Issue No: 43 by Goa Streets

Happy Diwali

Mining

Keep Goa Beautiful

Gym & Tonic

MOG

Do You Need A Maid?

It's another dark Diwali in the Goan mining belt. Believe it or not, there's some good news finally about Goa's garbage. Celebrity fitness and nutrition guru Shwetha Bhatia sets up shop in Goa. Subodh Kerkar's Museum Of Goa opens its doors. If you do, treat her well.

ALSO INSIDE: COMPLETE FOOD/EVENT/NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

02 economy

The Great Goan Mining Depression Mining resumes in Goa but will the industry be able to get back on its feet? It’s another Dark Diwali in the Goan mining belt By Vivian Maverick Martins

oa is all set to welcome the Festival of Lights, but the lights are still mostly out in the mining belt and this will be the fourth Diwali in darkness for mining stakeholders. It’s been more than three years since mining of iron ore – by far the state’s largest industry employing some 150,000 people both directly and indirectly – came to a halt in the state. The State Exchequer that was once flush with mining income suddenly plummeted, and so did the Goan economy, with lots of development work put on hold. “Mining activities have not resumed as expected and people are still unemployed,” said Ulhas Gawde, head of the local Panchayat in the central mining village of Usgao. “The real celebrations will only be back once the industry resumes in full flow, putting our livelihoods back on track.” In addition to employing lots of people, mining was also responsible for some of the worst corruption and environmental degradation the state has ever seen. Still, most of the legal hurdles for its resumption have been cleared and one company, Vedanta Limited, has already begun fresh iron-ore extraction. The Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal on Nov. 6 from the NGO Goa Foundation demanding a continuation of the mining ban, but the government and most stakeholders see a mining resumption as inevitable. To avoid the fiasco of the past that saw the theft of a public patrimony said to be worth some Rs 35,000 crore, this time authorities are promising a cap on total production (some 20 million metric tons), plus robust taxation and a mining-financed welfare fund for the public. Still, even if mining activities were to resume en masse, a return to the “good old days” of the mining boom is highly unlikely because of plummeting international prices of iron ore, squabbling over fees for ancillary services, and the intensity of opposition in Goa by environmentalists and other activists.

Those dependent on mining for their livelihoods never dreamt the ban would last this long. “The enthusiasm that usually surrounds a festive season like Diwali has gone missing in the mining belt,” says Suvarna Tendulkar, a resident of Sanvordem in South Goa. Vedanta Limited’s renewal of mining activities in August and its first shipment to China a few weeks back have raised hopes among mining dependents. Still, haggling between mining companies and truck and barge operators over fees is posing yet another

obstacle, with the operators demanding fair payment and companies arguing that previous fees are unthinkable in today’s market. “Iron ore prices are in free fall and nose diving. It will be a grueling task to recover our fixed costs but we look forward to overcoming the challenges,” said Vedanta iron-ore division CEO Kishore Kumar. “We are positive that we will overcome the tough times with complete utilization of manpower and resources and are well positioned to achieve our production target,” added Kumar. Uncertainty still looms large over the industry. China's once insatiable appetite for iron, copper and other metals that led to a surge in commodity prices has subsided, as exports from mineral-rich states continue to drop. The upshot is that even if all mining were to suddenly resume at full pace, today’s prices for iron ore appear insufficient to sustain the industry,

especially if you consider the higher taxes (up to 45 percent, plus an additional 10 percent for the welfare fund) the state and local governments now vow they will collect. Of course the best way to ensure profitability in this scenario is to cut costs. And that’s what has put the mining companies at loggerheads with truck owners, who recently created a ruckus by blocking transportation of iron-ore laden trucks, demanding a hike in rates. They’re threatening further action if their demands are not met.

The All Goa Truck Owners Association will be meeting with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and other government officials to discuss the issue. “We encourage mining activities. Protesting and stopping the transportation of ore is not good for anyone. However, the government and mining companies should understand the plight of the truck owners since it is the question of our survival and truckers have very little or no business,” said Nilkanth Gawas, President of the truckers association. “All truck owners feel that the rates should be hiked because we are getting fewer trips as compared to before. We are ready to sit with all the concerned stakeholders and the government to work out a solution to the problem,” added Gawas. The barge owners, too, are unhappy with the current fees and are also threatening to stop transporting the ore. Atul Jadhav, President of the

Goa Barge Owners Association, has requested debt relief from the government, saying they’ll stop operating unless the government takes over their loans. During the boom, it seems, many stakeholders took out big bank loans for business expansion and new ventures of various kinds, never imagining the curtain would come down on the industry so abruptly. “We have to support a lot of families and it’s a question of survival now. With high operational costs and no income, the situation is getting worse. There is no business and the barges are lying idle,” said Jadhav. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar says he’s optimistic that other companies will follow in Vedanta’s footsteps and resume mining. “I’m hopeful that mining will resume in full swing in Goa for it is important that all stakeholders, especially the truck and barge owners, work together as the industry still faces a lot of hurdles. With time all issues will be resolved,” said Parsekar. It’s true the amount of the theft – through tax evasion, illegal extraction and graft of every kind – was staggering. But as long as prices were soaring and extraction was flowing, few complained, as the delicious mining pie was big enough for everyone to share. During this freefor-all, officials either participated in or turned a blind eye to the irregularities, setting the stage for the abrupt cancellation of the state’s highest revenue generator. There has been a lot of talk about the recovery of loot from illegal mining, but three years on little has happened on that front (despite a small army of government-hired chartered accountants charged with solving the mysteries of the scam). And those responsible for bringing the industry to a standstill are out of sight. Thus, the loss to the state exchequer - estimated at Rs 35,000 crore under the Shah Commission – is most likely gone forever. Even more astounding than that, however, is that those responsible for the Great Robbery are still riding high, enjoying the luxuries of life. No, Goa’s mining industry is unlikely to be the golden goose it once was. But it would be nice if those who stole the goose’s gold (or, in this case, its ironore) were held to account. After all, this valuable natural resource does, in the end, belong to the people of Goa.

politics

Goa’s Winners And Losers Recent Voting Brings No Realignment, But Serves As Wake-Up Call To Powers That Be

By Goa Streets

f it weren’t for the fact that the Congress Party is all but dead in Goa, something akin to being on life support, the results of the recent municipal elections in the state could have been seen as a disappointment to the ruling BJP. After all, they wrested control of little more than half the 11 councils up for grabs, and had a poor showing in some key areas considered BJP strongholds, including Cuncolim in South Goa. And yet, perhaps due to the fact that 2012 was not that long ago, memories of the graft-ridden government of the previous Congress government are still fresh enough to ensure that party remains deep in the background for the foreseeable future. Still, the results of the Oct. 25 municipal balloting in Goa have made some things crystal clear. For one, the BJP would be extremely ill-advised to take Goans’ support for granted. Secondly, any possible comeback by Congress is still far off into the future because the BJP’s performance, while far from stellar, hasn’t been poor enough for average citizens to countenance another bout with Congress. At least not yet. The election also showed that the people of Goa – despite growing clamour on social media and other forums for clean governance – are still quite willing to vote for old faces who are often very much the antithesis of change. “People get the government they deserve. If you continue to vote for those who common knowledge says are corrupt, you probably deserve what you are getting,” said one Congress Party leader who, aware that he was criticising voter behaviour, did not want his name revealed. The recent elections did not bring any significant political realignment in Goa, to be sure. But that hasn’t stopped both the BJP and the Congress from claiming victory. “The people have continued to repose faith in us. This

verdict is indicative that the government is on the right track,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said immediately after the vote. He cited the fact that the BJP would rule in six of the 11 councils, which is more than 50 percent, while one race was a tie with the BJP and the local Congress sharing five seats each in Canacona. The Congress, on the other hand, which didn’t take part in the elections but allowed individual leaders to field candidates under their wings, said that if the BJP were as strong as claimed, it would have wrested control of even the Congress-held councils - which didn’t happen. “If the BJP was as good as they claim to be, how is it that people have voted for the Congress not only in places where the Congress leaders are popular but also in some BJP held councils?” asked Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar. He pointed out that the BJP didn’t win in places like Cuncolim where the ruling party holds sway and was denied a majority in Canacona, another BJP stronghold. To be fair, however, it must be noted that not everyone sees Cuncolim as a true BJP bastion, considering that BJP’s seat there was obtained after a divided opposition led to a vote split. The truth, say some observers, is that the elections were something of a confirmation of the status quo, with both the BJP and Congress remaining strong in their respective enclaves. "This definitely cannot be generalised as an anti-incumbency trend in any manner," said journalist and political commentator Sandesh Prabhudesai.

