[Goanet] The Final Kick In the Goan Nuts
The final kick in the nuts of Goans was dealt in the naming of the bridge. Regardless of your political beliefs, objectively speaking, Mr. Vajpayee was inconsequential to Goa and Goans. Just like the Bengali geezer Shyam Prasad Mookerjee. Would it have killed them to name the bridge after, say, Jack Sequeria? No Sequeria, no Goa today. Or even some other non-political Goan figure. The silver lining is, nobody is going to call this strip of turd "Atal Setu." It will be the "Mandovi pool." Besides, it is fitting that "Atal Setu" has the ring and sound of some kind of a scam. r
[Goanet] Serendipity Arts Festival - My Impressions
[Posted in the Goa Speaks Facebook group.] Spoiler: A whole lot of nothin' (mostly). I did not attend the musical performances at the Bandodkar Grounds or the performances hosted on Santa Monica by Shubha Mudgal and cannot remark on those. Shubha had invited me to those but I was unfortunately occupied in the evenings with other commitments elsewhere. I saw the exhibits at 4 of the main sites, viz., Old PWD, Old Ribandar Hospital, Old Secretariat (Adilshah Palace), Old GMC. My top 2 picks - really the only draw for me of the whole show - were the Panjim 175 project of Vivek Menezes at the Old OWD site and the Goan Musicians in Indian Classical Music exhibit put together by Aneesh Pradhan at the Old Ribandar Hospital location. Vivek's idea of the '"7 Sisters" exhibit anchored by the 'roin' was an inspired one and beautifully implemented by the Goan artists. I also enjoyed the kunbi clothing tableau put together by Pritha Keni (who I knew when she was a little girl). The lowest of the low of the Festival was at the Old GMC, an exhibit by the American 'artist' Paul McCarthy - a pile of vile, disgusting, retch-worthy product of his sphincter packaged as 'art.' Flush it down the toilet together with your head, McCarthy you bum. But for a couple of them, the photographs at the Old GMC were meh, with folks trying to be too clever by half with their captions. The Serendipity work at the Adilshah Palace was mostly ho-hum. Some of it was pretentious nonsense, lead by the poseur Hoskote who specializes in writing a whole of of stuff that doesn't mean much but impresses the easily impressed. Hoskote is to Indian Art what Neil deGrasse Tyson is to Science - guys trying hard to sound profound and making a lot of money in the process. That said, the coffee at the café in the Adilshah balcony was good. Those entering the Adilshah Palace could not have - and should not have - missed the absolutely spectacular holdings of the Goa State Museum. If you didn't see them, GO! I was especially pleased to see that the Kalbhairav from Netravali I had photographed in 2007 in its natural outdoors setting in the village is now in the possession of the State Museum. True, the charm of viewing a piece in its original setting is lost, but better the charm lost than the piece stolen in the quiet of night. Sidebar: every other Art guy you meet in India these days is "curating" stuff. I see that "curator" is also capable of being extended indefinitely. Example, we now have "Curatorial Co-Advisor," "Curatorial Assistant," and so on. Folks need to find another word. "Curator" has lost its sheen somewhat now that every second guy with a jhola and kurta is one. Finally, is the Serendipity management reimbursing the Goa govt for the extensive use of government (that is, the Goan people's) resources? Or is it an in-kind contribution by the Goa govt to the festival? Transparency in this matter would help. r
[Goanet] GOEMKARPORN Files - December 23, 2018 Edition
[I have been posting these on the Goa Speaks Facebook group these days.] I spent 2 years in Goa from 2006-2008. In Nov 2007, I filed a PIL in the High Court in an attempt to redress the civic health of Panjim. Only a handful of people stepped up to offer assistance (you know who you are). The rest, like most Goans, waited on the sidelines. In early 2008, I received a call one morning from a bamon-bab (who now occupies an important post in the current government). At that time his beloved "Bhaiee" was in the opposition. The conversation was approximately the following: "Rajan-bab, maccho yo. Majhya buildinge samore encroachment zala tajo photo kaad." (Please come and photograph the encroachment in front of my building.) "Tuje kaden camera na re?" (Don't you have a camera?) "Asa asa." (Yes, I do have one.) "Magir hanv kidyak zai tuka?" (Then why the f do you need me to come?" At this point he changed the subject and ended the call. That, in a nutshell, is characteristic of the bamon-bab: try to get someone else to do your dirty work for you while keeping your hands clean. Over 10 years have elapsed and I suspect most of the GS readership is new. The proceedings in the High Court were interesting. The justices (2 of them were Goan and they were especially distressed) were embarrassed and shocked to see many of the photos I adduced. See the attached pdf file of the High Court final order concerning Panjim. If it were implemented, a lot of the issues could be mitigated. Of course, Kuncalienker and the Smart City/Imagine Panjim crew have absolutely no interest in any of this. Their main whine right now is that I come every December (and July) and rake up dirt. According to the bamon-bab eminences (and a few other malcontents) whose preoccupation is empty talk and using their contacts in govt to further fatten their bank accounts, it is guys like me who are the real problem. It is hilarious. Unfortunately, the consequences of the rampant corruption aren 't funny at all. https://www.parrikar.org/misc/HC-Panjim.pdf r
[Goanet] Handwringing over "Smart City"
I saw the column by Vivek Menezes on the commandeering of space in the Adilshah Palace by the "Smart City" apparatchiks. None of this surprised me. In 2015 I attended the "Smart City" symposium at Hotel Fidalgo where the then-MLA Kuncalienker made the laughable claim that Goan activists were putting his child's future in peril. Within 5 seconds, I had figured out what this "Smart City" schtick was all about: yet another opportunity to make money by the venal and unscrupulous gutter bugs we have here. If that was all there is to it, you could shrug it off. What's another few crores between friends? But what was also clear to me was that THEY WERE GOING TO RUIN PANJIM in the process. For a couple of years, I have been posting here snaps of the doings of the "Smart City" crew, most noticeably along the Campal sidewalk and surrounds. This was easily predictable, that one by one they would get to all that we hold dear. If you think it won't affect something of value to you, think again. I also saw Wendell's appeal to the national media. I like Wendell very much, but I am perplexed by his faith in the national media. This is the same media that has been telling the country for years that a certain Goan politician "from IIT" is "clean and honest." (I have resolved since Feb 2018 not to remark publicly on this politician and that is all I am going to say here for now.) And these assholes are going to suddenly discover the truth now? Finally - the one thing you do not want to do is ever take advice from non-Goan Indians on matters related to Panjim and/or Goa. I mean, which Indian toilet-city should be hold out as our model? r
