GOA’S FIRST LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 1. NO 5. SEPTEMBER 2010, RS 25
CHATURTHI SPECIAL
DIVINE DESIGNS ‘LET US LEAVE BEHIND A BEAUTIFUL GOA’ RALPH DE SOUSA
'WE NEED TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF OUR HERITAGE'
THERESE ALMEIDA
BAGA’S BRIGHTEST STAR RESORT RIO
HOMELY GRANDEUR
SANGEETA AND N SRIRAM’S DREAM MANSION
WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT GOA…
…AND ONE THING I LIKE THE LEAST VICTOR RANGEL-RIBEIRO
: A GO M O FR O T B A L F FIT
EDITORIAL NOTE
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invoke this prayer to Lord Ganesh for blessings on this, my offering to Goa. During this fertile season of Shravan and Ganesh Chaturthi, we bask in the glory of Lord Ganesh, the God of Wisdom, and hopefully imbibe a few lessons from his omniscient presence. As a tribute to the Almighty and in honour of our artisans, we feature the age old art of Ganesh Chitra still practiced by devotees and artistes in the villages of Cumbarjua and Marcel. Without their exquisite carvings of Lord Ganesh and festive tableaux, the Ganesh season would not have been as alluring or as cheerful. The Goa Government through the Goa Handicrafts Corporation has taken some steps to preserve this traditional art form and we can only urge them on to nurture and encourage this indigenous craft which is so much a part of this land.
Invoking the Blessings of Lord Ganesh With the blessings of Lord Ganesh, the rains in Goa have been plentiful and we look forward to a rich harvest, both in mind and body. As do all our increasingly health and fitness conscious fellow Goans, both young and old, in a multitude of fitness centres sprouting up all over the state. As our Cover Story reiterates, ‘Goa: From Flab to Fit’ is the new mantra in so-called ‘laid-back’ Goa, and scores of Goans have embraced the new fitness regime, not just for toned-up muscles and rippling midriffs, but to stay healthy and enjoy the fruits of life to the fullest. We also have the pleasure of featuring a veteran in the hospitality business, Ralph de Sousa, chairman of the de Souza Group and the former president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa. In our ‘Interiors/Exteriors’ section, we profile Sangeeta and N Sriram’s dream mansion overlooking the Dona Paula jetty
READERS’ RESPONSE Great feature on INOX in your August issue. Truly, the first international quality magazine in Goa. Congratulations! Dr Kedar Phadte, Panaji
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Firstly I must appreciate the effort made in creating a lifestyle magazine for Goa. While the high print quality of the magazine is commendable, I would like to offer a few comments on its content and thrust. I do appreciate the effort made in identifying leading personalities connected to Goa and its lifestyle. However, for a magazine that attempts to celebrate the true essence of our land, one must be extremely discerning in one’s final choice without appearing to pander to political and wealth profiles. There is no dearth of less prominent people who are making a positive change to Goa and its image and whose contributions need to be acknowledged. While it is unfortunate that most lifestyle magazines project a superficial, glossy façade
and the Arabian Sea, lending it an impressive and delightful view. Therese Almeida, the dedicated and enlightened director of Manovikas, the first ICSE-affiliated school in Margao, has been actively involved in the cause of fitness of another kind: that of moulding and nurturing young minds in the school that she has run over several years. We at VIVA GOA pay a humble tribute to her dedication to the cause of education in the state. An early education of another kind in Goa, in Western Classical music, has propelled child prodigy Sanya Cotta into concert halls across Europe. Already a violin virtuoso, Sanya with rigorous training in her art in one of the toughest music schools in Germany, has risen to dizzy heights in winning accolades among notoriously hard to please audiences across concert halls in Europe. We can only join in the chorus of applause and wish her encores in her musical career. On this high note, on behalf of
catering to the 'elite', I believe your magazine, while retaining its 'lifestyle' brand can also serve the larger purpose of promoting a positive transformation of this state. It could serve in a subtle manner to open the eyes of readers (who are in a position of wealth or power) to make that difference that society is crying out for. Under that paper-thin picture of a rosy Goa, lies the beast of political corruption and social complacence, compounded by the absence of a sense of responsibility on the part of the educated and the pathological greed of the corporate world. Is this the Goa we want to raise a toast to? Does Goa really need a glossy magazine devoid of a social conscience? Recent sociological studies prove that the greatest joy comes not from living in ivory towers of wealth and shallow personal aggrandisement that makes one immune to the social reality around you, but from sharing the goodness and making a positive difference (TheBill Gates way!). Arch Dean D’Cruz, Porvorim
my team, I wish all our patrons, readers and advertisers of VIVA GOA, apart from a soul-searching Shravan, a prosperous and happy Chovath! Personally, I adjourn for a few days to my family home at Cumbarjua for a reunion with immediate and extended family members. It is a time for family bonding and to partake of delicious, home made modak!
VIVA GOA! Kedar Dhume
Congrats, great job, I always knew it wld come, though it came in late : ) thats the kind of faith you have in some people...VIVA! Mumta Kalangutkar Your magazine is showing continuous improvement. Keep it up! Manoj Patil VIVA GOA is a very attractive and informative magazine. High standards! Keep it up! Kiran Shirsat
VIVA GOA invites comments from its readers. Letters should be short and relevant and can be sent to editor@vivagoaonline.com
Editor & Publishers Note We make every effort to publish a magazine that is informative, entertaining and free of errors. Any omission or inaccuracies are entirely unintentional. Please do bring to our notice any item that may be incorrect or photography erroneously published. Also, we would be pleased to include any item or photograph that warrants our attention. We believe in the spirit of Goa and its warm and lively people, and do hope the content in the magazine brings smiles to our reader’s faces. As always, suggestions and comments are welcome on feedback@vivagoaonline.com
HI-TECH
Next Generation Internet By Raj Sinai Dempo
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INTERIORS/EXTERIORS
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Arch Siddha Sardessai on the home of Sangeeta and N Sriram in Dona Paula
COVER STORY
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Battle of the Bulge Signs of prosperity in Goa are showing up at all the wrong places: around the waistline and in and around the heart. Exercise and fitness programmes are the new mantra, and Goa has been no slow coach or slouch in catching up on the latest trends in keeping fit, trim and slim
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COUTURE
Dressing Down, the New Dressing Up By Michelle Banarse
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CHATURTHI SPECIAL
GUEST COLUMN
From designs on the computer to water tableaus, Ganesh chitra in Marcel and Cumbarjua continue to hold visitors spellbound
What I Like Most About Goa... ...And One Thing I Like the Least By Victor Rangel-Ribeiro
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AFTER HOURS Ralph de Sousa Chairman of the de Souza Group
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VIVA GOANS
Sanya Cotta has grown from a child prodigy to a vibrant Classical violinist, winning accolades at concert halls across Europe
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LEGAL BRIEF A Natural Sense of Right and Wrong By Advocate A N S Nadkarni
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FEATURE
VIVA GOA explores Sesa Goa’s green initiative, its light at the end of the tunnel…
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FIRST LADY
Therese Almeida Director of Manovikas English Medium School
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HOSPITALITY
Resort Rio By Sinead McManus
44 page 48 page 50 page
HAPPENINGS
BIZ NOTES
CONTENTS
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VIVA GOA DIARY
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VIVA GOA SPOTLIGHT Anish Quenim
WELLNESS
Maya Spa at The Zuri White Sands Resort & Casino By Parineeta Sethi
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HOMING IN
Odyssey Tours and Travels director Hans Tuinman tells VIVA GOA how destiny brought him from Holland, the land of his birth, to Goa, a place he now calls home
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GOAN CUISINE Festive Fervour By Chef Deepa Awchat
GOA’S FIRST LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 1. NO 5. SEPTEMBER 2010, RS 25
CHATURTHI SPECIAL
DIVINE DESIGNS ‘LET US LEAVE BEHIND A BEAUTIFUL GOA’ RALPH DE SOUSA
'WE NEED TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF OUR HERITAGE'
THERESE ALMEIDA
BAGA’S BRIGHTEST STAR RESORT RIO
HOMELY GRANDEUR
SANGEETA AND N SRIRAM’S DREAM MANSION
: GOA M FRO O T FLAB FIT
WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT GOA…
…AND ONE THING I LIKE THE LEAST VICTOR RANGEL-RIBEIRO
Editor & Publisher
Kedar N Dhume editor@vivagoaonline.com Principal Consultant
Shailesh M Amonkar Kemistry Media Solutions Pvt. Ltd. shailesh@kemistry.in Editorial Consultant
Manohar Shetty Assistant Editors
Emylou D’Souza Dielle D’Souza reporter@vivagoaonline.com Photographer
Edric George Design
Nagesh Naik Kemistry Media Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Manager Advertising
Tamara Faleiro advertising@vivagoaonline.com Mob: +919850077993 Circulation
Satyawan Parsekar circulation@vivagoaonline.com Published by M/S Advertising Associates [Publication Division], 703, Dempo Trade Center, Patto Plaza, Panaji, Goa 403 001, INDIA Tel : +91 832 2438999 Cover Credits Model: Abygale Gomes Photographer: Edric George Hair & Make-Up: Minette Pereira Location: Fit, Dona Paula Printed at Akruti, 318, Parvati Industrial Estate, Pune Satara Road, Pune 411 009 All rights reserved. Republishing in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. All photographs unless otherwise indicated, are used for illustrative purposes.
RNI registration applied and pending
THE BULGE
COVER STORY
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Pics by Edric George
Ba6le OF
Signs of prosperity in Goa are showing up at all the wrong places: around the waistline and in and around the heart. And indeed India bears 60 per cent of the global heart disease problem. Wellness and fitness programmes are the new mantra, and Goa has been no ‘couch potato’ in catching up on the latest trends in keeping fit, trim and slim
DIELLE D’SOUZA analyses how Goans are walking the extra mile in pursuit of the perfect figure
D
id you know that every time you snack on a couple of samosas, you have eaten under half of your recommended calorie intake for the day? The same goes for a plate of puri bhaji or paneer pakoras. Fast food diets became popular as India opened up its economy in the last century, but a wide-eyed country took stock as more and more citizens fell prey to heart disease and obesity. One of the world’s leading medical journals The Lancet estimates that India bears 60 per cent of the global heart disease burden. Compared to developed countries, we have a lower average age of people with heart disease and are more likely to have types of heart disease that result in aggravated outcomes. The journal’s research is substantiated by a World Health Organisation report, which suggests a spurt in the number of Indians suffering from heart-related problems, rising from just two per cent in 1960 to about 12 per cent this year. More alarmingly, about 25 per cent of the patients in the survey of more than 2,000 are below 40 years. With our love for sorpotel, deep-fried snacks, and the regular tipple at parties every so often, sossegado Goa appears to be heading towards the dubious distinction of being one of the unhealthiest states in the country. But with increasing awareness with the internet and TV, there has been change and people are looking at health and exercise in a different perspective. Gyms are overflowing and fitness programmes are all the rage. Says Norbert D’Souza of Norbert’s Fitness Studio in Caranzalem, “Over the last 12 years that I have been in the field of fitness, my clientele has been steadily increasing. From about fifty members in 1999, there are more than 600 members in my gym today.” His ‘9 Weeks – 9 kg Weightloss’ programme has proved to be a hit with dozens providing testimony to its effectiveness. “In my opinion, structured workout programmes always work best,” Norbert adds. “But targeted programmes such as the ‘9 Weeks – 9 kg Weightloss’, ‘Fitness for the Elderly’ or the ‘Muscle Toning’ workouts are more in demand.” Where there was a sports field to turn to in the days long gone, there is now a gaming console, and a rising number of young mothers are not happy with their waistlines after the birth of their children. Even college students and young working professionals are treading the healthy path, and whether it is a change of lifestyle or just a passing fad, Goa is certainly sucking its tummy in. Fitness expert Nivedita Dempo trains participants anywhere between the ages of 16 and 55 in her class. They are all drawn by the call of Zumba: Ditch the workout, join the party. She says, “Zumba attracts a population that would never go to a gym. It’s dance, it’s fun and makes you feel happy. And believe it or not, to burn the kind of calories you do in a single hour of dance, you really need to run at a very high speed on the treadmill for an hour, which can be boring.” The trained Zumba instructor, who quit plum US-based jobs at
Pepsi and later at Morgan Stanley in favour of her passion for fitness, began her class in Goa three months ago as an addition to her two-year-old 20/20/20 (20 minutes each of pilates and yoga, cardio and weights) sessions, and answers a barrage of questions from curious fitness enthusiasts every day relating to diets, workouts and of course, Zumba. Glafy Castellino from Porvorim makes it a point to attend the 20/20/20 and Zumba classes every other day. “When you participate in a Zumba class it doesn’t feel like exercise at all and it’s not monotonous. “In the two months that I have been attending it, I have found that it helps tone my body and there has been a considerable change as far as my body is concerned.” Her friend Priya Kalokhe echoes, “You don’t have to push your body during Zumba. It’s just great.” Meanwhile, Nivedita, who says her mother Neela Dempo and husband Puranjaya Singh are her “biggest inspirations”, is gearing up to begin more classes for Goa’s fitness freaks. She hopes to start a Body Pump class, which is an hour of weights done to music and is preparing one called ‘Butts and Guts’, which are floor exercises for the glutes and core. But does it help to just exercise regularly? Simply because we put in half an hour of jogging every morning does not mean we can hit the dessert section of the buffet with gusto. As long as your calorie intake remains above the amount you burn, you will keep gaining
weight. Healthy food is as important as regular exercise. Daily calorie requirement charts are available freely online with some even allowing calculations specific to age, weight and height. Harpreet Pasricha, a Vasco-based diet consultant and nutrition expert, says, “The energy requirements of different individuals vary. They are based on three factors: basic metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy required to carry out vital body functions at rest; thermic effect of food, which is the amount of energy required to digest food and absorb nutrients; and energy required for physical activity, which is the type of occupation and activity level. “An average man (sedentary worker) would need 2,400 calories per day and an average woman (sedentary worker) would need 1,800 calories a day.” This doesn’t give people much room for fast food as a single plate of samosas will set you back 585 calories. Every time you feel drawn to the bhel puri gaddo at Miramar beach remember that what you’re buying is actually 315 calories sitting in a plate, while puris and potato bhaji will put 546 calories in your system. What the eyes see as tempting will in all probability be bad for your system, and as you ingest more and more, your body will struggle to keep up with you. The occurrence of diabetes and high cholesterol levels (see Coping with High Cholesterol) has been blamed on bad eating habits, concurrent with
