The 10th Anniversary of Goa Arts and Literature Festival will be returning on the 5th – 7th December 2019. The two-day event will be held at the International Centre Goa (ICG), Dona Paula. GALF is one of the premier gatherings in the nation’s intellectual calendar.
GALF will be inaugurated by Arunachal Pradesh writer, Mamang Dai, and scholar, Harish Trivedi. The inaugural will also see the unveiling of the official 10th-anniversary artwork, exclusively created by author/artist Savia Viegas.
Many prominent well-wishers and supporters will return for the anniversary celebrations, including novelist and translator Jerry Pinto; Hindi writer Mridula Garg; award-winning Kannada writer Vivek Shanbhag; poets Keki Daruwalla, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Ranjit Hoskote, Hemant Divate and Sumana Roy; and journalists of Goan origin, Samar Halarnkar, and Naresh Fernandes.
The central theme of GALF 2019 will be, deliberations and discussions about ‘Different Ways of Belonging’ – an idea and concept derived from a poem by the late, great Eunice de Souza, which has animated the festival philosophy throughout the past decade. This topic will be examined, discussed and debated through GALF while giving different viewpoints and a consistent emphasis on what is usually considered the margins: Dalit voices, the economical disadvantages, the North-Eastern states, Kashmir, and Goa.
A range of bookstalls – including Broadway, the official bookstore for GALF 2019 – will offer a selection of books available in Goa, from local publishers to international, distributed across a wide range of genres. As previously, Young GALF will present daily programs for school children of all ages, every morning on the ICG lawns, featuring poetry, journalism, art, and activities suited for young people.
Entry to all festival sessions is free and open to the general public.
Details: http://www.goaartlitfest.com/
Featured Events
An art exhibition by artist, Mansi Trivedi titled ‘Ephemeral Gaze’ is currently on display at Fundação Oriente, Panaji. The exhibition is open for public viewing until January 5. Details: 2230728
The 10th Children’s Tiatr Competition will be organised by Tiatr Academy of Goa in collaboration with Ravindra Bhavan Margao from December 1 to January 9, 2020.
The Navhind Times presents School Quiz 2019. Once again, students from schools all over Goa will go head to bead to find out which school has the best and brightest minds. The Navhind Times School Quiz 2019- is open to students (up to Std X) of all schools In Goa. WHO ARE GOA’S MASTERMINDS? 5th December 2019 – Ravindra Bhavan, Margao 9:00 am – Zone 3 (Salcete, Sanguem, Canacona) 1:30 pm – Zone 4 (Mormugao, Quepem, Dharbandora) 9th December 2019 – Dempo House, Panaji 9:00 am – Zone 1 (Bardez, Pernem, Bicholim) 1:30 pm – Zone 2 (Tiswadi, Sattari, Ponda)
Bal Bhavan will be organising an interstate cultural programme on December 8 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao and on December 9 at Ravindra Bhavan, Sankhali. 100 children from Gujarat, Diu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Shimoga (Karnataka), Kerala and Bal Bhavan Goa will be participating in this two-day programme. This event is being organised by Bal Bhavan Goa to give a platform to children of other states to perform in Goa. The programme will help to inter-exchange the cultural heritage and cultural folk songs and dance of Gujarat, Diu, Telangana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra, Shimoga (Karnataka) and Goa. The programme at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao will be held in the presence of deputy chief minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar on December 8, 10 a.m., whereas Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, will be the chief guest on December 9 at 3:30 p.m. The cultural programme is open to the public. Entry free.
Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts invites you to Quest for Reality: a dance performance by Impana Kulkarni and Prerna Palekar on 11 December 2019 at 7 pm. Conceptualised and directed by Arundhati Chattopadhyaya, this dance recital is inspired by the work of Shantibai (one of the artists at our ongoing show `Sculpsit: Between Thought and Action’) known for her Maria Khamba works which narrate stories of women from the Bastar region of Chhatisgarh. These sculptures are carved into wood found in the region of Bastar. Quest for Reality is a performance which employs Indian classical dance techniques accompanied by live music and tells the story of the plight of Talamai who suddenly goes missing. Presented against the backdrop of our ongoing Sculpsit exhibition, the audience is invited to join us in the search for the missing girl. This concert is open to all and is free of charge. At Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts, 63/C-8, Near Army House, Altinho, Panaji – Goa Kindly contact them for more details: Tel: 0832-2421311 / Email: info@sgcfa.org
Rotary Club of Panaji is organising the ninth annual all-Goa drawing competition for children up to 15 years on December 19, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Bhagwan Mahavir (Children’s Park), Panaji. The competition will be held in four categories: for children five years and below, the topic is ‘Cartoon Characters’; for children between six years and nine years, the topic is ‘Scenic Beauty of Goa’; for children between 10 years and 15 years, the topic is ‘Harmful Effects of Pollution on Environment’; and for special children, the topic is open. Participants will be provided with A3 size drawing paper; however, they will have to carry their own drawing material. Certificates will be awarded to all the participants. Fee: `20. Details: 9970548947/ 9823013727 bomkar62@gmail.com
In order to preserve and conserve the age old tradition of crib making the Directorate of Art and Culture will be organising a state level crib competition. The competition is organised in categories, the institution/group category and the individual/household category. Participation forms will be available from November 18 at the office of the of Art and Culture, Panaji; Ravindra Bhavan, Margao; Ravindra Bhavan, Cunchorim; Ravindra Bhavan, Vasco; Ravindra Bhavan, Sanklim and Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Ponda. The participation forms should be submitted before December 16.
Featured Blog

Fontainhas – Goa’s Latin Quarter
Experience the vibrancy of Portuguese architecture in this quarter of Panaji. The Fontainhas is the oldest Latin Quarter located in Panaji. In the late 1700s, this locality belonged to a Goan expat who was also known as ‘Mossmikar’, as he hailed from the Portuguese colony of Mozambique in East Africa. Since this place was an open space it was called as ‘Mollo’, finally leading to be identified as ‘Mala’.The ‘Mossmikar’ later converted this land into coconut plantation hence called as Palmar Grande. The Fontainhas became more civilized when the Portuguese moved out from Old Goa to Panjim in the 1840’s due to sanitary problems that led to repeated outbreaks of plague in Old Goa.Since this was a plain area, it became the first choice of habitation for the Portuguese. When the Kadambas ruled Goa, what we now know as Panaji was called as Pancham Khali. The Portuguese called it as Novo Goa or New Goa as they had moved out of Old Goa.The city of Panaji was built around Fonte de Phoenix. Fonte De Phoenix (Fountain of Phoenix) is a water reservoir which was constructed in the Portuguese era. On the top of the fountain there was a plate which […]

