an independent, nonpartisan forum for discussing critical issues in south Asia, Difficult Dialogues 2016 is the first edition of an annual festival based on the conviction that knowledge sharing is the cornerstone of progressive change in this fastest growing region of the world. It will take place between January 28-30, 2016 at the International Centre Goa (ICG) and Cidade De Goa. The focus areas of panel discusions this year will be: Global Finance, Infrastructure, India and West Asia, and Civil Society. Curated by the South Asia Centre, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and Television for the Environment (tve), Difficult Dialogues 2016 has three key components - LSE India Summit, tve Dialogue Derivatives and Daring Debates. The forum will bring together outstanding policy makers, experts, scholars and academicians on a single platform, along with more than 400 delegates from around the world to interact, debate and derive solutions. There will also be a panel discussion on Global Goa, with prominent speakers engaging in conversation about multiculturism, trade and economics in the state. Some of the eminent personalities gracing the event include Arvind Subramanian, Naina Lal Kidwai, Craig Calhoun, Erik Berglof, Jason Burke, Mridula Sinha, Nasser Munjee, Pavan K Varma, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Sam Pitroda, Shashi Tharoor, Shivshankar Menon, Siddharth Varadarajan, Srdja Popovic, Sukhadeo Thorat, Urjit Patel, Yashwant Sinha and Yogendra Yadav. Difficult Dialogues is a unique initiative put together by philanthropist and businesswoman Surina Narula in collaboration with Oroon Das.

“Difficult Dialogues aims at working with individuals, organisations, thinktanks, media, government and parastatal institutions to debate south Asia amidst its constituent countries and the world-at-large. Through this platform, the team envisions to encourage multifaceted dialogues and debates for positioning south Asia as a dynamic and global influencer of power and concrete policy changes. We look forward to an overwhelming response leading to meaningful actions by people across sectors that will bring the desired change in the society,” explains Surina Narula. Bhagyashree Dengle, Executive Director of Plan India, one of the partners of Difficult Dialogues, spoke at a recent press conference of her long-term experience working with Surina Narula. She manages Plan India, develops its strategies, measures progress, partnerships and alliances, and looks after advocacy on child rights issues. She is the author of several papers on child rights and reproductive health issues. Since youth engagement is an important essence of any society, tve launched Daring Debates, a series of

debates amongst college students on whether civil society can advance social change. Daring Debates is an initiative to promote discussions around notions of being civilised in contemporary India, and its implications on our understanding of citizenship in the unique dynamism of Indian democracy. Organised across five cities in India – Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Kolkata and Mumbai – Daring Debates will conclude with a finale at ICG on January 30, 2016. Daring Debates Goa will be held at Goa University in the Social Sciences Seminar Hall, Arts Faculty Block on December 9 at 10:30 am. The judges are writer-publisher Frederick Noronha, actor Pooja Bedi and installation artist Subodh Kerkar. 