The time I made a plan for a family trip to Goa, my friends mocked. One said it’s a couple’s thing…some said you should go with friends. Let me be clear, Goa is a place which hypnotises you and makes you fall in love with it, no matter whether you are with your family, kids, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, alone or on a honeymoon.
There are myriads of activities and adventures where a two-year-old to 60-year-old can equally enjoy. I was travelling with my parents, husband and with my two and half-year-old son. It was more than a trip as my son (Swastik aka Elvi) was going to visit his Dada, Dadi with his Nana and Nani. My in-laws reside at Savarde, 30km far from Madgaon in South Goa.
We boarded Rajdhani in February from Hazrat Nizamuddin and reached Madgaon the next day. The 26-hour journey was like rowing gently down the stream and the journey was sort of a dream. After Panvel, breathtaking secenes awaited me on the Konkan Railway. Chugging through 92 tunnels and on 2,000 bridges, this route gives you postcard-worthy moments every five seconds with endless stretches of water, hills, paddy hues and villages under shades of coconut trees.
My father-in-law was waiting to receive us at Madgaon Railway station on the newly built platform. As soon as Elvi saw his Dadajee he ran to him and embraced him. In a 20 minutes drive from Madgaon railway station to my rented house at Savarde, Xeldem in Quepem, I explored colourful, vibrant and serene Goa. Our car was cruising at 60 kmph. The blue, yellow, purple, red, orange, green coloured houses made up a cheerful locality. Portuguese style villas and churches gave pleasure to my eyes. We reached the house and its beauty left me spellbound. It was in the middle of nature and was surrounded by varieties of trees— Coconut, Cashew, Mango, Curry Patta, Jack Fruit, Chiko, Papaya, Banana, Drumstick and etc. For the first time I saw cashew-laden trees. The boundry of house was decked with flowers like Rose, Marigold, Guldabdi, Dalia, Gazelia, Aurhul, etc. My in-laws resides on first floor and the landlords stay in the house next to them.
I was so amazed by the beauty of the surroundings that I forgot my mother-in-law was eagerly waiting to see us. We entered the house and it had a temple like feel. The place was clean, tidy and spacious with a pleasant smell of food and flowers. The 26-hour long journey satisfied my soul but it couldn’t satisfy my grumbling stomach. My mother-in-law cooked delicious vegetarian lunch for us and our landlady also cooked Soya Goan chap for us. The taste was different with a sweat and salty flavour.
In the evening we were enjoying the panoramic view of hills and forests from the balcony. The atmosphere was very peaceful and refreshing. Meanwhile, our landlady came to us and offered sweat potato pakora with tea. It was awesome in taste. Goans are very warm and hearty.
After that we went for a walk in the clean and clear air. In the nights, sky had more visible stars and decipherable constellations. The roads were lined with coconut trees.
Goan houses have a typical architecture, different from other cities. Tiled roofs, pillars, seats in the balcony, trees.... all form part of the house. One important must-have in the compound near the entrance was a sign of religion. Christians had crosses and Hindus had a splendid Tulsi Chaura.
One drawback of course is the absence of Uber or Ola, forcing us to pay exorbitant amounts to the private taxies.
Next morning, I woke up by a honking sound. I rushed to the balcony and saw a Poder (a traditional baker), who comes on a cycle everyday to sell fresh bread. Life here starts very early in the morning. I could not refrain myself from a morning walk and went with my husband. Coconut trees and colourful old style Portuguese villas were all around. Goa also has a vast network of backwaters that runs through many villages. So, you can either go fishing on the banks of the backwaters or just chill there in the daytime.
We returned back and got ready for our road trip to North Goa. We had a yummy Neer dosa in breakfast, cooked by our landlady. My mother-in-law had already hired a cab and the driver was on time at 8 am. He was familiar to us and promised to take us to the unexplored sites. Instead of heading towards North Goa, he insisted that we visit Mahadev temple first. We all were least interested but agreed. We reached the temple soon and it was just a treat to the eyes. Tambdi Surla Temple is located inside the area of Bhagwan Mahavir National Park. Situated amidst nature, it is a divine place. The place was unbelievably quiet. You can only hear the sound of the stream and the chirping of birds when you are on the temple premises. The location was so pristine that one would definitely love to visit the temple not once but several times. I thanked Sanjay, the driver for bringing us here.
Mahadeva Temple, Tambdi Surla is a 13th-century Shaivite temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and an active place of Hindu worship. It has been said that it is the only structural temple of the Kadamba period to survive the destructive violence of religious intolerance during Muslim and Portuguese occupations of Goan territory. The intricate carvings of the temple adorn the interior and sides of the temple. Along with Lord Shiva, the temple has fascinating figures of Lord Vishnu and Brahma. Every corner of the temple tells a story. Tambdi Surla faces east so that the rays of the rising sun first fall on the deity.