Where does that leave the average citizen who wants good governance? “The Congress leaders who managed to hold on to their turf aren’t really beacons of propriety in public office. People continuing to vote for them may be good for the party but from a point of view of improving governance, nothing has changed,” said a Congress leader who declined to be named (the same one quoted earlier). Truth be told, Congress leaders who have managed to hold on to their turf are among those who during the last reign faced the most severe allegations of corruption. Their victory has meant that people have remained loyal to them despite their shortcomings. Take the cases of Vishwajit Rane and Chandrakant Kavlekar, Congress representatives from Valpoi and Quepem, respectively. Both have shown how resilient they are on their own turf by winning elections. And yet both ended the last term embroiled in corruption charges - Rane was accused in several health scams when he was

health minister, including unnecessary expenditure, doctored recruitments and others allegations. Kavlekar as Chairman of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation was named in the industrial plot allotment scam that dominated headlines several years back. That scam resulted in the suspension of several officials, including William Borges, the organization’s former deputy general manager. What does this mean for the 2017 State assembly elections? One way of looking at it is to note the prevailing sentiment of “Party be damned. A local hero is a local hero.” The biggest hurdle the Congress faces is infighting within the party. Take the Cuncolim case, for example. Two Congress leaders fielded candidates against each other - John Monteiro vs Joaquim Alemao, who eventually got the upper hand. Or in the Vasco municipality - Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho made no bones of the fact that he was siding with the ruling BJP, leaving his Congress cohorts in the lurch and underscoring the long distance the party must travel before it might taste electoral success again. "Congress continues to be the party of individuals and not an organisation. The municipal elections have proved it once again. If the Congress can't find fresh new faces and quickly, they are doomed," Prabhudesai said. It’s clear the government cannot afford to sit back and expect easy sailing. At the same time, however, unless Congress gets its act together, don’t expect any major change from their current, comatose state. A big question is whether all this leaves open the door for a third alternative. Aam Aadmi, are you listening? 

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

06 keep goa beautiful

The Garbage Menace Of Goa Is Actually Getting A Little Better

By Crespo D’Souza

s the government finally getting its act together on garbage? There have been several developments over the last few months that seem to suggest so. The system of collecting dry garbage is up and running and is picking up in several villages across the state. Waste alongside important roads and highways is being collected by a contractor through the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation and garbage along the beaches, too, is being collected manually by sweepers - this time through an agency contracted through the Tourism Department. Some 4,500 metric tons of plastic waste have been sent to Karnataka to fuel cement factories there. The Tourism Department has begun an initiative where people can click a photo and report uncollected garbage along the roads.

So we’re clearly seeing some steps in the right direction when it comes to garbage in Goa – which has long been one of the state’s most serious problems, a killer of tourism and a blight on the countryside. That’s not to say there’s not a long way to go before Goa’s garbage menace is solved. Piles of waste can still be seen on many roadsides, most of the state’s population is failing to heed calls to separate dry and wet waste, several hundred tons of garbage is burned every day throughout the state, causing significant air pollution, and a working, statewide system of effective waste management has yet to be put in place. Still, a major garbage treatment plant to treat waste in North Goa is going up in Saligao, overcoming stiff opposition from local residents. “The garbage plant we are setting up at Saligao to treat North Goa garbage is

nearing completion. The machinery is on its way and is likely to be installed soon,” explained Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Initially, Saligao residents rose up against the idea of having a waste treatment plant in their midst. Now they’ve changed their tune, saying the plant is OK but should serve their environs rather than North Goa as a whole. “The residents of Saligao and Calangute were initially given to understand that (the plant) would treat garbage of Saligao, Calangute, Candolim, Sangolda, Arpora, Guirim and Pilerne villages only. Now the government has taken a complete U-turn. This autocratic decision of the government is unacceptable to the residents of Saligao and Calangute,” said Austin D’Gama, Attorney of the Saligao Comunidade. His reasoning is that un-segregated garbage that will be transported by trucks that will spoil the roads of Saligao

and pollute the environment. “If the government goes ahead with its plan, the residents will oppose the move tooth-and-nail and sit on the roads, if required, in protest,” he said. Pollution Board Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha has a solution. “In any case most of North Goa’s garbage is generated in Calangute, Saligao and the coastal villages. If they want it that way, so be it. It could at least start that way and later other villages could be included after it is up and running,” he told Goa Streets. “It is important that at least it starts,” he added. Some officials see this period as a unique window of opportunity to get the plant operational that could pass quickly. “If it doesn’t happen now, when the government is willing, the state machinery is capable, then it will never happen,” said one official who asked not to be named. The garbage problem goes well beyond the issue of solid waste. There’s also hazardous waste, e-waste and biomedical waste that need to be addressed. The Department of Science and Technology has set up an expert committee to look into setting up a common biomedical waste treatment facility, chaired by Noronha. The committee hopes to set up this facility within the next year, and has already asked the Goa Industrial Development Corporation to give land for setting up the plant. Currently, all medical establishments in the state are expected to take care of their own biomedical waste. Industries generating hazardous waste in Goa must transport it some 600 kilometres to treatment plants outside Mumbai in the absence of a full-time hazardous waste treatment plant in the state. A plan to set up such a plant in Dharbandora dating back to 2008 has come to a standstill, partly due to lack of political will. Business leaders say the absence of a treatment plant for hazardous waste is affecting investor sentiment in the state. “The site at Dharbandora was opposed by politicians especially the local BJP politician and isn’t likely to see the light of day. Opposition by a ruling MLA is like a death sentence for any project,” an official said on the condition of anonymity. The state generates some 30,000 tons of hazardous waste from 162 industries every year. But the continued setbacks in dealing with hazardous waste appear to be offset by progress in addressing medical waste and the estimated 400,000 kilograms of household and industrial waste generated every day in the state. Yes, the road to solving Goa’s garbage problem is a rocky one. But at least the journey has begun. 

Friday, Novermber 06, 2015

The Life And Times of By Claron Fidelis Mazarello

hen it comes to jazz, Braz Gonsalves has done it all, serving as India’s Ambassador of Jazz right from the 1950s and earning a reputation as one of our nation’s greatest saxophonists. “My first job was playing in a circus in Meerut,” smiles the 81-year-old legend, who is also arguably Goa’s most important musical son. One would be hard pressed to find a family as musical – or as musically successful – as the Gonsalves’s. From daughters Sharon and Laura, who are musical sensations in their own right, to extended family members Steve and Kittu Sequeira and renowned jazz pianist Johnny Fernandes, theirs is a family with music in their blood. Braz’s days as a high-profile performer around India and the globe are behind him. But that’s not to say he’s left music behind. Now living in Porvorim in North Goa, he plays gospel music with a private prayer group that savours his every note almost as much as he does. And, of course, taking in the sounds of his delightfully musical family always brings great joy. Braz Gonsalves, originally hailing from Neura in central Goa, has been a pioneer in Indo-Jazz fusion. He has represented India at various Jazz Festivals around the world. He has played the Tenor, Saxophone and Alto Saxophone for over 30 years, in addition to other wind instruments such as the clarinet. “I studied solfeggio (a method of music instruction to teach pitch and sight reading) in our church school, like was the trend in those days. Teaching music in schools even now wouldn’t be a bad idea,” says the maestro. So where did jazz music begin in India? “Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi were the jazz hubs in India from the earliest of times,” replies Braz. “Goa had no jazz music. It was just musicians from Bombay who would come and play here occasionally,” observes Braz. Braz draws a sharp distinction between string and wind instruments, comparing the strings and keyboards of, say, the guitar and the piano with an instrument such as the trumpet, which has only three keys. “It requires a lot more feel and knowledge, apart from practice to be able to improvise,” Braz explains.

