to Magazine

VOL 1 ISSUE X `100
The life and style magazine
In Conversation with
Damu Naik
On a Roadtrip to
Bhutan
Fine Dining With Celebrity Chef
Mark Long
In Camera
www.freepik.com
Catch of the Day
20
2015
EDITOR’S NOTE
The life and style magazine
VOL 1 ISSUE X `100
The life and style magazine
In Conversation with
Damu Naik
On a Roadtrip to
Bhutan
Fine Dining With Celebrity Chef
Mark Long
In Camera
Catch of the Day
20
2015
PUBLISHER
Manjunath Pujari
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Nicole Suares
EDITED BY
Les Menezes
CREATIVE HEAD
Lakshminarayanan G
ADVERTISING & MARKETING
Swapna Pujari +91 8888 8851 80
Arjun Pujari +91 9822 2000 34
Shwetha Pujari +91 9822 4603 34
Seasons of Change
C
hange is inevitable. Sometimes it silently creeps in when you
least expect it, or at times when we work to bring about our own
evolution. Our issue in many ways reflects these transformations.
2004 changed Goa. It is the year that we played host to the first
International Film Festival of Goa and almost instantly filmdom
descended onto the beautiful riverside capital, Panaji. Movie buffs from all
over the world and country reveled infront of the flickering movie screens
at the newly opened INOX theatre, while others awed at the star presence.
It transformed Goa from a mere tourist destination to a movie destination.
Our cover story expounds on this journey.
However, this sudden change in Goa’s pride and fortune has not kept
pace with the rest of the film festivals across the world. The process has
been slow fraught with hurdles. Critics argue on many fronts and Vice
Chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa Damu Naik is frank about
where the festival stands amongst the rest. He’s not being ‘politically
correct’ unlike other politicians, but identifies problem areas that need to
be tackled. Could he be the change for the festival to come in the coming
years? We certainly hope his vision plan falls through.
+91 8888 8480 98
There are times when human adversity causes us to transform ourselves,
to fight the odds despite the circumstances. We bring the change we wish
to see in ourselves. That our achiever for this month, Avelino de Sa has
succeeded in doing and how. He hasn’t let his condition, cerebral palsy
impede him from setting his goals, in fact the entrepreneur is far ahead
than most in investing time and money in building a future.
TIMELINE MEDIA PVT. LTD.
Take a break from the mundane routine life and head to Bhutan for
a change in scenery. Travel with our writer as he takes you on his
journey into the hills devouring the sights and sounds of the Bhutanese
culture and food.
CIRCULATION
640, Next to VMS College of Law,
Miramar, Goa - 403002
Tel: +91 832 2904179 / 80
Mob: 9822130034
Email us at:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.goatimeline.com
www.timelinegoa.in
There’s the latest in style and fashion in our trends section and our diet
guide tells you how to party all month long without adding an ounce.
Drop in your ideas, share your experiences and tell us your stories, we
would love to hear from you.
The chill has set in and you know the season has changed. Christmas
and New Year are not far behind. But all that in the next issue.
Happy Reading!
Nicole Suares
Owned, Published and Printed by Manjunath
Pujari at Miramar Goa - 403 002
4
www.timelinegoa.in
CONTENTS
The life and style magazine
VOL 1 ISSUE X
16
10
10
24
34
16
26
36
28
40
Remake of a Classic
More on the remake of
1966 hit Nirmon
IFFI-A Retrospective
A progress report of IFFI
over the years
‘IFFI is Still at an Amateur Stage’
Damu Naik on what ails IFFI
22
Expressions in the Sand
A community theatre project uses
Miramar beach as it’s stage
24
6
A Fusion of Sound
Sitar maestro Ravi Chary’s
musical journey
The Astro Project
Rakesh Rao’s study of the skies
Investing in the Future
Entrepreneur Avelino D’Sa’s
inspiring story
Heading South
South Goa has much to offer to the
eager traveller
Land of the Thunder Dragon
Road trip to Bhutan
26
www.timelinegoa.in
68
Infused with Seasonal Flavour
Savouring Australian cuisine with
celebrity Chef Mark Long
70
A Slice of Peru in Morjim
Chef Marco’s quick bites
54
72
Eat Smart This Party Season
Your health food guide to
prevent the bulge
54
77
58
92
Contemporary Living
Inside the Shirodkar living space
‘We like to pleasantly surprise
our customers’
Chinmay Borkar on the growth of
Akar Realty
Carnival of Talent
Creating new avenues to unleash
hidden potential
Star Trek
What the stars foretell
60
In Praise of the Cobra
Presenting the hooded beauty in all
it’s glory
62
Dress Like A Diva
Rocky S’ scintillating new collection
66
Look Radiant This Winter
Beauty regimes for flawless skin
40
60
48
Catch of the Day
A photo essay on the bustling activity
at the fishing docks one early morning
52
Enhancing Space and Clour
How to make the most of small
spaces
62
7
your views
HOUSEFUL INDEED!
I love tiatr and reading about it in your
last issue was great. It brought back happy
memories. Goans have always been known
for their love for song and dance and this
only showcases this unique aspect of
Goan culture. Thank you for your superb
collection of stories.
Prem De’Souza, Vasco
COMEDY CLUB
One of the reasons I like reading Timeline
Goa is because it highlights unique aspects of
Goan life. I was pleasantly surprised to read
about the comedy club. I attended many
shows in Mumbai and glad to see that Goa
has provided a platform to this new genre
now. Looking forward to read more about
Goa
Carmen D’Souza, Pilar
I have been a regular visitor to Goa,
but have invariably missed out on
visiting the forts. I happened to
pick a copy and read about Goa’s
fortress. I spared some time and went
to Chapora and Aguada. These old
bastions have stood the ravages of time
and are such a wonder to see up close.
Thank you for the experience! I would
have never visited these if it hadn’t
been for Timeline Goa.
Ninad Alwe, Dadar (W)
TREASURE TROVE
Your magazine is like a treasure trove of information. Each
page you flip offers so many interesting insights into Goa. I
have picked up the last few issues and await the next issue
eagerly. It satisfies the thirst for quality material, a rare find
in Goan magazines.
Stanley Noronha, Quepem
COLLECTIVE CONTRIBUTION
GIFTING ITEM
FOOTBALL
STAR GAZING
Mental health has been in the dark for a
long time. I appreciate your interview with
renowned Dr Vikram Patel, founder of
Sangath. Their work is commendable. Articles
like these bring the focus on such issues that
matter. The more awareness you create, the
less the stigma attached to it. Bravo! Keep up
the good work.
Nilesh Raiturkar, Pilerne
I am a huge football fan and follow the ISL
series closely. I enjoyed reading the legend
Zico’s interview in your latest issue. It’s not
every day that we get up close to such greats
and the feature made for very interesting
reading. I am indeed a proud and honoured
FC fan. Long live Goan football.
Angela Vaz, Carambolim
ART INSPIRATIONS
I found your artscape section very informative.
Kale’s work is exceptional and so is Kerkar’s
sibling collection. I had the good fortune of
attending her show and found her charcoal
sketches aptly capture the essence of this
bond. Your magazine rightly gives the artists
their due credit.
Arun Kerkar, Sancoale
8
ON GUARD
Your magazine has interesting
features, superb pictures and
noteworthy interviews. I gifted a few
copies to my cousins who live in
Bangalore and they were very thankful
for this little gem of information. Keep
up the good work. I have subscribed
the magazine in office too.
Govind Pankar, Vasco
As an astrologer Shalom David is in a
league of his own. His predictions are
precise and to the point. Many astro
columns tend to be vague and off
the mark but David has proven to be
different. Thank you for introducing a
new astrologer to your readers.
Alok Naik, Mapusa
WILD LIFE
As a nature lover I am pleased by your emphasis of wildlife
in every issue. The media tends to turn a blind eye on such
an issue and my congratulations to you on highlighting this
critical link to our ecosystem. Your earlier cover on wildlife
sanctuaries proved an eye-opener and served a warning bell
for conservation. Our wildlife needs to be preserved; it is our
duty to protect and preserve them.
Dona Rebello, Navelim
www.timelinegoa.in
LEAD STORY
- A Retrospective
Has IFFI impacted the lives of local Goans?
Dr Meenacshi Martins expounds on the
growth and evolution of the festival, the rise in
Goan films and more.
10
PICS: Saurabh Dalvi @camcatches
www.timelinegoa.in
Star studded opening in 2014
Centre of all activities, Marquinez Palace lit up for the evening
T
he glory of the International
Film Festival of India (IFFI)
settling down in Goa as its
permanent venue leaves parts
of Goa glittering this season.
A dozen odd years down the road, IFFI
is now raring to go in new directions.
Has the IFFI impacted Goa?
Many have been seeking an answer
to this question. Has the International
Film festival touched the lives of Goans
in general and its artistes in particular?
Over the years the activities along
the promenade have altered remarkably
and the traffic system has seemingly
sorted itself out. The Entertainment
Society in its earnestness tried to be
all-inclusive and put out entertainment
for the masses at various sites. This year
there will be free public screenings of
Indian Classics at Azad Maidan.
“I for one am very pleased to have
the IFFI here, in my backyard, where
the only problem I may have, is car
parking. Otherwise, I have the options
of watching films, meeting people from
the fraternity and learning, just around
the corner from where I live”.
Film festivals are designed and
meant for film connoisseurs and
students of movies. It is a forum to
interact and conduct business for the
community that deals in the trade of
film making.
11
LEAD STORY
Students travel from all around to
visit festivals only to attend master
classes and meet icons and ask
questions with a view to learn. Then
of course there are those who wander
around asking, “Are there any stars
around?” They peer through the crowds
with their phone cameras, ready to
capture a passing star.
The concept of cinema is lost on
many, however, and the idea of a film
festival borders more on commerce and
glamour rather than on art.
Money makes the world go around,
one could surely argue. It does too. It
is also required in large amounts for
making movies and then marketing
them locally and globally.
‘Festival Films’ is a term sometimes
used to connote ‘art’ films as against
commercial cinema, but basically
means made with less money. The
dividing line blurs somewhere in the
middle where the art and science
of cinema blends with a rewarding
commerce, if crafted well by passionate
minds.
Studying films, even from close
quarters with all its paraphernalia and
its economic impediments, does not
develop a film culture. Often, one
hears, “Has the film culture in the host
State improved because of IFFI?”. As if
just by the advent of a film festival, the
air around somehow would permeate
and awaken inner callings for film
making.
12
An innovative move by ESG was to
introduce the ‘Goa section’. Five locallymade films in Konkani and Marathi were
screened 2013.
www.timelinegoa.in
Yes, it is a fact that one gets to
acquaint oneself with the craft of the
masters. Art that lingers for years
after one has tasted the sheer genius
of those craftsmen: films like South
Africa’s “Tsotsi” or “Red Dust”, Asghar
Farhadi’s “The Separation” have left
their mark on our psyche.
From 40 features and a 100 odd
shorts in the year 1952, we have come
a long way to screen close to 200 films
selected from 80 countries.
As the technology has changed
drastically in the last few years, the
feature films, documentaries as well as
the shorts at the Festival have changed
in nature. The innovative new as well
as the iconic past mingle subtly in the
exhibits.
The whole idea of a festival is to
offer a chance for Indian film makers
to expose themselves to the best
from around the world and in turn to
showcase our best. We have crossover
films made in India in English; there
are films made by Indians with foreign
funding and partnership with outside
producers. “Dubai Returns”, “Hope”
and “A Little Sugar” by Tanuja Chandra,
“The Pool” by Director Chris Smith
amongst others, would have never
been seen by us had it not been a part
of the Film Festival . “The Pool” was
filmed in Panjim over a period of 65
days. It depicted with open sensitivity
the difference between the rich and the
migrant poor in the city.
Over the last decade, I am sure
the viewers got a chance to educate
themselves in various cultures around
the world: China, Taiwan, Iraq, Iran,
Armenia and even Afghanistan,
experienced so differently in films
than what we would imagine from the
news that we get to watch. The culture
and traditions of a region are laid bare
in intimate films, giving a real, often
touching glimpse into the lives of those
in other countries.
From a modest Inaugural in the year
2003 in the yard of INOX to the grand
opening in the year 2014 at the Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee auditorium, there
surely has been an advancement to the
planning and organising of the festival
in Goa.
One feature in the festival
surely needs to be applauded. The
introduction of the Goa section is
a welcome move by the organisers.
The Panorama section of the IFFI was
designed to showcase the best Indian
Films to the world viewers. However
13
LEAD STORY
from hundreds of films only 20-26
films are selected annually. Till ‘Ayesha’
made its presence in the year 2004 with
the National Award for best Konkani
film, there were no films of Goan origin
on the National scene.
Nevertheless, the domination of
films at the Panorama section lies
14
with Marathi and Malyalam cinema.
Konkani is given a lone chance till date.
This was duly grabbed by ‘O’ Maria,
Goa’s most popular film of 2010-2011
and probably remains the only film to
be screened twice at the IFFI in the
premiere section and in the Panorama
the next year.
Laximikanth Shetgoankar won a
National award for best Konkani film
for ‘Paltadacho Munis’ or The Man
Beyond the Bridge in 2009 and later
again for his Baga Beach in 2013
which were both included as a part of
the Panorama section of the IFFI with
Digant in 2012. ‘A Rainy Day’ a Marathi
www.timelinegoa.in
film by Rajendra Talak was part of IFFI
in its Panorama section in 2014.
In 2006, the Konkani film
‘Antarnaad’ did Goa proud by being
the first ever film to win 4 National
awards - for Music by Ashok Patki, play
back singing, child artist and for best
Konkani film - and was premiered to
a full house in Kala Academy at the
37th IFFI in Goa. The Indian Premiers
section handled by the ESG included
seven new feature films in the year
2008 including Goan film ‘Saawariya.
com’.
An innovative move by ESG was
to introduce the ‘Goa section’. Five
locally-made films in Konkani and
Marathi were screened 2013. This
marked a special slot for local movies
to be showcased at this International
event. Mortu, Suring, Raktayug and
Gunaaji were screened in this section.
In the same year, national award winner
for best film in English/ Konkani
language, “Coffin Maker” directed by
Veena Bakshi was showcased in the
Panorama section. The Goan section
had just one film in the year 2014 - a
debut film of Ramprasad Adpaikar ‘In
Search of Mother.’
One could say that the number of
films produced locally have increased
in Goa over the last decade. Films are
made in English, Konkani and Marathi.
Is this an influence of IFFI in Goa? One
cannot justly summarise.
This year ‘Hanv Tum Tum Hanv’
by Ramprasad Adpaikar, ‘Home
Sweet Home’ by Swapnil Shetkar and
‘Prem at first sight’ find a slot in the
Goa section of the IFFI. Nachomia
Kumpassar or ‘Let’s dance to the
Rhythm’ will be screened in the
Panorama section.
It is said that the advent of the
festival in Goa would give a boost to
the tourism Industry and develop the
cultural side of this state. INOX built
in the year 2003 set the infrastructure
rolling. Initially, other theatres around
the city were roped in to display festival
cinema.
The number of delegates has
skyrocketed over the years far outnumbering the available seats in the
auditoriums at INOX, Kala academy
and Maquinez Palace. It is time now
for Goa to get state-of-art auditoriums
for film festivals and other film related
activities.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the
legendary film maker, in a chat last year
suggested that there needs to be an
all-encompassing campus for theatre
and film training. The well-known wild
life photographer, Mike Pandey, told
me about the need for a documentary
culture and training.
This year’s Edition would be a
surprise package with the Panorama
opening with a Sanskrit film
‘Priyamanasam’ and a new section,
the First Cut exhibiting debut films by
nine directors from around the world.
Each year, there are new roots and
new shoots as IFFI goes deeper, grows
stronger and blooms. ±
FACE-TO-FACE
‘IFFI is at an
amateur stage ’
Damu Naik, Vice Chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa frankly admits
that IFFI still lacks the brand image and more needs to be done to uplift the
festival. In a tete-a-tete with Nicole Suares, he highlights the new additions to
IFFI 2015 and unfolds his vision for the future. PICS: Face Saurabh Dalvi@camcatches and RVP Studios
T
he red carpet has been rolled
out, the spotlights are on,
celebrities have made their
grand entrances and the 187
films from 89 countries are
being showcased over ten days.
Apart from the glitz and glamour,
IFFI has always been controversy’s
child right from its inception. With
IFFI here to stay, what does it mean for
Goa and what does the 2015 edition
hold in store?
IFFI 2015
Vice Chairman of the Entertainment
Society of Goa (ESG) Damu Naik
16
highlights that the 2015 edition will
include some new additions like
the Food Palette, the Art and Craft
Mela at the Forest Park opposite
INOX. Food Palette is a gourmet food
village showcasing the best and most
interesting culinary brands in the
country.
