Issue No: 44 by Goa Streets

Anni ver sar y Edition 04

Bismarque Dias

Was it a murder or an accident?

Smart City

Goa International Jazz Live Festival

Museum of Goa

Narkasur

Books & Vibes

E-City In Tuem

Education

Jazz is sexy, funky & groovy A Goan demon

How to keep it from becoming an elitist haven Off to a stunning start

Where the fun and young hang out

Employment generator or land grab? What do Gabriel García Márquez, Julia Child and Anne Frank have in common?

ALSO INSIDE: COMPLETE FOOD/EVENT/NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

02 Anniversary Special Steven Gutkin, the venture’s Chief Mentor, is an award-winning journalist who has reported from some two dozen countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas. An international newsman for 30 years, Steven served as Bureau Chief with the Associated Press, the world’s largest news gathering organization, in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, AP Bureau Chief in Caracas, Venezuela, as well as AP’s Chief of Southeast Asia Services, first in Singapore and then in Indonesia. Steven has also worked for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Newsweek and CBS Radio. He covered the rise and fall of the Medellin and Cali cocaine cartels in Colombia, rode into Kabul with a triumphant Northern Alliance and directed coverage of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and Lebanon. He also led coverage of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for the AP, and helped lead the news cooperative’s operations in the southern United States. The Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was caught partly because he lingered on the phone with his son to answer Steven’s questions, and the cops traced the call. Steven covered the killing of Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Mexico, the death of Yasser Arafat, the Elian Gonzales case in Cuba, a coup in Fiji and the rise to power of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.

Amol

Rahul

Amol Kamat, Layout Artist. Amol has worked with print media for more than a decade. He loves to colour his palate of life with traveling, food and Indian music. His creativity is showcased through photography which is inspired by his love for nature. Amol believes in creating something out of nothing.

Rahul Rivonkar, Marketing & Events Coordinator. A creative and inventive thinker, Rahul craves a challenge and is not afraid to work outside his comfort zone. Rahul is a motivated team player who aims to push and exceed goals. An Electronics & TeleCommunication Engineer by profession, he is a meticulous, resourceful and exuberant person who goes out and gets

Radhika

Alvira

what he wants rather than waiting for it to be brought to him. Rahul has interned with Channel V & Star TV as a Marketing Manager and worked with them for 4 years for a project based in Goa. He is a big football fan with a huge passion for health & fitness. He starts his day by playing some beach football and does not miss out on a good workout everyday!

Radhika Naik, Marketing and Listings Coordinator. She has a B.Com degree and also carries a post Graduation degree in Computer Application. A Mapusa resident who was always a big fan of the news, she is thrilled to be part of that world today. Music with a slow tempo is her favourite playlist.

Nilesh Alvira Rodrigues, Sales Executive. A resident of Sangolda, Alvira enjoys cooking and loves listening to music. She is a quick learner and lives to take up challenges in life. Alvira is a traveller, who loves to meet new people. She loves spending some quality time with her family and friends.

Nilesh Shetgaonkar, Administrative and Distribution Coordinator, is a happy-go-lucky Morjim native who prides himself on living life to the fullest. He spent seven years in Dubai and loves football, cricket and trivia.

Jose Lourenço, Contributing Editor. Jose’s short fiction and essays in Konkani and English have appeared in various anthologies and periodicals.

Marisha Dutt, Publisher and Editor of Goa Streets, is a former Marketing and Advertising Manager with The Wall Street Journal in Singapore. She took a break from work to raise her two boys in Indonesia, Israel, the United States and India. She has a Masters Degree in Marketing from The University of Strathclyde in the UK and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations. She was born in Assam, India and spent her early years on a tea plantation overlooking a pristine wildlife sanctuary. When she was 10, she and her family moved to Calcutta, where Marisha had the privilege of working alongside Mother Teresa. Later the family moved to Goa. Marisha is also a passionate, award-winning cook, and her food has been savoured by business leaders, ministers, ambassadors, artists, journalists and many others in the countries where she has lived and worked. Marisha and Steven were married 13 years ago on the Candolim beach.

Jose

Brendon

An engineer by profession, he has authored the book ‘The Parish Churches of Goa-A Study of Façade Architecture’ and also blogs on Goan architecture.

Brendon Sapeco, Photographer. Brendon’s background is in business, having worked in the Hospitality industry in Panjim. He has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Don Bosco college and is currently pursuing Law at V.M. Salgaoncar college. He has earlier worked as a freelance photographer for Herald, Business Goa, Metro Times and India Today. Brendon loves to travel, is always up for learning something new, and is keen on taking challenges.

Vijay

Maria

Vijay Gadekar, Distribution Team. Aside from being very handy in all things mechanical, Vijay is a big fan of football with an equal passion for quality beach time.

Maria Joana Miranda, Office Maintenance, is a very caring, understanding and hardworking woman who loves to cook, stitch and travel in her leisure time. Maria is a mother of four children, who are all settled now. Originally from Goa Velha, she now resides at Sangolda with her husband. Valentino, of the Distribution Team, is a warm-hearted, hard-working, fun-loving son of Goa who appreciates time spent with friends and family. He is a valuable member of the Goa Streets team, and a good man!

enquire

The Case of Father Bismarque Dias Witnesses And Police Say He Drank Beer And Drowned Accidentally But Goans Aren’t Buying The Story

By Goa Streets

et us, for a moment, leave aside the question of how Father Bismarque Dias, one of Goa’s most outspoken social activists, actually died. Because perceptions matter as much as reality in human relations, the impression among what appears to be a majority of Goans that he was murdered, plain and simple, is likely to have lasting effects on the state’s political and social discourse for a long time to come. The truth is it’s far from certain that foul play was involved. Police, press reports and witness accounts all point to an evening of beer and conversation, an after-dark jump in a river and a likely accidental drowning. “At this moment there is nothing to suggest that this is a homicide,” Deputy Inspector General of Police V Renganathan told media persons on Thursday. “Both the post mortem reports, the first carried out by a single forensic expert and the second by a team of experts, have found not a single ante mortem injury on the body. All the injuries have been carefully examined and have found to be taken place after he died”. All this could very well be true, of course. But then again, Inspector Renganathan’s statement does beg more questions: Why would a homicide, especially where water is involved, require evidence of injury? If someone forcibly held your head underwater for more than a minute or so, how long would you survive? And just because you were last seen with two innocentlooking teenage boys, is it not possible they could have been involved in a plot? The bottom line is this. Based on everything we know so far, it seems likely that Father Bismarque (he was ordained a priest, although it had been many years since he had actually functioned as one), drowned accidentally. The youngsters whom he was last seen with, other witnesses and the police all describe a sequence of events in which Bismarque, after having drunk several beers, jumped into a river in plain sight of his young companions, and then disappeared into the darkness in an area known for strong

undercurrents (where the tributary meets the river). But here’s the rub. We still don’t know anything for sure, and Goa’s police department is refusing to hand the case over to the Goa Police Crime Branch or the Central Bureau of Investigation, for lack of evidence of homicide. “If there is no crime, what is the use of handing it over to the Crime Branch? There needs to be something based on which we believe that it is a crime and we can register a case of homicide, if not murder,” Renganathan said. One could say that’s a sensible decision, for if they were to hand it over to the Crime Branch, many Goans may instinctively take that as proof a homicide was committed, and the fires of anxiety would be stoked. But then again, it’s important to remember that Bismarque had in fact received death threats, and that he was standing up to some of the most powerful political and financial forces in the state, opposing multi-crore projects from Tiracol to Corlim to Tuem. “I believe it was a murder. Whatever has happened is a direct result of his work,” said Sudeep Dalvi, another deeply committed social campaigner. Because drowning involving foul play need not entail evidence of injury, because of the existence of a strong motive to kill the 53-year-old Bismarque Dias and because of the existence of actual death threats,

handing the case over to the Crime Branch, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Supreme Court or other higher authorities could well be the correct course of action. A valid argument can be made that the strong motive to eliminate Bismarque Dias should override the lack of physical evidence of a homicide, and that others should be investigating. If a thorough probe by any of those other entities were to conclude the death was an accident, the case could be put to rest once and for all. Until then, the perception that Bismarque was murdered is likely to prevail. Whether that will send a chill through Goa’s activist movements, making them less likely to stand up to the powers that be, or reinvigorate the protests through anger over the perceived homicide, is an open question. What is known is that Bismarque went with two teenagers and a box of beer towards the thick undergrowth along the banks of the River Mandovi after 8:30 at night and never returned. Several persons saw them going

towards the river and they greeted several people as they walked there. The two teenage boys are still in the custody of the Old Goa Police, without being charged with any wrongdoing, and not without reason. With Bismarque having a huge number of friends and coactivists who believe he was murdered, their safety cannot be ensured. Among the projects Bismarque opposed was a road through a wetland in his own village. He was the target of a `1 crore defamation suit as well as two death threats over the case, both of which he reported to the police. “Removing him was the only way out for these people who wanted to build the road. While he had friends all over Goa, he had many enemies in his own village,” said Dalvi. Police have questioned the two teenagers separately, and both have told the same story in the same exact detail. The sequence of events has been corroborated by others who met Bismarque on that night, the police said. Despite the police refusal to hand the case to the Crime Branch, the CBI, or to have it monitored by the Supreme Court, the government has asked an additional collector, Swapnil Naik, a quasi judicial revenue official, to submit his own report – a development that could alter the case’s course. Clearly, authorities are trying to walk a fine line between satisfying activists and Bismarque’s family, and not letting the case obtain “legs” by agreeing to further investigations. Those who knew Bismarque well describe him as something of a tormented soul, penniless and conflicted. That may help explain why he spent an evening at the edge of a river drinking beer with teenagers he hardly knew, and, according to press reports, discussing God and ghosts. But what it doesn’t explain is why one of Goa’s bravest activists entered the water and never returned.

