Once upon a (Goan) Christmas…

It is the season to be jolly. Christmas comes once a year and in Goa, it’s celebrated with as much pomp and grandeur as one can muster. To a visitor during the Christmas season, Goa is a colourful spectrum of lights, especially in the village interiors. In the few days preceding December 25, one would most likely see groups of carolers, raising their voices to the heavens, walking around the village accompanied by a familiar red felt clad figure with a paunch and a bushy white beard – Santa Claus with a sack of goodies draped over one shoulder. An evening sojourn among the village by-lanes is a sight in itself, as the houses come to life at dusk, big paper stars adorning the entrances, carols blaring from open windows, and fairy lights dotting the façades. Many villages and towns hold competitions for the best star, some of them reaching heights of 15 feet and above, and cribs, installation art of sorts that depict the Nativity - the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger.

In the week preceding Christmas, one might find a group of youth, bent over a frame made of bamboo, working on a star, or perhaps growing grass and moulding paper mache caves for the crib. The traditional way of sticking butter paper to the bamboo frame is by using grooth, a sticky rice paste, instead of the usual glue. Many places still do it the old way, including using candles instead of an electrical connection. Christmas trees can be bought at many a shop, more in the towns than the villages. There are many people who also sell fresh trees and it’s quite a funny sight to see youth balancing eight to ten foot fern trees on their motorbikes and making an effort to ride a few kilometers back home, the tree half trailing on the road behind.

Alternatively, walk through the village markets and you’ll get immersed in the Christmas spirit. Apart from sweets, shops are filled with various decorations – silver and golden angels, red and white striped candy canes, golf ball-sized baubles in the various colours of the rainbow, mistletoe, different sizes of Christmas trees, and stars to adorn your tree or perhaps, your balcony.

The local markets and the Friday market at Mapusa, in North Goa, in particular are filled with various sweets and savouries that traditionally go along with the joyous festival. Mostly home-made, these recipes are carried down over the ages, handed down from mother to daughter or even (albeit rarely) a son who loves spending time in the kitchen. Marzipan, cul culs, guava cheese, jujubes and many more exotically named delicacies are offered in most households to visiting friends and relatives. It’s just one of the few things that make Christmas special.

The making of these sweets is a tradition in itself, including the traditional Christmas cake, the liquor soaked dry fruits marinated over months. In fact, many five-star hotels offer guests a chance to partake in this ritual, making the mix a year in advance. A few hours of getting one’s hands dirty is quite an experience for the select few. Of course, in these modern times, sadly, the number of households that do their own sweet making is slowly diminishing, with many people opting to go and buy their sweets in the local markets, home-made no doubt, just not by them. Time is scarce these days apparently and like many traditions, this one too is slowly going out of style.

The preparations for the Christmas mass are often unseen and unheard, but come Christmas Eve, you know there was a lot of thought and a lot more practice that went into it. The church is sparkling and clean, the choirs crisp in their notes and pitches and the service itself organized to perfection, especially in these days of growing congregations. There are a growing number of people who volunteer, during Christmas, to go to old age homes and orphanages, singing carols, distributing sweets and just generally giving back to society in many ways. This is a habit of sorts, passed down through families, and in many ways, has become a social responsibility among many in Goa. No Christmas could be complete without such little events. Neither would it be Christmas without the old clubs, places that people could socialize in the old days, decorated in style. Club Harmonia in Margao, Club Nacional in Panjim, during Christmas, look like huge Christmas trees themselves.

On Christmas Day, the mornings and afternoons will see the roads quite deserted, save for the few late shoppers, as families spend the major part of the day opening presents, sharing a few laughs and adding the finishing touches to the Christmas lunch. The Christmas lunch is no small feat, often planned and executed over days and in some cases more than a week in advance. Goan cuisine is a mix of coastal Konkan recipes that over years of Portuguese influence evolved into a melting pot of spice and scrumptious flavours. The pork sorpotel for one, is made a week in advance and stored until the final day so that the meat can fully marinate and soak up every little bit of flavour. There is no specified time for lunch as family members, many of whom have come down from various countries around the world, catch up on life in general. The banter is light, fresh and speckled with laughter. The younger generation, meanwhile, would be a tad busier in planning what Christmas dance they would be going to and who they would be going with.