This year also throws the spotlight
on Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winner
Shashi Kapoor. The Spanish country
focus will host films of master Spanish
filmmakers Carlos Saura and Pedro
Almadovar along with contemporary
filmmakers like Alejandro Amenabar.
As a special initiative, IFFI in
Damu Naik
collaboration with the International
Council for Film, Television and
Audiovisual Communication (ICFT),
Paris, and UNESCO will present the
“ICFT- UNESCO Fellini Prize” for
films that reflect the ideals of peace,
tolerance, non-violence and friendship
promoted by the UNESCO.
He hails Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar for his work on the first IFFI in
2004 by calling it ‘one of the best’. “He
www.timelinegoa.in
built some infrastructure facilities like
INOX, Patto Bridge, four lane roads,
dividers and beautification to bring Goa
up to that mark,” he tells.
What ails IFFI?
While 2004 set the benchmark,
subsequent festivals have failed to
impress. Naik is critical that IFFI
has still not come anywhere close to
matching international standards.
“We are not even come to close to
50 percent of the Cannes or Berlin
Festivals. Somewhere I feel we are
lacking the ability to cope with
international standards,” he points out.
What ails IFFI? “Branding,” he says
promptly. “We are now hosting the
46th film festival. We are still struggling
after 45 years. IFFI till date is at the
amateur stage. We need to create an
international brand so that it will be
self-sustaining without spending a
rupee from the government coffer.”
He’s expecting to rope in more than
three crores in corporate sponsors
this year like the last. This year, Naik
says, they have “already floated an
expression of interest for getting
sponsors”. “Let the corporate join
hands as associate partner, media
partner; we are trying to rope in
companies so that the brand gets
established. It’s just a beginning. We
have approached all major brands.
“As of now the ESG is only a multi-purpose vehicle
to cater to the needs of the DFF. The Central
Government should give 50 percent powers to
each, and merge both into one to host the festival.
Otherwise it’s only for namesake. We don’t want it to
be a namesake.”
17
FACE-TO-FACE
“We need to create
an international
brand so that it will
be self-sustaining
without spending
a rupee from the
government coffer.”
“This is the only festival that runs for
11 days, there is no other that goes on
for so long.”
The State generally is not able to
recover the costs as from 2004 till date
the money raised through sponsorship
is less than 1 crore. “Departments like
PWD, electricity provide facilities and
are not reimbursed. Every department
is involved; we are not counting their
expenses.”
18
www.timelinegoa.in
19
FACE TO FACE
Highlights of IFFI 2015
- Renowned Oscar Academy members Mark Mangini, Milt Shefter
and Humphrey Dixon will conduct master classes on varied
topics like sound designing, film archive and film editing.
-In a series titled ‘In Conversation’, the Indian filmmakers Shyam
Benegal, Vettrimaran, Kaushik Ganguli and Anand L Rai will
discuss films and the art of filmmaking with the audience.
- The film festival will also screen some of the outstanding
directorial debuts of 2015 in a newly introduced segment- ‘First
Cut’.
- A. R. Rahman is the Chief Guest for the closing function.
Goa, a permanent hosting
venue
Damu unfolds his vision for a
comprehensive plan called the IFFI
Complex that will include the number
of screens required, hotels and
activities. This will create a 365 holiday
destination as far as IFFI is concerned.
“Not only for IFFI but you will be
able to hold any festival you want. A
20
glamour world can be created in and
around Goa. This is my vision. I don’t
want to create a complex to be used
only at the time of IFFI. Otherwise, the
complex will be a white elephant,” he
says.
He estimates 2018 as the date for
the Secretariat to be ready. “You have
to go with the ear-marked land, then
plan and we have to make necessary
arrangements like hotels, auditoriums
etc.”
Now, ESG acts as a coordinating
body to cater to the logistics of the
festival. Would he like to see more
powers given to ESG? “As of now the
ESG is only a multi-purpose vehicle
to cater to the needs of the DFF. The
Central Government should give 50
percent powers to each, and merge
both into one to host the festival.
Otherwise it’s only for namesake. We
don’t want it to be a namesake. We are
creating that world class infrastructure
but the reigns are in their hands.” Now
that Goa is a permanent venue, Goa
may have 20 to 30 percent powers to
do more, he speculates.
Naik, apart from politics has a
more personal connect with films. He
recently got into the actors garb as
well. He even produced a film Zagor
and Shelya that won a national award.
He comes from an acting background
from his college days, “When I made
Zagor it was need of the hour as there
was a movement against SEZ. So I
made the environmental film. Shelya
got an award. I do this to promote
Konkani language and local artists,” he
concludes. ±
www.timelinegoa.in
21
THEATRE
Expressions on Sand
Bookworm’s unique beach theatre program seeks to
foster community theatre in Panjim
N
ine individuals stand in a circle on one of the lesser crowded
portions of Miramar beach. To the onlooker their non-verbal verbal
movements may seem queer, but the motley crew comprising of a
college lecturer, an editor, a PhD scholar, a molecular biologist, a
dentist, a fashion designer- amongst others-were the first to partake in the
first ‘Theatre on the Beach’ session.
For ages the beach has served as a canvass for the creative minds.
Taleigao based NGO Bookworm is using the sandy shores of Miramar as
fertile ground to sow their seeds for their community theatre programme.
Bookworm has always worked to encourage arts, culture and reading.
Community theatre is a more vibrant space. It ‘intellectually brings people
in critical thinking mode,’ says Alia Sinha, project coordinator. She finds
that the beach offers an ‘incredible space’ and freedom for movement.
After much deliberation they finally put their idea to the test in October
when the first workshop was held. Three were held thereafter. What began
with nine has slowly grown to 12 and 15.
Describing the first session Alia writes in the blog, ‘From passing energy
in sounds and gestures round the group, to embodying bees, to forming
machines in groups, to depicting emotions through abstract still-pictures,
to dancing in a circle humming “lalalalalalala”, to rushing into the sea…
Participants at a beach theatre session
Then there was the moment when we decided to prank two of our
participants. We formed a huddle, waited until they approached, and then
ran at poor Jyotsna and Maitreyi, screaming….’
Such is the fun the participants have on the sands of Miramar beach.
The initial class focussed on body, and movement-essential elements of
physical theatre. The next brought out improvised scenes on the spot
in a game called ‘The Hulk’. Family Potrait, another game, saw ‘lots of
hilarious sub-text bleed into a 30-second freeze’.
The importance of such exercises lies in the form being ‘participatory’.
“You can do it without formal training and experience,” she says. “Theatre
is often seen as an obscure art form. But this makes it accessible to the
public,” she adds.
Though English is used, it is open to vernacular languages as they
encourage a multi-lingual approach.
Theatre she says helps you focus on how you can express abstract ideas
and stories. It also helps participants centre their awareness in the body,
fairly lacking in everyday life.
Are there plans to produce a play someday? “We will make that move
is we have a consistent group. It’s definetly an option.” ±
22
www.timelinegoa.in
23
AT THE MOVIES
Remake Of A Classic
Will Nirmon of 2015 live up to its yesteryear magic?
F
ilm producers Nilesh Newalkar and
Armando Fernandes retell the 1966
Konkani hit “Nirmon” with a modern twist
to the much-loved tale. The duo, who
earlier collaborated on the film ‘Gunaaji’, a story
of a shepherd based in Goa, sought inspiration
from their all-time favourite film to take
audiences on a cinematic journey from 2005
to 2015 with a fresh cast, new screenplay, and
music. “I wasn’t even born when the film was
made, but it was such a popular film in 70s. It
was shown at schools, chapels and we enjoyed
watching it,” recalls Nilesh.
It took Armando three years to secure
the rights to the film from UK based NRI
businessman, Jerome Mendes, and the license
for the music from Saregama India Limited.
“I had to watch the old DVDs on the film to
find out details of the producer etc. From
that we were able to trace it back to the
UK,” he mentions.
“The earlier movies were technically sound,
a complete package,” says Nilesh and that
was the challenge they faced. They had to
bridge the generation gap from 1966 to 2015
to make the story relevant to today’s social
context. They screenplay was modified to
make ‘logical changes’ he says. Nilesh cites
that earlier, widows were left in a dilapidated
condition unlike now there are NGOs who come
forward to help.
A hectic aggressive casting call roped in many
hopefuls. Nilesh boasts of a home-grown cast
and crew, not only the directors to the DOP
Sharmad Raiturkar to the actors. Mumbai-based
Goan Anagha Joshi made the cut for the lead
role of Claudia, while Antonio Crasto plays
Marcus. The youngest Armando says is fouryear-old Gabriella, while the eldest is veteran
24
C
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C D’Silva. Nilesh’s 14-year old Isha makes her
debut in his production. She plays the younger
daughter of the lead actress.
While most directors will hunt for producers,
Nilesh and Armando went in search of their
director. They finally roped in Shripad Pai to
tell their tale.
As art director for the film Armando had
the task of recreating the exposition scene in
the film as it wasn’t allowed inside. The earlier
one showed the 1966 exposition, so they got
the 2014 one. Since he was already shooting a
documentary on St Francis for the archdiocese
he had access inside the Basilica. This allowed
him the freedom to move freely inside,
understand the layout, observe the casket, the
detailing-all required for the recreation. “I made
a stainless steel casket. I knew what was going
on, so it was easy,” he says.
Armando is grateful to Dr Wilson Fernandes
from Betalbatim where they shot extensively.
Velsao, Velim, Curtorim, Raia and Cortalim are
some of the other locations as opposed to the
original that was shot mostly in Mumbai.
At present the film will show at Ravindra
Bhavan as it’s not economical to be screening
at multiplexes. There are plans to showcase the
film at festivals in India and abroad. “Since we
couldn’t get the censorship done on time, we
had to skip IFFI 2015.” ±
25
MUSIC
A Fusion of
Sound
Sitar maestro Ravi Chary has taken Indo-jazz
fusion across the world. He speaks to Meenal
Bale about his journey from the classical
gharana to fusion
B
oth forms co-exist and are equally important of
his musical journey. He infuses classical music,
which is at his soul, with a contemporary
uplift. It is ‘the essence of what he is. It is this
base which allows him to perform fusion that is also
an important facet of his existence.’ The son of one
of Goa’s most celebrated musician, Pt. Prabhakar
Chari, Ravi Chary, renowned soloist has traversed
the country and the globe taking his flavour of
fusion music with him.
Belonging to the Etawah Gharana, he began
learning the harmonium and tabla under his father’s
patronage. During his childhood he was exposed
to artists like Ustad Vilayat Khan Saheb, Pandit
Ravi Shankar, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pandita Kishori
Amonkar and others. But the instance he first heard
the sitar he was instinctively drawn towards it.
Chary has used his classical heritage to create
reverberating fusion music. He views that an “an artist
needs to be mandatorily adept at classical music to
perform fusion music.
He feels that it is these fundamentals, aesthetics
and principles that empower you to collaborate
with different genres to create quality fusion
music, which seems to be lacking in some parts in
today’s musical scene.
26
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Sitar virtuoso Ravi Chary
“Fusion for me is a strikingly aesthetic proportion of
how much can be infused with another to give it a unique
feel and structure,” he explains.
His debut music album ‘Ravi Chary Crossing’
was a unique mix of Indo Jazz Fusion and has also
been nominated for ‘The Global Indian Music
Academy’ Awards (GIMA).
Chary featured on the Grammy nominated album
“Miles from India” along with an ensemble of over
30 musicians that included names like Louis Banks,
Wallace Roney, Jimmy Cobb, Chick Corea, John
McLaughlin amongst others.
He has travelled to Australia, most places in Europe,
covered UK & USA, apart from the countless festivals
he has participated in. “During my collaborations at
international festivals like the World Of Music Arts
and Dance (WOMAD) or Lugano, I had the privilege
of performing with percussion wizard Pt. Trilok Gurtu,
distinguished performer Kai Eckhardt and stalwart Joe
Zawinul. I had already picked up a lot of elements from my
experiences with great maestros of jazz, blues and other
genres and it fascinated me to know how these can also be
amalgamated with our Classical music,” he adds.
The fusion music scene has grown in leaps and bounds.
“It has changed drastically - whether in terms of the various
genres that have been incorporated or the instruments
that have been involved. Some traditional instruments
themselves have changed their structure in this stream of
music.” He points to many stalwarts like Padmabhushan
Ustad Zakir Hussain, Louis Banks, Pt. Trilok Gurtu who
have taken this genre to heights that have never been
imagined and ‘I consider myself fortunate to be a part of
this revolution’.
What keeps him inspired and motivated? “All
these established contemporary legends of music
like Padmabhushan Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Trilok
Gurtu, Pandita Kishori Amonkar and my guru Ustad
Shahid Parvez; make me feel that everything that has
been achieved is so little and so much lies ahead to
be accomplished.” Considering the radical change in
the ways of life of today’s musicians ‘where along with
performances, one has to also manage multi-tasking and
juggling collaborations, touring as well as public and media
relations’, this journey has become even more arduous, but
enjoyable with music by his side.
Chary has been associated with multiple charitable
organisations like the Rotary Club and Goa for Giving.
Some of his charity performances include ‘Liberate your
Jazz’ in 2006, a part of the Heritage Jazz series; where
proceeds of around `1 lakh were raised for the National
Association for the Blind, Goa Chapter. He has also been
affiliated with other initiatives like the ‘Save the Waters
of Goa’ movement.
Chary holds an annual fusion concert in Goa in memory
of his late father very year. ±
27
NEW FRONTIERS
Rakesh Rao, an avid astronomer and documentarian looks to the sky
for his inspiration. He hopes to create an awareness about the solar
system through film.
Text: Minal Bale Pics: Rakesh Rao
R
akesh Rao’s fascination for
physics led him to film a
documentary on India’s third
Research Station ‘Bharati’
in Antartica. Founder of Enscitec
Productions, the astronomer is using
the creative medium to generate an
interest in the vast field of science.
He wishes to reach out to every
science enthusiast in every part of
the country. He hopes to collaborate
with organizations to disseminate the
information via his documentaries that
will be accessible on public domain
for free download. He believes that an
amalgamation of individual efforts on
one common platform will only benefit
our future generations.
Expeditions carried out over
three years to document the work of
scientists have resulted in films on
Aurora - Antarctica
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each. “It is the first time that a prefabricated Indian station was being
established. My job was to document
its journey from the architectural to
the final on-ground phase” he says.
“It is a long selection process, you
need to submit a proposal that will
be scrutinized, shortlisted and then
evaluated. We undergo a strenuous
medical examination and we attend
a training session on survival
tactics,” he adds.
The photographs taken for the
Antarctica documentaries by Rakesh
have been published in a book ‘90
Degrees South’. Since the actual
construction of the station would be
confidential property; he made short
films on the Journey to Antarctica
that is up on public domain for
reference viewing.
Apart from Antartica, Rakesh has
Emperor Penguin - Antarctica
Ice Berg
Gaint meterwave Radio Telescope
29
NEW FRONTIERS
Rakesh Rao
Star trail over Mt Abu Telescope
travelled across the subcontinent on
research related topics. He is now
pursuing another pet project related
to his favourite subject, astronomy.
“We initiated the ‘AstroProject’ – a
documentary series on the Astronomy
Research in India, with the sole
intention of visiting various institutes,
documenting and understanding the
research work and putting it up on
public domain.” The sanction received
from the International Astronomical
Union Office of Astronomy for
Development has made their job easier.
30
Sea Ice
He avers that we have ‘we have
limited information for reference
and depend more on the National
Geographic and Discovery Channel’.
“People are not aware about the
research being done in our own
country, we have no dedicated
astronomy websites and the researchers
have to refer to material from N.A.S.A
and E.S.A,” he shares. The four
AstroProject films are under post
production, one of which is scheduled
to release in Dec. 2015
Currently, they are focusing on
creating four documentaries of
30mins each in the English language;
to highlight the various aspects of
astronomy and research. These will
later be translated to Hindi and dubbed
in respective regional languages to
reach out to maximum people. They
have also conducted a number of
outreach programs, activities and
workshops for schools and institutions.
His company has worked on
a number of other projects like
documentation of Goa’s coastline
in association with an educational
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Rakesh & Sonam
institution. In another, they captured the
mood of the surroundings during the solar
eclipse in 2009 in a remote village off
Bihar. When low visibility due to a cloudy
sky deterred their work, they turned their
focus on the 1.5 lakh people gathered from
different places, to witness the eclipse. They
have even highlighted ‘Wastage of food’ in
a documentary made in collaboration with
the Centre for Environmental Education
and Goa Pollution Control Board.