[Goanet] GOENKARPORN
GOENKARPORN Announcing a new project - GOENKARPORN - a tribute to the hardworking honest politicians and activists of Goa who have made Goa the shining beacon of deolopment for India and beyond. A song with a video is planned. We invite entries for the lyrics of the masterpiece to-be celebrating our political and activist class. The requirements are: - Lyrics to be in our mai-bhaas Konkani. Only Devanagari script will be accepted to satisfy Bharatiya Sanscruti and RSS demands. - Words such as ghati, Delhi pigs, outsiders, bhaile, Bihari, bhaiyya, paan-spit, casino mafia, mining mafia, builder mafia are strictly prohibited. Mention of these groups fornicating with Goa will lead to summary rejection of the entry. We want to keep GOENKARPORN clean and family-friendly. - The song must not violate the Indian Constitution (which no Indian, dead of alive, has ever read). - Entries must be accompanied by two photos, your Adhaar card number, and a completed application form in triplicate. The selected entry will be set to music and recorded in the sultry, Goenkarpornographic voice of Goa's internationally-known drama queen and nightingale who won the Best Singer Award from the Rotary Club of Ghatkopar (W). GOENKARPORN - a celebration of the lovely PORN of GOEN and GOENKAARS.
Re: [Goanet] Brown-on-brown racism
Frederick Noronha wrote: >More importantly, I think we're missing out crucial questions about luxury >and other 'investments' in today's Goa. I'm therefore eager not to get >derailed off the topic due to invectives of a personal kind. Do we know how >many hotels along the Goa coast are owned by politicians from other states? >How many Goa politicians own ventures-we're-willing-to-lose-money-on in >other states? FN Frederick, Why this sudden interest in hotels owned by politicians? During 2006-2009 I was posting photographs of new construction projects (most of them illegal) from all over Goa virtually every day. At that time you and your ilk had nothing but snark for me. You claimed that my alarm over the construction frenzy was "exaggeration" and insinuated that it was actuated by something nefarious. Your main interest then was certainly not the concretization of Goa but instead questioning of the motives of those like me who were opposing it. Now that the horse has bolted the stable, Frederick is concerned about some hotels being owned by politicians from other states. Earth to Frederick: It's over, fella. r
[Goanet] Letter to Manohar Parrikar
Letter to Manohar Parrikar Dear Manohar-bab, Please resign, go away, and spend time with your family and grandchildren. As your true friend I bring you some bad tidings, and a piece of unsolicited advice. Your credibility is today in the toilet, your reputation stained, your legacy one of corruption and incompetence. The only people who believe what comes out of your mouth are your family, your chamchas, and a washed up drama queen who is internationally famous in Ghatkopar (W). You have lost the support of even your own bamon community, although most of its members will pretend to be your friends. You wrecked Goa. To be sure, you didn’t do it alone. For decades the people we elected have let us down. In March 2012 you were given a mandate to correct course. It was the last gasp for Goa. But you continued to roll in the same gutter. Under your administration, Goa has been sold to the casino dons. You have shown no regard for Goa’s environment or for the well being of the common Goan. Because of you, pigs from Delhi now contaminate our villages and continue to gobble up scarce Goan real estate. Goa has attracted the WORST kind of Indians. We don’t get the best. Construction activity continues unabated displacing Goans, pricing them out of the homeland of their ancestors. Law and order in Goa have hit another low. On every front, you have been a disaster. After such a wretched record, why do you want to stay on? This is the right time for you to resign. The ONLY way your image will be rehabilitated is through the power of contrast. Goa is going to continue its slide into the bottomless Indian sewer. If you quit now, your successor politicians will muck up so badly that Goans may, in some years, regard your time in office as less harmful (as incredulous as that may sound). So take my well-meaning advice: throw in the towel and retire. You will be the better for it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/bettergoa/permalink/1400644346649635/ r
[Goanet] On Goa Election 2017 Results
I just sent this to Goa Speaks. - r Goans to Manohar Parrikar: "F U" I did not follow the 2017 Goa election. Spending time in Goa’s fetid political swamp is not my thing. I did it once - in 2012 - to my lasting regret. A friend just sent me the results and BJP’s setback warmed my heart. After all, there is such as thing as schadenfreude, and the pain inflicted on Manoharwa is delicious. Make no mistake - this was a referendum on Manohar Parrikar, and Goans dealt him a kick in the balls (or, as we might say in our mai-bhaas, ‘Bhonkaar Khont’). 5 years ago at this time there was much elation when Manohar Parrikar and his crew were given a decisive mandate by Goans. There was at the time much hope that Goa may just be pulled back from the brink. Alas, that was not to be. Manohar turned out to be a skunk, his govt both corrupt and inept, which no doubt convinced the 56inch-wallah to charge him with protecting Bharat Mata’s chastity. This time Goans said to themselves, since we have a choice between two criminally corrupt gangs, why not just go back to the original crooks, those who have much more experience at screwing us? Don’t celebrate today’s result. Instead weep for what has become of our land, now a ghati cesspool run over by outsiders. Young Goans have very little to look forward to. To India and Indians - thank you for NOTHING. PS: One sliver of comfort is that Sidharth defeated Monserrate in my hometown Panjim. In a one-to-one comparison, this is an easy call. Sidharth is infinitely preferable.