The Christmas dance is as much of a dance as it is a social forum. In older times, it was the main event for singles to meet and fall in love, now; it’s all that and more. These dances start in the early night and it’s not uncommon for the last band to play their final set in the wee hours as the sun rises over the revellers. Suits and gowns are made to order weeks in advance and most of the night is spent not just dancing but meeting old friends. In Goa, everyone knows everyone else, so these dances are like little house parties, albeit in a much larger and grandiose setting. The few nightclubs that are located on the coastal belt are also places to visit, though to many, it’s like any other night at a disco.

To experience the true nature of Christmas, the religious services, dances and local celebrations are topmost on the list of things to do. Clubs draw the a different set of people, the crowd to whom dressing up in your best suit and dancing the night away to live pop music might not hold too much of an appeal. Most restaurants, on the other hand, would undoubtedly have Christmas dishes on the specials list and there is an air of celebration no matter where you go. No one is a stranger on Christmas. Smile and say “Merry Christmas” to someone on the street and you will be treated with a smile and a greeting in return.

Christmas in Goa is something special indeed. Out of the population of around 1.45 million people, 26 per cent are Catholic, the numbers decreasing over the last few decades, owing to the influx of people from all over the country. But, with 155 churches spread across the state and around five times that number in smaller chapels, the cultural ethos of Goa, which evolved during the 450 years of Portuguese rule, is still ubiquitous.

The holiday season extends past the New Year and so do the celebrations. It doesn’t end at the Christmas dance, in fact, it’s practically the beginning. All around Goa, there are parties, balls and other events to celebrate the holiday season and the onset of a new year. The cold winter breeze accentuates the prevailing spirit of Christmas in the air and adds a cosy and comforting quality to the evenings. Christmas in Goa is more than just a day, it is a celebration of brotherhood and equality – an emotion and an idea of peace steeped in history, which so long ago heralded the beginning of a new era in Christianity.

As traditions go, to anyone familiar with the Catholic religion, these days are by far the best of them all. Christmas is a time when, parties and celebrations aside, the practices and traditions that precede and succeed Christmas Day are all about the family – togetherness, brotherhood, forgiving and forgetting. It’s a day when communities find common ground, a day of peace.

It’s less than an hour to midnight, on December 24… and the rituals begin – don your formal wear, throw on your best looking tie or wrap, whatever the gender, and rush out. The weather is chilly, the cool breeze permeates one’s bones, but to most, it doesn’t matter. The stars in the sky twinkle with renewed vigour, the choir sings solemn carols, extolling the virtues of a newborn babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, born in a manger some 2000 years ago. The walk to the church is equally solemn and joyful at the same time. The church bells peal… It’s midnight… It’s Christmas!

An iffy prospect

Let’s first get a couple things clear — I’m all for IFFI in Goa, provided it’s done properly and projected in a nice way. And, I’m not an expert on film festivals, the only other festivals that I’ve been to are MAMI and the small festivals in Mumbai. But, I do know how things can be done and what makes sense. IFFI 2006 doesn’t make sense to me at all.

Let’s recap! The inaugural ceremony was tailor-made for Bollywood and for TV viewing. There was nothing about Goa there. The official song lauds Indian cinema and I ask myself and everyone else, isn’t this supposed to be a festival of International films?

Throughout the last few days, I’ve been doing the rounds of Kala Academy and Inox, only to see Bollywood stars walk in amidst media frenzy, some of them aren’t even here to promote a film. Some of the foreign directors and cast and crew have been ignored or given third-rate treatment. What kind of nonsense is this? What are the DFF and ESG thinking? Don’t they know that these people are coming down for the festival? A producer of a Marathi film created a hue and cry about the fact that his director and cast weren’t given a platform before the screening of their movie. Why wasn’t someone informed of their arrival? And why has a company that puts together conferences and other small events in Delhi given the opportunity to manage IFFI this year?

