At the junction where the ocean met the
sky, and the universe seemed a beautiful level playing field, the cruise ships
carrying holiday makers travelling the high seas, headed to the Vasco port.
Sitting right across the harbour from Vasco at a shack
in Siridao, with the expanse of the ocean, a few fishing boats bobbing, the
arrival of the cruise ship, languidly pulling into the port, was a fleeting
image of the world touching Goa. As we look into a season- not of plenty- but
expectimg hiccups of potential emptiness, it is not really difficult to get out
of haze of uncertainty and look at the simple touch points that make Goa
different. One cannot underline this enough. We can keep on looking at economic
indicators, the projects and the investment, at Vibrant Goa summits, at
flyovers and expressways, IT parks and ropeway projects. But the love magnet
that ropes the dreamer, the voyager, the settler and vagabond is just the same-
the chance to un-clutter, in simple ways that no power point presentation, or ad
campaign or a promotion, or even a column like this can ever do. And this comes
from places and people, from different touch points.
Yours truly shall ramble and touch such touch points,
which perhaps may give a drift of how Goa can be best consumed at its simplest.
And let it begin by right where we were sitting – we as in the family folks, a
dear cousin and his family at Cajetan’s shack. Cajetan, as one has before
mentioned, has literally grown up on the land where his shack is. In the woods
of Siridao, on the edge of resorts and high end residences, his is a rustic
cocoon. On this strip of sand stretching from Bambolim to Siridao, he watched
his father tap toddy, on the very patch of land we sat, on the edge of the
water. His ambition may not match the conventional race that most people run,
but it’s limited to his own sense of peace and happiness. All he wants is to
‘develop’ his shack a little better to make people “more comfortable”. But
Cajetan has his food and his God given place to give us all the comforts we
need- Fish straight from the ocean, prawns in rawa, each morsel exploding with
freshness and flavor, and a sausage pulao that can be stand alone meal for
breakfast lunch and dinner. He doesn’t do business. He just helps his mom do
what she does best, cook and feed.
Christoher Saleem Agha Bee, on the other hand has
moved from the sea to the charming “inland” of Assagao, quite a while ago and
his restaurant, ‘Sublime’ really needs no mention, introduction or even
elaboration. It’s Saleem, who needs to be spoken about, beyond his cheese
stuffed beef or his freshest salmon, or his “art on a plate” blogged and
written ad infinitum, as it should be. And while it’s a fact of birth and he is
the noted actor of yesteryears Jalal Agha’s son, that is not just who he is. He
is a wandering minstrel telling his stories of food, an artist, curating his
food but above all, a free spirit. He has traversed the world, spends time on a
gorgeous island in Europe for some time during the year, with cooking and music
as his companion, but has chosen, like so many, to make Goa home. His X factor,
and this has to be gleaned from his normal reticence, bordering on shyness, is
his devotional insistence on creating international food from only or mainly
what is available locally, using Goan vegetables fruit , fresh fish and working
with them to create dishes which can compete with any similar plate anywhere in
the world, is endearing. His takeaway is clear- when people travel, don’t give
them what they get elsewhere, source local but serve international.
We now move to a completely different side and vibe of
Goa, physically and metaphysically. On a Sunday evening last week, so many
families from South Goa as well as some from the north, gathered for a magical
evening- to hear the performance of the Sacred Music Choir- Aradhon, at the
Carmelite Monastery in Margao for a cause that was overwhelming. To raise funds
for a home for ageing women in Pajifond, a initiative of the Carmelite Fathers,
a home which is modern, great to live and supplemented with care. But beyond
this cause that evening, was the sheer joy of seeing families gather in massive
numbers, listen to singers, most of whom were from families we all know and
have an evening which was riveting. But here’s the slice of this story which
makes Goa what it is. Omar de Loiola Pereira, the music prodigy who was given a
guitar by his equally musically gifted priestly uncle, at seven, moved to
Australia to lead a life, but his heartstrings pulled him back to what he
really wanted- sing and teach and be a part of a musical movement which is
gracious and devout. His sacred choir is testimony of this devotion and he
teaches music to so many children to keep this going. The reasons for these
choices lie in their simplicity. That Sunday evening, was yet another
showcasing of the invisible bonds of community and togetherness which make Goa
unique.
There is perhaps no connection between the three
people in this narrative and the work they do. But each bring with them
different avatars of simplicity which in turn give joy to so many.
The roads and the investments will boost Goa’s coffers but its real
wealth lie in its people and those who choose this land to live in because they
love it like no other.