[Goanet] The Sun Rises in the West
To Goanet - http://www.targetgoa.com/RAJAN-PARRIKAR/The-Sun-Rises-in-the-West-nbsp-/1891 r
[Goanet] Happy Fourth of July!
To Goanet - A tribute to The Greatest Nation - http://pindelski.org/Photography/2015/07/04/the-greatest-nation/ Regards, r
Re: [Goanet] From Greece to Goa: The Anatomy of Debt Traps
To Goanet - Just checked Goanet after a long time. VM's article does not scratch even the surface of the issue. There are deepercomparisons to be drawn from the Greece debacle and the situation in Goa than treated by VM. This excellent article by Michael Lewis from 2010 provides a window. In several places you can replace Greek/Greece with Goan/Goa.Greece wasn't a developed country as VM claims, not in the sensecommonly understood anyway. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/10/greeks-bearing-bonds-201010 Mervyn - Greece is a rounding off error as far as the American economy is concerned. Regards, r
[Goanet] D.D. Kosambi and Norbert Wiener
To Goanet - Recently I posted these snippets elsewhere and would like to deposit them here for the archives. *I recall there is a brief mention of DD Kosambi in the memoirs of the great mathematician Norbert Wiener. I may have the book on my shelf and if I find it I will post the excerpts (just for the record here - I have no illusions that very many are interested). Professor Wiener also fondly mentions a Goan priest he met in Bombay, if I recall correctly. Found it. The excerpts are from Wiener's delightful memoir I Am A Mathematician. Wiener made fundamental contributions to electrical engineering, robotics, and signal theory. For an introduction to the man, see - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norbert_Wiener * This is from the chapter where Wiener gives an account of his visit to India in 1953. From Madras I made a brief excursion to the delightful city of Bangalore, where I saw more of Raman and I took an active part in lecturing and in the intellectual life. Thence I returned for a week as a guest of the Tata Institute at Bombay. Bombay was full of first-rate scientists, both Indian and foreign, and I found a rich opportunity both to teach and to learn and, in particular, to collaborate with and to criticize the work of several young mathematicians. My special crony during this episode was Professor Kosambi, who had been a boy at the Cambridge High School during a period when his father, a refugee from British India, was working over the rich Sanskrit material of the Harvard Library. The son, perhaps owing to his American early training, has been a bit more of a fighter and a bit less of a serene Indian scholar than most of his fellow countrymen. However, I found that he was not the only Indian to counter my admiration for the serenity of the Indian soul with an equal admirationfor the drive of the westerner. * The other reference to Goa: After settling down at the Taj Mahal Hotel, which is a fascinating combination of the East and the West, I went the next day to the cornerstone laying of the new Atomic Energy Institute on mititary territory near the harbor. There was an interesting group of notables present, including Nehru himself, who gave a short and excellent speech. Among the visitors present was the Cardinal of India, a tall Goanese gentleman representing the old Portuguese religious tradition in India. This Christian tradition, like the old Syrian Christian tradition of the South, is often ignored by foreigners or, at any rate, not sufficiently emphasized. Actually, the Portuguese are older in India than the Mogul emperors. Notwithstanding the fact that Goa is not at present in India itself (as of the date of my writing, at least), Goanese are found all over India, particularly on the Bombay side. They consider themselves a thoroughly Indian element of the population. I had the pleasure of meeting Goanese officers both in the Army and in the Navy, and it was manifestly clear that they considered themselves, and were regarded by the others, as true Indians.* r
[Goanet] Jóais da Carreira da Índia
To Goanet - The Museu do Oriente in Lisboa has just published a beautiful catalogue titled Jóais da Carreira da Índia. In it they have featured a photograph of mine (after purchasing the license from me), the one of Devki-Krishna of Mashel. This is posted here only 'for the record.' The Portuguese these days care more for our Goan Hindu heritage than Goan Hindus. http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Catalogue-1.jpg http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Catalogue-2.jpg Regards, r
[Goanet] Another Bad Year For Goa
To Goanet - http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Another-bad-year-for-Goa.pdf *Another Bad Year For Goa by Rajan Parrikar(December 2014) 2014 brought home to Goans the full extent of the debacle of Manohar Parrikar. Here was a man to whom Goans had given a clear mandate to clean house, preserve what was left of Goa, and to reboot. Instead, he fanned the prevailing miasma and dug a bigger hole. He reneged on election pledges, lied blatantly, and allowed corruption to flourish under his watch. His administration sold Goa down the drain to moneyed outsiders, builders, land sharks, and casino honchos. His scorn – and the scorn of his minions spread across Goa and the UK - was always aimed at those who questioned his questionable dealings, never at the people doing a number on Goa. This is the shining knight who will now work his magic wand with India’s defense? The mind reels. One recent instance illuminates the arrant poverty of Manohar Parrikar’s imagination. In a public speech, referring to me, he alleged that a “distant relative” was misleading Goans on Mopa, the real estate scam that he had been trying