Issue No: 20

Friday, March 28, 2014 | Vol. No. 2 | Issue 20 | Price Rs. 10 | www.goastreets.com | G-2/RNP/Weekly/Goa-05/2013-15

Bollywood's Saddest Scenes | Marital Rape | Navelim Unplugged

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Varun Carvalho Straight from the Heart

By Ananda Krishna

M

aybe he’s an old soul. Or perhaps just a really good person, in addition to being an exceptionally talented one.

What is special about Varun Carvalho?

Well, for one he’s enjoyed a lot of success as both as a dentist and a musician.

And for another, he genuinely cares about the less fortunate among us, and spends a lot of his time teaching music to disadvantaged kids.

“Each one of us is given a different talent. I have the talent to write songs and that’s what I do. I write good songs,” he says.

At 37, Carvalho’s popularity as a musician is blossoming. He recently released a new album, the deeply soulful “You Walk Alone” and lately he and his band Varun and the Two Timers are very much in demand, opening for the famed Bellamy Brothers in Mumbai.

“Music was always within me,” he says, noting that he took up violin and voice lessons as a kid. The Irish rock band U2 has perhaps been his biggest inspiration, not just for their music but for their commitment to human rights and charitable causes.

After coming back to Goa in 2006

Turn to page 4

Mar 28 Friday night Fever with retro music The International Centre Goa in association with Kota Hospitality presents Friday Night Fever with Adrian’s Oldies Goldies – a one man band – singing and playing the keyboard songs of 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s in English, Konkani, Hindi and Portuguese From 7.30 pm. to 10 pm +91 832 245 2805 Red Light Rush All drinks 1/2 price When the red light Flashes At Leopard Valley, Palolem 8 pm onwards +91 9405077469

Mar 30 Techno Attack Line Up with Manu Ferrantini, Daniel Da Capo, Painja, Nelio Indamix At Marbela Beach, Morjim @ 6 pm +91 832 645 0599 Goa DJ's For Goa Kids Sunset Party and Live painting by Carlito Dalceggio At Teso Waterfront, Siolim 6 pm onwards +91 832 2270091/92

April 1 & 2 Ragas to Reels an indo-irish confluence of music with Ustav lal & sam comerford On April 2 At Royal Orchid Beach resort & spa, uttorda On April 1 At Art Chamber, Calangute Cocktails 7 pm Concert 8 pm +91 9810164027

Every Thursday Thursday Night Live With Smoking Chutney At Sofala, Nerul @ 8.30 pm +91 777400882 Sundown Karaoke With DJ Colett and… you, if you’re in the mood to help Colett with your voice and talent.

At Cocopazzo, Chapora 7 pm onwards. +91 9561212810 Silent Disco With Dj Mr. R & Flakey Spinning EDM. Nothing ‘silent’ about this disco.

At Alpha Bar, Palolem 9 pm onwards. +91 9890281505

Every Friday Wicked Friday A journey through deep tech house, minimal tech and progressive house At Waters Lounge, Ozran, Anjuna +91 9702025555

Every Saturday Baga Bazaar Food Court & Bar/ Exotic International Dancers. Try out your own steps (at home) after you’ve seen the performances here.

At Tito’s Lane, Near Hotel Runil, Baga – Calangute 7 pm onwards +91 9890182560/ +91 9011214748

Silent Noise Party With DJs Husman, Sam & Azgar Find out which is true, the silence? The noise? At Neptune Point, Palolem 8 pm to 4 am +91 9822584968

On-going Cavala Every Wednesday: Cavala Aucutic Latin Retro Every Friday: Band Tidal Wave Every Saturday: Piono Played by Bosco At Cavala, Calangute - Baga road, Baga 8.30 pm onwards +91 832 2276090 Cantare Every Monday: Live band with Lester Every Wednesday: Live band with Kitu Every Friday: George and Group At Cantare, Saligao 8 pm onwards +91 832 2409461 Hippies Ocean Cafe Live Music Every Wednesday, Friday & Sunday At Hippies, Anjuna @ 10 pm +91 7507486444 Park Hyatt Every Day Dinner with Music Thurs: Acaccio Live Fri: Shalini | Sat: Savio Western Music Sun: Edriya & Taniya 7.30 pm to 11 p m +91 832 2721234 Poolside Sunset Parties At La Cabana, Palasha The breeze from the Arabian Sea is so-o must-experience.

Ashvem 5.30 pm onwards +91 88 88 636334 The Park, Calangute Every Thursday: Retro Night Every Friday: Karaoke Night with KDJ Tony Every Saturday: Ladies Night with DJ Sunil and Tania At The Park, Calangute 8 pm onwards +91 8805028194/ +91 832 2267600 Resort Rio Every Monday: Grill n Chill with the ‘Music Fever’ Every Wednesday: Sing Along says Bonny – Its Karaoke Nite Every Friday: Joe ‘solo’ – “Rio Goan Festival” Every Saturday: Sing Along Says Bonny – It’s Karaoke Nite.

Every Sunday: “Sunday Funday” by the Pool side (Rain Dance) & In house DJ Music” At Resort Rio, Arpora 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +91 832 2267300 Kapriz Restaurant Manic Mondays: Silence, instrumental (Keyboards, violin, trumpet) BBQ Retro Thursday: With Music Fever and specials on Bbq Jazzy Fridays: Jazz music with Yvonne Gonsalves Sultry Saturday: Pink Sky Sunday Brunch & Amore: with Amore (Sharron & Darryl) At Kapriz, Baga Arpora Road, Baga 7.30 pm to 11 pm +91 9820134503

From page 3 following stints in Mumbai, Karnataka and the UK, Varun set up his dental practice. He did very well and soon he had eight clinics around Goa and one in the UK. Running his clinics took up a lot of time and effort, and took him away from his music. This realization made him realize he needed to form a band, and thus was launched Varun and the Two Timers.

The band’s original members were Nixon Soares, Carlos Gonsalves (see the Goa Streets story on him at http://www.goastreets.com/goasdrummer-boy-breaks-through/) and Mukesh Ghatwal (whose composition Viva Lusofonia was chosen as theme song for the international games: http://www.goastreets.com/mukeshghatwal/). Varun’s first album ‘Gotta Go Home’ was symbolic of his journey back to music as well. “His strengths come from his lyrics,” says musician Brian Gomes.

The album has tracks with names like ‘You Pick Me Up,’ ‘Soul Searching,’ and ‘Turn the Tide’.

The music is soulful and its lyrics simple yet deep. In his cover track ‘I Gotta Go Home,’ Varun sings “I ran, ran and ran against time, but peace of mind I didn’t find” and ends the song with “I have to find my space, the place where I belong.”

The tender searching of his music has universal appeal.

“In life you have a lot of influences,” says Varun, and that’s why his music is colored with genres like Indie, Rock, Jazz and Fusion. His band opened at the International Film Festival of India in 2009, and lots of event organizers are inviting the band to perform.

The band members today of ‘Varun and The Two Timers’ are Victor Fernandes on guitar, Cely on the keyboard, Terrence Gomes on drums, Yatin Talaulikar on tabla and dholak and Brian Gomes on the bass.

That doesn’t mean he’s

forgotten the band’s old members. “We are still in touch” and “we still collaborate sometimes,” he says.

Moving on with his current project, the band will be performing their new album in India, the UK and Canada.

‘You Walk Alone’ is about how each of us walk our own path through life. He says about his new album: “The lyrics are very soulful and catchy.

There are love songs, social songs and songs that reflect each of our lives.”

Friday, March 28, 2014

Music & Nightlife 5 he recalls how one night during a performance, a girl from the crowd tripped over a mike and fell on him. For a minute he was oblivious to everything but the pain. Trying to feel his teeth, the dentist in him realized that he had chipped some of them but the musician in him moved on with a smile and he finished the performance.

“You have to go through the hard times to see the good times in life.

Just be happy and listen to good music,” says Varun.

To see Varun and his band perform live, log onto www.goastreets.com and click on Music & Nightlife: Streets Favourite.

Varun Carvalho performing at the Saturday Night Market

His personal favorites are ‘You Walk Alone,’ and ‘I am an Indian’. “The songs have been well received by the audience,” says Varun.

“Now we do a lot of dance music” he says, adding that he hopes to play at more clubs and reach out to a wider audience. The key is to adapt and ‘Varun and The Two Timers’ have been successful at that. They played at the Goa Festival in London last year, and one of his favourite places to play in Goa these days is at The Saturday Night Market.

“It’s difficult to balance between dentistry and music but if you have the passion then you can manage both,” says Varun when asked which profession he prefers. So I ask him “Do you sleep two hours a day?” he laughs and says no.

“Musicians are the pulse of society,” says Varun when talking about his ongoing work with disadvantaged kids.

Varun runs a non- profit foundation, Turn the Tide (Goa Streets covered this part of Varun’s life here: http://www. goastreets.com/varun-carvalho-beyond-dentistry/).

The aim is to impart life skills through music by organizing workshops. The youngsters, he says, “are very pure and receptive and it’s amazing to work with them.”

“Most of my music is happy,” says Varun, while at the same time acknowledging that much of it is about overcoming hard times.

When asked about his most embarrassing moment,

6 The Lowdown Reaction to our story on Goa’s Oldest Person

O

ur March 21st story on Lourdes Lobo, Goa’s oldest person at age 105, was seen by thousands of people and received hundreds of ‘Likes’ and ‘Shares’ on Facebook, in addition to myriad Tweets and a great many comments from people all over Goa and India, including from Lourdes’ children and grandchildren. The story can be read at http://www. goastreets.com/goas-oldest-person/.

Below is sampling of the comments.

From www.goastreets.com

Tina m I think she is a remarkable woman god has blessed her and may god bless her two daughters who care for her. sebastiao Not all get these gift i thank the lord for the wonderful gift she received my grandma passed at 100 and four months i think it is determination to do things and do them right and love and prays for self and others

Francis (Frank) Lobo man-Lourdes is my cousin. She was born in the same house where I was born in Quitula, Salvador do Mundo.

