GOA!!! It’s simply wonderful. You would never find a place that is easier to fall in love with.
This place is so romantic. So peaceful, so laid back, the mood of the society is so kind and friendly
My life is so much more beautiful than say that of my friends in the metros. A funny and very irrelevant thing occurred to me the other day, but it made me laugh all the same. If we ask my friends living in the metros how many people in their classroom have spectacles the answer would be at least 75 percent while in our classroom of 60 i can think of about only 8-10 people with specs….(go figure!!)

Yesterday went for a small drive in the car on the road next to the beach. Just for fun!!!On the spur of the moment!!!
How many families can do that?!
And there we saw a group of people with two cars parked near the beach with music playing in one of the systems and some 3-4 couples were having a sort of private party where they were taking turns to dance to the music. That is so cute. Finding so much happiness in something so little.

I don’t have to write about the more obvious beauty of Goa like the warm beaches and amazing temples and churches. Tourists can see them too. But there are subtle things that you can notice only after actually staying here.

I sometimes feel I am much closer to “reality” and “realisation” than any of my counterparts in other places, because I am closer to nature, because I stop to sense the things happening around me, I “experience” nature much more . I value the peace i get when i get to go to the beach or do any such relaxing thing. And i have to thank this beautiful land for giving me all this

It is, of course, very ironic of me to say i’m better at “reality” etc when mumbai, pune, delhi are places that are as real as they can get. But u will know what i’m talking about only after spending more than half your (small but relevant) life in this place. Just going to college during the rains…it’s an everyday thing for me…the wonderful scenery that goes by still amazes me everyday. Sitting on the beach every day , looking at the waves come and go, experiencing the calm and still near the Monte church, watching sunsets from dona paula and eating “bhutta”, walking on the university road when it’s green..(all the mentioned places are not more than 5 kilometers from my home). And there is so much to explore. So many places that are away from lurking tourists, away from all the noise..SO many weekends spent finding such new places and just sitting in awe..surrounded by beauty..such things cannot be described in words…

All the other places i’ve been to in India are cool in their own credit: the malls, the fast life, the “hanging out”, the career opportunities, and ultimately maybe I might have to spend my life somewhere other than Goa, but there is nothing like the cool breezes, the warm sands and the peaceful nights right here in Goa!!!

so thank you goa!!

All photographs courtesy my friend Akhil Khandeparkar http://www.flickr.com/photos/39849721@N00/