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fat cells you carry with you through your life is a sedentary lifestyle and regular shots at determined when you are about eight years the bar. old. It is only the amount of fat within the cells A survey conducted by the Government of that varies as you age.” Goa’s Department of Health Services in It appears then that staying healthy really collaboration with Denmark-based means exercising regularly and keeping tabs pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in on the kind of food that you eat. 2008-09 found that 17.6 per cent of their Never one for proposing rigid diets, sample population had diabetes. From among Nivedita suggests you should work around the 13,250 people who were checked under your daily routine to fight the flab. “If you the Changing Diabetes Barometer study, 2,341 draw up a menu, you will follow it for a while had diabetes and of these 79 per cent had and eventually go uncontrolled diabetes (either poorly controlled back to your old or not yet diagnosed). ways,” she adds. “So While Dr Rajananda Desai, Director of my personal Health Services, insists that Goa is “far better recommendation is: than other states” in terms of diabetes figures, whatever you eat or she admits there has been a rise. “Due to fast whatever your ways food and other things, the status has changed of eating are, modify over the years. But now the government is them. So for example, providing free medicines and people if you have themselves are demanding more. They are more informed,” she says. ghee-laden aloo Many people are forced to begin a diet or parathas for exercise regime after the rude shock of high breakfast, don’t use blood sugar or cholesterol levels from ghee in the parathas pathological reports. “Exercise helps to improve and maybe reduce the the stability of insulin in diabetics,” explains amount of aloo in Rainer Dias, three times Mr India winner half. Just modify what T A E and consultant at Fitness Innovation you currently do. U O Y S T IE CALOR Technologies (Fit) studio in Dona Chances are you’ll WATCHMWHA 5 58 Paula. “Diabetics can usually do stick to that and that’ll become a way FOOD ITE a 2pc 546 everything everybody else does, but of life rather than becoming a way to Punjabi Samos ms 0g have to monitor things like blood lose weight.” 15 i 0 aj 50 bh to Puri pota sugar levels before and after a Scores of cars line up outside Dr e 0 at 50 pl Pau Bhaji 1 work out.” Siddharth Sawaikar’s clinic in s as 6piece 475 Health gurus warn that fad diets Taleigao every morning, where the Paneer Pakor s m 0 0g and spot training do more harm than yoga therapist helps people battle 45 10 gs lin es Che good and advise people to adopt a age-related diseases like arthritis as es ec 5 pi 41 2 ts tle Fish cu change in their lifestyle instead. well as lifestyle ailments such as s 315 43gm Rainer adds, “At Fit, we aim to stress-related psychological French Fries tori chen.com improve awareness about nutrition and problems and heart disease with kit ee tfr fa w. Bhel Puri 1 ka Source: ww fitness. Physical activity must become a the help of yoga. Using the first habit from a young age. In Goa, people ST THAT BELLY CALORIES BURNT two steps of the ancient Indian BU think a fat baby is a healthy baby, but it tradition – asana (posture) and ACTIVITY (30 MINUTES) 426 is important to note that the number of pranayam (breathing) – he )
Running (7.5mph Judo Swimming (fast) Cycling (10mph on level ground) Walking (3 to 3.5mph) Sleeping
363 291 189 130 32
Source: www.nutristrategy.com
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Dr Shekhar Salkar
Harpreet Pasricha
Rainer Dias
Diet consultant and nutrition expert Harpreet’s tips for the perfect figure FOODS TO BE AVOIDED High-fat foods like butter, cheese, chocolates, cream, icecreams, Indian sweets should be eaten in restrictions. Fried foods like samosa, puris, french-fries, chips. High carbohydrate foods like cakes, cookies, salad dressings, jams. Carbonated, malted and alcoholic drinks. STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN WEIGHT LOSS Adapt family meals to specific needs by adjusting method of preparation and reducing additions of fats. Avoid binges: If you have social pressures, eat a snack before leaving home. While eating outside, select simple items like rice and curry instead of combination dishes like biryani. Spread food throughout the day to meet energy needs i.e small frequent meals are better than less and big meals. Opt for healthier food options, like unsweetened fresh fruit juice or lime water instead of soft drinks, grilled food instead of fried foods, fruits for desserts. teaches his patients how to use yoga as a method to discipline their lifestyle for a sound mind and body. Dr Sawaikar says, “Yoga-based exercises increase flexibility, strength, co-ordination, and make one less prone to physical injury due to lifestyle. Someone who uses the computer a lot may develop a strain in the neck and back muscles. Practising yoga helps to strengthen the muscles and make them more flexible, which in turn increases the shock-absorbing capacity of the muscles.”
He believes that no single exercise is 100 per cent. The ideal workout must include cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and relaxation, of which the last two can be obtained through yoga, he says. For him, the ideal combination to prevent most modern-day ailments is a brisk walk for half an hour five times a week, along with an hour of yoga three times a week. “You must have a separate exercise which causes sweating. People sometimes say that they are very busy, have to run up and down
three floors ten times. But that doesn’t count as that is routine,” says one of Goa’s best oncologists Dr Shekhar Salkar when he lists his “three magic bullets” for a healthy life: a good amount of exercise, lack of vices and a vegetarian diet. “Science has shown that if you smoke or eat junk food regularly or drink too much, your chances of dying increase by 30 per cent. Once in a fortnight a pizza is all right, but regular consumption is bad for health.” Kirit Maganlal of Magsons Supercentre says with the increasing awareness, people have become more conscious and opt for a high-fibre diet which includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat and fat-free products as well as unsaturated oils like mustard, olive and sunflower. Aamir Khan’s six-pack abs in Gajini may be cool, but it takes a lot of effort to get them. Rejigging lifestyles with a few additions – of healthy meals – and more subtractions – of the number of pegs we down and junk food we eat – may just help us look like the gorgeous people we see on TV. Goa is finally getting off the couch.
Zumba attracts a population that would never go to a gym. It’s dance, it’s fun and makes you feel happy. To burn the calories you do in zumba, you need to run at a very high speed on the treadmill, which can be boring — Nivedita Dempo
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ikar Dr Siddharth Sawa
Norber t D’Souza
Coping with High Cholesterol
By VARSHA S NAIK
G
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anesh Chaturthi is upon us along with the temptation to gorge on sweets. But do so only in moderation to keep blood sugar levels in check. Make sure to have plenty of salads and exercise regularly to keep cholesterol levels in control. Recently I received a call from a 32-year-old friend who had visited her medical practitioner and a pathological lab to check her blood. To her dismay, her total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were found to be above normal levels. This did not surprise me as today anybody above 30 years may have an abnormal lipid profile. The blame rests squarely on high cholesterol diets. My friend too enjoyed indulging in sweets and her all-time favourite puri bhaji, which had contributed to her condition. The facts on cholesterol level are not too clear to many and it is assumed to be a fat. It is actually the most important sterol in the human body, which is required to perform vital functions. Cholesterol is present in all tissues, besides blood and occurs in free and bound form, the bound form being even more insoluble. The sources are both exogenous (from the diet) and endogenous (synthesised by the body), the dietary source being confined only to animal produce. So in a vegan, cholesterol is derived from body synthesis, the liver being the major site followed by the intestine. This synthesised cholesterol is despatched in the blood as part of a low density lipoprotein (LDL), thus the term LDL cholesterol (LDLc) which is considered to be the bad form. A person is advised to do a lipid profile which
includes total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLc and HDLc (the good one). The normal levels of total cholesterol in an adult vary from 150-250 mg % of which 40-50 per cent occurs as free and 110-200 mg % in bound form. Usually, the level is low at birth, but this gradually increases with age. In women, the level increases just before the menstrual period and decreases during it. During pregnancy, a rise in free cholesterol becomes evident. Various factors are likely to influence blood cholesterol levels. An increased intake of fats in the diet, particularly saturated fat, chiefly from animal foods, increases the level by greater cholesterol synthesis. It is imperative to know that it is difficult to lower these levels by consuming low cholesterol food as such a restricted dietary intake is usually balanced by increased biosynthesis, indicating that a low cholesterol diet results in increased absorption of cholesterol. Inclusion of fat with poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is known to lower cholesterol synthesis. Excess intake of energy calories also increases cholesterol levels as do greater consumption of carbohydrates in simple form, mostly sucrose and fructose. However, a high-fibre diet especially of legumes and fruits reduces the levels as does an adequate intake of Vitamin B3. Vegetable protein depresses blood cholesterol levels and animal protein is known to elevate it. Exercise also has a lowering effect. Heredity too plays a major role in determining individual blood cholesterol levels. People with A and AB blood groups are reported to have slightly higher levels. At the outset, all are advised to check their lipid profile regularly and should remember that dietary cholesterol in its own right does not have as dramatic an effect on blood cholesterol as is commonly believed. Fat has a bigger effect. As the body fat store rises, so does the blood cholesterol level. So all those looking forward to the sweet festive season, enjoy it in moderation with plenty of salads in the diet and make exercise an integral part of your life. The author is a Child Development Project Officer at ICDS, Panaji, and former lecturer at Goa College of Home Science
Nivedita Dempo
CHATURTHI SPECIAL
DIVINE DESIGNS
From designs on computers to water tableaux, the variety of Ganesh chitra in the villages of Marcel and Cumbarjua continue to hold visitors spellbound
Ganesh chitra made using only bamboo
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e is a short man with a mountain of work to complete. His fingers are caked with clay and his tools lie scattered on the table as he moulds the beginnings of a trunk onto the skin-coloured head of his Lord. Pradeep Parab cannot remember exactly why the art of making Ganesh chitra attracted him, but finds his solace in recreating mythological scenes for the viewing pleasure of youngsters and old alike. This year half-complete figures of peacocks and men tower eight feet high as he races against time to build the tableau that will entertain thousands of visitors during Ganesh Chaturthi. Parab is among the few artists left in Goa who continue the tradition of creating chitra year after year, using a variety of material and themes. “This year we have incorporated dancing as the theme, which is based on the Ganesh
By DIELLE D’SOUZA
Ganesh Chitra in the form of lotuses
Puranas,” he says. “People like movement and so we are giving them what they like to see.” The chitra have evolved over the years, working their way from depicting scenes of gods and goddesses in Hindu mythology to just about anything including the Olympics and the Kargil War. Not seen in other Goan villages as much as in Marcel and Cumbarjua, the tradition is kept alive by artists hoping to kindle a spark of creation in the next generation. Strongly influenced by Sangodd, a colourful festival on boats, chitra has now gone animated with the use of lights and other instruments. Gods win battles over demons, spurred on by the whirring force of gear boxes
and ball bearings. The occasional power cuts leave the scenes in darkness for mere seconds as the generators kick in. Delicate fingers and rippling muscles come to life in a mass of papier mâché and thermacol as the chitra make their transformation from the Sangodd-inspired cardboard cut-outs to 3D life-size figures. The artists begin their labour no less than two months in advance, sourcing raw materials from Goa as well as from neighbouring states. Clay, thermacol and fibre glass are brought in from Mumbai and Belgaum, not to mention heaps of newspapers which find their way into anything from balloon-like heads to long rats’ tails. With eager young hands helping out, the artists form groups to create their chitra, each trying to outdo the other in innovation and technique. “We get our ideas from books,” says Girish Navelcar. “My brother Sanjay does the fabrication and I do the art work and design. With the help of several other people from the neighbourhood, we work on the chitra for around two-and-a-half months.” The former student of Goa College of Art took it upon himself to teach mythological stories to the next generation through his chitra after listening to parents narrate them to him as a child. “I began making chitra several years ago when we depicted any profession or picture including the Olympics, the Kargil War and scenes of Goa. Soon we changed to making
Ganesh chitra in the backwaters of Cumbarjua statues of gods and goddesses and later we began incorporating movements,” he adds. But he keeps mum about his ideas for this year, refusing to divulge any details about the theme for his chitra. With more than 500,000
Ganesh chitra in the form of puja items people descending on the villages for the 21 days the scenes are on display, it makes sense to provide variation in themes and treatments. “We are not going to disclose what we are doing this year or everyone will know,” Navelcar says, with a cheeky smile. “It has never really happened that two people have made identical chitra, because even if the theme is the same, there will be a variation in its treatment.” With each passing year, the artists get more and more creative. While Parab, also an alumnus of the Goa College of Art, has got down to designing his chitra on AutoCAD, a group called the Thapneshwar Sanskrutik Mandal has made waves with their chitra in the backwaters. Mandar Phadte, a member of the group, believes it was a mutual urge to do something different that brought them together. “Cumbarjua is a beautiful island on the banks of a tributary of the River Mandovi, so we took advantage of this setting. We based our themes around nature to be different from other mandals who create chitra on the land. Ours is open to the elements,” he explains. With all the work and materials that go into making these grand tableaus, where do the funds come from? Parab estimates that each chitra he creates costs around Rs30,000. “We get some money from the temple, some from donations given by well-wishers as well as my own contribution,” he says. Phadte and Navelcar too say their dig deep into their own pockets to fund their creations. Approaching the government for subsidies every year has yielded no results. Ministers do a “veni, vidi, vici” and disappear with false promises. “The government has said many things, but as of now nothing has been done,” says Navelcar, shrugging his shoulders with a
resigned sigh. Parab adds, “The government does give subsidies for those who make idols of mud, but not for us.” For those making the more famous Ganesh idols for the festival, the Goa Handicrafts Rural Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (GHRSSIDC) provides a subsidy on a first-cum-first-serve basis. Managing Director Nikhil Desai explains, “The subsidy involves Rs100 per idol of a minimum height of 1 foot for 150 artisans in Goa. Each artisan can avail of a subsidy of a maximum of Rs15,000. “Open to all traditional idol makers and artisans who are residents of Goa and registered with the GHRSSIDC, the scheme intends to motivate them to encourage this ancient art form. The corporation also aims to support the local artisans and promote eco-friendly idols.” The corporation opposes cheaper raw material alternatives such as plaster of paris and polyfibre and the scheme attempts to make clay idols more popular. As far as chitra are concerned, Desai adds, “The GHRSSIDC can provide a subsidy for chitra makers provided they are registered with the corporation under the Idol Subsidy Scheme and the chitra are created out of clay.” Even without the backing of the government, chitra artists show no sign of giving up. Navelcar says, “Chitra helps people to learn about the gods. It’s like a movie telling people about the storyline. The story of Ram and Sita may be very popular, but the smaller narrations in other books like the Puranas are unknown. We search for new stories all the time in the Puranas because children have to learn them. People see the chitra and learn about stories they had never heard before.” Chitra artists teach us that sometimes it’s not about the money. It’s the love of the land, its culture and tradition that make us who we are, carving out a niche for Goans in the vast, diverse home we call India. Keeping our traditions alive has given them purpose and us a chance to learn something new. So this year, VIVA GOA hopes more visitors will descend on the twin villages of Cumbarjua and Marcel to view these skilled and creative hand-made forms of Goan art.