The first year, 360 degrees did a good job, so did Wizcraft the following year. Why give it to a different event team each year. Doesn’t anyone realise the advantages of having one person do it for three or five years at a stretch? Do you even know what that can be like, from so many different aspects, including sponsorship? Is there any criteria when it comes to lobbying for the festival? Do you just have to be in the business or do you have to have years of doing large-scale events, major concerts and more, to qualify? Now, doing a brilliant job has taken on a whole new meaning. In fact, the next time someone tells me I was brilliant at something, I might just cringe in fear. Brilliant Entertainment Network has been anything but brilliant, in fact, I can’t imagine how an incompetent group of individuals can have the gall to call themselves event managers. From the gaudy cheap décor on the streets and the Inox courtyard to the not-so-International events at Caranzalem, it’s all a whole big mess. And the head of Brilliant even had the audacity to claim that the whole Konkani concert was a printing mistake? What an excellent excuse, or should we say a brilliant excuse? They have a haphazard way of doing things and most of the press that they favour has been national media, obviously since they’re not from here. It seems that everybody has vested interests. Is there anyone who loves films and is doing something at the festival?

Getting back to the festival, the country focus is on Argentina, which is a good thing for Latin American cinema. But, where is the Argentinean contingent? They’re here; we met one of the directors and interviewed her. No one else even knew that she was around. There has been a parade of Bollywood stars and starlets, whom we see and hear about all the time. Why is it so important for the press to meet them and not the people who have genuinely come here to promote a film that they spent time making and that they took pains to finish?

Goa is a great place for IFFI but we do need to stop this nonsense and concentrate on what it really is — A film festival. IFFI is not about Sonu Nigam, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, Kunal Ganjawala or the others that get on stage and wax eloquent on how they love Goa. Bosh and more bosh! Goa is a great venue, it’s got international acclaim, it’s got an international feel and most importantly, it has the infrastructure. But, none of this has been exploited. Why can’t some of the festival movies be shown on the beaches, instead of Lage Raho Munnabhai and Rang de Basanti. We’re even screening Krissh today. Yes, Krrish! Show some of the regional films instead, even if you can’t screen a Volver. The government needs to realise that everything can’t be turned into a political gimmick. At the end of the day, if IFFI goes away from Goa, the government won’t be blamed, Goa will.

The ESG should have a committee of people who have worked in the entertainment industry, who know how things can be done, who can not only give it an international flavour but a Goan flavour as well. The answer is not in holding it at the convention centre so that you can get more seats, it’s about crowd control, and it’s about quality. One thing’s for sure; the movies at the festival are perhaps the only saving grace of IFFI 2006.

I was standing close to J P Singh, the Chief Secretary of Goa, when he wondering out loud, why IFFI was getting so much bad press. Well, here’s your answer. Don’t make it an over-hyped Bollywood mela, let it be what it is — the International Film Festival of India. Put it there on an international level, get the international directors and actors down, and give them their due. And for crying out loud, send Brilliant back to Delhi and make them start doing birthday parties, they’ll learn a lot. Perhaps in ten years time, we might think about giving them a second chance. Then again…

November 30, Gomantak Times, Goa

When will India play beautiful?

There have been so many stories of great football, skillful goals and heroic exploits throughout the years. Today, football has scaled massive heights, not only is it the world’s favourite game, but in a few places, it rides a close second behind one’s religion.

Most of the teams have played their first match in the World Cup and like I predicted a while ago, this is one tournament that is spread wide open. I was surprised to see teams like Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal struggle against smaller opponents; but then again, the first match is always nervy. So far, India hasn’t stood a chance, we haven’t gotten anywhere near the World Cup, except once, 40-odd years ago and even then, we didn’t play.

I happened to chance upon the new Indian football jerseys on the Nike website and they look glorious — classic blue and white! But what’s the use of looking good and not playing well? I’m sure that quite a few officials will have already headed into Germany to catch a few matches. Why not send the players? New Zealand played against Brazil during their practice matches and they’re ranked lower than us in FIFA rankings.

I understand that cricket’s the bigger game and that’s where all the money’s going, but what of the other sports. Yes, there are reports of Sepp Blatter taking interest in Indian football and coming down here soon to set up a few youth programs. Now, while that’s great news, do we really have to wait for him to come down before we realise that we have the talent but not the platform? Or have we already realised that and are just sitting around twiddling our thumbs and waiting for foreign aid. Why should we put our money into it when FIFA might just give us some of their small change? That’s not great attitude! We have the money, but not the proper people in place to take football out there and make it big.

