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At a particular time of the year, rain clouds roll overhead and water the land of Goa heralding the monsoon season. As beautiful as this season is, some ingredients and other things aren’t available at that time. Many locals of Goa start collecting twigs, wood, and coconut shells, and carry it home to use as firewood before the rains hit. Here are some other ways Goans deal with the rainy season:- – Chillies: Drying red chillies (Kashmiri, musureo, Moira chillies) in the sun and storing them. – Coriander seeds/ jeera/ turmeric: Mix salt and water in a vessel. Put the coriander seeds in that water and mix well. Take it out from the water and leave it in the sun to dry. You can do the same with jeera (cumin) and whole haldi. This is to avoid insects from attacking it during the moist rainy weather. – Dry seafood: Goans store dry fish and dry prawns as there may be fish scarcity during the monsoons. – Pulses: They dry pulses like beans (vousane) and small white beans (meerulio) in the sun. – Tamarind: Remove the tamarind seeds and discard, apply salt, and pound a little with coconut oil to make […]

A faculty member of Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Miramar along with two PhD students from BITS Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus recently volunteered at the COVID lab at Goa Medical College, Bambolim. They share their experience with NT. Ramandeep Kaur| NT As the pandemic outbreak hit the globe, various people have voluntarily come forward to help in the fight against COVID in whatever way they can. Similarly, Gauri Anil Achari who is currently working as an assistant professor at DCT’s Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Miramar and two PhD students, Reshma Zakane and Prajakta Bhende from BITS Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus also decided to pitch in by volunteering in the COVID lab at Goa Medical College, Bambolim. Having done MSc and PhD in Microbiology, Achari says that her postdoctoral research mentor Meenal Kowshik and Srikanth Muthnuri from the department of biological sciences, BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus informed her about the volunteering opportunity at GMC. The principal of DCT’s Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Vrinda Borker encouraged her to volunteer even though they were expected to work from home during the lockdown. “I decided to volunteer in order to apply my knowledge and skills […]

The Navhind Times held the first live episode of ‘Talk from the Heart’ on the Goa365 channel on Sunday, May 24 from 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. One of India’s leading experts on nutrition, and author of the book ‘Nourish with Food & Flourish with Health’, Harpreet Pasricha, was the guest on the maiden show. The live series will have eminent personalities from various fields, sharing their knowledge, giving expert tips, and answering queries that viewers can send online. Pasricha began the talk by explaining about nutrigenomics a field she has studied besides paediatric and sports nutrition. She then spoke at length on the importance of immunity and its role in overall wellness. Alcohol, stress, processed foods, aerated beverages, insufficient sleep, and lack of exercise, she stressed, weaken immunity. “A well-balanced diet is what is important and please do not go on crash or fad diets or avoid any food groups,” she warned. She then spoke about the benefits of incorporating Indian herbs and spices like cinnamon, kadi patha, jeera, ajwain, green chillies, etc, regularly in the diet. “These have anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties and should be used to advantage,” she stated. Having a sleep cycle, she explained, was as […]

CELEBRATING BIODIVERSITY: On the occasion of World Environment Day 2020, a special webinar on celebrating biodiversity will be held June 5, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Listen to the best minds who have devoted their lives to biodiversity protection, conservation and the sustainable development agenda. The speakers will include director, TERI Southern Regional Centre, Bengaluru, DN Narasimha Raju; chief naturalist, Jungle Lodgers and Resorts, Kartikeyan S; deputy conservator of forest, Bengaluru, Urban Division, Sidramppa Chalkapure; founder-director, Green Hub Project (north east network – Dusty Foot Initiative) Rita Banerji; marine conservationist, IUCN SSC Marine Conservation Society, Aaron Savio Lobo and research associate, TERI Goa, Shalita Dourado. Details: saltanat@teri.res.in/ 25356590/91 FASHION DESIGNING COURSE: Fashion designer, Philu Martins, is conducting a fashion designing course. The course syllabus includes Introduction to Fashion Designing, The History of Fashion, The Elements and Principles of Fashion: Mood Boards, Design Development and Sketching, Understanding Textiles, Fibers, Yarns and Fabrics, Fabric Sourcing, Patternmaking, Sizing and Measurements, Completing your Pattern, Construction and Draping Techniques, Garment Structure, Creating, Financing and Marketing a Clothing Label, the Fashion Industry, Career Opportunities and Developing your Brand. Register before June 11 to avail a 20 per cent discount on the course. Details: 2424421/ 9822580070/ philumartins@gmail.com […]