Chitra artist Pradeep Parab
MATOLI
During Ganesh Chaturthi, Goan Hindus follow a tradition where fruit, vegetables and other natural produce are hung on a wooden frame over the statue of Lord Ganesh. Cra5ed with a great deal of care and passion, this colourful canopy, locally called matoli, is symbolic of Ganesh’s status as a provider. VIVA GOA explores the scientific and traditional connotations passed down through generations of the ‘hanging fruit garden’ and its relevance today
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hravan is a holy month in the Hindu almanac .Religious injunctions restrain Hindus from eating meat and fish until Ganesh Chaturthi. To observe the rule of vegetarianism, our ancestors put the fear of God and compelled everyone to follow it strictly. Though our ancestors had not studied science as deeply as we do, they knew that since fish lay eggs during Shravan, one should not kill them in this month. Man has to live in tune with nature and it is therefore important to create awareness of the significance of the eco-systems and the need to protect them. In tradition-bound-societies, festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali are excellent means of carrying the message to the masses through religious injunctions.
The garden is the birthplace of matoli The importance of a garden has increased manifold in recent years. The fast pace of urbanisation has destroyed the environment to a considerable extent. A home garden, while bringing in welcome visitors like sparrows, mynahs, hoopoe birds and pigeons, is also the birthplace of matoli and a museum for the display of nature’s bounty.
horizontal wooden bars. Each space is occupied by a fruit or a bunch of fruits, turning the entire frame into a veritable ‘hanging fruit garden’, an offering to Lord Ganesha.
Matoli is our offering to Lord Ganesha, who through his merciful glance at humanity, showers his blessings on his devotees. Matoli is a simple quadrangular wooden frame. The space within the frame is divided again in smaller spaces by vertical and
Cooked food is dead food Cooked food doesn’t give you the enzymes and phytochemicals your body needs. Matoli is the answer to your worries as it offers you only ‘living food’ packed with essential nutrients. Nature has given us a variety of foods – rice, nachni, vegetables like tambdi bhaji (amaranthus), chidki-midki (cluster beans), tavshem (cucumber), karaltem (bitter gourd), val, ghosalem (ridge gourd), dhavi bhaji, podolem (snake gourd), vaingem (brinjals), mulo (radish), gulam, plantain, kill (bamboo shoots) and surna (yams or elephant foot). An amateur of matoli in Goa has collected and displayed as many as 236 fruits on the matoli. Another has displayed 225 items. Now the time has come for all of us to put our minds and hands together to conserve, protect and sustain our environment through the indigenous systems such as matoli so that Goa will always remain green and clean.
AFTER HOURS A column in which CEOs, political figures and other busy professionals reveal how they relax and spend their spare time
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‘Let Us Leave Behind a Beautiful Goa’ A veteran in the hospitality business and a true son of the soil, chairperson of the de Souza Group and vice president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) RALPH de SOUSA on what he treasures the most in life
the TTAG, which act as watchdogs of business organisations and for social upliftment. The de Souza Group has developed a wooded hill slope in one of our properties, which has turned into a mini bird sanctuary. Our rain water harvesting project should be ready by 2012. These initiatives are in the interest of ecology and the environment. I am on the governing council board of IHM and we work to produce qualified, trained graduates, excelling in requirements of the hospitality industry. We also aim to protect the fair image of Goa, which has received a severe beating of late, and work to address the garbage issue as a priority.
o be just and fair in dealings is Ralph de Sousa’s simple business logic, which has propelled him to his position today. Apart from his responsibilities at the de Souza Group, he is involved in several organizations, from being a member of the managing committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to his post as past President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG). He is also a patron of the Goa Heritage Action Group and the managing trustee of the Museum of Christian Art and the Goa America Heart Foundation among others. However, behind the businessman exterior, lies a different side to him which he shares with VIVA GOA... On his leisure activities I am a Goan by origin and also at heart. I live a very traditional life and my hobbies are in tune with Goa and my lifestyle. I am a numismatist - I collect coins of Goa. Small-time fishing is another hobby. Goa folklore, music, especially Latin Jazz, and theatre are my other interests.
On ‘getting away from it all’ I enjoy my work and I have a daily ‘things to do’ list. I complete this before the day is done and enjoy total peace of mind. Quality time away from work is of paramount importance to me. During this time I enjoy doing what I love to do, and fully recharge to handle the coming days. I manage my time pretty decently to ensure that I enjoy my leisure hours, mostly with my family.
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On striking a balance between ‘work and play’ I consider myself a family man, although my wife Carolina, my 19-year-old son Carlos Noel and my 15-year-old daughter Karla consider me the youngest in the family! It takes a lot of stress away from me as the wall that I have built between my work and my family is thick and opaque. I never bring work home and I dislike conducting business when I am with my family. Of course, emergencies are an exception. My family is very tolerant to sudden
changes in my schedule. I enjoy their company, especially as we are good friends. There are times when I am buried in work, when I have to travel frequently, or when I have meetings and dinner engagements of organizations that I am a part of. When all this is over, they still acknowledge my existence!
On his favourite holiday destinations I manage to take two holidays a year! One with my family, mostly to Africa and Europe, and the other without my family, with my brother Norman and two of our very good friends from the US. We meet in Miami and then fly out to a country in the Caribbean or Latin America and have a real blast for a week or ten days each year. My favourite holiday destination is Columbia, especially the mountains of Madeline and the World Heritage city of Cartagena, constructed within the walls of a fortress on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean. The people are great and so is the countryside, heritage, food and music. On giving back to society I support heritage, classical music and education in Goa. A lot of my time is devoted to organisations like the CII, the GCCI and
On his philosophy of life There are opportunities passing in front of each one of us, every minute of our lives. Pick your choice and move on, the rest will fall into place. In your dealings, ensure that the other person makes a fair profit too, and he will always stick by you.
His message to young Goans Of late, most of us want to retire after a single “deal”. Long term relationships are fast becoming a thing of the past. This approach is the cause of the ruin of many a Goan youth. Avoid this philosophy. Our forefathers handed Goa to us in all its natural beauty and grace, with peace and tranquility. Let us try (I know it is very difficult) to ensure that the Goa that we leave for our children is as beautiful and full of values as the Goa that we inherited from our forefathers.
FAMILY MAN: Ralph de Sousa with his wife Carolina and children Carlos Noel and Karla
VIVA GOANS A regular column featuring eminent Goans living outside Goa
STRIKING A HIGH NOTE SANYA MYLA COTTA
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Sanya Co$a has grown from a child prodigy to a vibrant Classical violinist, winning accolades at concert halls across Europe
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anya Cotta began her first tentative notes early, when she was no more than a child. But her innate talent and years of practice have propelled her into the highest echelons of music. Sanya Myla Cotta, a child prodigy, expressed her passion for the violin at the age of four. She has never looked back, always pushing her way ahead with sheer determination, commitment and hard work, her quest limitless and undying. Music has been in her blood, with her father Schubert a Classical guitarist and a well-known teacher and her mother Maxie, a most accomplished Konkani singer. “Music has always been an important part of my life,” says Sanya. “My father is a musician and I started playing the violin at the age of four. I really could not imagine doing anything else. Over the years I realised how I could touch people with my violin. I felt the instrument suited me and I had the backing of many people who encouraged me to pursue my dream.” Her irrepressible passion and drive got her admission at the age of four, the youngest to do so, to the Conservatory in Germany, where her talent was lovingly nurtured by Renata Bruce Webber. She performed in public from the age of five as the youngest member of a youth orchestra in Hamburg and won the first prize as a solo violinist for three consecutive years at the Jugend Musiziert Competition, Hamburg. Her two appearances at the age of eight and ten on German TV endeared her to the public. On her return to Goa at the age of 12, she continued her studies under the caring guidance of Myra Shroff, obtaining a distinction at the Associate Diploma (ACTL, Trinity College of Music, London), a scholarship recommendation while achieving her Licentiate from the Royal School of Music, London (LRSM) and a Fellowship from the Trinity College of Music, London (FTCL).
EARLY MUSICAL STEPS
After sweeping the first prize at the David Menezes National Violin Competition in 2004, she gained admission to both the Royal College of Music, London and the Royal Northern College, Manchester, but opted to continue her studies with Prof Ulf Klausenitzer at the University of Nuernburg, where she completed her double degree in Performance and Pedagogy. Competing with students from all corners of the globe, particularly from Russia, Japan, China, Greece and Korea, in 2009 she bagged the Pedagogic Prize of the Music University, Nuernburg, awarded to the best graduate of the university in all subjects. She graduated with a Teachers’ Degree with flying colours and also completed the ESTA (European String Teachers’ Association)
course in Vienna, while attending Master Classes with Ingols Turban and Priya Mitchel (Italy). She will now be continuing her Post Graduation under Prof Ulf Klausenitzer. Sanya believes the violin offers endless possibilities – orchestra, solo, chamber music and, of course, teaching. She says, “I love the repertoire of pieces written for the violin. It suits my music and my personality.” Her repertoire includes shorter works by Saraste, Paganini, Bartok, Fritz Kreisler and Bach, violin-viola duos, a string quintet by Dvorak and other chamber music. She is also a member of the EOS (Greek for Sunrise) Quartet, and is a leader of the second violins of the University of Nuernberg Orchestra. Sania has won more laurels as a member (first violins) of the prestigious Junge Deutscher Philharmonie, playing under world renowned conductors, touring the major cities and performing in the most important halls in Germany and Europe. Her growing Concerto repertoire is a clear indication of her increasing mastery. She recently wowed audiences in Goa, performing a wide repertoire, sharing the stage with pianist Linlin Fan from China and Sabine Ehlscheidt from Germany on the viola. Western Classical music is both her life and passion. “But”, she says, “I listen to all kinds of music genres except for Trance music. Of contemporary artists I like Jamie Cullum, Norah Jones, Sting and Bryan Adams, although I must say I listen mostly to classical music and older pop stars like the Beatles and Queen.” Though she has spent several years abroad, she says, “Goa is definitely home for me. Although the German ways and culture is also very familiar to me, my family is in Goa and I feel more at home here. And I love swimming at Baga and Majorda!”
RAPID FIRE Favourite Goan dish Prawn curry rice
Favourite composers Bach, Mozart, Prokofiev, Shostakovich The piece you played at your first concert I think Donkey Doodle!