Publisher Marisha Dutt • Chief Mentor Steven Gutkin

Correspondents/Writers: Ethel Da Costa, Sheela Jaywant, Charlane Pereira e Rebello, Bina Datwani, Karan Bhagat, Perin Ilavia, Dielle D’Souza,

Anzil Fernandes, Crespo D’Souza, Sanket Sharma, Richa Narvekar, Vivian Maverick Martins, Claron Mazarello, Aliya Abreu, Kanchi Mehta, Sapna Shahani • Contributing Editor José Lourenço • Photographer Brendon Sapeco • Marketing Co-ordinator Radhika Naik • Marketing & Event Co-ordinator Rahul Rivonkar • Marketing Executive Alvira Rodrigues • Graphic Designer Amol Kamat • Circulation & Accounts Co-ordinator Nilesh Shetgaonkar • Circulation Vijay Gadekar & Valentino D'Cruz

Friday, November 13, 2015

GOA HOSTS THE BIGGEST NEW AGE JAZZ FESTIVAL IN INDIA Meet The Best of Jazz Cats From Europe, India And Beyond! Goa Streets Is Proud To Be Media Partner Of This Year’s GIJLF! Don’t Miss It! Save The Dates! Nov. 27, 28 and 29

oa International Jazz Live Festival (GIJLF) is here to enthrall all generations, in its 3rd glorious year. This new age contemporary jazz festival promises absolutely brilliant performances by young talents & maestros of jazz from India and abroad (Switzerland, Australia, Wales-UK, Morocco, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland & Lithuania) presenting groundbreaking, progressive, funky, groovy, and Zen music; it is an absolute must experience for jazz enthusiasts, music lovers, and anyone who appreciates new sounds and musical depictions. A spectacular venue at Bogmalo with a 180-degree sea view and starry skies in Goa is an added bonus of course!

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06 music & nightlife Nov 13

Every Thursday

Wet & Tech Featuring VINAY, Loose Abstrkt, Tejas Belkond At Waters Beach Lounge & Grill, Vagator 8 pm onwards +91 9702025555

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

Nov 14

Wet and Tech Gear up for an amazing session of electronic music acts playing Deep house, Tech, and tech house music At Waters Beach Lounge and Grill, Ozran beach, Vagator 8:00 pm till late +919767200012 & 9702025555 & 9850561111

This Saturday Featuring DJ Swana At Cafe Lilliput, Anjuna 6 pm onwards +91 9822137767

14th 15th & 16th November The Mega Weekend Is Almost Here!!! Marbela Beach Presents Delirium Weekends. 3 Groovy Days With The Much Awaited Whyt Noyz On Saturday First Time In Goa. At Marbela Beach, Morjim +91 9158881180

Nov 27, 28, 29 Goa International Jazz Live Festival 2015 Featuring Meet the Jazz Cats At Stone Water Eco Resort, Santarem Beach 7 pm onwards +91 9323590051

Oct 24 to Dec 26 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

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, motown rock, and country tracks, 8pm onwards.  Come savour the flavours that binds cuisines together at the the newest culinary destination in Goa. 8:00 pm onwards  At Mustard, Sangolda +91 98234 36120

Every Fridays

Friday Night Live with Alcatrazz For the first time in Dona Paula : Retro, Pop and Dance music by the amazing Alcatrazz only at Bay 15. At Bay 15, Odxel beach, Dona Paula 8:00 pm onwards 095610 06715

Music Spots in Goa 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 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

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) Crown Casino Crown Casino located on the first floor of The Crown Hotel, Celebrate and have fun in crown casino that offers the latest in Gaming technology. Enjoy an international experience right here in the heart of Goa! Hotel guests can avail of special casino packages as well. Contact hotel reception on check in. Bairo Alto Dos Pilotos, Jose Falcao Road, Behind Old Secretariat, Panjim For Group Booking Contact: Mr. Rakshit Talwar: +91 9049084848 or +91 832 2222833 reception@crowncasinogoa.com 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

Gone are the days when jazz was for the old, for the fuddy duddies or the suit-clad Scotch sipping aficionados. It is not just the saxophone and the piano or the swarming lament of a lonesome song. It’s no longer underground or for the forlorn. Jazz has come of age. It’s reigning in glory days. There is a new pulse, a new attitude and a new take on Jazz. It resembles our lives today, where there is a hint of modern to the traditional, and a new twist to the old. It’s funky, it’s cool. It’s vivacious and it rules. The Goa International Jazz Live Festival (GIJLF) showcases new age Jazz in all its splendor. Groovy tunes and psychedelic innuendos…to feet tapping, heart reverberating pulsating music the festival promises it all. Bands travelling from Europe & best of Jazz Musicians from India are all set to enthrall audiences in Goa, take center stage in the most scenic environment. A belief in exposing Goa to new fresh sounds, spreading peace and happiness through a collective experience and a philosophy that says music knows no boundaries has seen Vinesh & Darryl (the founders and seekers of Art Escape- The live music Project) and Emma (Founder of Gatecrash & Jazz in India) call no stops to bring this festival to us. GIJF is a sensory experience and a must visit for

all and every person who loves music, its nuances and improvisations. • Venue: STONE WATER ECO RESORT, Santarem Beach, Bogmalo • Dates: 27-28-29 November • DAILY PASS INR 750/-, 3 DAY PASS INR 2,000/• Tickets: insider.in/event/goa-internationaljazz-live-festival-gijlf-2015 • Contacts: Vinesh 9323590051 / Darryl 9881568756 / Emma 9833718642

Friday, November 13, 2015

Nov 12, 13, 14

Hand Built Pottery Workshop Learn Slab, Pinch & Coil Techniques at the hand built pottery workshop and take back 6 kiln fired articles. At Carpe Diem, Majorda 4 pm to 6 pm +91 88888 62462

Nov 14

United Goa Marathon Run For Unity & Peace Men's Marathon 1st price 1,00,000 Will start from Campal Groung & finish at Campal Ground 6.30 am onwards

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Scaravelli Inspired Yoga Based on Body Awareness through the Principles of Ground Breath Spine, Asana, Self Enquiry & The spirit of Vanda Scaravelli. At Shala 142, Assagao 8 am to 9.30 am +91 9821138131 Salsa Workshop A Series of Salsa Classes will be conducted. At Carpe Diem, Majorda 6 pm to 7 pm +91 88888 62462

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

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 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 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 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

Book Centres 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 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 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 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 Pilar Seminary It's one of the surviving two seminaries out of the four built by the Portuguese. Though it looks run of the mill from a distance, once inside you'll be in for a surprise with the posh new chapel. It has an impressive marble platform and altar. The strikingly beautiful stained windows are the brain-work of a Goan artist and were made in Germany. Resting in the seminary grounds is the tomb of Father Agnelo, a notable point of interest for the ones on pilgrimage. Its location on a solitary stretch lends it an aura of reserved grounds and visiting it is a feat for many. A one room museum at the Once here, you can get a bird's eyeview of St Andrew Church of Goa Velha down below, while the whispers that echo from the tree leaves make it an ethereal experience. At Pilar 8.30 am to 5.30 pm +91 832 2218521

Water Sports

Champion’s Yacht Club Unlimited fun on water. Drive exciting luxury cruise boats and enjoy other rides. At Mayam Lake, Bicholim +91 832 6517080 www.championsyachtclub.com Water Splash Cruises A large fleet of Catamarans, Boats, and Cruisers & Yachts: take to the water, the sea, the sky. At Models Status, Dona Paula www.watersplashcruises.com +91 8888864347 Sea Wave Water Sports Enjoy parasailing, boat rides, banana rides, bump rides, jet skiing, water skiing, dolphin trips and more. At Calangute +91 832 2276362 Atlantis Water Sports Everything under the sun and in the water, with a premium placed on safety and quality service. At Baga Bazar, Next to Tito’s Lane +91 9890047272 www.atlantiswatersports.com Aqua Sports India Fishing, Motor Boat Rides, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Water Scooter Rides At 5th Floor, Nizari Bhavan, Menezes Braganza Road, Panaji +91 832 2231215, +91 832 2426967  Bogmalo Beach Park Plaza Resort Body Boards, Motor Boat Rides, Parasailing, Water Scooter Rides, Water Skiing, Windsurfing At Bogmalo Beach, Bogmalo +91 832 2538222  Dolphin Adventure Sports Ltd. Boating, Entertainment At Survey No. 251/25, Kurkuta, Dona Paola +91 832 – 2453838 Dominic Water Sports Canoeing, Water Scooter Rides, Water Skiing, Windsurfing  At Sinquerim Beach, Bardez