Ornella Menezes, a teen from Colvale, loves to keep herself busy. She creates crochet jewellery which was even showcased for the Schulen Fernandes for Wendell Rodricks Zentangle Collection at the Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week in Delhi. She tells NT GoGoaNow that her normal days consisted of school and homework but now, during the lockdown, a lot of her time has been freed up for crochet. While everyone else’s businesses have been negatively affected, Ornella reveals that her sales increased in the midst of the lockdown days. The crochet items she usually creates are doilies, table runners, jewellery, and centrepieces. A day in her life consists of mostly creating crochet works, playing the piano, paper quilling, and taking online singing classes. The free time helped her get a lot more ideas by taking inspiration from Pinterest posts. She hardly gets bored and enthusiastically says: “I’m looking forward to buying new threads” for her crochet works. Sheryl Gonsalves | NT GoGoaNow Picture Credit – SHIVANG MISHRA II NTGOGOANOW

If you live in Goa, you have probably seen D’ziners- a bespoke tailoring clothing store. Andrew Fernandes, the proprietor, has a little chat with NT GoGoaNow to share what changes have happened in his life.  Sheryl Gonsalves – NT GoGoaNow Picture Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GoGoaNow Andrew used to be a very busy man. He used to start with his Margao store and end up at his Mapusa store. Now he uses his time to play badminton, help out in the kitchen, pray with his family, and spend time with the Bible. He even worked on some paintings which have Biblical themes. Andrew opens up about his difficulties and shares that he may have to close down some of his stores as he’s currently unable to pay the rent, electric bills, and salaries. He reveals, “We are hardly getting customers. Clothing is a lifestyle business. Now, food is more important for people than clothes.” Also, there are no events for people to dress up for. When things are well in the future, Andrew has a dream of using his beautiful Benaulim house to open up a boutique restaurant. He says, “No one can predict anything. I’m looking forward […]

Music is a language everybody understands. Alvaro Pereria, the musician who has helped boost classical Western music in Goa, talks to NT GoGoaNow about his days during the past few weeks. Sheryl Gonsalves – NT GoGoaNow This Goa State Cultural Award holder spent his days mostly playing badminton, reading, and practicing classical music. He was supposed to perform at a music concert in June but it had to be called off due to the pandemic. “We worked on a whole new Schubert trio (for the concert) to try something new. It takes more than forty minutes to perform,” Alvaro reveals. They also practiced Beethoven pieces and a Mozart trio. Alvaro usually composes church music and performs at weddings but all that is now cancelled. He feels that music can help quite a lot and didn’t find the lockdown boring. He says, “Inspiration is there everyday whether there is a lockdown or not.”

Chefs share smoothie recipes to beat the heat.  GRANOLA & FRUIT SMOOTHIE Ingredients:1 banana sliced1 apple medium (Peeled & Diced)1/3 cup plain Greek yoghurt1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder1tbsp. maple syrup or honey1 tbsp. flaxseed powder1/2 cup granola1/4 cup ice Method:Crush granola coarsely in the blenderAdd Greek yoghurt, soy milk, and honey to blend it wellAdd the rest of the ingredients and blend until smoothVoila! Granola smoothie is ready AVOCADO SUPER SMOOTHIE Ingredients: 1/2 cup of almonds & walnuts1 ½ – 2 cups of spinach leaves chopped1 firm ripe avocado 1 ½ cups almond milk 1tbsp. of liquid apple syrup or honey1tbsp. sunflower seeds1tbsp. pumpkin seeds Method:Add mixed nuts (almond & Walnut), sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend it wellAdd spinach, avocado & soya milk in a blender. Blend until smoothAdd liquid apple syrup or honey and blend it for another 10 seconds.Pour into glasses and serve. PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY OAT SMOOTHIE (from Executive Chef Nitin Mathur, Taj Santacruz) Ingredients: 2 cups of rolled oats (pan-roasted)½ yoghurt1 cup almond milk1 large banana3tbsp. peanut butter2 tablespoons honey1tbsp flaxseed powder   Instructions: Place oats in blender and processPour milk into a blender and allow processed oats to soften in […]

