Saligao Summer: Life in a small Goan town

There is a definite sense of community in this charming collection of overgrown villages.

A long-term foreign resident of Goa once told me that she liked visiting Panjim for cultural events and walks in its prettier areas, but that the real charm of Goa was hidden in its small towns and villages.

Making a conscious decision to stay as far away as possible from resort areas and places full of wealthy ‘settlers’ from Delhi and Bombay, I called a town named Betim home during my last two long stays in Goa. While I enjoyed the proximity of the place to Panjim (just across the Mandovi River), and the fact that the gorgeous fort of Reis Magos was a comfortable walk away, there was a feeling of both physical and mental distance from the people of Goa.

Saligao, though, is more to my liking when it comes to an authentic experience. Walking around this collection of villages that constitute a town, I see this blend of agriculture- green fields and coconut-tree shaded paths, architecturally-appealing and colourful old houses, whitewashed churches, small temple altars and a populace that looks relaxed and in harmony with its surroundings.

Just a few kilometres from the sea, you get the humidity but not the mass tourism. There are some homestays and a deluxe hotel, but visitors come to Saligao for the culture. And it’s culture that I find in abundance here.

After a long day of work I decided to walk around and explore the neighbourhood and as I walked through one of the main roads I heard some delightful jazz and swing music. It was coming from an old building with a fresh coat of yellow paint- so characteristic of Goa.

Inside I saw couples, young and old, happily dancing away the warm April Monday evening. This lot was more than willing to allow a stranger to come in and take part. As I saw the fun that people were having on that Monday and on the next day when there was a weekly evening market outside the building, with a range of homemade Goan food, I wondered why I barely knew of the existence of “this India.”

This was a more open, relaxed, happy and friendly India than the one I am familiar with. Community, fraternity, openness… At the evening market, teenagers with a complete lack of singing talent sang English pop songs from the 1980s. They didn’t feel conscious about singing out of tune. These young people were having fun and their neighbours enjoyed listening to these classics.

D has made a great decision to live here in Saligao. It has all the charm of a small town and doesn’t lack much of the good things a big city can offer.

With a smile on my face, I walked back home, from where I could hear the bad singing faintly. D’s covered porch was a good place to eat a hot cross bun and sip on Upcountry Ceylon Tea on a humid April evening.

Viva Saligao! Viva Goa!