Menezes Braganza Mansion
The Menezes Braganza house is located at the Chandor village in Goa.It is known to be more than 350 years old and is situated near the church square in Chandor. This mansion is the most exquisite heritage house in Goa and also has a Portuguese style facade. It is a museum of chandeliers, paintings, porcelain, crystal and other antique items. Luis Menezes Braganza was a luminary. He used the power of his pen to spark off the anti-colonialist movement in Goa and was referred by people as “the Tilak of Goa”. Luis Menezes Braganza along with another reputed Goan writer, Professor Messias Gomes, established the first Portuguese language daily in Goa. Rare porcelain from Macao brought by the English and Dutch East India Companies beautifies the walls, and two thick porcelain vases that belonged to St. Francis Xavier are kept on the table in the dining room. The floors change from room to room: the visitors’ salon has Portuguese tiles, the library Flemish wood, and the ballroom Italian marble. There are crystal chandeliers from Belgium that illuminate the ballroom when lighted up. The ballroom is fashioned after Louis XIV’s Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles and a set […]

Spices of Goa
Goan cooking generally involves liberal amounts of spices giving dishes a strange taste and distinctive aroma. Particular combinations of spices have led to a number of styles of cooking, which have differing flavors; masala, vindaloo and balchao being some of the most famous. Chilies, particularly the dried red variety, are used widely to add pungency, flavor, texture, marinate meats and fish. The green variety is also used to make chutneys, pickles, give pungency and taste to vegetables, meats and fish. The Christians prefer to use vinegar, while the Hindus use ‘kokum’ and tamarind to get the tang in their respective cuisines. Another important product of the palm is jaggery, a dark colored sweetener that is widely used in preparing Goan sweetmeats. Jaggery made from sugarcane is also used which has got a lighter colour compared to the coconut palm one. The spice plantations of Goa are quite popular as a tourist attraction, for more details click on – Spice Plantations The various spices found in the Goan markets (Local Markets) or any General stores around you are; Fennel (Badisep) Asafetida (Hing) Cardamom (Veichi) Cumin (Jirem) Pepper (Mirem) Mustard seeds (Sasvam) Cinnamon (Dalchini) Clove (Lovang) Coriander Seed (Sukhi Kothmir) Cubeb (Teflam) Fenugreek […]

The Goan Fish Tales – I
Fish is considered as the staple diet of the Goan people. All humans use readily available edible resources and slowly develop a culture around it and the knowledge is passed from generation to generation. Fish became an integral part of Goan diet from prehistoric times (50000-60000 years before present).Goa has an unenviable culture showcasing different ways communities look at, understand, worship, love/hate, catch, cook and serve fish. Goa being rich in freshwater and marine ecosystems offers free, highly diverse (about 250 species of fish and shellfish) fisheries resources so the culture of catching fish developed much before animal husbandry or agriculture.Due to early semi nomadic settlers who camped first in Mandovi and Zuari river basins about 50-60000 years ago and developed the practice of catching fish using different gears. Fish was a staple diet in ancient Goa even before caste system was developed so almost all ethnic Goan communities are found to utilize fish in their food but there are clear taboos about meat. After the advent of GSB (Goa Saraswat Brahmins) migrants the legend of Sage Saraswat saving the Vedas by consuming fish from Vedic river Saraswati became popular and the Brahmins too justified consumption of fish by taking […]

Whirlpools, crocodiles, and more. Find out what the life of a fisherman is like.
A cool breeze blows and the water laps gently against the river bank. A man walks towards the river carrying his floating net. He gets into the boat and uses his strong arms to expertly row to the desired spot to cast the net for catching fish. This happy-go-lucky Goan is Prakash. He goes fishing 2-3 times a week as it is one of his ways of earning a living. During his childhood, he had a tough life as his parents struggled to feed him and his seven siblings. From a young age he was a keen learner. Just by watching different people at work, he was able to pick up various other trades like carpentry and vegetable cultivation. He has observed that during the summer there is more fish to catch. According to him, the months of April, May, and June are the best months to fish. During the rainy season, he avoids fishing as the river waters get choppy. In the past few years, fishing has become a bit tougher for him because of crocodiles and seals. Seals move very quickly to steal the fish they catch and even come to bite them. Also, he has to avoid any […]

Azulejos- Tiles, Thoughts and Art
Velha Goa Galeria Velha Goa Galeria is a place full of various creative pieces. They sell products like ceramic tiles, clay items, glassware, tableware, and cutlery. The majority of their products are Azulejos (hand painted glazed tiles). The price range of the products is approximately between Rs.300 and Rs.15,000. They also conduct workshops and hold exhibitions. . . Address- H.No.191, Rua de Ourém, Fontainhas, Altinho, Panaji, Goa . Telephone: 98221 59881 Azulejos de Goa The Portuguese style craft, Azulejos, is beautiful. These hand-painted tiles take hours to make. Orlando Noronha went to Portugal and started getting into this craft. He says, “ I always wanted to do something different. It’s an art that I learned in Portugal in 1998 as a hobby and later on when I returned I thought of reintroducing this beautiful art in Goa with Goan designs, motifs, etc.” He is of the opinion that it will always be trendy. His place in Panjim, Azulejos de Goa, is crowded with these tiles and the most popular items are Azulejos tiles and plates. Orlando’s products are also available at Taj Khazana, Magsons […]

Shell Craft- The art of the sea
Neeta Bhat Goa, a coastal region, boasts of its shell craft. Neeta is one such person who practices this beautiful craft. He ingeniously incorporates shells into various household items like flower vases, table lamps, hanging balls, shell mirrors, and showpieces. Since Neeta is registered at the Handicraft emporium, their branches sell his products. Additionally, private shops from Mapusa & Panaji buy his items. He believes in keeping a low-profit margin of only 20%. The price range for his products are approximately between Rs.17 to Rs.290.” In the future, he intends to dabble in making necklaces out of raw material like sari borders. The gentle-natured Neeta says this about shell craft, “ Of course I enjoy it!.” Maya Shetkar The down-to-earth person- Maya Shetkar uses simple seashells which she buys from the market to create beautiful pieces of art. At a young age of 16, Maya’s neighbour taught her this craft and over the years she has put her own creative input into seashells crafting. She makes showpieces, table lamps, curtains, flower pots, mirror work, shell flower bouquets, and earrings. Maya’s items are available at Goa Handicraft showrooms. She also sells her work at exhibitions. Her prices start at Rs.50. She admits […]

Chorizos- The King of Sausages
Pork sausage is one of the traditional food items of the Goan cuisine. It is mostly loved by the Catholic community of Goa. Pork sausage is basically a boneless pork meat that is seasoned with the required spices and is marinated with vinegar. This mixture is then kept in an earthen vessel over a period of two days. This process allows all the spices and the vinegar to blend properly with the raw meat. The filling is then stuffed into casings which are made up of a layer of intestines of beef meat. They can be eaten boiled, fried, as pork chops and as a pie filling in sandwiches. The most common dish that is prepared by using the sausages is the ‘Choris pao’; bread stuffed with sausages. Pork sausages are easily available in New Margao Municipal market, near the old Margao Municipal building and the Mapusa Market.

