Talking Photos: ‘Margai’ Everything is expensive now-a-day. Yet, the items are sold out like hot cakes. It looks like people who never been abroad has more money spending power than those of NRIs. Other day, one NRI (not me) was bargaing for a 'Visonn' (Kingfish) of which the asking price was Rs.650. A Goan , as if appeared from nowhere, gave him 3 notes (500,100 & 50) and lifted the 'Visonn' And the poor NRI was blamming our 'Goemkarponn'.
This lady around my age (mid 60’s) come from the UK after 7 years. She could not come to Goa all this time for she was babysitting her 3 grand children (that's the rason why she was called taken to the UK). She volunteered to cook for us during her 7 day stay with us. We pay, we eat but she cooks (good cook though) otherwise we eat out. As we do not cook at home, we had to buy from a-z of spices and masalas. I took her to Panjim for kitchen shopping. After buying powdered stuff like Turmeric, coriander etc We then went to a vegetable stall within the panjim Market. Panch Rupia Losunn ani Pach Rupia Alem di re.. They had a good laugh (some of them known to me, for I buy f ruits from them) ‘What’s o funny’ she asked. Believe me or not I too did not catch up with the joke Once I found out, I felt really embarrassing. Rs.5 garlic? They won’t even give you garlic for Rs.20 as 100g alone cost Rs.32 What about the piyao or onion? I remember, in UK, we bought 10kg onion bag for 1.99 pounds (=Rs.140) In here with that 140 you will not even get 3 kgs. Onion is sold for Rs. 0kg (it was Rs.80) Then she is going on and on.. I said to her ‘ puro ghe saibinni, ho bazaar kela to, chol ya ami ghara’ Going home without buying fish? She asked. Then I took her to the nearby Fish market, knowing she finds everything expensive or 'Marog' I pointed out portions of lepo or sole fish assuming this is the cheapest item in the fish market. (Lepos are are favourite too) But no, the vantto is for Rs.50. She said ‘avoissss, Masolli kitu marogu’ (she is another xastikan like me but spent over 10 years in Ilhas) Then I asked her, where we should go for tea? She said why not ‘cafe Bhonsle’ - Since our car is parked around there? Ordered a bhaj-pau, mirchi plate and a cup of tea each And the bill was Rs.90 – She exclaimed ‘Goyant soglem marog uz' mure’ She then said ‘yesterday didn’t we have two fish curry rice (thali), with 2 extra rice and we paid a total of Rs. 70 for two of us? I said yes. So next time, I said, will go for dinner instead of Cha Bhaji Pao. She agreed- If only we waited till 7pm for dinner. (We came out of the Cafe at 6.30pm) At home she was going on and on this topic ‘Margai’ Which made me to come back to the Panjim Market and capture the common veg/fruits items and pass it on to you along with the price list as on today 27th Dec. 2010 Hope you find it interesting too This Piyav or Khando (Onion) Rs.60 per kg (come down from Rs.80) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5287787831/sizes/l/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5287784957/sizes/l/ losunn (Garlic) Rs.320/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5296418577/sizes/l/ Alem (Ginger) Rs.110/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5297020662/sizes/l/ Cauliflower Rs.30 http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5288380266/sizes/l/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5287776245/sizes/l/ Linbu or limbe or Lemons Rs.2 each http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5287781785/sizes/l/ Tomattam (Tomatoes) Rs.40/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5292506821/sizes/l/ Gazor (Carrots) Rs.40/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5292505229/sizes/l/ Bottatte (Potatoes) Rs.20/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5293113068/sizes/l/ Refuj (Cabbage) Rs.25/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5297014746/sizes/l/ Fruits: Laranjam or musumbhi or Oranges Rs.100 for 5 or 6 http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5293106852/sizes/l/ Apol (Apples) Rs,150/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5293108976/sizes/l/ Daku (grapes) Black Rs.120 Green Rs.100 http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5292513343/sizes/l/ This sontram (Tangerines) Rs.50 for 4 http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk34/5288391584/sizes/l/ Fish (Nustem) Lepo or tongue fish or sole fish Rs.50 per portion (Vantto) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5297033112/sizes/l/ Small size bangdde (Mackerels) Rs.50 for 10 http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5296432151/sizes/l/ Bombil (Bombay ducks) Rs.100/kg http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5297036570/sizes/l/ Cha-bhaji-pao Chau-Bhaji-Pao at Cafe Bhosle Rs.45 Mirchi (15), Bhaji-Paum (20) & Small cup to tea (10) (non-A/c rates) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5296424989/sizes/l/ External view – Cafe Bhonsle http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5297026802/sizes/l/ Last time we had One bhaji Pao, (25), Single Buns (10), Bhoje (4pcs Rs.15) & Teas Rs.10 Total Rs.60 Almost the same at Udpi Restaurant near Market Rs.32 includes Bhaji pao Rs.32 (but they charge extra for tourists) http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk33/5293139618/sizes/l/ This pictorial article first appeared nowhere. Feedback/comments if any do direct to me in Pvt or in Public thanks for your usual support. joego...@yahoo.co.uk some ready display pic not availabe to plain text readers joego...@yahoo.co.uk for Goa & NRI related info... http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/GOAN-NRI/ For Goan Video Clips http://youtube.com/joeukgoa In Goa, Dial 1 0 8 For Hospital, Police, Fire etc