DIWALI 09

Friday, November 13, 2015

A Demon in Goa

And Happy Diwali to All! By Sanket Sharma he festive season of Diwali is here and everybody is in a happy mood. Diwali in Goa is even more joyous, as it also marks the start of the tourist season. People in the streets are dressed in traditional Indian wear, sweets and gifts get exchanged, firecrackers light up the sky, and sparkly lights flutter at every house , shop or building you look at. In India, it doesn’t get any bigger and brighter. Aside from loud firecrackers and soothing diyas, one of this Indian festival’s most noteworthy traditions in Goa is the celebration of Narkasura’s death. It may seem a bit morbid to the uninitiated, but the beheading and burning of the demon king Narkasura throughout the state is actually the celebration of light winning over the darkness, a harmonious and joyous communal event. So here’s the thing with Narkasura. Its legend goes back to ancient times when the land of Gomantak (Goa) was ruled by the evil Narkasura. According to tales which have been passed down over hundreds of years, the demon king had all the kingdoms of earth under his control and was hell bent on his evil ways. He was terrorizing everybody and there was little that anyone could have done, given his powers. At one point it was claimed that he had kidnapped over 16,000 women, including the wives of Gods like Krishna. He was extremely feared by the people and even Gods. One of them, Indra was so upset by his bullying and destructive ways, that she left the planet. Here entered the greatest savior ever known in Hindu mythology, Krishna. An avatar of Vishnu, he was not going to lie down and take these atrocities committed by the crazy demon king. What ensued was the mightiest of the battles, with Narkasura attacking Krishna with every fancy weapon he could get his hands on. But all that was

In the first part of the demonstration the demon is beheaded, emulating the great victory of lord Krishna. And then the demon is burnt. This important mythological event is celebrated widely Goa with great enthusiasm. Shubhangi Narvekar a local from Margao now living in Panjim fondly recalls, "We used to go around the city (Margao) in a truck to look at the Narkasura. That time there was just one big Narkasura in the whole city which everybody would come to watch. It was very nice and exciting. Various smaller Narkasuras would be made in a lot of houses including ours but the city would have just one big one." Narkasura celebrations have been embraced by younger generations with as much enthusiasm as their elders, if not more. At a time when many traditions are disappearing, this one is alive and kicking. Narkasura celebration in Goa has seen an increase in popularity to the point where city and village competitions are now commonplace.

of little use as Krishna finally destroyed the evil Narkasura with his SudarshanChakra, a trademark weapon of his (which also appears several times in the epic Mahabharata). The final beheading of the demon King through the Sudarshan-Chakra marked the beginning of a new era and the end of a dark age. Thus Diwali the festival of lights is the start of a new age full of light and hope, with darkness defeated. A day before Diwali is when the demonstration of the killing of the demon king by Krishna is held. Huge effigies of the demon king are made in various poses, mostly having an evil grinning face and sometimes even accompanied by an evil laughing looping sound. The big effigies made out of papier mache are stuffed with hay and fire crackers for the later part of the demonstration.

Various communities make their own Narkasuras, which they parade around their city or village before finally showing their demonstration, out of which the best selected gets a handsome cash prize. Various Narkasura merchandise has also started appearing in markets, such as a ready-made head which can be used to make one’s own Narkasura. Fortunately, the commerce of the celebration is not in any way reducing the spirit of the festival, marked by love, community and joy. Krishnadas Naik, a 70-year-old retired government employee, explains, “This tradition was our tradition and we love it that our children our taking it forward.” I was lucky enough to be part of the Narkasura competition in Panjim a few years ago. People from all walks of life were present for the competition, whistling and cheering for the competitors, who start preparing for that day long before. All the Narkasuras are paraded through the city on trucks with large processions following them. Shubhangi further recalls, "I use to hear the loud noises of the drums while I waited for the Narkasura on my terrace. Everybody in my house would be sleeping and telling me to sleep as well, but from the noise of the drums I knew they were coming. I sometimes use to wait until 12 or 1 to watch the Narkasura procession." The noises of the drums might have now been changed to the noise of metal music or EDM, and the simple processions might have been changed to competitions, but the spirit of the tradition carries on. The festive vibes and happy communal nature of Goa is helping to keep this tradition alive. It’s good to know that in this day and age, when times are changing fast and folks would rather be on their smart-phones than talk to each other, we at least have some communal events like these that we can all look forward to and share. 

10 Friday, November 13, 2015

Whole-wheat Pretzels By Kornelia Santoro

e love pretzels. As a Bavarian I call them ‘Brezen’. There is something about these dark brown breads that makes them very addictive. I prefer pretzels the Bavarian way: a soft centre covered by a deliciously salty skin that offers a bit of crunchy resistance to the bite. The fat pretzels sold everywhere in Manhattan do nothing for me (excuse me bakers of New York). They lack flavour and texture. Unfortunately, here in India pretzels are hard to come by. For a long time I wanted to bake them at home and I finally succeeded for the sake of my newsletter. When I was a teenager and living in Bavaria, I tried one time to make pretzels but that experiment resulted in utter failure. Something went wrong with the alkali solution that you dip the pretzels in before baking them – the secret behind the brown skin of pretzels. My pretzels did not change colour at all and I gave up on baking them. A few days ago, I set out again to bake homemade pretzels. I wanted to make them with whole-wheat flour because I avoid white flour whenever possible. Thanks to the Internet I found plenty of

recipes. Nevertheless, my latest pretzel experiment turned out as a kind of hit and miss. You need to dip the pretzels before baking into a boiling solution of water with salt and baking soda. My first pretzels did not like this at all. They disintegrated almost immediately when they hit the solution. I thought I have to find another recipe for this month’s newsletter. Fortunately I remembered a German website recommending to freeze them before dipping them to ‘keep the shape better’. Honestly, my pretzels needed one hour in the freezer to keep their shape at all. The flavour of my pretzels came pretty close to the original. They tasted good enough to disappear almost immediately. I like to slice open my pretzels and smother them with fresh butter, accompanied by a cold beer. At this point I would like to announce that I am taking a two-month holiday from writing because we will be travelling in Europe. I have worked very hard to finish the manuscript of my new book with the working title ‘Cooking for Happiness’. I am proud to announce that HarperCollins India will publish it towards the end of this year or beginning of next year.

Ingredients: (for 8 large pretzels) • 500 g whole-wheat flour • 2 packets dry yeast • 50 g butter • 200 ml milk • 2 tbsp sugar • 100 g baking soda • Salt and Water

Method: Pretzels are made with yeast dough. When you replace white flour with whole-wheat flour, you have to remember that you need more rising power because whole-wheat dough tends to be denser. Normally one packet of yeast would be sufficient for 500 g flour. But pretzels need to be light that’s why we need two packets to do the job. Making yeast dough is not difficult but you need to remember some basic facts: yeast is a fungus that likes moisture and warm temperature. You cannot make yeast dough in a hurry because it needs time to rise. If you heat yeast to more than 60 degrees, it dies. First of all, you need to wake up the dry yeast. Place the sugar into a bowl, mix it with a cup of water and add the yeast. Stir well and wait until bubbles develop. Place the flour into a bowl and dig out a well. Fill the bubbling yeast into the well and cover it with flour. When the yeast bubbles out of the flour, start adding the milk and ½ tablespoon salt. Melt the butter and add it to the bowl. It is not really necessary to melt the butter but it makes mixing a lot easier.

Yeast dough needs severe kneading, when you use whole-wheat flour even more so. Kneading activates the gluten that holds the dough together and makes it rise. I start off to incorporate enough liquid to obtain smooth dough with the help of the kneading hooks of my hand mixer. It is rather impossible to predict how much liquid you need exactly. Remember that the extra fibre of wholewheat flour soaks up quite a bit of liquid. Work the dough for at least 15 minutes. I gave it 10 minutes with my hand mixer and then I kneaded some more by hand. You can also lift up the dough and through it hard onto your kitchen counter. You can stop when you have dough that does not stick to your fingers and that gives the impression that it is growing by the minute. If you have added too much liquid and the dough remains sticky, incorporate more flour until you feel the consistency is right.

TURN TO PAGE 11

food & drink

Friday, November 13, 2015

Nov 6 to Nov 22

Restaurants in South Goa

'South East Asian Food Festival'  Journey across the Far East Asia as you indulge in savoury delights from China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia at the 'South East Asian Food Festival'.  At “Chilli 'n' Spice - Carnival of Cuisines” Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim   +91 9545554244/+91 9158055222.

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

Every Saturday

Cafe Lovii - Healthy Food with Love Health Food Restaurant, Sandwich & Coffee Shop At Oorja Wellness Centre, Next to Old criminal Court, Margao +91 8308794850

Cheese and Wine @ Grand Hyatt Enjoy Grand Hyatt Goa's finest selection of wines and cheeses every Saturday at The Verandah. Treat yourself to an exclusive wine tasting and exotic cheese table, carefully crafted by our very talented Executive Chef Mark Long At The Verandah, Grand Hyatt, Bambolim  7 pm to 11:30 pm  +91 832 301 1234

Brunches Every Sunday Sunday Brunch Family Quiz at Cotinga This Sunday, it's all about fun, facts and food! Test your knowledge of the world with our brunch-time quiz hosted by quiz master Rajiv Dsilva, and you’ll be in for a chance to a tantalizingly delicious cake! 12:00 pm onwards  At Café Cotinga, Near St. Michaels Church, Anjuna  +91 9822851155 Super Brunch The Super Brunch at Vivanta Panaji is a decadent affair with a huge selection of live grills. Serving up the finest dishes from around the world. At Vivanta by Taj, Panaji, Off D B Bandodkar road, Panaji +91 832 6633636 Brunch at Cantina Bodega This is one of the more interesting spots in town to have a meal. Under the supervision of Vandana Naik, a former top chef in New York City and easily one of Goa’s most notable culinary experts, there’s a wide variety of delights on offer, including pizzas, soups, salads, hummus and meat balls, plus an eclectic mix of Indian, Mediterranean and other world cuisines. That’s not to mention the desserts, another top draw here. Noon to 4 pm At Cantina Bodega, Sunaparanta, Panjim. +91 832 2421315 info@sgcfa.org www.sgcfa.org 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 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