From Grandma’s Kitchen: Fish Ambotik
Fish Ambotik is a classic favourite among the Goan folk. The curry has a deliciously sour, spicy, and tangy flavour. This is why it is named ‘Ambotik’ as ambot means sour and tik means spicy. It is usually accompanied with rice, bread, or sannas. Different types of fishes can be used such as kingfish, mackerel, shark, etc. This dish can be identified by its reddish-orange colour. The following recipe is given by a Goan grandmother who has a passion for cooking. Fish Ambotik of half kg Grind to paste the following: 1 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 tsp jeera 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp peppercorns 5 cloves 1-inch stick of cinnamon 6 flakes garlic 3/4 inch piece ginger 6 Kashmiri chillies 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 marble size tamarind METHOD Pour a little oil in a vessel and then put one medium size onion (finely chopped). Then add one medium chopped tomato. After this, put the ground masala check the thickness of the gravy. Then put the fish pieces. Lastly, add 1 tbsp spoon Goa vinegar. Add salt according to taste. SHERYL GONSALVES | NT GOGOANOW Pic credit: Shivang Mishra | NT GOGOANOW

An eco-farm with thrills and adventure for the first time in Goa
For the first time in Goa, an eco-farm will be opening which consists of more than just a farm or spice plantations. People can come here and admire the farm and get thrills as well. The construction of SharvRaj Eco-farm at Padoshe Sanquelim in Sattari taluka will be in five phases. The first phase will be inaugurated on 9th March 2019 at 4 pm. It will be open to the public from 10th March 2019 onwards. The first phase is built in an area of 10 acres. The farm consists of horticulture, rainwater harvesting, vegetable cultivation, borewell recharge, different types of irrigation methods, medicinal herbs, water management, organic fertilizers, and more. Those who love adventure will be able to find it at the eco-farm’s adventure park which has features such as Burma bridge, climbing net, rope net crossing, catwalk net, sliding net, log swinging bridge, tyre climbing, and rock climbing. Their water park facilities are a water play station, family slide, spiral slide, multilane slide, and so on. Another attraction of SharvRaj Eco-farm will be the thrill rides- sky cycling (the first in Goa) and zip lining. Other activities include horse rides, bull cart rides, archery, etc. They will be […]

Deciphering cricket with Boria Majumdar
Sports journalist, sports commentator, and author of several books on Indian sports, Boria Majumdar was in Goa for the 2019 edition of Goafest. NT GoGoaNow caught up with Boria to talk cricket. AUSTIN DIAS | NT GoGoaNow This year’s IPL has seen matches go on till midnight. The slow over rates are affecting fans and journalists. Comment The most important constituency of the game is its fans. If a fan has to struggle to return home at 1 a.m. in the morning by paying four times the money for transport, if a journalist cannot write the match report as the deadline is over and his morning edition is gone, and the broadcaster cannot sell his inventory, it is unfair on them. Firstly, the BCCI has to play a greater role. There are two things that can be done. You can start matches at 7 p.m. and finish by 11.30 p.m. Secondly, penalising the erring captain on the basis of net run rate (NRR). If the penalisation is done by cutting down match fees the franchise will pay it off. If you want to hurt them use the NRR (net run rate) option. Eventually, when it comes down to the […]

Serendipity Arts Festival announces 2019 curators
The curatorial panel for the fourth edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival, an eight-day multidisciplinary arts event held in Panaji (15 – 22 December), has been announced and includes leading names from various arts disciplines. The annual arts festival will include disciplines like music, dance, theatre, culinary arts, visual arts, craft and photography. Each discipline will be curated by two curators. For music, the curators are tabla player Aneesh Pradhan, and Sneha Khanwalkar, a music director best known for her music in the film series ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. In the field of dance, Bharatnatyam dancer and former chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (2011-2015), Leela Samson, and choreographer-dancer Mayuri Upadhya will curate projects. As per the organisers, Mumbai-based actor and director Atul Kumar, and film and theatre actress Arundhati Nag will handle curation for theatre. For culinary arts, restaurant mogul and chef Rahul Akerkar and Goa-based Prahlad Sukhtankar are curating for the festival. For photography, curator Rahaab Allana and photographer-environmental campaigner Ravi Agarwal have been named. Visual arts will have contemporary Indian artist Sudarshan Shetty and art-cultural historian and museologist Jyotindra Jain as curators. Curator Pramod K G, who has recently curated the first-ever exhibition of a collection […]

What to do during the monsoon season in Goa
During monsoons, nightlife events and watersports activities are less. However, the rains make Goa more magical. There is a lot more greenery and the air feels fresher. People can visit local restaurants to enjoy hot samosas and kappas with tea while listening to the sound of the rain hitting the earth. Those who are adventurous can go for whitewater rafting or trekking. The monsoons are a great time to visit majestic waterfalls like Dudhsagar, Netravali, Amboli, Kesarval spring, Tambdi Surla, and Harvalem waterfall. For the people who are disappointed with the lack of watersport activities, there is no need to worry. You can try out flyboarding, catamaran sailing, kayaking, speed boating, banana rides, etc. One can also explore the quieter places of Goa. One of them is Fontainhas – a Latin quarter which has heritage Portuguese houses, narrow streets, and colourful architecture. Other than this place there are many tranquil islands to visit that are full of natural beauty and cultural treats. Some of them are Divar Island, Chorao Island, San Jacinto Island, Butterfly Island, and Conco Island. In some of these places, you can rent a bicycle and tour these beautiful places. If you want to stay indoors and […]

New Exciting Programmes in Visual Arts & Theatre for 2019
The all-new curriculum in Visual Art and Theatre programmes at Sunaparanta has just begun this week. Mango Tree after-school Art Programme for age groups 5-6 years and 7- 9 years (Every Thursday) Discover the world of colours, stop-motion techniques, pop art and poster art, sculpture making, clay modelling, music, drama, body movements and much more! Facilitating artists: Ramdas Gadekar, Chaitali Morajkar, Assavri Kulkarni, Siddesh Gaunekar, Anushya Sharma, Ruth Costa, Alice Dsouza, Sonia Sabharwal, Keya D’Souza, Arundhati Chattopadhyaya. Pencil to Portfolio – Juniors for age group 10 to 12 years (Every Friday) Curriculum includes Grid Drawing & Head Study, Puppet Making, Understanding 3D Spaces, Photomontage, Exploring styles, subjects and techniques of various art forms, and more! Facilitating artists: Chaitali Morajkar, Assavri Kulkarni and Siddesh Gaunekar. Pencil to Portfolio – Adults for 13 years and above (Every Saturday) Fine art training in 6 short modules designed for students, working professionals and all interested in learning the fundamentals of art. Drawing & Sketching, Colour Theory, Oil Painting, Still Life and Landscape Drawing and more…every Saturday! Facilitating artists: Rajendra Usapkar, Siddharth Gosavi and Vijay Bhandare. In Stages – Theatre company for age group 12 to 16 years (Every Saturday) Exciting sessions in Character Development, […]