Braz’s musical odyssey began at church. Then he started listening to musicians from Bombay who played a different kind of music, with lots of improvisation. He liked it and began spending time with Lazarus Fernandes, another prominent blower from Neura who also played in Bombay. “So I too began to improvise. I didn’t know the chords, but just improvised by the ear,” he begins to laugh. “But I had never known chords till then. It was just solfeggio – to know how to read and write. I got to know of chord structures much later. But still I used to solo.” His passion for music grew along with his skills.

“It was more of jazz and dance music that they played. There were no guitars then, just the benjo and blowing instruments. But we would play lovely harmonies.” Braz’s wife Yvonne keeps a neat file of magazine and newspaper clippings documenting her husband’s life work. She speaks approvingly of the “hotels and night clubs (in India) that supported jazz music.” Her collection of articles provides a good idea of just how important Braz has been to jazz music in the sub-continent, with musicians and critics all over the world recognising his talent and contributions. Braz opened for the first Jazz Yatra in 1978 in Bombay, and then again in 80, 82, 86 and 97. He appeared at jazz

festivals in Portugal, China, Australia, Russia, Macao and other locales, playing alongside the likes of Louis Banks, Pam Crain, Karl Peters, Cat Anderson and David Liebman. This is in addition to playing with Indian artists such as Sivamani, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Zakhir Hussain and Trilok Gurtu, in addition to a host of names we may be too embarrassed to admit we do not know but are extremely important in the jazz music scene of this planet. “I played for the circus for almost a year in Madras,” humbly continues Braz. “I left from Goa when I was 18 to join the circus band to play music,” he says of the beginning of the journey that eventually led him to musical greatness. For Braz, what was important was the music, not where it was played. As long as he enjoyed playing, all was good; be it at a circus, a starry night club or an international jazz music festival with the world’s greatest jazz musicians. In the end, it’s love and passion that have enabled the Goan maestro to become one of the greatest jazz musicians India has ever produced. 

08 music & nightlife Nov 7

Oct 24 to Dec 26

Diwali Special Karaoke Nite Open to All At Sincro Hotel Fatorda, Margao 7 pm onwards +91 832 2741408

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

Saturday Nite Live! Featuring Mad Hiaz, Feat Ritesh Gonsalves, Funksun, Brandon, Anthony At Cafe Lilliput, Anjuna 6 pm onwards +91 9822137767

Nov 6, 7 , 8 Marbela Beach Nov 6: Simply Raa Juke Boombox.e, Flip5ide (RU), Mohinesh (resident) Nov 7: Vincent Rydell, Leon, Funksun, Mohinesh Nov 8: Shine, Akshay Matkar, Mohinesh. At Morjim Beach 6 pm onwards +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

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

Every Wednesday Free bird nights at Cotinga Free bird nights at Cotinga presents, Elvis and Anirban, with a classic rock and blues session, this Wednesday 8:00 pm onwards. At Cotinga at the Tamarind Hotel, Anjuna 8:00 pm onwards +919822851155, (0832)6519999

Live music at Mustard Krishna Vamsee is live on Wednesday, only at Mustard playing the best in blues, mo-town rock, and country tracks, 8pm onwards.  Come savour the flavours that binds cuisines together at the the newest culinary destination in Goa.  8:00 pm onwards  At Mustard, Sangolda +91 98234 36120 Every Thursday Karaoke Nite Come & be with Mojo Rockstar Kdj Seby At Cafe Mojo Pub & Bistro, Panjim 7 pm onwards. +91 7774054353 Every Friday 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 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

Goa Rhythm & Blues Festival 2015 concludes on a high note!

ith palm-tree woods on one side of the white sands and gently lapping waves on the other, the Goa Rhythm & Blues 2015 ended on a high today. Organised by Genesis Foundation, the two-daylong music festival was held in the picturesque Bay View Lawns of Vivanta by Taj-Fort Aguada to support medical treatment of 15 critically ill underprivileged children. GoaRnB wrapped on Saturday and hit high notes with renowned bands belonging to different genres including Rock, Pop, Folk Fusion & Sufi and saw an attendance of more than 350 guests. Prema Sagar, Founding Trustee of Genesis Foundation said, “The response to the first Goa Rhythm and Blues Festival has been tremendous. We would like to thank all our supporters, partners, attendees and the incredible bunch of artists who joined hands with the cause. There are 15 little lives that will get a chance to live to their full potential because of this. The euphoria, the spirit, and the level of participation in its first year itself is very encouraging and we look forward to make it an annual affair.” Shilpa Rao who got the audience grooving with her Bollywood numbers said, “It’s great to be in Goa for Goa Rhythm and Blues. We really appreciate the cause that GF supports and are happy to be here. What’s a better way to bring people together than music. Hope everyone enjoyed our performance.” Philip Haydon from Ministry of Blues said, “We are honoured to play for Genesis Foundation which is doing a fabulous job of healing people. All the band members who otherwise pursue their career in various fields come together to play for the cause. We played some great blue rock.” The extravaganza and the entertainment at Goa Rhythm and Blues festival was absolute. Moreover, the most gratifying feeling that came along with its success was the fact that 15 under-privileged kids suffering from cardiac disorder, thalassemia, cancer and deformity; the cost of the treatment of which is excessive, would receive the medical care that their families could not have afforded.

Friday, November 06, 2015

Nov 6

Great Goan Experience

OUTDOORS

The Bookworm Film club A screening of '3-Iron' (2004), A Korean film with English subtitles At the Bookworm Library, Panjim @ 4:30 p.m +91 9823222665/+91 832 2451233

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

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

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

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

Nov 7 Health: 99 percent Prevention; 1 percent Intervention A Panel Discussion on Nutrition, Fitness and Health with Dr.Irineu A.Pereira, Cardiovascular & Chest Surgeon (Good Shepherd Healthcare Clinics) Mr.Macedonio Fernandes, Fitness Coach (Calburn Fitness) and Ms.Alka Dsouza, Chef ( Ginger and Foxes Fiesta) At The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula 10.00am - 11.30 pm +91 8380075599

Nov 8 Dalgado presents annual Awards The award presentation ceremony in the presence of Chief Guest Narendra Sawaikar and Guest of Honour Agostinho, President of Tiatr Academy Goa. At Ravindra Bhavan, Margao 4 pm +91 832 272 6980

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

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

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 wellpreserved 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

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 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 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

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 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 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 brainwork 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 eye-view 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

10 MIND, BODY & SOUL

Taking It Up A Notch At Gym & Tonic!

Celebrity Fitness Guru Shwetha Bhatia’s New Venture In Goa

By Rahul Rivonkar

t seems this is the season of celebrities moving to Goa. First we hear that Sarah Todd of MasterChef Australia fame plans to set up a restaurant here. And now we get news that Shwetha Bhatia, one of the country’s top fitness and nutrition gurus (and herself a bodybuilding champion) has already opened up shop in Panjim. Hers is no ordinary gym, to be sure. Gym & Tonic is about transforming your mind, body & soul through a unique combination of exercise, nutrition and other health-enhancing practices (yoga and body suspension training, to name two). Shwetha smiles when asked about her venture’s spirited name, which conjures up the image of a cocktail not exactly associated with fitness! And yet this is a gym and it is a tonic – tonic for the body, an antidote for its ills. Tonic refers to the nutrition counterpart; where non-members across age groups can address their clinical/sports nutrition issues. Shwetha explains that her Goa venture is giving her a chance to fulfill her professional dream of helping people lead better, healthier lives. “I now have the opportunity to integrate fitness and nutrition under one roof and give my clients the best of both, in short maximizing results in the shortest possible time. Earlier I would only be able to chart out the exercise regime without actually being able to ensure that it is executed as instructed.” You see, Gym & Tonic doesn’t believe in selling “weight loss by the kilo.” If getting fit just meant losing some weight, then those who lose weight during sickness would actually be getting fitter, right? The goal, explains Shwetha, must be to maintain muscle and target fat loss by having an “ideal body composition” that can only be achieved with the right combination of exercise and nutrition. Exercise must include a combination of cardio, weight training and flexibility. And a good diet should complement your exercise schedule. Shwetha explains that your body weight is made up of fat, muscle, blood, fluids, bone and organs. When you lose weight drastically, you are probably losing precious muscle. Weight loss should be primarily fat loss while saving muscle mass.

