An Off Trail Adventure

I used to think "Off Trail Adventure" was a rather ambitious title for a Sunday rambling group, but after a recent expedition to Vazra Waterfalls I'm not so sure anymore.

While I've always been keen on walking I've never been a "group walker", prefering the tranquility of my own company as well as the ability to stop or go as I pleased rather than having to fit in with the needs of others. However I soon found that walking in India is very different from walking in Britain - basically there are no footpath signs and no Ordinance Survey maps to show the trails. Walking in the countryside, away from the beaches and a few well trodden headlands was virtually impossible. Then last year I discovered that there were several "trekking groups" in Goa.

"Off Trail adventures" is my favourite, and its organised and led by two amazing ladies - Bianca and Theresa.

Peak time for trekking in Goa is during monsoon, which seems a bit odd coming from UK and always hoping for a fine day when a walk is planned. In Goa waterfalls are the most popular destination for a hike, and during the dry   season (November to June) many of the falls become dry or mere trickles. In the monsoon the same falls become torrents tumbling into deep pools, beautiful to watch, and fun to jump into

A private bus is provided, at a cost of around 300rps per person. It picks up in the main towns, and the journey to the start of the trek can take a couple of hours (including a chai stop)  Most of the participants are in their 20's or 30's and for many trekking in the countryside is a totally new experience. .Even when its not raining there is little chance of getting home dry as a trek to a waterfall will usually involve several crossings of the rivers which lead from it. The trek to Vazra had three such crossings, where strong currents made it necessary to use ropes to prevent being swept away, then when we seemed to be almost there the ropes were out again to help with a steep scramble up to a point where the fall was within sight and sound.

Still not wet enough? Then just get into the water fully clothed - no need to carry swimsuit or a towel, there's plenty of time to dry off on the way back to the bus.

A Day in Panaji, Goa

Covered pavement oposite Azad Maidan

As I said before, I always enjoy a day out in Panjim.  Some things are very familiar, and never seem to change. Crossing the road from the ferry is always difficult, cobblers and fruit venders are always sitting on the covered pavement. opposite Azad Maidan. On the other hand, if I wander around onto less familiar streets I can usually find something I've never seen before.

As I was on a quest to find sticky envelopes to fit the Greeting Cards I make I headed along MG Road, crossed Caculo Circle and continued into St Inez, where my friend Sarah had told me there was a Wedding Stationary shop which might be able to produce my envelopes. She told me it was called David Co, and was near St Inez Church. That seemed quite a good description, but I must have asked at 20 different shops along the street and no-one had heard of it. However, during my ramble I did find a different printer, who claimed to have ready made envelopes  of  my required size, and seemed confident that he could add adhesive tape - he would show me one if I returned after 2:30. Surprised and pleased I walked back towards the town with renewed enthusiasm for my project.

 Hot, thirsty an hungry I needed a break, so squeezed into a busy lunchtime restaurant called Sarovar, which I had never seen before. I got a wonderful "rice plate" lunch for 35 rupees.As I was leaving I decided to ask one last time for David Co, and I was told that it was just a few metres away, along a side street. Unfortunately it had already close, and according to a passer by, not just for the afternoon, but for the rest of the day. The main office was in Margao and this little branch only opened in the morning. Never mind, at least now I knew where it was now.I would come again in the morning.



Ganesh idol covered entirely with beads

 With still an hour to pass before returning for my sample envelope I wandered into Dr D V Road and stumbled upon the Mahalaxmi Temple. Although it's claimed to be the most famous Hindu Temple in Panaji I had never found it before. A large pavillion was attracting a lot of people, so leaving my sandals in the pile around the entrance I went inside. There on a beach, with a rat, sat a huge Ganesh. It was covered entirely with strings of beads (and so was the rat)  It had been constructed by a local Boys Club for Ganesh Chaturthi,and thankfully had been excused from immersion - the fate of most Ganesh idols at this time of the year. In the main temple building a feast was taking place - people stood in line and metal plates and cups were being rinsed under an outdoor tap. I was invited to eat, but was able to say in all honesty that I had already taken lunch and couldnt possibly eat another thing.