7th edition of Goa Environmental Film Festival to focus on ‘Water Scarcity’
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 […]

Traditional sweets of Goa
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 […]

Goan students build automatic fish sorting system
With the aim of helping locals and small scale industries to eliminate manpower, save time, and thereby make the segregation of fish more efficient, four students from Agnel Institute of Technology and Design, Assagao worked on developing a fish sorting system which uses image processing. The group comprised of Sahil Deosekar, Gauri Halankar, Amey Patil, and Devashree Samant. The team was mentored by professor, Gauri Gaunekar and professor, Mrunal Sawant. “On an average fish consumption in Goa is 70 to 90 tonnes a day. Being the staple food of Goans, the demand for fish in the local market has increased and so has the cost,” says Deosekar. However, according to Halankar, several tasks are involved between the catch of fish to selling it. “One of them is sorting the fish on the basis of different sizes. Since a standard type of net is used, fish of different sizes are caught at a time,” she says. Segregation of fish based on sizes is a must as the cost of the fish depends upon its size; larger the size more expensive is the fish as compared to smaller ones of the same species. Generally, fish is manually sorted by size using 10 […]

Into the mind of Kamlakar Naik- An Indian Classical Music Vocalist
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 […]

GoaMiles is now Goa government’s licensed app based taxi service
The State Transport Authority under the Department of Transport, Govt. of Goa has granted approval for operations of GoaMiles app-based taxi service in accordance with the Guidelines for App Taxi operators in the State. This approval from the Goa Transport Department now makes GoaMiles the state-run app-based taxi service and throws open its doors for all categories of registered vehicles to sign up and boost the State’ first and only app-based taxi service – GoaMiles. Following this approval, the aggregator can now aggregate taxis in the category of AGT(All Goa Tourist), Yellow black taxis and AITP taxis, Yellow Black Motorcycles, Rent a Cab, Rent a Bike etc as per the guidelines formulated by STA. Goa has around 30,000 registered tourist taxis operating across the State. GoaMiles which was launched last year by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation has already achieved success and had been appealing to local tourist operators to join the new service which has proven beneficial to the hundreds of taxi operators already in service with GoaMiles. GoaMiles is managed by a local Goan company called FrotaMiles Pvt. Ltd. created as an SPV as per the requirements of the tendering process. This SPV is the subsidiary of the […]

Goan women and cuisine excel at the Goan Woman Chef of the Year 2019
Edition III of the Goan Woman Chef of the Year was held on Saturday, August 17 at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Benaulim. The culinary competition which has been growing in popularity and number of participants, was organised by The Navhind Times in collaboration with IHCL Goa. Designed exclusively for women, the competition was conceptualised with the objective to appreciate gastronomic talents of Goan ladies from all walks of life irrespective of caste, creed, race or religion while inculcating a spirit of healthy competition and a passion for creativity; in addition to promoting culinary passion, taste for excellence and bringing to the fore some traditional recipes that have been handed down through generations. The minimum age to apply was 18 and it was heartening to see several 18 year olds participating with gusto. Senior ladies too in their 60s and 70s participated with equal enthusiasm. More than 30% of the participants were in fact in the age group of 50 years and above. The senior-most participant was 79-year old Aninha de Noronha, who will soon be celebrating her 80th birthday. Registration commenced at 8.30 a.m, and the buzz and excitement as the contestants arrived and registered was palpable. Hundred ladies […]

Mayem Lake has now been made more tourist- friendly
Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, inaugurated the beautification and up-gradation works undertaken at Mayem Lake on 27th August 2019. He also launched the Bungee Jumping Site there. Mayem Lake is a famous tourist spot for boating or just relaxing and enjoying the scenery. The works undertaken include the development of approach road and parking area for around 57 cars, 40 two-wheelers and 10 tourist buses with a 12m wide approach road. A ticketing booth and tourist information office has been put up at the entrance. The walkway lets the differently-abled move around freely. There is a natural trail, where people can feel and experience the lake view and natural beauty. The existing lake retaining wall and parapet has also been strengthened. Picnic spots have also been developed. Children can enjoy in the play area with swings, see-saw, slopes, etc. To add to the fun, there is now an air-conditioned mirror maze, a duck house, and an amphitheatre (with a capacity for 120 people which can be increased to 200) for showcasing the local folk and cultural dances. Other facilities include a souvenir shop, potter huts to promote local artisans, landscaping, drinking water facility, restaurants, etc. 20 new boats and a jetty with a terminal building for queuing purpose and lakeside […]

Konkani film ‘‘Amori’’ released in Goa
The premiere of Konkani film ‘‘Amori’’ directed by Dinesh Bhonsle was held at Inox, Margao. The chief guest for the same was Minister for Power, Nilesh Cabral while the guest of honour was Fr Jose Costa and the special guest was Leader of Opposition, Digambar Kamat. Produced by Opus Gala, the film aims at showing to the younger generation where water comes from, for example, aquifers, ponds, springs and streams that nourish all life and how precious a resource it is. The dialogues in the film highlight socio-environmental issues are affecting Goans today. The film also shows how those working for the betterment of society are met with resistance from multiple places along with the negligence of the ecosystems and occupations and the allowance of the cultural traditions to become commercialised, etc. The cast comprises Salil Naik, Sobita Kudtarkar, Mayur Mayekar, Prashanti Talpankar, Tanmay Kharpe, Shaina Mirashi, Daksha Shirodkar along while the crew comprise of director, Dinesh P Bhonsle, screenplay and scriptwriter R M Vardhan and music director, Schubert Cotta among others The film is being screened simultaneously from September 13 onwards at Panaji, Margao, Bicholim, Valpoi, Vasco da Gama, Cuncolim and Curchorem. The producers of the movie have appealed […]

College students how well can you spell?
In a bid to enable students to test and improve their spelling skills and cultivate a healthy competitive spirit, The Navhind Times in partnership with the event management department of SS Dempo College of Commerce and Economics is organising Spell-Bee 2019 for college students. NT KURIOCITY caught up with some teachers, parents, and students to find out their views on spellings MARIA FERNANDES | NT For those learning English, especially those for whom it is a second language, different categories of sounds and words could be difficult and confusing. “Spelling is a sequence of letters representing a sequence of sounds. One should not think of the pronunciation of the word while spelling it. Those who do not understand the relation (or the lack of relation) between English speech and spelling will inevitably tend to spell words as they hear them,” says associate professor of English, St Xavier’’s College, Mapusa, Sunita Mesquita. Agreeing with her and listing a few more reasons why spellings are difficult, associate professor of English, SS Dempo College of Commerce & Economics, Bambolim, Augusto Pinto adds: “English is a peculiar language and the script is not phonetically-based like the Devnagiri script. It draws words from a […]