Muscles need stimulus to build and maintain; they place a high demand on the body, which tries to pare them down once training stops. Weight training provides the stimulus. It takes months to build and days to lose; therefore training should be a lifelong activity and not just a means to achieving your goal weight. Cardiovascular training provides the same stimulus to the heart; remember that the heart is made up of muscle too! Because aging is related to muscle loss, when we pick up weights to maintain the muscle mass, we are actually anti-aging. Further, muscles strengthen bones and joints. The one thing you want to carry into old age is INDEPENDENCE and being physically active through the years ensures that! Therefore, exercise should not be only a means to burn calories for weight loss. Its effects go way beyond that. Losing weight and looking good are the bonus effects, so treat exercise like medicine! Gym & Tonic provides all the basic services like strength training, and cardio and personal training. But they also cater to those who like to train the non-conventional way. Group classes like yoga and suspension training are among the offerings in the latter category. There is also a physiotherapist on board who can offer therapy or training guidelines for those with active injuries or in the rehab phase. Another addition is the prenatal/post-natal classes for pregnant women.

The icing on the cake (make that a carrot cake!), of course, is that when you come here to train, you can also benefit from the advice of one of India’s foremost experts on nutrition. Shwetha has helped a great many people overcome disease, enhance athletic performance and build happier, healthier lives. Shwetha and her team believe in regular follow-ups to help people stay on track and reach their targets. You need not be a member of Gym & Tonic to avail of their nutrition services, though members get special rates. You have two services to choose from – Regular and Premium. Both the packages are designed by Shwetha, but the Regular is monitored by her assistants and the Premium exclusively by her. Gym & Tonic’s emphasis is on personal attention and correct form and technique, backed with Scientific Nutritional Guidance! Shwetha Bhatia is a Registered Dietician with the Indian Dietetic Association. She specializes in Clinical and Sports Nutrition across all age groups. Backed by academic excellence (having topped the University at both the graduation and post-graduation level in Dietetics), Shwetha also has a practice in Mumbai under the brand ‘Metamorphosis’ since 2009. She helped prepare Tiger Shroff during his debut film “Heropanti”.

“One of my biggest challenges has been counseling Tiger Shroff – as he came to me with an already near perfect body,” Shwetha explains. “We share the same passion for fitness. I planned his regime in the final 6 months before he began shooting for his debut film “Heropanti”. Shwetha herself has competed as a “fitness athlete”, bagging medals at state and national level competitions of the Indian Body Builders Federation. With an impeccable track record, she has an impressive network of clients – be it professionals, celebrities or organizations who have sought her nutrition expertise. Her plans are customized to your lifestyle and for each person a different plan is created. She doesn’t have a ‘template’ style of consulting. Who knows? Spend enough time at Gym & Tonic and you won’t have to feel guilty if, on occasion, you decide to reward yourself with an actual Gin & Tonic. Services Offered:

• Clinical & Sports Nutrition Centre • Strength training • Cardio • Personal training • Suspension training • Pregnancy classes • Yoga • Shower • Lockers • Pro shop – For dietary supplements • Physiotherapy • A basic first aid kit

To know more, book an appointment with an expert. • Operating hours: Monday to Saturday - 5 AM to 10 PM • Address: BR Commercial Centre, Next to Campal Clinic, Panjim, Goa • Phone: 7030755330 • Website: www.gymandtonic.co.in • Email: info@gymandtonic.co.in

Friday, November 06, 2015

A Very Happy Diwali From All Of Us

By Rahul Rivonkar

id you know that Diwali actually falls on the darkest night of the year? The new moon night of the month of Ashwin (of the Hindu calendar), which may arrive either in October or November (of the Gregorian calendar), is considered to be the darkest night of the year by Hindus. Thus the tradition of lighting lamps on this intensely dark night. What is Diwali? Deepawali or Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. It's the festival of lights that's marked by five days of celebration, which literally illumines the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. This year Diwali falls on Wednesday, November 11. ‘Dhanteras’ is the first day of the five-day Diwali Festival. The eve of Diwali is known as ‘Naraka Chaturdasi’, the day on which the demon ‘Narakaasura’ met his death. Celebrations continue until the fifth day, ‘Bhai dooj’ (Feast to Brothers), when women give presents to their male siblings, and the Diwali festivities end in memorable fashion. Each

of the five days in the festival of Diwali is separated by a different tradition, but what remains true and constant is the celebration of life, its enjoyment and goodness! How is it celebrated? Diwali is traditionally marked with the illumination of small earthenware oil lamps called Diyas, made with coconut oil, ghee and wicks of cotton string. Today, they are accompanied by more lavish displays of electronic lights over buildings and extraordinary fireworks displays. Traditionally, the day of Diwali involves Lakshmi Puja – prayer, invocations and rituals for the goddess Lakshmi – and the distribution of new clothes, sweetmeats and other gifts. Crackers are ubiquitous. The day after is given over to Govardhan Puja – worship of Lord Govardhan – which, according to legend, was performed by Lord Krishna with a group of mortals to protect them from torrential rain. 

14 Friday, November 06, 2015

The John Walker Walking The Walk At Taj Exotica

If You Love Whisky, You’ll Love This

By Aliya Abreu

ood lovers across the globe have always known that a sip of Chardonnay along with their dish of exotic fish, or a little Sauvignon Blanc alongside their tart dessert would only enhance their fine-dining experience, leaving them in that mixed state of bliss and exhilaration that nothing other than good food and wine can leave one in. Now how about a little blended whisky with your scallops? Not something every foodie on earth would countenance, to be sure. And that’s exactly what Nicholas Ord, the Reserve Brand Ambassador for United Spirits Limited, was out to change at Taj Exotica, Benaulim, on the evening of the 4th of November, 2015. Manoj Mishra, the Director of Food and Beverage at Taj Exotica went out of his way to give the high profile guests a warm welcome to the re-launching of the restaurant Miguel Arcanjo, with a brand new menu pairing exotic food with even more exotic blends of the world’s best whisky. The restaurant Miguel Arcanjo overlooks the lush gardens of Taj Exotica, beautifully lit up at night. Ranjit Phillipose, the General Manager of Taj Exotica, explained that the restaurant was named Miguel Arcanjo as a tribute to Goa’s legendary Chef Miguel Arcanjo Mascarenhas, who delighted guests at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai in decades past with his exceptional culinary skills. Nicholas Ord was instrumental in making the evening a success, with his skill, and experience, in mixology. “India is probably the largest whisky market I’ve ever worked with. People drink their whisky neat, with water, or with ice. What I’m trying to do is get people to think that whisky is more versatile than that,” he said. He went on to explain that Johnnie Walker was

designed as a blended whisky for people to drink in many different ways. Why not add some whisky to your cocktails? Or pair it with specially selected dishes? The evening saw a showcase of a very rare whisky blend – The John Walker – of which there are only 330 bottles in the world. And Mr Mishra couldn’t hide the pride in his voice when he told me, “One of them is here at Taj Exotica.” Mr Ord exclaimed how fantastic the blue label - which was used in the cocktails for the evening - was, and

how ideal for the evening, because of how well it mixes (by the way, if you’ve ever seen the price tag on a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue, you might think to yourself, “This should be fanstatic!”). There were cocktails specially designed to go with each course of the evening’s meal. For instance, the steak and king prawns were matched with spicy, peppery flavoured whisky-cocktails, the desserts with rich flavoured whiskycocktails, and so on. But Nicholas Ord’s task didn’t end with the evening. The GM Mr Phillipose went on to say that Mr Ord had paired

whisky blends with the entire new menu of the restaurant, showing that whisky can be matched with any dish, and is really more versatile than you think. So the signature dishes of the restaurant like lamb and scallops can now be enjoyed with a sparkling new whisky blend. Mr Ord also mentioned a very interesting bit of trivia: The master blender for Johnnie Walker goes around Scotland tasting whiskys and creating blends which are later mirrored. For the blend used for this exotic evening, only

one in 10,000 whiskys that he tasted went into the final product. So it’s little wonder that this rare whisky is priced at five hundred pounds in the UK. The John Walker was made in nine select casks from extinct distilleries. That’s right, once these bottles are over, there is no way of recreating the same whisky blend. So now you know exactly where to head down to the next time you want to try some exotic whisky. Oh, and did I mention the food’s great, too? 