Firefly Goan Bistro Bar Goan This happening bistro on Benaulim beach serves splendid Goan food and hosts live music acts all week long. At Firefly Goan Bistro Bar, Benaulim +91 9822123535 Brews & Bakes Brewing Smiles & Baking Memories At Shop No: 250, Abade Faria Road, Comba, Margao +91 8308800080 brewsnbakes@live.com Café Mardi Gras Goan, North Indian, coffee & snacks. Pan fried Pomfret Recheado, Chicken Xacutti, Pork Vindaloo and Goan Fish Curry are some of their most popular offerings. At Holiday Inn Resort, Cavelossim All-day. +91 832 2871303 www.holidayinn.com Cozy Nook Bar & Restaurant Serves Indian, Continental, and Goan food. At Palolem Beach, Cancan +91 832 2643550 Peters Pub and Restaurant This is the place where you can spend your nights with live music and delicious food close to one of the most beautiful beaches in Goa. At Utorda, Beach Road +91 9922909432/ +91 9049066470 Spice Studio Contemporary Indian and Coastal Cuisine Enjoy Dine in the Dark special theme nights. At Alila Diwa Goa, Majorda +91 832 2746800 Casa Fiesta Mexican The menu is comprehensive, with Tacos, Enchiladas, Burritos, Fajitas and other Mexican dishes. Does it taste exactly the way Mexican food is supposed to taste? You be the judge 8.30 am to 11 pm   At Palolem Beach Road, Goa  +91 9823928548 Canacona Coffee shop. There’s Indian, Goan, European and some Chinese on offer with a contemporary, fusion touch to the items. Buffet Breakfast At Intercontinental The LaLiT Goa Resort, Rajbaga, Canacona +91 832 2667777 Da Luigi Experience flavours from the streets of Rome, Venice or Milan at this surprisingly authentic Italian fine-dining restaurant. At Park Hyatt Goa Resot and Spa, Cansaulim. +91 832 2721234

Zeebop By the Sea Seafood At Opp. Kenilworth Beach Resort, Utorda Beach +91 832 2755333/ +91 9822154541 zeebopbythesea@gmail.com Portofino Coffee Shop Multi-Cuisine This all day dining restaurant is an ideal place to head for a midnight snack or after party munchies. At Kenilworth Resort & Spa, Utorda Open 24x7 +91 832 6698888 Alcoves Goan, Indian, Chinese Some excellent choices to be tried here would be Chinese Crispy Chicken, Cafreal, Veg Kolhapuri, Veg Crispy, and Chicken Vindaloo. Near Cine Vishant, Aquem, Margao 8.30 am to 11 pm +91 83 22735062, +91 832 2730536

Restaurants in North Goa Veggie Deli Sharanam Green Resort One of the very few places in Goa that serve both alcohol and vegetarian cuisine at the same venue, with an all day restaurant. 124/3 Gauravaddo, Nr Calangute Mall, Calangute. +91 9545418554 Ciao Bella Restaurant Authentic Italian food The décor is charming and romantic, and the ambiance, relaxed and inviting. At Assagao Badem Road, Assagao +91 832 2273065/ +91 9767557673 Ciaobella.goa@gmail Desbue European Fusion Modern European Restaurant in a charming traditional Portuguese heritage home in the Latin quarter of Panjim. At La Maison, Fontainhas, Panjim +91 832 2235555 Tropical 24x7 Restaurant, Bar and Pub Blistering Venue, Scrumptious Cuisine, Lip Smacking Drinks, Invincible Performers and more… At Main Road, Calangute +91 9820115921 Mamma Mia Ristorante Italiano & Pizzeria Italian Some of the best Italian food in the state. Tastes the way someone’s grandma in Sicily might book it. Definitely worth checking out. Also try the wood-fired pizzas. At Resort Rio, Tambudki, Arpora +91 832 2267300 fom@resortrio.com www.resortrio.com Bar Code Lounge and Grill Offers Slow-Smoked Regional BBQ and Grilled Seafood items along with the most exotic beverages Goa has to offer. At National Highway, Porvorim +91-832-2410027 +91-7030961333 www.barcodeloungeandgrill.co.in info@ barcodeloungeandgrill.co.in 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 Aunty Maria This quaint little café in Hotel Fidalgo is an upscale coffee shop and bakery offering fresh home-made bread, cakes, cookies, chocolates and quick bites that could make for a wonderful breakfast or tea time snack. At Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim +91 832 2226291 secgoa@fidalgogroup.com www.fidalgogroup.com Barrels & Bones BBQ - Steakhouse - Pizzeria Meal for Two: Rs.1000 At Fontainhas, close to the Maruti/ Hanuman Temple, Panjim 9673994064/7774078276 promobnb@gmail.com

Gunpowder Coastal Indian At Cursino Villa, Sauntawaddo, Assagao Noon to 3.30 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2270091 Goenchin Chinese, Pan Asian Yes the Chinese food here is Indian-ized. But is that necessarily a bad thing? It depends on your taste. At Mandovi Apartment, Dr Dada Vaidya Road, Panjim Noon to 3 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm +91 8322227614 reservations@hotelmandovigoa.com www.hotelmandovigoa.com Chicken Man The trademark dish here is their rotisserie Chicken. With healthy, delicious, rotisserie chicken in quarter, half and whole cluck sizes. Chicken Man is a Top choice for every meal. At off 18th June Road, Panjim +91 832 2423333

FROM PAGE 10

Cover the dough with a moist cloth and let it rise until it has doubled in volume. Knead it through one more time and divide it into equal pieces. One German website suggests weighing it but that seems a bit exaggerated to me. Roll each piece of dough into a long string that is thicker in the middle. You might need a little bit of flour to prevent it sticking to your work surface. Cross the ends. Turn them around one time and fasten them to the opposite side to get the typical pretzel shape. Place the pretzels onto baking paper so you can remove them easily. Let them rise for half an hour or so. They should visibly grow. Don’t cover them; they need to develop a kind of skin. When they have risen enough place them into the freezer for at least half an hour. They need to be hard to the touch. In the meantime, prepare the dipping solution. Place 1.5 litres water into a pot and add one-tablespoon salt. Bring it to a boil. Switch off the fire and add the baking soda gradually. Be careful, it tends to bubble up quite a bit. Bring it to the boil again. Your solution is ready now. When your pretzels are ready to be dipped, bring the solution to a boil and preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Drop each pretzel into the solution and let it swim for at least 30 seconds. Keep pressing it carefully down with a slotted spoon to make sure that the whole skin is immersed in the solution. After 30 seconds take them out with a spatula or the slotted spoon and place them onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle them with salt. Some people like rough salt on their pretzels. I use a silicone sheet to avoid sticking. If you don’t have one, butter the cookie sheet generously. If any pretzels disintegrate - like my first ones did - form them into balls or just keep the fragments. Keep them longer in the freezer before dipping them. Probably you will need to bake your pretzels in two batches. They need around 20 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees. In my gas oven I finish them with five minutes under the grill to make sure they are crispy. Let them cool down and eat them as soon as possible. Pretzels tend to turn soggy quickly. However, you can always crisp them up again. 10 minutes in the oven by 200 degrees should do the trick.  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.

12 Anniversary Special

Turns 3! A Message From The Publishers

elcome to the Third Anniversary Edition of Goa Streets! Yes, it’s been three years since we came crashing into the local media scene, or shall we say “dancing” into it, with our Flash Mob on the Dona Paula jetty, bringing together over 100 dancers from north and south Goa and creating a YouTube sensation. Three years since we rode around Panjim and Candolim in our Goa Streets Party Buses, inviting passengers to “hop on” and “hop off” while traditional Goan brass bands played in the background. Three years since we made our promise to offer a new kind of journalism in Goa, combining comprehensive listings on everything there is to do, see and eat in

the state with intelligently written, thoroughly researched stories on topics of great interest to our readers. Has the road been completely smooth? Of course not. Have we made mistakes along the way? Sure we have. But one thing is certain. We are committed to the progress and well-being of the people of Goa, to the pursuit of truth and to the use of journalistic tools to shed light on the important issues of our time. Take the edition you are reading now, for example. On these pages you will read a counter-intuitive, somewhat contrarian take on the “smart city” issue by two of Goa’s most notable thinkers. You will read thoughtful stories on the death of Father Bismarque Dias and on the controversy over a proposed “electronic city” that accomplish what few other exposes on these issues have achieved: true perspective. (Don’t take our word for it. Read the stories!). In this issue, we’re running a piece on a new and truly exciting way to think about education, and one of our writers has taken the time to showcase the extraordinary contributions of 10 of Goa’s disabled sons and daughters. All that, of course, is in addition to our stories on music, food, art, lifestyle and many other topics. Over these past three years, we have hosted or co-hosted a number of musical, cultural, academic and charitable events, often in partnership with other organisations. Going forward, we plan to continue these partnerships of different sorts, often with an eye toward boosting social causes. It hasn’t been easy for all our readers to fully comprehend what we’re about. Is Goa Streets the “party & nightlife” paper? Or the investigative journalism paper? The entertainment guide? Or the purveyor of hard news & analysis? The truth is we are and always have been all of the above. The reason we call ourselves “The News & Entertainment Weekly” is because we deliver both, and we strive to do so in innovative, compelling ways.