Sabreena Shah talks from the heart
In a bid to bring to the fore, ordinary individuals and their extraordinary stories and achievements, The Navhind Times organized a talk with body positive campaigner, Sabreena Shah who shared her amazing story of her trials and tribulations of living with Polycystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOD) and overcoming the same. Sabreena began with a brief introduction about herself and recounted the onset of the disorder at age 15. She narrated how the first panic attack made her realize something was amiss. From the initial misdiagnosis to learning about the condition, she spoke from her heart. “When the doctor finally diagnosed I had PCOD, I was clueless about the disorder. I was terrified and thought I was going to die since I had never heard of it. There wasn’t much information about it then,” she said and went on to explain about the disorder and syndrome through a PowerPoint presentation. From the symptoms to the treatment, she spoke knowledgeably from her personal experience and in-depth study. She then spoke about the humiliation and ridicule she faced as a bearded girl and said,” It was extremely traumatic. The stares, the whispers, the grins and laughs were often just too much. There were days, […]

A sneak-peek into life in Goa decades ago
Have you ever wondered how Goa was in the past? A simple 82-year-old Goan lady shares details about her life with us. Sheryl Gonsalves | NT GoGoaNow What was Goa like during your youth? There was unity in the family. My mother used to go out of the way by making less for the family and giving the neighbour. My food diet was usually rice and curry. Chicken and other meat was a luxury which was eaten for festivals. Beef was rarely consumed but pork was the most common thing. There were no fridges so we made dishes that could last for some time. I also usually had pulses, beans, pumpkin, gourd, and long string beans. A lot of superstitions were believed in those days. We were told to not go out at night because evil spirits are roaming. On ‘All souls day’ people believed that the souls will come and drink water. They would keep food on top of the roof for the souls. Another superstition was that after midnight a headless evil man/ spirit will roam with a stick. So if people heard any sound like a stick beating something, they would put the lights off and hide […]

The spirit of acting
‘‘The Carpenter’s Cross’’ director Alfwold Silveira returns with a new original gospel rock opera ‘‘AD 2019’’ which will have its first show on September 28 at St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Centre, Old Goa When ‘‘The Carpenter’s Cross’’ came out in 2013, people couldn’t get enough of it. With some great acting and fabulous original tunes, many audience members enthusiastically went for repeat shows of the gospel rock opera. And now director Alfwold Silveira is all set to give Goa yet another original piece as ‘‘AD 2019’’ will be staged for the first time on September 28 at St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Centre, Old Goa. There will be a repeat show on the following day. “‘‘AD 2019’’ begins where ‘‘The Carpenter’s Cross’’ ended with Jesus ascending into heaven. It tells the story of what happens thereon and of heaven, earth, and hell. Much of this is an imaginative perspective because no one has come back from heaven to tell me how it is there of course. It is all based on my own perception,” says Silveira. Clarifying that this is not a sequel to ‘‘The Carpenter’s Cross’’, Silveira reveals that the plot for this story came to him after he had […]

Backpacking Guide: Panjim
Lush green trees and the pristine Mandovi River flowing are notably one of the few things one will see cruising through the beautiful City of Panjim. Panjim being the capital city of Goa calls many visitors. Cruising through Panjim will definitely take a travel thirsty wanderer back in time to the Portuguese era. Fontainhas Fontainhas is famously known to be the Latin quarters of Goa has proven to be a very photo-worthy location for many. The feature of this place is Portugal infused architecture. Walking through the lanes of Fontainhas you’ll notice walls painted in hues of blue, yellow and strip white and that’s only the tip of the beautiful architecture. Walking through the lanes it’s definite to find many cafes and art galleries. Dive deeper into the architecture as you walk into the art galleries. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception One of the most famously known Churches in Goa is the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church. The church stands tall in the center of Panjim and receives hundreds of visitors on a daily basis. The church’s white color instantly grabs the eye. Another feature of this church is its zigzag stairs that lead to the church. The church […]

Backpacking Guide: Baga
Want to experience the nightlife as well as the serene beaches during a tight vacation? Baga is the place to be! Baga is indeed one of the most serene yet commercialized places in Goa. Baga, a small village, along the coast of Goa is nothing but beautiful for the traveler who is on a time limit. Baga creek Baga creek is the perfect place for you to sit and watch the sunset. Right next to Baga beach lays the creek and it has one of the most beautiful views. The picture perfect place makes it a get-away to few locals who come fishing daily and also a view of the ever buzzing Baga beach. The creek is surrounded by beautiful rocks with the waves clashing against it. Saturday night market Another place to visit whilst in Baga is the Saturday Nite Market. As the name specifies, the market is open during the nights. The vast number of stalls sell clothes, jewelry and other kinds of artistic pieces. They also have food stalls that’ll help curb that mid-night hunger! They also have an open stage which gives upcoming talent showcase their work. Baga tibetian market Baga Tibetian Market is another flea […]

Backpacking Guide: Old Goa
Old Goa is a small town in the North Goa district. Portugal styled churches are famous for their architecture and impeccable history behind them. Old Goa, best known for its churches, is the perfect place to be for the traveler who wants to drown himself in the beautiful Portugal architecture of Goa NT GoGoaNow gives you a sneak peek into some places you should visit when in Old Goa! Basilica of Bom Jesus As you enter Old Goa, you’re definite to see the monumental Basilica of Bom Jesus. The church was consecrated in May 1605 by Fr. Alexia de Menezes, the Archbishop of Goa. The church is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture in Goa. The church is well known as it embodies the relics of St. Francis Xavier, who lays to rest in a silver casket within the church. The relics are taken down every 10 years for an exposition which calls forth millions of devotees. The architectural monument comes under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Se Cathedral The Sé Cathedral de Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, in short, is known to be the largest church in Asia. The majestic church stands strong before its lush green […]

International Fashion Week Season 5 to begin in Goa
The fifth season of the International Fashion Week (IFW) Goa will be held at Cidade de Goa by Taj from October 4 to 6. It is presented by Max Fashion along with Mall de Goa and hosted by Goa Tourism. The details of the same were announced at a press conference comprising Bhuvanish Shet; Williamm Xavier; Ashutosh Khandekar; Amit Rawat; Janardhan Bhandari; Prasanna Bhomkar; Asha Arondekar and Sanjiv Salvi among others. As part of IFW Goa, 24 renowned fashion designers will be showcasing collections by MAX, Marks and Spencer, Mary Blooms, Omender Gautam, Rajkumar, Philu Martins, Kamar Minhaz, Kishor, Ash Aziz, Kingshuk Bhaduri, Rajvi and Keyur, Haider, etc. Models showcasing the collections will include Anukreethy Vas from Femina Miss India 2018, film actress Neha Dhupia, MTV star Arushi Handa and others. IFW – Goa was created with a vision to redefine the future of fashion and integrate India into the global fashion world. Following the footsteps of Milan Fashion Week, Goa will be introducing Fashion Funds, a project that will allow the young and upcoming designers to showcase their talent. Students from several institutes such as IIFT, DIDT, Vastra Designing, NIDT, Goa Polytechnic, etc will display their outfits on the […]