THE WAY AHEAD
If you were not a violinist, what would you have been? An engineer Places you visit when you come to Goa Calangute, Baga, Mapusa and Majorda An embarrassing moment at a concert While playing by heart on the piano, I forgot the score in the middle of the piece! One thing you miss about Goa when you are in Germany My family One thing you miss about Germany when you are in Goa My friends, violin class and yogurt The violin to you is... A medium to express myself
STUDYING IN GERMANY
Pianist Linlin Fan, violist Sabine Ehlscheidt and violinist Sanya Cotta
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LEGAL BRIEF A regular column on legal affairs and philosophy
Atmaram Nadkarni is a Senior Advocate and former Advocate General of Goa
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ne of the important concepts in administrative law and in a justice delivery system is the right to a fair hearing. In civil jurisprudence, this is characterised as fair procedure, requiring an opportunity of a hearing to be given to a person likely to be affected by an action. In a general sense the term ‘natural justice’ includes two parts – one is ‘listen to the other side’ while the other is ‘the doctrine of bias’. The whole edifice is built up on a well-known concept that no one should be condemned unheard. The purpose of this article is neither to make the populace aware of this part of law nor to reform them with this aspect of legal principles. But the intent is certainly to demand introspection from every reader on to what extent in our normal day-to-day lifestyle do we follow these principles which we demand of our government authorities and courts. The basis for claiming the right to a hearing is found not only in our fundamental rights which are vital and specially recognised and envisaged in the Indian Constitution, but as a basic human right. Do we give an opportunity of a personal hearing to the other side before we act or comment on another? Do we listen to another’s point of view? Do we care for and consider another’s requirement or plight, before we act or refrain from acting? What kind of a lifestyle do we imbibe and follow when we backbite? Is our talking behind someone’s back justified? Backbiting and a lifestyle that goes with it is neither legal nor moral; on the contrary, it is highly anti-social. Are our ‘acts’ and ‘deeds’ in some factual situations, in which we plan and execute certain issues or provoke certain people against another, a healthy lifestyle and a proper way of conducting ourselves? These moot questions would certainly draw only one answer universally and that is, we ought not to do or act in a manner whereby others are affected least of all by backbiting. Backbiting is a universal phenomenon known to mankind, at times abetted by malice or jealousy or more often, by a sheer inferiority complex. Backbiters are people who talk behind another’s back and never to their face. When confronted,
A NATURAL SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG Backbiters are bad containers of negative energy and their lifestyles are that of a parasite. They should not be allowed ‘rent-free’ space in our minds
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they lose their ‘moral’ ground which they in any case, probably never had, but the façade too gets lost. Typical backbiters are those who speak very sweetly to your face and then stab you from behind. There is, however, a certain charm in life if one is surrounded by such sharks. It does make life very interesting provided one is able to handle them and bear the onslaught with required determination. These backbiters are universally known to be very bad containers of negative energy; their vibes are awful and more often, their lifestyles are that of a parasite. It hardly takes time to recognise the type of person who indulges in such backbiting. No sooner does a person speak to you extremely sweetly do you perceive a dangerous warning signal of imminent attack from behind. These backbiters do not gain much out of this habit, but probably derive a sadistic pleasure, little realising that carrying such baggage of sin on their backs in this lifetime on God’s earth is not worth it. But as long as we do not forgive and forget the wrong done to us, we permit these parasites to occupy rent-free space in our mind. The ideal thing is to set them free, maintain a very healthy distance from them, and let them go as they are worthless humans. We must realise that life is not about the people who are true to your face, it is about those who remain true to you behind your back. Winston Churchill once remarked, “Let them talk against me, but let them talk about me!” Indeed, such people come into our life for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime. Every such incident is bound to teach us a lesson. We must learn to accept every person and every lesson in the right way. Our mind needs to countenance such plots and reject the shocks so as to transcend the limitations of our body and mind in order to experience the true quality of who we are. The law of life is generous to those who pursue their destiny through their ability and hard work rather than looking up to heaven with too much faith and too little struggle. We cannot change the course of events nor can we reform the tribe of fools called backbiters. What we can do is change ourselves and our attitude, and if not that, we can at least change our response to the course of events. An old sage once advised his pupil with a wise idiom, “Never tell everything you know, and never say you know everything”. That was about listening to another before acting. The second facet which applies to our daily life is bias. Why have biases? What do we gain from them? Biases affect the basic foundation of one’s moral strength and structure to face one’s own conscience. We ought to ask our conscience if an attitude of bias will do us any good, and whether the sins accumulated through such wrong deeds will make one carry this load of garbage on one’s back for several births or lifetimes. We can simply decide to be objective without putting any opinions to subjective tests, perceive things and human beings as they are. Right is right and wrong is wrong. If one follows this basic principle in life, one need not bow before anyone. Even God Himself will reward you for this exemplary quality. Law and legality thus start with oneself. Law is not something made by aliens for humans to follow, it is made for man by man. All legal principles culminating in statute law also have the same background. Born as human, we need to act as one and depose as one. Positivity helps create an energy which is attracted to the universal lot.
FEATURE
‘GREEN MINING’
EMYLOU D’SOUZA explores Sesa Goa’s green initiative, its light at
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Swimming with the fishes: The pisciculture pond
eaving a desolate landscape with pits of death in every recess, the once picture-perfect village of Sanquelim in Bicholim could have turned into an environmental time bomb. Red waste on otherwise green lands presenting a stark contrast. Gutted hills and gaping wounds in the earth. This could easily have been the scene in Sanquelim today. Instead, in a turn for the better, this fate has been evaded. What were once tailings of a lucrative mine is now a striking example of tangible results being achieved by mining giant Sesa Goa’s green focus on sustainable ecological growth. Plantations of coconut, arecanut and cashew and spices like cinnamon, black pepper and vanilla thrive in the former mining site that covers 303 hectares. Around 6,00000 saplings have been planted in the 106 ha reclaimed area since large-scale mining operations ceased in the late eighties. One of the mining pits, Lisboa has been reclaimed by adopting a horti-silicultural approach as converting the land into other facilities like housing was not feasible. According to Sesa Goa’s managing director P K Mukherjee, it was a tedious task to restore the remnants of the infertile soil after mining. He explains, “The myth that nothing can grow on mined-out land must be quashed, any land can be put to good use. The soil’s nutrients are not lost forever, in fact they have to be artificially fed into the soil to bring back its
Encouraging biodiversity with the butterfly park vital water-holding capacity along with clay and micro-organisms, which are all lost during the mining process.” From levelling the land to mixing manure and introducing a nitrogen-fixing leguminous creeper pluerira to planting fast-growing, hardy acacia trees that were selectively felled to plant other species, the soil’s organic matter was replenished after several years. A novel addition to the project is the medicinal garden that is based on two ideas in which plants are creatively arranged in the 27 constellations, Nakshatra Devata Udyan, and the Ayurvedic concept of Charak Devata Udyan. The systematic arrangement of plants in the garden is also fashioned in ‘Sesa Goa’. To lend educational value to the garden, each one has an informative board with a detailed description. And a small adjoining area hosts several local aromatic plants. The rainwater harvesting pit on site offers a
the end of the tunnel… constant supply to the plantations, while organic manure is used to fertilise the vegetation. The reclaimed mine also houses a pisciculture pond that was launched in 1990, in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula. “Fish can’t just be added to a pond without preparing its environment first,” says Sesa Goa’s general manager of environment Mahesh Patil. He explains, “Due to the mining activity, all organic matter needs to be re-introduced to provide the fish with a conducive habitat to grow. With inputs from the NIO, we added cow dung, which facilitates the growth of protozoa and bacteria, neem cakes and other biological matter to encourage a self-sustaining eco-system.” The pit receives fresh water from the rains and a volume of water remains throughout the year. Around 15 thousand fingerlings of rahu, mrugal and carp were released and fed daily with soaked groundnut cakes.
Creative ideas: The medicinal garden based on the 27 constellations, Nakshatra Devata Udyan
Sesa Goa’s eco-friendly Bamboo House Another attraction is Sesa’s butterfly park designed in the shape of a butterfly. In the subsequent year, Sesa Goa and the Goa government’s watchdog agency of mining companies, the Mineral Foundation, aim to build a shed for butterfly rearing. The Bamboo House is “another project in the pipeline and is due to be completed by the end of the year”. “We couldn’t use the bamboo that is grown on site as they aren’t mature enough and the quantity required would not be available here. Also, there is a lot of value-addition done to the bamboo including treatment to make it last for 15 to 20 years,” says Patil. As a centre for environmental activities and social programmes, it will provide visitors with a history of the reclaimed site. The structure costs around Rs40 lakhs and has taken more than a year to complete. “Our USP is to promote it as an eco-friendly project and we have tied up with a Kudal-based NGO. We have bamboo matting for the roof as well as bamboo flooring and natural lighting,” adds
Patil. Sesa Goa aspires to take its ‘green’ initiative to even greater heights with the completion of its Bamboo House and a bird trail on the cards. However, environmental organisations say it’s not just a matter of restoring stripped land. It is the very presence of the mines that has upset the ecological balance. According to programme manager Dr Sachin Tendulkar of the Mineral Foundation of Goa, it is essential to take criticism positively by engaging all the stakeholders and arriving at a consensus decision, a win-win situation for all. He says, “The extractive industry the world over is criticised although we all reap the benefits of its exploits and probably cannot do without it. This issue of competing pressure on land and the visible environmental impact appears to be clearly in focus in Goa as it is small state.” “However,” he adds, “we should not forget that the resources which we mine have a finite life and whatever we do to nature cannot be undone.”
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FIRST LADY A column featuring women who have stepped beyond the shadow of their eminent husbands and are achievers in their own right
We Need to Appreciate the Beauty of Our Heritage
Therese Almeida, Director of Manovikas School, on her passion for Goa, books and teaching
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nhappy with the education system in Goa, Therese Almeida made up her mind to give her children as well as others a more creative and focused training. Along with several others, she began what is now one of Margao’s most sought-after schools – Manovikas. Later, Almeida also brought together teachers from other schools to form Goa’s first nature club, bringing environmental programmes and awareness to the fore. Having received a United Nations Environment Programme grant to study Outdoor Teaching at Northern Illinois University, the former WWF Goa committee member prepared a detailed Teachers’ Resource Book in Environment called Aqua World for the Goa government’s Centre for Environment and Technology. Almeida makes her voice heard on children’s issues and is currently fighting for playgrounds to be requisitioned in every panchayat in the state as the government promise made in 1979, the Year of the Child, remains unfulfilled. Sharing a love for Goa, students and books with her husband, eminent architect Sarto Almeida, the current director at Manovikas School gives VIVA GOA an insight into her life
How and why did you get into teaching? I did not choose to be a teacher. I was more inclined towards art, but my parents believed that teaching was the more respectable profession and I was willing to give it a try. I discovered that I could relate to the young and there was a great deal of pleasure found in opening new vistas
for them. I discovered that I could augment and make responsible changes in their curriculum, and my first Principal encouraged me in this. The sixties were the years of ferment in education and I was fortunate enough to become involved with prominent educators and people who wanted to bring about a sea change in the way children learned. As I found rote learning extremely deplorable and disrespectful of children’s minds I welcomed this experience. To me there is no greater pleasure than making a learning contact with another person and I have seen the big difference this makes to students. The CBSE vs ICSE debate is an unending one. What do you think it all boils down to? When schools and teachers put grades and results before attending to students skills, leading to unrestrained pressure. Schools need to find a balance between the training of skills and the cultivation of creativity. With due attention to concept growth and more concern with matters of feelings and spirit all children will blossom. That has been my experience. We need to find an education that is effective and humane. Recently, while interacting with teachers in Bangalore, I met some who had developed exciting classroom activities, who were using Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation for some time and are concerned about enabling and empowering students with learning and living skills. In Goa adequate school environments are needed for this climate to exist. Teachers and schools are shackled by rules and guidelines in an atmosphere lacking in trust and resources. Teachers also need to upgrade their skills and be rewarded for introducing better methods for developing skills and evaluating children. How would you best improve the quality of teaching in our education system? We need to create new patterns of educational practice to suit the many needs of our children from all sectors of society. It is possible to do so if we abandon this ‘one size fits all’ education that our children are required to endure. We need to focus on developing the cognitive, affective and social dimensions that means that all our children can understand, interpret and express. They learn that they have social and moral responsibilities and they are empowered with living skills that include real work, good environmental habits and good communication skills. The present scenario concentrates on rote learning and extends no support to reform and change. What do you most love about Goa and is there anything you would like to change? Goa, as many say, is a state of mind. It is also green vistas of breathtaking beauty, has one of the sweetest languages spoken and a close affinity to music. Its people are also alive to the comic and satirical. Today, after 46 years of living in Goa, I experience a deep sense of loss. Green vistas are obstructed by huge billboards that interfere with our visual freedom. As young
Therese Almeida has enjoyed continous support from husband and architect Sarto alive by reciting whole poems that hold meaning for me. I enjoy histories of people and how they react to changing situations. I will never pick up a book that advises people on how to lead their lives. However, Edward de Bono is an exception.
Therese and Sarto with children Ra-ben, Staahl, Maya Lin and Nonamee parents move out of joint families they address their children in jarring and poor English, which stultifies the child’s power to express itself. There is a growing insensitivity to people. Above all, the land, which was once community and nurtured and cared for, is now a mere commodity available to the highest bidder. What I would like to see, and which has been so close to my architect husband Sarto’s heart as well, is better physical planning for our towns and villages – an appreciation of heritage and conservation so that we continue to enjoy the beauty of our built environment and conscientious practices by our citizens in separating, recycling and disposing of waste. Before garbage becomes the government’s problem, it is a problem that involves every citizen.