We believe that life is a journey, and so is the life of a weekly newspaper. And like all journeys, they don’t remain constant. We have undergone a number of changes, and more are on the horizon. To begin, we’re taking our journalism more seriously than ever now, both in print and online – and we’ve redirected more resources to providing you with the most insightful, deeply researched and succinctly crafted stories available anywhere in the state. When we say we aim to provide perspective, we mean it. Many of our stories in recent months, including those on intolerance, corruption, Tiracol, MOPA, bull fighting, garbage, dolphins, tourism, the Louis Berger scandal, mining and other issues have made a real difference, often spurring people and authorities into action. That’s something we’re very proud of. Another change is our increased focus on helping to make Goa, India and the world a better place. Our Keep Goa Beautiful campaign, inviting writers, activists and ordinary citizens to write about their efforts to forge a cleaner and greener Goa and dent the state’s garbage menace, has gotten off to a very good start. And so has our Give Back initiative, where we open the pages of Goa Streets to all those fighting to improve people’s lives, protect the environment and build a more peaceful world. We’d like to take the opportunity of this Anniversary Edition, coming during Goa’s lively Diwali celebrations, to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous Diwali and to thank all our readers, advertisers, collaborators and well-wishers for their heartfelt support. This journey would be nothing without you. We’re thrilled, after three eventful years, to say we’re still here and going strong. Thank you for helping us make it happen! Goa Streets – Way Ahead!

14 politics

An E-City In Tuem

Why Does It Always Have To Be A Fight Between Developers And Preservationists? Isn’t there a Third Way? By Vivian Maverick Martins

oa’s government says it’s an electrifying move to generate business and employment. Farmers and activists say it’s just another land grab by the state’s crony capitalists. The pet project by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to launch an “electronic city” in Tuem, Pernem, in northern Goa, is, not surprisingly, provoking a lot of resentment. Not surprising because, what with Tiracol, Carmona and other passionately contested hotspots, Goans are now seeing similar scenes being played out in various parts of the state – activists pitted against officials, farmers against corporations, environmentalists against capitalists. Opponents see a dangerous cabal of corrupt officials and businessmen scheming to destroy the Goan countryside and traditional way of life in the interest of chasing the Almighty Rupee. Proponents see a naïve group of dogooders engaging in knee-jerk opposition to any sign of economic advancement, depriving the people of Goa of golden opportunities to bring the state into the 21st century.

Laxmikant Parsekar

In the case of Tuem, where the government has acquired 6.5 lakh square meters of land to set up factories for the design and manufacturing of electronic and IT products, there seems to be truth on both sides. Huge questions linger over the legality of the government’s procurement of such a large swath of land, though it’s fair to ask if the acquisition could have been accomplished any other way, given Goa’s labyrinthine bureaucracy. It’s also true an electronic city could do much to foster employment and the human well-being that comes along with development, though those opposed to it have good reason for concern, given the haphazard, unequal, and often destructive path that Goa’s so-called development has taken in the past. “The government has taken over my land without my permission and no formalities were followed as I did not give anyone the consent to take over my land. Trees have been felled illegally and our means of livelihood has been taken away from us,” said an anguished Amarnath Naik, a land tenant who is helping to lead the fight against the project. The name of Naik’s father Vasant had been

present in the tenant column of (Goan land registry) Form I & XIV, giving the family rights to the land, he said. Naik and other opponents say the land has been obtained by evicting farmers and illegally deleting the names of lease holders from Forms I & XIV. Amarnath Naik has received a lot of support from civil society groups, including the “Musical Warriors” who recently organized a protest under their ‘Save Amarnath Save Goa’ campaign. “Our group is pro-justice. That is the reason why we are associated with issues where we feel the ordinary people of Goa are at the receiving end of injustice. People are being cheated by the government and we will not allow this to happen” said group convener Sudeep Dalvi. However, CM Parsekar denies claims of injustice and says he is confident that the electronic city will live up to its promise of generating employment and improving the lives of Goans. “No injustice has been meted out to anybody. This is a developmental project and Goa needs it as it will create job opportunities for the educated youth of Goa,” he said. There’s no doubt that all government departments have shifted into high gear to ensure the CM’s pet project becomes a reality. Zonal changes were made converting orchard land and “no development slopes” into industrial zones for the electronic city. When Streets contacted Chief Town Planner ST Putturaju and asked about the changing of zones in the Regional Plan, he refused to comment. “You need to speak to the concerned department” was his only reply. Reminded that zonal changes do in fact come under Town and Country Planning (TCP), Mr Putturaju stated that he was driving and would have to get the information from his office. And when Streets contacted Agriculture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar to ask him about

the farmers of Tuem, his only response after repeated unanswered calls was a text message saying, “Sorry, I’m busy. Call back later.” It seems this official has enough time on his hands to expound on the need to make gays “normal” (he famously did this as sports & youth affairs minister), but not to answer questions about the plight of the rural men and women under his purview. Official silence on the matter would seem to only fuel public distrust, especially given that there are plenty of good things to say about the electronic city. Along with some planned IT parks, the electronic city is expected to generate around 10,000 jobs. And some believe all this activism is hurting the state. “Relentless anti-development activism over the decades has forced the youth to leave Goa in search of better livelihood opportunities. Goans need to give sustainable development a chance so the state does not become an anachronism amidst the modern world,” said Elroy Menezes, a Goan IT professional working in Bangalore. And yet it seems that a majority of Goans have adopted this antidevelopment stance, due in part, to be sure, to the corruption and environmental degradation that many development projects have engendered in the past. "Goa does not need an electronic city,” says environmentalist Ramesh Gauns. “There are vested interests in all such projects. This government is anti-people as all projects, be it Mopa Airport, IT Park, Electronic City, are against the interest of the state.” “When you create enormous pressure on air, land and water you cannot term it as development. It is only destruction and Goa needs to be preserved or else there will be nothing left for future generations,” added Gauns. Modern development is possible by following green norms and sustainable practices, minimizing damage to the environment and local populations. Unfortunately, society seems divided presently into anti- and prodevelopment camps, where the middle path of sustainable development is simply not being looked at. Yes, there are ways for the sons of the soil to earn their livelihoods within the boundaries of this beautiful state rather than having to go elsewhere to chase their dreams. If our leaders are serious about leading us down a path of economic progress, they may want to start by opening the books, increasing transparency, and addressing the needs of the dispossessed. 

16 education

The Cutting Edge of Education

Gathering Knowledge Is Fine But Creating Something With It Is Sublime

(Should It Surprise Us That The Founders of Google And Amazon Were Raised With ‘Self-Learning’?)

By Shilpa Mehta

recently had a heated debate with a friend. A lawyer actually, so you can imagine the stakes were high. I was advocating for a new type of education, where children are less reliant on passively ‘receiving information’ from teachers, and more into developing their own powers of intellectual inquiry and coming up with the answers themselves. Basically, self-directed learning - the keystone of all good Montessori practise. But taking it beyond a Primary stage, to a Secondary one. My friend took great umbrage to this, saying if kids could choose their own educational direction they would never really find their true path because they are not equipped to do so. “What if the kids get it wrong? And direct themselves into a dead-end? Then what?” That was the crux of his argument. Teachers have to direct children into various disciplines, so they can make proper, informed decisions. Without them, they are lost ships in the night. This, to me, is the old paradigm of education. At the heart of it is the idea that young people cannot be trusted to make choices, never mind good choices that propel them to fulfill their potential. They are therefore empty vessels that must be filled, not fires that must be lit. Education is brain content. It’s matter, to fill grey matter. Maria Montessori’s pioneering work in the field of self-directed learning has spawned many great minds, including Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Gabriel García Márquez, the culinary master Julia Child, Anne Frank and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. However, this pedagogy is over 100 years old and hasn’t yet fully integrated technology into the equation. Like any good operating system, it needs an upgrade. Particularly relevant now is the work of Dr Sugata Mitra, an Educational Researcher from Kolkata, whose cuttingedge experiments in education have the potential to revolutionise learning in schools. His journey began in 1999 when he was working as a Professor of Computer Studies at a university in New Delhi. He could clearly see the benefits of a privileged education in front of him with his well-to-do students, but out of

the corner of his eye, he could also see poor kids milling around in the slums, with no access to decent education. He wanted to know if he could level the odds, so he performed an audacious experiment. He put a ‘Hole in the Wall’ computer in the slum compound. The kids didn’t know what a computer was, never mind the internet, nor could they read or speak English. Mitra offered no explanation either. He just let them get on with it. A few hours later he came back to find them merrily browsing the web and typing English phrases. From this began a series of experiments where Dr Mitra put his Hole-in-the-Wall computers in remote villages within India to see if ‘uneducated’ children could use technology without any help. He found they could, which led him to conclude: “In 9 months, a group of children in India left alone with a computer, in any

language, will reach the same standard as an office secretary in the West”. But Mitra didn’t let it rest there. He deliberately disrupted his own argument by taking it to another level altogether. In Kallikuppam in Southern India, he set up a street-side computer and asked the children a very important question about the biotechnology of DNA replication (which even he didn’t understand). He downloaded loads of files in English, even though they only spoke Tamil. Then he left them to it. A few months later he returned and asked them what they had learnt - only to meet with a long deathly silence. Dr Mitra thought it was obvious; they clearly hadn’t got it. A little girl stood up and shyly said, in broken English and Tamil, ”Well, apart from the fact that improper replication of the DNA molecule causes disease, we haven't really understood anything else.” And then something unexpected happened.