Drawings to Sculptures
Art usually speaks to different people in different ways. The ongoing ‘Sculpsit: Between Thought And Action’ art exhibition doesn’t just stop at normal drawings or paintings but turns the drawings into sculptures. The purpose is to show the original idea and the outcome in its final form. It was unusual to see the artists play two roles- artist and engraver. The exhibition curated by Sasha Altaf is being held at Sunaparanta who collaborated with The Guild Art Gallery. Comparing the sketches and its corresponding sculptures was interesting and thought-provoking. Some eye-catching exhibits include a carved human pillar of human beings, a sculpted obsolete object, and more. A sneek peek: Baiju Parthan: The artist’s diverse practice pays attention to intermingling technology with its alternate states of reality, genetic engineering, and religion, along with notions of post-humanism. Sudhir Patwardhan: Urbanist narratives are explored through inaccessible figures that are self-contained. The politics of home and self are realised in his painting and sculpture works. His figurative reliefs conjure together the imagery of painting in a tactile scape. Gigi Scaria: The sculptures explore relations between nature and our built scapes. Cities everyday look forward to a flourishing future but its prism reflects us to […]

‘Into the Vault’ at Museum of Goa
Museum of Goa hosts into the Vault. The exhibition is with collaboration with Goa Artist Collective and features 12 artists originating from Goa. The exhibition commenced on the 5th of October 2019 and is currently open to all. The exhibition takes you through various paintings, sculptures and other works of art. This event is in collaboration with Goa Artist Collective. The exhibits are very mundane and daily items that we have all come across at least once in our life. ‘Into the vault’ tries to trigger emotional memories as you go through the items in the museum. The exhibition gives a glimpse of the artist’s emotional space and while doing so peeking into ours and reconnecting with old memories. *The exhibition ends on the 5th of December 2019

Celebrations at the Goa Baking Company!
It’s all celebrations at the Goa Baking Company. On the completion of one year, the Goa Baking Company, a recent addition to the eateries at the Goa Marriott Resort and Spa, is hosting an exciting offer. On the purchase of one cupcake, you get another cupcake free. The offer starts on the 10th of October 2019 and goes on till the 15th of October. There are a variety of options offered such as cupcakes, donuts, sandwiches and much more. The options offered is priced at 100/- and climbs up to Rs. 200/-. Customers can choose their choice of snacks or sweets and another piece of the same dish for free. Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra I NTGOGOANOW

Soul symphony
In a bid to encourage and inspire young musicians, Gomantak Maratha Samaj Goa in association with the Art and Culture Department of Goa is organising the second edition of the musical concert ‘Sangeet Samelan’ on October 19 and 20, 4 p.m. onwards at the Gomantak Maratha Samaj Hall, Panaji. The programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant along with the deputy chief minister, Chandrakant Kavlekar; musical scholar, Prasad Sawkar; and singer, Meena Faterpekar. “The programme was started a year ago in a bid to inspire young singers of Goa to aim big and follow the example of famous singers that have come out of Goa, such as Lata Mangeshkar,” said president, Gomantak Maratha Samaj Goa, Gaurav Mandrekar. On the first day, Meena Faterpekar will serenade the audience with a vocal classical while on the second day the concert will have a performance by Tulsidas Navelkar on the tabla, a flute recital by Aditya Joshi, a vocal classical by Narendra Kothambikar, and more. The artistes will be accompanied by various Goan musicians.

Walk for Freedom
A Walk for Freedom had been held on the 19th of October which aimed at bringing awareness against slavery still prevalent in our Country and around the world. The event was held at Kala Academy. The start and end point of this event was at Kala Academy, and the participants walked through Dayanand Bandodkar Marg back to the end point. Chief Guest of the event, Beena Phillip, the founder of Bethesda Life Center commented saying, “You don’t have to be a social worker to end trafficking. If you see something suspicious, report it to childline (1089) or the police and you have done our part.” The event started off with about 150 participants taking an oath to do anything within their means to help curtail slavery. Many students from Don Boscos, Carmel College of women, Goa University participated in this movement as well. The lead partner in the Goa’s first Walk for Freedom is the Bethesda Life Center. The walk for freedom is an initiative by A21 in partnership with more than 150 NGOs all over India.

Classic comedies at IFFI 2019 open air screenings
Old classics ‘Padosan’ (1968), the Mehmood-Kishore Kumar rip-roaring comedy, and ‘Chalti ka Naam Gaadi’ (1958), the fun-film by Ganguly – Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Anup Kumar – brothers will be the part of the Open Air Screening section at the 50th International Film Festival of India, to be inaugurated in Goa on November 20, 2019. The organisers of the IFFI 2019 have announced that 14 films will be screened at the Open Air Screening section. Every year, IFFI organises open-air screenings to bring the best of cinematic experience to the cine enthusiasts. This year, the theme of the open-air screenings will be ‘The Joy of Cinema’. The selected movies from the comedy and related genre – including classic comedies of all time and few movies from the Indian Panorama section – will be screened for the audience, at the open-air screenings. This year, the screenings will be organised at two venues namely Joggers Park, Altinho-Panaji and Miramar Beach from November 20 to November 27. Jogger’s Park will screen movies on comedy and related genres, while Miramar Beach will screen select movies of the Indian Panorama section. The open-air screenings will be open to everyone and will not require any […]

Gandhi Through Art
Subodh Kerkar, the founder of Museum of Goa, will be talking about ‘Gandhi Through Art’ at Gomant Vidya Niketan, Margao Friday, 25th October 2019 at 6:00 pm. He is of the opinion that Gandhi is relevant even today and not only during the pre-independence era. Kerkar grew up in the company of Gandhians including Jnanpith Awardee and Padma BhushanRavindra Kelekar, Dada Dharmadhikari and Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari. So, he had a connection with Gandhi from his childhood days. He has passionately learnt about Mahatma Gandhi’s life and teachings. Kerkar used his artistic side and created works inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. He has documented 70 sculptures of Gandhiacross India and converted them into Augmented Reality images, which can be viewed using the Gandhi AR App, which he developed.