Can you tell us something about your own personal interests and activities beyond your work? My passion for reading began when I was very young and I still recall the books of my childhood. The book that inspired me was ‘Teacher’ by Sylvia Ashton Warner who described her own adventure in organic and holistic education. Browsing in a bookshop is one of my great pleasures and I have a huge collection of books. Both Sarto and I also enjoy writings on art and architecture. We also enjoyed at one time the hugely funny ‘Mad’ series and Schultz’s ‘Peanuts’ cartoons. I do go back to old favourites from time to time and only recently enjoyed ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ for the ninth time. An all time favourite is ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’. I keep my sanity and my memory
How do you strike a balance between the demands of your home and your own professional interests? When my four children were young it was difficult to strike a balance. In some areas I was not able to see to their needs. But in retrospect I am grateful for their understanding, patience and undemanding love because they grew up to be good and responsible persons. The support from Sarto and the family was enormous with Manovikas. It was Sarto who first mooted the idea that I begin a school in Goa to make a difference to children and as there was no school that I could send my own children to. An egalitarian and democratic society in India where both women and men would have a voice is the dream of the women’s rights movement. Is this a reality in Goa? Women in today’s Goa have to be far more assertive than their grandmothers. In the past a woman could be decisive in important family matters and take action to see to property and proper disposal of produce. Given the many cases of crimes against women, it is hard to describe Goa as progressive. The tradition bound family expects women to fit a role within this tradition. Today’s women though educated are also insecure and not encouraged to strike out on their own. If they do so there is no safety net that can address their problems as they leave home to join call centres or the hospitality industry outside Goa. Women, when put to the test in public life have time and again displayed strength of purpose and courage. Women, unlike men can also multitask easily. They are also better at minimising problem situations while men are more interested in maximising gain. Thus their decision-making capacity involves the needs of others, and they are probably better at problem solving and decision making. What is needed is integrity and ethical conduct. Given that, I believe an entire Cabinet of women legislators would possibly be better for Goa's future!
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HI-TECH Continuing our column on the latest trends in technology
Raj Sinai Dempo was with Lucent Technologies Inc and is a networking professional from San Jose, California. He is currently Director of R&D at Santech Global (APAC region)
As a Goan student hailing from a conservative family from Santacruz village, I still remember the Asiad Games TV penetration. Voilà! I saw TV. It was a Dyanora! Touch me Portable and Washington Apple Red
NEXT GENERATION INTERNET
The world has changed a lot since the Dyanora. In our time, when leading management consultant C K Prahalad’s bottom-up pyramid theory of economic strata is being currently realised, here is a snapshot of what’s in store for the future in technology UNMATCHED SCALE
the data delivery platform will With a proven multi-chassis architecture, than tripling the 92tbps capacity. deliver up to 322 tbps of capacity, more
UNIQUE CORE AND DATA CENTRE/CLOUD SERVICES INTELLIGENC E
In addition to capacity requirements, the growth of mobile and video applications are creating new multi-directional traffic patterns with the increasing emergence of the data centre cloud, Unified Service Delivery of Cloud Services and IP/MPLS that permit NGN architecture.
(NPS) NETWORK POSITIONING SYSTEM best path to content, improving the for ation s above L3 provide inform
Higher layer lity of reducing costs, eliminating non QoS (Qua consumer and business experiences while ised. optim and al ction i-dire omn be tually will even Service) segments. Content seek pattern
CLOUD VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) enables pay-as-you-go for compute, storage and network resources. These capabilities are engineered in the new protocol design with more flags for token (permission) based events.
ILITY STANDARDISED AND SCALAB UNPRECEDENTED SAVINGS BY ying deplo for s bilitie capa n desig and re itectu based systematic migration to the new arch
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Revenuem standards. scalable and compliant to most new syste next generation internet are interoperable,
SILICON INNOVATION Unprecedented levels of service capabilities and processing power. Making this implementation even more unique is its ability to deliver capabilities with a fraction of the power in the Zettabyte era.
ERING INTELLIGENCE PACKET ENGINE et will detect type The NG Pack The internet packet will have intelligence. also priorities depending on and e devic held hand rm, of content, platfo richer internet experience. the streamlined API to optimise to maintain
SPORTS BOATS 175SP 185SP 195SP 205SP 210SP 210SEL 210FZN P22 220SD 230SEL 230FZN 240SD 260SDN 250SLX 270SLX 280SD 300SD 300SLX
SPORTS CRUISERS 240SDA 260SDA 280SDA 310SDA 330SDA 350SDA 370SDA
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For Viva Goa - Marine Solutions-(H x W)= 26.4 x 19.9 26 August 2010
INTERIORS/ EXTERIORS
Homely
Grandeur
Sangeeta and N Sriram’s abode in Dona Paula is both impressive and delightful with subtle transitions An alumnus of the Goa College of Architecture, Siddha D. Sardessai casts an expert eye every month on distinctive and contemporary houses of Goa
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hen Sriram and Sangeeta were shopping for their new home in Goa almost a decade ago, they chanced upon a house at Dona Paula which was under construction. The roaring sound of the waves, the peaceful setting devoid of traffic noise and the serene surroundings impressed them at once. Sangeeta had conjured up images of her house and began the work of decorating their new abode on her own. She recalls, “I had a lot of ideas and wanted to decorate my house on my own. With a little help from design magazines and books which helped in sourcing the products from all over India, I managed to turn this house into my home, just as I had wanted it to be”. The house with its impressive double-height colonial columns and crowned with a pediment has been “Indianised” with the introduction of an exclusively crafted stone balustrade screen. These stone screens or “jalli”, as they are called, were specially made and brought from Jaipur. The long verandah on both the floors of the house offers an unobtrusive view of the sea and Mormugao Port. “Each of the room flows into the verandah and offers a view second to none. That to me is the best part and one that brings life to the whole house”, says Sriram. As you approach the main door to the house through the stilted area, you cannot but take your eyes off the wonderful piece of rock art fountain that subtly transitions the link from the outdoors to the indoors. As you enter the house on the first level, you arrive into the living room that opens out into the verandah. Leather recliner couches sit cosy amid the textured orangey walls of the living room. Two small wooden carved windows open inwards into the passage, adding a touch of glamour to the blank wall behind the couch. These little windows also filter in the roar of the seas and the breeze into the staircase lobby. There are small corner units which adorn the curios and memorabilia of the many countries the family has visited. The dining room is quietly hidden behind a wall adjoining the living space and yet mingles its way into the living area. The flooring in the whole house is of granite stone of a variety of shades and designs. The verandah leads to the pool zone at the first level. Recalls Sriram, “We hardly had any garden space, and we were lucky to get this adjacent property. We have developed this piece of land into our leisure space that gives us our swimming pool, a private garden, and the music-cum-entertainment room, all connected to the main house.” Now Sriram
Sangeeta and Sriram with their children Soumya and Shiva
can vent his singing prowess with a rendition of “Yeh shaam mastaani, madhosh kiye jaa…” The pool has been designed as an infinity pool and gives the feel of extending into the sea. The corridor linking the music room to the pool is lined with tree trunks that act like columns, very cleverly avoiding any unnatural elements in the landscape. The pool being covered by a roof above tends to maintain the water at lower temperatures not very conducive to swimming and hence solar heaters have been linked to the pool. The music room by the pool has been done in hues of blue and carries an elegant diwan set seating area around artifacts brought all the way from Rajasthan. This baithak is often used during parties and get-togethers. But more than the music that is played in the room, the sound of the waters and the chirping of the birds make better music to the ears. The second level of the house carries the private rooms, the bedrooms for the children and the master bedroom. All the rooms are joined by a long balcony that overlooks the lower verandah. Lined with plants, this space is a perfect place to unwind when not lying on the bed. The master bedroom has been painted in textures of brown and orange and carries exotic pieces of furniture, including the elegantly carved wooden bed. The exquisitely carved tables and consoles hold the television set and some artifacts. With an attached dresser and a toilet that is equipped with a Jacuzzi, the bedroom is well connected to the roaring waves. The son’s room is beautifully done in shades of blue. A study is well integrated within the room, while the daughter’s room integrates various shades of pink. And all these rooms are connected by a common balcony that runs like a thread joining the family together. On the attic is the fitness zone that houses table tennis and gym equipment. Not only does this floor keep them physically fit, but also mental fitness is borne in mind with a cozy little library-cum-study tucked into one corner. A small terrace has been carved out very intelligently over the roof top that enables a 360-degree view of the surroundings. A morning-glory at the verandah can be more satisfying than the metaphysics of books. Sit in reverie, and watch the changing colour of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind. What else could Sriram ask for? Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless. And it is this very passion that Sangeeta and Sriram discovered to turn their grand abode into a home.
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COUTURE On what’s haute in the world of fashion in Goa
Michelle Banarse is a designer and stylist who has worked extensively in the film and music industry. Apart from working with other designers in India, she also has her own ready to wear range
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While the monso on can be more introspective, September can signify change and new beginnings. So while we air out our homes, why not air out the closet too ?
DRESSING DOWN, THE NEW DRESSING UP
f the rain is not too constant, we can afford to be a bit more adventurous. And while it doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul, it can be something as simple as a new haircut or makeover. Bold new shapes are the prediction this season. And just about anything goes. From the whimsical to an edgy, tough rock chic look, just take your pick. A timeless trend that never goes out of fashion is denim and this season is no exception. With more choice than ever from every shade, style and fit, there is something for everyone. No matter what size, age or gender. The trick is to get the right balance and proportions. If you are more hips and butt, a bootleg will be far more flattering than a very slim-fitted leg. If you are small and petite, don’t drown yourself in anything too big and if you are short go for lines that go down the body and not cut across it. Stripes moving vertically down the body always makes it appear longer, whereas stripes going across will widen the body. If wearing very slim pants, you can team it with something fuller on top (this is a good way of concealing problem areas like the stomach and hips). And if you prefer big loose pants, opt for something more fitted on the top. Don’t wear big on both top and bottom, you will just look frumpy! Short legs are accentuated by taking the waist higher and the length longer, that is a bootleg or straight leg that will cover a chunky heel or wedge. And if you are tall and slim, you are lucky enough to wear just about anything! A good look is denim on denim. Make sure to mix different shades of blue, like darker denim on bottoms matched with a lighter colour on top or a funky denim dress under a long man’s shirt. A pair of torn ‘boys’ pants with a beautiful floaty blouse paired with killer heels makes a great informal evening outfit or a loose shirt and cropped shorts worn with flatties or heels. The key thing is comfort, and dressing down is the new dressing up. Levis has a great range of denim and its skinny pants come in a plethora of fab colours. Pair
with graphic black and white prints or opt for this season’s neutrals. Get the rock chic look with skinny fit t-shirts, converse trainers and an oversized blazer for the day, while at night, a pair of heels or wedges with a statement piece of jewellery and a stack of chains, cuffs and bracelets. If you prefer comfort to heels and don’t want to compromise on style, wear kitten heels. Why not raid the family jewels for something really unique? Something old with something contemporary always works when mixed in the right way and immediately makes an outfit more interesting. Just remember to keep it simple and don’t overdo it. Simply putting a funky short-cropped jacket over a classic dress ups the style quota, think 50’s glamour or 70’s hippy chic look. Wide legged denims with a peasant style top. Big hair, big bangles and strings of beads Pepe jeans has a great selection of vintage and washed out denim and all major outlets have a good selection of distressed and torn denim. Makeup for the day should still be kept to a minimum as there can still be the unexpected downpour. Lashings of mascara for both day and night, as this can easily be applied should you get caught out. Evenings can be a lot more adventurous. For a rock chic appeal go for the dark smudgy eyes and messy rain-soaked hair. For a simple splash of colour on the lid and for a more dramatic look, think turquoise. The face should be earthy colours that complement dark skin from basic browns to metallic coppers, leaving the skin looking rain kissed and glowing. Keep lips almost nude with a light gloss or pale lipstick. Like the weather, life isn’t so predictable and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Have fun and go with the flow. After all, it’s the beginning of a new season and all the festivities to come!
