The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) in association with Kala Kirti is organising the 7th edition of Goa Environmental Film Festival 2019 for schools and colleges at Goan level, and individual category at national level on September 25 and September 26. The aim of the festival is to select short films to spread the message of environmental awareness and also to inspire understanding of the environment through the power of films. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday in Panaji, vice chairman, ESG, Rajendra Talak said that the festival’s goal is to offer entertaining and educational films that leaves attendees with increased awareness of environmental issues that we face locally and globally. The theme for the short films in both categories is ‘Water-Elixir of Life’. In the schools and colleges category, the film should only be in Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, or English (with English subtitles, if the film is not in English) and should be produced by Goan schools and colleges only. In the individual category, the film can be in any Indian language under VIII schedule (with English subtitles if the film is not in English) and can be produced by any citizen of India. Goans can participate in both […]

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in collaboration with Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) organised a 20-day workshop of two certified short courses namely, Foundation Course in Screen Acting and Foundation Course in Screenplay Writing at ESG, Panaji. These short courses aimed at helping artistes and screen writers of the state polish their skills. Registrar at FTII Varun Bharadwaj was present for the valedictory function. The faculties for the courses were Phuntsok Ladakhi and Samvartha Sahil. The full day courses commenced from April 13 and ended on May 2. A total number of 32 registrations from all over India were received; out of which 20 individuals opted for the Screen Acting course while 12 opted for the Screenplay writing course.

Sometimes it is better to take a break from chasing complicated, intricate, cuisines and dishes and just sit back and relish food that takes you back to your roots and simpler times. Here are a few glimpses of the morsels available at the Goan Saraswat cuisine pop-up at Vivanta Goa, Panaji. Sheryl Gonsalves | NT GOGOANOW Usually, the favourite memories of a person are related to the food they enjoyed from their mother’s or grandmother’s hands. I got to relive those memories as I ate the simple traditional food at Vivanta Goa, Panaji’s Goan Saraswat cuisine pop-up. The chef behind this unique pop-up is Shubhra Shankhwalker who has partnered with Vivanta Goa, Panaji to curate this exclusive gastronomic experience. “When people come to Goa, they only try Goan Catholic food. No one talks about Goan Saraswat food. The pop-up is for people to be aware of it. This type of food is only available in people’s houses. It’s not easily available in restaurants,” Shankhwalker says. She learned to cook from her mother-in-law and mother. She had once told her mother that she has no interest in cooking, but now carries 15 years of cooking experience. When the silver thali came […]

We have all heard about the famous Goan fish thalis, prawn curries, sorpotel, chicken cafreal, and vindaloo. Now it’s time to celebrate the sweets of Goa. The people of Goa still make traditional sweets from recipes passed down from generation to generation. Here are some of the famous traditional sweets of Goa: Bebinca This is a type of layered pudding. The ingredients which usually go into it are all-purpose flour, eggs, sugar, coconut milk, nutmeg, and ghee.  It takes time to prepare this lovely dessert as each layer has to be baked first before adding the next one. Bebinca usually has 7 to 16 layers. In many places, it is served with vanilla ice-cream. You can eat all the layers at once or peel one layer at a time and savour each one. Dodol Dodol is made using coarsely ground raw paddy rice flour, black jaggery, coconut milk, and cashew nuts. The coconut is ground and the juice/ milk is extracted. It is traditionally cooked on firewood.  The end result is a pudding-like sweet which almost melts in your mouth. It is mostly made for Christmas. Sugar isn’t used and so dodol gets its taste from the delicious Goa jaggery. Its […]

Kamlakar Naik is a kind-hearted man who is an Indian classical music vocalist. His style is Khayal singing and belongs to the Agra style of music. He has performed in many places and music conferences like Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar Smriti Sangeet Samaroh, Sawai Gandharv, and Sangeet Samorah.  Naik says that nowadays in Goa, people lean more towards light classical music or Western & Indian classical music fusions.  He says: “I’m not interested in music fusions. I concentrate on pure classical music which I received from my gurus.” Some of his gurus were Ratnakantji Ramnathkar, Pt. V.R Athavaleji, and Jitendra Abhishekiji. He’s been involved in classical music for approximately 50 years. Kamlakar feels that Indian classical music has definitely changed in Goa and India over the years as each artist has his own imagination and capacity and makes his contribution to the classical music industry which changes the music. “I enjoy performing. I am totally involved in the performance. I always think that every performance is an examination for me,” Naik enthusiastically states. He continues,“ One must also learn the theory of music apart from practical. There are theoretical rules for presenting melodies. One melody can be performed even for 60 minutes […]

The next Navhind Times workshop, RISE, slated for July 21, will help youngsters reinvent themselves, influence others, stabilise, and excel in different fields. NT Kuriocity chats with organisational development consultant and certified talent analyst Kishore Shah to find out more Maria Fernandes | NT Kuriocity An electrical engineer with a post graduate diploma in human resource management and organisational studies, Kishore Shah is a multi-faceted personality. A certified talent analyst from Chally, Ohio, Shah, who is the recipient of Business Goa Awards for Corporate Excellence – 2017, among other achievements will be conducting the next Navhind Times workshop RISE, focusing on youngsters. He gives us a peek into what it is about.   From school to high school, and then higher secondary and college, students have to deal with various changes. In addition, being plugged into a global consumerist culture supported by technology, they have various predicaments. How will this workshop help them? Change is not a new term for us because we evolve, but when change happens at hyper speed it no longer is a change; it’s an upheaval which is disruptive and hardly gives us time to respond. Today we are witnessing change in almost all spheres of […]