There’s plenty on the anvil and
Rakesh always aims for the stars for his
next big idea. ±
31
ARTSCAPE
Capturing the
Human Condition
Samira Sheth is privileged to meet the internationally
celebrated Portuguese artist Vasco Araujo at SunaparantaGoa Centre for the Arts at his first exhibition in India.
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I
n a major step forward on the international art map,
Goa recently hosted Vasco Araujo, the critically
acclaimed Lisbon-based artist.
The artist has done a significant body of work
in photography, sculpture, installation and video and
has shown all across the globe and been included in
prestigious international Biennales. In his first show in
India, at Sunaparanta-Goa, Vasco presented a moving
series of four videos.
The show, titled ‘ Hereditas’ or (Heritage) was held across
the four gallery spaces at Sunaparanta and showcased four
works titled ‘‘Heredity’, ‘Insula’, ‘Telos’ and ‘Retrato’.
Vasco’s works explore ideas of community and
marginality. He trained as an opera singer choosing instead
to pursue a career in the visual arts. His work has been
described as Baroque in its literary, historical and art
historical references and he draws the viewer into looking
at society and questioning socio-political issues through a
psychological perspective.
“Hereditas” is the result of a collaboration between
Museu do Caramulo and Vasco Araújo. Along with the other
two works, it reveals the artist’s concerns with building
identity through exploration of the past.
‘Insula’ is about the idea of island as a metaphor for
the human being, highlighting the notion of one’s inner
loneliness and resistance to change.
Telos is inspired by the ongoing quest for the inner truth
of things and considers questions of how people even lie to
themselves to escape confronting reality.
‘Retrato’ (Portrait) is a video about the memory, the
memory of a place, a home, a family. The artist shoots
several portraits (reproductions of paintings by 20th-century
painter and writer Eduardo Malta) and objects as if they
are in dialogue with each other, touching upon Portugal’s
history as a coloniser nation.
The human condition is at the heart of Vasco’s work.
While almost all his work is created in the context
of Portugal, it is simultaneously universal in theme,
experience and emotion, appealing and relevant to
viewers everywhere. ±
ACHIEVERS
Investing
in the Future
Avelino de Sa
34
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Entrepreneur and
Founder of the Disability
Rights Association of
Goa, Avelino de Sa is the
first Goan to be awarded
the ADAPT National
Award for Excellence in
Activism. Nicole Suares
tells his inspiring story.
A
venlino de Sa is no new name to
the complex number-crunching
game of investment consulting.
Immediately after graduating in
Commerce, he forayed into the then
little-known form of investments rather
than following in his father’s footstep
as a CA. Ten years in the business sees
him on stable ground in the dynamic
market scenario.
What makes this investment
consultant stand apart from his
contemporaries? Nothing that others
could compete with. Since birth,
Avelino has been diagnosed with
celebral palsy, a condition where
damage to the brain has occured
either at birth or in an accident. It
is a type of a paralysis which attacks
motor movements.
But his grit and determination
to overcome his disability have
transformed his life. He’s never
considered himself as disabled; neither
have and his parents and people close
to him. He says he has no inspirations
or heroes just a firm will power.
Instead, he is the inspiration and
hero for others.
This attitude of empowerment is
what is essential for the disabled. They
shouldn’t be looked upon with pity.
“They should stop judging whether
they are abled or disabled because
they don’t know what the person’s
achievements are,” he says.
He cites the renowned scientist
Stephen Hawkins as an example of
those suffering from cerebral palsy.
“Today disabled people have achieved
so much”, he says in praise.
Avelino didn’t want only to empower
himself; so he decided to reach out
to others like him and fight for more
inclusion in society.
“Till 2003 nothing was done by
the state government. Our demands
like accessible buildings, offices,
employment to the disabled have
been met, yet more has to be done”,
he insists. In 2003 he formed the
Disability Rights Association of Goa
(DRAG). DRAG has a Facebook group
as well as a Whatsapp group. They
also conduct various sensitisation
programmes for the general public.
“We also host a yearly film festival to
sensitise school and college students on
disability issues,” he adds.
He is the first Goan to be awarded
the ADAPT national award for
Excellence in activism. The Award,
instituted in 2012, is awarded yearly to
achievers with cerebral palsy from all
over India in the fields of academics,
arts and humanities, activism,
independent living, entrepreneurship
and corporate employment on World
Cerebral Palsy Day.
He is also a member of the North
Goa committee of the National Trust,
National Committee for the Rights of
Persons with Disability.
Avelino’s other accolade has been
listed as being one of only two of
the disabled people in India’s 50
modern day heroes by ‘The Better
India’ website.
He believes that early detection
helps and any child specialist can
diagnose the condition. He has motor
impediments and uses a crutch
to walk, “while most are confined
to wheelchairs and have speech
disabilities too”, he says.
Back to work, he runs a tight
schedule tending to clients from Goa
and other parts of the country. He
observes that Goans tend to invest in
‘overnight get-rich schemes’. “They
are not keen to invest in mutual funds
and equity shares though the risk
is less compared to fixed deposits.
In the former you can get 15 and
16% interest but people prefer fixed
income schemes.”
His exhaustive knowledge of the
subject sprinkled with nuggets of
precious investment advice holds the
listeners’ attention. His sound advice
is to invest regularly and start young.
“Don’t time the market. If you see a
long term basis in five years the market
has done excellent.”
“With soaring expenses, saving
is a must”, he offers. When you are
young he suggests about 50 percent
saving and when you are married,
that goes down to half - 25 percent.
“We tell people you save and then
spend. People are not looking at saving
but costs of education, marriage,
everything is going up.”
His inner motivation and expert
knowledge inspire people around him
to build a better life for themselves.
He helps people make a difference
in their lives. ±
35
EXPLORE
Heading South
South Goa’s pristine beaches, flourishing biodiversity and
enchanting natural sights invite you to explore and enjoy.
By Nicole Suares
G
oa’s unexplored South set
against the backdrop of
swaying palms, vast expanses
of lush greens and long
stretches of sandy shores sets a calmer,
quieter pace. As you cross the Zuari
Bridge you feel the change almost
instantly, as the cool green fields dotted
with traditional houses pass you by. For
the uninitiated, South Goa unfolds its
uncharted territory in delightful layers
of discovery; for those returning to
their favourite spots, there’s so much
more to explore and enjoy.
There are vast stretches of sea
and beach upon beach upon beach
A traditional grinder at Goa Chitra
36
extending to the border to satisfy
every taste. The hinterland with its
cities, towns and villages spreads
out its multifaceted attractions
in all directions.
Margao, the commercial capital
of the State has a bustling, vibrant
market place to help you stock up
on dry fruits, carry curios back, and
shop for other knick-knacks. And from
this busy hub, all roads radiate to the
charms of the region.
By the Sea
Beach bums will revel in the beaches
of Colva-Benaulim, about 7 to 10
kilometers from Margao. Local buses
ply on all routes from the bus stops
near the Kamat Hotel, Gomant Vidya
Niketan or near the State Bank of
India inside the city. For those wanting
to get to Covla on a budget, red and
yellow taxis (the old Ambassadors)
leave at regular intervals from their stop
adjoining the Lohiya Maidan.
Curios and antiques are available in plenty in Margao city
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Agricultural implements at Goa Chitra
Fishing boats at Mobor jetty
Colva is the most popular
beach attraction and is dotted with
restaurants and typical touristy shops
that you find in the Northern half.
If you wish for solitude and solace
Benaulim is the closest haven of calm.
The main beach near Maria Hall is
quiet and has popular shacks serving
up sumptuous Goan meals.
While in Benaulim, head to the
Goa Chitra museum. There’s plenty to
see and admire as you walk through
the ancestral home filled with tell-tale
curios of Goa’s traditional way of life.
Browse through the first ethnographic
museum and take in the various
agricultural implements, collections of
old bottles and a host of long-forgotten
treasures. It also houses India’s
first transport museum. Set aside
Sprawling vistas of sparkling blues and golden sands
Damodar Temple at Zambaulim
37
EXPLORE
your listening pleasure.
Off the beaten track is Cola beach.
Any local will be able to guide you
there. Here you can jump into the
river or swim into the sea; the choice
is yours. Butterfly Beach off Palolem
is another escape: a short boat ride
will get you there.
Further hinterland
History Preserved
Walk along the foot bridge at Tropical Spice Farm, Ponda
Close to Margao lies the ancient capital
of Chandor or Chandrapur. Here lies
the old remnants of a fort and you
can admire some of the majestic Goan
homes like Braganza and Fernandes.
This historical village is sprinkled with
rich information that is not found in
any other part of Goa.
En route to Ponda, Loutolim is
a recommended pit stop to indulge
in some history. There’s the popular
Big Foot and ancestral homes
for all to admire the grandeur of
Indo-Portuguese Goa.
Village Peace
To get a feel of village life drive
around the scenic village of Raia in
the opposite direction. The narrow
meandering roads guide you through
the sleepy village and you can sit and
relax by the river front.
Temple Run
Apart from the sun and sand, Goa’s
temples attract the faithful from all over
Inside the Mahalaxmi Temple
at least half a day to truly enjoy the
exhaustive displays.
To continue your sojourn further
South, head to the popular beaches of
Mobor, Betul and Cavelossim. Crowd
pullers for their line of shacks and
shopping centres, many of the big hotel
properties are located in these areas.
If you want to sneak away to catch a
glimpse of traditional Goa, visit the
fishing docks at Mobor and Betul. You
can carry a rod with you if you love to
fish and sit by the river side for a cool
dip into relaxation. Visit the newly
revamped Betul fort that opens out to
a stunning vista of the meeting of the
sea and the river.
At the end of the line are Agonda,
Palolem and Rajbag, with Palolem
being the most popular pick. There are
yoga ashrams, beach huts and even a
Silent Noise party if you like EDM as
38
The Shantadurga Temple is a famous pilgrim spot
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Malabar Pied Hornbill
Pangolin
Spice Route
Black pepper grown at a spice farm
the country. Many who have roots to
their deities here, make a pilgrimage
every year. A 14 kilometer drive will
take you further hinterland to the
temple town, Ponda. The taluka is
home to majority of Goa’s deities. Most
of these temples were transplanted
during the Portuguese as many Hindus
ran helter-skelter hinterland with the
onslaught of the colonial reign. The
popular temples of Lord Damodar in
Zambaulim, Mangueshi, Shantadurga
draw hundreds of tourists and
devotees. The village of Marcela, off
Borim, is another temple village that
sees the famed Chikal Kalo festival.
For those looking to spend their
time in nature, Ponda offers a haven
for most of Goa’s spice farms. Walk
through the thick canopy of coconut
and cashew plantations and pick up
a few spices sold at the venue. You
can go for elephant rides and even get
bathed by elephants at some farms.
Indulging in authentic local culinary
fare and demonstrations of coconut
tree climbing are usually included in
the entry ticket.
Wildlife Trail
Wildlife enthusiasts will enjoy their
time at the various wildlife sanctuaries
in the South. Home to Goa’s varied
biodiversity, Bondla located in Ponda
and Cotigao Sanctuary in Canacona are
a worth a visit.
If you have limited time to spare
it is advisable you plan your itinerary
in advance to help you save time and
precious energy, especially if you are
a budget traveller. After all, there’s so
much to experience and enjoy. And you
want to take away as much as you can
of the rich diversity South Goa offers. ±
39
TRAVEL
Towering high above the mountains lies
Tigers Nest, a monastery in Paro
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In the Land of the
Thunder Dragon
Sprawling hills, ancient Buddhist templeas are more, Benhail Antao
savours the local flavour of the tiny kingdom tucked in the hills on a
recent road trip
By Benhail Antao
T
welve months after our exciting
and exhausting biking trip to
Leh – Ladakh we wanted to do
a road trip as exciting, but not
exhausting. After a short discussion
with “Google Uncle”, the three
musketeers, Sydney Gracias, Louise-my
wife and I hit upon the “land of the
thunder dragon”, a literal translation of
Druk Yul which is the name for Bhutan
in Dzongka –the official Bhutanese.
My wife flew ahead to Bagdogra
and the two of us caught up with her
in Darjeeling. We covered the 2600
Kms from Goa to the hill station
within 50 hours of continuous driving.
The Scorpio Getaway 4x4, proved to
be the most suitable. The climate in
over-populated Darjeeling was lovely.
Benhail and Loiuse take a break to capture the stunning views
From there, we drove to Jaigaon, at the
India-Bhutan border.
Since we reached Pheunsholing
(Bhutan) a little after 8 pm, we could
not enter and the hotels on the Indian
side were unfortunately unhygienic.
After a little honest convincing of
the Bhutan military, they let us
enter into Pheusholing. One of the
guards escorted us to our hotel.
That was our first impression of the
people of Bhutan.
We needed to spend half a day
here in order to sort out the permit.
At lunch time we decided to visit the
local market to experience the culinary
flavours of the region.
First we bought some “different”,
spicy beef sausages. Next we had some
41
TRAVEL
kind-of yak cheese, made by drying the
fat of yaks. This tasteless local delicacy
was supposed to be chewed! We ended
by swallowing some raw local fowl
eggs. This tasteless Yak cheese kept
us company while we chewed it all
the way on our five-hour journey to
Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan.
There are various interesting places
to visit and hear about the interesting
Bhutanese culture. We spent most of
our day at the Textile Museum picking
up interesting nuggets of information
on the origins of various textiles and
dyes made out of interesting materials.
Seeing all the men dressed in a
traditional wear called Gho, I decided
that I must have one along with a
hand-made belt called a Kera. I also
picked up long socks that came up to
the knees. Dressing into one proved
to be a challenge. After the first three
times of frustration I got the locals to
tie it up for me and found it’s the most
comfortable costume I have worn.
There are Drayangs or dance bars
too but unlike the expected. These are
places that showcase the traditional
music, dance culture of Bhutan. Girls
dressed in traditional costumes perform
cultural dances. Regretably, Bollywood
songs have crept in.
We headed to MoJo park every
night to enjoy crispy fried wraps
42
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A brief stop at Bhutan’s unique airport
and live music.
Buddha Dordenma is a monumental
masterpiece. It is 169 feet tall and
houses 125000 eight-inch and twelveinch Buddha statues.
Our next leg in the trip was Paro,
to experience village life. Driving in
Bhutan is a pleasure. People have very
good road etiquette and discipline. The
landscapes are stunning and addictive.
We passed by hundreds of Prayer
Flags, a common sight in Bhutan.
These are hoisted for happiness, long
life, prosperity, luck and merit and to
offer karmic merit to all sentient beings.
It is believed that after one dies, these
prayer flags guide the soul of the dead.
Hence when a person dies a number
of such flags are erected. However,
thousands of young trees are chopped
down every year to create the poles
for these flags.
We then hit tripadvisor to search
a decent homestay in Paro. We came
across a place called Aum Home Stay.
This is probably the closest you will
get to a home away from home which
is a hop skip and jump away from the
world famous Tiger’s Nest.
Being used to Goan food, our
stomachs had difficulty tolerating the
spicy food we ate throughout Bhutan
but thankfully the home stay cooked
the most delicious food for us.
Every evening we were served
steaming Ara or rice wine, made
Louise poses with a local
locally and usually served hot: neat,
with smooth additives like butter and
poached egg, or with chunky additives
like scrambled egg and rice.
The Bhutanese people are very
warm, loving and content people
without greed for material things. It was
a beautiful experience staying with this
family who had a lot of love to share.
After having listened to stories
from the locals we were dreading the
long climb up to Tiger’s Nest which
hangs on a precipitous cliff at 3,120
metres (10,240 ft), about 900 metres
(3,000 ft) above the Paro valley.
We woke up early and started our
journey at 8:00 am. The weather was
pleasant but the climb was a mental
and physical challenge. Up there, the
view of Paro valley was spectacular.
We also realised that Tiger’s Nest is
one of hundreds of tiny monasteries
in the mountains.
The monks spend their lives up
there without even basic necessities
such as running water and light, barely
43
TRAVEL
wine lies at the bottom of the pail and
happiness lies below the navel.”
So I picked up a couple of phallus
keychains to distribute to friends
to ward off evil.
On the way out of Paro, we were
stopped on the road politely by the
military. I thought it was a routine
permit check but I saw a board saying
coming down except to replenish their
food supplies. The walls were freezing
cold and the rock floors even more
when we had to take off our shoes!
The climb down on a hungry
stomach for 2.5 hours to reach a food
stall was blessed by a very kind monk,
who had a small house built on the cliff
face, handing out home-made puffed
rice with some tea and biscuits free for
the travellers.
A day before leaving Bhutan we
decided to spend some time shopping.
The shops were full of a particular
intriguing item-the Phallus, available in
various shapes and sizes.