The best of IFFI through the years
The 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) scheduled to be held from November 20 to November 28, 2019 in Goa will have a Retrospective of Golden Peacock award-winning films of the past 49 years. The curated section that retraces the journey of IFFI will showcase altogether eight films from eight different countries, opening with ‘Gamperaliya’ (Changes in the Village), directed by Lester James Peries, which is the first Golden Peacock award winner dating back to 1965. ‘Gamperaliya’ is a 1963 Sri Lankan drama film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Martin Wickramasinghe. The movie exemplifies Peries’ use of family tensions to symbolise wider issues such as the breakup of traditional village life due to the impact of modernisation. The Iranian film, ‘At Five in the Afternoon’ (2003) directed by Samira Makhmalbaf; the Indian film, ‘Moner Manush’ (2010) directed by Goutam Ghose; the Colombian drama film, ‘Porfirio’ (2011) directed by Alejandro Landes; the British romantic drama film, ‘The Bostonians’ (1984) directed by James Ivory; the Chinese film, ‘The King of Masks’ (1996) directed by Tian Ming Wu; the Kazhak film, ‘Tulpan’ (2008) directed by Sergei Dvortsevoy; and the Russian film, ‘Leviathan’ (2014) directed by Andrey Zvyaginstev are […]

Mrs. Goa 2019 Season 3 pageant crowns Sultana DeSouza
Mrs. Goa 2019, a beauty pageant calling forth women from different walks of life to participate completed their third successive season. The pageant was held at Crown Goa on the 3rd of November 2019. The event was presented by Bally’s Entertainment and managed by MediaWaves. A total of 17 participants competed this year and the participants walked in two sequences in the finale in Ethnic costumes and Evening gowns. Sultana DeSouza was crowned as Mrs. Goa 2019 and won a trip to Sri Lanka with two nights three days stay at Kingsberry Colombo by Bally’s Entertainment. The winner also won a gift voucher from Champions Yacht Group worth Rs One Lakh. Sultana was also awarded the subtitle of Mrs. Perfect Figure. Heather Fernandes, Mrs. Goa 2018, crowned the winner in the presence of Mr. Johny Pereira –Vice President Bally’s Entertainment, Mr. Rajesh Dempo- MD Vision Dempo Group, Mrs. Bhakti Dempo – Director Vision Dempo group, Roshni from Champions group. The jury panel consisted of SonamMorajkar – Cine actress, Newton Dias- Fashion choreographer and Heather Fernandes- Mrs. Goa 2018 comprised the jury panel. Subtitle Winners: Best Talented: Simran Shariff and Sanjana Sakhalkar Most Popular: Daisy Serrao Popular Face: Roopali Desai Beautiful […]

Learning the healthy approach with Darryl D’Souza
It was a proud moment as The Navhind Times celebrated its 75th workshop on Sunday, November 3 at Dempo House, Panaji. Since its inception in 2011, these workshops have become a regular feature and are organised once a month. The workshops which are usually held on a Sunday have no fee involved thus making it possible for everyone to attend. Maria Fernandes | NT On Sunday, ‘Become healthy or extinct’, a workshop on reversing chronic illnesses with integrated natural therapy was conducted by engineer, therapist and alchemist, Darryl D’Souza. People from all walks of life attended and the senior-most participant was a 93-year old lady from Aldona who was accompanied by her sons and sister. “Till 50 years ago chronic illnesses were not seen till the age of 50 years. But if you look at averages in the world today, you will see them manifesting even at the age of 35 years”, stated D’Souza as he commenced the session. He then recounted how the 14-years of ill-health he suffered led him to the world of medicine, alternative health therapy and metaphysics of the human body. “My physical trauma during those years got so intense, that I even planned suicide,” he […]

Niz Mog
A love triangle of a different kind, ‘Niz Mog’ which debuted in the 1970s became a hit with tiatr lovers all over Goa. Directed and scripted by late Fr Freddy J Da Costa, the play featured mostly amateur tiatr artistes with the exception of late Jacinto Vaz. And on the occasion of 40 years of ‘Niz Mog’, the surviving artistes who were part of the tiatr – Laura D’Souza e Azavedo, Ivy Angela Pereira Nazareth, Fr Tony Cota, Afonso Bond Braganza, Alberto D’Souza, and Anthony Correia Pienkar – will be felicitated at a special function on November 14, 2019 at 4 p.m. at the Conference Hall of Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Panaji. President, Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Tomazinho Cardozo will be the chief guest. The lead artistes of the tiatr – Afonso Bond Braganza, Laura D’Souza, and Ivy Angela Pereira – will share their experiences in the success of ‘Niz Mog’. Tiatr lovers who witnessed the show will also narrate their experiences. Songs (‘kantaram’) from the tiatr will also be presented.

Read, Bond, Share – Play Reading Circle
Bookworm will be resuming the ‘Play Reading Circle’. There will be a meeting at their premises once a month for the next few months. This is free, open to all above the age of 16, and does not require prior registration. During the meeting attendees will read through a play, aloud, assigning parts among themselves and varying these where possible over the course of the session. After reading through the play, they will briefly share their impressions with the group. These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to get to know the works of a variety of playwrights as also to understand the potential that a play may have for staging.

IFFI to screen silent films with live music
Prior to times when films became the leading art form of the modern century, they were conceptualised in their nascent stage as a series of images, which would convey a narrative without any aural sensation. Primarily speaking, films were conceptualised as a series of visual spectacle. In those days of silent films, in order to heighten the impact of such films, special live music would be performed by either a solo musician or a collective group under the direction of a composer. However, with the advent of sound in films, this feature of the film viewing experience soon faded out. The golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India will have a specially curated section paying tribute to this lost form of film viewing, with three classics by three master filmmakers showcased for the delegates. The films will be accompanied by a master pianist performing live during the movie. The films to be screened on November 22, 23, and 24 include ‘Battleship Potemkin’ (1925) by Russian master filmmaker and pioneer of montage editing, Sergei M Eisenstein; ‘Pandora’s Box’ (1929) by German expressionist master, GW Pabst; and ‘Blackmail’ (1929) directed by the British filmmaker known as Master of Suspense, […]

Exhibition on the works of late Prof. Pralhad Dhond held
On the occasion of the 11th birth anniversary of Late Prof. Pralhad Dhond, an exhibition has been laid out for art lovers and the general public. The inaugural was held on 11th of November after which the exhibition was open to the public. About 70 paintings have been displayed at the venue.The exhibition will be held from the 12th of November to the 14th of November and is open to all. A special seminar will be held on the 13th of November at the venue on the life and works of Prof. Pralhad Dhond. The exhibition was inaugurated by famed painter and Padma Bhushan awards winner Laxman Pai, Chairman of the Dhaveresh Ranga Sangat- Kedar Kamat, Principal of Goa Arts College-Mahesh Vengurlekar, Coordinator Mangirish Pai Raikar, Nagesh Sardesai and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Goa College of Arts, Principal Mahesh Vengurlekar in his speech said, “We as Goans have forgotten him, and this exhibition is an effort to remember him and his works. Pralhad Dhond is a forgotten artist here but is revered to internationally. The exhibition is open to youth and we hope it helps youth find their passion for art. Goan’s should also come and remember […]