Check out what Michelle has to offer on www.michellebanarse.com
GUEST COLUMN Victor Rangel-Ribeiro is the author of the award-winning novel ‘Tivolem’, ‘Loving Ayesha and Other Stories’ and ‘Baroque Music: A Practical Guide for the Performer’. He divides his time between New York and Goa
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WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT GOA...
hat I like about Goa is that it has changed so much from the way it was just a few years ago, it has changed all the way into the 21st century. Consider this: Even 20 years ago my wife and I used to fly down to Goa from the United States carrying presents for close relatives, mainly items that we knew were unavailable or in short supply in Goa; now there is hardly any item or amenity one can find in London or New York that one cannot also find in Panjim or Margao
...And One Thing I Like the Least
or Mapusa or Tivim, if one really wants it and goes looking for it. Another thing I like about Goa is that, despite all the material progress, our little motherland has not changed all that much, after all; one can still find old villages tucked away that seem firmly anchored in the early 20th century. One can even find villagers and townspeople whose minds are firmly anchored in even earlier times! Something I really like about us Goans is that so many of us now bustle about instead of
being sossegado 24 hours a day. On the other hand, another thing I like about us Goans is that so many of us still manage to remain sossegado both day and night, even though other Goans are bustling about all around us. So here is the great Goan contradiction: we manage to be, at one and the same time, both abreast of the times and behind the times. My father reminded me once, with great delight, that he had been born in the age of the machila (April 1881), yet had lived long
enough to see men walking on the moon; he died soon after that historic event, having completed his 90th birthday in 1971. I was born almost half a century after him, in the age of the bullock-drawn wooden carriage, but have witnessed wonders in a different field: I was born into a feudal society in 1925, and have lived long enough to see that society crumble into bits, and another more egalitarian society come into being. When I was a child I knew nothing of caste divisions, because my parents did not believe in caste and never talked about it; but I did realise there were class divisions, because when my father and mother walked down our country lane to the chapel, with the five of us children tagging along, the village people moved to one side to let us pass. The village people? Were we not village people too? Yes we were, but with a difference; we also happened to be bhatkars. When I was a child and we lived for a while in the great old house in Porvorim, my old grandmother – who told us fantastic stories of Attulem ani Bittulem, Colo ani Coli, Vagh Mam
ani Sui Mam – was not only de facto boss of the household but also a person of great consequence in the village. The strip of land that ran north of our house for a hundred yards, flanked on one side by a country lane and on the other by a nullah, was peopled by her mundkars and their children and grandchildren. The mundkars included ironsmiths and tinsmiths and carpenters, and even a wonderful man who owned a magical
wooden carriage drawn by two jolly bulls who could take us all the way to Calangute in April and May. The old mundkars came to see my granny often, and their grandchildren played with me daily in the lane as equals. We played games that used clay marbles, coconut husks, and even stubby bamboo pieces that had been tapered at both ends; with a foot-long twig we tossed the husks over the heads of our opponents, or struck the bamboo pieces to send them spinning up in the air, and then smacked them as far down the lane as we could. The things we played with were gifts of nature and cost us nothing, yet we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Social distinctions began to creep in as we grew older. As a bhatkar’s child, I received an education; my mundkar playmates did not. The gap increased with each passing year; we each grew into a station that society had set aside and programmed for us; and society for centuries had decreed, “Once a bhatkar, always a bhatkar; once a mundkar…” 1961 changed all that. 1961 saw not only the abrupt and inglorious end of Portuguese rule in Goa, but it also saw the beginning of a social revolution. Now, a half-century later, while some unsettled souls still pine for the “good old days” of Portuguese rule, the material signs of change and progress are all around us. An entire township has sprung up, for example, on what was once the tree-dotted plateau of Porvorim. Banks now flourish in villages where people once saved money in mattresses and in holes in the ground. But the biggest change concerns not so much material things but something that affects the mind and spirit. Goa is alive and bustling today as never before. What made this possible? Several factors come to mind: the end of a paternalistic foreign rule (“The Firangi Father no longer knows best!”), empowerment of the local people (village panchayat elections, universal suffrage, elections to a legislative assembly and later to the national Parliament), and the spread of education. And ah, yes, the lifting of a censorship that for decades had stifled the free exchange of ideas, while the rest of the world moved on. Education has been a major factor. Gone are the days when English-medium or Konkani-medium schools were just a handful; now they can be found across the length and breadth of Goa. Gone too are the days when we had to board a ship for Portugal, or a coastal steamer or a train to Bombay, because there was not a single college in Goa aside from the Escola Medica. Now we have so many institutions of higher learning in Goa that our youngsters can take a local bus or ferry or even walk to the college of their choice. To top it all, we have our own Goa University; though some departments are much stronger than others, a group of older mentors and eager young academicians is raising standards and building a tradition. What has this surge in education done to Goa? Statistically, it has pushed our literacy rate up to the
second highest in India. But to put this in true human terms, the grandchildren of the mundkar children I played with now have all graduated from school; some have college degrees; all are gainfully employed. I like that! I like even more the fact that the spread of education has also brought about an intellectual ferment that has led to a cultural and scientific explosion unprecedented in our history. Art exhibitions abound; music is making a comeback; new books, both fiction and nonfiction, are published every month. Some of our artists and musicians and historians have made a reputation for themselves in the wider world; our scientists, too, are making a significant contribution not only in India but in the United States and elsewhere. I feel a special mention should be made of our new breed of historians and the very special contribution they are making to how we look at ourselves and how the world looks at us. While in the past we learnt our history through Portuguese eyes, our current historians have begun to focus on our own history as a people. To the extent that we are now beginning to discover who we are, our confidence and self-assertiveness as a people will keep growing. I like the fact that so many prominent and high-achieving bhaile have settled in Goa, and that more will be putting down roots as well. They have found our ambience to be congenial, and in turn their contributions will enhance the quality of our public life. A final word about what I do not like about Goa: the corruption that is practiced in so many spheres of our life. Some fear it will become so pervasive that it will be the ruin of Goa. But history tells us that here too time will provide a corrective; a new generation will spring up; the pendulum will swing back; this too will pass.
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HOSPITALITY A column which reviews the best hotels in Goa
Sinead McManus has lived and worked in Goa for the last five years. She lives in Canacona, South Goa but her job entails travelling extensively around India, promoting the country to the British/American Travel Trade and to the independent traveller
BAGA’S BRIGHTEST STAR Resort Rio
Get away to Resort Rio, Goa’s latest five star deluxe spa resort, spread over 10 acres on the banks of the Baga river
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Director Anup Shah, general manager Terence Nunes and director Lucindo Faria
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Its X Factor: The view – Baga river Still to come: Steam rooms and sauna
rriving down a narrow laneway that blends into the driveway of this new property, we entered the luxury of Resort Rio deluxe spa resort to be greeted by a warm smile, a fresh flannel and a refreshing drink by the staff at reception that quickly checked us in and escorted us to our suite. The resort offers a total of 102 well appointed deluxe rooms and suites, five three bedroom villas and 16 two bedroom apartments, each with its own personal style and state-of-the-art bathroom. All rooms have a balcony overlooking the swimming pool while some overlook the Baga river. In our suite, situated on the third floor, we had our first aesthetically pleasing experience, when our double doors were opened and in front of us lay the amazing view of lush green fields as far at the eye can see with the beautiful Baga river as the resort’s boundary. We were delighted to be surrounded by the luxurious and spacious room with its separate dressing area in contemporary décor. Anup Shah, the London-based, Kenyan-born NRI, along with his wife Alpa initiated the project with assistance from their local director Lucindo Faria. This beautiful project has been put in place by a dedicated
team which consists of eminent contractor and interior designer Shahbuddin Kanikar, project manager Raghu Nath Dhume and architect Siddarth Naik to create their vision of building Baga’s brightest star. The hotel is set to host six dining destinations, Pickled Mango – a multi-cuisine restaurant serving culinary delights from around the world, Mamma Mia - Ristorante Italiano & Pizzeria with its own Italian chef, Jalsa – a pure vegetarian kitchen serving Gujarati, Rajasthani and South Indian cuisine, Aagor – a specialty Goan and sea food shack serving grilled sea food and other local delicacies, Café Rio – the 24-hour café serving specialty teas, coffees, juices and smoothies, and Bar Terrazzo – an exclusive elegant well stocked bar with breathtaking views of the famous salt pans of Goa.
The next phase of 109 rooms is due to be completed in 2012. Undisturbed by the development of this, we were left to enjoy the facilities of the hotel. With two swimming pools and a selection of eating venues to choose from, our days were kept busy. Headed by general manager Terence Nunes, his team of professional staff who anticipated our every need was indeed the highlight of our stay. Their attention to detail and their friendly personalities made our weekend break a truly memorable one. So whether you are looking for a location within Goa for weddings, banqueting, and conferences, or simply looking for ‘the time of your life’, Resort Rio is the destination you are looking for.
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Clube Tennis de Gasper Dias gets a makeover
HAPPENINGS Clube Tennis de Gasper Dias
elebrating a new look, Clube Tennis de Gasper Dias, Miramar, threw its doors open to members who arrived to survey its renovated premises. Members came along with their families to take a sneak peek of the new guest rooms and other facilities. Club President Manoj Caculo along with his managing committee played the perfect host to the guests.Young and old enjoyed taking part in the various events for a memorable Sunday. What is now Clube Gasper Dias started off as a modest shack in 1926 set up by like-minded gentlemen as a place to relax and entertain themselves. When in 1934, American industrial magnate Josephine Hogaz introduced tennis to Goa by financing the first tennis court at the club premises, it took on the name Clube Tennis de Gasper Dias. The name Gasper Dias stemmed from a now extinct fort called Fort Gasper Dias, built by the Portuguese to protect the land from a probable threat from the Dutch.
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Dinesh Sinari, Yogesh Nadkarni, Babuli Ghanekar, Prasad Keni, Manoj and Meghana Caculo and Rajesh Khaunte
Atmaram Angle, Pradeep Bhandare, Anand Madgaokar, Lucy D'Costa, Yogesh Nadkarni and Adv Vijay Nadkarni
Amita Quenim
Gauri Karkal and Leena Desai
Dr M Modassir, Joe Mascarenhas, Nitin Sant and Joe Mathias
Nilesh Lawande and Sanat Raitucar
Vini Keni
Bhai Karapurkar and Arun Naik
Shruti Raitucar, Seema Sud and Sonali Amonkar
Shekar Sardesai
Dr Vinay Raikar
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Shefali Caculo
Babu, Smita and Pooja Kamat
Nitin Sud
Nilesh Amonkar
Ashok Karapurkar Pics by Narayan Divkar
HAPPENINGS AND THE AWARD GOES TO… Goa’s first ICSE-affiliated School Sharada Mandir, Miramar recently held its Awards Presentation Ceremony at Kala Academy. The editor-inDeepti Salgaocar felicitating chess Oscar Gonsalves, Eunice Desa, Deepti Salgaocar, Rajdeep Sardesai, chief of CNN-IBN champion Nitish Belurkar Sagarika Ghosh, Dattaraj Salgaocar and Nirmala Rebello Rajdeep Sardesai was the Chief Guest and was accompanied by his wife Sagarika Ghosh. Chairman Dattaraj Salgaocar introduced the chief guest and gave a review of the progress and future plans of the school. Meritorious students were facilitated. Wilfred D’Souza and Sagarika Ghosh Gold medalist Aishwarya Barjatyabeing felicitated Pics by Darryl Andrade Oscar Gonsalves and Nandini Sardesai
FACEBOOK FUN ans of the popular networking website got together to celebrate their virtual friendship with a party in honour of Facebook at Hotel Mandovi in Panaji. With Chetan Salgaonkar, Sangita Gaunecar, Viraj Gaurish Dhond, Sapna Sardessai, Laxmi Kunkolienkar, Rohil Quenim and Tarna Khadpe at the helm, the Facebook fans turned virtual to reality. This may be the first time in Goa Facebook fans have organised a party for their online friends. VIVA GOA hopes this initiative grows and gets bigger year after year.
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Tarna Khadpe, Laxmi Kunkolienkar, Sangeeta Gaunekar, Sapna Sardessai and Bindiya Dempo
Baburao Desai,Prasad Pankar and Atmaram Deshpande
Deepa and Durgesh Angle, Sanjay and Shreya Shetye Aakash and Aparna Khaunte
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Prasad, Saawni and Gandhar Raikar
Mumta Kalangutkar and Pooja Lawande
Prashant Joshi
Sucheta and Ghanshyam Halkar
Dr Harsha and Dr Xivananda Priolcar
Roopa Deshprabhu
Urvija Bhatkuley and Vaishali Joshi
Sairaj and Viraj Dhond
Upendra Gaunekar
Pics by John D’Souza
Siddesh Naik, Pratima and Gaurish Dhond
HAPPENINGS FOR THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE… RESORT RIO fireworks display set off Resort Rio’s launch party with a bang. It was hosted by director Anup Shah and local director Lucindo Faria. Minister of Tourism Nilkanth Halarnkar was the chief guest and made an appearance along with other invitees from the travel and tourism industry. Guests were showed around the resort by the courteous staff and then invited to feast at each of the resort’s restaurants. Alpa Shah and Bettina Faria played the perfect hostesses.
Anup Shah, Lucindo Faria, Minister of Tourism Nilkanth Halarnkar and Terence Nunes
Anup and Alpa Shah
Bettina Faria
Suraj Lotlikar
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Pics by John D’Souza
Phillis Faria, Francisco and Natty D'Souza
Ralph de Souza and Rajesh Dempo
Koruth Thomas and Prasad Kanoth
Wynoma Faria
Sumir Yadav, Benedict Allan Desa, Dr Digambar D’Souza and Sidney D’Cunha Naik and Mangala Naik
Reshma Alves and Guitry Velho
Shiva Naik and Sonam Morajkar
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Lorna Cordeiro
oa’s nightingale Lorna took centre-stage as enthusiasts celebrated World Goa Day. She wowed the crowd at Heritage Jazz founder Armando Gonsalves’ home in Campal. Singing favourites including Pisso, Lorna made the crowd go wild all evening. Talented artists including Webley Gomes, Siddhanath Buyao and Jasmine performed during the concert, while veteran Domingo Braganza left the audience screaming for more with impromptu renditions on the trumpet, saxophone and trombone. Eminent tiatrist Tomazinho Cardozo and Sonia Shirsat were the hosts for the evening, which ended with Remo joining Lorna onstage to sing Bebdo.