We headed towards the sound of stream flowing down the hills. We went down and put our legs into the water. It was so relaxing. A number of small fishes touched our legs as we spent an hour there. We had some snacks and lime water there. From there we went to The Basilica of Bom Jesus church, one of the oldest church of Goa. Built in the year 1594 and consecrated in 1605, the building of this church coincides with the beginning of Christianity in India. It is known for its exemplary baroque architecture.
Now it’s already 2:30 pm and we were hungry. Sanjay took us to the restaurant. There we had Goan Prawn Curry. It is also called Ambot Tik. Crunchy prawn dipped into smooth curry. It went perfectly with steamed rice. We ordered chicken kurma biryani and few more Goan cuisines. We all had a truly satisfying and awesome meal in Rs 2,700. After that my mom went on a shopping spree. From there we headed towards the Miramar beach in Panjim. Not scared of the huge waves, my son enjoyed a lot and soaked himself in sand, playing with high tide.
Meanwhile, my husband came and asked us to get ready for the 2-hour cruise ride. It sounded so exciting. Soon, we all on boarded the cruise. We were welcomed by our captain who was sitting in the middle of the cruise and narrating us about the famous things around the coastal areas of Miramar beach and the Arabian Sea as well. I immediately took a corner seat facing sea. Snacks, food items, and beverages were also available on the cruise which we had to pay on the spot. As the cruise was sailing away from Miramar beach and heading towards the sea, we spotted astounding dolphins swimming in synchronicity.
The cruise also offered glimpses of the nearby villages, island, churches and farms adding a rustic feel to this experience. The centuries old temples, Chopar forts and church, jail were a sight to remember, charming all the tourists on the cruise. Along with sightseeing there was live DJ on board who kept us entertaining. A Group of people were dancing.
Meanwhile, I noticed that the sky was changing its colour in every minute. We were entering twilight time. The sun, a fiery orb, was gradually drowning into the sea at the farthest end. Shades of different colours -- red, orange, yellow spread all over in the sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I was overwhelmed as I stood before this magnificent sight. And the burning orb finally disappeared into the Arabian Sea. I have never seen such a beautiful sunset before. Everything was very relaxing and serene. The cold breeze, colourful sky, flocking birds, dolphins, sea water, green hills all were just like a soothing song which I wished to be continued forever. But nothing lasts forever. Soon, we were on the sea shore with an exhilarating and serene experience. I was sure everyone was overwhelmed by this grandeur sea sailing.
While returning I noticed peace, calm on everyone’s face as they appeared delved into the moments that they just came across. We had a wonderful dinner at the market place on the way to our home. Again, I was in the majestic home and collecting my memories that I had in the day.
Next morning, I woke up again by the honking sound but preferred to sleep due to muscle contractions in the foot. It must be due to the continuous walk and running on the beach. We decided to take a break and though my father-in-law. woke up early and was ready for the office. A resident engineer in Konkan railway project, he is an inspiration and demonstrates a zeal to keep oneself fit, energetic and active even in his old age. We discussed our itinerary for the next day and decided to visit the tough trek to Dudhsagar waterfall.
My mother, husband, son and me geared up for our next spot—Dudhsagar fall. We reached at Colem and from where we hired a jeep. The jeep safari which would begin at Colem where we would be driven through verdant forest areas with meandering streams along the way. In spite of the bumps and jerks along the way it was a picturesque journey towards the four-tiered Dudhsagar waterfall. The drive would take forty-five minutes to reach there and then a km of trek in the lap of nature. With all ups and downs, we finally reached Dudhsagar waterfalls. It was like a heaven on Earth. The gushing streams of this waterfall made it appear as if milk was flowing from the hills and hence the name. The sight of this gorgeous waterfall and its surroundings mesmerized me and made my day. The glory of the Dudhsagar falls, lush greenery and the scenic beauty of this place overwhelmed me.
We went closer to the falls and a natural pool formed at the base of the waterfall and we couldn’t refrain from taking a dip in the pool which had a large number of big fishes. My son was thrilled to see fishes swimming all around. After trekking, a dip in the pool rejuvenated my senses. This waterfall pool was not too deep and not too shallow either. We were taking extra care at the sides because the rock formations around the pool were slippery. The beauty of the crystal clear water in the middle of lush greenery was breathtaking.
I don’t have adjectives to explain the beauty of this place and it can only be felt. I want to be here again and again. It’s difficult for me to pen my Goa experience in limited words. After that we went to many beeches—Palolem, Colva, Bagha, etc. and had wonderful candle light dinner on the beach. We tasted excellent sea food there with Pina colada mocktail.
Goa is not only all about sand, beeches, sea, temples, churches but it is more than that. It captivates life.
After seeing this majestic place all your restlessness, humdrums of life will end. It will give you real moksha, though temporary. The whole Goa trip to me was like my childhood painting which has turned into reality.