A Letter for every Goan! ( For Green Mind,For Green Goa)

Dear Goan,

I'm riding in a boat, in a canal called Cumbarjua, far off in the interiors of Goa, to places I never explored in my 25 years of living and growing up in Goa. I'm on a mission to spot a croc here, there are around 28 Adult crocs spotted in this area, there's no formal report or document on how many are here though! And I've been lucky enough to spot 1....a large one...the largest I've seen so far...after one and a half hours of riding in the waters.....its a 10 feet big adult croc!
" You all are lucky to spot that one!" Says Dr. Manoj Borkar who's guiding us on this field trip.

It's crazy how Goa always hypnotises me with her beauty!
It's crazy how a few days back I reluctantly stepped in Goa on a vacation I did not expect much from and ended up attending a 6 day long International Camp on Climate Change organised by the British Council.

And while a part of me is making full on plans of breaking every tie with Goa,
Through this camp and its field trips Goa screams at me to not turn my back on her, she longs for my attention, she asks me to do my part for being her daughter!

Mining is eating Goa, and so is the careless tourism!
Goa still seems like a virgin land from far off...but you dig into her a bit deep and you see the wounds....perhaps those that will take a very long time to heal!

There's a need for the Goa Government and the people to have a green mind and to be eco sensitive to understand the problems of Goa and to come up with solutions. The integrity of the people of Goa and the policy makers is highly questionable. And if such an attitude continues, Goa is heading for a big disaster!

India is so obsessed with economics, that economics has become our only measure for success. But for a land as rich in biodiversity as India, we need to keep a balance between economics and the ecology.

A few years back I took up to organising camps for school kids so that they become aware of the situation and I have great faith in our next generation...They have the courage to stand up and talk about issues that at some point, my generation lacks!

Solutions are many, but are we ready to make the change? Are we ready for the change?
We Indians are so stuck in our cocoons of culture that we are bound by our senseless Do's and Dont's. We are stuck in our stereotypes!

From now on, I'll write a post, once a month about the solutions to each of Goa's or India's problems. Solutions that have been adopted by some country or some Indian state. Let's not talk only of problems anymore, let's talk about solutions now and let's show the courage to implement the solutions in our day to day life!


Those of my readers, friends, well wishers who are willing to make a change to their surroundings and protect the environment, please get in touch with me at jsincro@gmail.com and I shall put you in touch with people who can help you, guide you in matters concerning our environment.

Let's do our bit for our motherland!
Just one's.......please!!

Hoping for a positive response from educated  individuals!

Etiquette Of Eating A Mankurad Amo!

You don't just buy one, you have to earn one!!


Okay, I stole that line from Cadbury Bournville Ad! But that's the best way to convey my sentiments about the Mankurad Amo! Now for the non Goan folks, "Amo" means a Mango, and "Mankurad" is the Goan variety or specialty!

They call the Mango the king of fruits, then Mankurad is the king of Mangoes! ( I know each Mango growing state will want to debate that with the best they have, only because they haven't yet tasted the Mankurad!!.......I bet you try one and then debate on this issue, no one can eat just one!! ( Okay, I stole this tag line too..... :-) )

From what I've heard, Mankurad was originally grown in Portugal, and a sapling was transported to their colony in Goa, and today Goa is the only state in the whole wide world to grow this species of Mangoes! Even Portugal doesn't have it anymore. ( Anyone else who knows any other story , you are welcome to share it!)

Mancurado or Malcurado means "poor color".... I don't know who the hell named this species to mean that! I read some Goan lady say, "How can a mango, which when eaten, transports one straight to heaven, be called malcurado which means poor colour ?"....so true!!!

Anyway, if you anytime are honored with this mango, then there are ways or etiquette to eat it! You don't just pick one and eat it!!

First you pick it up and smell it!

No ! Wait! First, you smile......before picking up the Mankurad , you smile.........though that is very natural to all Goans , others have to strictly do it to please the very Mankurad that you are going to eat! ( In my case I simply hop and jump around, especially now that I stay in Bengaluru and I don't get to eat a Mankurad everyday!! )

Step 2: You cut it into neat slices! Remember not to smudge or disturb the pulp!

Step 3: You smell it one's again!

You see, Mankurad is to be eaten at leisure, for that you need to give lots of time, it's not something you gulp down to just finish the task!!

You take small bites, and chew it slowly .......preferably close your eyes while you eat it!

Only after you are done with the slices can you go for the main seed! And you have to eat the seed till the color turns from yellow to white!! Waste nothing my friend!! Waste Nothing!!

You cannot plant the seed after you are done with it and expect it to bear you a Mankurad! You need a graft of Mankurad if you want to grow one, and you need to be in Goa to grow one!

This season, if any of your Goan friends are visiting home, the only thing to ask them to get back when they come is a Mankurad Amo! Each Mankurad should be carefully wrapped in a paper and then all of them put together in a bag....

Well! I hope you follow the rules when you get to eat the Mankurad! If I was in Goa, I would have said all are welcome to come home and have one, but here I treasure each Mankurad that I get!! So sorry, no invitations here! ( This can be another etiquette! You may not want to share a Mankurad, and it's perfectly understood!)

No place like home!

This time when I visited Goa, I learnt more about her beauty then I ever had before!!

I'd always hated Goan summers because they are hot and humid and sweaty! But at least the sweat protects your skin and keeps the body cool- it doesn't burn like here in Bengaluru!

No restaurants or cooks in Bengaluru can ever match up to my mum's food! I'd almost lost my appetite in the last week before I left for Goa! And all I could dream of at nights were the simple "bhaji's" and "toys" ( It's a variety of daal tadka. Not pronounced as 'toy' meaning a child's toy...it's pronounced....well! Forget it! There are so many words in Indian languages that English can never help in pronunciation- this is one of them! )

The calmness and peace that surrounds Goa is refreshing! And I just trekked in the evergreen forests of Netravali and had a dip in one of its several cool waterfalls- That my friends, is a heavenly experience!!

Goa , to me, is To hear the songs of birds every morning when I wake up!
And to see the happiness in the eyes of my pets when they see me!

Goa is walking any street and meeting people you know ( and occasionally having to face a comment or two!)

It's the freedom to take the bike or the car anywhere I like, without having to worry about the time and the place!

And speeding- yes! Goa is the place ( especially at nights) to speed your vehicle!

Goa- is everything you ever need!

The only problem area is lack of opportunities , especially career wise!
Another major problem is dirty politics which will eventually kill this beautiful state!
And at  last, an orthodox society which vehemently refuses to grow up and walk with the times!