A 2011 study titled “Bhutan’s
Pervasive Phallus” by French historian
Francoise Pommaret and Bhutanese
scholar Tashi Tobgay says the belief
in the phallus’ ability to ward off
evil spirits and transform them into
protective deities is traced to “Holy
Madman” Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529)
who subdued demonesses with his
“thunderbolt.” His unconventional
teachings, often fraught with sexual
overtones, are said to have simplified
Tantric Buddhism. He said: “The best
44
“Aircraft Landing, Please Wait”. Like
everything else here, their airport
is unique. And because of the very
challenging terrain only 8 pilots in
the world have the license to land
at this Airport.
In total we covered 7400kms in a
span of 15days. It was a wonderful trip
with beautiful memories. You must visit
Bhutan. We have a lot to learn from
this country and its people. ±
Kids play at a prayer bell shed
www.timelinegoa.in
NEWS MAKERS
Tree of Life
Delhi based Sarthak Sahil Design Co’s Kalpataru: The
Wishing Tree showcased at the Victoria & Albert Museum,
London encapsulates varied human traditions
T
he V&A unveiled a festive light installation in the grand
entrance of the museum, created by Sarthak Sahil Design Co,
as part of the V&A India Festival. Kalpataru, named after a
wish-fulfilling divine tree in Hindu mythology, celebrates the
concepts and customs associated with the ancient Hindu festival of
Diwali, or ‘the festival of lights’.
Kalpataru: The Wishing Tree is made up of an ensemble of freestanding structures in the form of classic Indian motifs such as the
lotus petal and the ‘ambi’ or paisley. The metal frames have been
handcrafted from brass sheets by a team of expert silversmiths and
Sahil and Sarthak with their festive art installation
46
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enhanced with a hand beaten texture popularly seen in
traditional utensils used in Indian kitchens. The tallest
central motif of the installation reaches three-and-a-half
metres tall. Each element is fitted with a vibrant mural motif,
hand-painted by artists from the southern state of Kerala in
their distinctive mural-painting style. The entire structure
is illuminated from below to reveal the intricate patterns of
symbolic fruits and leaves.
The concepts of nature and culture represented by the
mythical ‘tree of life’ are a reflection on some of the customs
observed during traditional Diwali celebrations. The tradition
of decorating and worshiping the ‘Tulsi’, or holy basil,
is a common practice in some Indian homes during the
five days of Diwali, which the designers see as a modernday interpretation of the Kalpataru. They intend the light
installation to not only celebrate illumination in its literal
sense but also as a metaphor for the celebration of hope,
prosperity and ecology.
Say Sahil and Sarthak, “To us, the V&A is a treasure trove
of meaningful objects that narrate varied human customs
and traditions over time. For this festive installation we
wanted to design something that encapsulates both diverse
cultural symbolism and contemporary customs, embodying
the metaphorical tree with the spirit of both Diwali and
Christmas celebrations which everyone can enjoy.” ±
Nicole Suares
Catch of the Day
IN CAMERA
Fishermen sit around their boats at Betim ferry
Goa’s long coastline and meandering rivers sustain a rich
biodiversity. Deep in the waters schools of fish swim, the
perfect catch for Goa’s thriving fishing industry. Photographer
John Lino D’Mello travelled far south to Betul to Cortalim, to
further North to Chapora, capturing the boats bringing in a
day’s bounty.
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Fresh catch
Fishermen segregate the fish
Fresh fish ready to be sent in cold storage
49
IN CAMERA
Fishermen carry pails of ice to store fish at the Chapora jetty
Boats come alongside the docks at Cortalim
50
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Canoes and nets at the Cortalim jetty ready for the taking
A bountiful catch
51
INTERIORS
ENHANCING
Space and Colour
In today’s world
of shrinking floor
areas, maintaining
the aesthetics and
functionality of your
space becomes
important. Architect
NEA ANTAO tells you
how to make best use of
what’s available
‘Colour plays a key role in
invoking emotional responses to a
space. It is common knowledge that
light colours make a small space look
larger. This does not only apply to wall
paints but also to floor tiles, furniture
and upholstery.’
‘Spaces can be enhanced by
allowing the play of diffused light, both
naturally and electrically. In a small
residential apartment, the position
and convertibility of furniture can
52
play a key role.’
In a built environment we consider
space as volume with boundaries. In
most cases boundaries are physically
solid and 100 per cent opaque in
nature but in other cases visual,
translucent boundaries can be created
to divide spaces. For example a solid
brick wall is considered as a solid
opaque boundary whereas fretwork
is a visual boundary that has only a
fraction of opacity but can yet create a
visual boundary.
In a space crunch, small spaces
can be made both aesthetically and
functionally pleasing by the judicious
consideration of colour, light, form,
size, position, and convertibility. Colour
plays a key role in invoking emotional
responses to a space. It is common
knowledge that light colours make a
small space look larger. This does not
only apply to wall paints but also to
floor tiles, furniture and upholstery.
Accent pieces in vibrant colours can be
used to add vibrancy to a pale colour
palette. These could be anything from
photographs, paintings and vases to
cushions and floor rugs. Spaces can be enhanced by allowing
the play of diffused light, both
naturally and electrically. In a small
residential apartment, the position and
convertibility of furniture can play a
key role. One could ascertain the role
played by each piece of furniture for
every resident and accordingly design
its installation. A simple example
is a table used to dine as well as for
study. Such a piece of furniture should
be designed to allow this transition.
www.timelinegoa.in
Indeed the furniture market is full of
innovative pieces that can be used
in multiple ways.
There never appears to be enough
storage space, though. You only hide
clutter. I suggest that before you even
begin to design your space, start decluttering. The best way to de-clutter
is to organize household items into
four groups: essential, emotional yet
redundant, needed sometimes and
useless. You will not be surprised to
find that the essential group is often
the smallest whereas the emotional
yet redundant is the largest. If this
is the case, click photographs of the
emotional yet redundant stuff and save
it in a photo album. That’s that. The
stuff needed only occasionally can be
stored in spaces that do not occupy the
first six feet of the floor space. The stuff
that is useless to you might be useful
to someone else, so try selling online or
with a structural engineer. This would
make the space look much larger, and
airier. It would also enable a family to
utilize the space for more functions. A
movable partition a can be installed to
divide these spaces if required.
Also try and make use of vertical
height—for instance for storage.
Each space is different and needs to
be designed to allow for maximum
flexibility to store items of various
shapes and sizes.
People generally ignore how much
space is actually available and saturate
their minds with the number of items
that need to ‘fit’ within a particular
space. Planning, organizing and
designing a space with an interior
designer is the best way to create
valuable spaces that you and your
family will enjoy living in. ±
through an agent. To maximize space in a flat use both
vertical as well as horizontal surfaces
for storage. Here are some tips: use
furniture that is convertible. Budget
ways to use space to the best benefit.
Plan before you purchase furniture.
Recycle old furniture by re-configuring
and re-surfacing them. Create visual
boundaries instead of solid ones. In
small apartments, the living room and
kitchen can be unified by eliminating
the wall between after consultation
53
INTERIORS
CONTEMPORARY
Living
Rajesh Kenkre Architects creates an enjoyable and enviable
home that reflects the lifestyle of the Shirodkars.
T
he Shirodkar home exudes
an eclectic mix of classical
and contemporary design
elements garnished with
intricate details, textures
and fabrics without losing the sense of
space and volume.
The sole objective was to create a
perfect harmony between the client
needs and the flamboyant design ideas
without wavering from the practical
usage and maintenance aspects of
the spaces created to make a visual
statement about the Shirodkar family.
The design brief was to create a
classy yet functional interior space,
54
taking into consideration the needs of
Rajesh and Rashmi and family.
Striking a strong relationship
between the vernacular architecture by
Arch. Kelekar, a senior architect from
Ponda and the contemporary interiors
by Kenkre architects was indeed a true
challenge. But it turned out to be a
truly satiating and fulfilling journey to
create this “HOME” for the very likable
and a warm family of the Shirodkars,
says the architect.
The design involvement of the
team spans across the wall layouts,
electrical and plumbing requirements
to lighting and furniture designs to
the styling features like upholstery,
wallpapers, artifacts etc.
This property is located on a
small hillock with abundant natural
surroundings commanding a
formidable view of the mountains on
the east, where Arch. Kelekar created
the layout with a beautiful sense of
space and volume which only deserved
to get a rich visual detailing.
The ground floor layout has the
living, dining, kitchen, puja room
and two well-appointed bedrooms,
while the first floor houses the three
bedrooms, a family space opening
onto a terrace and the top floor has a
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The treatment of the external verandah walls with leather
finish granite and with wood paneling on the ceiling gives a
warm welcome and beckons visitors to the house.
sophisticated theatre or recreation lounge.
The attempt was to allow this natural
landscape to flow into the interior
spaces. The intelligent and thoughtful
use of various materials from the vast
material palette in each area helped create
a connect with the exteriors. A good
example would be the use of natural
fabrics and stone textured wallpapers to
complement the surrounding landscape
and create a harmonious blend between
the exterior and interiors. The generous use of imported wood
veneers makes the spaces inviting and
55
INTERIORS
warm mainly because the idea was to
refrain from the glitz as the interior
Architect feels that the house should
only be a reflection of the owner
for whom it is done up. Also the
treatment of the external verandah
walls with leather finish granite and
with wood paneling on the ceiling
gives a warm welcome and beckons
visitors to the house.
Although each “space” is done up
differently, the only constant was to
create refreshing and wholehearted
spaces with a sense of openness. This
thought is visible in the use of seamless
Italian marble floor, uncluttered
furniture and huge windows allowing
an uninterrupted view.
The double-height living hall
with its wood-panelled ceiling, brass
chandeliers and stained glass imparts
a classical look to the space. The
contemporary and traditional furniture
astutely placed creates an interesting
set up yet well-defined segregation of
formal and informal seating.
The interplay of materials in the
form of Italian marble, exotic wood
veneers, natural stone jalis and leather
finishes add understated luxury to the
straight-lined interior spaces.
Very desirable and bespoke designer
furniture, infuse within the spaces,
a wonderful, endearing atypical
quality. Leather finish consoles, PU
laminated centre tables and mother-ofpearl inlays are some of the exquisite
56
possessions of the spaces that divulge
shear opulence to it.
The “Entertainment Lounge”, fully
equipped with state-of-art theatre
and projection systems coupled
with lighting automation, gives a big
screen experience to the homeowners
and caters to their sports and
movie interests.
Each bedroom space has been
differentiated and individualised
with seamless colour integration of
the curtains, upholstery, bed linen,
wallpapers and wall art.
The strategic placement and
choice of wall paintings add more
power to the aesthetics while the
artifacts, discerningly chosen from
various corners of the country, lend
splendor to the spaces.
All the elements converge to offer a
cosy, modern home that’s at the heart
of the dwellers.±
www.timelinegoa.in
REALTY
‘We like to pleasantly
surprise our customers’
Akar Realty has transformed South Goa’s Realty landscape for over 30 years.
Chinmay A Borkar, Director speaks to Timeline Goa about their growth and
future projects.
M
ost people in the South would
associate the Borkar group
with their famous chain Borkar
Superstores. However, Chinmay A
Borkar, Director, Akar Realty, is quick
to correct you that it is one of the many
businesses under the family umbrella.
The retail chain was started by his
great grandfather in 1910, and it is the
printing division that opened in 1944
that is the biggest revenue earner after
their Realty arm.
Akar Realty is not new to the
construction scene in the South
and has many firsts to its credit
like: Pancharatna, South Goa’s first
commercial complex; Ram Nagari,
the first and only low cost housing
project by any private developer in
Goa. They have grown steadily during
their span of 30 odd years diversifying
from smaller projects to larger
luxury complexes.
Chinmay A Borkar, who has
obtained his MBA from INSEAD
France, joined his father Avinash,
the founder and MD of the company
in 2009 with the launch of his first
project, a business hotel, Sapphire
Comfort Hotel. Timeline Goa met up
with the Young Turk to find out more.
How did Akar begin its journey into
the realty market?
My father Avinash Borkar began the
company in 1981. Since he was a
civil engineer, he wanted to join the
family business, so construction
seemed a natural choice. We started
58
Young Turk Chinmay Borkar
off as contractors, but soon got into
real estate development. Our first
project was Shivani in Tonca and
later, another on in Merces. However,
for the past 30 years we have been
focussing in Margao.
We have completed about 30
odd projects in Goa and now have
diversified to Mumbai as well. We
currently have four projects here,
one in Mumbai that we launched
in 2013 and one more to come in
five to six months.
In 2005, we went through major
restructuring where we went from
smaller projects to larger, more
exclusive projects, with international
infrastructure and amenities.
a 235 villa project on the outskirts of
Margao. The aim is to give Goans an
equal opportunity to own one. Most
villas are above Rs 1 crore but we want
to sell it below that 1 crore mark.
What are the current projects in Goa?
We are now in the process of launching
Would you say your clients are more
non-resident Goans or NRIs?
Is there a market for upscale
projects in Goa?
Of course! With globalisation, Goans
here or settled in various places have
travelled across the world and are used
to the idea of certain amenities within
the complex like a swimming pool. This
was almost unheard of 15 years ago.
Since 2004-2005, we started bringing
in swimming pools and gymnasiums
within the complex because our
customers wanted these amenities.
www.timelinegoa.in
Though our media try to
portray that builders are
selling to NRIs, it is not
true. They are a minority.
We cannot survive only on
NRIs. Our prime target is
Goans; when I say Goans
I also include people who
have migrated abroad. Goans
always consist majority
of our clients.
What is the percentage of
Goans and non-Goans?
It differs from project to
project. In the coastal
projects it is a mix of both
where we get 50-50 percent
of both locals and those living
outside. Cities tend to be
more of the primary home
earners while coastal slightly
more holiday. The last coastal
project was about three years
back; since then we have had
three primary home owner
projects in Margao.
In the last two years, the holiday
home buyer market has fallen due
to the downturn in the Indian and
global economy. These are second or
third homes, a luxury expense not a
necessity. The primary home market
is doing well and we are focussing on
that right now.
Distance plays a major factor for
primary home owners. Are people
looking to invest in the city or are they
ready to move away?
Today there is still scope for projects in
Margao. But we see a trend in people
who are fed up with the noise and
pollution in the city and don’t mind
travelling 10 to 15 minutes to enjoy
their space, peace and calm. We are not
used to the hustle and bustle yet.
What are some of the changes Akar has
noticed in consumers since it started?
15 years ago prime importance was
given to location. Customers today
want facilities that enhance the quality
of lifestyle and not just location.
Whether it is for their children to play,
exercise, a swimming pool, walking
tracks for grandparents: they want a
complex that caters to all needs of the
landlords for better prices.
What has been the
principle that drives Akar?
Akar was formed as part of
the Borkar family so that
Borkar DNA of delivering
perfection is there in
anything we do. We also
always give our clients a
little more for every rupee
they invest. We give more
than what we advertise in
our brochures. Consumers
today are more demanding
because of the advent
of internet. They know
what’s happening around
the world. So we always
look for that one thing
that they might know.
We like to pleasantly
surprise our customers.
If people are happy with
their home it makes for
satisfied customers.
family. Earlier, they wanted a good
building in a proper place.
How do you bridge the gap between
soaring construction rates and offering
affordable homes?
Property prices are growing but it’s
not just that. The major components
of our costing are land, construction,
taxes and approvals. Unfortunately,
all are on a rise. Though builders are
blamed for making money, sadly that’s
not the case. Land owners still want
appreciation in their prices. Only
builders who bought land five years
ago can afford to give apartments that
are reasonably priced. Government
taxes and approvals have gone up
drastically. Delays are a huge hindrance
too. Since the builder has borrowed
money to buy that land, every delay
of approval on the file by a month
costs him significantly and that adds
to the price. Finally it trickles down
to the consumer.
We can control only construction,
but most items are commoditised.
The prices of cement and steel are
not under our control. We can only
negotiate more persistently with
Is there a concept of home that you
base your plan on?
Every project is targeted to a different
segment of the market. We look at their
lifestyle, needs and the way they look at
their home. Our design concept stage
takes a long time. The villa project is
on for the past two years. This is the
longest as normally it takes six months
of brainstorming. We understand the
needs and wants of the market and
how it fluctuates with time.
What are some of the lessons you have
learned with time?
I come from a hospitality background,
so I’m still learning. But my father
always tells me to focus on the need of
the person. Don’t sell him something
that he doesn’t want. They may be
impressed at that time but if he doesn’t
need it he won’t be happy and if he’s
not happy he won’t say good things.
Good feedback is very important.
We always look for something
that will help us stand apart from the
rest. That’s the challenge we face.
How do we find something better,
something new, something that meets
the customers’ needs and goes beyond
his expectations. ±
59
WILD WONDERS
In Praise of the
Cobra
Nirmal Kulkarni de-mystifies the cobra, often the
misunderstood species of our local fauna. There’s
more to the spectacled beauty then it’s towering
hood and powerful bite.