to unload on Goa from the get-go. He added what he thought was his clincher by claiming that the place “he lives in US has seven airports within a radius of 10 Kms.” It is true that I live in Silicon Valley in California. (I didn’t say I was perfect.) It is a singular place, unrivalled on the planet and in the continuum of human history, and the technological advances that have been made within this area of a few square miles have forever changed the arc of global civilization. Silicon Valley is a miracle wrought by a confluence of synergistic factors. This, then, is the place Manohar Parrikar is seeking recourse to in order to justify Mopa. What can be more absurd? I recall driving Manohar-ji around Silicon Valley on at least two occasions, once arranging a personal tour of the Google headquarters through a friend of mine. Evidently the only lesson he ingested from his tour of Silicon Valley is the count of airports (by the way, not seven within a radius of 10 Kms, as he claims). Manohar-ji wants to emulate Silicon Valley, but only in regard to the number of airports. Why not expand the import to other areas? Were the standards of Silicon Valley to be adopted, political corruption of the kind that has flourished in Goa would lead to an indictment of Manohar Parrikar and all the other politicians in the Goa Assembly. No wonder Manohar-ji tried his utmost to not appoint a Lokayukta. Clearly, Manohar-ji’s interest in Silicon Valley stops at the count of airports. I also took Manohar-ji to Stanford University, home to a medical school and a hospital that are among the world’s finest. On the other hand, in Manohar-ji’s Goa, the main hospital is a disaster, where dogs roam the corridors and where mice feed on the corpses in the morgue (you can’t make this up!). How tragic that only the number of airports here registered on Manohar-ji’s mental radar, not the features that would actually make a difference to the life of the ordinary Goan. Goa is beyond repair. The new generation of Goans does not even realize what it is that we had and what it is that has been lost. Their reality and expectations have been renormalized to the abysmal Indian standard. To us Goans, regardless of our domicile, Goa has always been more than just our place of birth. It was our home, our sanctuary from the chaos of India. That situation has been cured with Goa’s total immersion in the Indian sewer. Our land, our villages, our towns were once pure visual delight. No more. What greets us now at every step is visual dreck. The Indian tourist hordes have trashed Goa. And with every other Indian wanting to buy or grab a piece of Goa, our once-civilized refuge has been upended. For this we have ourselves to blame. Changing tracks - I am writing this from Death Valley National Park in California where my wife and I typically spend the final week of December. For a photographer this is fertile ground. The cold crisp winter air, the rugged mountain ranges, the stark open basins, the canyons with their gigantic alluvial fans, and the spectacularly pink skies at dawn are a great pleasure. Most of the Mojave Desert is remote wilderness but a few of the highlights are accessible via a splendid network of roads - hundreds and hundreds of miles of paved routes plotted through challenging desert terrain. How did they come to be? These roads were laid by the volunteers of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the years following the Great Depression. Every time I drive through the vast expanse of Death Valley, I am filled with gratitude for these men and women of an earlier era whose sweat toil made possible today my enjoyment of some of the most sublime vistas on the face of this earth. These are the people who built and shaped America. At the same time, I wonder about the narcissism and the empty boasts of Indians (both in America
[Goanet] Ganesh Chaturthi Day 3: Only 12 Hours Left!
Before the Goan Hindus chase Gompoti bappa out of the house and usher in nustem. Pious GSB ladies must have already started grating coconut for the 'hooman.' Exactly one minute after the final ghalin lotangan tonight, out goes G-bab and in comes viswon and bangdo. Good show, my dear mogal bamons! So what is Manohar-wa asking of the Lord this year? Let me guess. How about...some more IN-TEE-GRITTY so that he can be a better whore to the Sharmas, Varmas, Ahujas and Modys? All bhaile welcome in Manohar-wa's Goa brothel. Athithi Devo Bhavah! What are the super-bamons asking of the Laard this year, eh? I mean the Baba Dempos, the Salgaocars, the Timblos? And what say the second tier industrialist bamons, those on Manohar-ji's 'Task Farce' potty? Our beloved AG-bab is far ahead of the game. The guy has been burning calories every Monday at Templo Manguexi. Give him an extra helping of mooga gathi and pais. r
[Goanet] Another large chunk of Goan land to be given away
To Goanet - So news is that yet another IIT is coming up in India (at this rate in another 10 years there will be 500 IITs and India will no doubt have an embarrassingly high number of Nobel Laureates) and this time it is in Goa. There goes another large chunk of Goan land, given away to the Centre. How is an IIT going to be of much benefit to Goa and Goans? The overwhelming number of faculty and students will be non-Goan. The costs to Goa will be high - land, water, power, added burden on roads, traffic, and overcrowding - and the benefits very modest. A good place for an IIT (if one is required at all) would be Belgaum or Kankavli. What we see here is a poverty of imagination. They cannot think of anything not involving large tracts of land. I suspect Manohar Parrikar's hand here - another giveaway to his builder cronies. r
[Goanet] Manohar-bab, Thank you for nothing!
