An unexpected journey

There were many expectations from this tour as it was to be my first journey to Goa. But the event I toured for turned out to be the dampener leaving most part of the trip a sad experience leaving aside the factor that there was not much scope to roam around and explore Goa locally as I would have liked. I went to Morgim to check out a property that was built some 20 meters away from the beach. The area was lovely no doubt. But to think of it differently it is the space or moment where we live makes way for our experiences, which we either like or not. So the place was not as important as the moment I actually wanted to be in was. Somehow, the former turned out to be a mindless party parade and nothing else. On the hind side, considering I am not a party freak is enough reason why I did not enjoy my experience being there. But doing a more critical examination, I hated the whole environment for a more critical reason.


The place – a resort – was merely a piece of land with some luxury tents, to say the least. It had a nice DJ cum bar set up. As the sun withdrew itself behind the western clouds by the end of the evening, saxophone and drums came to life at the venue. DJ took a full control and blonde heads showcasing their curvatures started gyrating to the beats. I could only see Brazilians, Russians and other westerners in large numbers pouring in throughout till nightfall and beyond. I just moved from one place to another to find a calm and relaxing environment. At a point of time, well built security guards encountered about my presence. Arrogantly, I replied – why don’t you ask the owner of this place; he asked us to cover the event and property. Contrary no questions were posed to entities of different colour to mine. I guess guards knew more about the culture than I did. Indians were outsiders. We were outnumbered. What followed were catwalks, no end boozing to needless frenzy of sorts that to me is definitely not charming. I am unable to explain what went through me. I just wanted to leave that moment. I just felt that something somewhere is completely unwarranted. The space offered for fashion, lifestyle and mindless space for footloose and merry making. That is what Goa as a preferred geography has been minimized to. I hardly saw gelling with other culture. It just aped. Reaching joy and happiness through this type of recklessness is indefinable and appears isolated. Yet people enjoy it. And this isolation is what is being looked at as a blessing. I tried to withdraw myself completely. My concept of isolation is different. The faint sound and light of this headless party (as it appeared to me from a distance where sea waves were touching my feet at the beach) still managed to reach me. I tried to distinguish their isolation from mine where I was listening to the sound of Morgim waves that painted a charm on me.

As the evening came to a close, I approached an artist painting a girl with wings (an angel) while having his Budweiser and Kingfisher. He drew bangles on her wrists. I asked: where exactly she is from? Her eyes look Europeans but her bangles confuse me! He smiled and explained that she represent this place where different cultures meet. Here, in Goa, beautiful ladies meet and tell you about life, which is to enjoy and be happy (through partying hard recklessly with coke, alcohol, smoke, etc…. I thought). But his note did leave me to ponder on my approach to perceive the event at Goa once again.

As I am recollecting my thoughts, the flight announcement has requested to switch off all electronic gadgets. We are approaching Delhi. As I am about to touch the ground, there is a belief that a bad chapter comes to a close but I will try to recall if there was something I can still manage to take back from Goa in niceties. I accept that our perception to embrace feelings gives us either the best or worst. Then, there is every reason to believe that there must be something… I will try to figure out and make myself feel that it was a trip worthwhile still.