The weekend is a time for mental, physical, and spiritual relaxation after a demanding workday. Healing helps everyone of us discover our best selves and make the most of them, and it offers us all a cause to live better lives with wider and more expansive perspectives.
Gladly I could discover this in my solo trip of most mesmerising destination of India, GOA.
As soon as we arrive, this city begins to give us the feeling of incredible historical experiences as if we’re living in that era where Portugals lived and ruled the place.
This city as we all know that is blessed with the crescent beaches fringed by palm and coconut trees and lapped around 103km (courtesy-Google) of coastline. You wouldn’t want to look away from that enormous Arabian Sea!Goans are truly blessed to have such Gods own creation!
Arambol was my first destination beach; Mandrem, Morgim, and Ashwem came next. I had no idea how I would get to my accommodation in Arambol when I got off the bus at Mapusa. Mapusa was 22 kilometers away.I was reassured by a younger brother that he would transport me to my destination securely. I began exploring the gregariousness.
Konkani is a mother tongue of Goa. Very sweet and simple is what makes an identity of Goans. After crossing some of the lonely streets surrounded by beautiful greenery, I reached my hostel, ‘Red Monkey’. As name suggest surrounded with red theme, gives a conglomerate Indo-Russian feel. This hostel provides dormitory rooms with very clean, neat and tidy ambiance.
After a short break I reached Arambol. Again stunned with the beautiful breeze and the gorgeous view of ocean. Was it a worth!
For a while, set aside the glamour and take a seat directly in front of the water. Listen to the waves as though they are embracing you, calming your body, mind, and soul and giving you the impression that you are not alone—I am right here in front of you—feel me, and heal yourself!
This gods own-creation is what gives you another chance of living your life with heaven lot of assurance that you’re not alone! Yes, I knew I wasn’t alone, and had that invisible yet profound presence of energy around me wherever I go.
It was 4.30am next day when I left my hostel to explore the seaside dawn. I was surprised that the streets were absolutely empty, no vehicles, no pedestrians and a pin drop silence! In short it was terrible! I feel like the most foolish person in the world at a very moment, yet determinant of not going back to hostel. I had no idea what am I going to do in case of mishaps, or if I strike with an unwanted incident.
Well, as usual, my confidence, on what(?) I don’t know, did not allow me to frighten but to keep walking towards the sea shore. And the moment I reached the beach I was further terrified with the view of same Ocean in its darkest state! For a moment I was really hoping to see the sunrise.
All of sudden a person approached me out of the blue! I could not understand how did he arrive, where did he come from, was it a pre-planned or my hallucination? Lol!
Well, I certainly not going to deep in there, but he asked me where am I going in this darkness? I said “to the beach, to see the sea”!
He smiled and offered a friendship, and said “I will be with you, and won’t leave you alone on this lonely beach, it’s not going to be safe for you” well, really? Agreed to his friendship, and his concern, conditionally, and told him to stay away as much as possible. He laughed and asked my name.
I told him my name and asked his; his name was “Aviroop Ganguly”! I was impressed by his stunning name with the stunning heart. Moreover, we were devotee of Shri Swami Samarth! Which I later observed the photo on the rear glass of his car.
You see you start feeling blessed when you surround yourself with such mesmerising people who unintentionally offer their company and support you wholeheartedly.
I did not know who was him? what was he doing there? what was he doing for life, why was he approached this way?
And why would I think of all this? when I was not there to get involved in any such situation! I was there to heal myself, and somehow I was experiencing that healing itself is coming towards me in no matter what state it is!
I thoroughly enjoyed his company with little caution and loads of happiness and fun.
Thank you for whoever or whatever it was, who cares, planned or unplanned. For me it’s one of the most beautiful experiences of my Goa diary.
As if it has proved the true meaning of
G- Gregarious
O- Outing of
A – Absolute (Pleasure)
Loads of Love to Goa and Goans.
Part-II
After the last visit to Goa in March-2024, almost after two years, my friend and I planned another visit in May-2026. This time we wanted to take our girls, our daughters. We planned to cover north and south Goa, places where we had never visited before.
We started exploring beaches in south Goa, and staycation at beach resorts. First we reached to Morjim beach resort, which is one of the north Goa’s prestigious resorts. Here we stayed one night and a day to explore the beaches.
On this day of arrival we took rented bikes, to roam around the city. We could cover Morjim, Mandarin, Ashwem, Arambol. While during this ride we enjoyed South Indian food, delicious and yummy! Later in the evening, we wanted to explore the night life of north Goa. But Baga Beach was quite a far from our place. So we chose to go nearby restaurant where we would get decent party like ambience.
Tomato restaurant is one of the famous beach siders in Morjim. This multi cuisine restaurant had Asian, Arabian, Indian-Continental and many other food options. Ambience was quite cool, airy with the tadka of DJ.
Second day we left for south Goa. While we plan the commutation from north to south we have to be careful about the cab charges, pick and drop destinations. In Goa, cabs are with different number plates and cab driver of one RTO code is not allowed in other places. If old north Goa is MH 01, and Panajim is MH 07, Cab from MH01 is not allowed to MH07.
When we booked the transport from north to south we had difficulties of getting direct cab it was closing season. We planned to reach Panjim to explore Fontainhas and from there we booked another cab for south Goa’s Palolem beach resort.
Fontainhas is Goa’s Latin quarter in the heart of Panjim. Recognised as a UNESCO Heritage Zone, it is famous for its vibrant, pastel-hued Portuguese villas, narrow winding streets, and Indo-Portuguese architecture. Colourful Lanes, maze-like streets, homes are painted in summery yellows, Mediterranean blues, and deep crimsons, accented by wrought-iron balconies and azulejos (painted ceramic nameplates).
There is one of Goa’s oldest churches Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, where our cab dropped us. Located just outside the quarter on Church Square (about a 500-meter walk from Fontainhas), and is famous for its grand, zigzagging staircases.
After spending almost 2 hours here, we started for next destination. Palolem Beach, is another crescent shaped stretch of white sand in goa. Laid-back and less crowded than North Goa spots. The stay we booked was wooden themed beach hut near island adjacent to main land Palolem beach. There was a stunning sea facing balcony, surrounded by bougainvillea and banana trees. Palolem beach is know for quite headphone parties, decent crowd and silent noise colourful temporary wooden huts, with the touch of art in it.
Next day we checkedout and left for our next destination Cabo De Rama Fort, at Canacona. This Fort stands on cape, known after the name of Lord Rama, at the extreme end of Cola village in Canacona, and is also called as Kholgad. Inside below Cabo De Rama Fort, there is beautiful small island : Pebble beach. Turquoise blue water, surrounded with smooth, wave-polished stones that create a distinct texture and aesthetic. Unlike bustling beaches of north Goa, pebble beach offers the solitude. The sound of waves hitting the pebbles creates a calming experience that feels almost meditative.
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