Literally, GOAt!

Goa is a place that’s extremely close to my heart! 🤗 In fact, a piece of my ❤ lives there and always will! 😉

I’d spend summer vacations at Nana’s, and back then, the cacophony of sounds in her bustling homestead prevented me from fully soaking in the peace of the place.

But as I grew older, and developed a penchant for the silences, I realized living in a tiny, unpretentious hamlet is truly an elixir for the soul!

It’s what let my Nana live to a ripe, old age. Rural life is demanding, and those who pass the test with flying colours often are blessed with unhurried patience, unflinching fortitude, unwavering determination, and of course, unconditional good health.

The availability of great coastal cuisine and cheap liquor, coupled with an extremely “liberal” way of life, that is sometimes way too accepting of other more “serious” vices, is what has earned this tiny little Indian state its reputation of being a true party animal’s paradise!

I, however, have never been able to reconcile with this “wild” image of Goa painted by her tourists! Being an “insider” of sorts, I’m privy to its sublime side. And it’s such a pretty picture, I can’t ever seem to let go of it from my head!

There are times when I don’t wish to divulge the “insider information” I possess, lest these gems I’ve stumbled across and have come to know and cherish turn into touristy traps! 🙄

But I recently got the opportunity to work with my son on an amazing project. We were asked to design a brochure that strictly avoided the usual gimmicky tropes. Several of his classmates came up with paraphernalia on Goa that lent a ‘been-there, done-that, next please!’ kind of a vibe.

But it pays to be a native after all! And I really thought it’d give my kid an edge if I spilt the beans! 😉

So, here’s my pick on what you should be doing when you’re down next in this tropical haven. Of course, given a chance, I’d dip my feet in the hot water springs of Pomburpa, or try catching the slithery silver fish in the sparkling rivers snaking through the lush paddy fields, maybe exploring the secrets of the derelict mansion so close to my house, or maybe just praying in one of the many whitewashed chapels that never fail to mesmerize me with their serenity. But that’s me! Someone who’s eternally chasing quiet and solitude. The itinerary I’ve chalked up is pretty offbeat and good enough for you☺ Happy Holidaying!

P. S. Loved, loved, loved illustrating for the project! 🤗🤗I can’t believe I thought of hand drawing the maps as well! I could be a cartographer in my next life!😉