First time I visited her in April/May 1957 on my first holiday from Aden. I was invited by her brother Bismark for the feast of their parish church. She was surprised to see me. Her husband side were of rich Portugues speaking family. She told me that when they got married, band was playing form the upper roof in the centre of the hall. They had big hall. Later In 1994 I took my wife from UK to see her at Christmas time. She took dishtt (evil eye) from my wife Theresa. I am very happy to know that she is oldest person in Goa. Lygia Figueiredo ( Lobo) Quitula?, Salvador do Mundo? Lobo? My grandmother was from there and I remember spending part of my summers there with cousins, uncles , aunt and grandmother. My grandmother was Kate Mendanha (lobo), lived I Bombay.

Amrit Nice to read about her! may she live many more years! valerian britto Nice to see this!!

I am from camurlim

Christine Yes this Lady is my friend’s Grandma and we all prayed for her leg not to get amputated and heal on it’s own.

Every Wednesday I went to Mahim Church and Prayed for her leg, we all Prayed. Yes it’s a miracle how her leg healed with all OUR Prayers and of course her courage.

Hats off to her – God Bless her and her Family too.

Santosh Inspiring life. Keep it up, gun for 200 now.

The Lowdown Welcome to the Gudi Padwa Edition of Goa Streets! Of course, on these pages we tell you about the holiday and even provide you with some delicious food tips about it.

But this issue has lots to offer in other areas as well. In addition to our

From Facebook Amit Gupta may god save her for another so many years Domnic Dias WOW! 105

Freva Pereira god bless her

Avinash Birambole Very well written and thanks for sharing a treasure, politicians have been screwing Goa for there good, they roam with Hummer and BMWs, it is sad to see all this. what are we passing on to coming generations?

Vasant Naik God bless her !

Fausta Carlos May Lord give her good health.

Sheela Jaywant i feel like a toddler already.

Milton Rodrigues I wonder what her Secret is ???

From Twitter Joanna Lobo @djoiiii @GoaStreets has a lovely write up on my grandmother. It makes me want to rush to Goa and hug her. http://www. goastreets.com/goas-oldest-person/ …. cc @NigelBritto Namitha Gopal @NamithaGopal @NigelBritto She must have so many stories and experiences to share no? :) I would love to meet her! @GoaStreets

Nigel Britto @NigelBritto So cool: @GoaStreets mag did a story on my grandmom, 105, who’s Goa’s oldest person. :) http://bit.ly/1fJeTew Mae: pic. twitter.com/iAQd4XtJS6

VM @vmingoa she’s radiant! MT @NigelBritto So cool: @ GoaStreets on my grandmom Goa’s olde vikas hulsure @vhulsure Goa’s Oldest Person. Determination, courage, hope and self confidence http:// www.goastreets.com/goas-oldestperson/ … via @goastreets

comprehensive food/event/nightlife/arts listings, we’d like to draw your attention to some of our more serious (and compelling) stories that we hope reflect the high standard of journalism for which we strive. These include our story on the state of the BJP in Goa, and our opinion piece on the prevalence of marital rape and the need for India to outlaw it.

On a lighter note, be sure not to miss our piece on The 10 Tear Jerkiest (Is that a word?) Moments in Bollywood History and our story telling you everything there is to do, see and eat in the south Goan village of Navelim. Also, be sure to read our story on Varun Carvalho, an exceptional musician, dentist and social worker all rolled into one. (To see him play, log onto www.goastreets.com).

As our story on Gudi Padwa states, this is an auspicious, hopeful time of year. And our wish for all our readers is that this season’s promises of health, prosperity and happiness are made good today and every day.

Happy Gudi Padwa!

The Goa Streets Team

Friday, March 28, 2014

streetspicks Martins Place

A place to rediscover the landscape and rejuvenate one’s taste buds. Martins Place offers contemporary authentic Goan – Portuguese delicacies, combined with multifaceted cuisine, live music every day, Karoake, dance, A/C lounge, conference, banquet, garden sitout & party boutique for any occasion all under One Roof. At Jackniband, Comba, Zamcotto, Dramapur, Salcete. +91 9922504531, +91 9011384531.

Tropical 24 x 7 Restaurant, bar & pub, strategically located near the Calangute-Baga junction, towards the beach. Serves food for 24 hrs, multicuisine (Indian, Chinese, Continental, Goan).

Air-conditioning in one section, good music, large television screen. Indian and foreign liquor served

Mar 21 to Mar 30 Sushi and Dim Sums with Chef Jajo Dinner Buffet: 7 pm to 11.30 pm Sunday Champagne Brunch: 1 pm to 4 pm A la Carte Dim Sum and Sushi menu will be available in The Dining Room as well as The Verandah and Capiz Bar. At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim +91 832 3011668

Every Sunday Sunday Family Brunches Rejuvenating cocktails, soul warming gourmet cuisine from around the world and activities to keep the kids entertained.

At Latitude, Vivanta by Taj, Panjim 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm +91 832 6633636 Sunday Fun day A fun weekend with the family starting with breakfast, lunch, and high tea.

Lots of entertainment for kids throughout the day.

Adults pay Rs 849 and kids Rs 599 At O Goa, Hotel Fidalgo +91 8806663865/+91 9158055222 Sunday Bikini Brunch Sunday BBQ Brunch @ Rs. 950++ with Unlimited Alcohol Enjoy Live Karaoke with Emmanuel At The Park, Calangute 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm +91 8805028194 Exclusive Sunday Brunch With special picks from the European Food Festival with Music & Entertainment. Every Sunday is a different musical treat to the ears at North16 GOA. At North16 Goa, Calangute 12 pm to 3 pm + 918326745555/ +91 8554984817 Re-Orient Yourself Make your own meal, with some of the finest Asian cuisine in Goa. Don’t worry, you won’t actually have to do the cooking!

At Wan Hao, Goa Marriot Resort & Spa, Panjim +91 832 2463333

Baga, Calangute & Around A Reverie European, Asian One of the finer establishments in the state. Popular dishes are seared fillet steak tournedos, smoked Australian duck breast, insalata caprese, basil oil, baby bocconcini, smoked tuna, chicken liver pate.

At Holiday street, Calangute 7 pm to 12 am. +919823174927 /+919823505550 After Seven French, European Try the camembert soufflé, warm squid in balsamic vinegar and rum, steaks and lemon infused prawns At Gauravaddo, Calangute 12 pm to 11.30 pm +918322279757/+91 9226188288

Amigos Indian, Goan, Seafood Hearty food in an attractive village Below Nerul Bridge, Nerul 12.30 pm to 4 pm & 7 pm to 10.30 pm +919822104920 Aquamarine Bistro & Bar Indian, Goan, Continental Perhaps the top draw is the riverside location. Good place for golden fried prawns and a nice sunset view over the river.

7 am to 10.30 pm At Baga Land’s End, Baga +91 832 2276084/2275482 Bhatti Village Indian & Goan There is chicken cafreal, pork roast and beef roast, sorpotel, samaranchi kodi, feijoida, all the different varieties of chilli fry and fish Roe. At Bhattiwaddo, Nerul @ 7.30 pm to 11 pm +919822184103 Big Pecker’s Chinese, European, North Indian & Seafood Also offers grilled sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, baguettes and jacket potatoes.

As for the restaurant’s name, we’re a family newspaper so no comment.

At Calangute beach road, Calangute 9 am to midnight +91 9823226977 Britto’s Chinese, English, Goan, Seafood Lots of tourists swear by it, but if you ask us, it’s not what it used to be.

At Baga beach, Calangute 8.30 pm to midnight +91 832 2277331/ +91 832 2276291 Café de Goa Attractive Café with lots of fresh small bites and innovative offerings.

At The Red Tower, Calangute 10.30 am to 5.30 pm +91 832 2279961

Anjuna & Around A Varanda Chinese, European, Goan, Italian, North Indian, Thai.

Check out the seafood platter, fish curry rice, chicken cafreal and beaf xacutti.

7 am to 11 pm At Resort Marinha Dourada, Arpora +91 832 2276780/ 84 Alcove Restaurant & Bar Chinese, Goan, Italian, North Indian & Seafood Dine on chilled avocado and prawn salad, or get stuffed with the prawn stuffed calamari.

At Ozrant Beach, Anjuna 8 am onwards +918322274491/2273349 Avalon Sunset Bar & Restaurent Goan, Indian, Chinese, Seafood & European Some popular orders like paneer pasanda, fish masala, chicken vindaloo, seafood pasta, seafood sizzlers.

At Anjuna Beach, Anjuna 8.30 am to midnight +91 9822586268

Baba au Rhum A coffee shop with a twist A favourite among the foreign crowd, this popular eatery offers lots of tasty choices. At Kudachwaddo, Arpora 8 am to 4 pm +919822078759 Basilico Italian This alfresco restaurant serves pizzas, home-made pastas, salads and sinful desserts. At D’mello Waddo, Anjuna 6.30 pm to 11 pm +918322273721/ +918323953744/ +919822599130 Bean Me Up It’s a small garden restaurant in Anjuna specialising in world vegetarian cuisine.

Don’t come here if you’re a carnivore.

At Deulvaddo, Anjuna 8 am to 11 pm +918322273479 Biryani Palace Goan, North Indian, seafood And the specialty here is, guess?

At Anjuna beach road, Anjuna 11 am to midnight +918323257586 Blue Tao Italian & Seafood Organic Food. A good bet if you’re averse to additives, preservatives and genetically altered cuisine.

At Anjuna beach Rd, Anjuna 9 am to 11 pm +918975061435 Coba Indian, Grills, Seafood Well it’s in a five-star hotel, so how far wrong could you go?

At Double Tree by Hilton, Arpora 10 am to 11 pm +91 832 66556672 Frangipani Global Cuisine Start with the chicken satay- stewered chicken supreme grilled in Chinese marinade. It only gets better from there. At Sun Village, Fankwadi, Arpora 7.30 am to 10.30 pm +91 832 2279409/14

Candolim Susse Café European, Fusion Cuisine, Goan Excellent gourmet restaurant in Candolim, expertly prepared.

At Dando, Candolim +91 832 2479020/ +91 9822089818 Addah Indian & Barbeque Enjoy the sea view deck on the beach and the soft music of a live two-piece band, with appealing cuisine.

