So we have all heard of Goa’s party spots and we have all heard of its old churches. We know Goan seafood is delicious, alcohol is cheap and plentiful, South Goa is rife with overpriced resorts, and Panjim ferry trips are fun. If you think about it, Goa is the quintessential tourist destination, written about to death, exhausted beyond boredom.
Think again. Look past the crowds in Baga and Calangute to poke around indoors. Once you get to the place where the hum of two-wheelers dies down, look around. You will see enchanting low hills on the horizon, rice fields stretching out into green expanses, and backdrops dotted with coconut palms.
Panjim, the capital city, is often ignored by tourists, or only used to communicate with the state. Much administrative work is carried out in Panjim and it is noisier, more polluted, less interesting than the rest of the state. But venture into Fontainhas, Panjim’s old quarter, and you’ll see quaint Portuguese bungalows with colorfully painted columns. Magnificent chapels here have windows decorated with marigold flowers and some have earthenware lamps that burn outside in an intriguing mix of cultures and religious practices.
31st January Road is one of those places. Lined with neoclassical bungalows in shades of butter yellow, dull blue and faded olive green on one side, and Pato Creek on the other, the cobbled streets of this area are more reminiscent of a European village than an Indian capital. The area is full of alternative art galleries and heritage hotels, places that keep their old furniture and architecture to give you a window into a past that once was.
Portuguese was the official language of Goa until the 1960s. This is still evident in the quaint nameplates that hang outside these bungalows, delicately carved from wood, written in letters with great flourishes. Drive along the main road of Panjim passing Miramar beach and stop for lunch at ‘Mama’s Kitchen’, a restaurant completely dedicated to preserving the original Goan recipes, home cooked food, with ingredients ranging from vinegar to palm wine, beef and dried peppercorns.
Go further south to discover the hidden side of Goa. Small rivers cross the roads here to meet the sea. There are places where vegetation blocks the sunlight and forms canopies for you to drive under, where small towns have rural lifestyles unaffected by the tourist commercialization the state has been witnessing. Everywhere there are small bodies of water with lotuses and water lilies. These places in Goa have an excess of green.
The vegetation opens up to white sands and a blue, blue sea. Forget the tourist bus-friendly beaches and head for secluded beaches. Betalbatim, Utorda, Bogmalo and Velsao are spectacular and spotlessly clean. Free of hawkers, some of these beaches are dotted with small shacks serving spicy vindaloo and Manchurian gobhi with beer, brewed with barley or assorted fruits. Just choose your choice.
If you are visiting Goa for the first time, get a massage at Calangute by all means. Shop for trinkets from the vendors in Baga and go shake a leg at Tito’s. But don’t forget to look further afield to discover these hidden places in this beautiful and peaceful state.