U
se the term cobra or nag in a
conversation and you instantly
draw a reaction. It could range
from fascination and awe to
veneration and respect because of the
position granted to it in Hindu religion
and Goan society in particular.
Although venomous, the cobra is
loved, revered and respected by most
Indians. Hindus associate the species
with Lord Shiva, one of the trimurtis
of Indian mythology and refrain from
harming the snake god as it is often
referred to. Shiva is usually depicted
with the cobra coiled around his neck.
While four species of the cobra are
found in India - the spectacled cobra,
the monocled cobra, the Andaman
cobra and the black cobra, Goa is
largely home to the Indian spectacled
or Binocellete Cobra (Naja naja), also
known as nag, parro, pandhro, sorop,
vodhlo or motelo in the local parlance.
The cobra has a unique ability to
raise the anterior quarter of its body
and spread the ribs in its neck region
into a well-defined hood to display
exquisite markings, especially when
excited or disturbed. This dramatic
threat posture makes the cobra appear
majestic, dominating and all-powerful,
an image that’s allured people
down the centuries.
We, by and large, do not attack or
kill a cobra deliberately. In Goa, the
spectacled cobra is much-respected and
feared and it even has its own place
as a powerful deity. So deep-rooted in
Goan society is the belief that zagekar
(or territorial cobra) is an integral
60
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The cobra has a unique ability to raise the anterior quarter
of its body and spread the ribs in its neck region into a welldefined hood to display exquisite markings, especially when
excited or disturbed.
part of our social and cultural system.
Almost every neighborhood in Goa
has a special place or tree dedicated
to the species and people in villages
and the hinterlands worship it as the
snake god’s home.
In talukas like Sattari, Sangeuem,
Quepem and Canacona one of the folk
deities, Goddess Brahmani Maya, is
depicted holding two hooded cobras
that serve as her weapons and flank
her on both sides. The guardian spirit
deity of Vetal also has a hooded cobra,
which sits on his headgear. That’s
why this majestic snake has been
offered a sacred seat in the temple
worship system.
Several villages like Coppaddem
in Sattari are known for their strict
laws that protect the cobra. Vaddem
and Netravali in Sanguem believe
that their ancestors often appear in
the disguise of a cobra, which is why
harming the snake is tantamount to
harming your ancestors.
Goa celebrates Nag Panchami, a
festival dedicated to the cobra, by
praying to brightly painted clay idols
or drawings that depict the snake.
Prasad is offered to these during
pooja. It is celebrated throughout
the state in the month of Shravan
according to the Indian calendar and
rituals often include a day’s fast and
abstinence from working in the fields.
Favoured snake habitats like termite
mounds, banyan and peepal trees are
offered sweets made exclusively by the
women of the house.
Today, however, despite the religious
taboos, cobras are often wantonly
killed. Average Goans, who think that
the cobra is more of a nuisance than
a boon, don’t realise that this majestic
snake often controls the rodent
population or the cobra’s venom is
used in painkillers like Cobroxin and
is an effective cure against diseases like
neural leprosy, epilepsy and arthritis.
Thankfully religion is wellentrenched in Goan society, much
like it is in other Indian societies, and
it still extends religious protection to
the cobra. The common cobra is also
protected by the Wildlife Protection
Act of 1972, the highest form of legal
safeguard offered to a reptile known for
its cultural and biological significance.
There is a critical need to
understand the role this vital species of
snakes plays in our delicate ecosystem
and give it its rightful place and respect.
Cobras, like tigers, are at the top of the
food chain. Their presence indicates
a healthy, balanced forest. If we lose
them, we lose a lot.
Keep the faith.±
Did you know?
‘...Cobra’s venom is used in painkillers like Cobroxin and is an effective
cure against diseases like neural leprosy, epilepsy and arthritis.’
61
FASHION FORWARD
Dress
Like A Diva
Add that touch of glam to your wardrobe with
designer Rocky S’ glittering must haves.
I
t’s the season to be stylish and
look gorgeous. With social
calendars crossed out with
parties, weddings and a whole
lot of other soirees, it’s crucial
that you look your best.
Designer Rocky S may have just what
you’re looking for. He offers fashionistas
with a whole new shimmering range
of ready-to-wear outfits that are drop
dead gorgeous. He continues with
‘his penchant for glimmer in Roposo
presents Rocky S collection. This was
showcased at the recently concluded
Gionee India Beach Fashion Week.
Having an artistic mind and a flair
for creativity, he has put together a
coalition of luxury and lavishness. The
collection also exudes simplicity and
elegance with a touch of sparkle. “My
modern cuts are inspired by western
fashion silhouettes. Combining luxury
with lavish sparkles,” he says.
He incorporates shimmering
embroidery, tassels and bead work
to the line, adding a beatnik allure to
the garments. Silhouettes move from
fluid to sensually figure-hugging lines,
in a colour story that is rich, languid
and regal in hues. Combining luxury
with lavish sparkles, the designer uses
shimmery embroidery, tassels and bead
work for the new range for women.
While the fluid silhouettes look perfect
for the balmy weather, the figurehugging pants or skirts and matching
tops, mostly in golden and black, are
also eye catching.
Be it skirts or pants in chiffon or
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georgette fabrics, pockets seem to be
essential part of the collection.
“A lot of importance is given to
comfort. When you are travelling, you
need to keep your phone in pockets
so they are important and practical.
It’s about relaxing wherever you are
and not to worry about your bag,
just put things in your pockets and
party,” he said.
His favourite colour is black, but
he has a reason for choosing gold.
“Gold is amazing. Even if it is a simple
silhouette, it looks glamorous,” he said.
Goa is ‘a holiday destination, so
the whole collection is for you to go
dress up and party. The collection
featured gold and silver stretch pants,
antique gold halter gown, lean taupe
dresses with sequined neckties, and
khaki tunics with faux leather pants,
ideal for languid holidays by the beach.
Particularly striking were a gold cowl
neck gown, sequined shorts with lace
bustier and tulle cape, and a gleaming
bodice for a floor-kissing coat with
gold pants, which added much drama
to the occasion.
Holidaying in Goa is not just about
beaches, he says, it’s also about going
out in the night and enjoying the
night life, playing music and feeling
glamorous. His idea of resort/beach
wear has nothing to do with floral
prints or bright colours. “The complete
resort wear collection by me, can be
worn by celebrities and the girl-nextdoor alike, included stylish short
dresses, long flowy ensembles, silver,
bronze and gold colored pants paired
with waist and knee length tops and
quirky accessories.”
Rocky who has moved against the
normal flow of work treats fashion
as a science of specific proportions.
“Fashion is broken down to the barest
elements of fine fabrics, cut and
finish and each is perfected before
combining together to make my lust
worthy creations for that classy chic
look,” he explains.
After taking the fashion industry
by storm, he launched his fragrance
brands Rocky S Noir Femme and Rocky
s Noir Pour Hommes.
When in Goa his favourite must
dos are sightseeing while riding a bike,
snorkeling fishing on a luxury yatch
cruise from Britona. ±
63
TRENDZ
Fashion by the
Beach
The Gionee India Beach Fashion Week
showcased the best in resort fashion.
G
ionee India Beach Fashion
Week Season 2 returned with
much pomp and panache.
The three-day event dedicated
to resort and beach wear
saw Goa based Wendell Rodricks and
Philu Martins bring out their creative
best on the ramp.
Martin’s ‘Banyan tree’ line
embraced the inner strength of the
modern woman through structured
and fluid resort wear. Shades of
white, onion pink, aqua, green,
dried herb, turquoise, water, black
and midnight blue floated down the
ramp, as the veteran designer crafted
64
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Star Power on the Ramp
Any fashion week always attracts it’s share of celebs and the Gionee India
Beach Fashion Week had it’s stars. They walked the ramp, mingled and partied.
After all who doesn’t want some fun in the sun and sand?
fluid silhouettes on premium tulle,
fluid rayon, blended georgettes,
chiffon, soft net and sheer lace. The
elegant, feminine collection featured a
memorable range from flowing white
pants and a dusty green georgette skirt
to the final floor-kissing black net
skirt and body suit accessorised with a
wired hair crown.
They saved the best for last with the
designer who created Minimalism in
Indian fashion Wendell Rodricks finale
showcase. The pioneer of resort wear
and eco-friendly garments in India
paid perfect tribute to a method of
cutting based on Indian Geometry that
the designer has been using since the
onset of his career.
‘Ahead of the Curve is a collection
that used the curve, arc and circle to
internationally new heights. Straight
lines and square cuts are eschewed
for the curved line and form. Blouses
looping into arches, curved shaped
trousers, tunics cut on a curve, kaftans
with layered rings, sheer layers of semicircle overskirts, ripple pleated dresses,
seductively cut-the-curve swimwear and
coloured sarongs in curved lines came
together to create an outstanding finale
worthy collection for Gionee India
Beach Fashion Week.
The menswear collection comprised
a range of garments that included
beach wraps in linen, speedos and
Brazilian swim trunks, shirts in curved
lines, jackets draped, wrapped and
open fronted were worn over crinkled
circle cut trousers, satin pyjamas, dhoti
pants and bermudas.
The eclectic colour mix included
Indigo, white and black unfused
with mint, magenta, peach, sand
beige, dusty blue and sage green
infused into sensual silk satins, crepe
de chine, georgette, linen, malkha
cotton and cotton mulmul. Fabrics
are twisted into curves for pleated and
neo-technologically treated to create
pierced effects. ±
Indian-British actress Anjala Zaveri sashayed in a gorgeous Asmita Marwah
lehenga and cropped top with actor Tarun Arora, who looked dapper in red
harem pants and a white, calligraphy-printed shirt. The dashing “Bahubali’ star
Rana Daggubati strutted down the ramp in black harem pants, an acid-green
panelled kurta and a luxurious dupatta as the showstopper for the collection.
Bollywood’s darling Aditi Rao Hydari made the perfect Sukriti and Aakriti
Grover’s “Boheme Bride”. Former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen looked
stunning wearing a shimmering choker with an emerald drop in the centre
by Moni Agarwal. Destination Brides’, Mayyur R Girotra’s 50s-inspired bridal
collection saw Richa Chadda dazzle in deep-red lehenga, paired with a
backless glittering choli and tulle dupatta.
Bollywood star Neha Dhupia looked like royalty in a gorgeous red fullyembroidered lehenga, choli and dupatta from Sangeeta Sharma’s ornate bridal
line inspired by the grandeur of royal Rajasthan
“Concrete Paradise” from Deme by Gabriella featured whimsical silhouettes,
as showcased by effervescent show-stopper Shibani Dandekar, who looked
stunning in a beige, backless flowing crépe gown
Designer Rocky S
Sushmita Sen
Shibani Dandekar
Richa Chadda
Neha Dhupia
Adithi Rao Hydari
65
Beauty Remedies
Look Radiant
This Winter
Kavita Shyam tells you how to
maintain flawless skin and healthy hair.
Frizzy hair, dry skin,
cracked lips are often
common signs that winter
has set in. The chilly weather
does no good to your
silken tresses or skin and
if the right care isn’t taken
it can leave you looking
dull and worn out.
Dr. Sangeeta Amladi
warns against walking into
the hot and strong sun as
it ‘evaporates the transepidermal water and makes
skin dry. At this time it is
important that the body
is well hydrated. The lack
of water content can be
remedied by drinking ten
glasses daily and eating
fruits and vegetables high
in water content. If you
are stepping out, apply
sunscreen. These creams
are beneficial in winter too
and not only in summer as
are often believed.
Also ‘avoid stepping out
in extremely cool and windy
weather’. Once you return,
rinse in lukewarm water
after using a mild cleanser
to wash the face. She also
suggests using a waterbased moisturizer’ while
your skin is still damp to
seal in the moisture before
it’s lost. “Add emollient
oil to bath water (1-2
drops per bucket of water)
66
and for severely chapped
lips, use a mild lip scrub
followed by a mild steroid
cream prescribed by your
dermatologist,” she adds.
Dr Amit Luthra
Consultant Dermatologist,
Laser & Cutaneous Surgeon
adds, “Anti-itchy, oily skin,
dry skin, and many other
types of body butters and
moisturizers are available
in the market, and one
is advised to choose
according to their original
skin type. It will soften
the cracking skin.”
Body massages with
coconut or almond oil are
important at least once a
week says Dr Sangeetha.
You can also opt for a
quick 5 minute massage
with almond and Vitamin
E oil. This alleviates the
redness and leaves the skin
soft and supple.
While the skin is taken
care of during the winter,
your hair needs it’s bounce
too. Dr Sangeeta suggests
covering the head with
a scarf while travelling
and avoid using heating
appliances like blow dryer
and curling or flat iron.
Necessary precautions
should be backed with a
good diet. A bowl of fresh
fruits including watermelon,
berries – strawberries,
blueberries, grapes, papaya,
orange, apricots and green
vegetables like spinach,
avocado and asparagus with
a seasoning of garlic should
be eaten. Eat balanced food
containing all nutrients.
Include vegetables, fresh fruits, and fish (rich in
omega 3 & 6 acids) in your
daily food intake.
Love your hot coffee
drinks on a cold winter day?
Well, consuming coffee
repeatedly during winters
can dehydrate the skin and
lead to more drying as it
contains caffeine. For every
cup of coffee, make sure you
increase your water intake.
Alcohol, soft drinks and fried
foods should be avoided.
To keep yourself fit and
in shape, a half an hour
daily exercise will do more
than simply get your heart
rate going. It will clear
your pores, increase your
metabolism, and sweating
allows your inner body
to cleanse itself.
Beat the winter blues
with these tips and you are
sure to look your best this
festive season. ±
Quick homemade packs
Mix honey and milk (in equal amounts) and apply on
the face. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Mix half-a-cup
honey to your bath water for soft and smooth skin.
Aloe Vera also helps to remove dead skin cells and is
soothing, healing, and moisturizing.
Hence, Aloe Vera gel can be applied topically
on affected areas
A facemask comprising of egg white and honey gently
lightens the tan from your face.
For oily skin type - soak multani mitti and mint powder
in yoghurt for 30 minutes and beat them together.
Apply it on face for 15 minutes and leave it to semidry. Then wash off with lukewarm water. After that,
rinse by cold water.
www.timelinegoa.in
DINING OUT
Infused With
Seasonal Flavours
Celebrity Chef Mark Anthony Long is in town to
create magic at the Grand Hyatt. Samira Sheth
savours the experience
Indulge in an authentic Australian culinary fare with Chef Long.
Betel leaves, coconut chicken,
chili palm sugar dressing
- Modern Australian Cuisine
by Executive Chef Mark Long,
Grand Hyatt Goa
Potato lasagne, mushrooms, chili dressing Modern Australian Cuisine by Executive Chef Mark
Long, Grand Hyatt Goa
68
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Tender Coconut Chicken wrapped
in betel leaf with a chili palm sugar
dressing and the delectably Crispy
Potato Shrimps. The Mushroom
Cappuccino Soup with a tiny croissant
is delicious beyond description. Entrees
bring on a moist sea bass encrusted
with peanuts with flavours of tomato
and mustard. The Crumbed Eggplant
with wasabi and goat cheese or the
Potato Lasagne are good choices for
vegetarians. And to finish, the flourless
Chocolate Chilli cake is irresistible.
Rich and moist and completely
flourless as the chef discloses. You
can eat it without feeling guilty over
the indulgence.
With plenty of variety on offer,
eating here is a real pleasure for the
senses. Simple, fresh and flavourful
offerings are the hallmarks of Chef
Long’s cooking style. It would be a
shame not to partake of his culinary
expertise while he’s in Goa. ±
Buttered scallop, goan feni cashew sorbet Modern Australian Cuisine by Executive Chef Mark
Long, Grand Hyatt Goa
C
hef Mark Anthony
Long has conjured up meals
for celebrities including golf
champion Tiger Woods (“He
was just back from a PGA tournament
and requested a burger”) ; Formula
One driver Michael Schumacher (“He
liked the dishes we served him”) and
former US Vice President Al Gore (“He
loved the vegetarian dishes and his
Secret Service guys even asked for the
recipes”) among other distinguished
guests. He now moves to Goa to take
over as Executive Chef at the Grand
Hyatt. While Long is in charge of
all the kitchens at the hotel, he is
particularly responsible for reinventing
The Verandah, formerly the European
restaurant, into a haven for modern
Australian cuisine.
Chef Long takes a lifetime of
expertise and a wide repertoire of
skills and techniques to create food
that derives from Australian cuisine
yet is infused with the ingredients and
seasonal flavours found in Goa.