7 pm to 10.30 pm At The O Hotel, Candolim +91 832 3047000/ 9/ +91 9890800073 Angaara Tandoori, Goan, North Indian & Seafood. With excellent Indian and Goan fare and a lot for vegetarians as well. At Murrodwaddo, Candolim Beach Road, Candolim 9 am to 12.30 pm +91 832 6647601-4

Banyan Tree Thai An open air restaurant surrounded by lush green lawns At Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm 10.30 pm +918326645858 Barbeque and Grill North Indian, seafood, grills Live entertainment Seafood Bazaar is on Monday and Wednesday At Fortune Select Regina, Candolim 7.30 pm to 11 pm +918323988444 Beach House Goan, Portuguese & Seafood A Goan specialty restaurant that was long the base of the renowned chef Rego.

At Vivanta Holiday Village, Sinquerim 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm +918326645858 Bob’s Inn Goan Something of a Goan institution, this place offers up some fine curry rice and other satisfying fare.

At Calangute-Candolim road, Candolim 11.30 am to 3.30 pm, 7 pm to 11 pm +91 832 2489402 Bomra’s Burmese and other Asian Cuisine Good option for Asian food, though lately reviews have been mixed.

At Souzawaddo, Candolim 6.30 To 11.30 pm +91 9767591056 Bon Appetite Chinese, European, Goan, Italian, North Indian, Thai Check out the crab in butter garlic sauce or the seafood platter Near Vivanta holiday village, Sinquerim 11 am to 11 pm +91 832 2479477 Café Chocolatti A coffee shop Good place for light fare and assorted sweet goodies At Fort Aguada road, Candolim 9 am to 7 pm +91 832 2479340/ +91 9326112006 Caravela Chinese, European, Goan, Italian, North Indian, Thai A long-time favourite haunt among Goans and visitors alike. The place comes alive with a massive party buzz on Friday nights.

At Vivanta Holiday, Sinquerim 7.30 am to 10.30 pm +91 832 6645858

Panjim & Around Black sheep Bistro The Black Sheep Bistro is Goa's first casual fine dining concept restaurant Located in the heart of Panjim City At Swami Vivekananda Road, Next to icici Bank, Panjim 7 pm to 1 am +91 832 2222901

A Lua Chinese, European, Goan, North Indian, Seafood 11 am to 11 pm At, Bella vista, Sangolda, contact: +91 832 2416671/ 73 At Porie Bhatt, Verna, Contact: +91 832 2782760/ +91 9881272080 At Bhueem Bhatt, St Cruz, Merces, Panjim contact: +91 832 2448172/ +91 2448757 A Pastelaria Bakery Good place for pastries, cakes, cookies and other sweet offerings 9 am to 9 pm At Hotel Mandovi, Panjim +91 832 2426270/ 73 A’tona Bar and Restaurant Goan, Portuguese Good choice for grilled dishes and highly competent Goan food. Recently the winner of the Goa Streets Readers’ Choice Award for Best Xacutti.

At Carina Desa, Betim 7 pm to 11 pm +919823129239 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 Saffron Restaurant A Authentic Indian Cuisine Home Delivary and Take Away Available At Caranzalem 11 pm to 3.30 pm and 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm +91 832 6523353/ +91 7755927408 Avanti Bar & Restaurant Indian, Goan & Seafood Serves up Goan specialties like rawa fried prawns, stuffed squid and gratinated stuffed crab masala 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 Baba’s Wood Cafe Italian Pizza oven and homemade gelato.

Wide choice of pure Italian dishes with beef fillet and fish always on the menu.

This place is one of our favourites.

Closed on Tuesday At Mala, Fontainhas, Panaji 12 pm to 3 pm & @ 6 pm – Midnight +918323256213/ +919923414098

Margao & Around Allegria Goan, Portuguese Fine-dining restaurant at the Taj Exotica serving up very good 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, plus your Fish Curry Rice.

At Taj Exotica, Calwaddo, Benaulim, Salcette 7.30 pm to 10.45 pm +91 832 6683333

Food & Drink 9

Friday, March 28, 2014

Café Tato Pure Vegetarian Check it out if you’re in the mood for a good Goan veg lunch. Try the puri bhaji.

At Apna Bazaar complex, Margao 7 am to 10 pm +91 832 2736014 Ruta’s World Café World Cuisine Located on a quiet side street near the City’s Latin Quarter, Ruta’s offers up some of the most tasty fare in Margao.

Worth checking out.

At Dr Miranda Rd, Behind Nanutel, Margao 9 am to 6 pm +91 832 2710757 Alcoves Goan, Indian, Chinese Good choices here are the Chinese Crispy Chicken, Cafreal, Veg Kolhapuri, Veg Crispy and Chicken Vindaloo.

Near Cine Vishant, Aquem, Margao 8.30 am to 11 pm +91 83 22735062, +91 832 2730536

Canacona Baba’s Little Italy Chinese, Goan, Indian, Italian & seafood.

At Palolem Beach, Canacona 9 am to 11 pm +91 9923749449 Big Fish Restaurant & Bar North Indian, Chinese, Italian, European Try out the bruschetta, the opensandwich-style bread with all kinds of different toppings, or the Marguerite Pizza, the Foccacia and, of course, the pastas.

At Palolem beach, Canacona 8am to 11 pm +91 9418097133, +91 9904312298 Bhakti Kutir European, Goan, Indian, Seafood At Palolem, Canacona 8 am to 10 pm +91 832 2643472 Canacona Coffee shop There’s Indian, Goan, European and some Chinese on offer with a contemporary, fusion touch to the items. There’s a buffet breakfast and an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

At Intercontinental the LaLiT Goa Resort, Rajbaga, Canacona +91 832 2667777 Morjim & Around Café Nu Chinese, European, North Indian & Seafood At Junaswaddo, Mandrem 10 am to 2.30 pm, 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm +91 9850658568 Club Fresh European At Morjim-Ashvem Road, Morjim @ noon +91 8805028779

It’s a Gudi Padwa treat, but you don’t have to be Hindu to love it

By Sheela Jaywant

I

t’s light, airy, sweet and healthy to eat.

It’s not as difficult to make as people say, but it does need more skill, time and practice than a French crepe suzette. It doesn’t belong to the family of flaky parathas or rustic bhakris but because it’s baked on a dry griddle, we could label it a sweet, stuffed, Indian bread.

There’s no equivalent in any cuisine I googled.

The puran poli is traditionally eaten at Holi and for Gudi Padwa.

To make it, you need two hours undisturbed time to yourself, and a mate to help around with the chatting, kneading, experimenting, eating.

Use a standard coffee mug for measurements.

One mugful of gram dal without the skin, another of sugar, a half of plain white flour, a quarter of any not-strongly-flavoured oil, and powders of cardamom, mace and saffron (just a pinch of each). Keep handy some water, salt, rolling pin, griddle, gasstove (because that’s the only one I know), pressure-cooker, wooden spatula, steel spatula, and a ‘soup-machine’ (that oldfashioned steel gadget with holes in steel plates and a handle that rotates blades that mash and sieve boiled vegetables into a thick soup/puree). If you don’t have a pressure-cooker, make the time three and a half hours. If you don’t have a soupmachine, figure out a way to puree the cooked gram dal to a paste. It can be done by hand, but is not as efficient.

Here’s how you go about it: pressure cook the gram dal till it’s soft enough to melt when you touch it. Whilst it’s cooking, knead the flour with the oil, a pinch of salt and bash the dough with all the anger and frustration you can muster to make it rubbery and stretchy. Keep aside to rest, covered and undisturbed.

Strain out the stock from the cooked gram and use it for something else. Put the cooked dal back into cooker, add the sugar to it and keep simmering it till it’s

thick enough to hold the wooden spatula vertically. Be prepared to do a lot of wiping and cleaning afterwards because this yellow messy (but yummy) dal splutters and protests as it blends with the sugar syrup. Whilst it’s still warm, puree it to a smooth consistency. Add the spice powders to it, knead well again. This puree is the filling, or the ‘puran’.

Divide dough and thick puree into equal parts. Make the puree into balls.

Put the griddle on low heat and keep it thus for the next one hour or until you’ve

finished making the last ‘poli’ (or roti).

Take a bit of the dough (you will need lots of dry flour to roll it out) and roll it into a circle a little bigger than your palm.

Place a ball of ‘puran’ in the centre and gently stretch the dough over and around to cover it completely.

Roll it out very gently into a ‘roti’. This is a delicate exercise. Slide the ‘roti’ onto one hand and carefully place it on the griddle.

When one side is done (check by lifting with the steel spatula and making sure it’s a little brown on the underside), toss it upside down to cook the other side.

When done, slip it off onto a plate, eat hot with melted ‘ghee’.

You can store these ‘polis’ in an airtight tin, separating them with squares of stiff paper, for up to a fortnight. They can be eaten cold, with cream, or even with a touch of mango pickle to neutralize the sweetness.

This is one recipe, when mastered, that always invites compliments. From lay persons and famous chefs alike. All you need is a spare afternoon and someone whose praise you value.

‘Tis the season to be cooking, tralalala… la Gudi Padwa.’

Happy, healthy New Year everybody.

Sushi Food Festival at HQ O

ri at The HQ, Vasco’s only four star hotel is celebrating the glory of all that is Sushi, with the Sushi Food Festival. Corporate Chef Raj and his team have been pulling out all the stops in bringing to the table all the exotic flavours from the east. With rice, vegetables and fish forming the mainstay of Japanese cuisine, Corporate Chef Raj points out that there is an underlying similarity to food all over the Orient which is why there is such acceptance of Japanese food in India. Japanese food uses very little fat and has subtle flavours and is favoured all over the world.

“We are trying to popularize the cuisine” says F&B Manager Francisquito Olmak D’Souza . We think it should be for a wider audience and not just limited to the high-end class. Sushi is not only for the adventurous eater. Sushi comes in many forms and did not originate in Japan. Sushi wasn’t always raw either.