In a short period, these children were on par with his control group - a rich private school in Delhi with a specialised Biotech teacher. They’d got there with nothing; no training, no teacher, no structure. Just a computer, the internet and a really Big Question. Dr Mitra’s groundbreaking work has led to the creation of SOLE - Self Organised Learning Environments, which any classroom in the world can now adopt. Children are asked a Big Question, get themselves into groups around a computer, then present an answer at the end of class. They can swap groups at any time or go over and see what other people are working on. It’s not cheating, it’s sharing. A way of working which destroys the old notion that a child should sit on their own with a book or exam, recalling information in solitary confinement. This is collaborative, exciting, energised. Learning “at the edge of chaos,” as he describes it. The SOLE experiment has seen young children solving GCSE and A level questions before their time, understanding huge concepts like Hinduism, the Theory of Relativity or how the world began and how it might it end. Not only that, being exposed to the wider world of the internet brings new role models. Two boys who wanted to be famous footballers, watched 8 Ted Talks, and decided they’d rather be Leonardo da Vinci instead. This is not superficial learning. They are tested a few months later to see if they can remember what they learnt and most show phenomenal recall. In fact, over time teachers have noticed that the marks get higher because children continue to explore the questions by themselves. The flame is lit. If children can ‘self-learn’ with such ease and grace, what are the possibilities that exist for mainstream education ? That really is the question to explore in the 21st century. My friend’s ultimate position was this: “Well, we all turned out alright.” In my opinion, we survived. Where would we be right now if we’d had a real educational adventure, not just years of gathering data? Maybe I’d be having this argument with Leonardo, not a lawyer.  Shilpa Mehta, with her daughter India-Fire

Shilpa Mehta is the founder of Paradise School Goa, began in the South but due North in 2016. She is a former television broadcaster for Discovery, BBC and Channel 4. Her aim is to modernise education in India and the world.

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Friday, November 13, 2015

NBA JAM POWERED BY JABONG SIX TRAVELS TO GOA

he largest 3-on-3 college basketball and youth festival ever held in India, NBA Jam powered by Jabong.com, traveled to Goa today. Goa is the fourth of 24 cities which the event will travel to. More than 3,500 teams are expected to participate across the country. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and SONY SIX have partnered to bring the event back to India for the third consecutive year. On 6th November, BITS, Goa witnessed more than 100 teams in the 3-on-3 tournament. With many colleges participating, NBA Jam powered by Jabong.com was the largest 3-on-3 tournament ever to take place in the city. The traveling interactive youth festival is focused on developing and encouraging basketball participation

across the country. In partnership with Sony SIX, NBA Jam powered by Jabong.com will provide an authentic basketball experience by combining exciting on-court competition with lifestyle elements including interactive games, contests and live music performances. NBA talent, including NBA legends and dunk teams, will travel to select cities to help conduct clinics and interact with fans. “We have been associated with NBA for over two years for NBAStore.in and have received a tremendous response from our fashion and sportswear customers,” said Mr. Nils Chrestin, interim CEO, Jabong. “We are thrilled to again collaborate with NBA Jam, which is going to be bigger than ever before and builds on Jabong’s passion to engage with the youth and sports enthusiasts across the country to increase awareness on basketball.” “We believe NBA Jam powered by Jabong will not only boost awareness and participation in the country but also reinforce the footprint of the game and drive viewership for NBA programs available exclusively on SONY SIX,” said Sony SIX Business Head Prasana Krishnan. “NBA Jam 2015 will mark the third year of this successful association and we are elated to be an integral part of their journey.” For updates www.nbajam.in

Sukhwinder Singh’s electrifying performance at Imperial Blue Superhit Nights Season 2 mesmerized Goa

mperial Blue Superhit Nights rocks Goa with a captivating performance by popular and versatile Bollywood singer, Sukhwinder Singh. The Goa leg of Imperial Blue Superhit Nights Season 2 began with a bang and totally gripped the audience. The multi-city musical journey kick-started in Ludhiana and reached the shores of Goa with great excitement. Imperial Blue Superhit Nights has been designed to deliver complete entertainment to young spirited men who love to enjoy life. Pepping up the stage with his unique voice, multiple award winning singer, Sukhwinder Singh was accompanied by talented and brilliant musicians. Bringing alive some of his best songs on stage including 'Chaiyya Chaiyya', 'Dabangg' and 'Jai Ho', Sukhwinder Singh hit all the right chords with his fans who enjoyed the grand show till the end. Commenting on the occasion, Raja Banerji, Assistant Vice President, Marketing, Pernod Ricard India, said, “We are extremely thrilled about Season 2 of Imperial Blue Superhit Nights. which has now become a platform for showcasing the best talent in the entertainment industry" Expressing his excitement at the event, Sukhwinder Singh, said, "I am so happy to be performing amidst such a wonderful audience. Goa has an amazing crowd and Imperial Blue Superhit Nights have given me the opportunity to reconnect with my fans here. I have enjoyed myself thoroughly on the stage here at Imperial Blue Superhit Nights. I look forward to more enthusiasm and entertainment for my fans as the tour continues."

Stunning Neha Dhupia walks the Ramp For Sangeeta Sharma

ashionista Neha Dhupia graces the ramp in the showstopper outfit for Nagpur based Designer Sangeeta Sharma at the India Beach Fashion Week in Goa on October 30, 2015. Neha carries this eclectic design from Sangeeta's bridal collection with perfect poise. The label 'Sangeeta Sharma' speaks volumes about her design sensibility and thought process. Her cheerful designs are perfect for the wedding season. Sangeeta's has created a line of bridal couture to inspire the destination bride. Her dainty bridal designs include a pure silk, nuclear energy print, chord gown; a multi-coloured georgette skirt with nuclear energy print border, black raw silk backless top with some interesting patchwork and a pair of maroon satin pants veiled with a tissue skirt with pink border, maroon satin blouse with satin flowers accents and mirror work for the bride as well as her entourage. Expressing her design philosophy, Sangeeta mentions, "It was such a great experience for me to be a part of IBFW. My designs were meant for the destination bride. Her designs reflected the confidence in her beliefs about a contemporary bridal collection. Sangeeta's destination bride collection surely enraptured the audience. For more details, contact: Cee Jey - 9819793715

18 opinion

Being Smart About The City Will Panjim Be The Playground of Global Elites Or The Inclusive Home Of Its People?

he authorities of the city of Panjim have been urging its citizenry to engage in the process of bidding for the smart city program. Inspired by the possibilities of change, a number of citizens and activist groups have thrown themselves into the process, hoping to change the face of the Capital for the better. These citizens have plans to introduce such egalitarian and peoplefriendly options as pedestrianized streets, regular public transport within the city and so forth. These citizens would do well, however, to first pause and take note that the Smart City movement does not have the same aims as they do. Speaking at a high-level meeting on Smart Cities organized by the European Union in Brussels in September 2014, architect and professor Rem Koolhas highlighted that the Smart City concept is motivated by values distinct from those that have animated citizenship struggles across the world. He pointed that in the projection of the smart city concept, values of liberty, equality and fraternity have been replaced by comfort, security and sustainability. These values that the Smart City movement promotes are clearly of contemporary upwardly mobile and elite groups today. Reinforcing these values will have serious consequences for the poor who do not have access to ‘smart’ resources. In her article Is India’s 100 smart cities project a recipe for social apartheid? (The Guardian, 7 May 2015), Shruti Ravindran highlights similar concerns. Indicating that these cities are designed to keep people out rather than welcome them in, Ravindran questions whether the emergence of hi-tech prototype cities in India will override local laws and use surveillance to “keep out” the poor. One of the first designated smart cities in India is the Gujarat International Financial Tec-city (GIFT), in Gandhinagar. Ravindran notes that the beating heart of GIFT is its “command and control centre”, which keeps traffic moving smoothly and monitors every

building through a network of CCTVs. She observes that in the country where more than 300 million people live without electricity, and twice as many don’t have access to toilets, GIFT city’s towers are like hypertrophic castles in the sky. The sociologist Saskia Sassen adds to the concerns regarding the smart city when she argues that by using the concept of ‘smartness’, cities are erased of their uniqueness and positioned as ‘generic’ global cities. This positioning makes it easier for these locations to then serve the needs of speculative realestate investors and corporations. Even though Goa is not visibly marked by dramatic poverty, it needs to be pointed out that the processes of impoverishment are already at work in the state. Goa is already facing the onslaught of the demands of elite groups that use Goa as a pleasure periphery and a getaway from the problems of India. Issues of pleasure are therefore already being privileged over those of livelihood. In this context, it is very

possible that the Smart City concept with its pro-elite values, and real-estate friendly agenda would become just one more vehicle for appropriation of the city from the locals. Returning to Ravindran’s cautions, it is obvious that an even greater concern with the smart city concept is its relationship with democracy. It needs to be pointed out that cities have traditionally been imagined as locations of liberation precisely because of the democratic processes that unfold in these locations. Rather than open up the

city to even greater predatory real-estate investments, Panjim, as much as the rest of Goa, needs to be seen as a special case of urbanism, one that is a result of a unique historical evolution, both at the level of physical form as much as through its unique history of citizenship. An uncritical embrace of the smart city project in Panjim threatens to make it just another site of globalization by erasing its unique identity, both in terms of being a place and privileging it as a playground of global elites rather than the home of its people. What is the need of the hour is the concept of ‘good city’. The good city is the ultimate memorial of our struggles and glories: where the pride of the past is set on display (Kostof:1991,p.16). The pride of Panjim as in other cities of Goa lies in the

