THE PHILOSOPHICAL GOAA

GOAAAA - When I finally sat down to write about my experiences in Goa, I was wondering whether I’ll really be able to do justice to it, as some things in life are beyond description. There are times which cannot be shackled in a few hundreds of words and made to reverberate in your memory every time you read it.
These are the times which are beyond the boundaries of language and comprehension. They are etched deep inside the subconscious mind as moments of truth, moments when everything stands still, moments when you take a decision. Something that enlivens your heart whenever its memory flits by in times of solitude and you end up smiling at the sheer romanticism of it.
That’s what Goa is – romanticism at its intangible best. You romance with it every moment – with the pristine sands, the gleaming beaches, the green hillocks, the tree-laced narrow roads, the intermittent tolls of bells from churches, the shacks on the sea shores and the sunsets on the horizon. And while you are romancing all these, a moment arrives when everything is still.
I also experienced something similar which was my moment of truth, moment when I felt like taking a decision and I took.
I, along with my friend Sanket, reached Goa at 7.30pm, with minds laden with thoughts on how recession is spreading its tentacles on the tourism industry in India. With Goa being the epicenter of tourism in the country, it was sure to take a hit.
Yes it has and people are affected. But for people like Sanket and I, who were there just to take a break from the hustle-bustle of Mumbai life, the place has a lot to offer. Its people, its beaches, its markets and its pace instantly permeates through the senses and withers away the humdrum existence of a monotonous metropolis. And the best part is Goa aptly rewards those who are ready to embrace adventurous possibilities in the state.
Sanket and I had prepared a list of ‘things to do’ while in Goa. Besides having some run-of-the-mill dreams such as water sports, sea food, riding a 350 cc bike and cycling on the beach, there were some stuff which was crazy and cool at the same time.
One was to go to the southern-most beach in Goa – the Polem beach and watch the sun slowing drowning in the sea from there. Though initially it sounded quite an easy exercise as were located in South Goa near Kolva beach, it eventually turned out to be an uphill task, literally.
Geographically, the beach is the last beach in Goa which shares its boundaries with Karnataka. It’s the smallest beach with no tourist activity and is scarcely inhabited. With these rough details and vague ideas of the roads, we set forth on a journey cutting across three mountains, a couple of districts and an unending 85-kilometre stretch.
It took above two hours, two crazy heads and one Honda Activa to reach the destination at 4.50 pm, just an hour before the sunset – tired, fatigued and beer-dehydrated (‘water’ is spelled as ‘beer’ in Goa).
The next one hour was the time when the moment of my life came. It was a mix of feelings, soothing breeze, the waning sunlight, switched off cell phones and two bottles of beer. But as I was gazing at the ships on the horizon, the serene tranquility of the place was slowing overpowering me. While the sun was approaching the sea surface, I was nearing the sea of solace. And then, at an instant, the moment arrived. Everything just stood still – no emotions, no feelings, no breeze, and a still sun. It was me and the stillness of the world.
I felt as if that was the moment I had been waiting all my life - my moment of truth. The moment when my heart called out to me to take a decision – a decision which is pure, noble, great and new. A decision that might change my life forever. And finally I decided!!