G Armando Gonsalves and Nitin Kunkolienkar
Tomazinho Cardozo
P V Suresh Babu and Jaideep Redkar
Remo Fernandes
Alexyz Fernandes, Schubert Cotta and a friend
Agnelo Silveira
Siddhanath Buyao
Sonia Shirsat
Veena Braganza
Pics by Edric George
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BIZ NOTES
Toyota opens new dealership in Colvale S harayu Toyota added another feather to its cap by opening a new dealership in Colvale, North Goa. The outlet, which will offer sales, service, financing and insurance facilities, is aimed at being more accessible to the customer and offering him an enhanced purchase experience. Present for the inuagaration was Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, Cabinet ministers Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkant Halarnkar, Chairman of GTDC Shyam Satardekar, Sandeep Singh, Deputy MD of Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM), Managing Director of Sharayu Toyota Shrinivas Pawar, and Executive Director of Sharayu Toyota Goa Amar Singh Patil.
Sharayu Toyota in Colvale is the latest to join the network of exclusive Toyota ‘3S’ dealership. ‘3S’, which signifies sales, service and spare parts under one roof, is Toyota’s unique approach to customer care and service. The sales, service and spare parts officers
MPT GETS RS.2,000 CRORE RAIL PROJECT APPROVED
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ormugao Port Trust has been making consistent efforts to develop various infrastructure projects for the benefit of Goa and its citizens. The main thrust has been to synchronise the inward and outward movement of rail-borne cargo. The Port projects have been developed in consultation and consonance with the South Western Railway. These projects will provide freight traffic both ways for the Indian Railways. Considering the enormous potential of freight traffic
originating from Mormugao Port, South Western Railway has obtained approval for the proposal for doubling the track between Hospet and Vasco, from the Railway Board. The Chief Traffic Planning Manager of South Western Railway has recently confirmed that Hospet-Vasco doubling project has been sanctioned by the Railway Board at a cost of Rs2,127 crores, and the works have been assigned to Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd for taking up the doubling project.
in the dealership have been given extensive training by Toyota. Sharayu Toyota is similar to the other Toyota dealerships in India, meeting the firm’s international standards of quality and service. It is fully equipped with state-of-theart tools, equipment and necessary spare parts, from the day its operations began. Commenting on the expansion of Toyota’s dealer network, Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, TKM said, “With the opening up of another dealership in Goa, we aim to serve our customers better through greater accessibility. With the increasing demand in semi-urban areas and the impending launch of Etios, setting up dealerships in small towns is essential.”
The doubling of the railway connectivity will increase freight carriage as well as passenger services significantly between Goa and other parts of the
country. This has been possible only because of Mormugao Port Trust’s infrastructure projects and liaison with the Railway Authorities.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MART IN GOA
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s a first of its kind initiative, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) along with the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, will organise the International Travel Mart (ITM – Goa) in October 2010 in Panaji, Goa. This four-day international event will be held at Campal grounds from October 14 to 17, and is supported by India Tourism
Goa, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). This was announced recently by Chairperson of the GTDC Shyam Satardekar, in the presence of Secretary Tourism Dr M Modassir, Director Tourism Swapnil Naik, Managing Director GTDC Nikhil Desai, President TTAG Gaurish Dhond, Vice Chairman CII Ralph
de Souza and Editor Travel Biz Monitor Sheldon Santwan. ITM – Goa will roll out the red carpet for professionals and entrepreneurs from the travel and tourism industry. The four-day event, being held at the D B Bandodkar grounds in the capital will be the ideal venue for business networking and for trade representatives to interact, forge new relationships and
develop business contacts. It is also an opportunity for trade bodies to address concerns related to the travel and tourism sectors and collectively seek solutions that can help boost the economy of the sector. The ITM-Goa schedule is packed with buyer-seller interactive sessions, panel discussions, seminars, cultural programmes and workshops.
TBZ holds jewellery exhibition in Goa T
ribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri & Sons (TBZ & Sons), Opera House, a name synonymous with exquisite gold and diamond jewellery, has held its Ganesh Chaturthi Special exhibition in Goa. The expo in Margao was inaugurated by chief guest Asha Kamat, in the presence of Chairman and Managing Director of TBZ & Sons Pratap Zaveri and Director Chaitanya Zaveri. TBZ carries on the tradition of adding the immaculate shine of beauty and class to its brand. Its pioneering range of artistic and trendsetting jewellery specially crafted for this festive season is skillfully juxtaposed with various precious stones like diamonds, rubies, emerald and pearls. The style-conscious people of Goa thronged the venue to see the latest designs of necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings and bangles in solid gold or studded with diamonds.
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WELLNESS A regular column featuring the great spas of Goa
Parineeta Sethi is the publisher and editor-in-chief of ‘AsiaSpa India’, ‘Asia Pacific Boating India’, ‘Millionaire Asia India’ and ‘Selling World Travel’. She is an authority on spas and has closely followed the spa culture in Goa
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R
The
factor
One can relax, rejuvenate and refresh, and leave behind the stresses and worries of everyday life at Maya Spa, The Zuri White Sands Resort & Casino in Varca, South Goa
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yurveda is not only about the well-being of the body but it defines health as purity of body, mind and soul. Goa, the land of picturesque beaches is an ideal place to enjoy the mystical experience of divine healing and beauty massages. At The Zuri White Sands Resort and Casino, Maya Spa is the place to enjoy some pampering of the body and soul. Maya Spa is The Zuri’s own signature line of premium spas which has been designed for a complete holistic healing experience. The spa is aptly titled as ‘God’s own Spa’ as the experience here is both ethereal and ecstatic. Offering a wide variety of Ayurvedic massages, this Ayurvedic spa has separate steam rooms, saunas and jacuzzis for men and women. It caters to Ayurveda and western style massages and is just the place to unwind, relax and stay in shape. In short, it offers you the ‘R Factor’ – Relax, Rejuvenate and Refresh yourself. While the spa offers wonderful treatments, the property is itself a sight to behold and experience, encrusted by a beautiful meandering pool. This deluxe five-star luxury hotel is spread along plush lawns and white sands – making it the perfect setting for the ultimate spa experience to rejuvenate mind and body. As the name Zuri suggests ‘far beyond expectation’, the resort offers each guest a unique experience – 154 well-appointed guest rooms and four luxurious
suites. Each guest room is furnished with elegance and refinement with private balconies attached. Every room lets you enjoy the pool and the lush green garden view. The suites at The Zuri are impressive and a pure indulgence featuring spacious rooms with a dining and a living area and breathtaking views of the garden and the sea. With round the clock guest services, you are sure to find all contemporary conveniences available at your service all the time.
SPA THERAPIES OFFERED Maya Body Care: This includes head-to-toe relaxation with the help of scrubs, Ayurvedic massages and jacuzzi. The Ayurvedic massages give you the much-needed mental peace and calm and de-stresses you, presenting a much healthier you. Maya Healing Therapies: This offers treatments which help you get rid of all joint pains, improves blood circulation, enhances the skin and says goodbye to all eye, ear and nose problems. Maya Signature Therapies: Includes royal beauty treatments of body from head to toe and makes you walk out feeling more confidently and positive, believing that princesses are made and not born. Maya Yoga Packages: Meditation, Sun Salutation and the Pranayama, along with traditional Ayurvedic massages rejuvenate you completely to make for a soothing experience.
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HOMING IN A regular column by foreigners who have made Goa their home
Goan
Odyssey
Hans Tuinman and Sucheta Potnis live in the gentle hill range of Calangute parallel to the Arabian Sea. Destiny brought Tuinman from Holland, the land of his birth, to Goa, a place he now calls home. The “first person in India to charter out a luxury motor yacht”, Tuinman and his company Odyssey Tours and Travels grew with Goa into a tourist hotspot. While work takes up much of his time, he still finds solace in the quiet galleys of his yacht, the Solita. He spoke to VIVA GOA about his travels
Built from rat sc ch in 1993 at Cochin’s Bristol Boat Yard, the Solita continues to delight Hans Tuinman
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I
first came to Goa in 1978 as a young student of anthropology, working on a thesis on the ‘untouchables’ in the Hindu caste system. It was a long overland journey as I hitchhiked and used public transport all the way from Holland through Europe, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan, and across the Khyber Pass to Pakistan. I crisscrossed India for six months to find material for my studies and I remember that Goa provided a short but enjoyable break. Goa was quite a different place back in 1978. Baga beach was called “a quiet extension of Calangute” and there was just a single-lane road with the occasional motorcycle ‘pilot’ or a Mapusa-bound bus. The beach was unbelievably beautiful those days, without any shacks or construction near the high-tide line. There were just a handful of hotels and guesthouses, so like most young travellers I ended up staying with local villagers who were happy to have a guest in their home. I returned to Goa in 1982. Having completed my studies at the University of NSW in Sydney, I had accidentally ventured into operating study tours to India for students from my university, a part-time activity that soon snowballed into a full-fledged tour operating agency. I looked for a small, but atmospheric, guesthouse to accommodate our groups and stumbled upon Cavala, which had just been built as one of the first hotels in Baga with only seven rooms. It was heaven staying in Cavala – you just had to cross the dunes to reach the most beautiful part of the beach. Over the next ten years I continued to build up our tour company. I moved to India and made Mumbai my base for operating tours throughout the subcontinent. In the summer I would spend time on the houseboats in Kashmir, organising treks in the mountains. In the winter I would live among Maharajas and camels, organising trips in Rajasthan and beyond. In those days the aim was to travel as much as possible by different means: camels, elephants, jeeps, white-water rafts, cycles or trekking – all possible means to make the journey more active and exciting and, in the process, get to know the country better. So it was only natural that one day the idea emerged to travel in a leisurely fashion along the coast between Mumbai and Goa by a small yacht. The ships which operated along the coast had stopped and there was not a single small yacht that cruised along the coast. In fact, by 1992 there were only a handful of yachts in India, nearly all lying in the waters in front of the Taj Mahal Hotel and owned by industrial tycoons who kept them for their own private pleasure. The idea of cruising along the coast between Mumbai and Goa was very appealing. My wife Sucheta was originally from Murud, so she had introduced me to the incredible island fortress at Janjira, and the other sea forts at Vijaydurg, Devgarh and Malwan. Together we explored beautiful beaches at Kashid, Guhagar and particularly along the coast of Sindhudurg. We knew that most of these places were not easily accessible by road, so a cruise along the
coast could open up lots of new opportunities. Since we could not find a suitable yacht, we decided to get one built by Bristol Boat Yard in Cochin. Getting that done from scratch was an exhilarating process which took 11 months. ‘Solita’ was launched in March 1993, a beautiful yacht with handcrafted teak interiors including a saloon, galley and two cabins with attached bathrooms. However, our dream of operating leisurely cruises between Mumbai and Goa was shattered by the blasts and riots in Mumbai at the end of 1992 and beginning of 1993. Since the explosives had been brought in by small crafts along the coast south of Mumbai, the authorities were in no mood to grant a licence for our small boat to operate cruises between Mumbai and Goa. Faced with this problem, we only had one choice and that was to relocate to Goa and set up a charter company here. At the Maritime School at Britona, we found the experienced principal Vasant Chodankar extremely friendly and willing to help. Based on his selection, we got two fantastic crew members, Vidyadhar (“Jim”) Naik and Dinanath (“Danny”) Sawant, who are still working with us today, having graduated from deckhands to the position of Captain and Engine Driver. Even though the ‘Solita’ was an ocean-going yacht that came on her own steam from Cochin to Goa, we registered the yacht as a commercial inland water passenger vessel with the Captain of Ports in Goa to operate gentle cruises on Goa’s rivers and coastal waters. In 1993 there were only the Santa Monica and two small Emerald Cruises boats. A luxury motor yacht was a novelty in Goa and we immediately got a good response for our cruises, particularly from guests staying at the Taj hotels as the General Managers Rajiv Seth and Joe Mascarenhas were very encouraging. The presence of dolphins in Goa proved to be a great attraction as they can be spotted virtually every day along the Goan coast. Cruising out to sea passing the Reis Magos Fort, Miramar beach, the Governor’s residence and the historical Aguada Jail, you’re bound to see dolphins – and watching one curve out of the water always remains a special sight. We would usually cruise out to sea early in the morning to watch them, then drop anchor in front of the palm-fringed Coco beach to swim, lap up the sun and enjoy a lunch on board the yacht. In the evening, we watched the spectacular sunsets off the headland of Aguada. But for our tour operations Goa was initially quite a nightmare. Almost the whole of the Candolim-Calangute-Baga stretch had only about one or two fax machines, about a few dozen phones and the Taj hotels were the only ones which boasted of a telex connection. Imagine our delight therefore when Goa Telecom went from the middle ages into the next millennium with surprising haste in the mid 90s. Hundreds of new phone connections were given, the internet followed swiftly, and e-mails quickly replaced fax messages.
Since the Candolim beach belt had become too noisy for us, we bought a lovely plot in the gentle hill range of Calangute that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea. We named our new home “Aranya”, meaning a forest sanctuary. From this isolated spot in the jungle we have managed to operate tailor-made trips throughout India for discerning travellers from all over the world. Today, the internet has made the location of the workplace totally irrelevant. As long as communication systems are in place, you can be anywhere. Sure, some extra backup may be required to cope with fluctuating electricity, but for the rest it really does not matter anymore where you are. You can operate as smoothly from a quiet village in Goa as you can from an office in the bustling metropolitan centres such as Nariman Point in Mumbai or Connaught Place in New Delhi. From the top of our property, we can see the ocean beyond the line of palm trees, smooth as a sheet from a distance. And if we time it right, the ‘Solita’ comes into view – a white speck against the deep blue ocean. Now there are many more yachts, speedboats and casino ships that fill the Goan waters. But even today, after 17 years of cruising, the ‘Solita’ looks as beautiful as ever.