Outside on the street again I was soon enthralled by another new scene - the Mayfair Hotel with its neat row of traditional shell windows and colourful wrought iron lamps, then a few metres further on I found one of Panajis most modern Stores - "Big G". Glossy, glitzy, strongly air-conditioned - and empty of people, a strange contrast from the bustling street and temple. Dr D V Road opened into Church Square, and I was on familiar ground, and as always I was taken aback by the dazzling white facade of the Panjim's Big Church - properly known as the Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception standing above the square and gardens.

Big G Store

Panjim Church

Mango ice cream and a lime soda at my old favourite restaurant, Kamat, then at 3 o'clock I took a two wheeler taxi back to St Inez to collect my envelope sample.It was there and it looked fine, but the boss was no longer there to discuss prices - never mind, I could come back another day. The motorcycle pilot dropped me by the ferry and I was on my way home, happy that I had made some unexpected progress in the sticky envelope hunt, seen some new sites, and found a new favourite restaurant in Panjim.

Journey to Panjim

I always enjoy a trip to Panjim - or Panaji, as I think we are supposed to call it now (Panjim being the Portuguese corruption of the original name)

It is just 12 kms from Candolim, and for those without a scooter or a car (me) it involves a bus and a ferry ride, takes about 45 minutes to an hour (depending on how the connection works out) and costs 10 rupees. Its best to avoid the "rush hours" if you can, when local poeple are trying to get to and from work.(around 8:30 to 9:30am and 5:30 to 6:30pm) I used to set out early, and reach Panjim before the morning crowd, but then I found that most  major shops and businesses didn't open until 10am, or later, so now I wait till later too - though that can make it a rush to get round several places before they close for lunch and siesta, which can last until 4pm. Although many Panjim-ites might not like the Portuguese name, they still cling to their Mediterranean business hours.

Sri Ganesh arrives at the "ice factory" - my bus stop



No Smoking or Spitting on board Sri Ganesh

 Anyway, I decided to visit Panaji yesterday to resume my quest for a reliable supplier of sticky envelopes for use with my greeting cards. Getting hold of envelopes which can be sealed without the need to purchase separate glue or tape does not sound as though it should be difficult, however, India has a long tradition of the glue pot and brush when it comes to mail, but thats another story. I often travel by "Rocket" when I go to town, but yesterday the first bus to arrive was "Sri Ganesh", and I was pleased to see the front of the bus well decorated by marigold garlands and a little shrine to Ganesh, displaying two freshly picked hibiscus flowers. Lord Ganesh should be happy enough with that, so a safe journey ahead.

  Crossing a bridge over the river heading out of Candolim a man stood up by the open door, bowed his head then tossed out a garland of yellow marigolds - more good luck -  its just a shame he didn't take the flowers out of the plastic carrier bag before he threw them into the water.  Later as the bus follows the banks of the Mandovi River there is a lot of evidence of offerings made complete with their plastic wrappers. Never mind - its a lovely day, the sun is shining, no point in worrying about such things. When the bus stops at Betim many people get off, because although there is now a modern bridge spanning the Mandovi a little further on, the ferry takes pedestrians and two wheelers straight to the heart of the city - and its free.

Queue for the Betim to Panaji ferry boat

The ferry leaves just as the bus arrives and there is only one in service now so it will be at least 10 minutes before its back, but never mind - there's a newspaper shop, and a cake shop, cold drinks and snacks, and even a sstall selling useful kitchen items to browse through while you wait. A large crowd of two-wheelers soon gathers and as always blocks the way of those trying to disembark when the ferry docks. As always chaos reigns, but everyone eventually gets off, and on, and I've never seen an arguement or fight develop.

Quickly the ferry is on its way again, making its customary waltz like turn before it reaches the middle of the river, so that its single vehicle ramp is facing forwards again. We dodge a couple of heavily laden iron-ore barges coming down the river, and another, much higher in the water travelling upstream. A final manouvre round one of the Casino Ships and we are there - and chaos reigns again. I really hope this little routine never changes while I am living in Goa!

