People, Culture & Lifestyle of Goa

Golden beaches, fairy tale mansions and churches, wonderful food, friendly people and of course, feni - these are just a few of Goa's charms. And if you are the kind who likes company, you cannot go wrong in a land where hospitality is an established tradition.

Goa, a former Portuguese territory, for more than 450 years is often described as 'The Rome of the East'. It has over the past decades, become the dream holiday destination, for many a foreign tourist. More than 40 years after the departure of the Portuguese, Goa is perhaps the most westernized of all the states in Modern India. The majority of Goans are very bohemian. Easy going in nature, enjoying a typical 'tropical lifestyle'; including the 'siesta', which is usually from 1pm to 4pm, the hottest part of the day. Music, dance, drama, food and feni, are a few of the things most Goans are passionate about.

Music
Goans love music. It is an integral part of their lives. Music in Goa covers a broad spectrum, from Portuguese music to Techno to Rave and the now the (in)famous Goa Trance. The local radio station AIR (All India Radio) mostly plays music in Konkani, Hindi and English. Though occasionally, we still get to hear some Portuguese music. The DJ's are awful to say the least, talking far too long between each piece of music. They read out endless lists of requests, which, by their continuous stumbling, is clearly unrehearsed.


Nightlife in Goa
Nightlife in Goa is exciting and there are many ways to liven up the evening. Goans enjoy going out and it is not unusual to find families out for a night of merriment. In certain areas, almost every third house has a bar-cum-restaurant.

Singers and Tiatr (Goan Theatre)
Some of the singers and dramatists, who have become household names, include Prince Jacob, Alfred Rose, Tony King, Kid Boxer, Souza Boy, M.Boyer, Emiliano D'cruz, Rosario Rodrigues and J. B. Rod. A lot of the music churned out today (2 to 3 releases per month) is from 'Tiatre' (Konkani theatre), which are mainly melodramas about family and domestic life. Each lyricist will offer his own explanation for life's varied problems, often coloured by individual prejudices. Although there are quite a few 'Tiartist' who produce plays with political satire. Notable, is William de Curtorim.
Love became a theme, mainly in the songs of the Jazz artistes, and the classy composer Chris Perry. His ballads, immortalized by singer Lorna, remain all time favorites. Lorna has now returned to Konkani music after a gap of almost 28 Years. Bombay-based, Alfred Rose, is believed to be among the first to actually cut cassettes, and records of his music, with printed lyrics to accompany them.

The People
The people of Goa are very friendly and extremely happy-go-lucky. They are fond of the good things in life and are certainly not caught up in the rat race. Siesta is an important part of life in Goa with shops downing their shutters from one to four the most Goans retiring for the afternoon. Though the people of Goa are of different faiths and from different cultural backgrounds, they have come together to create the easygoing Goan culture with its emphasis on good living.

Religion
Religion is very important to the Goans. Whether it is Catholic, Hindu or Muslim. Churches, Temples and Mosques abound wherever you journey in Goa. Some of the churches are placed in spectacular, and very difficult locations. Though, Goa is a multi-ethnic state, Goans are very tolerant towards each other's faiths; while unfortunately this is not true of the rest of this country. The majority Hindu community and the sizeable Catholic minority have lived in peace and harmony for decades and centuries. They participate in each other's many feasts. Many Hindus attend the novenas during the feast of St. Francis Xavier (the patron saint of Goa), as the Catholics take part in the zagors and zatras. It is not rare to see young Catholics at local Hindu temples during the feast of Dusshera. They consider it auspicious to have their vehicles blessed by the temple priest on that day. A few days before lent, many colorful carnivals are held, in all the major towns in Goa. Then, a few days later comes the Shigmo (Hindu festival of spring) distinctive parades go along the very same streets, with many kaleidoscopic floats and frenzied dancers. On these occasions both communities participate.

GOA Food
Food in Goa is a very serious matter and capitalizes on the range of food products available here. Goa boasts of many different cuisines - the Konkan, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. The fruits of the sea are used lavishly in Goan food different types of fish, prawns, mussels, oysters, crabs and many more.

Fairs and Festivals of GOA
Festival time in Goa leaves you with your senses reeling - in more ways than you can imagine for the Goans celebrate any occasion with great gusto. They actually have a festival that celebrates the very idea of fun and fiesta!

Economy
The Goan economy is highly dependent on tourism, which brings in the much-needed foreign currency. This has caused the mushrooming of hotels, resorts and other tourist related businesses, all along the northern coastal area. The exports of iron and manganese ores are also big earners for Goa. If tourism is the bread and butter then mining is the jam. In Goa unlike the rest of India the mining industry is privately owned and not controlled by the government. Sadly enough, Goa is also an exporter of manpower. Most of those leaving its shores are highly skilled in their respective fields. As a matter of fact, Goa is more becoming like a "Retiree's Place". The Working local Goan population is getting to be mostly middle aged, as most young people are either working in the Arabian Gulf region, or migrated to USA, Australia or New Zealand. So this is Goa, amche Goem - its culture and people. Want to visit?