The myth that all Sushi is raw originates from a technique that was used to preserve raw fish by wrapping it in soured fermented rice in China in the 17th century. The rice was then thrown away and the fish eaten. Before it moved and found it’s home in Japan as a popular “fast food” item the fish was combined with raw ingredients and eventually raw

ingredients were introduced. In fact Sushi as we know it today wasn’t around until the 19th century made popular by the much loved by Sushi lover the “nigiri sushi” - a small mound of packed rice with a piece of raw fish draped over it was popular among street vendors for the ease of preparation.

The sushi available at The HQ, at their Pan Asian Cuisine specialty restaurant, Ori the Sushi Festival offers a range of typical three categories: the nigiri sushi mentioned above, makisushi, and uramaki. The biggest difference between maki and uramaki sushi is the location of the rice.

In maki-sushi, meaning “roll sushi,” the rice is located inside of the nori (the green seaweed based covering.) Uramaki, meaning “inside out sushi” the rice is located on the outside of the nori. The veritable range of tastes and flavours are predominant in the selection that is on offer to savour.

Food aficionados can enjoy the Sushi Food Festival at The HQ from 15th March onwards and will be available for both lunch and dinner.

Call 7709003237 for reservations.

Opinion 11

Friday, March 28, 2014

By Perin Ilavia

I

n a country where men enjoy the status of ‘pati parmeshwar’ – husband is god – marital rape is a tricky subject, to say the least. But if you consider the consensus in much of the world, and what simple common sense tells us – that ‘no’ means ‘no’, no matter what – it’s time to stand up and make marital rape the crime that it should be.

Yes, that’s right. India remains one of a handful of countries that has not yet criminalized marital rape – putting our nation in the company of Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, among others. India has made important strides in recent months in enacting legislation to protect women and girls, even if we have a long way to go before ground realities catch up to laws. So why is it taking us so long to join the majority of the world’s countries (some 100 of them, though only a handful from Asia) in outlawing marital rape?

There are no candle light marches and public protests for these women in violent marriages whose trauma, studies say, is every bit as severe as being raped by a stranger. Exact figures on the prevalence of marital rape are hard to come by. But two-thirds of married Indian women surveyed by the

U.N. Population Fund in 2000 said their husbands had forced them into sex. And two studies in the last four years – the International Men and Gender Equality Survey and another one by the non-profit International Center For Research on Women - said one in five Indian men surveyed admitted to forcing their wives to have sex.

Before a girl gets married, it is emphasized in no uncertain terms that the marriage has to be kept together at all costs. Traditional Hindu beliefs hold that denying sex violates the duties of an ideal wife. Islamic societies are at the forefront of those who don’t consider marital rape to be a crime. The universally glorified ‘institution of marriage’ often serves as a blanket, covering unspeakable sufferings by women.

The prevailing culture precludes wives from reaching out for help or talking about their plight. Typically, she is advised to endure abusive behaviour with resignation. Women I met disliked talking or even thinking back. It takes tremendous courage to save oneself from an abusive marriage and cope with emotional wreckage. Self-respect takes

a severe blow, and the psychological impact affects the entire family, including the children.

Attempts to outlaw marital rape have been stymied by lawmakers who say such a move will hurt the institution of marriage (a common justification given in the west before governments started modernizing their legislation in the 70s, 80s and 90s). Forced sex within marriage is a crime in the Indian Penal Code only if the wife is under the age of 15. And while the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, which went into effect eight years ago, does prohibit marital rape, there’s no criminal penalty for it, and typically violators are ‘counselled’ rather than punished. India is one of three countries, along with Indonesia and Vietnam, that generally treats marital rape as a form of non-criminal domestic violence.

“If not my wife, then who should I seek sex from? is a common refrain’, says Hasina Khan, an activist with the women’s rights group Awaz-e-Niswan, in Mumbai. “So, do we call this husband’s rights or rape?”

The 57th Commission on the Status

of Women, recently concluded at the UN in New York, saw a similar reaction to “marital rape”, especially from religiously conservative states. According to the UN’s Progress on Women Fact Sheet 2011-2012, only eight countries in the Asia-Pacific region explicitly criminalize marital rape, leaving millions of women exposed to mistreatment at the hands of their husbands.

There is no doubt marital rape is also happening in Goa but, as in the rest of the country, it’s something not many talk about. Sabina Martins of the NGO Bailancho Saad said when the issue does come up, it’s usually in the context of divorce proceedings.

“We have come across cases, but it’s put across as ‘marital discord,’” she explains, citing the case of a Goan woman who got pregnant from forced sex in an abusive marriage – “the last thing she wanted.”

“Generally, no one wants to talk about it.”

Make no mistake. We should and must talk about it. What damages the institution of marriage is not prosecuting marital rape, but tolerating it. 

12 Cover Story

By Sheela Jaywant

D

o you want to get married, start a business, invest in a venture or begin a new career? If you’re a Hindu believer – or perhaps just someone open to the universe’s karma – now’s the time to do it. Why? Because we’re about to celebrate Gudi Padwa, the name given to the Hindu New Year in Goa and other parts of India. And of all the things that can be said about Gudi Padwa, perhaps none is more important than the auspicious timing it affords to all those hankering for a new life adventure.

Well, on second thought maybe there is something more important.

“This day Almighty God (Brahma) created the whole Universe (Brahmhand),” wrote reader Rahul Dubey on the Goa Streets Facebook page.

This year, the big day falls on March 31 (since we’re talking about the Hindu calendar and not the Gregorian one we all use on a daily basis, the holiday falls on a different ‘Gregorian’ date each year).

First, for all you tourists, Catholics, gringos, Scandinavians, Russians and other non-Hindus out there, don’t get too

Gudi Padwa Platter

excited. This is not a massive party with drinking and dancing at every corner.

Instead of stars and flashing fairy lights, what you will see outside most Hindu homes in Goa and neighbouring states is a pole sticking out of the window with a brightly-coloured silk-clothcovered tumbler at its free end, decked in flowers.

By the Hindu lunar calendar, the happy day is the first day of the bright phase of the moon (i.e., the day after a new moon of the first month, Chaitra). The following nine days and nights (or Navratra) are also auspicious – a good time to tie the knot or open a new store or begin your doctoral program in Hindu theology.

Neighbouring states celebrate it as Ugadi (Andhra, Karnataka) and in Konkani, it’s also called Sansaar Padwo.

I’m told in faraway Kashmir the Pandits call it Navreh and the Sindhis call it Cheti Chand. In offices around the country, women employees will wear yellow. In Assam, and other states of the north east, people will celebrate Bihu.

Astrologically, the sun is supposed to be in the first point of Aries. This is considered to be the beginning

Women celebrating Gudi Padwa

of spring (the Vasant Ritu). People of ancient Egypt knew this and Nowruz, literally “New Day”, is celebrated as the Persian New Year. Indian Parsis celebrated Nowruz last week.

Gudi Padwa is a low-key harvesting festival, unlike the boisterous Holi or the glamorous Diwali. It marks the end of one agricultural harvest (the end of the Rabi crop) and the beginning of a new one. Hardcore Hindus will tell you that according to the Brahma Purana, this is the day on which Brahma created the world after the deluge and therefore time began to tick from this day forth.

Back to our bedecked poleout-the-window. The silk/brocade cloth fluttering over the upside down tumbler at the tip will have for company some sugar crystals, neem leaves, a twig of mango leaves and a garland of red flowers. The inverted tumbler or pot might be of silver or copper or steel (for those of us who are poor or cheap), but always metal. The whole contraption has to be noticed by neighbours and passersby, hence it’s hoisted as high as possible.

Early on Gudi Padwa morning, courtyards in village houses will be swept clean and plastered with fresh cow-dung. In cities, people do some spring cleaning. Women and children work on intricate rangoli designs on their doorsteps, the vibrant colours mirroring the burst of colour associated with spring. Everyone dresses up in new clothes and it is a time for family gatherings. Like all Hindu festivals, this one has more social than religious significance.

I remember, as a child, being woken up early in the morning, bathed and dressed in new clothes, made to taste a bit of bitter neem-leaves’ paste. It was ground with jaggery and tamarind to make it palatable. Neem is supposed to purify the blood and strengthen the body’s immune system against diseases.

The ancients prescribed the horridest concoctions for good health. And we lesser humans consumed them without questioning. But with loud protesting whimpers. What was better was the feast that followed: shrikhand (a sweet made of hung curd) and Poori (a fried bread; if you haven’t tasted it, you haven’t lived). We Goans also love our Kanangachi Kheer, a dessert made of sweet potato, coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour.

If there were prayers to be said, I can’t remember any. But I recall that we children had to go to neighbours’ homes and touch the feet of the elders in order to get their blessings. Blessings frequently came in the form of ladoos or barfis and landed on our palms, to be gobbled instantly.

I used to love festivals for the rituals (no two festivals have the same rituals) and the food (each festival has its own ‘special’ foods). The vatlee daal, a sweet and sour salad made of soaked pulses, some scraped fresh coconut, chopped green chillies, and seasoned with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves… is to die for.

And whilst I am relishing a chilled glass of home-made, raw-mango based, saffron-flavoured panha, I wish you: happy new year. 

14 Feature

South Goa Rocks!

Allow Us, Dear Reader, To Give You A Little Tour of This Lovely Village

T

he beautiful South Goan village of Navelim is mushrooming into a town. With major attractions such as what’s said to be Asia’s largest parish, a district library, educational institutes, garment stores, pastry outlets, beauty parlours, supermarkets, etc, it has become a popular business centre. This year, the 59th traditional carnival dance was held on 2nd March as enthusiasts hit the floor with their partners and buddies. About five kilometers from the bustle of Margao city, Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello checks out the village’s various attractions...

Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes District library – Named after (you guessed it!)

Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes, a versatile personality and one-time administrator of Salcete (the district where Navelim is located), this government library was inaugurated on 21st November 2010. It has about 50,000 books and a number of sections including newspaper and magazines, reference, periodicals, children, computer, and Goan interest.

There’s even a Braille section for the blind. The library is open every day, including Sundays.

Our Lady of Rosary Church – Located in the heart of Navelim village, this Church built in the 1597 by the French Jesuit, Fr. Jean de Sena SJ is said to be Asia’s largest parish, in terms of number of congregants. The church feast is celebrated on the third Wednesday of November annually, with people thronging to the church fair from far and wide.