West Bengal, Kerala and Goa, are three of the biggest states that have great football teams, with Maharashtra not that far behind. There are also some really good players from the North-East, proving where the talent pools are. When I grew up in Mumbai, in school and even after that, it was always football and hockey. We played our hearts out, a few of my friends even represented Maharashtra in the Nationals…but there was no future then. Or at least, that’s what we were told. Maybe the future was bleak then, but it certainly isn’t now. Today, kids have more exposure to the different leagues around the world. Every weekend, we have the Premier League, La Liga and more on our TV screens. The FIFA games also teach people about strategy and so on. It’s all there, the aids that help people learn. Now, they need to showcase their talents. Is there even one decent youth program anywhere in India? Perhaps it’s time to start one.

We all support teams like, Brazil, Portugal, France and Spain but wouldn’t it be nice to see India there, even if they don’t play that well at first and struggle to make it? I’m not being pessimistic but I have seen how hard it is for the newcomers at the finals. We all love the game and I personally would love to see my country up there. I want to cheer for them, to see a goal scored and to wear the jersey with pride.

Until then of course, I guess I’m going to have to be content with the rest of the world playing the beautiful game. In the words of Eric Cantona, “Joga Bonito!”

June 14, Gomantak Times, Goa

Seeing the light, in every drop of rain!

I’ve fallen in love, with Goa, all over again. The monsoon is finally here and at long last, I can see it rain for miles on end. The other day, I was sitting at a friend’s place and staring out of the window, watching the rain fall off the branches of the trees close by. It’s such a beautiful sight. Even when I lived in Mumbai, the only time I enjoyed the monsoon was when I hopped onto a train and came here. The smell of wet mud just smells so much better here than in the big city.

Falling in love is not an easy thing. One minute you’re doing what you normally do, the next thing you know, you’re catapulted into a vortex of colour and sound — A kaleidoscope of emotions. Then again, that’s not what I feel about Goa. I would reserve that for a certain someone, wherever she may be. At this time, I’m more inclined towards being footloose and fancy free in the rain.

Goa never felt so good. I would often extoll the virtues of spending a few days here in the rain, to everyone who would want to do something different. I would long for the chance to come here, book a room in a resort on the beach and sit there reading, sipping on something warm or watching a good movie. Experience a different Goa. I can do that now, but then again, I have a day job. Not such a good idea now, especially since after this little piece, my boss is not going to believe me if I call in sick.

Even now, I dream of heading to the beach and walking barefoot in the rain, feeling the wet sand crunch beneath my toes. Standing on an empty shore, the waves crashing down with immense ferocity. In some ways, I’m a child of the wild. Like those people who love to be amongst nature and beautiful things. About two years ago, a few friends and me went out for a holiday. Somewhere between Mumbai and Goa, it was in the middle of two hills and by a beach and we spent two beautiful days there. I remember getting up in the early morning and walking up a hill and just sitting there, taking in the sights. We had so much fun, just squatting on a rocky outcropping and eating lunch, or playing cards in the late evening until dinner. It was a pretty peaceful but short holiday. My only regret was that we didn’t have more time or else we would have just driven down to Goa and had more fun here.

The only scary part about the monsoon in Goa is riding a bike on the wet roads. Drivers still show no mercy for bikers when coming down a slope or overtaking on a straight. The chances of an accident happening are even more now, but the apathy still stands.

On the brighter side, the roads are cleaner and the place has gone quieter, which, in a lot of ways, is a good thing. Though, I strongly feel that as a tourist destination, Goa can do so much more. This season can also be a good time to visit the state and someone should see to it that the wheels are set in motion in this regard. Until then though, I look forward to cantering in soaking wet to work, sipping hot coffee on a damp morning and walking carefree in the sand.

May 31, Gomantak Times, Goa

My memories of midnight…up to the early morning

The last few weekends have been crazy. I’ve had loads of fun, right from the Easter weekend up till last Saturday and I hope the fun never stops. Actually, it never does, in a little lounge in Candolim. It’s one of the newest places in Goa and a party place it is indeed — Vanilla. The name conjures up something peaceful and sweet and if anything else.

