Tourism
of Goa
People
and Lifestyle
The
People
Goa and Goans
Goa's isolation from the rest
of India for more than four centuries under the Portuguese rule, its
geographical borders in the form of the Sahyadri ranges and the tidal rivers
have managed to give the people of Goa a unique and separate identity.
The
people of Goa prefer to call themselves Goans and not Goanese as mentioned
in guidebooks and brochures. Goans are very much aware of this unique
identity; they are proud of it and guard it fiercely.
The
population of Goa is composed of a Hindu majority of around 65% and a
Christian minority of around 30%. Muslims and other religions make up the
rest. The interesting part in all these percentages is that, as is the case
with most statistical figures, they conceal more than they can ever reveal.
The Hindu community is dominant in the talukas (districts) of
Ponda, Bicholim, Pernem, Satari, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona. These areas
actually form part of the Novas Conquistas, or the New Conquests, made by
the Portuguese in the last stage of the expansion of their Goan empire in
the eighteenth century.
By this time, the Portuguese military
might was on the wane and the religious ardour for forced conversions was at
its lowest ebb. Hence the population in these newly conquered areas were
pretty much left to practise their religion in peace.
The Old
Conquests on the other hand, consisting of Salcete, Mormugao, Tiswadi and
Bardez bore the brunt of the Portuguese army and the religious zealots.
Together, the two arms of the Portuguese empire, managed to destroy temples
and converted hundreds of non-Christians in these areas, which are
predominantly Christian today.
Fortunately, these bitter memories
of the past have done nothing to change the warm, friendly and loving nature
of the Goan people. By and large, the Goan considers himself a Goan first
and a Hindu, Christian or Muslim afterwards. The bonds of language and the
Goan identity are strong enough to allow for different religious
persuasions.
In contrast to other parts of India, Goans have
developed a remarkable degree of tolerance towards each other's religious
beliefs, and hence religious fundamentalism is completely unknown in the
state.
The best evidence of this is seen in quite a few places of
worship in Goa, where both Hindus and Christians go together. The Damodar
temple at Sanguem, the Church of Our Lady of Miracles in Mapusa, the
Shantadurga temple at Fatorpa are excellent examples of this unique
religious harmony that exists in Goa. Besides these, a number of other
festivals in Goa are celebrated by members of both communities with equal
fervour.
In proportion to their numbers, a very high percentage of
Goans live abroad than the members of most other regional communities of
India. But no matter where they might be on the surface of the planet, Goans
love to express the adoration of their homeland in some form or the other.
Goa is a state of mind. And to most Goans, this is best expressed
in the lines of the Konkani poem penned by the eminent Goan poet B. B.
(Bakibab) Borkar:
"If I am to be born again and allowed to choose
my birthplace...
I shall choose Goa... because its scenic beauty
has
a supernatural quality of refining the human mind
and turning it inward
into the depths of creativity and spirituality."
The
Goan Lifestyle
Goans as the people from Goa are known around
the world, have a unique lifestyle which reflects the perfect blending of
the cultural influences that they have experienced over the centuries.
By
nature, Goans are warm, friendly, easy going and large hearted. They live
life in style and at a leisurely pace. They are passionate about dance,
music and art which is in their blood and they love their food and feni.
Goans
attitude to life is best described by the word Susegad which means taking
life at a relaxed pace and enjoy it to the full. This unique philosophy of
life originates from the Portuguese word Socegado which literally meant
quiet.
The people of Goa have taken that to heart, quite
wholeheartedly while leading quiet and relaxed lives in their peaceful land.
In fact, no less a person than the late Indian Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi described this trait of the Goan people, actually as an
enduring strength of Goan character.
Goans also love their
afternoon 'siesta'. Another leftover from the Portuguese colonial era, the
siesta lasts from 1 pm to 4 pm, when a fair number of shops in the Goan
towns and villages will remain shut. The siesta is much less in evidence as
compared to yesteryears when the streets used to wear a deserted look around
lunchtime.
This does not mean that the Goans are not hard-working.
They toil long and hard in their rice, coconut and cashewnut plantations and
reap the bounties of nature. A very large number have migrated all over the
world, working hard for their livelihood and sending money back home to
their loved ones.
Goans are very much fashion aware and tourists
are likely to see the very latest in designer wear on the streets, no sooner
than the it appears elsewhere in India. Clothes form an important part of
the Goan lifestyle making it essential to dress well at the innumerable
social occasions that occur around the year.
About
Goa