Chapels – The village’s numerous

chapels include Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapel at Telaulim, Saint Francis Xavier Chapel at Fradilem, St. Joseph at Davorlim, Our Lady of Enfermos Chapel at Sinquetim, St. Sebastian Chapel at Mandopa, and many more…

Rosary College of Commerce & Arts – Managed by the Diocesan Society of Education, it’s the only Diocesan College in South Goa. It was established in 1999 and Fr. Dr. Simao Diniz is the Principal.

In addition to offering graduate courses in Commerce and Art, it also offers BCA, BBA, BBA-T/T (Travel and Tourism), and M.Com to its young students. Reaccredited by NAAC with a Grade A, locals and many others prefer this College over city-based institutions. Rosary Higher Secondary School runs XIth and XIIth courses.

High schools - Two popular high schools are just a hop away - Rosary High School (Diocesan school) and Perpetual Succour Convent High School (run by nuns). There are also three primary government schools.

Pastelaria and ice-cream parlour – Sweet treats can be savoured at places like Pastry Palace, Monginis and Snows, all offering both pastries and snacks, while regular visits to Baskin Robbins are a must during the scorching summers.

Banks – Banking is made easy with numerous public sector banks including Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, State Bank of India,

Canara Bank and private sector banks such as HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank.

Body Language– Have wads of cash to splash? You can check out this outlet and pamper your elegant taste in clothes. Tying the knot? Embroidered and bead-work bridal gowns are eyegrabbers at this spacious outlet located along the Navelim stretch of NH17 highway.

Vision telesystems – The only exclusive telecommunication outlet offering a complete range of services – CCTV, EPABX, mobiles, telephones, wifi routers, antivirus software, and many more technological products. It’s just a stone’s throw away from the big Church.

Festa de Leques, a popular Carnival dance is held on the Enfermos Football Ground in Sinquetim annually. With live music playing in the wee hours of morning, the nostalgic spirit of fun filled carnival fills the air on the 2nd day of Carnival as the traditional dance kicks off, enjoyed by the energetic young and enthusiastic old.

Supermarkets – You can walk to Borkar supermarket and Gomes supermarket to stock up on your home provisions. Great for family shopping!

Hop from your four wheeler and shop to your heart’s content…

Nazareth Home - This old age home is run by the Congregation of Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, Sancoale, serving twenty-five residents currently.

Opened on 1st June 1977, it initially started off with one resident and then the numbers slowly increased. Only women are accepted irrespective of religion. Sr. Lydia De Sa is the Sister Superior here with her team of energetic and selfless serving nuns - Sr. Esperanca, Sr. Leena, Sr. Annserine, Sr. Ilda and Sr. Annunciata.

Saloons and parlours – Women can pamper themselves at Jacqueline’s saloon d spa, or try out Aussem, Lorah or Bonita beauty parlours. Today’s metrosexual men can rush to the exclusive men’s parlour ‘Xcelsior.’

Popular venue for fairs, exhibitions, festivals and concerts – The annual Navelim fair, exhibitions, the recent Fish Festival, the Band of Brothers concert, and many more events have attracted huge crowds.

Fitness amenities – Huge open playgrounds at Rosary High School, Nagmodem, and Sinquetim provide ample opportunities for youngsters to engage in sports, especially the state’s popular game of soccer. Located in the Rosary Commercial Arcade, Shaper’s gym caters to the fitness needs of both men and women, who prefer indoor exercise at a time of their convenience.

Dental and medical clinics – Dr. Alzira Lacerda, a well established dentist, attends to her patients at her clinic in the Rosary Commercial Arcade. Dr. Kripaksh Hedge, a general practitioner, practices next to Rosary College.

Pharmacies – Medical stores such as The Medical Trust chemists and druggists, Apollo pharmacy, Balu’s Jai Jinendra Medical Stores, Gracias Medicare are handy to ailing patients.

Blasco Executive Wedding Centre – The only open air hall in Navelim and a great venue for weddings and parties, Blasco Executive Wedding Centre can accommodate huge crowds running over a thousand on its 15 acres of landscaped gardens. Though situated in the interiors of Mandopa, Christmas dances and New Year parties are organized at this spacious hall. And there’s ample parking.

Navelim has much more to offer – many eateries, furniture showrooms, general stores. There also a military camp located at Rawanfond in Navelim.

Navelim still maintains its sense of tranquility in some pockets untouched by urbanization. Tourists can travel by Konkan Railway and get off at Margao railway station, then take a five-minute ride by rickshaw to Navelim. 

15

Friday, March 28, 2014

Mar 29 to Mar 30 Art Program A basic art program by artist Vatsala Kamat Hede will be held on the syllabus: Basic principles of drawing and sketching, pencil holding techniques, application of various media like pencil, charcoal, pen, etc. on paper and use of water colours in paintings. 4 pm to 7 pm At The International Center Goa, Don Paula +91 832 2452805

Mar 14 to Mar 31 Exhibition of works by five Gond Tribal artist Named “Katha” At Gallery Gitanjali, Panjim @ 6.30 pm +91 832 2435628

Galleries of Note Go back in time, visit San Thome Museum A real Jewel in Goa’s treasure chest.

Free entry, so go with as many friends as you like.

At Varca 9 am to 8 pm Yahel Chirinian Interesting mosaic mirror sculptures At Monsoon Heritage Studio 9 am to 6 pm +91 9822122771

Gallery Gitanjali An elegant art gallery in Panjim’s Latin Quarter; definitely worth popping in when you’re in the area. At Fontainhas, Panjim 9 am to 9 pm +91 9823572035 Panjim Art Gallery A dose of local culture: figurative, individual work

by Goan artists.

At Panaji Art Gallery, Panjim 9 am – 8 pm. +91 9822168703

That 10 Tear Jerkiest Moments in Bollywood History In Pedro Menezes’s Humble Opinion!

Cheshire Cat Jewellery Gallery Fashionable wearables. It’s all about style ladies.

Jewellery and accessories.

At Bairo Alto, Assagao.

10 am to 7 pm +91 9822580898 Gallery Attic More local talent on display: paintings by Goan Artists. 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm Opposite Don Bosco, Panjim +91 832 2420929/+91 2257931 Big Foot Art Gallery Display of works by various artists from India and abroad. At Loutolim 9 am to 6 pm. +91 832 2777034

By Pedro Menezes

T

here was a time, it would seem, when the whole purpose of Hindi movies was to make you cry. But that was in the old days, the pre‘70’s era, when romance came of age and then gave way to the era of the angry young man. Then commenced the era of the three Khans, which is just about ending, though a new era has already begun. The tear-jerkers, those Hindi movies with those excruciatingly sad scenes which leave you sobbing in the multiplex, still pop up at regular intervals. Bollywood czars know there’s an audience for them. Here’s my selection of the 10 saddest movies and scenes in the history of Hindi cinema.

‘Haathi Mera Saathi’

Remember this classic of the man-animal friendship featuring then superstar Rajesh Khanna and his elephants? The scenes towards the finale when Rajesh Khanna pulls the funeral carriage of his dead elephant friend with copious tears flowing down his cheeks and all over his clothes (with some possibly spilling on the road) were some of the saddest scenes ever witnessed on the big screen, and possibly inspired many to become environmentalists or at least animal trainers. It was the biggest hit of 1971.

‘Sholay’

Many rate this the greatest Hindi movie ever made, but not me. What it surely has is one of the saddest scenes ever produced in Bollywood. It comes towards the end when Amitabh Bachchan is shot and bleeds to death as he wreaths in pain on the ground in front of his love in the movie who happens to also be his wife in real life, Jaya Bachchan. All this is happening as his mate Dharmendra cradles him in his final moments. Brings tears to your eyes just thinking about it, and now my keyboard is wet.

‘Devdas’

Widely considered the saddest Hindi movie ever made, the original featuring Dilip Kumar from back in the 1950’s is the sadder one, but the 2002 version featuring Shah Rukh Khan is a close second. It’s a story of unfulfilled love. Devdas, the main character in the film, falls madly in love with the beautiful Paro, but – for various reasons – his family forbids him to marry her. Heartbroken, his life goes downhill from there and in sequence

Turn to page 16

16 Feature Art Chamber - Galleria de Belas Artes Featuring works by Goan artist Yolanda D’Souza and others. Whilst you’re there, check out their musical performances. At Gauravaddo, Calangute 10 am to 1 pm & 4 pm to 8 pm +91 832 2277144/ +91 9823217435 Surya Art Gallery Contemporary works - Goan canvas paintings & artifacts.

At Bandawalwada, Pernem +919404149764 Arte Douro Art Gallery Even if you aren’t into serious art, check out these paintings on canvas, original and prints, international and local. At Porba Vaddo, Calangute 9 am to 9 pm +91 832 22882266/ +91 9822147148 Mario Art Gallery Original paintings and other memorabilia of the great Goan artist/cartoonist Mario Miranda.

Buy “The Life of Mario”, as well as prints, mounted prints, frames, tiles, mugs, card sets and other books.

At Salvador-do-Mundo, Porvorim area 9 am to 5.30 pm. +91 832 2410711 Sunaparanta- Goa Centre for the Arts The centre houses several exhibition galleries, a large multi-functional space for workshops and lectures, an inhouse film club, sketch club, studios, open air amphitheatre, pottery studio and an open courtyard that houses the Cafe Al Fresco. Open to the public, and the food at the Café is recommended, from 10 am to 6 pm, with brunch on Sunday At Altinho, Panjim +91 832 2421311 Moksa Art Gallery Salvador’s paintings. Salvadore Fernandes, that is, and others.

At Naikawaddo, Calangute 9.30 am to 8.30 pm +91 832 2281121/ +91 9326717386 Casa Araujo Alvares A 250-year-old mansion showcases our heritage in Goa’s first automated sound & light museum.

At Big Foot, Loutolim 9 am – 6 pm. +91 832 2777034 Email: bigfoottrust@gmail.com Website: www.casaaraujoalvares.com Gallery Esperance Go back in time: Retrospective Art in Oils, Watercolors, Crayons Portraits, Landscape and Still Life Photographs.

Near the Our Lady of Merces Church, Merces Carpe Diem Carpe Diem, an art and learning centre in Majorda brings to lovers of art a number of exhibitions. Look out for the workshops there.