To Goanet - The crass, unthinking remark attributed to Manohar Parrikar where he likened the ordeal of a rape victim to the tribulations faced by an entrepreneur has drawn howls of indignation. Turns out that he did not say what the press report has claimed. Now, Manohar-bab hasn't exactly shown himself to be sharp in his choice of words or metaphors. At times it has revealed something deeper about the man. Such as when a few weeks ago he referred to a bribe as an “investment.” This misreporting is a distraction for it draws attention away from more important issues. The Goa Industrial Policy approved last week is a pile of garbage that is being sold to Goans disguised as “policy.” If you think it will do what it says it will, Manohar also has a bridge to sell you. O wait! This doodie was laid by people who have ‘botate’ for brains and reads like the babble of 10 year olds. But its consequences will be far less funny. The immediate effect will be to flood Goa with even more outsiders and enable extravagantly criminal destruction of Goan resources of which the proposed Mopa airport is but one instance. It is surprising that nobody in the Goan media has been investigating this piece of garbage. If I, sitting here in California, can know things how come the local patracars can't? For instance, has anyone asked why “Light Engineering” is part of this ‘policy’ and for whose benefit it has been inserted? If you think that Goa has today become an unpleasant, crowded, squalid jumble of migrants, slums and concrete, wait until Manohar Parrikar is done with it. He now wants an IIT in Goa. Why? How would flooding the state with more outsiders and handing over precious Goan land serve the interests of Goa and Goans? If there had been an integrated vision 40 years ago to parlay Goa into a centre of academic and research excellence with things planned towards that end, we would have been in a very different place today. But that ship sailed long ago! Today, what would having another techie degree factory get us Goans? Look at what we would have to give up - large tracts of precious Goan land for outsiders to come park themselves in an already overflowing Goa. For 2 years we have witnessed this haphazard, schizophrenic flailing by Manohar and his ragtag crew. Goa cannot be all things to all people. Instead of severely narrowing the areas of focus, tending to critical infrastructure and Goa-centric policies, Manohar’s latest ‘policy’ is a free-for-all, calculated to benefit cronies, builders, and assorted land grabbers masquerading as entrepreneurs. He is dismantling the final threads that separate Goa from fully submerging into the Indian swamp. Meanwhile, Goa goes to the dogs. Literally. You have dogs strolling in the corridors of the hospital in Bambolim while Manoharwa has wet dreams of A380s landing at Mopa International Slumdog Hawaiadda. (God, what an ugly word Hindi has for airport.) The evidence is now in. Manohar Parrikar has failed Goa. He wants to hand over pieces of Goa to the Centre and to his builder cronies. The Mandovi river was long surrendered to the casino/real estate king. Instead of telling India to keep its distance, he is piloting us right into the swamp. You don't need Mopa for this craft to land. The Chief Minister has his glide slope pointed squarely at the Indian sewer. Manohar-bab, thank you for nothing.
[Goanet] Goa, Lisbon, Zurich
To Goanet - There are a couple of typos (hopefully Bevinda will fix them soon). This was written yesterday before news broke out that 6 parasites from Goa will be sucking 89 lakhs out of us to live it up in Brazil with the blessing of IIT genius Manohar-lal. Target Goa: Goa, Lisbon, Zurich Target Goa: Goa, Lisbon, Zurich Goa, Lisbon, Zurich 13, Jun 2014 Modi’s rise View on www.targetgoa.com Preview by Yahoo A pdf file is also available here - http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Goa-Lisbon-Zurich.pdf r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] iPhone
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'iPhone' Uniting babes the world over. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/06/01/iphone/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Pre-Monsoon Work
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Pre-Monsoon Work' Priming the paddy fields. The southwest monsoons are expected to arrive on the Indian shores within the next week or two. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/05/30/pre-monsoon-work/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] More Evenings in Zürich
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'More Evenings in Zürich' Patience pays. Sometimes. I sought out the same locales in Zürich a few days later (see the preceding entry). The light was sweeter, the skies had more character. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/05/29/more-evenings-in-zurich/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Evening in Zürich
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Evening in Zürich' Beautiful light near the Swiss Alps. What a marvellous evening today in Zürich! I felt so inadequate with just one lens on my 5D Mark III and no tripod. We hung around Lindenhof until the sun went down. These images were processed on an uncalibrated MacBook Pro; I may have to rework all of them [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/05/18/evening-in-zurich/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Martha
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Martha' A lovely lady. I was at Mel's Diner last week in the small desert town of Beatty, Nevada, and Martha was serving breakfast. I asked her to pose. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/05/12/martha/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Deep Space Network - 50 Years
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Deep Space Network - 50 Years' Connecting with the Cosmos. On April 1 and 2, NASA hosted an event to celebrate 50 years of its Deep Space Network. I was lucky to be part of a pool of 50 drawn from all over the USA to participate in this event. On Day 1 we were given a tour of the [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/04/27/deep-space-network-50-years/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Gallery in the Desert
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Gallery in the Desert' In the middle of nowhere. Photographer Peter Lik's gallery in Death Valley Junction, California, photographed at dusk. Earlier in December, I came upon this arresting scene while driving by the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel at daybreak. By the time I got my tripod and camera ready, enough daylight had ensued for the sensor-driven [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/04/13/gallery-in-the-desert/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Sunset at Zabriskie Point
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Sunset at Zabriskie Point' Enchanting light in Death Valley. These photographs were taken a couple of days ago from the same spot, the first looking westward towards the Panamint Range, the second looking eastward towards the Amargosa Range. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/04/06/sunset-at-zabriskie-point/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Nose Stud
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Nose Stud' Faces of Goa. I was out in a field one evening photographing a sunset scene when she walked by. The uncommon location of the nose stud she was wearing caught my attention. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/03/29/nose-stud/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] First Light in Langanes
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'First Light in Langanes' The back of beyond. Shaped like a goose head, the Langanes peninsula in northeast Iceland truly feels like the edge of the world. A rough dirt route skirts its northern periphery all the way to its tip to the lighthouse Fontur. An astonishing array of bird life is found here in the summer, including [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/03/25/first-light-in-langanes/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Grazing
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Grazing' Monsoonal green in Divar, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/03/23/grazing/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] Brazen copyright violation by Herald