Hans Tuinman can be contacted at www. travellers-palm.com and www.solita.co.in
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GOAN CUISINE A monthly column offering the best of Goan food and drink
Chef Deepa Awchat, originally from Mapusa, is the co-founder of ‘Goa Portuguesa’, ‘Culture Curry’ and ‘Diva Maharashtra’, Mumbai’s popular, award-winning restaurants. She is also the author of ‘The Goa Portuguesa Cookbook’ deepaawchat@ goaportuguesa.com
Fervour
This month is Chovoth, the birthday of Lord Ganesha that is celebrated with gusto. During this festive season, Hindus prepare various traditional delicacies like modaks and neureos and decorate the matoli with various fruits and flowers. So let’s feast on some traditional Chovoth delicacies. Happy Chovoth!
Festive
Puranacho Modak
Gram Dal Puffs
Ingredients
Serves 12
For the filling Split Bengal gram (chana dal) Grated jaggery Grated coconut Cardamom powder Cashew nuts Pure ghee
For the outer cover Refined flour (maida) Pure ghee (melted) Salt to taste Pure ghee or oil for frying
1 cup (200 grams) ¾ cup (200 grams) ½ cup (60 grams) 1 tablespoon 15 4 tablespoons
2 cups (240 grams) 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
Method
1 2 3
For the filling, cook the split Bengal gram in water until it is soft, drain and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pan, add the cooked split Bengal gram, grated jaggery, grated coconut and salt and cook until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens. Add cashew nuts and cardamom powder and mix well on low heat for five minutes. Allow it to cool.
4
For the puffs, mix together the flour, pure ghee, salt to taste and enough water to make a soft dough. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
5 6
Make 12 marble-sized balls of the dough and roll out into three-inch rounds (puris).
Place each puri on a flat surface and place one tablespoon of split Bengal gram filling at the centre of each puri and draw the ends together in the form of pleats to give a conical shape at the top. Join all the pleats by pressing it to make modaks.
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Soak the split Bengal gram in two cups of water for 20 minutes and drain.
Heat ghee in a pan and deep fry the modaks. Serve hot.
Torachi Uditmethi
(Green Mangoes in Black Serves 4 Gram and Fenugreek Curry
Ingredients
Unripe green mangoes Split black gram Fenugreek seeds
Grated coconut Green chillies Black peppercorns Oil Mustard seeds Asafoetida Grated jaggery Chilly powder Salt to taste
3 (300 grams) 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon 1 teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon 2 cups 2 10 2 tablespoons ½ teaspoon 2 pinches 3 tablespoons 1 teaspoon
Coconut Neureo
Stuffed Coconut Puffs
Ingredients
Serves 8
For the filling Fresh grated coconut 1 cup (130 grams) Milk 1 cup (250 ml) Sugar ¼ cup (60 grams) Soaked cashew nut pieces 2 tablespoons Cardamom powder ½ teaspoon Ghee (melted) 1 tablespoon White sesame ½ tablespoon Poppy seeds ½ tablespoon For the puffs Refined flour Ghee (melted) Salt to taste Ghee or oil for frying
1 ½ cup (150 grams) 2 tablespoons
Method
1
Roast white sesame and poppy seeds for two minutes till it changes colour and keep aside.
2
For the filling, boil milk in a shallow pan, add coconut and sugar and cook till sugar melts, add sesame, poppy seeds, cashew nuts and cardamom powder and cook till the mixture thickens. Leave it to cool.
3
For the puffs, mix the flour, ghee and salt with sufficient water to make a soft dough. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
Method
1
Note Taste for salt y before adding an to the gravy as the mangoes are pre-salted
Peel the mangoes and cut into two-inch thick square pieces. Mix with half a teaspoon of salt and set aside.
2
Dry-roast one tablespoon of split black gram and one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, mix together with the coconut, green chilies and peppercorns and grind to a fine paste with one-and-a-half cup of water.
3
Heat the oil in a pan, add half a teaspoon of black gram, one-fourth teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the mango and jaggery and sauté for two minutes until the mango softens.
4
Add the ground paste, chilli powder, salt to taste and one cup of water and bring to a boil. Serve hot with rice.
4 5
Make marble-sized balls of the dough and roll out into a three-inch round (puris).
Place each puri on a flat surface and place one-and-a-half tablespoons of coconut mixture horizontally on one half of it and fold over the other half to make a semi circular puff. Press the edges to seal well.
6 7
Heat the ghee in a frying pan and deep fry the puffs (neureos). Serve hot or at room temperature.
NOTE ing Instead of grind s, the whole spiceof one teaspoonala garam mas powder can be used
Moongacho Gathi
Curried Green Gram Serves 4
Ingredients
Sprouted green gram Oil Cloves Cinnamon Black peppercorns Coriander seeds Grated coconut Melted ghee Asafetida Mustard seeds Curry leaves Slit green chillies Turmeric powder Grated jaggery Tamarind pulp Coconut milk Soaked cashew nuts Salt to taste
2 cups (300 grams) 4 tablespoons 15 1 two-inch stick 15 1 tablespoon 1 cup 2 tablespoons 2 pinches ½ teaspoon 8 4 ½ teaspoon 1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons 1 cup 20
Method
1
Heat the oil in a pan and stir-fry the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander seeds and coconut, one by one, till fragrant. Grind the spices and coconut with one cup of water to a fine paste.
2
Heat the ghee in a pan, add the asafetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. When the seeds begin to splutter, add the sprouted gram, turmeric powder and three cups of water and cook till the gram is soft and tender. Add the ground paste, jaggery, tamarind pulp and salt and cook for five minutes.
3
Add the coconut milk and cashew nuts. Cook for two minutes and serve hot with any Indian bread.
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RAVINDRA KELEKAR PRESENTED DNYANPITH AWARD
VIVA GOA DIARY
RANE PRESENTS SALGAOCAR AWARDS TO STUDENTS
Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Pratapsingh Rane felicitated top ranking students of SSC and ICSE exams at an event organised by V M Salgoancar Foundation at the Goa Marriott Resort in Panaji. The students who were honoured with a cash prize and merit certificate included Nandan Vithal N Pai Kakode from Mahila and Nutan English High School in Margao, Neha Da
Roch from Dona Leonar Memorial High School in Alto Betim Porvorim, Aishwarya alias Ankita U S Usgaonkar from Mustifund High School in Panaji, Nidhi Shashikant Kamat from G S Amonkar Vidya Mandir in Mapusa and Vibha Jaiwant Bhat Prabhu from A J de Almeida High School in Ponda for the SSC Board Examination and Nidhi Vinayak Angle from Vidya Vikas Academy Margao for ICSE Board
CHAUDHARY RECEIVES POLICE MEDAL
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Eminent Konkani author the Late Ravindra Kelekar was honoured with the prestigious Dnyanpith Award for his contribution to literature. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presented him with the award during an event at the Kala Academy, which was also attended Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Selection Board Chairman Sitakant Mahapatra as well as Hindi writer and Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Hindi Vidhyapeeth Vardha Namawar Singh. Kelekar received a citation, shawl, srifal, a bronze idol of Vagdevi Saraswati and cash prize of Rs 7 lakhs as part of the award. Kumar said she felt honoured that the Late Kelekar received the award from her hands and added that his literature reflected culture, principles of non-violence and Buddha’s teachings. The Chief Minister too congratulated the litterateur, saying he had devoted his life for the promotion, enrichment and inclusion of Konkani in the VII Schedule of the Constitution. The eminent author passed away on August 27.
Vinay Veerendra Chaudhary, IPS Senior Superintendent of Police, was recently conferred the police medal by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat during a state level function on Independence Day. The Government has considered his outstanding contribution to the maintenance of public order, excellence in detections and overall improvement of the functioning of the Police Department while awarding the Police Medal. Vinay Veerendra Chaudhary joined the Delhi and Andaman Nicobar Island Police Service on September 1, 1983 and underwent a Basic Training course at the Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur where he was declared Best Probationer after having stood first overall. He had the distinction of leading the Delhi Police Contingent at the Republic Day Parade in 1985.
Examination. The trustee of the V M Foundation Shivananda and Dattaraj V Salgaoncar were present at the felicitation
ceremony along with Vijayadevi Rane, Deepti Salgaoncar, Vishwas Dempo and Sheela Gaonkar among others.
REGAL FEAST AT THE GOA MARRIOTT RESORT
The Goa Marriott Resort recently held the Golden Triangle Festival, bringing together culinary delights from Jaipur, Rajasthan and New Delhi. For ten days in August, the Waterfront Terrace and Bar played host to guests sampling dishes from the three imperial regions of the country. The sumptuous dinner buffet had live cooking stations, where chefs rustled up Rajasthani, Mughlai and Punjabi delicacies. The event culminated in a Grand Independence Day Brunch. Among the various entrees prepared by Chef Zulfikar Kareem were the delicate Galouti on Tawa Paratha, Methi Murgh Tikka and interesting Anjeer Aur Mawa Ki Tikki. The mouthwatering Haleem, a meat dish with roots in Persia, Murgh Awadhi Korma, famous Punjabi Sarson Da Saag, Aloo Methi and Kaer Sangri were included in the main course. And guests left with sweet memories of the rich desserts – Anjeer Burfi, Gajar Ka Halwa, Muzzafar and Rabdi.
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS IN GOA High Court
Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Senior Judge of Goa bench of Bombay High Court, unfurled the national tricolour at the High Court at Altinho to mark the 64th Independence Day celebrations. Justice Oka later reviewed the parade presented by the Goa Police. Those present on the occasion were Justice N A Britto, Justice F M Reis, former Chief Justice of Gujarat high Court Justice G D Kamat, Advocate General Subodh Kantak, former Advocte General Atmaram Nadkarni, Registrar of the High Court I K Jain, Chief Secretary Shri Sanjay Srivastava, Law Secretary Shri P V Kamat and former MP Adv Amrut Kansar.
Goa Shipyard Ltd
Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) celebrated Independence Day remembering the sacrifice of the freedom fighters in the struggle for our country. Rear Admiral (Retd) Vineet Bakhshi, VSM, Chairman and Managing Director of GSL, unfurled the flag as the national anthem was sung. The Admiral later inspected the Guard of Honour by the CISF personnel and thanked GSL employees for their co-operation and team spirit. The event was preceded by a cultural programme with patriotic songs composed by GSL’Serenade Group in Hindi, Konkani and Marathi sung by those who were present. Rear Admiral Bakhshi awarded staff with special commendation and commendation certificates for outstanding performance. He also presented scholarship awards to 266 meritorious students.
Mormugao Port Trust
Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) joined the country in celebrating Independence Day with much fervour. Chairman Praveen Agarwal, IRS, unfurled the national flag, inspected the parade and took the salute presented by the Central Industrial Security Force, the Port Fire Brigade personnel, and also by the students of Deepvihar Higher Secondary and Secondary School. Following the Chairman’s speech, a cultural programme was organised by the students of Deepvihar Higher School, who presented patriotic songs and dances. The event was attended by Deputy Chairman P C Parida, Secretary Rajendra P Paibir, freedom fighters, Heads Of Department of MPT, Trustees, Deepali Agarwal and others.
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VIVA GOA SPOTLIGHT Focusing on Goan achievers
A
mbitious and with an unbridled enthusiasm to succeed, Anish Quenim is among Goa’s ‘generation next’ of entrepreneurs. He is the son of Amita and Ramnath (Babu) Quenim, the director of Hotel Mandovi. The 24-year-old is the co-owner of a recently launched company MandoviQue’s Hospitality, which has started its first restaurant PanAsian Bowl, Miramar, that serves up gastronomical delights from South East Asia. Anish completed his higher secondary studies in Dempo College of Commerce and then moved to Mumbai where he graduated in management studies from Jai Hind College. With a double post-graduation under his belt in entrepreneurship from Trump School of Entrepreneurship, University of Manhattan, US and a management and project setup degree from Durham University, England, he has trained with the crew of Sir Donald Trump’s reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ in Manhattan. Anish has polished his marketing skills while working in the marketing departments of several Marriott hotels across the country. VIVA GOA takes a break with Anish…
PanAsian Bowl – Business, pleasure or both? Definitely both!
A trick of the trade that has worked for you… Dreaming with a deadline.
Anish Quenim 58
At PanAsian Bowl you enjoy being involved in… Leading via example, so I involve myself in every department and every chore. A line that has got you out of a sticky situation… ‘I apologise, let me call the boss’.
The next best thing to your work is… The day I have a next best thing to what I’m doing, I’ll know I’m going off track.
If you weren’t a restauranteur, you would be… A sports psychologist or musician.
You relax by… Playing football, playing music with my band, deep sea kayaking and designing tattoos.
You would love to holiday in… Liverpool, England – home to my twin passions: football and the Beatles. A Goan culinary delight you indulge in… Cutlet pao with sorpotel gravy. Riding a motorbike is like… An extension of my personal space.
Your parents are… Going to get the happiest retirement they can ever imagine.