At Majorda 10 am to 6 pm. +91 8888862462 Fundação Oriente Art Gallery Permanent exhibition of paintings by Antonio Xavier Trindade (1870-1935) – a well-known Goan painter At Fontainhas, Panjim 10 am to 1 pm & 2 pm to 5 pm +91 832 2230728/ +91 2436108

From page 15 after sequence he hits the bottle and ruins his life, and making you shed tears at his slow unraveling. The final scenes of him dying under a tree while trying to see his old love one last time are so sad, you’ll probably need to see a shrink to get over it.

‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’

This Sanjay Bhansali film from the turn of the century has become a classic about love lost and featured then real-life lovers Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai as two star-crossed lovers. The scenes featuring Salman after his love marries the man arranged by her father are particularly disheartening, and you actually feel sorry for the nerd. Her husband, played by Ajay Devgan, also gives a commanding performance and tears roll down your eyes when the original lovers unite once again.

Making this story even more dramatic was the fact that life imitated art when Aishwarya dumped Salman in real life before the movie was released, making everybody feel particularly sad for poor Salman who started getting in drunken rages outside Aishwarya’s apartment, pleading to be let in.

‘Mother India’

This classic from 1957 is rated one of the greatest tear-jerkers of all time with an unending series of really sad scenes wrenching your heart at the pitiless conditions of life in rural India just after independence. Famed actress of yesteryears Nargis, mother of Sanjay Dutt, gave her most brilliant performance in this Oscar-nominated movie, portraying a poor woman of meager means who brings up her kids literally on love. Plenty of sad scenes, including one where she kills her own son for turning into a criminal. Don’t watch it if you have a weak heart.

‘Anand’

From 1971, the film featured then superstar Rajesh Khanna and the next superstar Amitabh Bachchan as friends.

Amitabh’s character is Bhaskar, a cancer specialist, who pens a book about Anand, a person suffering from cancer. The film opens with the scenes of the book’s release and ends with the death scene of Anand (Rajesh Khanna). A very touching movie, it is considered Rajesh Khanna’s best effort.

And it earned him the title of Tragedy King.

‘Dil Se’

The last few scenes shatter the film’s two lovers, and you with them. Shah Rukh’s character in this 1998 movie falls in love with Manisha Koirala’s character. He’s a reporter for All India Radio when he meets her at a railway station and falls in love with her, but she does not respond and instead has him beaten up. They finally meet up in Delhi where she arrives with some other terrorists to carry out some bombings. At last she realizes that she, too, is in love and is ready to give up terrorism, but explosives are concealed under her dress. What happens next is the stuff of many tears.

‘Veer Zaara’

Made by Yash Chopra in 2004, this is a romantic tragedy of love between a Muslim girl and a Hindu boy. The boy is an Indian air force pilot who ends up spending 22 years in a Pakistani jail, while the girl searches for him in vain. The old-style haunting music tracks evoke nostalgic melancholy, while scene after scene of the two lovers pining for each other as the years roll by make you weep at the injustice of it all.

‘Tare Zameen Par’ This 2007 movie about a special child drew applause for its sensitive portrayal of children with learning disabilities. Also, the star was Amir, who acts as an arts teacher in a school where he encounters the special child Ishaan and helps develop his creative painting talent. The biggest tear-jerking scenes are the ones where Ishaan fails his tests and is ridiculed by his classmates and

others. And though it all ends happily ever after, the final scenes still leave you in tears – but this time tears of joy.

‘Udaan’

This movie about an abusive father and his two children left many teary-eyed in 2010. Despite not having any big stars, it still became a big hit. It’s about two half-siblings bonding and the insensitive attitude and violent behavior of their father.

Where do you go when your own father doesn’t want you? What if he’s a monster?

There’s a lot to cry about in this film. But when the half-siblings Rohan and Arjun walk away from their father hand in hand at the end of the movie, warning him not to even try to come after them, the trickle of tears turns into a waterfall. 

Friday, March 28, 2014

Mar 28 The Carpenter’s Cross India’s First Original Gospel Rock Opera At St. Christopher’s Church Compound, Thivim @ 7 pm onwards

GITM 2014 Goa International Travel Mart Everything and anything about the travel industry. If you’re in it, don’t miss this

Dominic Water Sports Canoeing, Water Scooter Rides, Water Skiing, Windsurfing At Sinquerim Beach, Bardez

Friday Balcao The Fortnightly Discussion Focusing on world Health Day With the Theme “Small bite, big threat" At Goa Desc Recourses Centre, Mapusa From 4 pm to 6 pm

Step by Step Hand Embroidery Classes Learn the basics of sewing and embroidery stitches Naree Artisan Movement Centre, St. Inez, Panjim.

Classes from 2nd - 11th April from 3.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. (alternate days) For details call 9423883396/7350822115

Mar 29

Mar 16 to Mar 30

Go Karting

All India Radio is hosting a western music concert Featuring Tidal Wave From 7 pm onwards At Kala Academy, Panjim +91 832 243 2528

Goan Shigmo There are 14 Shimgo committees in Goa and the festival is celebrated with great fanfare in different parts of Goa 28 Mar in Sanguem 29 Mar in Margao 30 Mar in Cuncolim

Track I Goa Karting Single and tandem go karts are available for Rs: 180 for ten laps or Rs 200 for ten laps tandem At Panjim - Margao Highway, Nuvem 4 pm to 10 pm +91 832 2757899/ +91 9850736334

Water sports

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

Earth Hour Day With Unique 'Dining in the Dark' Experience At Alila Diwa Goa, Majorda +91 832 2746800 Summer vegetable workshop Pinto Organic Urban Farm along with Green Essentials is organising a workshop on how to grow summer vegetables. Pre-registration required.

At Pinto Organic Urban Farm, Santa Cruz. 3 pm to 5.30 pm +91 9822988721/ +91 7588924654

Mar 29 Pop Up Bazaar With the fabulous Paper Boat Collective At Grand Hyatt, Bambolim @ 12 pm +91 832 301 1234

April 6 Gardening Class If you don’t already have a green thumb, Ray’s Atelier Green Initiative will give you one. You will learn all about gardening, composting, potting plants, soil enrichment and manuring.

Last date for registering March 30, 2014.

10 am to 5.30 pm At Ray’s Atelier, Colva +91 9604212769

April 2 to April 4 Easter Craft Workshop Get creative this Easter and learn to make eco-friendly Easter decorations at Naree Artisan Movement Centre, St. Inez, Panjim.

1st workshop from 7th-8th April from 3.00 p.m. - 5 p.m.

2nd workshop from 10th April-11th April from 3.00 p.m. - 5p.m.

For details please call 9423883396/7350822115

Champion’s Yacht Club Unlimited fun on water. Drive exciting luxury cruise boats and enjoy other rides. At Mayam Lake, Bicholim +91 832 6517080 www.championsyachtclub.com Water Splash Cruises A large fleet of Catamarans, Boats, and Cruisers & Yachts: take to the water, the sea, the sky.

At Models Status, Dona Paula www.watersplashcruises.com +91 8888864347 Sea Wave Water Sports Enjoy parasailing, boat rides, banana rides, bump rides, jet skiing, water skiing, dolphin trips and more.

At Calangute +91 832 2276362 Atlantis Water Sports Everything under the sun and in the water, with a premium placed on safety and quality service.

At Baga Bazar, Next to Tito’s Lane +91 9890047272 www.atlantiswatersports.com Aqua Sports India Fishing, Motor Boat Rides, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Water Scooter Rides At 5th Floor, Nizari Bhavan, Menezes Braganza Road, Panaji +91 832 2231215, +91 832 2426967 Bogmalo Beach Park Plaza Resort Body Boards, Motor Boat Rides, Parasailing, Water Scooter Rides, Water Skiing, Windsurfing At Bogmalo Beach, Bogmalo +91 832 2538222 Dolphin Adventure Sports Ltd. Boating, Entertainment At Survey No. 251/25, Kurkuta, Dona Paola +91 832 – 2453838

Goan Banana’s Watersports Backwater Crocodile Cruise, Banana Rides, Boat Rides, Bumper Rides, Dolphin Cruise, Fishing, Parasailing, Water Skiing Special Feature Opposite Hacienda Hotel, Baga Road, Calangute, Goa +91 832-2276362

Great Goan Experiences Birds & Breakfast Have your morning breakfast watching birds. The best time for bird watching is October to Mid April.

At Gauro Waddo, Calangute +91 832 2276711/ +91 9822149002 Goa Butterfly Park & Conservatory A small park on a hill that a great place to spot stunningly beautiful butterflies.

Near Tropical Spice Plantation, Ponda +91 832 2985174, +91 9822125474 Canopy Eco – Tours Offering a wide variety of experiences including nature treks, butterfly tours, dragonflies and damselflies tours, plus boat safaris on the Zuari River as well as their original six unique birding tour.

At Housing Board Colony, Margao +91 9764261711, +91 9764052225 The Bushmasters Owner Rahul Alvares is one of our state’s most experienced snake rescuers. Snake Watch programme costs Rs. 1600 per person inclusive of transport and breakfast.

At Almeida Vaddo, Parra 6.30 am to 9.30 am +91 9881961071 Horse Riding Majorda Beach Horse Riding It offers riding on Goa’s longest beach At Majorda 5 pm to 7 pm +91 9822586502

Notable Forts Aguada Fort Fort Aguada and its lighthouse is a well-preserved seventeenth-century Portuguese fort Daily 10 am to 5.30 pm At Candolim Reis Magos Fort This Fort, surrounded by sturdy laterite walls studded with typically Portuguese turrets, was erected in 1551 to protect the narrowest point at the mouth of the Mandovi estuary. The fort stands on the north bank of the Mandovi River at Reis Magos, and is visible from the Panjim side of the Mandovi River.

At Verem 10.30 am to 5.30 pm +91 832 2410711/ +91 832 2410715 Tiracol Fort The fort was originally built

by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century. Now, Fort Tiracol has been converted into a luxury hotel, the Fort Tiracol Heritage. Well worth a visit 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 MarathaPortuguese war.