Come the weekend and the northern half of Goa gears up to head down to Vanilla to get into retro mood. I went there over a month ago for the first time, not knowing too many people there, but now, you see familiar faces and they nod and smile back.

The summer months are hot and sweaty in the day and it turns out to be quite similar at night, but, on the sands of Candolim beach, with the River Princess in the background, you really don’t mind it. I think back to when we used to party in Mumbai, or play for parties where everyone wanted to swing to a different beat, barring the occasional hip-hop or house hit, people love to go retro. It’s fun! Shaking a leg to Madonna, the Bee Gees and some Shakin’ Stevens, who would’ve ever thought that Goa would love it so. When I first came here, a lot of people told me that retro wasn’t ‘in’, even a few Goans in Mumbai were of the opinion that hip-hop and house, trance and rock, that kind of music sells in Goa more than anything else. “Retro? Nah, it won’t work that well.” Well, you tell that to the hundreds of people who jump up and down around me every weekend.

Well, I’ve seen a different side to Goa, in fact, I’ve met a few people who drive down all the way from the South, to party here and get a different vibe. I guess, you never really know how well it will work until you actually go ahead and do it.

It takes me back to my younger days, not that I’m not young now (ahem!) I’d still like to think of myself, in some ways, as an unruly teenager out to live it up. Then I look in the mirror and see a few gray hairs and get a little subdued. But, that’s all behind me now. I’ve found a nice place to feel at home, dance the night away and get nostalgic at the same time. I’ll often turn to a friend and say, “This track, I heard it way back in ……” or perhaps I’ll talk about how often I used to play the track when I was a DJ.

In a track called Mrs Potters Lullaby, Adam Duritz sings, “If dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts.” I’ve made a lot of films then I guess, about ghosts and whatever else. Sometimes, our memories are all we have, sometimes not.

There are a lot of things that I do now, which take me back to the days when I was crazy and wild, long-haired with a care-a-damn attitude. I figure, that part of me never died, because it’s back with a bang! I’m usually the type of guy, who takes a while to get used to something. I like to feel comfortable wherever I am; I like to feel at home. Vanilla’s also one of my favourite flavours of ice cream, but then that’s not what I’m actually talking about. I’m talking about the place where the faces are familiar, the people smile all the time and the music plays all night long, well, for most of it.

I’ve this strong urge to head down to the place during the week sometime, put my feet up and gaze at the stars. It’ll give me a chance to feel the vibe when there are fewer people around. Might even see a different side to the lounge. Then again, I might just get up and cut a rug on the dance floor. Who knows, the place brings out my wild side. Grrrr!

May 3, Gomantak Times, Goa

Loving every minute of the beautiful game!

2006 is football year; actually football year happens every time FIFA hosts the World Cup finals, because there’s no absence of football during the two-month gap between the leagues. We now have the World Cup! And I love every kick, cross, tackle and pass of it, apart from the fact that I don’t own a TV, yet!

If you ask me, I’d rather watch a couple of football games than sit through an entire day or cricket. Not that I hate cricket, but there’s something exciting about football that keeps my eyes glued to the screen. I remember my first proper World Cup — Italia 90. It was the first time that we actually got to watch more than just a few matches. For the 1986 finals, DD (our only hope then) hardly showed too many games apart from the semis and the final (I think). That was when Italy was on a roll, I still remember the match against Argentina in which Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga finally got beaten, by a chance header by Claudio Canigga. Of course, Argentina suffered in the finals, conceding a penalty (which I still think shouldn’t have happened) and Lothar Mattheus took the cup home to Germany. I was 11 and even though I watched football, played it throughout school, I fell in love with the game.

I’ve never had a favourite team to support though. I somehow can’t do that. Though, I sit and evaluate the bigger teams and decide who is capable of reaching the semis. After that, it’s anybody’s game. Then, I’ll wait till the two teams come through and then I decide which one I want to win. Sounds weird? Well, maybe, to someone who supports one single team throughout, but I have too many players I admire and I love to watch. When it comes to clubs, you’ll find me cheering for Arsenal and Barcelona (both of which might make it to the Champions League finals and then I’ll be in a dilemma all over again).