To Goanet - See the photo in this news item, published on March 3 without my permission and without attribution - http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=14331boxid=145254984uid=dat=3/3/2014 My original photo was from this blog post - http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2012/12/10/sweat-of-their-brow/ I emailed Herald saying that I shall submit an invoice but haven't received a response, and probably won't. These fellows know they can get away with it. India is a lawless land. Thus far only one Goan publication has compensated me by purchasing a license for my photos, and it is The Goan. The rest either want 'fukot' service or are plain thieves. How can anyone who writes for Herald (and Goanet has some who do) stand for this? How can Herald call out anyone for corruption when it engages in corrupt behavior in-house? r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] More Sunshine
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'More Sunshine' Mornings on River Chapora, Goa. More on the Sunshine theme from one of my favourite morning locations - the bridge over River Chapora in Siolim, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/23/more-sunshine/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Sunshine
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Sunshine' You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/20/sunshine/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Lady Snæfellsnes
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Lady Snæfellsnes' A beauty on a bed of lava. Lady Snæfellsness in repose, Snæfellsnes peninsula in west Iceland. The head is the mountain Hreggnasi and the breasts Rauðhólar. The contours were brought to my attention by Börkur Hrólfsson. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/18/lady-snaefellsnes/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Theyyam
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Theyyam' An ancient ritual. A Theyyam in progress at the Muthappan temple in Parassini Kadavu, northern Kerala. Crowds jostling for the limited space available and the low ambient light rendered this a difficult situation to photograph. But the Canon EOS 5D was a landmark camera and the image stabilization feature of the EF 24-105L lens helped. [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/17/theyyam/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Rotunda
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Rotunda' Grand. See my earlier post on the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/15/rotunda/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Flautist
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Flautist' Live music in a historic fort. A bansuri performance in the courtyard at the ancient Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Here is a beautiful rendition in Raga Des on the bansuri by the great Indian musician Pannalal Ghosh. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/16/flautist/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Lovers
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Lovers' Stormy seas ahead. Monsoon romance at Payyambalam beach near Kannur, Kerala, June 2007. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/14/lovers/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Canoeing on Chapora
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Canoeing on Chapora' No better way to while away an evening. Sanjay Malewadkar out on a spin in his canoe on the placid waters of River Chapora in Colvale, Goa. The ultrawide Canon 14L II lens made possible this unusual perspective. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/13/canoeing-on-chapora/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Crab Catcher
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Crab Catcher' Crab xacuti for supper. Rama Phondekar wades into the water to pick up some crabs the old fashioned way on his way home after work. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/09/crab-catcher/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Rescue on Mjóafjarðarheiði
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Rescue on Mjóafjarðarheiði' Car stuck in snow. On the wintery morning of November 12, 2013, Börkur Hrólfsson and I were attempting an excursion to the beautiful fjord of Mjóifjörður in the East Fjords region of Iceland when we came across a stranded local. He had set out on a ptarmigan hunt (permitted a few times a year) in [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/08/rescue-on-mjoafjardarheidi/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Dhalo
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Dhalo' Ancient fertility festival. In January and February every year, the Gaude community of Goa celebrates a festival of dance known as Dhalo. It is an ancient ritual with origins in the fertility cult. Although both men and women participate in the festivities, the womenfolk assume the primary role. The central theme of Dhalo [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/06/dhalo/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Salon Al Fresco
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Salon Al Fresco' In Keri, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/05/salon-al-fresco/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Racetrack Playa
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Racetrack Playa' Otherwordly. This post is motivated by the news that the Racetrack Playa, one of the jewels of Death Valley National Park, has been recently defaced by thoughtless folks treading on the wet playa. After the hellish 28 miles one-way drive on a severely washboarded route, the urge to come back with a photograph can be [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/04/racetrack-playa/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Traditional Cooking
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Traditional Cooking' Slow-cooked food. Goan fish curry prepared in this deliberate manner is manna for the soul. The lady was apologetic that on this particular evening she wasn't using her traditional earthen pot which is the real deal. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/02/traditional-cooking/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Udder Massage
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Udder Massage' Otherwise known as milking. In the village of Majorda, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/02/01/udder-massage/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Lone Fisherman
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Lone Fisherman' Morning in Goa. On River Chapora in the village of Siolim, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/31/lone-fisherman/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
Re: [Goanet] Manohar Parrikar and Kejriwal
To Goanet - JC-bab, Based on the conditions prevailing at the time, I made what I thought was the right choice. Based on the outcome today, I was wrong in that judgement. What more can I say? Regards, r From: Jose Colaco cola...@gmail.com To: Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com; Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! goanet@lists.goanet.org Cc: Goanet goa...@goanet.org Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2014 2:14 AM Subject: Re: [Goanet] Manohar Parrikar and Kejriwal On Jan 24, 2014, at 11:17 PM, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com wrote: Instead of heaping abuse on Kejriwal, Manohar and his boys ( girls) should instead introspect and correct course. Look at yourself in the mirror, Manohar-bab, and see what you have become. Rajanbab, From my reading, very few politicians have ever introspected and corrected course. One can only shake one's head when one reviews history. The same set of mistakes keep being repeated. The net result is almost invariably the same. The place and the people suffer. Not sure IF it is because the sycophants and other hangers-on make them (the politicians) feel invincible, the power drives them mad or it is the 'power brokers' who are the real controllers. BTW: Did you expect anything different? When our Oxfordian 'friend' would telephone and make his pitch, I could only smile. Ditto with the St. Inez technique. ALL previously tried and retried. How does the saying go again: You fool me once... ? jc