Veg & Non Veg

Prop: Shankar Kudalkar Hotel Madhav, Shop No. D-8, Pancharatna Complex, Behind Borkars Super Stores, Margao. Tel. 9822167830

16 food & drink Nov 6 to Nov 22  'South East Asian Food Festival' Journey across Far East Asia as you indulge in savoury delights from China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia at the 'South East Asian Food Festival'. From flavor some starters to zesty sauces, aromatic mains to divine desserts, the 'South East Asian Food Festival' is an indulgence all set to delight your palate with the tastes of the orient.  At “Chilli 'n' Spice - Carnival of Cuisines” Hotel Fidalgo, Panjim +91 9545554244/+91 9158055222.

Every Saturday 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 an astonishingly wide selection of Live grills. Serving up the finest cuisine from around the world. At Vivanta by Taj, Panaji, Off D B Bandodkar road, Panaji +91 832 6633636 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 Myra Vineyards presents 'Sangria Sunday Brunch' at Sol de Goa Sangria Sunday Brunch with the amazing Helen and Xavier Peres. Complimentary use of the pool for all customers. Italian, Spanish and Mexican delights and unlimited Sangria, beer and cocktails. Sunset set with Dj David Phimister Rs: 1200+ taxes per head, Rs: 600+ taxes for kids. At Sol de Goa, Nerul 12:30 pm onwards. 0832 671 4141

South Goa Restaurants Palms Restaurant The Beachside Restaurant Palms with the Peruvian delicacy for the first time in Goa. Enjoy Ceviche delicacies and Peruvian drinks all night long! At Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, Cavelossim +91 832 2721235 Allegria Goan, Portuguese This fine-dining restaurant at the Taj Exotica serves mouth watering food. On offer are all the classic Goan dishes like Chicken Cafreal, Pork Sorpotel, and Kullanche Mass Kottnim, which is crab meat in a shell, and of course, the all time favourite, Fish Curry Rice. At Taj Exotica, Calwaddo, Benaulim, Salcete 7.30 pm to 10.45 pm +91 832 6683333 Peppers Gourmet Cuisine Seafood, Tandoor Indulge in innovative desserts and local flavours at this exciting food joint. Near Child Care School, Margao +91 832 2711125, +91 9822133506

A Tartaruga Multi – Cuisine This eating space is a great venue for weddings and parties with sprawling beach front lawns that can accommodate up to 1000 pax. At Colva Beach, Salcete 7 am to 11 pm +91 832 2788068/69 Casa Sarita For truly outstanding authentic Goan Food. Open only for dinner, this classy fine dining restaurant is a delightful place to explore Goan and Portuguese cuisine. At Park Hyatt Goa, Cansaulim +91 832 2721234 Tato’s Fine Dining Goan, Indian, Chinese Tato’s fine dining makes its presence felt in the culinary circles in Margao. Opp. New Collectorate, Margao 12 pm to 3 pm and 6.30 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2758590 Fisherman’s Wharf Authentic Goan It’s a fantastic restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. At the riverside, near Holiday Inn, Cavelossim – Salcete +91 832 2871317 Soul Soufflé Goan, North Indian, Continental, Chinese, Seafood Casual Dinning At Off The Old Verna Highway, Near UDddear Water Fall, Ambulour Village, Verna, Margao +918322782100 Gawin's Restaurant & Pub Seafood, Goan, Continental, Chinese Enjoy Sunday Brunch every week At Cansaulim Road, Verna +91 9822177179 Cherry Tomato Burger Cafe and Italian Restaurant At Vanelim, Colva +91 9561379963 Dropadi Restaurant Casual Dining North Indian, Chinese, Continental, Seafood, Goan At Palolem Beach, Palolem, Goa +91 832 264 4555 Coconut Creek Serves Non veg, Alcohol, Outdoor Seating. Goan, Continental, Chinese, North Indian, Seafood At Bogmalo, Bimut Ward, Bogmalo +91 832 2538100/+91 9823117647 Konkani Restaurant Casual Dining North Indian, Konkan, Goan, Seafood At Jigisha Building, Varde Valaulikar Road, Margao +91 97638 22983 Vasco Square Casual Dining North Indian, Goan, Continental, Seafood At 211, Joseph Vaz Road, Vasco, Goa +91 832 250 0644

Pentagon Restaurant & Garden Pub Eclectic Asian, Indian and European menu. Sizzle your taste buds with awesome food at pentagon from starters to main course we have it all for you At Majorda Beach Road, Opp. Majorda Beach Resort, Salcete 12 pm to 12 am +91 832 2881402/ +91 9822091402

North Goa Restaurants Marbela Beach Italian, Seafood One of the finest beach resorts in the state, Marbela Beach is the ultimate destination to party or to unwind during the sunset with refreshing cocktails and decent food to hog on to. At Morjim –Ashvem Road, Morjim 7 am to midnight +91 832 8450599 Goa Marriott Resort & Spa Open for dinner 7 pm onwards every day, Wan Hao is also open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Re-orient your taste-buds with the choicest of Oriental cuisine all this season only. At Wan Hao, the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa! +91 832-246 3333. Avanti Bar & Restaurant Indian, Goan & Seafood Serves Goan specialties like Rawa fried prawns, stuffed squid, and gratinated stuffed crab masala among other Goan delights. Near Patto Bridge, Panjim 11 am to 3 .30 pm, 7 pm to 11.30 pm +91 832 2435884/ +91 832 2427179 hotelavanti@yahoo.com Peep Kitchen Indian, Continental, Goan, Chinese A family restaurant with a bar run by a Goan family serves food with an authentic Goan and homely touch. At Caranzalem, Near Petrol Pump, Panjim Noon to 2.30 pm and 7 pm to 10.30 pm +91 832 6454474 Hotel Sanskruti Chinese, Goan, Indian, Oriental It’s a pure vegetarian restaurant which is packed during lunch time. It’s really good for South Indian food, Thali, and chaat. At Near HDFC Bank, Porvorim 8 am to 11 pm +91 832 2414400/ +91 94233323822 A Lua Chinese, European, Goan, North Indian, Seafood 11 am to 11 pm At, Bella vista, Sangolda +91 832 2416671/ 73 At Porie Bhatt, Verna Contact: +91 832 2782760/ +91 9881272080  At Bhueem Bhatt, St Cruz, Merces +91 832 2448172/ +91 2448757