architecture of the city: in terms of the scale, the extrovert forms of the buildings, their unique architectural styles, and the sheltered spaces for pedestrians. We therefore must show extreme sensitivity in managing these assets and initiating pro-public and egalitarian infrastructural development. The city of cannot be designated as a smart global city merely to push newer developments that do not pay respect to the historical context. Instead what we need is to build on Panjim’s past to make it even more open, accessible and friendly to its people. This idea of recognizing Panjim’s

history while taking the city forward, would be something alien to the smart city movement. Often unnoticed in the hype is the fact that the metaphor of 'smart' in the concept of the smart city evokes the smart phone as a comparison for the development of the city. Such an approach is problematic, for it renders the city as a commodity, and a 'generational' one at that. This is how one thinks of technological developments, where preference is given to new generations of phones and computers, and the trashing of older generations. Rather than working with something, the existing object is rendered obsolete even before its time in favour of something shinier and newer. Following this logic, Panjim’s designation as ‘smart’, could very well mean that it’s past and other urban formations in Goa will be dismissed as being stupid! This article does not seek to reject the processes that seek to make Panjim a smart city. On the contrary, participation in civic process is extremely important. However, it is imperative that the citizens that do interact with the process be aware that the smart city movement does not necessarily share the same values as these citizens. As such, people need to ensure that it is they who lead the process, rather than wind up being coopted into a process that treats them merely as numbers to buttress an alien agenda. 

Photographs by Br endon Sapeco

By Vishvesh Kandolkar & Jason Keith Fernandes

Jason Keith Fernandes, a sociolegal scholar is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University Institute of Lisbon. Vishvesh Kandolkar is an architect and urban-designer.

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Friday, November 13, 2015

10 Goan Bravehearts Who Haven’t Let Physical Limitations Keep Them From Soaring! 07 06

By Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello

r. Anil Rane, consultant psychiatrist at Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, explains that the pitfalls of being disabled in Goa and in India as a whole go well beyond the physical. “In a competitive environment, especially in a country like ours with scarce resources, very few people will make space for those with disabilities,” he says. “Hence strong legislation protecting and promoting their welfare is a must.” Still, there’s a long way to go before Goa’s disabled can truly count on the support they need – from priority parking to curb ramps to elevators to specialized therapy. And yet somehow many have managed to excel and thrive in unexpected, heartwarming ways. Below, Goa Streets’ in-house psychologist Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello writes about 10 Goans who never let disability stop them from achieving success, and who have been felicitated for their efforts by the Disability Rights Association of Goa.

Phulrani Kinalekar (Pernem)

Frederika Menezes (Panjim) Being born with cerebral palsy didn’t stop Frederika from completing her Xth standard from People’s High School at the age of 16. She achieved great success by penning two books – one of poems (“The Portrait”, published in 1998) and the other on fairy tales (“The Pepperns and the Wars of the Mind” which was published in 2003). The first book received warm praise from the late Dr. Abdul Kalam, the then President of India. She was also asked to recite her book of poems in the Goa Legislative Assembly in his presence. This Goan braveheart uses the computer pretty well! Although moving in a wheelchair restricts her freedom, this 34-year-old creative personality loves writing and painting.

Phulrani was born without hands and legs. She hails from an economically disadvantaged family in Pernem and suffers from a loco-motor congenital disability. She fought her disability and her circumstances, wept often but always did what she strongly believed in. She completed her XIIth standard. Today, this 29-year-old woman teaches at St. Xavier’s Academy, Old Goa. Her excellent crochet designs put abled humans to shame! She has a National Award and Goa State Women’s Award in her kitty.

Jolene Dias (Margao)

Jolene has muscular dystrophy, but that hasn’t stopped her from enjoying life and producing delightful music. Today, she is a well qualified and talented singer and musician. She has won many prizes at the school and college level, and was the subject of Goa Streets profile last February! Some of her many achievements include release of a Hindi single ‘Soniye.’ She has also sung for Hindi Film ‘Agnishiksha,’ and sung in the devotional album ‘Jezucho Mog Ek Vizmit.’ The short film ‘Bhorvanso’ has been written and directed by her.

Vishant Nagvekar (Bhatlem) Though he was born with polio, Vishant completed his graduation in Commerce. Today, he works as a government employee i.e. Senior Statistical Assistant with Directorate of Craftsman Training. Bravo, Vishant!

Lyianna Fernandes (Nirankal) Despite being born with low vision, Lyianna has completed her Masters in Geography. Today, she lectures in Government College, Khandola and has been felicitated for outstanding achievement by DRAG.

Victor Fernandes (Siolim)

Polio never constrained Agostinho in doing what he loves doing, and that is being a fantastic music teacher. His personal interactions with his students are warm and fulfilling. He visits 42 houses in a week to teach music on a one-to-one basis. He has been awarded the Learners Achievement Award by Trainers Association of Goa. JCI, Shree Vijayadurga Saunskrutik Mandal and the Disability Rights Association of Goa have also felicitated him for outstanding achievement.

Dr. Rane was afflicted with a severe case of polio right from his birth. However, he successfully completed his MBBS from Bombay University in 1987, after which he started his private practice in 1989. Later, he joined Government service as a Medical Officer in the year 1995. Presently, he is working as a Medical Officer and Incharge at ESI dispensary in Vasco. He is a happily married man, a father of 2 grownup children and an inspiration to all who know and love him.

Afflicted with cerebral palsy right from his birth, Avelino passed his graduation in Commerce. He has worked as an Investment and Tax consultant for the past 15 years. He is a member of Local Level Committee of National Trust (an all India organization). He is the founder and President of Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG). Having been awarded Vocational Service Award for service to the disabled, he is also the recipient of ADAPT (formerly Spastics Society of India) National Award for Excellence in Activism and is listed as India’s top 50 modern-day heros by the Better India Website.

Agostinho Fernandes (Quepem)

Dr. Vithal Rane (Vasco)

Avelino De Sa (Panjim)

Polio didn’t stop Victor from running his own business as a financial advisor for the last 23 years. He is the co-founder and secretary of DRAG. Having been active in My Siolim, an environmental and heritage club in Siolim, he has also been awarded Business Goa Awards - 2013 for corporate excellence. Today, he is a happily married man and a proud father of three grown-up children.

Sripad Pai Bir (Chimbel) Although Sripad has cerebal palsy, he finds his work as an electrician quite fulfilling. He is also an instructor at Apna Ghar and has stood for Panchayat Elections in Chimbel. Another inspiring Goan!

20 arts & entertainment

Museum of Goa Opens With Stunning Exhibits From 20 Contemporary Artists

By Perin Ilavia

ranted, it’s not easy to say the name of the first show being featured at the recently opened Museum of Goa, or MOG, the largest private art space in Asia. “Gopakapattanam.” But that doesn’t make it any less delightful. Like the exhibit and the museum itself, the name is not bound by convention. Rather Gopakapattanam, named after the first main fort in Goa during the Kadamba Era, betrays a certain underlying, and yet ultimately fortunate, quirkiness not unlike the persona of MOG’s creator, the celebrated artist Subodh Kerkar.

‘I decided to include all art forms in this first show, as contemporary art is the universal language of the world and Goa lacks art spaces to be a part of the global conversation,” explains Subodh. “These artist were chosen from proposals sent by several others for their suitable themes, not to illustrate but give a personal response to Goa’s history,’ said Subodh. Twenty contemporary artists were chosen to exhibit paintings, installation, sculpture and photographs at the first show, which opened Nov. 5 and is curated by Kerkar and Peter Mueller, a curator from Germany.

The breathtaking 1,500 square meters of display space spans three floors and take viewers on a journey in time in contemporary art language. Here’s a look at some of the artists: Pablo Bartholomew, an awardwinning Indian photojournalist based in New Delhi, has published photographs of world rocking events in leading global publications. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2013. Study his subtle observations of different social scenarios of Portuguese Goans living around the world, spanning a period of three decades. The panel takes the viewer on a journey into traditions and festive celebrations. Urmila VG lives and works in Bangalore. Her environmental concern is evident in her journey of words, language and culture displayed in her woodcut. Sweety Joshi from Mumabi says, “My search of paintings starts with the ideas of time, space and the true character of form”. Her work titled Linguistic Odyssey is depicted on text paper, colour and ink. Narendra Yadav’s satirical ways never fail to surprise and amuse. He has numerous charcoal portraits in small

formats of a typical Goan Christian home, where photographs of the departed crowd the wall. Take time to check out the detailing. Sanjeev Khandekar, a poet and social activist from Maharashtra, moved to a pictorial vocabulary in 2004. He has an expressive installation of a bathroom, with a decorative chamber pot and wash basin, and paintings with marble inlay and acrylic on canvas, on the bathroom wall. Munir Kabani has a diploma in Cinematography and Film Theory from the University Of California Los Angeles. His installation of an optical polished disk with a miniature cross positioned in the centre, gives a concave/convex structure when viewed from different angles, creating various images. Tahireh Lal from Bangalore brings together moving images in his exhibit. A mechanically operated fork lifts and dumps sand. A message about the environmentally unfriendly mining in Goa. A collage by Friso Wittevenn, from the Netherlands, has interesting descriptive textures. Among the Goan artists, work of three generations of the Kerkar family dot the space. One room has Portraiture and landscapes in watercolour by Chandrakant Kerkar, Subodh’s late father. These works have stood the test of time, reflecting perfect balance and colour.