Clothes racks and caterpillars

After two weeks back in Goa I feel I have finally emerged from the "black hole" of post monsoon cleaning.

Post monsoon cleaning is the equivalent of old fashioned spring cleaning in Britain, where everything movable was taken outside for an airing, while floors were scrubbed, carpets beaten and curtains laundered. Each year, when I return to my appartment in Goa, after leaving it un-occupied for the main months of the monsoon (July and August) every cupboard and drawer has to be emptied and cleaned, to get rid of the white powdery mold which develops on the woodwork. One year I left the flat completely closed, another time I had a neighbout open all the windows on fine days, and this year I employed a cleaner to come in once a week to dust and run the fans  - but the result is always much the same, mold on the furniture and a lingering damp, musty smell. So far nothing has suffered any serious damage (I have heard  stories of people returning to find their furniture transformed into a pile of dust by white ants) but everything has to be taken out and inspected. The way different fabrics react to the high humidity seems to vary a lot. Some things smell fine after a few hours in the sun, while others definitely need a wash, and some really have to be disposed of.

I began to have some sympathy with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games when the late monsoon just refused to end. A dry, sunny morning would coax me into filling my balcony full of cushions, mats, bedding and racks of clothes then just as they were starting to freshen up a sudden downpour would make everything damper than before. Then  on top of that a plague of caterpillars arrived - falling out of the Banyan tree which shades my balcony. Once at ground level they they could move fast - up the walls, over the balustrades, onto the racks or airing clothes, and into my bedroom if I left the open doors unattended for a minute. They were little spotty, spiky, hairy things, and at first I found them quite sweet - almost cuddly - but then my Goan neighbour told me they were very dangerous. She told me that if touched they would cause swelling and itching, very badly, and should be avoided at all cost. She wanted me to spray them with isect killer, but I love butterflies and every dead caterpillar must mean one less butterfly, so I just swept them gently off the walls and onto the ground. Next day there were more than ever.

Now they are less and I have noticed some spinning thread and turning into crysalis - I am still trying to discover exactly what they will become when they emerge -  hopefully in a few months I will find out but in the meantime does anyone recognise this little fellow, and is he really as dangerous as he looks?  

September is butterfly season

Common Jezebel on Lantana flowers

Crimson Rose

Common Rose

A fine sunny morning at last. Decided to get up early and go to check on my "Butterfly Garden"  for the first time this year. When I came back to Goa last September I discovered that the area between my appartment and the beach became a mecca for butterflies at this time of thr year. On a sunny morning, at around 8am, walking through the maze of lantana bushes towards the beach is like being inside a Tropical Butterfly House. At the end of the monsoon theLantana bushes produce their delicate clusters of pink and yellow flowers, which many species of butterflies are attracted to, especially the Crimson Rose and Common Jezebel, two particularly beautiful species.

Great Eggfly (male)



Plain Tiger

 I was right - as the sun warmed the vegetation many butterflies appeared, some flitting quickly from flower to flower gathering nectar, while others "basked", remaining perfectly still  with their wings fully open to gather enery from the sun. Flight is possible only when the body temperature is raised sufficiently. While the Jezabel is unmistakable the "Roses" are more difficult to identify. As well as the Crimson Rose there is the Common Rose, with similar colouring but a  slightly different wing markings. Although they appear attractive to our eyes the red colouring identifies them to preditors as unpalitable, and this has led to other species "mimicing" their colours, for example the palitable female Common Mormon can mimic the unpalitable Roses.

Within half an hour I had seen and photographed at least 7 different species, and thats not counting all the little yellow and brown ones which flit around too fast and never seem to settle for a second.

There are a lot of things I like about Goa, but butterfly time is definitely one of the best. Unfortunately by the time most tourists arrive in December and January the lantanas have finished flowering and butterflies by the beach are rare.

For more information read "Butterflies of Goa" by Parag Rangnekar.

