Despite our desire to churn out fabulous superlatives to describe Goa, besides its natural beauty, Goa is a non happening place, compared to Bangalore or Pune. True many ‘escape’ to Goa for the peace and solitude, but since Goa has put its eggs in the tourism basket, some nightlife is in order. These initiatives, of course have to be small scale, well planned, regulated and qualify as healthy nightlife, coordinated with private operators.
All of these above adjectives imply that events should be planned well in advance, have necessary permissions, do not inconvenience locals and no illicit activities occur. Secondly, they should involve local event management companies, individuals, local performers, artisans and showcase handicrafts, cuisine, culture etc. Take the city of Panjim, nothing happens here after 8 pm, except for stray shops and ice-cream outlets being open. Tourists who drop late into the city, have no music, entertainment or food, except for good ole’ bhaiya, the chicken vending kiosks and Temptations outlet at Mira Mar.
The question the Tourism department should ask is –what new do you offer tourists, every passing year? After the Churches, Temples, Beaches and water sports formula, what more is on offer? Except for the Baga-Candolim belt and perhaps some starred hotels, there is no entertainment. As yet another tourist season approaches, the department, which was ruminating on letting out its premises should get these and other public areas such as Garcia de Orta, Margao gardens buzzing with artistes, music, stalls, at least to begin with, on Saturdays and Sundays.
In Panjim itself, the Saturday programmes at Garcia de Orta garden should be revived with young performers, actors and musicians as news of revival is in the air. Coupled with this, various shopping festivals or night bazaars should be organized by engaging the adjoining and 18th June road shop owners by decorating streets and offering special discounts. On weekends the 18th June road, those around Garcia de Orta, Church Square and Clube Nacional can be a no vehicle zones after 8 pm. Each street corner, can have solo performers, magicians, tattoo artistes, clean and hygienic roadside night cafes and stalls. Willing merchants of the area could be roped in by the Tourism Department or CCP to offer discounts and prizes at the main event, to promote business, artistes and give tourists a taste of the flavours of Goa. Similarly, other government spaces and venues such as Miramar Beach band stand, Dona Paula jetty or Francisco Luis Gomes band stand, stage at EDC’s Patto Plaza, Margao garden, central squares in Mapusa, Anjuna, Vasco, Colva etc can be used for such medium scale events.
Of course traffic management, parking, garbage collection, and other infrastructure such as toilets etc has to be put in place for such initiatives. Sometimes the government should take lessons from private entrepreneurs and put aside the notion that it knows best. In fact some of the better tourism related initiatives have come from private entrepreneurs. Many would recall with nostalgia, the 70s Summer Four Square beat shows at Calangute, the Haystack at Arpora, the flea market at Anjuna and more recently Tito’s night club which attracted MTV, the Saturday Night bazaars, the heritage museums, etc which were/are benchmark initiatives. Similarly, theme events –such as food festivals by involving city restaurants; Fashion and style festival, by involving designers and local outlets, children’s festival; skit festivals; elocution competitions; masquerade festival can be held in Panjim, tourist locations and other towns to pep up the night life. The Fontainhas festival of the Arts was another good initiative where tourists and locals even visited heritage houses, admired art and craft, and saw how people live. Of course, the fading out of the festival due to needless controversy remains a big regret.
Panjim as a city, and towns like Margao, Vasco, Ponda are becoming more and more anonymous as small shops and houses make way for buildings. Some discerning visitors appreciated the little shop at the corner, where they could catch up on a year’s condensed version of the politics, and social life of the city, when they came down year after year. That Goa seems to have now faded. Hence, besides being an entertainment venue such social events could coming together Panjimites (Xaxtikars, Mapsekars, Vascokars or Phondekars), revive social bonds and eventually create a bonhomie in society, perhaps as an idealized consequence.
