A home away from home...

What is home?

A cozy apartment? A mansion? Perhaps, a person close to your heart? For me, it is Goa. Having been raised by a Goan grandmother, I have come to love the place with my very being. I remember visiting my grandma’s home in Taleigaon, a few kilometres from Panjim, every summer vacation. I used to look forward to it every year. But as I grew up, life happened and I couldn’t spare the time to visit Goa.

It’s been about 11 years since I last visited my home there. I often find myself reminiscing about the time my cousin used to take me on a post-dinner bike ride to Dona Paula jetty. It was the most beautiful scenery I have witnessed in my life so far. On a clear night, you could see the moon shining brightly and it felt like it was floating right above the surface of the turbulent sea. The moonlight, the raging sea, the waves crashing against the rocks below and the wind in my hair, that is what I still consider “Home”. More than the place itself, the feeling of being at Dona Paula under a clear, moonlit sky is what I think of when I talk about home.

Recently, I was finally able to visit Goa with my husband and a few of our friends. We stayed at a quaint hotel next to Candolim beach in Bardez. We went during the monsoon season and the scenery was green and complete with a breath-takingly gloomy sky. We booked a cab for our first day and toured around Old Goa. We visited The Bom-Jesus Basilica first. It is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in India and is beautifully maintained. They have preserved a saint's relics in the church premises and it has a quaint garden complete with a fountain at the back. Next, we visited the Sahakari Spice Plantation where we were greeted with a herbal medicinal welcome drink. Then, we went on to have an interesting and educational tour introducing us to the variety of spices and plants grown there. After the tour, we were served a sumptuous meal of Chicken Xacuti, sweet coconut rice and all things authentically Goan.

Afterwards, we made our way to the Mangeshi temple. Being an atheist, a temple was not on my list of places to see in Goa, but well, it was technically a tourist spot, so we went anyway. The temple premise is beautifully kempt and induces a serenity in the visitor, despite the crowds. After this, we drove down to Panjim and visited Miramar beach and at the end, my special place- Dona Paula. The nostalgia flooded my senses and I was so overwhelmingly happy as I walked down to Dona Paula jetty. Even in the horde of tourists, I could still feel a sense of calm and content taking over me. I was finally home. The one place, where I felt content and even peaceful. I didn't want to say goodbye anytime soon, but I had to leave as daylight dimmed.

On the second day, I asked my cousin to take us sightseeing. We visited Tambdi Surla Mahadev temple but first made a pit stop for breakfast at a roadside eatery. We had bhaji pav, the staple Goan breakfast dish. A curry made from dried green peas and served with a Mangalorean bun made of banana and flour. It was the heartiest meal I’ve had in a while. We then made our way to our destination. The structure is a rock cut temple with a serene and strikingly green lawn surrounding it. We decided to trek through the rainforest to see the Surla waterfalls. However, half-way through, we were attacked by leeches which made us trek back to the base. However, our adventures didn’t end there and we encountered a venomous snake and a huge and angry black crab. Our trek was certainly eventful and unforgettable but it was made even more so when a cute stray dog sought pets and kept following me. We finally started our drive to a leech-free Harvalem waterfalls and played in the cold waters, clicked a lot of pictures and had fun. We finally ended the day with the famous Ross Omelette, an egg omelette served with chicken curry made with coconut and local spices.

Our third day was spent in exploring the nearby tourist spots on our own. We rented bikes and set out to see Aguada fort first thing in the morning. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the place, make sure to visit the Light House next to the fort. They charge you about 50 bucks per person as an entry fee. The view from the top is worth dying for, especially during monsoon. We could see the rainclouds in the distance, looming over the vast ocean. Afterwards, we headed to Reis Magos fort. Near the fort, you can see a few sea-facing benches where you can just unwind and marvel at the sight in front of you. The fort itself is a beautiful monument from back when Goa was a Portuguese colony. It consists of a museum which exhibits the precious historical artefacts and documents. After a long day of sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel and at night, went clubbing, ‘cause what trip to Goa is complete without a little booze and partying at Baga? We chose Cocktails and Dreams as our destination for the night. The staff was friendly, courteous and overall very helpful. We spent the night dancing and just enjoying each other’s company.

The last day we spent indoors except for the time we went to play at the beach while it was raining. I also went for a lunch date with my cousin and our childhood friend. We had the best Fish Thali I have ever gorged on. While on our way back to the hotel, I bought some piping hot and fresh mushroom samosas from Café Central. If you’re ever in the vicinity, make sure to try them out, they are the best snack you’ll ever have.

With that, our trip came to a bittersweet end. I wanted to stay longer, maybe even forever. But alas, that wasn’t possible. But someday, I made a promise as I boarded my train, I will return and make this place my home. But for now, it will simply have to be my happy place, a home away from home...