I’d love to see Brazil win, simply because they would break records. European teams have always won the World Cups in Europe though Brazil is the only team to have won outside their continent (2004). But then again, it’ll be so nice to see Spain, Holland or Argentina come through, something different for a change. Ahh…me and my ‘expert’ opinions! It will be fun though, wouldn’t it? Watching the likes of Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Leo Messi and others battle it out for football supremacy. I’m already making plans — where to watch what. And since the Champions League final isn’t far away either, it’s down to footballing heaven for me. I’ve met many football fans among the tourists that I’ve run into. And even though most of them were English, a few of them actually didn’t fancy England’s chances. I was surprised. Not that I think they’ll win, but they actually outlined their reasons why. And it’s fun discussing football with the people who know how to evaluate tactics and strategy, rather than the many who say, “I think this team’s going to win.” Why? “They’re good!” Eh? And that’s your answer?

If you’re wondering where I’m going with this, stop! I don’t know either… I’m just excited, that’s all. I’ll be in Goa, and the frenzy is going to reach fever pitch in June. What better place to be in India than here, right? That reminds me, anyone got a TV set to lend me? I’m leaning towards a 29-incher with surround sound. I’ll give it back as soon as I buy my dream set, which should be somewhere in 2010. In the meantime, here’s to the football fans of the world (and Goa)… Cheers!

April 19, Gomantak Times, Goa

Prayer for the dying

It was the day of the cricket match that I got a call from a friend of mine. They had a bad experience at the cricket stadium when they went there to watch the match and so they left halfway and came back. They couldn’t even understand why, when they went to the police for help, none was given. Luckily, there was only about Rs 500 in the wallet that was stolen. What was not lucky was the fact that his driving licence and Inland Revenue card, as well as his bank cards were in the wallet, too. Fortunately, he plans to go back to England in less than two weeks, so it won’t be too much of a problem.

I, on the other hand, was sad. Sad because I didn’t have an answer to give them, when they asked me why the police didn’t help. People often wonder out aloud, in my presence, how is it that things like this happen and that we let it pass. I remember a friend who lost his bag once, in a crowded train in Mumbai. He didn’t lament the few books and DVDs, what he did miss was the little present for his girlfriend that he had saved up for months. Ok, so the thieves are heartless. But why are they doing what they’re doing? Has poverty driven people to do these things? Of course it has, and that is just the beginning. Murder, rape, armed robbery and more… All these crimes occur every day of our lives. And we turn a blind eye, until something happens to us. People also wonder, how is it, that road accidents kill people and still there are rash drivers, speed demons and plain old fools who race through the streets, not caring about who they could injure or kill. More often than not, they are the ones who escape with just a few scrapes and bruises while others die, for doing nothing wrong. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

We got lots of letters for the edit page, where Goans wrote in to say they were saddened by the fact that the riots shamed Goa. People were harassed and property was damaged. I don’t think I can recall the last time someone wrote in to say they were shamed by the fact that people are killed everyday, on Goan roads. No one has ever written in to say that they were saddened by the accidents that occur every single day. What are you waiting for? Someone to run down your loved one before you have to get up out of your armchair, the same place where you sit and criticise everything, to protest against this? Look at the stats. Walk up to your nearest police station and ask them to tell you how many people died this month in road accidents. A little kid died a few days ago, along with his father. A truck with its lights off smashed their car. That little kid probably didn’t even know what hit him. That little kid will never be able to grow up, fall in love, play a sport, watch a movie or do anything else. What did that kid ever do to die like that? It could be you. It could be your kid.

I’ve seen everyone in such a hurry to go to wherever they’re going, that they just don’t care who they slow down, how they cross lanes, who they endanger or what they do to get there. They just need to reach point B. I’ve almost been run over by a bus, a truck and a crazy guy in a Scorpio who definitely needs his high-beam shone in his own face, so that he realises what it is to drive like that, not being able to see for about 10 seconds — enough time for one to miss a dog, a pig or a vehicle in their way. And that’s the case with 90 per cent of the cars on the road. If you can’t beat them, join them. Is that what it has come to? Follow the rules no matter what and somewhere down the line things will change. That’s what I’ve always hoped. Now it seems, that it could also kill me. How sad is that?
So, if you ever see someone on a Bullet with his middle finger sticking right at you, switch to low beam on and then say hi. I’ll wave back!

April 5, Gomantak Times, Goa