Australia is the ultimate melting pot
with migrants from Thailand, Vietnam,
Italy, Greece, India, Sri Lanka and more
making it their home. These migrants
have added their own regional flavours
and influences to the pot. Chef Long
takes this diversity and melds it with a
deft touch of something Goan.
And so we have a versatile new
contemporary menu. Signature dishes
that have to be had are the Buttered
Scallops with a cashew feni sorbet;
Potato lasagne, mushrooms, chili dressing
- Modern Australian Cuisine by Executive
Chef Mark Long, Grand Hyatt Goa
69
CHEF OF THE MONTH
A Slice of Peru in
Morjim
Chef Marco serves up fresh food ‘On the Go’
TEXT: Sapna Shahani
Chef Marco offers healthy Peruvian snacks
I
n the uniquely diverse beach
hamlet of Morjim, a new quick
service outlet called On the Go
reflects the changing times. Owned
and operated by Peruvian-born Marco
Crisanto, it offers fresh, healthy and
most of all tasty sandwiches, salads,
iced teas and desserts.
As a chef, Marco tries to strike the
perfect balance of flavours, colours,
freshness, smell and temperature. He
was keen on opening an outlet in Goa
for some time since he realized there
weren’t many places selling ready to
eat or to take away foods that included
cold sandwiches, salads, snacks and
desserts; as well as fresh healthy
drinks. These are all very popular
in his home country, which shares
70
Goa’s hot weather.
Marco, like so many of us, learned
to cook as a child looking at his parents
preparing meals at home. Peru’s cuisine
is considered one of the best in the
world, having inherited its innovation,
mix and flavors from Peru’s history. Its
culinary fusion developed over a long
process of cultural exchange between
the Spanish, Africans, Chinese,
Japanese and Italians, among others.
And Marco’s parents cooked many
of these styles including Peruvian
Creole and Andean, also known
as ‘jungle food’.
But he got really inspired when he
started to work in his first restaurant
lounge in Cusco, the capital of
his home country. “I wanted to
eat something different, out of the
ordinary so I started to experiment
with recipes,” he says recalling those
times. The experimentation has led to
some tasty fresh seasonal fruit iced teas
that are blended with green or black
tea. In fact, the flavours of the teas are
enhanced when shaken and served ice
cold. Marco loves the fact that they are
also healthy as these teas have gained
popularity for containing anti-oxidants
that aid in weight loss. “We are all
advised to drink more green tea but
the flavour is not always that good.
So I found that I drink it more when
I blended my iced teas with fruits,”
Marco says of his creations.
Another popular dish on his menu
include the super-sized Chicken Peri
Peri gourmet sandwiches. The flavour
is a mix between the mild spice of
the peri peri seasoning and the subtle
sweetness of pineapple and onion salsa.
Of course, Marco is also testing
his native cuisine on the Indian
culinary palate with the Peruvian Pollo
sandwich, which is made with chicken
mayonnaise, crunchy celery and onion
seeds. If all goes well, more Peruvian
flavours may be added to the menu.
Having lived in Peru where they
ran a ‘Tea Room’ and in the UK,
their experience and sensibilities
are well appreciated in Goa, a new
home that they thoroughly enjoy.
“The cosmopolitan nature and the
opportunity to meet a variety of
different people. In addition Goa
provides an escape from the hustle
and bustle of city life. My free time is
spent with my family mostly, and then
indulging in my passion for music,
listening and mixing music,” says
Marco who is also a DJ. ±
www.timelinegoa.in
Chicken
Peri Peri Sandwich
Mediterranean Salad
Grain mix:
100g brown rice, cooked
50g quinoa, cooked
50g brown lentils, cooked
25g cranberries
1 tablespoon mixed herbs
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauteed vegetables:
1/2 zucchini, cut into batons
1 carrot, cut into batons and cooked
1 beetroot, cut into batons and cooked
1 onion, sliced into wedges
1 red pepper, roasted, skinned
and cut into strips
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tablespoon of olive oil
50g goats cheese, diced into small cubes
Pesto dressing:
2 bunches of basil leaves
48 cashew nuts
4 tsp minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
200ml olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread of your choice
Butter
Lettuce leaves
250g chicken legs boneless meat
Chicken peri peri sauce: makes 1 cup
4 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon cayenne papper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp salt
10 red chillis
Pineapple salsa
1 small pineapple
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
Method:
Blend all the ingredients of the peri peri sauce in a
processor until it forms a smooth paste
Cut chicken into small pieces and marinade chicken with
the paste for 2 hours.
Cut the pineapple in small cubes. Place the pineapple
cubes in a saucepan and add enough water just to cover
the pineapple. Cook until it forms a jammy consistency.
Remove from the pan and put in a bowl and leave to
cool. Then add the chilli flakes and chopped onion and
keep to one side.
In a frying pan, add 1 tablesoon of vegetable oil and
cook the marinaded chicken until slightly browned. Keep
chicken to one side.
Butter the bread of your choice, spoon half of the chicken
filling one side of the bread top with 2 tablespoons of
pineapple salsa, lettuce leaves and finally top with the
second slice of bread to form a sandwich.
Method:
In a bowl mix all the ingredients of the
grain mix in a bowl and keep to one side.
In a pan add olive oil and sautee
vegetables with the mixed herbs and
keep aside. until cooled.
Blended all the ingredients of the pesto
dressing and keep to one side.
To serve salad, place the grain mix
at the bottom of the plate, top with
the sauteed vegetables, sprinkle the
diced goats on top and finally drizzle
the pesto dressing.
71
HEALTHY LIVING
Eat
Smart
This Party
Season
Enjoy the season without adding those
extra kilos, says Nutritionist Harpreet
Pasricha, Director of Diet Dr Clinic.
72
T
he months of November
and December are filled
with ecstatic celebrations.
All festivals bring with it the
joy of the festival and ceremonious
delicacies that are awaited all year
long. While savouring the food, be
careful! You don’t want your weight
tipping to the wrong side of the scale.
New Years does not have to be about
a big bulge. Here are some useful
health tips that will prevent those extra
kilos from adding on:
Eat Wise, Drop a Size
Even while attending parties and
weddings, one can still maintain a
healthy lifestyle by:
• Eating a healthy wholesome
breakfast (Upma, wheat bread
sandwich, besan chilas), which will
prevent you from overindulging
www.timelinegoa.in
throughout the day.
• Indulge in free foods in between the
meals like lemon water, buttermilk,
green tea, fruits and yoghurt. These
will keep you energetic and active.
• Avoid fasting and feasting. Do
not stay hungry for long, instead
try to have small frequent meals
or you will end up eating extra
high calorie foods.
• Control portion size. Take small
servings on your plate.
• Choose grilled chicken/fish or
baked/grilled/steamed vegetables
over batter fried foods. Instead
of fried snacks, pick up handful
of dry-fruits, as they are packed
with vitamins, minerals and
essential fatty acids.
Happiness in Every Bite
Everyone tries to indulge in a bit of
sweets during the season.
• Select dark chocolate as it contains
beneficial antioxidants, less sugar
and is free of additives.
• While indulging in sweets, make
sure it is done to moderation.
• Avoid fried and sugar laden
sweets like gulab jamun and
kajukatli, instead opt for rasgulla,
pedas or rice kheer.
• Curb those desert pangs with
options like a bowl of fruits or low
calorie yogurts.
Dark chocolate contains many antioxidants
and less sugar content
Party Patrol
Most of the celebrations are often
considered incomplete without a glass
of liquor as accompaniment. While you
cannot steer clear from alcohol, here
are some precautions to consider:
• Opt for white or red wine over
cocktails or mock tails.
• Always start with a small measure of
alcohol for example, begin with 30
ml and slowly increase to 45 ml.
• Keep yourself well hydrated. Make
sure to have enough water at
regular intervals. Do not confuse
thirst with hunger.
• It is very important to snack before
you drink. You can include snacks
like nuts (Almonds, Walnuts), seeds
(Hemp, Chia and Flaxseeds), Salted
veggies or Roasted/Boiled chana.
• Pre dinner bites are a great way
to keep your glucose levels stable.
You can include options like
bowl of sprouts, milk shake, egg
white salad, sweet potato, whole
wheat bread sandwich.
Post Party Regime
• Eat a wholesome breakfast (a bowl
of cereal with a handful of raisins
or fruit platter)
• Maintain water intake (12-15
glasses of water).
• Munch on foods high in potassium
(bananas, apricots and pumpkin)
and water (cucumbers, celery and
melon) to flush the excess water out
of your cells and reduce bloating.
• Try to have a fruit slush or smoothie
to maintain electrolytes lost due to
the diuretic effects of alcohol.
• Try not to skip your exercise even if
it is just a walking session. ±
A bowl of low calorie yogurt or fruits a day
keeps those hunger pangs away.
73
BREATHING SPACE
A Day at
The Spa
The Spa invites you to indulge in soothing body
therapies to rejuvenate the tired senses
P
eople have yearned for a
place where they could find
solace from the complexities
of their daily lives. They seek
a retreat where mind, body and spirit
can be brought into balance and from
which they can emerge invigorated
and rejuvenated.
The Spa at The Leela Goa is this
oasis of calm where every sense is
revitalized. It offers traditional Indian
therapies as well as international spa
therapies in its luxurious ambience.
In the past, kings and queens have
taken great pleasure om soothing and
relaxing the body, mind and spirit.
Their rituals have been passed down
through generations and now these
sacred traditions are the inspiration
behind their signature experience –
Indian Magic, a soothing experience for
stressed body and tired mind.
Aimed to offer you the royal
treatment, the Spa has a varied menu
of services that you can choose from.
Their holistic range includes 30 to
60 minutes of self pampering rituals
like the aromatherapy massage and
anther done with a hot stone. Their
traditional Swedish massage with
regulated pressure releases the knots
and tensions of the body. The strong,
stimulating movements will effectively
ease back aches and tired limbs.
Almond oil increases circulation and
74
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is poured in slow, oscillating streams
across the forehead quieting the mind,
awakening the senses, and stimulating
the nervous system. It improves quality
of sleep, relieves general headaches,
strengthens hair roots and prevents
premature greying.
Warm bundles of cooked medicinal
rice soaked in a milk decoction of
nutritive herbs are applied over the
entire body in Njavarakkizhy. This
highly invigorating body and skin
treatment leaves skin soft and radiant.
It improves vitality and is advisable
for degenerate diseases and certain
conditions of rheumatism.
If you are looking to leave the daily
chores behind you or looking for your
little oasis of peace a day at The Spa
may just be what the doctor ordered.±
improves over all skin tone.
If you’ve just touched down after a
long journey, their Jet Lag Reviver will
unburden the stress in the lower back,
shoulders, neck, hands and eyes.
You can further opt from their
premium range of ayurvedic treatments.
The health expert will guide you on
your health status and offer advice on
how to lead a healthy life based on
ancient medicine.
Their massages include Yanga
that revitalises the whole body
with ayurvedic oils and stimulates
circulations. Sirodhara begins after an
oil massage where warm medicated oil
75
TOURISM
Carnival of Talent
Project Destination Carnival hopes to
empower youth artistically for gainful
employment in the cultural sector
A
different sort of
carnival is set to hit
Goa very soon. Not
the usual jamboree with
King Momo and his merry
gang but a unique project
aimed at developing the
professional competences of
youth for employment in the
cultural sector.
Brouhaha International
and arts organisation
based in Liverpool United
Kingdom in collaboration
with its partners (GTDC,
India) and (Cape Town
Carnival, South Africa) will
deliver Destination Carnival
Cultural Tourism as a vector
for youth development.
Funded by the European
Commission’s Executive
Agency under its Capacity
Building in the Field
of Youth it will look to
developing young people’s
76
artistic engagement and
equipping them with the
necessary skills required.
The objectives the
organisers say is to gain
new competences and
experiences of large-scale
event management, to
engage young people in
the delivery of large-scale
cultural events and provide
opportunities for capacity
building for workers
and young people.
Partners will collaborate
in activities that will have
a measured impact on
the young participant’s
capabilities to operate within
a globalized arts and cultural
tourism sector.
The programme covers a
wide range of events from
training sessions, exchange
programs and voluntary
work across partner groups.
Mr. Nikhil Desai, MD, GTDC and Francisco Martins along with Giles Agis,
Executive Director of Brouhaha Internation with his Liverpool team and
Angela Mac Pherson, Capetown Carnival with her team
The age limit is 18 to 30
years, and the participants
should have an interest
in or experience of arts or
cultural tourism activities
(dance, music, theatre,
visual arts digital arts, event
management etc). They
should have organised a
cultural event within their
local community (optional).
Participants who
undertake a mobility
experience in the United
Kingdom will be given
Art Awards or non-formal
learning based certificates.
These are unique
qualifications in any art
form that can be achieved at
five levels (four accredited
qualifications and an
introductory level.
Brouhaha International is
accredited as an arts award
advisor and as such can
guide participants through
the award programme and
then assess their log book
and digital portfolio. Arts
Awards is managed by
Trinity College London in
association with the Arts
Council England. ±
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Cruising Down
The River Side
Champion Group’s yacht and floatels take you on a
memorable cruise by the riverside.
C
hampions Groups offers
tourists a chance to take in
the breathtaking vistas of
the long river routes with the
launch of their yacht and floatel
services in Goa.
Subhakar Rao, Chairman,
Champion Group, expressed,
“Goa is slowly becoming a
destination of new and innovative
tourism initiatives. It is also
attracting a class of tourist that
look at luxury-experiences.”
A floatel essentially is a small
hotel that floats and in their case
moves as well. You check-in then
cruise and still within reach of
the city if you need to get out for
couple of hours and come back for
the night to the floatel.
Goa, he says, is the hub for all the coastal tourism
action as of now. “Though it could improve on
the ease of business front and support from local
community, it is still one of the top options for nautical
tourism in India.”
He finds that yacht tourism is one such luxury
experience that has a tremendous opportunity in Goa.
“Miami has couple of thousand of these. Goa has a
handful - we believe there is tremendous potential and
market will grow with corporate fractional ownership
programs as well. We wanted to move aggressively in
this sector. Therefore we have decided to start-off with
two yachts ‘Sea Breeze’ and ‘Free Spirit’.”
You can come aboard any of their luxury services
at Britona or Divar Island, where the floatels will be
anchored. The rooms are well-appointed with attached
bathroom for each room, a lounge, an upper deck with
bar and music system, sun beds and jacuzzi along
with fun tag along inflatable rides etc. “Our yachts
besides the cruising experience, also offers a tourist a
complete five-star hotel experience with beautiful and
aesthetically designed rooms.”
Rao said, “Goa is seeing a wonderful surge in highend tourists looking for new tourism experience. We
will be also looking at launching Floatel - Floating
Hotels and Houseboats to promote hinterland
tourism in the beautiful rivers of Goa.” In future
they are planning a ‘Mumbai to Goa fast ferry in
the year ahead and it is a strategic location for
Champions Yacht Club’. ±
EVENTS
Dialogues for Change
Difficult Dialogues, a new festival of ideas moves away from mere discourse to
bringing about change. Sapna Shahani has all the details.
D
ifficult Dialogues is a festival
with a difference. Curated
by one of the founders
of the Jaipur Literary
Festival, Surina Narula as an annual
festival of topical ideas and motions,
Difficult Dialogues is premised on the
conviction that knowledge sharing is
the cornerstone of progressive change
in this fastest growing, volatile region
of the world. It is an independent,
non-partisan forum for discussing
critical issues concerning lives of
billions in South Asia.
Philanthropist and business woman
Narula says, “Difficult Dialogues
endeavors to provide a common
platform to bridge this very gap
between policy makers and NGO’s
involved with implementation, by
bringing them together to arrive at
a common ground.”
Speaking of her vision for the event,
she adds, “My experience of working
with NGO’s spanning over 20 years
has given me a deep understanding
of the pressing need to work with
policy. Brilliant ideas fall short at
the formation, implementation and
dissemination stage.”
Banking, finance and civil society
will be the three focus areas of the first
event to be held between January 28
to 30 at the International Centre and
Cidade de Goa. The 2016 edition is
being curated by the South Asia Centre,
London School of Economics (LSE)
and Television for the Environment
(tv/e) - South Asia.
The core programme of panel
discussions between experts, scholars
and senior academics will result in a
series of papers to inform governmental
policy as well as civic body
interventions. The forum will have two
key components – LSE India Summit
and tv/e Dialogue Derivatives.
A slew of prominent policy-makers,
academics and thought leaders are
slated to attend such as Arvind
Subramaniam, Chanda Kochhar,
Craig Calhoun, Erik Berglof, Jason
Burke, Mridula Sinha, Nasser Munjee,
Pavan K Verma, Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
Raghuram Rajan, Sam Pitroda,
Shashi Tharoor, Shivshankar Menon,
Siddharth Varadarajan, Sukhadeo
Thorat, Urjit Patel, Yashwant Sinha and
Yogendra Yadav.