[Goanet] Manohar Parrikar government has failed Goa
To Goanet - The return of Manohar Parrikar to power in March 2012 was greeted with overwhelming relief and widespread optimism in Goa. He had been given a clear mandate by Goans to take charge, clean house, and usher in a new kind of political climate. They had forgiven the blunders and excesses of his past stints in the hope that the lessons of experience would lead an intelligent man like him to forge a new beginning. Many Goans believed that a wiser Manohar Parrikar would be the way out of the nightmare wrought by the criminal and corrupt Congress governments. For the first time in Goa’s post-Liberation history, Hindus and Catholics came together to place their aspirations and hopes in one man. And thus began in March 2012, on a high note, the new innings of Manohar Parrikar. Early on, there were a few red flags that didn’t go unnoticed. Within days of assuming office, the complete reversal on casino policy and his silly verbal contortions to justify it dismayed many of his ardent supporters. Then within a few weeks he announced his plan to go ahead with a new airport at Mopa, surprising many, given the catalogue of far more urgent issues that needed attention. For a project of such magnitude, drawing on enormous resources of coin and land, you expected a strong case to be placed before the public, one borne out of a thorough study, a clear statement of the costs and benefits trade-off matrix. To our surprise, Manohar did nothing of the sort. When confronted with serious questions, he pulled out the rabbit of “freight” as the new justification for a new airport. None of his ad hoc explanations even passed the smell test and it took a strong pushback to slow down the Mopa proposal. After that we got the obscene hike in salary for his Advocate General and even more egregious, the attempt to sneak in a toothless Lokayukta. By this time, some 6 months into his term, the level of skepticism as regards Manohar-bab’s intentions and his intended direction for Goa had come under a cloud and the label “U-turn Parrikar” had stuck. Compounding matters was another unbelievable utterance that there was “no illegal mining in Goa” after the Supreme Court had halted all mining activity in the state. Be that as it may, Goans by and large were forgiving of these early missteps. The overriding sentiment was, give him some time to settle in and set things back on course. After all, the foul mess he had inherited from the Congress governments was not something that could be swept away overnight. On every conceivable front, Goa was in a terrible place. Fair-minded Goans were willing to cut him a lot of slack in the belief that he would eventually point the ship in the right direction. Which brings us to today. We are now two years into his term and it is time to take stock of the situation. The very first casualty of his term was the pre-election pledge he made to Goans: zero tolerance to corruption. It is now abundantly clear that it was simply a slogan that he had no intention of honoring. Right now there is not even a pretense. Cronyism, dipping into the public treasury for lavish personal domestic and foreign travel, looking the other way while favoured builders/contractors/friends/associates flout rules and regulations – all this is par for the course in this administration. There is no difference whatsoever as regards the vile public corruption of the Digambar Kamat era and the Manohar Parrikar era. Only the names in the list of beneficiaries have changed. Not a single corrupt individual of any significance has been held to account by Manohar Parrikar’s government. On everyday issues that matter the most to ordinary Goans – meaningful jobs for locals, hospitals and health care, water, primary schools, law order, traffic safety – Manohar Parrikar and his team have been ineffective on each of these fronts. This govt’s idea of currying favour with Goans is to turn them into beggars via the doles and schemes that are periodically announced. Environmental destruction of Goa continues at a furious pace with Manohar’s blessings. Hills and forests continue to be depleted for construction projects, most of them aimed at outsiders. Goans are being rendered alien in their own land while the uncontrolled influx of migrants from all ends of the economic spectrum continues unabated. Manohar’s laughable defense when construction violations are brought to his attention is that the permissions to destroy Goa were approved by the earlier government! The reality is that the Manohar Parrikar govt is willfully looking the other way while their pals – the casino honchos and megabuilders – rake in the big bucks, Goa be damned. This govt has turned its back on many crucial issues such as curbs on the sale of land to outsiders, rampant land conversion and so on. The Regional Plan has been deliberately put on the back burner to allow builders
[Goanet] Manohar Parrikar and Kejriwal
To Goanet - If one wants to understand Arvind Kejriwal’s sudden rise and why he is now a credible threat to Narender Modi’s ascendency to PMship, look no further than Manohar Parrikar and Goa. But first, a small digression: I have the utmost contempt for Kejriwal’s breed, the scheming leftwing, socialist Indian scums. I hold no hope for India under Kejriwal Co. The problem is, none of the other alternatives holds hope for India either. Back to the topic - Kejriwal is a consequence of a real angst brewing inside Indians and Manohar Parrikar in Goa furnishes a case study for its roots. Overwhelmingly Goans voted Manohar back to power after the 7 years nightmare of Congress rule in which Goa was ushered into the Indian sewer. What Goans hoped for was a departure from the culture of corruption, cronyism, destruction of Goa’s environment and the general degradation all around. Instead, in the 2 years that he has had to at least stem the rot if not heal it, Manohar has crushed the Goan aspirations. He has given them the same old same old. Generalize this to India and it explains the Kejriwal phenomenon. Boundaries between the two main political parties have blurred to such an extent that even a rotter like Kejriwal comes off smelling like a rose in the popular imagination. Manohar Parrikar has sensed this, hence his recent utterances about “eye-opener” and so on. Problem is, Manohar has ZERO CREDIBILITY and nobody believes anymore that he means what he says. Except for his motley crew of vocal sycophants and the recipients of his ‘goodness’ - the Modys, the builders, the favoured contractors and so on - Goans are disillusioned. They may not say this aloud but privately many who supported Manohar are looking the other way. It takes unusual skill for a guy who had so much momentum and goodwill in March 2013 to squander it all in less than 2 years. Instead of heaping abuse on Kejriwal, Manohar and his boys ( girls) should instead introspect and correct course. Look at yourself in the mirror, Manohar-bab, and see what you have become. r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Devil's Golf Course
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Devil's Golf Course' Tee off with Beelzebub. Devil's Golf Course, photographed over two consecutive mornings in December 2012 with the superb Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 lens. The tilt movement permits control of the depth of field in the plane of the salt pan. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/25/devils-golf-course/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Strandarkirkja
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Strandarkirkja' The richest church in Iceland. Strandarkirkja (lit. Beach Church, from the Icelandic word strönd denoting beach or shore) lies exposed to the North Atlantic ocean on the east shore of the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. The church has a reputation for bringing good luck to those who add to its coffers. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/23/strandarkirkja/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Siddhanath Hill
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Siddhanath Hill' An ancient shrine. The shrine of Siddhanath (Lord Shiva) is perched atop the eponymous hill at an elevation of 370 metres near the village of Borim, Goa. The linga here is of great antiquity dating back to the 12th C when the Nath Panthi movement flourished in Goa. This sect also established their presence [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/19/siddhanath-hill/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Death Valley Buttes
