GOA - THE TRANSITION FROM HEAVEN TO HELL

By- Lyndon Jude Pinto

Goa -365 days on holiday- that is what the Goan atmosphere makes you feel like. The scintillating sunsets, the crystal clear water and the snow coloured sand all attract not only tens and hundreds but thousands of tourists from all over. Tourists, foreign or native, eastern or western, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, Hindus or Muslims, Sikhs or Parsis, Christians or Jews after being tormented my either extreme heat or bitter cold find that the climate of Goa and her beaches provide an earthly heaven for their tortured souls!!

The waters and the sand cater to the needs of the skin and with its refreshing freshness; it brightens up even the gloomiest faces. Each and every beach right from the tip of Goa to its tail have their own specific characteristics; from velvet like sand to rock wave breakers, from pebble strewn beaches to shell laden castle making material, not only cause endless happiness and satisfaction but also leave you with emotion filled memories enough, to last you a life time!!!
The best part about Goa is its culture and people: once here, no matter what your religion or race you will always find a friend or more!!
Until recently these facts would be 100% accurate, unfortunately Goa from a heaven is turning into a hell, crystal clear water and snow coloured beaches have been replaced by contaminated oil filled water and garbage strewn beaches! Relaxed souls turn to tortured souls! Emotion filled memories are not of fun anymore instead they are those of stench and dirt. People who are out to fleece you are more common than infamous friendly ‘goenkars’. All religions have separated; communal tensions have become a reality. Pedophilia is becoming an occupation and prostitution is another activity. Besides the already existing presence of drug peddling and gambling it won’t be a surprise if the mafia enters Goa. The deteriorating condition of the government and their apathy towards the feelings of the people also add to Goan woes. The puppet effect present in the police force also adds to the insecurities of the people.
Gone with the wind are all the right reasons to visit Goa. The good old days of cashew feni and tender-coconut water are long gone, the emergence of vodka and whiskey have not only left people drunk but have also spoilt the taste of the peace and harmony. The growing number of hotels offer more Chinese and continental meals than the traditional xit khodi (fish curry and rice) that Goa is famous for.
Change is essential but at what cost? Culture is beginning to fade and values are lost. It’s our choice to let Goa degrade or to upgrade Goa to the standard that she really deserves.

Monsoon Fields

Come June and there starts the South-West Monsoons. With the raindrops pouring from the heavens we see hectic activities start for the cleaning of paddy fields. A lot of city people curse the rains not knowing that every fruit and grain they touch and eat is possible mainly due to the presence of these rains. The water level is today receding in almost all low lying areas due to the excessive pumping and exploitation of the water supplies from the low lying areas in order to supply the same to the ill planned housing facilities in the higher areas where water is scarce. But lets not get involved in the wrong discussion. Lets get back to the main topic. The fields in Goa are an integral part of the Goan society and culture. The first rains always bring a smile on the faces of the farming community in Goa. The photo here shows the farmers in their fields.

The fields are first prepared to be sown. The initial tilling of the soil and addition of required manure keeps the farmers busy for at least a week or two. Once this phase is done the farmers usually wait for the ‘zottkar’(owner of the bulls or in recent times tractors) to give an allotted date for the final tilling before the seeds are sown for the first crops. This patient wait once completed, the seeds that are sown are to be protected from the preying pigeons and other birds who wait for a loose moment from the farmer to snap at the seeds on the ground.

The picture here shows the initial crop or the ‘chorvo’ or ‘ttorvo’.These crops are then transplanted to the whole field by ‘kameriam’(a group of specialized workers) mostly the women. Once the fields are transplanted the monsoon works of a farmer end except for a few additions of manure and fertilizer.The recent years have seen the use of technology in a lot of parts of Goa. Right from the use of tractors instead of bullocks to the most recent use of mechanized transplanting machine. The use of these new technologies not only reduce the time wastages it also saves a lot if money. The Government of Goa also supports the farmers with a lot of subsidies that range from 50% to 70% on the machinery and other requirements of the farmers. So till then lets just pray to the Rain Gods to give the tiny State of Goa the best rainfall this year and Cheers to all the farmer brothers and sisters.

Youth of Goa Misled???

by Ambadas Sawardekar

It is a wonderful idea to start this blog on Facebook and I should really compliment the people involved in this blog.

I just happened to read on the Times of India about some Goan Youth forum raising their voices against Micky Pacheco. I am neither a fan nor a supporter of any political leader but the full scenario looks like a POLITICAL VENDETTA against Pacheco. I would like to pen down some personal views in general.
I would first like to ask the same forum as to where they were when Micky was openly claiming Viola as his wife when he was officially married to Sara. Why they did not raise their voice then?? We all must have heard about Mahanand Naik who was claimed to be a serial killer in Ponda Taluka- what happened now? He has been out from the news headlines and the cases he was charge sheeted in, are in his favour and he is being acquitted one by one. This only shows SOMEONE who is more POWERFUL is BEHIND ALL THIS. Let us stage meetings and awareness to ask the Government to book the culprits. Again two girls from Dhawali who were selected as the best singers suddenly committed suicide and cases have been filed. No one knows what happened to them.

People in Goa are suddenly gripped with a deadly virus called NATIONAL HIGHWAY PROJECT (NH17 & NH4) and if I am not wrong many houses built by Goans working day and night, sacrificing all their wants and necessities, having spent millions of money will be razed to the ground . The people who are affected are forced to run from pillar to post filing objections, meeting the political leaders to save their houses being destroyed. The political leaders are mum over it having picked land and diverted the route as per their whims and fancies. Is it not the right time for the Goan youth whose parents have sacrificed so much for them to come on the street and try to stop this once and for all???

Again drugs are slowly getting into the mainstream of our youth from Goa who are the hopes for tomorrow. Atala who was supposed to be the main kingpin has been released when his girlfriend has been claiming about the involvement of political leader's son with video proofs. Looks like Atala has been released to destroy the video proof that Lucky farmhouse(his girlfriend) claims to have in possession. Why not raise our voice and try to book the real culprit???

The hue and cry about Nadia is nothing but a political move to destroy Micky and let us Goan Youth not fall prey to it. I am not against raising our concern but then pointing out fingers at Micky in the whole episode sidelining her family members does not make sense at all. WHEN HE WAS MOVING AROUND CLAIMING THAT HE CAN SHOULDER MANY GIRLFRIENDS- NO ONE RAISED ANY CONCERN THEN. WHY THAT DURING THE OCCASION OF SANGODD AT SIOLIM WHICH I HAD ATTENDED SOME 2-3 YEARS BACK, MICKY WAS SITTING ON THE DAIS WITH VIOLA CARRYING THEIR FIRST CHILD TOGETHER WITH THE PARISH PRIEST. Not a single villager raised their voice or concern.Let us fight for the betterment of Goa and Goans instead of getting our attention diverted unnecessarily which the Government is always capable of making us forget the main issues

Regards

Ambesh
(views expressed by writer are his own and not those of of the blog)