Casa Bhonsle Indian & Goan All meals here are prepared in the authentic Hindu Goan Style. Above Café Bhonsle, Near Cine National, Panjim Noon to 3.30 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2222260/ +91 9822100684 A Pastelaria Bakery An ideal place for pastries, cakes, cookies and other baked offerings. 9 am to 9 pm At Hotel Mandovi, Panjim +91 832 2426270/ 73 O’Asia Pan Asian This is the ultimate destination for your pan Asian culinary fix. At The O Hotel, Dando, Candolim Noon to 3 pm, 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323047000 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  Sol de Goa   Relax over the weekend with lazy Sundays by the poolside. Sol de Goa presents Mexicana-Spanish Brunch with Sangrias, unlimited food and LIVE acoustic entertainment.  At Sol De Goa, Nerul 11.30 Onwards   +91 9552134385 Go With the Flow Brazillian, Mediterranean, Fusion  In an enchanting location on the Baga river bank, offering stunning views of the river, and sea beyond. Oh did we mention? The food’s really good, too. Chef Guto from Brazil really knows what he’s doing. We mean it.  At Calangute, Baga   +91 7507771556  contact@ gowiththeflowgoa.com www. gowiththeflowgoa.com Koi  True Asian, very tasty  At Taj Road, Gauravaddo, Calangute   12 pm to 1 am   +91 98733 42567 koigoa.com Mustard A Flavour to Savour Serving Bengali and European food, using mustard as a key ingredient. The only Bengali restaurant in Goa! At House No 78, Mae de dues Vaddo, Chogm Road, Sangolda +91 9823436120 Facebook: /mustardgoa

Bicholim, Goa M. +91 9822582331

Cafe Jazz Restaurant & Bar & Goa Intelligent Security Services Opp. Delfinos Super Market, Candolim, Bardez, Goa Prop: Vishwanath Hebbalkar +91 9049019085/ +91 9822587050

De Baga Deck Calangute-Baga Rd, Opposite Subway, Cobra Vaddo, Calangute, Goa Phone:0832 227 7529

De Candolim Deck H. No. 448/A, Vaddy CAndolim, Bardez, Goa Phone:0832 2479040/+91 9822128186

18 food & drink

Diwali Cooking The Festival Of Lights, The Festival Of Food

By Sheela Jaywant

f you live in a pukka Hindu neighbourhood, you’ll discover for the next week or so, that every wisp of smoke coming out from every kitchen window smells the same. In the run-up to India’s best known festival, there are hands moving in unison each afternoon, next to gasstoves, roasting in shallow kadais fine semolina or gram flour, spooning in blobs of ghee to keep dryness at bay. Once the raw odour gives way to a delicious aroma, the hot utensil is taken off the stove and its contents allowed to cool. Then carefully measured fine sugar-powder is fingered through it and some crushed cardamom/nutmeg added for flavour before rolling little balls of the dough between the palms to make delicate-to-handle, no-needto-bite, melt-in-the-mouth ladoos. If you can afford the ‘dry-fruit’ ingredient, then the chips of almonds/pistas/

cashews/raisin will break the monotony of the bolus. We west-coasters don’t have milkbased sweets (like rasgullas or gulabjamuns). Our cows/buffaloes provided

Re-launch of Casino Carnival at Goa Marriott Resort

Casino Carnival Directors Mr. Xavier Vas (R) & Mr. Raghuvir Kunkolienkar (L) and Mr. Ozler Fernandes, Administration & Commercial Head (C) at the renovated Casino Carnival at Goa Mariott Resort.

asino Carnival, a leading Casino in Goa was re-launched on 31st October 2015. To mark the occasion, Ghazal maestro Padmashree Pankaj Udhas performed live at the Grand Ballroom of Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. He had the audiences spellbound with his famous ghazals. The event was presented by Carnival events in association with Casino Carnival. Speaking about the re-launch, Mr. Xavier Vas, Director, Casino Carnival said ‘We have latest amenities and a world class ambience.We have added a new range of slot machines with multi-gaming which are first of its kind in India. We have insistently delivered the highest standards of gaming and exclusive services to our guests’. He further added ‘we carefully work hard to maintain the standards of the Casino at all times high and also make sure that the guests feel comfortable and keep coming back due to our unsurpassed service’. Mr. Raghuvir Kunkolienkar, Director, Casino Carnival mentioned ‘we have come up with a brand Carnival events, this brand will have more shows for the people. We want to get quality entertainment in Goa. To start with we are looking forward to have atleast four events in a year’.

just enough lactation for the last-born child, the presently pregnant daughter-inlaw and the odd guest. Our ancestors therefore preferred the alternative source of edible festive goodness: grated, fresh coconut flesh. That, combined with jaggery or sugar and gently heated, becomes a slightly chewy, highly addictive stuffing for neuros. Those with roots in Maharashtra or Karnataka, make the complicated anarsey, which need pounding of fermented rice dough over four days, then rolling and frying the ‘puri’-like biscuits which are finally dipped into thick syrup and sprinkled over with poppy seeds. Less difficult to make but utterly delicious are the delicate chirotey, the Indian equivalent of strudel. If you’re not a ‘sweet’ person, at the other end of the festive goodies are savoury lot. If you have tough gums and teeth to match, try the kadbolees. They’re made of rice flour and butter dough, rolled and curled into small bracelets and fried to a dark brown. Or the spiky, spicy chakalis, my favourite, with talented housewives make and sell all year around these days. The savoury chivdas, made of roasted or deep-fried flakes of puffed rice, come in several flavours. Some are doused in masala powders, others are lightly seasoned with mustard seeds, yet

others smell strongly of garlic. Some flakes are ‘nylon’ thin, others are about 2mm thick. All chivdas are generously studded with groundnuts or cashew seeds, slivers of coconut flesh, all fried before being mixed with the base of flakes. The curry-leaves and asafoetida make their not-so-subtle presence felt. The sequence of eating depends on the eater. If you’re having tea or some other milky hot beverage whilst spending a Diwali evening with a friend, have the sweets first, and break the taste with a savoury item. If you’re into beer or hard liquor, I’d suggest you dig into the savouries only until you’re done with the glassware, then take the sweets, one at a time. If you’re on a diet to lose weight to look good, postpone the programme. If your diet is restricted because of medical reasons, eat with care and under supervision. I know from experience that willpower is severely tested at this time of the year, ‘specially when cruel acquaintances place small bowls of hard to refuse shankar-parras within grasping distance. Neighbours send platefuls of homemade goodies to each others’ homes. The plates contain the same items, more or less. Unusually, each item, made by different hands, tastes different. It’s true, God lies in the details. Family secrets and tricks are kept unshared. Viva la difference, I say, we eaters don’t mind at all. If you have space to spare in your stomach after consuming all the Diwali goodies, remember to get yourself invited for a Diwali breakfast or lunch. Traditional stuff that never makes it to restaurant menus includes a variety of recipes that use puffed or flattened rice, and curries made with that day’s catch. Since Diwali stretches over four days, you won’t run out of meals/hosts. Every time you feel guilty about the calories consumed, stop yourself from thinking further. Take a deep breath, figure out which window the nicest smell is coming from (this is a difficult exercise, so if you can’t decide, just choose the home closest to you) and walk into that house. It’s Diwali, everyone’s welcome to visit and share and eat what’s made. In return, you have to give friendship. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, Indian-style. 

Friday, November 06, 2015

arts & entertainment 19

Largest Private Art Space in India Opens In Goa Let’s All Welcome The Wonderful Museum of Goa! And Kudos To Dr. Subodh Kerkar!

By Goa Streets

undreds of people from Goa and beyond showed up at the Pilerne Industrial Estate on Nov. 5 for the inauguration of the Museum of Goa, the largest private art space in India – the delightful, innovative new venture by Dr. Subodh Kerkar, one of Goa’s most celebrated artists. Museum of Goa, or MOG as it’s already popularly known, is an endeavor to take art to the masses and to provide everyone, without bias, the opportunity to be included in the making of contemporary culture via enjoyment of the arts. This unique space for the Arts brings together artists, curators, collectors, art enthusiasts, educators, students and audiences from all walks of life. It’s not only a space for Indian and international exhibitions but also organizes workshops, residencies, lectures, screenings and art courses of a multidisciplinary nature. MOG offers 1,500 square meters of space to display art (yes, you read that right!) and is centrally located in Pilerne Industrial Estate. The three storey structure designed by architect Dean D’Cruz houses galleries, an Art Store, a café, an auditorium and studios for artists. Founded by artist and sculptor, Dr. Subodh Kerkar, the space intends to put Goa on the international art map. The Museum of Goa was inaugurated on Thursday, Nov. 5, by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in an incredibly well-attended event that featured deeply moving art displays of various kinds, innovative musical performances, an open bar and food expertly prepared by A Reverie and Flying Dolphin. Also in attendance were Smt. Alina Saldanha - Minister for Museums, Shri Dayanand Mandrekar - Minister for Art & Culture and Shri Vijai Sardesai - MLA, Fatorda Constituency.