More about Ganesh Chaturthi

Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed God is the favourite God of many Hindus and is worshipped for his ability to remove obstacles and bring good fortune. The festival in honour of Ganesh, also known as Ganesh Chaturthi and Ganpati is observed during the Hindu calender month of Bhaadrapada, and begins on the 4th day of the waxing moon (Shukla Chaturthi)  This means that the festival starts on a different date each year. In 2010 the festival ran from 11th to 22nd September, but in 2011 it will begin on 1st September   www.when-is.com

The festival is celebrated mainly in the States of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerela, Andhara Pradesh and Goa, and is especially spectacular in the city of Mumbai. While many families have their own small Ganesh idol within their home communities spend thousands of rupees competing with each other to build the most impressive display.Thousands of devotees tour the city during the ten day festival, enjoying the spectacle as well as reciting mantras and making offerings of flowers, fruit, coconuts or coins.

Lord Ganesh

While the idol provides a visible form for prayer, Hindus also believe that the universe is in a constant state of change, and form eventually gives way to formlessness.The immersion into water of all the Ganesh statues symbolises this idea as the statues, which are made from clay dissolve back into the sea, river or lake.While most of the large idols remain on show for the full ten days of the festival and are immersed on the final day  (Ananta Chaturdasi) many of the smaller idols are immersed during the second  or fifth days. On September 13th the Mumbai edition of the Hindustan Times reported that 51,848 idols had been immersed from the beaches around Mumbai during the previous day!

Goodbye Ganesh

All set for the final journey

Procession begins

Wednesday, 22nd September was the final day of  the 2010 Ganesh Chaturthi, or Ganpati Festival. It was also the day which Candolim chose to say goodbye to its Ganesh statue which had been on show and attracting devotees  since the festival began on September 11th. First I had been told that Lord Ganesh would begin his journey to the sea at 3pm, then someone else told me 2pm.I arrived at the market, which had been home to Lord Ganesh for the past 10 days at 2:30 to find him already in situ on his chariot, a truck decorated with coloured fabric, flower garlands and fairy lights. Just a few people were gathered around and it looked as though the final journey to the sea would be a low key affair.

Ladies leading the dance

Remarkably, at exactly 3pm the little convoy moved away towards Sinquerim. The truck carrying Ganesh was travelling in reverse, so that Ganesh was looking out ahead. Attached to it by an umbilical cord of electric cable, was a smaller vehicle, going forwards, and carrying a generator to power the lights and speakers (essential for any festival in India) The procession rolled slowly, escorted by a group of men dressed in white with saffron headbands, dancing and making music with cymbals and a drum. As it moved along more people joined, and more saffron headbands were given out. Women and children began to join, at first watching from the roadside then later leading the dancers at the head of the procession.The party atmosphere increased, traffic was halted and fireworks set off in the street.

Crowds moving towards the ocean

By 4:30 we had reached the road to the beach, but then everything stopped. It was time for the auction. Announcements were made and the sacred offerings of fruit and flowers were held up and sold to the highest bidder.Take up seemed quite slow and the crowd became restless, it was over an hour before we were moving again, this time towards the ocean. Most of the crowd now moved quickly ahead to watch the sunset from the beach (close to the wreck of the River Princess)

Dvotees offer a final prayere

Goodbye Ganesh

More fireworks heralded the arrival of Lord ganesh. Just before sunset he was carried from the truck and laid on the beach while devotees bowed down and bid a final farewell. Then as the sun dipped into the Arabian Sea, the statue was carried into the waves,  until those carrying it were shoulder deep. in a final wave Ganesh disappeared from view to dissolve into the water like thousands of others.

A marigold garland is all that remains...

 The immersion was closely supervised by the Candolim lifeguard sas during the monsoon waves are fierce and undercurrents deadly. I was told that a few years ago someone had been drowned during the event, and this had led the community to break with the tradition of carrying out the immersion of Ganesh after dark when the sea is still more dangerous.Calangute continues to carry out the immersion at night, with the procession beginning at around 6pm and ending in the early hours of the following day.