Goa got to see wonderful English plays because of a certain creative lady called Isabel Vas. NT GoGoaNow catches up with her to find out what she’s been up to these days. Sheryl Gonsalves – NT GoGoaNow “During the lockdown I was alone. Traffic had stopped. Everything was completely silent. The silence brought the birds back into my garden which I enjoyed. For some days I wasn’t able to get groceries but something wonderful happened. Neighbours and other people helped me get food which was very touching,” Isabel reveals. She kept herself occupied with a bit of reading, gardening, and writing. The days were peaceful and relaxing and she used to sit quietly and enjoy the silence. Isabel reveals that she was holding auditions for a new play of hers, but it got cancelled. Having any plays now is a big question mark for her. She has noticed that people like writers, painters, and musicians have become extremely creative during these days. “Coming up with a play is a slow process so I haven’t done anything specific,” says Isabel. She misses her students at Goa University. When asked about the future, Isabel replies: “I’m looking forward to changes in this […]

“I’m looking forward to a new normal. I haven’t thought that far ahead. Let’s take one step at a time and this too shall pass,” says Sharmila regarding the lockdown and the Covid-19 situation. Sheryl Gonsalves – NT GoGoaNow Sharmila, the owner of ‘Kitsch Bits’ creates beautiful items out of waste material. The pandemic affected her sales as nowadays people are more careful with their money because of the economic situation. She expected the drop in sales. She spent her days during the lockdown doing housework, practicing woodburning, different painting techniques, experimenting with new waste products, and creating new looks for her works. The lockdown wasn’t boring for her. She even tried to knead her own bread when bread wasn’t available. However, Sharmila did get frustrated sometimes as she didn’t always have the material she needed to create her craftworks. All the housework led to tiredness but what made her feel good was performing kind acts like feeding stray animals. She had plans to go to France this October but unfortunately had to cancel her trip. Sharmila suggests buying groceries once a week and carpooling instead of coming and going to the market so often and causing more pollution. She […]

Why should you talk about art during the coronavirus? Subodh Kerkar, founder of Museum of Goa, answers this question while in conversation with NT GoGoaNow –  “Art helps a lot during lockdown. Things like music, drawing, and cinema, makes life more bearable and enjoyable. Art is what makes us human.”  Sheryl Gonsalves | NT GoGoaNow Subodh reveals that he’s been working on five children’s books which he didn’t get time for before. He has spent his lockdown days reading, drawing, and having online lectures for schools. This passionate artist is also studying art education for children and is trying to come up with new syllabi for kids. He is inspired by an eye-opening book that says that a person doesn’t have to be an artist to teach children art. “I’ve never had a better time in my life than this past 1 month. Because of the uninterrupted time, I’ve done a lot more works this month than I’ve done in the past 1 year,” Subodh says. Normally he used to work at his museum till 7 pm or later, but now he walks near the fields of Saligao everyday for 3-4 hours and has lost weight. When asked about the […]

Life changed a lot as a lockdown was imposed on Goa. Some people loved the free time while others got jittery. Philu Martins, a fashion designer from Goa, speaks to NT GoGoaNow about her life during lockdown. Sheryl Gonsalves | NT GoGoaNow Picture Credit – Shivang Mishra I NT GOGOANOW There is quite a difference between Philu’s daily routine before the lockdown and now. The bubbly fashion designer keeps herself busy with reading, housework, and exercises. “It’s a much healthier lifestyle. I’m eating more nutritious food and I love playing with my lovely dogs.” Philu doesn’t think she’s a good cook but that hasn’t stopped her from trying out Goan recipes. “I really miss going out but this is a much required break which allows me to spend time with my family, and we are praying together and eating together. I’m blessed to have this housewife experience and I’m enjoying but I wouldn’t want it to last forever,” she reveals.  Philu also misses her clients, staff, working with weavers, and the practical part of being a fashion designer as her workshop is closed but she grateful for the holiday. For Easter Sunday she was supposed to have a fashion show […]

MYTHS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus. There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill the new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose. The new coronavirus cannot be transmitted through goods manufactured in China or any country reporting COVID-19 cases. Even though the new coronavirus can stay on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days (depending on the type of surface), it is very unlikely that the virus will persist on a surface after being moved, traveled, […]