Shaistah Thapar, a well-known art collector and singer, presented 10 Konkani songs on the theme ‘Mog’, accompanied by a band. The museum’s first exhibit is titled ‘GOPAKAPATTANAM’ Exploring Goa’s histories through the lens of contemporary art’, Curated by Dr. Subodh Kerkar & Mr. Peter Mueller. It will be on view from 6th November 2015 to 25th January 2016, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm every day. Here’s an excerpt from a curatorial note by Subodh Kerkar “For the past decade, I have been engaged with histories of Goa. Goa has had a very tumultuous past, with different empires presiding over her destiny, each leaving a mark on her chequered history… The ocean has also played an important role in Goa’s history. The waves that unfurl across the one hundred kilometres of Goa’s coast have not just carved and shaped rocks, but also ideas, dreams and narratives. I became so fascinated with all these forces, as well as the stories that connected them, that unknowingly, history became a footnote to almost every work I created. I decided to work on sculptures, drawings, paintings, installations, videos and documentaries in response to Goa’s histories…I spoke to other artists and requested them to explore histories through their own works as well. ‘Gopakapattanam’, is the fruit of this collective endeavour. Apart from being an artistic exercise, it is also a unique pedagogical experiment of narrating history through a contemporary idiom.” List of artists showing their works at MOG: Chandrakant Shankar Kerkar| Subodh Kerkar | Kalidas Mhamal | Shilpa Naik | Pradeep Naik | Kedar Dhondu | Vitesh Naik | Sweety Joshi | Narendra Yadav | Sanjeev Khandekar |Siddharth Gosavi | Tahireh Lal | Santosh Morajkar | Viraj Naik | Munir Kabani | Nandesh Shanti Prakash | Pablo Bartholomew | Alex Fernandes | Urmila V. G. | Siddharth Kerkar | Harshada Sonak | Friso Witteveen.

Nov 6 Opening Night Dress Code (Optional) - Black or White 'Kite Mika' 'Drawn into Black and White' Curated by Katherina Domscheit. On Nov 6 to Dec 6 At The Cube Gallery, Moira Satinderbir@yahoo.com +91 832 2470415/+91 8422806748

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 Nov 10 Diwali Diyas An exhibition of exclusive handcrafted and decorative earthen diyas from jyotirmay At Diwali Sopping Utsav, Caculo Mall, Panjim From 1.30 am to 9 pm +91 8411851511

Nov 7, 8 and 9 TNS Diamond This Diwali dazzle yourself as TNS Jewellers extend a warm invitation to a glittering show of fine Diamond Jewellery. Wide range in Diamond Mangalsutra Available. At Hotel Nanutel, Margao 10.30 am to 8.30 pm +91 9324291952

Nov 5 to Nov 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 3 to Nov 8 State art Exhibition The 41st State Art Exhibition of Kala Academy in the Artist Category. At The Art Gallery, Kala Academy, Panjim +91 832 242 0450

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

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 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 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 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 Sunaparanta- Goa Centre for the Arts The centre houses several exhibition galleries, a large multi-functional space for workshops and lectures, an in-house film club, sketch club, open air amphitheatre, pottery studio and an open courtyard that houses the al fresco café, Bodega. The red velvet cupcakes at Bodega are a must try! At Altinho, Panjim 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. +91 832 2421311 info@sgcfa.org | www.sgcfa.org

GOA HOSTS THE BIGGEST NEW AGE

JAZZ FESTIVAL IN INDIA

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, WalesUK, 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 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! Gone are the days when jazz was for the old, for the duddy daddies 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.Its 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 EscapeThe 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 • 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

People cooking for People An Initiative by Hyatt India

rand Hyatt Goa recently concluded the semifinals of the second edition of “Hyatt Culinary Challenge - people cooking for people”. Conceptualized as a unique event to bring together individuals from the corporate realm on a common platform; where they showcase culinary expertise. A collaborative effort by both Grand Hyatt Goa and Park Hyatt Goa, the Hyatt Culinary Challenge had 13 participants come together to showcase their cooking expertise. Participants included, Nikhil Desai, MDGTDC, Manguirish Pai Raiker, Chairman National Council for SME, ASSOCHAM, Captain James Braganza, Captain of Ports, Government of Goa, Wilfried Theissen, CEO, Putzmeister Concrete Machines Ltd, Sasi Kumar, Senior VP, Caper Travels, Marisha Dutt, Owner and Publisher, Goa Streets, Jaideep Redkar, General Manager of Rosenberger India, Aanish Sadasivan of Aanish Sadasivan Architects, Varun Carvalho, Songwriter and Dentist, Samira Sheth, art curator, Bhakti Dalvi Kamat and Radhika Timblo. The judge’s panel comprised of Sarah Todd from Master Chef Australia, Yellow Mehra, Owner of Fiesta Restaurant and Executive Chef Mark Anthony Long of Grand Hyatt Goa. After a very tough competition, Aanish Sadasivan of Aanish Sadasivan Architects along with Priti Kevadkar of SMILE Foundation took home the winning trophy of the semifinal cook off for his interesting combination of Toddy Chicken with Steamed Rice. Aanish will travel later this month for the finale on 15th November at Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Jaideep Redkar, General Manager of Rosenberger India took home the runner up trophy along with his apprentice Sunanda Varak for his version of Chicken Cafreal. Speaking on the occasion, Harleen Mehta, Vice President Sales Operations, Hyatt South Asia said, “The Hyatt Culinary Challenge is an endeavor to bring together people to celebrate their passion for food and make a difference to the community while doing so. We are delighted with the overwhelming response from the participants both offline and online, and look forward to doing more such events over the years.” 

A Cake-A-Licious affair at The Park!

he age old ceremony of cake mixing starts a few months before Christmas and the winter festivities and is considered to be an usher for good tidings and happiness. Over the years, 'cake mixing' has become a celebrated ritual and is an occasion one looked forward to this time of the year. The Park Calangute Goa welcomed the holiday season with a fruit soaking ceremony ahead of Christmas. Spreading the cheer along with our Chefs & team, the ceremony invited participation of all friends, guests and partners amidst tradition and fanfare. Guests and colleagues rolled up their sleeves and put their hands in the mixing pots to make the perfect Christmas cake. The event was post our famous Sunday Bikini Brunch and had entertainment by Emmanuel which was very much liked by all. 

culture 21

Friday, November 06, 2015

5 Fascinating Folk Dances of Goa

By José Lourenço

oa’s villages are replete with a rich repertoire of folk dances with deep roots in history. The most popular are the Dekhni, Dhalo, Fugdi, Ghodemodni, Goff, Zagor, Kunbi Dance, Mando, Mussol Nach, Perni Jagar, Ranamale, Romta Mel, Lamp Dance, Dashavatara and Veerabhadra. Some dances celebrate agrarian culture, others a warrior tradition, and yet others are spiritual performances. Some dances like the Dhalo, Dekhni and Fugdi are performed only by women, while others like Goff and Ghode Modni are danced only by men. Nearly all the dances originate from the rural areas, but come Shigmo season in March and even the streets of Goa throb with performances of various folk dance troupes in all the major towns of Goa. Let’s have a look at five of the popular folk dances of Goa: Goff is a folk dance performed by villagers to celebrate the harvest, during the Shigmo festival. Six or twelve coloured cords are hung from a matov (temporary roof) in an open courtyard called mandd, which serves as a ritual space. A woman holding a thali (plate) initiates the dance by a ceremonial welcome. The all-male dancers, each holding a cord in the left hand and a coloured cloth (toni) in the right, braid the cords together by dancing intricate steps. After the multicoloured braid is formed, they dance in reverse steps to unravel it. The songs sung are in praise of Lord Krishna or Nature. The rhythm is provided by the ghumat, shehnai, dhol, taso, zaghantt, etc. It is similar to the Pinnal Kolattam dance of Tamil Nadu and Goph Guntan dance performed during Navratri. Ghode Modni is literally a dance involving horselike movements. It is a spectacular warrior dance commemorating