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Friday, November 13, 2015 Subodh, himself a well-known installation artist, has several sculptures and installations in rubber, fiberglass and wood, and photographs of his distinctive “land art”. His son Siddharth has a sculpture of a church bell in rubber tyre. His sister Harshada Kerkar has a panel in portraitures of street children in charcoal. History evolves in interaction between the feeling and thinking of the artists, capturing form and the cultural heritage of Goa. Sculptures by Kalidas Mhamal provide insights into Brahmins who converted to Christianity, including an armless sculptures titled ‘Torso’, in fiberglass, wood, cast thread and mirror. Siddarth Gosavi has a playful 9x6 ft. painting of the symbol of the Kadamba Era - the lion. The life-size sculpture of Goa’s ‘Motorcycle Pilot” in fiberglass, by Santosh Morajkar is pretty awesome. A startling 5x7 meter canvas of Vasco de Gama setting out on his second voyage for the Malabar coast, titled Triumphant Trio, by Viraj Naik, in

Nov 14 HEREDITAS A Solo show by Vasco Araujo (Portugal's Leading Video Artist) At Sunaparanta, Altinho Panjim 7pm onwards 0832-2421311

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

Every Saturday Expressions By Artist Vaishali Lall, with a focus on exploring the skills of embroidery and mix media in painting. At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula +91 9420820890

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

pastels, grabs the eye. The images crystallize expressive sensibility, juxtaposing textures, structure and vibrancy. Pradeep Naik talks in colour and form, in his Christian iconography. Kedar Dhondu has a line drawing about the African slave boats that came to Goa. The cramped figures on a sinister black background depict torment and anguish. Intricate mosaic designs of floors in Portuguese homes are replicated in acrylic by Shilpa Naik. Vistesh Naik brings together integral social aspects of Goan culture in his inimitable caricature. Iconic photographs by Alex Fernandes from his series on Goa’s Tiatr artists and musicians, testify to the cultural heritage of Goa, with a sensitive correlation between the eye and the lens. Alex prefers to work in black and white, because, ‘Colour portrays reality. I want to portray a more graphic, retro and abstract quality’. 

The Feast of Our Lady of Rosary

A Navelim Celebration on Nov. 18

Exhibition on view till 2nd January 2016, at MOG Plot No. 79, Pilerne Industrial Estate, Bardez, Goa

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 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 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

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-do-Mundo, Porvorim area 9:00 am to 5:30 pm +91 832 2410711 archauto@gmail.com www.mariodemiranda.com

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 inhouse 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 Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello

he story of Navelim’s Our Lady of Rosary Church, first completed in 1598, is, like much of Goan folklore, a tale of redemption. Originally too small to fit the faithful, it was expanded by a Goan merchant who had suffered catastrophic business losses but got back on his feet after praying to Our Lady of Rosary (the title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the Rosary). The beautiful and spacious church, located in the heart of Navelim, has about 20,000 parishioners, and a total of 6 priests (Fr. Jose Roque Gonsalves, Fr. Rosario Oliveira, Fr. Camilo Dias, Fr. Antonio Oliveira, Fr. Domnic Da Costa and Fr. Aquileo Gomes). The Navelim church feast, celebrated by Christians and Hindus alike on the third Wednesday of November, this year falls on the 18th. The 9 days of Novenas have already started with great religious fervor. “Though I stay in Margao, I make it a point to attend at least 1 of the 9 days of Novena,” says Nita, a young mother of two. “I make it a point to come here with my 3-year-old daughter.” Novena masses are scheduled at 5 am, 6.30 am, 7.45 am, 9 am followed by a late evening mass at 6 pm. Various themes are covered in the observances such as family and faith, youth, child formation, sexual love, society and the Eucharist. The first day of the Novena (Nov. 9 this year) starts with a 5-kilometre lantern procession from Telaulim chapel at 3 am (yes, you read that right!) to the Navelim church. Fr. Rosario says, “This year about 5000 to 7000 people walked the path to hear the mass at the Navelim Church at 5am celebrated by Fr. John Fernandes, Telaulim chaplain. They carry the statue of Our lady of Lourdes with lanterns lit the whole way.” The locals help in cleaning the path in front of their houses and make beautiful arcs that are lit up in the night’s darkness. Some arcs are metallic while others are made of bamboo and the whole path is decorated with triangular paper buntings. With 6 masses scheduled for the grand feast day, the church is fully packed and so are the pinkish pandals that are held upright alongside the church. The nearby feast fair, which lasts for 8 days, sees heavy crowds and traffic. It features sales of all sorts of products like garments, utensils, toys, ladoos and the famous kaddi boddi. “We celebrate the feast day with great pomp and gaiety,” says Ellen, one of the faithful. “We invite relations from far and near for a sumptuous meal. Then in the evenings, the kids love to visit the fair.” 

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Friday, November 13, 2015

Books & Tunes: A Tale of Two Stores ‘Laureate Lending Library’ and ‘Vibes - Your Music Den’ You’ve Heard About Indigo Radio’s “Fun, Young Goa”? Where he’s where the fun & young hang out in the South! By Aliya Abreu

The Laureate Lending Library

Back in the summers of the 70s and 80s when a television set did not sit prettily in living rooms across homes in Margão, how did children entertain themselves after coming home tanned from a morning spent rolling in the sand, or jumping in the waves at Colva beach? For many Margão boys and girls, the answer was simple – they curled up with an Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book, borrowed from the Laureate Lending Library (which everybody fondly calls “The Confidant Library,”) a little off Abade Faria Road. Started in 1972, the library was the need of the day back in the 70s when Margão had no other library that catered to the needs

of boys and girls who wanted to read in English. When Mr Walburg Coutinho and his wife Elfey decided to start the library, support from the neighbouring schools poured in. The schools were thrilled with the idea that students would finally have a homely place to hang out at, and make productive use of their free time. To encourage people to become members, and to build a love for reading in young people, the membership fee when the library opened was just Rs 10/-. The Coutinhos filled the lending library with

books well-loved by kids. Detective books like Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, not to mention the entire Enid Blyton collection, Classics adapted for children, and a colourful collection of comic books like Asterix and Obelix, and the Archies comics, filled the shelves of the library. In time, a collection of mystery books for adolescents like Sir Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, the witty P.G. Wodehouse and a myriad of all sorts of other titles for people of all age groups filled the library from ground to ceiling. In the late 90s and early 2000s of course, the Harry Potter books were borrowed so much, they hardly saw anything of the shelf meant for their display. As membership of the library increased, the bookstore – Golden Heart Emporium- right at the side of the library, and opened by the Coutinhos two years before the library was started, gained popularity as well. Mr Coutinho explains that while library members aren’t really interested in self-help books, these titles are fast selling at the bookstore. Not to mention that a lot of tourists drop by to get themselves copies of books on Goa. Mr Coutinho says that the feedback he has received from parents whose children grew up reading books from the library has been extremely satisfying. Parents always appreciated how much their children grew and widened their horizons thanks to the library. Of course, half the children who grew up reading books from “The Confidant Library” are now parents themselves and bring their children to the library. “Reading helps young people grow substantially, and helps them come up in life. The reading habit cultivated in young people should never end,” says Mr. Coutinho.

Vibes – Your Music Den

As the world of entertainment evolved, another great place for young people to hang out at opened in 1999, a little further down the same road. “Vibes – Your Music Den” was started with the view to cater to the music needs of the young, and the young at heart. Back when the store started, hundreds of cassettes, and later CDs filled up the shelves at Vibes. Mr Francisco Da Costa, who along with his wife Magdalena, conceptualised Vibes as a store where people could buy their favourite music, or gift people music, talks about how the music market changed drastically around eight years

ago. People started going in more for digital music, downloading their favourite tunes from the Internet and storing them on devices such as laptops, smart phones and tablets.

Instead of looking at this shift as a setback to the store, Vibes, like any successful business, simply rolled with the times! Now, instead of rows and rows of music CDs, one finds just one section with CDs, and the rest of the space is taken up by DVDs, guitars, drums, home audio sets, and professional sound equipment – demand for which is on the rise in Goa. Vibes is an authorised dealer for Bose and Yamaha. But why not fill the shop with musical equipment and do away with CDs altogether? Mr Da Costa explains how numerous customers have requested him not to shut down the CD section entirely. While young people walk into his store to by DJ equipment, a lot of people over forty walk in to buy the good old tunes of George Baker and the BeeGees. And Mr Da Costa won’t let them down, vowing to continue keeping

CDs for as long as they’re available. He says that the difficulty these days is that many companies have stopped manufacturing CDs, so even if Vibes wants to purchase certain artists on CD, they are unavailable. Mr Da Costa has his hopes up, however. He even sees the possibility of a return to the LP – those vinyl records whose nostalgic appeal could be particularly strong in musicloving Goa. The section that really does well, besides the children’s section, he says, is the section of Goan music, which is really admirable. He’s quite proud of Goan artists like Varun Carvalho and Vince Da Costa, who he feels are very much coming into their own. He is gladdened every time a young person walks in to pick up a CD by a Goan artist. And demand for Lorna, Remo, Chris Perry, Emiliano Da Cruz never dies down. He strongly believes that music helps young people excel in studies, and more importantly, to be happy.

Given that music and reading are both extremely important in the lives of young people, Laureate Lending Library, and Vibes, have done a lot for the young people of Margão in ways it is not possible to measure. Here’s to hoping that, despite the digital revolution, stores like these carry on. After all, it’s hard to see how Spotify, iBooks, Amazon Music or Kindle could ever bring the same kind of joy. 