At Vagator

Lifestyle Mandi - Your Indian Fix Mandi, meaning ‘market place’ in Hindi, features apparels, eco-friendly Ayurvedic fabrics, accessories, furnishings, Indian art, handmade paper and quirky ideas that you never imagined.

At Betalbatim behind Jasmine Hotel in South Goa. +91 9545500938.

Paper Boat Collective Specializing in ceramics, textile, furniture, clothes, children items and more!

At Bella Vista, Chogm Rd, Sangolda From 10.30 am to 8.30 pm +91 832 6521248 Dreamscape Dreamscape is an exclusive boutique of dreamy home accessories, launched by celebrated fashion designer, Malini Ramani.

At Chogm Rd, Barrosvadeo, Sangolda 11 am to 8 pm +91 832 2278563

Solberg A Scandinavian Designer in Goa At Pedro Martina Resorts, Gaura Vaddo, Candolim +91 9822364978 Bebel Boutique Designer fashion accessories At Opp. St Anthony Chapel, Calangute +91 832 6451489 TukTuk From apparel to silver jewellery, bags to accessories and souvenirs to curios, everything at TukTuk is handpicked from across India.

At A 104, Pereira Plaza, 1st Floor, Opposite Hospicio, Margao 10:30 am – 1:30 pm & 2:30 pm – 7 pm +91 9049017182 Fabindia The shop is famous for ready-to-wear garments for men, women, teenagers and children At Dattawadi, Mapusa 10 am to 8 pm +91 832 2253585 The Private Collection Featuring an eclectic collection of sophisticated women’s apparel, bespoke jewellery, colorful accessories, lifestyle, furniture and design pieces and many more.

At Anavaddo, Candolim 10 am to 8 pm +91 832 2489033 Artjuna An unusual boutique in an old Portuguese villa showcasing, among other items, leather crafts. Also features a lovely outdoor café At Monteiro Vaddo, Anjuna 9 am to 6 pm +91 9822686640 Nirvana Boutique Selling textile products inspired by Indian Kitsch and Pop Art At Mazzal Vaddo, Anjuna 9.30 am to 6.30 pm +91 9442646250 People Tree The first outlet in Goa, creating and selling contemporary crafts and cool clothing At Saunta Vaddo, Assagao 11 am to Midnight +91 832 2268091/ +91 9582018969 Malini Ramani Here Malani showcases her most glam and sexy fashion At Calangute Road, Calangute 11 am to 8 pm +91 832 2275305/ +91 9811222667

Dance Classes Jason & Sylvia Dance Academy At Las Viegas Dance Studio, Taleigao +91 9822161652/ +91 9822151614

18 Wheels on Streets Datsun Go launched in Goa

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atsun is back - with the all new Datsun GO. The Datsun brand makes its return to Goa after 50 years. The new Datsun brand represents a sustainable motoring experience to optimistic up-and-coming customers. The first model the Go hatch has been launched in Goa and is priced between Rs 3.12 lakh and Rs 3.69 lakhs. The name of the new car is inspired by the first Datsun, the DAT-GO, launched almost a century ago in Japan.

The Datsun GO made its global premier in July 2013 in Delhi, India. The Go is a modern five-door, five-seat hatchback conceived to offer accessible transport to aspirational, rising Indian families. The car was designed to offer a modern driving experience combined with spaciousness, quality and fuel efficiency for a new breed of customers who are enjoying the opportunities available to them.

The is available in three variants: DAT, which also represents the company’s three pillars and four trims: D, D1, A & T. Prices D – Rs. 3,12,270 A – Rs. 3,46,482 T – Rs. 3,69,999 The Go is powered by a three-cylinder, 1,198 cc petrol engine which delivers a peak power of 67 bhp at 5,000 rpm and a peak torque of 10 kgm at 4,000rpm. The ARAI certified fuel efficiency is 20.63 kmpl. The car measures 3,785 mm in length, 1,635 mm in width with a 2,450 mm wheelbase.

The car is sold by AM Datsun which also retail Nissan cars in Goa.

Feature 19

Friday, March 28, 2014

Children of a lesser God? No Way. "Oh, how could anybody think that sweet, precious baby could ever be a burden?

Why, from the minute he was born, Albert was the joy of my life, the Lord’s greatest gift. I don’t believe there was a purer soul ever lived on this earth."

- Ninny Threadgoode in the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes, speaking of her mentally challenged son

No, they are not children of a lesser God (to use another movie reference). In fact, maybe there’s a special God just for them. Anybody who has loved a mentally challenged person knows these are special people with a lot to contribute, and these days many achieve a good degree of independence and even hold down jobs. Dr. Charlane Pereira e Rebello, a psychologist herself, caught up with a few experts and others in Goa who have worked closely with intellectually disabled children.

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or the parents of intellectually disabled kids, it’s invariably a long and difficult journey. Take the case of Larita (not her real name).

“Our son Simon (name also changed to protect privacy) didn’t start speaking at the normal age. He seemed different in many ways. We visited many doctors with the hope that he will be cured. But, he didn’t get any better. Till one day, a doctor explained his condition. We were devastated and visited many more doctors. It was difficult for us to accept what the doctor had said.”

“Though Simon is twenty-seven years now, he is like a small baby. He needs my help in most things. He asks silly questions at times. It’s tough to monitor him always.”

Larita’s husband passed away a few years back. Her brows furrow as she says, “I have two older children settled abroad.

I often worry about what will happen to Simon when I am no more. I hope that one of his siblings will take care of him.”

Many parents and caregivers like Larita undergo a great deal of stress.

A study in Goa conducted by Mita Majumdar et al (2005) found higher stress among such parents as compared to the general population. Also, stress was higher among those parents whose children had severe mental impairment as compared to those with mild or borderline impairment.

Rochelle Pereira, psychologist practicing in Margao, explains, “The degree of impairment can range from mild to profound. Lower Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores indicate profound mental impairment.” Such intellectual impairments may cover reasoning, learning, problem solving, and in adaptive behavior. Social and practical

skills are limited.

Special children need family assistance and community support to learn important life skills. It is often debated whether such children should be integrated into the mainstream education system and coached with the others.

Though the concept of inclusive education is slowly catching up here in Goa, we have special schools such as Daddy’s Home (Gogol, Margao), Atmavishwas School (Verna), Gujarat Samaj Charitable Trust (Margao), Sanjay Centre for Special Education (Porvorim), and a few others that cater to the mentally disabled.

Fr. Fr. Valmiki Gonsalves Dias, director of Daddy’s Home, says “The main aim is to make them independent. We teach these children to cook, impart vocational training, have art and craft, music, dance classes, etc. We have a good team to help our 105 students.”

Adds Fr. Valmiki, “Each child is psychologically assessed after which he/she is admitted in the class. We have classes for slow learners, vocational classes and for the younger ones who are beginning to read. They are placed as per their mental age (mental ability), not as per their chronological age (actual age).”

To be sure, Goa has its share of mentally disabled people. The 2011 Census of India recorded 15,05,624 individuals with mental disability, with 5272 from Goa - that is .35% of the total populace.

Working to integrate such mentally challenged children into the main society, we need to eradicate misconceptions about what they can and cannot achieve.

Says Father Valmiki, “The more love you give them, the more you get from them.”

Nisha Gonsalves e Fernandes, a counselor with Fr. Agnel Ashram, Verna says, “I realized that these children are very loving though they may seem different from us. Working with them has increased my patience and understanding.”

The terms we use to describe mental disability – and the frequency by which they are changed – go to the heart of the subject’s sensitive history and society’s disparagement of the mentally challenged. Historically, whatever term is chosen to describe the condition

eventually becomes an insult. So even a term like mental retardation, used since the mid 20th century, is now often viewed as offensive. The term ‘mental retardation’ itself was invented to replace previous terms that had come to be viewed as disparaging. The linguistic process is known as the ‘euphemism treadmill’.

Here in Goa, one of the biggest problems is that help never reaches those who need it – a problem compounded by both poor awareness and lack of resources. A survey conducted in 2007 showed that only 44.2% of Goans with disabilities had access to rehabilitative care facilities and only 24.2% availed of them. Around 22% were unaware of any rehabilitative facilities. (The survey covered all disabilities, not just mental).

Purva Kamat, behavioral therapist at Sethu says, “Having worked with these kids, I have come across parents from the rural areas who feel frustrated as there

are no rehabilitative facilities in their vicinity. They have to commute for hours to avail the various therapies that will benefit their children.”

Several laws such as ‘The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and full Participation) Act, 1995’ and ‘The National Trust Act, 1999’ aim at integrating the mentally challenged into society.

The Government of Goa funds special homes for such children in addition to several support facilities for the mentally challenged: free transport in Kadamba buses and ferries; books, uniforms, stationery to the disabled studying in special schools; Dayanand Social Security Scheme; assistance to disabled to purchase aids/appliances, etc.

However, to take advantage of many of these scheme, the disability should be 40% or more and has to be certified by a recognized medical authority. Purva avers, “Parents don’t take advantage of these Government schemes due to cumbersome and time-consuming procedures.”

It’s not that these kids don’t have potential. It’s just that they need help to reach it. 

20 High Tea & Bubbles at Grand Hyatt Goa

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hef Nicole Illa welcomes you to the Grand Champagne High Tea every evening between 3.00 pm and 7:00 pm at Confeitaria and Bay View Lounge at Grand Hyatt Goa. The lavish afternoon spread will offer a variety of pastry and savoury delicacies that you can indulge in till your heart’s content and a selection of teas, coffees and hot chocolate.

Apart from a traditional English high tea of scones, pastries and sandwiches, we also have an Indian high tea menu which features classics like Vada Pav, Channa Jhor Garam and old tea time favourite, kanda bajiya. A special cupcake high tea was crafted for those with a truly sweet tooth that boasts of flavours like Amaretto, lemon meringue, raspberry and blueberry cheese.

Stepping away from traditional tea time beverages, you can also pair your high tea with champagne to make your afternoon tea a truly grand one.

Your grand life starts now.

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Wines from the land down under

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rand Hyatt Goa hosted the second edition of its international wine dinners on Saturday 15th March, 2014 featuring Jacob’s creek at their signature restaurant, The Verandah.