the battle victories of the Ranes, the Maratha rulers of the Sattari taluka, over the Portuguese. This dance is popular in Bicholim, Pernem and Sattari talukas. It is performed during the Shigmo festival. The Kshatriya (warrior class) dancers wear costumes similar to that of Rajput chieftains, with a Peshwai pughree as headgear, fix at the waist a mock wooden

horse which is beautifully bridled and decorated, and wear anklet bells. Holding the bridle in one hand and brandishing a sword with the other, the dancers move to and fro to the beat of dhol drums, tashe and cymbals, to recreate the prancing of war horses. Mussoll Nach is a folk play-dance performed by the Kshatriyas among the Christians in Chandor village, Salcete taluka, on the second night of the Christian carnival. Mussoll, in Konkani, is a pestle used by womenfolk for pounding grain. Also called ‘Mussllam Fell (or ‘Khell’)’, it is a war dance commemorating the victory of King Harihara II, son of Bukka I of the Vijaynagar empire, over the Cholas at the ancient fort of

Chandrapur around 1310. The characters include a senior Kshatriya gaunkar (villager) as the captor of a bear (symbolic of the Cholas) depicted by a villager dressed in a ragged black blanket and holding a mango or fig branch. The captor wears a dhoti, jacket, turban and anklets, holds a rope tied to the bear and has a ghumot (percussion pot) slung around his neck. Dekhni means ‘bewitching beauty’ in Konkani. This song and dance is performed by a row of girls or women only, carrying panttis (small earthen oil lamps). The dance gestures are based in traditional Indian classical dance. ‘Hanv Saiba Poltodi Vetam’ (Sir, I am going across the river), one of the most popular songs, is about a devdasi (servant of God) girl who performs dances in temples and social ceremonies like weddings. She approaches a riverbank to take a ferry to the other side where she has to dance at the wedding of ‘Damu’. The boatman refuses and she pleads with him, even

offering him her golden earrings, anklets and so on. Only a few original dekhni songs remain. Dhalo is a popular rural folk dance performed by women only in the ritual courtyard Mandd. The women dance in two parallel rows, facing each other. They sway, bend, move forward and backward crossing each other, singing songs on social and spiritual issues. The Dhalo is performed on the moonlit nights of Hindu ‘Pausha’ month in honour of the Earth Mother, lasting a week. It is a relatively slow rhythmic dance, compared to the faster fugdi dance, another women-only dance. The dancers form a link within themselves with an arm-around-the-back arrangement, and sing in harmony. While events like the Carnival often hog the tourist limelight, it is the folk dances of Goa that reveal deeper insights into this ancient land. While it is quite easy to jump and stomp to Brazilian music generously fuelled by feni, it’s quite another thing to try dancing the Goff or the Ghode Modni. You could literally end up all tangled up or trodden by horses! 

feature 23

Friday, November 06, 2015

Do You Really Need A Maid?

“I Can Do My Own Damn Housework” Versus “I Can’t Live Without One” By Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello

The world is divided into two kinds of places – one where middle-class folks can afford to hire housekeepers and one where such a luxury is strictly the purview of the rich. Most of the developing world falls into the former category, and most of the developed world falls into the latter (how many Indians have moved back home from abroad for this very reason?). One element to note, however, is that rich countries tend to have a lot of support – from electronic dishwashers to easily available daycare to trash compactors – that help ease the household burden. Still, having a maid anywhere can free up valuable time that could otherwise be spent on pursuits you deem more worthwhile than cleaning toilets. Of course there’s the potential downside of lost privacy, stolen goods, personality clashes and other undesirable outcomes. In this story, psychologist Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello delves into the pros and cons of having maids, and makes a special plea to treat them well.

o you run around your home-sweet-home in your bare essentials sweeping and mopping your cozy nest? Or are you the type who has a livein maid who caters to all your needs? Or perhaps you have a regular maid who comes to do the cleaning, a second maid just to whip up yummy edibles, and maybe even a third to change your baby’s diapers? All of the above is OK, I suppose, but do consider the potential cost to your waistline if you are the type of person who doesn’t feel the need to lift a finger, let alone an arm or a leg. Research speaks volumes about housework being counted as exercise. In a study published this year in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, women who spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing laundry had lower rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and stroke. Of course, if you’re engaged in a rigorous exercise program like the one outlined on Page 10 of this Diwali Edition, you might not need the added health benefits of table polishing and cobweb removing. Still, here in India many of us tend to lead a rather sedentary lifestyle, and an easy way to remedy that without having to sign up for the Goa Marathon is to simply do your own housework. Physicians these days advise their patients of all ages, shapes and sizes, “Please walk. Don’t be seated in one place at all times. Lead an active life!” Aruna Pereira from Chinchinim in South Goa says she’s been able to lead a perfectly fulfilling life while doing her

own chores, though she doesn’t do them alone. “I do all the household work with my husband’s aid. With such basic household needs taken care of, I reserve the afternoon hours for giving French tuitions,” Aruna explains. “I have never felt much of a need for a maid though I am in my 60s now. I remember hiring a maid only when my two kids were tiny and they needed a nanny as I was working full-time and didn’t want to be leave my good job.” Meena, on the other hand, would certainly have a more difficult life is she didn’t have the help of a maid.

“I live all by myself. As my only daughter is long married and stays abroad with her husband, and the fact that I am in my mid 70s made me hire a maid. With the help of a regular maid who sees to sweeping, cleaning and raking leaves on a daily basis, I feel content with myself. My morning hours can be solely devoted to cooking,” she says. For those getting on in years, some household chores may prove to be physically exhausting. It’s not uncommon in Goa to see elderly people with NRI children living abroad who send money home each month, some of

which goes to maintaining household help. Another trend in Goa is quite a bit more troubling: hiring underage girls from neighboring or far-off states to clean one’s house. First, one must understand that hiring a person below 16 years of age for any job is illegal. Second, children need to be in school getting an education, not cooking your fish curry rice. Some folks try to allay their consciences for this abhorrent practice by paying for the girl’s education, telling themselves that she’s better off here in Goa than in her own state. I spoke to one man named Albert

who was opposed to hiring these young girls but for all the wrong reasons, saying, “Invariably, these girls get into trouble with young drunken men wreaking havoc to the employer’s household,” adding that “they get involved in crimes and petty thefts” and that they’re “a bad influence for the young children.” Sorry, stealing a trinket may be a petty crime, but hiring a minor girl to clean your house is a major one. If you really want to help someone in need, there are better ways to do it that do not involve exploitation of children or breaking the law. The complaints about maids are ubiquitous, some justified to be sure, but others betraying a certain imperiousness that somehow seems to deny the humanity of the women (and some men) who give up all or most of their time in their own homes to work in someone else’s, often for a pittance of a salary. One young homemaker I spoke to had some legitimate complaints to be sure, and yet I sensed a certain lack of empathy in her words. “I had a maid for about a year,” she said. “However, she expected to be treated like a queen rather than an employee. She would walk in and walk out as per her whims and fancies. No fixed timings!” She adds, “Many a times, we were faced with delays of an hour or two while our patience was put to test. At other times, we had to drop her off to her home due to lack of transport and her delayed timings. My husband and I realized that she would more of a time and money waster. We gave her the boot after she was found stealing food, utensils and other trivial household items.” Remember, dear reader, these souls that we bring into our homes to sweep and swab are people, too, just like you and me. Listen to these words from Kiterin, a maid from Navelim who visits two houses in a day: "Although I am in my 50s, I work hard to make ends meet. My husband passed away many years back. He used to drink a lot and abuse me. My only son left his studies and is looking out for a job. Times are difficult. Sometimes, my employer gives me her old clothes." So please, if you’re unwilling or unable to do your own housework for any reason, at least show some respect for the people who do it for you. 