Are you one of those people under lockdown going crazy with boredom indoors? Here are some ideas to help you make your time at home fun and productive:   Catch up with family and friends There must be people you haven’t spoken to for a long time. Call them and recollect cherished memories together. Reach to those who are alone and support them during these times.   Learn something new Sometimes life gets so busy that we don’t get time for other things. Learn to play that piano that’s gathering dust in your house or practice new dance moves by watching online videos. Try your hand at stitching, embroidery, etc. You can even complete an online course, take up the task of speaking a new language, learn to do basic home repairs, programming, carpentry, and so much more.   Have an indoor photo-shoot This is an idea which can be loved by smartphone owners having social media accounts. Take selfies, dress up if needed, and capture creative photos indoors by making use of props, shadows, using window light diffused with shutters, taking macro shots of objects, etc. There are a lot of ideas online where people use items like sieves, […]

When a person thinks of Assagao, these words come to mind- hills, serenity, history, eating, shopping. Assagao is one of the quieter places of Goa but also has trendy boutiques and restaurants. Just taking a walk or cycling here can be enjoyable as you can admire a lot of Portuguese houses from the colonial era or visit concept stores. Here are some not-to-miss places in Assagao: St Cajetan Church – This is a beautiful church on a slight hillock. In 1775, it was a chapel. It has charming interiors and exteriors. It was built by the Portuguese. The Food – There are a number of eating options in Assagao. At Villa Blanche Bistro you’ll get vegan options, beef steaks, pastries, homemade items, etc. Black Vanilla is famous for their All Day breakfasts and also provide quiches, pizzas, and more. Gunpowder serves refined South Indian food while SEA is known for their Asian food and seafood dishes. Additional noteworthy options are Mum’s Kitchen (Goan food), Vinayak, Sublime (European food) and others. Shop Till you Drop – People Tree Design Studio & Store sells ethically made clothes, upcycled accessories and more. Another boutique that is all for ethical and eco-friendly fashion is No Nasties. They make vegan organic cotton clothes. Rangeela sells clothes, home décor, beachwear, and traditional jewellery […]

We’re almost halfway through the year and apart from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, India has had to deal with a series of natural disasters like cyclones, low intensity earthquakes and locust attacks. NT BUZZ gets people’s thoughts on 2020 so far NT BUZZ “It’s definitely been a bad year on all fronts. But we have to learn to live with it. We just need to be positive and work towards our goal. It’s going to take extra effort but will be worth it. Now is the time for team work. We need to help others in order to help ourselves. Learn to give and it will come to you for sure. We can live a very simple life. Just do away with 50 per cent of the greed in us and we will do much better in the second half of 2020. No point in blaming the government. After all they are also human beings like us. Let us teach them not to be greedy and things will change for the better soon.” Eknath Oraskar, hotelier, Saligao “For me 2020 is a special year. I am doing some things I never did before in ways I never knew before. The […]

As part of Goa University – Goa Business School’s Masterclass Series 2020 a webinar titled ‘Strategic Management Demystified’ by professor of management studies, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, Henry Mintzberg will be held on June 18, 7 p.m. on Zoom. Details: www.unigoa.ac.in

Spending the lockdown in Daman, retired banker Cynthia Andrade from Ambora, Loutolim has been reconnecting with her love for art. ‘Big Mama’ as she is referred to by her daughter across social media; speaks to NT BUZZ about her paintings and more   Danuska Da Gama | NT BUZZ   Born in East Africa and having spent thirteen years of her life surrounded by wild animal safaris, Savanna climate, the Goan clubs, and beat of the drums, Cynthia Andrade came down to India as a teenager. “My family thought it wise to receive a good education here. So we experienced a land of vast culture,” says Andrade, who in those days enjoyed playing hockey. Post her graduation, Andrade chose a career in banking. However, she also enjoyed art. “Goa being a land famous for its art is also one of the main reasons that made me want to paint. We Goans should continue its legacy,” she says. That said, her initial memories of drawing in school were not encouraging. “I remember in college when I had to complete my science journal, drawing specimens was difficult that my professor made fun of my drawings, saying that my amoeba figure looked like […]