Jacob’s Creek is one of the most well known, trusted and enjoyed Australian wines around the world.

It delivers fresh, elegant and great tasting wines that show true varietal character.

This elite gathering was specially curated by Chef Narasinh Kamath began at 7.30PM with cocktails at the Capiz bar, followed by dinner at their seafood restaurant, The Verandah. The menu consisted of a variety of sea food dishes along with some of the finest wines from Jacob’s Creek. Chef Narasinh has a flair for both International as well as Indian cuisines and is known to have an eye for detail along with a passion for food.

This honorary evening devoted to food enthusiasts and culinary experts from world over where Grand Hyatt Goa was well received by all in attendance.

hef Jajo brings her culinary expertise to Grand Hyatt Goa and promises delectable East Asian treats from 21st to 30th March, 2014. This young, celebrity chef has a vast experience in the hospitality industry and is well-known for her Japanese specialties. Watch Chef Jajo in action as she creates a wide selection of sushi and dim sums live. Choose from a variety of dim sums like corn and spinach, mixed mushroom or the traditional Har Gow. Take your pick of Nigiri Sushi, Sashimi and Maki Rolls from the Sushi Bar. The way she assembles rolls and binds sushi is a sight to behold.

Apart from that our Sunday Champagne Brunch and also daily dinner buffets at The Dining Room will feature a few traditional East Asian favourites. Food lovers are surely in for a treat for these ten days. Grand Hyatt Goa welcomes Chef Jajo who ensures an enchanting experience to all the guests thus leaving them craving for more. Itadakimasu (Enjoy your meal)!

Dinner Buffet: 7:00pm – 11:30pm Sunday Champagne Brunch: 1:00pm – 4:00pm A la Carte Dim Sum and Sushi menu will be available in The Dining Room as well as The Verandah and Capiz Bar. For reservations call 0832 301 1125

Feature 21

Friday, March 28, 2014

By Goa Streets

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here’s one image that the BJP simply cannot shake off - that of being a Hindu nationalist party populated by right-wing ideologues.

That’s not necessarily surprising for a party that owes its rise to the Hindutva movement and the campaign to build a temple in place of a mosque in Uttar Pradesh, touching massive rioting. Or for a party whose current leader has been criticized for extreme insensitivity towards the Muslim minority.

While the party subsequently tried to rebrand itself as a neoliberal champion of fast economic growth, a certain latent fear remains that all that’s just a mask for a more sinister agenda. Still, let’s face it. Here in Goa, like the rest of India, it’s abundantly clear that the BJP stands a better chance of winning national elections than any other party. It also seems clear that this is as much about people choosing a ‘lesser evil’ than any great adoration for the BJP. “What works in favour of the BJP is that their candidates have a relatively clean image and the fact that their opponents are squabbling among themselves,” said Stephen Fernandes, a politically aware resident of North Goa. He added, however, that several factors are working against the BJP, including the Modi factor, unease about the fact that the North Goa candidate in the April 12 Lok Sabha election is seeking a fourth term and a certain antipathy toward the state BJP government that has had two years now to take root.

Some of these factors, however, can work for the BJP, especially when it comes to Modi, who has quite a few local followers. Take the case of Goan bar owner Madhu Halarnkar. He swears

by Modi but curses Goa’s chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as untruthful.

If you listen to the Facebook and Twitter chatter here in Goa, certain trends are unmistakeable. First, lots of people are warning that having the likes of Modi as Prime Minister of India could never be a good thing because of the perception both at home and abroad that he turned a blind eye to the bloody

Gujarat rioting in 2002. Others, especially women, warn that voting in the BJP will turn back the clock on progressive causes, including women’s rights to do and wear what they want. A third group talks often on social media about the economic benefits of having a probusiness BJP in power.

The main problem with all this, of course, is that only a minority of Goans, perhaps 15 to 20 percent, have access to the internet, let alone Facebook and Twitter. And in a country like India, where educated folks spend a lot of time talking to each other online, it’s easy to forget that the electronic chatterati doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the feelings, and voting habits, of the silent, unwired majority.

And that helps explain why the BJP might be doing a lot better in Goa - or perhaps a lot worse - than many of us think.

In Goa, the party consciously attempted rebranding in what has come to be known as the “Goa Model” securing a majority in a state by actively engaging with minorities.

The party had a series of meetings with Church leaders in 2012 in a bid to break a predisposition against the BJP. And then they fielded six Catholic candidates on party tickets, an extraordinary move in a state where individuals have more pull than parties.

That helped the party secure an absolute majority in the state assembly.

BJP leaders talk openly about using the Goa Model in other states where minorities hold sway and the party hasn’t been able to make much headway.

Caste also plays an important role in Goan elections. Tensions between the party’s North Goa candidate Shripad Naik, who hails from the lower Bahujan Samaj caste, and Parrikar, who’s from the upper Goud Saraswat Brahmin caste, at one point threatened to boil over into open hostility. Thankfully for the party, they have decided to keep differences aside and work to ensure a fourth term for Naik. In the south, the party’s candidate Narendra Sawoikar, hailing from an upper caste lineage, is unlikely to get many votes from the lower castes much less the tribals, who have decided

to field their own candidate -- Govind Gaude.

Meanwhile the BJP hasn’t stopped courting the minorities, both here in Goa and in other Indian states. In the run-up to the election, Goa’s Catholic BJP MLAs are a big demand in the North Eastern states, where Christian populations are also sizeable. The intentions need no explaining. They want to show the ‘wary’ states that their party has room for everyone.

Paradoxically, it’s Modi himself who seems to be undermining those efforts.

The strong Hindu overtones he emits – by avoiding the green attire associated with Islam and wearing either white or saffron, for instance - isn’t helping the party’s inclusive image it is trying to push.

For a state that has its fault lines clearly defined between the old Portuguese conquests - Bardes, Ilhas, Salcete including Mormugão - and the so-called new conquests, where Portuguese influence is less, polarization is something we can ill afford.

These fault lines have already made themselves known in the cases of the language and statehood agitations.

In the last elections the Goa Church

urged its faithful to vote out corrupt leaders. This time it’s asking people to exercise their franchise “with a sense of responsibility to oneself and to our beloved nation, so that we may have a government which will uphold the principles of democracy, secularism, human rights, freedom of conscience, etc., as enshrined in the Constitution of our nation.”

BJP’s opponents have capitalized on statements like that, highlighting their “secular” status and repeatedly assuring that they will “take all communities along.”

The political movement has left the BJP’s Catholic candidates in a difficult spot. Most have chosen to stay out of the limelight, publicly pronouncing support while failing to hide their obvious unease.

Whether the Modi factor will work for or against the BJP remains to be seen, but the biggest source of uncertainty seems to be undecided voters – and whether they’ll choose to vote at all. Either way, it’s important to keep in mind our tiny state sends just two members to the 572-member house.

By Parrikar’s own admission “it won’t make or break a government at the centre.” 

Young Vikram Sharma has decided to get married. The date is set, the priest and hall are hired, the ring is purchased and the invitations sent. The only detail left is finding a bride.

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India’s Largest Jeweller Now at Panjim City, Goa! Free Gold Pendant Offer This Gudi Padwa

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anishq, India’s largest jewellery brand, today celebrated another landmark in jewellery retailing by opening their 1st showroom in the heart of Panjim City, Goa.This is the 161 showroom in Tanishq’s network. Tanishq is the first branded national jeweller to set up their jewellery showroom in Goa. It will provide jewellery lovers a world class shopping experience and easy access to high quality traditional and contemporary jewellery from Tanishq.

Located at Milrock Building,Neurekar Pride,Near Azad Maidan, the new showroom is spread over the area of 2000 sq ft. It offers a wide range of Tanishq jewellery.

From grand and opulent wedding jewellery in gold, kundan, polki and diamonds to contemporary jewellery,the showroom offers its every customer over 5000 exquisite designs to choose from.

On the auspicious occasion of Gudi padwa, the beginning of a new year for the people of Maharashtra and which is symbolized with the sprightliness of spring and the redolence of the freshly harvested bloomed Jasmine flower, Tanishq is glad to announce a special offer for all its privileged and esteemed customers. On 31st March 2014 customers will be gifted 0.25 GRAM

GOLD PENDANT FREE with purchase of every 10 gm of gold jewellery and Rs 8000/worth of diamond jewellery.You can also get upto 15% off on single piece diamond jewellery above 2 lakhs Speaking on the occasion, Ms Suparna Mitra, Associate Vice President, Titan Company Ltd. said, “Tanishq has been a pioneer in setting new benchmarks in the jewellery industry. In the year to come, we plan to extend our reach to newer markets.

This new showroom embodies Tanishq’s commitment towards providing customers a memorable shopping experience with its carefully created jewellery displays, ambience and customer service.”

The new showroom boasts of the most beautiful and aesthetically appealing façade and interiors will also provide exclusive facilities such as the Karatmeter – a device to measure the purity of gold - a concept pioneered by Tanishq. Also it has facilities like exchange of Non-Tanishq Gold and cash back policy on Tanishq Jewellery is also available. The new showroom is located at the heart of the Panjim city, near Azaad maidan and also provides ample parking space, a unique advantage to the residents of Goa. Besides this, two unique jewellery

purchase scheme – Golden Harvest and Swarnanidhi- Gold Booking Scheme are offered by Tanishq,that can help the customers plan their jewellery purchase with an extra benefit at the end of the tenure.

About Tanishq

Tanishq jewellery, from the Tata Group, has been synonymous with superior craftsmanship, exclusive designs and guaranteed product quality. It has built for itself the envious reputation of being the only jewellery brand in the country that strives to understand the Indian woman and provide her with jewellery that meets her traditional and contemporary aspirations and desires.

Tanishq, India’s only national jeweller offers gold and gem-set jewellery (in 22 and 18 Karat gold) in over 5000 traditional, western and fusion looks. The Tanishq retail chain currently includes 161 exclusive boutiques in 92 cities, making it India’s first and largest jewellery retail showroom chain.

For further information contact: Tanishq Shop No. 2,Ground Floor,Milrock Building.

Neurekar Pride,Near Azaad Maidan,Panjim Goa .Ph:-2427331