Iffi’s Golden Jubilee : Venues & Activities
Festival Venues ESG Premises – Multiplex, 2 ESG Audis Kala Academy SPM Stadium Joggers Park – Open Air Miramar Beach – Open Air Inox Porvorim – Additional 3 Screens Art Park Children’s Park Campal Ground Mandovi Promenade – IFFI Mile Fringe Activities Art College of Goa curated section on Festival Mile Programs at Children’s Village Cultural Program in Art Park Food and Handicraft stalls on the Festival Mile Exhibitions on Film and Entertainment State Pavilion for promotion of Film, Tourism and Culture Film Screenings and cultural programs in remote Talukas of Goa New Initiatives Proposed Helpline number with a dedicated Call Center Ticketless Entry system through RFID enabled Delegate Cards GMA Dashboard for better coordination between DFF and ESG HOHO Bus Service and increased 3-wheelers Use of Glass bottles instead of Plastic 3 extra Screens and One extra open-air theatre Plan to Reduce/eliminate Rush Line Mini Movie Mania- Short Film Making Competition Goan Film Section (Curated by State Government of Goa and ESG) Goan Premier & Non-Premier Section Jury for Goa Section Anant Vijay (Convener) – National award-winning film critic and Cultural editor of Dainik Jagran Kamakhya Narayan Singh (Member) – Movie Director and Director of Travel XP […]

Art Installations by students will be displayed during IFFI 2019
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has invited the students of the Goa College of Art to put up interesting art installations to be set up at the ‘IFFI Mile’, a festival stretch that will run along the Mandovi River promenade in Panaji. The IFFI Mile exhibit will incorporate a variety of themes. For example, the ‘haunted house’ will bring popular horror movies to life while the comedy stalls will display the funny side of life & cinema. Movie theme-based stalls related to Bahubali, Angry Birds and Jurassic Park will be put up as well. The students will also showcase traditional Goan houses, azulejos paintings, sculptures & murals to give a sneak-peek of local culture. There will also be an on-the-spot rangoli created by the students. 200 college students and the entire faculty were involved with Iffi Mile. The installations will be inaugurated along with the opening of IFFI 2019. Mr. Mahesh Vengurlekar, Principal of Goa College of Arts said, “We are glad to have received an invitation from the Entertainment Society of Goa for setting up the IFFI Mile. It is a great opportunity for students to move beyond the classroom, and participate in the festivities around the […]

IFFI 2019 to open in presence of Big B and Rajini
Curtains will rise on the golden jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India, at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium on November 20, in the presence of the iconic film personalities, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. On the occasion, Rajinikanth will receive the ‘Icon of Golden Jubilee’ award. Coming out with this information Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant said that the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar and the Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Naik will also attend the inaugural ceremony. The opening ceremony will be conducted by filmmaker, Karan Johar, while film personalities such as Ramesh Sippy, Priyadarshan and Isabelle Huppert will attend the event. The Italian film, ‘Despite the Fog’ is the opening film of the festival and will be screened at Kala Academy, at 7 p.m. The Chief Minister also informed that around 9,300 delegates have registered for the IFFI 2019, while 7,000 have already confirmed their presence. “We have a special Goan film section, ‘The Goan Story’ curated by the Directorate of Film Festivals, which will showcase six Konkani movies,” he added. Mini-Movie Mania, a short filmmaking competition of the ESG, which will give away `9 lakh in awards, is one of the […]

Art through Textures
Sometimes, you don’t need picture-perfect paintings and hues of colours to create art. Art can even be found in imperfect things. The ongoing ‘Ephemeral Gaze’ art exhibition at Fundacao Oriente captures just that. The artist behind the works is Mansi Trivedi. She uses different tones, textures, forms, and negative spaces. The raw materials involved with the artworks are charcoal, Chinese ink, cork sheets, dry pastel, acid-free handmade paper, coffee, rice paper, and gouache. The plain material of paper gives Trivedi the urge to make, scratch, scrape, stain, scar and pierce the surface while contemplating on instability, imperfections, incompleteness and impermanence. The varieties of textures aim to represent life’s cycle of ‘evolving and devolving’. Mansi Trivedi is based in Goa and has a B.V.A. in Painting and M.V.A. in Printmaking from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University, Baroda. Mansi has obtained awards like the Prafulla Dhanukar Award and the Fundação Oriente Visual Arts Award. “Ephemeral Gaze” is her second solo show. (The exhibition will be open to the public till 5th January 2020 – 10 am to 6 pm) Pic Credit – Shivang Mishra II NTGOGOANOW

All things style with Schulen Fernandes
‘Style is greater than fashion’ a workshop on the relevance of dressing right, establishing your style, investing in slow fashion and all things style, was held on Sunday, December 1 at Dempo House, Panaji. Conducted by the creative head of Wendell Rodricks, Schulen Fernandes, the workshop had a mix of participants which comprised students, homemakers, doctors, lawyers and more. Maria Fernandes | NT With a small self-introduction, Schulen briefly spoke about the advent of fashion and its relevance. “It represents every culture in the world and is an important marker of time or civilization. It is the freedom of expression and the right to choose,” she said. Through a presentation, she explained how fashion adds value to everyday life and is an industry that brings communities and worlds together. She spoke of fashion’s role in the medical field, citing the mastectomy bra as an example and how fashion helps in expression not just to make personal statements but also to bring to the fore issues that are relevant. In the segment, future of fashion, she advocated change in the minds of the designer and consumer. Stating alarming facts on how the new culture of fast fashion harms the environment, she […]

The brief story of ‘Camerata – Child’s Play India’
As Child’s Play India will be having a Christmas concert tomorrow at Institute Menezes Braganza (6 pm), NT GoGoaNow caught up with them to learn more about ‘Camerata Child’s Play India’ – one of the performing groups at the concert. SHERYL GONSALVES | NT GOGOANOW This group was started to make music accessible to all, especially those whose parents or guardians can’t afford music lessons. They consist of students of Child’s Play India and musicians from the wider community. These talented youngsters receive instructions to use the violin, viola, cello, flute, recorder and piano. The Camerata performs established concert repertoire featuring some of the world’s greatest classical music. The children of Child’s Play India are trained to perform solos and duets for concerts. They have at least 2 major concerts annually- the monsoon and Christmas concert. Chryselle from Child’s Play India reveals: “We have been performing our Monsoon and Christmas concerts for many years now and they are much-awaited events in Goa’s classical music calendar. We have a discerning audience who come to our concerts knowing that we aim for a high standard of excellence and that the programme is chosen with thought and care. We are heartened by the community support […]

Celebrating Indian culture through classical music
Swaramangesh 2019 – the famous Indian classical music concert – was inaugurated at Kala Academy by Hon. Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant, and actor Shri. Nana Patekar. At the concert, it was said that a lot of festivals in Goa are celebrated with music. The opening performance featured Yadnesh Raikar (violin solo) accompanied by Mayank Bedekar (tabla) and a veena player. Swaramangesh 2019 showcases the rich vibrant soulful music of India. Picture Credit – Shivang Mishra II NTGOGOANOW Schedule for the next two days: 7th December 2019 4:00 pm Ms. Priya Purushothaman (classical vocal) 5:00 pm Dr. Pravin Gaonkar (classical vocal) 6:00 pm Yashwant Vaishnav (Tabla solo) 7:30 pm Ut. Rashid Khan (classical vocal) – 8th December 2019 4:00 pm Meher Paralikar (classical vocal) 5:15 pm Rudra Shankar Mishra (classical kathak dance) 7:00 pm Ut. Shahid Parvez (sitar recital)