There will be talks by Amitav Ghosh
and Srda Popovic. Ghosh, the award
winning author will speak on the
journeys of Parsi merchants’ trades
Adam Roberts
Chanda Kochhar
Amartya Sen
B Toby Dodge
Nasser Munjee
Devesh Kapur
Darryl Li
Erik Berglof
78
Nic Stern
Mukul Banerjee
www.timelinegoa.in
Amitav Ghosh
Uday Bhaskar
Talmiz Ahmad
Yogendra Yada
and travels from India to China in
the 19th century.
Popovic is a Serbian political
activist. He was a leader of the student
movement Otpor! that helped topple
Serbian dictator Slobodan Milošević.
After briefly pursuing a political career
in Serbia, in 2003 he established the
Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action
and Strategies (CANVAS).
In the lead-up to its first year’s
programme in Goa, the festival is
mobilising student bodies to run
Daring Debates across campuses in
five cities in India. Being curated by
Television for the Environment (tv/e),
this series of debates aims at making
the universities and students a part of
the overall discourse.
Furthermore Daring Debates is
an initiative to promote discussion
Partha Mukho
Pratap Bhanu Mehta
Vidhya Das
around notions of being civilised
in contemporary India; and its
implications on our sense of self and
citizenship in a democracy that is
looking inward as much as outward.
The debates will take place in Mumbai,
Delhi, Kolkata, Goa and Guwahati.
The Goa Edition will take place at
Goa University on December 9 and
will be judged by author-publisher
Frederick Noronha and actor Pooja
Bedi. All the participants will receive
a participation certificate. The two
winners will be provided with gift
vouchers along with a place to battle
in the finale of Daring Debates on 30
January, 2016 at the International
Centre of Goa with winners selected
from other cities.
The topic for the debate, “Can Civil
Society Advance Social Change” will be
Raghuram Rajan
contested between various teams each
consisting two members, one speaking
for, and the other against, the motion.
Students from various colleges will be
competing at their assigned venues in
their respective cities.
A public exhibition of rare
documents from the archives of the
Reserve Bank of India (Pune) will
accompany the LSE India Summit
2016. The RBI Archives were
established in 1981 with the twin
objectives of serving as a repository
of the non-current permanent records
and acting as the central archives
of the Reserve Bank of India. There
will also be film screenings and
music performances throughout the
three-day event. ±
Sam Pitroda
Siddharth Varadarajan
Rinku Murgai
Srdja Popovic
Urjit Patel
Shivshankar Menon
Rukmini Banerji
Professor Craig Calhoun
Shubhrangshu
Choudhary
79
HAPPENINGS
Baked for Christmas
Park Hyatt’s pastry Chef Nelson gets ready for the cake mixing event
80
www.timelinegoa.in
FC Goa players join hands with the rest at the Goa Mariott
A
s Christmas
approaches star
properties across
Goa race to get their cakes
into the oven. Special
cake mixing sessions are
organized every year that
bring parents and kids
together for some fun with
with dough, dry fruits,
spices and other condiments
required. Park Hyatt Goa
Resort and Spa’s Pastry Chef
Nelson, shared tips with
guests on how to balance
dry fruit with wine and
preserve it for the perfect
cake mix. Close to 300 kilos
of assorted dry fruits were
mixed with cinnamons,
nutmeg and generous
amounts of liquor (more
than 25 litres) which will be
stored at room temperature
in the bakery, to soak in
all the liquid and mature
beautifully in time for the
festive season.
The Grand Hyatt in
Bambolim showcased their
sweet side too with their
chefs guiding the merry
bunch through the finer
particulars of cake mixing.
The resort’s pastry shop;
Confeitaria was the scene
of all activity with General
Manager, Jaco Le Roux and
Executive Chef Mark Long
leading the event.
In Miramar, the Goa
Mariott Resort & Spa hosted
a cake mixing at their
poolside patio. The invitees
gamely donned aprons,
gloves and caps, and armed
themselves with bottles
of liquor, ready to tackle
the colourful mounds of
dry fruits, nuts and spices.
Setting aside footie for a
while, the FC boys including
Lucio, Gregory Arnolin
and Jofre Mateu joined the
festivities and got into the
mix of it. The cake mixture
included ten varieties of
nuts & dry fruits and a
variety of aromatic Indian
spices soaked in liquor. A
five hundred kilogram mix
was made with cashew nuts,
almonds, black currents,
ginger peel, orange peel, figs,
dates, glazed cherries, raisins
& sultanas. Some of the
aromatic Indian spices used
were cinnamon powder,
cloves powder, cardamom
powder, dry ginger powder,
nutmeg powder, star
anise, etc. and the liquors
included rum, brandy, port
wine, cointreau, sherry, red
wine & white wine.
It’s going to be a
sweet Christmas. ±
81
HAPPENINGS
COOKING FOR A CAUSE
G
oa being a culinary
haven is nothing
new. In recent times
apart from experiencing a
varied food pallete, foodies
are adorning the aprons
and trying their hand at
whipping up some of their
own specials. Recently the
second edition of “Hyatt
Culinary Challenge - people
cooking for people” held at
the Grand Hyatt brought
many professionals from
various arenas on a common
kitchen to show off their
culinary expertise. The
collaborative effort by the
Grand Hyatt Goa and Park
Hyatt Goa, brought 13
participants together to
showcase their cooking
expertise. Participants
included, Nikhil Desai,
MDGTDC, Manguirish
Pai Raiker, Chairman
National Council for SME,
ASSOCHAM, Captain James
Braganza, Captain of Ports,
Government of Goa, Wilfried
Theissen, CEO, Putzmeister
Concrete Machines Ltd,
Sasi Kumar, Senior VP,
Caper Travels, Marisha
Dutt, Owner and Publisher,
82
Goa Streets, Jaideep
Redkar, General Manager
of Rosenberger India,
Aanish Sadasivan of Aanish
Sadasivan Architects, Varun
Carvalho, Songwriter and
Dentist, Samira Sheth, art
curator, Bhakti Dalvi Kamat
and Radhika Timblo.
Judges Sarah Todd from
Master Chef Australia, Yellow
Mehra, Owner of Fiesta
Restaurant and Executive
Chef Mark Anthony Long
of Grand Hyatt Goa had
a tough decision to make.
Finally after a gruelling few
hours, Aanish Sadasivan of
Aanish Sadasivan Architects
along with Priti Kevadkar
of SMILE Foundation took
home the winning trophy of
the semi-final cook off for his
interesting combination of
Toddy Chicken with Steamed
Rice. Aanish travelled to
the Grand Hyatt Mumbai
for the finale. Jaideep
Redkar, General Manager
of Rosenberger India took
home the runner up trophy
along with his apprentice
Sunanda Varak for his
version of Chicken Cafreal.
Harleen Mehta, Vice
President Sales Operations,
Hyatt South Asia said that
the the Hyatt Culinary
Challenge was ‘an endeavor
to bring together people to
celebrate their passion for
food and make a difference
to the community while
doing so’. This event was
held in association with
the SMILE Foundation.
According to Vikram Singh
Verma, COO, SMILE
Foundation, “We are
overwhelmed by the support
from Hyatt India and hope
for continued collaboration
in the future to see lasting
impact in the up liftment of
our local communities.”
www.timelinegoa.in
Partying with the Ghosts and
Goblins on Halloween
A
s darkness fell,
they crept out of
their hiding dens.
Draculas, mad hatters,
ghosts and their likes
walked the party scene
this Halloween. Club Zero
Gravity in Anjuna welcomed
the large gatherings at their
Halloween special night.
Girls and boys ditched the
razzle and dazzle of party
wear for some white paint,
and weird dos, just so that
they could join the fancy
dress. Zero Gravity certainly
brought Goosebumps with
their theme fest. There
were high energy dancers,
glow painters, a costume
contest for the best dressed
creature of the night. The
music spilled on late into
the night and there was no
dearth of pulsating music
to keep these ghosts and
goblins on their feet.
83
HAPPENINGS
Life in the Luxe Lane
A
combination of fast
cars and luxury is
what customers
indulged in at the
LuxeDrive event organised
by Mercedes-Benz. This
exclusive experiential
event fascinated customers
through a perfect blend of
adrenaline, gourmet and
haute couture. It showcased
the technical expertise and
superior performance of
Mercedes-Benz range of
vehicles, through a series of
self-driving exercises on a
specially designed test track.
Mercedes-Benz tied
up with the Michelin
Star Chef Vikas Khanna
to create a special menu
for the event along with a
personal engagement with
participants. The fashion
conscious browsed through
84
The Collective’s premium
range of couture via their
online portal. Patrons also
shopped till their hearts
content at the merchandise
store. Children had fun at
the kids zone while their
parents/relatives walked
around the space.
Roland Folger, Managing
Director and CEO,
Mercedes-Benz India,
commented, that Goa is
an emerging market with
a strong growth potential
for luxury cars. “We
have witnessed a strong
preference for our products
in this market and have
posted a robust 52% growth
in the first three quarters
this year. We are confident
that LuxeDrive will receive
a strong customer response
in Goa and fascinate our
Roland Folger and Aakash Khaunte
Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna hosting
a special workshop
customers in Goa.”
Aakash Khaunte,
Managing Director, Counto
Motors, added that they have
witnessed ‘our customer
base increasing substantially
in the last few years’.
“We are set to give our
customers an unparalleled
luxury experience through
LuxeDrive. We are delighted
to bring this one of its kind
event to Goa and create a
customer centric engagement
experience through it.”
www.timelinegoa.in
Cultural Celebrations
I
n it’s seventh edition, the
Semana de Cultura Indo
Portuguesa kicked off
with an interactive session
on the Goan Diaspora.
Founder of World Goa
Day Rene Mendes was
one of the speakers at the
inaugural. Artist and writer
Savia Viegas’ photography
exhibition ‘Moments,
Memory & Memorabilia’
was also showcased at
the event. The festivities
continued with a fado
singing competition in
an effort to promote the
beautiful folk song. The
two-day Food and Music
Festival saw a sumptuous
spread of Goan - Portuguese
cuisine including traditional
delicacies. It hosted
Goan musicians perform
through the evenings.
Movie buffs can catch the
Lusofonia Film Festival at
the Maquinez Palace from
11 to 14 December.
HAPPENINGS
Pao anyone?
S
ocorro, the centre of
cultural activities for
the past few months
recently hosted the unique
Poderanche Fest. Organized
jointly by the Soccoro SocioArt and Cultural Association
and All Goa Association
of Bakers (AGAB) the fest
brought people from all
over Goa to the village.
The pao took the form of
crocodile, fish, star fish,
tortoise, baskets, fruits, caps
and many more artistically
designed in various forms.
The function began
with a massin honour of
Saint Honores, the Patron
Saint of Bakers.
The evening dedicated
to the baker, featured Goa’s
favourite breads like poiee,
86
undo, kattreia pao and
kakkon. Everyone relished
them with their regular
delicacies of chicken,
sausages, sorpotel, batata
wada and alssane bhaji.
Marius Fernandes,
festival director said, “In
order to promote the bakery
business in the state, history
of local bread, various job
opportunities available,
workshop, government
schemes and other
programmes, a website was
launched on the occasion.”
The festival has given this
traditional occupation a new
lease of life. ±
www.timelinegoa.in
LISTINGS
What’s
Where?
Happening
Monday
Live Music
Enjoy a quiet meal with family or friends with Kenny
in attendance to set the right mood for the evening at
Martin’s Corner, Betalbatim.
Karaoke Night
Live it up with your favourite songs at Chef Fernando’s
Nostalgia’s fun karaoke session in Loutolim. Language is no
bar at Guru’s Bar and Restaurant in Anjuna. You can sing in
English, Hindi or even Russian.
Tuesday
Live Music
Those in the South will enjoy some jazz music at Firefly
Goan Bistro in Benaulim located close to the beach.
Country fans will enjoy their Tuesday evenings at Cafe
Mojos, Panjim. You can also indulge in a little play of luck
at the Chances Resort and Casino, Dona Paula. Enjoy their
retro Bollywood, jazz music and more.
Dimsum Basket
Wednesday
Thursday
Ladies Night
Retro Vibe
Get the girlie gang together for a fun night out as it’s Ladies
Night on Wednesdays at Club Sinq, Candolim, Cafe Mojos,
Panaji, Club Cabana, Arpora and Club Zero Grativity,
Anjuna.
Pizza Time
Have a pizza night with friends and family at Ciao Bella,
Assagao. They have a selection of authentic Italian wood
fired pizzas.
88
Live Music
Enjoy a delicious spread from the unlimited (veg and nonveg) dimsum fare cooked in steam baskets at Zuri, White
Sands, Varca.
Swing to some of your favourite oldies on Thursday Retro
night at Sinq Beach Club, Candolim.
Sing Along
Make your Thursdays a MohitoThursday at Cohiba,
Sinquerim. All you have to do is croon a song and get
yourself a mohito.
Sea Food Night
Indulge in a sea food spread at the Fisherman’s Wharf,
Cavelossim.
www.timelinegoa.in
Live Music
South Goa isn’t that all quiet after all. Every Friday you
can catch live music with Krishna, Nostalgia, Loutolim and
Emmanuel-one man band sets the tune at Joets Bogmalo,
Vasco.
Saturday
Pub Hoping
DJ Music
Enjoy some hip and house music at Cafe Mambos, Baga as
DJ Rinton sets you dancing.
Live Music
Enjoy a hearty Goan meal with Cedric to serenade you at
Chef Fernado’s Nostalgia, Loutolim.
Everyone’s favourite party house sets the tone for the
weekend with DJs Ajit and Jay spinning some hip hop and
house music at Café Mambos, Baga. Next hop to Cape
Town Cafe in the area or head further out to Sinq. It is the
place to catch all the excitement on the weekend with RJ
Rinton and Mr E. Dance to their tunes or lounge by the
pool, the choice is endless. Its Rs 1500 per couple and Rs 500
for ladies.
Friday
Live Music
Enjoy a night with Nick and Noah at O Coqueiro,
Porvorim.
Ghazal Night
If you love Ghazals then Casino Carnival has just the
evening planned for you. Every Friday you can listen to
your favourite tunes, while playing with lady luck.
Jazz and Rock and Roll
Be entertained with blues, rock and rock and roll at Butter,
Panaji.
Karaoke
For a quiet meal by the river head out to Terry’s by the
Betim Ferry wharf. You can sing while you eat as Saturday
calls for Karaoke at the restaurant.
Sunday
Sizzler Night with Karaoke
Take a break from the usual menu and dig into some juicy
Sizzlers. You can choose song and sing to your heart’s
content with Karaoke at The Palms, Palmarinha Resort and
Suites, Calangute.
Juke Box
Play your favourite tunes from the Mojo’s Digital Juke Box
on Sunday evenings at Cafe Mojos, Panaji.
A Goan Fare
Retro Tunes
Shake a leg to your favourite retro tunes as band Crimson
Tide sets the mood for the Friday night at Cavala, Baga.
Saxy Aggie sets the tune on a lazy Sunday. Order your
favourite Goan dishes as the chefs are known for their
sumptuous preparations at Fernando’s Nostalgia.
Karaoke
Head out to Boomerang, Colva to sing to your heart’s
content.
89
ENTERTAINMENT
Movies
Hollywood
Spectre
The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay – Part 2
Jennifer Lawrence returns to the silver screen in the hit series The
Hunger Games: Mockingjay. The second part is out this month. Katniss
Everdeen teams with her closest friends including Peeta, Gale and
Finnick for the final mission. They leave District 13 to liberate the
citizens of war-torn Panem and assassinate President Snow, who’s out to
destroy Katniss. Soon all will be revealed.
90
James Bond fans will be pleased that
their favourite spy 007 is back on the
silver screen. Daniel Craig’s Spectre,
the 24th film in the Bond franchise is
directed by Sam Mendes. It stars Ralph
Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris,
Rory Kinnear, Christoph Waltz and
Monica Bellucci.
A sudden cryptic message from the
past sends Bond on a rogue mission
to Mexico City and eventually Rome.
Here he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica
Belluci), widow of an infamous
criminal. He infiltrates a secret meeting
where he unearths the existence of a
sinister organisation known as Spectre.
He continues to untangle this dark web
and enlists the help of Moneypenny
(Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw)
to help him find Madeleine Swann
(Lea Seydoux), the daughter of his old
nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen).
She may hold the key to unlocking this
dark spectre. We’ll leave you to watch
the film to find it how the mystery
unfolds.
www.timelinegoa.in
Bollywood
Tamasha
Star crossed lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone
share the same screen space once again for Tamasha.
Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala the story revolves around Ved,
played by Kapoor. His childhood visits to the local storyteller
infused a spirit of storytelling in him. He would hear the
lives of the brave and courageous like Helen of Troy, Laila
Majnu, Heer Ranjha, to the magical Aladin and romantic
Romeo Juliet. Now grown up, when he meets Tara, played
by Deepika in Corsica they decide to spin a story around
themselves. They live their fake identities with no hope of
ever meeting again. But they do. Will they tell each other the
truth? Their story travels from Corsica, Simla, Delhi, Calcutta
to Japan. Fun, rage, laughter. Defeat, victory. Tamasha
Bajirao Mastani
This one’s a big one! An action packed movie that stars
leading ladies of Indian cinema-Deepika Padukone and
Priyanka Chopra. Bajirao Mastani takes you back to the
Maratha period. Sanjay Leela Bhansali known for his
elaborate set designs casts Ranveer Singh as Peshwa Baji
Rao 1 of the Maratha Empire and his second wife Mastani
is played by Deepika. Priyanka portrays Bajirao’s first wife
Kashibai. You will have to watch the movie to learn more
about this noted Maratha Peshwa.
DVD
Manjhi-The
Mountain Man
Khetan Mehta’s film Manjhi-The Mountain Man
tugged out heart’s strings with his vivid portrayal of
the man who broke a mountain. Based on the life
of Dashrath Manjhi, a poor labourer from Bihar, the
cinematic treat was a crowd puller. He carved a path 9.1
metres (30 ft) wide and 110 metres (360 ft) long through
a hill 7.6 metres (25 ft) using only a hammer and chisel.
If you have missed it in theatres, here’s your chance to
buy the DVD online as it hits online portals this month.
91
ASTROLOGY
Star Trek
Dear Cancer, occupying one of
the most mysterious fragments of
celestial belt, will face a cascade of
circumstances in November 2015. In
work, the zodiac sign will be faced
with a minimal number of problems.
You can count on stability. With regard
to the sensory-emotional sphere,
the zodiac Cancerean is unlikely to
achieve its goals. If you want to solve
some large-scale conflict affecting your
friends and loved ones, the result of
your actions will create more problems.
So do not interfere with anything. It is
necessary to show restraint.
92
TAURUS
GEMINI
Dear Taurus, November 2015
will be extremely negative phase of
life. However, do not give up. The
sphere of personal relations will be
no less prosaic than the sphere of
finance. Be prepared for the fact that
your significant other will start to
behave inappropriately. Maybe she
will have her reasons. What matters
is how you are able to cope with the
problem. Of course, this will lead to
the breakdown of the relationship,
and considering the currently strained
relations with relatives, that would not
the best ending.
Dear Gemini, you will be exposed
to an abnormally negative energy
background in November 2015. The
financial direction will not be as
negative as it might seem. Based on the
overall energy situation, we can assume
that in general, your life will not be the
most successful one right now. In terms
of personal relationships, it is advised,
to keep below the grass and be quieter
than water. Do not rush to make vital
decisions - especially under pressure.
Try to find solace in the company of
friends, perhaps.
Dear Leo, November 2015 can
become quite an interesting month.
It can turn up to be memorable and
dynamic, though not all positive. The
work front will have a lot to solve. In
terms of personal relations, everything
will be a little more specific and
unambiguous for the sign of Leo than
in the field of business and finance
in November 2014. Here, everything
is relatively clear about your current
opponents from the first ten days and
you’ll be perfectly prepared for what
you will encounter.
VIRGO
CANCER
Dear Aries, you will receive a strong
enough support from traditional
patrons this month. The working
direction of November 2015 will be
uniquely rich in all sorts of problems
and misunderstandings, such that can
easily unbalance even the most stable
member of this powerful sign. The love
front will be filled to the limit of no less
vivid and powerful negative moments
for the zodiac sign. If you decide to
have a party, do not be surprised if the
whole area will suddenly lose electricity.
LEO
ARIES
Shalom David deciphers what the stars foretell
Dear Virgo the scope of business
will be a stable direction. All of
your current projects will find their
logical conclusion, but the level of
implementation will be frankly far
from complete failure. The sensoryemotional sphere will be much more
negative than the working direction.
It is likely that you will have to
go through a rupture of relations.
However, make no mistake, the reason
for this situation is not hiding in some
circumstances or external factors.
All the fault will be on your personal
actions and words.
www.timelinegoa.in
capricon
aquarius
Dear Capricorn will face many
situations in November 2015 of which
there will not be an objectively solely
positive output. The sphere of finance
and business will be, to put it mildly,
not the most successful line of action
for the Capricorn in November 2015.
Aim to complete all of your current
projects at any cost. The sphere of
personal relations is unlikely to be
materially different from what we see
in the working direction for Capricorn
zodiac sign in November 2015.
Dear Aquarius, will not be in a bad
situation in November 2015. That is
due to actual individual combinations
of celestial bodies. The working
direction is not so scary and hopeless.
Due to the influence of Mercury you
can be confident that you will have a
good chance to finish all of the latest
projects in time. With regard to the
sensory-emotional sphere, the zodiac
sign will be a little less successful here
in November 2015 than in the working
direction. You will have to cope with all
the problems on your own, which will
be extremely difficult due to the almost
complete lack of vitality.
sagittarius
scorpio
Dear Scorpio you will be lucky
in November 2015. It will be one of
the few signs in respect to which the
celestial bodies of the solar system
will develop in a rather positive
combination. The sphere of finance
and entrepreneurship will definitely
be successful for the zodiac sign of
Scorpio in November 2015. Although
you will have to give it a good try and
you will be required to produce voltage
– not so much physically, as through
psychological and emotional resources.
Dear Sagittarius, in November
2015, we can say little. In fact, the
representatives of this signs will see
the coming life stage not for what it
is in reality. Regarding the scope of
finance and business of November
2015, Sagittarius will have a difficult
and an ambiguous time. In the area
of personal relationships, the zodiac
sign of Sagittarius may expect very
big luck. Perhaps you will find your
soul mate, or perhaps you will be
freed at last from the problematic
relationships in your life.
pisces
libra
Dear Libra, you will have to go
through a whole series of unique
tests in November 2015, much like
many other signs. These tests may
prove to be fatal to one or another
aspect of their lives. In any case,
the zodiac sign of Libra should not
expect to have many problems in the
direction of work in November 2015.
The sphere of personal relations may
very well become a testing ground
for experiments for the sign of Libra
in November 2015.
Dear Pisces, you will be in a
tricky, but clearly a positive situation
in November 2015. The scope of
entrepreneurship and finance will
not bring the zodiac sign of Pisces
crazy profits in November 2015,
however, there will clearly be a lack
of unambiguously negative situations
that could have a powerful negative
development. This means that you can
move to your target slowly, steadily and
confidently. The love front of November
2015 will be a calm enough direction
for the zodiac sign of Pisces.
93
INFO
Must
See,
Do
Beaches
North
While most tourists seek
Goa’s heady beach belt
of Baga, Calangute and
Anjuna, visitors would
find it rewarding to head
further North to the solace
of Arambol, Mandrem and
Morjim. Enjoy the calm of
the cool breezes brushing
against the pristine waters
minus the cacophony of
motor boats and thronging
crowds. A popular spot
for yoga practitioners and
seekers of zen, you can
indulge in some serious
relaxation and meditation.
SOUth
It’s in the extreme tips that
you may find your peace
haven in Goa. Canacona,
located at the tip of Goa’s
southern border, is a perfect
escape for those this side
of Goa. Stay rustic at the
bamboo huts at Cola
beach or relax at a beach
shack to enjoy the perfect
sunset. On weekends
you can even groove to
music yet in silence at the
Silent Noise party.
Islands
Goa’s long stretch of inland
waterways offers many
lesser known, unexplored
islands like Divar, St Esteve,
Chorao, Bat Island and St
94
Explore Goa’s famous landmarks and
those off the beaten track
Jacinto. Bird watchers will
enjoy spotting Goa’s avian
creatures at the Salim Ali
Bird Sanctuary at Chorao.
Ride around aimlessly
through Divar’s gliding roads
or take in the breathtaking
view of the meandering
Mandovi river from the hill
top. The vistas offer plenty of
selfie moments for a picture
perfect holiday.
Museums
Museums in Goa offer a
treasure trove of historical
nuggets, showing glimpses
into Goa’s past. If you are in
and around Panjim, the state
run museum of the Indian
Customs and Central Excise
houses interesting and varied
artefacts for the history lover.
In the South, Goa Chitra
in Benaulim offers an age
old view of rural Goa while
in Old Goa and Rachol
invaluable offerings of
Christian art will fascinate
visitors. The Naval Aviation
museum in the port city of
Vasco displays old fighter
planes and more..
Religion
Goa’s religious landscape
is as variegated as it’s past.
Each ruler introduced his
own belief systems on the
local population leaving
behind testaments to various
faiths. Temples abound in
the interiors of Bicholim,
Marcel, Ponda, common
sites for Hindu pilgrims from
across the country. A must
on the itinerary is Goa’s
oldest temple at Tambdi
Surla. The 12th century
Shiva temple attracts visitors
not only for its intricate
black basalt carvings, but for
the waterfall close by too.
Christianity, brought by
the Portuguese, grew and
flourished in Goa during
their regime. Tall white
washed edifices mark
the skyline. Besides the
Basilica de Bom Jesus and
Se Cathedra,l visit the
other beautifully adorned
churches in Old Goa and
the many hillside chapels
across the state.
Heritage
Homes
The Portuguese not only
left behind a religion,
but influenced local
architecture too. The
grand old homes with their
balcaos and sloping roofs
stand in all their glory at
many locations. Some like
the Menezes Branganza
mansion in Chandor
have been converted into
museums. The Figueiredo
home in Loutulim is another
magnificent old mansion.
www.timelinegoa.in
Flight Timings
Airlines
Air Asia
Go Air
Indigo
Spicejet
Vistara
Airlines
Air Asia
Go Air
Indigo
Jetair
Spicejet
Vistara
Depature (Goa to DELHI)
07:15, 13:55, 15:00, 16:05, 22:00
18:30
14:20, 13:50, 16:00, 16:30, 17:20, 21:55
13:35, 15:55
14:30
Depature (Goa to MUMBAI)
Airlines
Air Asia
Air India
Go Air
Indigo
Jetair
07:15, 15:00, 17:40, 22:20
06:50, 16:00, 16:35, 23:55
13:30, 13:55, 14:35, 15:05, 16:40, 17:20
05:00, 07:00, 07:05, 13:40, 14:35, 16:40, 18:50
13:45, 18:05
Depature (Goa to BANGALORE)
08:05, 14:50, 16:45
04:10, 13:45
14:50
08:10, 16:00
14:40
15:20
Railway Timings
Train schedules from
Margao to Mumbai CST
Train schedules from Margao to Delhi
Train
No.
Dep.
Time
Destination
Arr.
Time
Travel
Time
12450 Goa Smprk K Exp New Delhi
06:20
12618 Mngla Lksdp Exp H Nizamuddin 09:15
22654 Nzm Tvc Sf Exp H Nizamuddin 10:05
22660 Ddn Kcvl Sup Exp H Nizamuddin 13:55
12780
Goa Express H Nizamuddin 15:00
Margao
Margao
Margao
Margao
Margao
15:00
20:30
21:00
22:25
05:40
32:40
35:15
34:55
32:30
38:40
Train Name
Origin
Days Of Run
M
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
T
N
Y
N
N
Y
W TH F SA SU
N N N Y N
Y Y Y Y Y
N N N N N
N N N N N
Y Y Y Y Y
Tr.
Num
10104
10112
12134
Tr. Name
Mandovi Exp
Konkan Kanya Exp
Mumbai Exp
Dep.
Time
08:30
16:45
21:50
Arrival
Time
21:40
05:50
10:33
Tuesday Goa (Madgaon) to Bangalore (Yeshwantpur)
Train
No.
Train Name
Dep.
Time
Destination
Arr.
Time
Travel
Time
17309
Ypr Vasco Exp Yesvantpur Jn 14:30
Margao
05:15
14:45
Origin
Days Of Run
M
N
T W TH F SA SU
Y N N N N Y
Wednesday Goa (Madgaon) to Bangalore (Yeshwantpur)
Train
No.
Train Name
17316
Vlk Vsg Exp
Dep.
Time
Destination
Arr. Travel
Time Time
Krishnarajapuram 12:00
Margao
05:15
Origin
17:15
Days Of Run
M
N
T W TH F SA SU
N Y N N N N
Friday Goa (Madgaon) to Bangalore (Yeshwantpur)
Train
No.
17311
Dep.
Time
Destination
Arr. Travel
Time Time
Mas Vasco Exp Krishnarajapuram 20:10
Margao
11:55
Train Name
Origin
15:45
Days Of Run
M
N
T W TH F SA
N N N Y N
SU
N
PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE NUMBERS
Departments
Phone Numbers
Police100
Fire101
Ambulance
108 / 102
Goa Tourism Development Tel: (832)-2424001/02/03
Corporation Ltd
Fax: +(91)-(832)-2423926/2430133
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.goa-tourism.com
Airport Facilitation Counter
Tel: +(91)-(832)-2540031, 2540829
Fax: +(91)-(832)-2423926
Email: [email protected]
Margao Railway Station Tel: +(91)-(832)-2715851
Helpdesk/Ticket Counter
Fax: +(91)-(832)-2423926
Email: [email protected]
Hospitals and Blood Banks
Casualty (GMC), Bambolim
GMC Bambolim
Asilo, Mapusa
Hospicio, Margao
Hospicio Blood Bank, Margao
Blood Bank, Margao
GMC, Bambolim
Blood Bank
Vintage Hospital, Panaji
Apollo Nusi Hospital, Cuncolim
Apollo Nusi Hospitlal.
Manipal Goa Hospital, Dona Paula.
Phone Numbers
2223026
2233700-707
2262211/ 2262372
2722164
2703801
2705167/ 664
2233700-707
2223037
2232533/ 2426670
2862903
2863333
2843111
Ambulance
Indian Red Cross Society, Panaji
Care Foundation, Miramar
Esperanca Clinic, Miramar
Ambulance Trust, Margao
Phone Numbers
2224601
2423488/9
2222413
2723129, 2731759
GATES 102
Pernem9822980721
Verna 9822980726
Airways
Jet Airways
Air Sahara
Indian Airlines
Air Deccan
Phone Numbers
1800 22 55 22, 022-39893333
Airport : 2540029, 2540005
1800 22 3020 / 3989 3333, 2230237,
2230634, 5641932/33
Airport : 2540020, 2541211
2431100-04, 2225172, 2426363,
24282822, 2428181
Airport : 2542444/45/46/47/48
2438950/51/52 Airport : 2542380
Roadways Enquiry
K. T. C.
M. S. R. T.
K. S. R. T. C.
Phone Numbers
2438034/2438035
2438253
2438256
95
FESTIVALS
Commemorating Goa’s
Patron Saint
In Praise of
Guru Nanak
Thousands of pilgrims make their way to Old Goa for the feast of St
Francis Xavier. Both Catholics non-Catholics alike attend by the droves
and pay reverence to the relics of the saint housed at Bom Jesus. The feast
is celebrated with great fervour and later people walk through the huge
fair along the fringes of the Basilica. Walking pilgrimages from Mangalore
and surrounding areas to Goa are organised as well.
The Jesuit priest is known for his evangelical work notably in
India and his extensive mission in other parts of Asia. He was a
companion of St Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits of
the order in 1534.
The Spanish born saint came to India with the Portuguese Viceroy of
Goa in 1543, where he began his missionary work. He then sailed to the
Spice Islands in 1545, and then went on to Japan in 1549 for a year. After
returning to India for 15months, he proceeded to China. It was at the
Sancian Island, about 10-km from the mainland of China that he died of
fever on December 2, 1552.
The journey of his mortal remains from Asia to it’s final resting place in
Goa is one of wonder and retold countless times. ±
96
This festival celebrates the birth of Nanak
Dev, the first Sikh guru and founder of
the religion. He was born in 1469 AD
at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi, 30 miles from
Lahore. Special programmes and kirtans
are arranged on this day and it marks the
culmination of the Prabhat Pheris, the
early morning processions that start from
the Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) and then
proceeds around the localities singing
‘shabads’ (hymns). On the festival day
the Guru Granth Sahib is also carried in
a procession on a float, decorated with
flowers, throughout the village or city.
Local bands playing religious music form a
special part of the procession. Free sweets
and community lunches, or langar, are
offered to everyone irrespective of faith.
Men, women, and children, participate in
this karseva as service to the community
by cooking food and distributing it
in the ‘Guru ka Langar’, with the
traditional ‘Karah Prasad’.
www.timelinegoa.in