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Death Valley Buttes' Cambrian era peaks. These stark buttes are seen as you come in from the east on Daylight Pass in Death Valley National Park, California. In the backdrop are the mountains of the Panamint Range. A spectacular panorama comes into view soon past what is known as Hell's Gate. The road drops into Death [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/12/death-valley-buttes/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] At Dante's View
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'At Dante's View' Light dipped in honey. The first rays of the sun bathe the mountains at Dante's View in Death Valley National Park, California. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/05/at-dantes-view/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] A New Morning, A New Year
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'A New Morning, A New Year' 2014 is here. Last week we witnessed a glorious dawn in Butte Valley at the southern end of Death Valley National Park in California. This is a very remote area of the park. The mountains of the Panamint range are seen to the east. Not seen (behind me) is the magnificent Striped Butte, [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2014/01/01/a-new-morning-a-new-year-4/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Christmas 2013
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Christmas 2013' Gleðileg Jól, Feliz Natal, Merry Christmas! You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/23/christmas-2013/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Harvesting Clams
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Harvesting Clams' A Goan relish. Scenes from the fishing village of Siridona in Goa. Clams - called khubey in Konkani - are usually turned into a delicious xacuti stew and eaten with Goan pão. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/21/harvesting-clams/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Selfie
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Selfie' Candids of my niece. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/14/selfie/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Midnight in Eyjafjörður
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Midnight in Eyjafjörður' Summer nights on Iceland's longest fjord. These images were taken over two nights in Akureyri this June. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/12/midnight-in-eyjafjordur/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Chamundeshwari of Pilgaon
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Chamundeshwari of Pilgaon' Home of the Goddess. Adjoining the meandering Mandovi river, Pilgaon was once the archetypal Goan village: lush, leafy, serene, blessed by the goodness Nature grants a riverine habitat. But all that changed when Goa's mining mafia commandeered the area. For the past five decades these environmental assassins, under the guise of helping Goa's economy, [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/10/chamundeshwari-of-pilgaon/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] March of the Goats
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'March of the Goats' Caprine encounters. The Icelandic goat is a very special animal, an ancient breed dating back to the first settlement of the island. We encountered this herd at Möðrudalur last month in near-whiteout conditions. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/08/march-of-the-goats/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Fields of Toil
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Fields of Toil' An honest day's work. Until a generation ago, Goans enjoyed some of the finest produce in the world, all of it locally grown. That situation, unfortunately, has been cured. Fertile paddy fields have now become targets of builders and their politician friends. As a result, farming activity in Goa has been decimated rendering [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/06/fields-of-toil/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] December 03, 1901
To Goanet - Recycling an old post - http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2009/12/20/december-03-1901/ r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Trona Pinnacles Revisted
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Trona Pinnacles Revisted' Another magical evening. In 2010 I experienced an enchanting evening at the Trona Pinnacles. On my visit in December 2012, I was witness to another equally engrossing spectacle. My posts at the Trona Pinnacles are archived here. From: Death Valley and the Northern Mojave by William C. Tweed and Lauren Davis (Cachuma Press, 2003) As dawn approaches, the [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/12/01/trona-pinnacles-revisted/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] Tejpal the skunk
To Goanet - Two years ago, it was reported that Tejpal's associates had effectively blackmailed Goa's then-CM Digambar Kamat into parting with 30 lakhs of Goa taxpayer rupees to fund his tamasha at the Grand Hyatt. Digu, being the pig that he was, meekly complied. The astonishing thing was, there was little outrage from Goans at this blatant extortion. I had written the following at the time - http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2011-November/215084.html Tunku Varadarajan has this piece in The Daily Beast today - http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/25/the-fall-of-india-s-conscience.html r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Furtado House
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Furtado House' 18th C mansion in a Goan village. See this account for historical details. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/23/furtado-house/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Lights over Lake Mývatn
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Lights over Lake Mývatn' Aurora Borealis. I have become blasé about photographing the Northern Lights. It takes now a compelling foreground and an equally compelling intensity in the heavens to get me excited. A few days ago in Mývatn (north Iceland), we had finished dinner when we espied a faint flicker in the skies. Soon there were [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/21/lights-over-lake-myvatn/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Vesturhorn Sunset
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Vesturhorn Sunset' Batman mountain. At 454 m high, Vesturhorn (also spelled Vestrahorn) is a gabbro with steep cliffs (see Living Earth - Outline of the Geology of Iceland by Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, published by Forlagið, Reykjavík, 2013). It is often called Batman Mountain (see second image below). The sunset at Stokksnes last week was memorable. This headland [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/18/vesturhorn-sunset/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] Goa's Deadly Roads
To Goanet - I just read the news that Oscar Rebello's father was knocked down in a terrible road accident in Panjim. How many more of our people must and will die before the powers-that-be recognize that road safety, not Mopa, is the most urgent issue of the day? Deathly roads, filthy hospitals, rotting garbage, but no matter we want Mopa! I had written about this over a year ago. http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2012-September/225189.html r PS: http://www.parrikar.org/misc/CM-Questions-Links.pdf
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Looking Down on Clouds
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Looking Down on Clouds' Sweet light, arresting cloudscape A spectacular late evening show on my Keflavík to Seattle flight from the window of Icelandair's 757-200 a couple of days back. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/17/looking-down-on-clouds/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Frozen
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Frozen' Icy world. Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in Öræfi, south Iceland, earlier this evening. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/11/frozen/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Kerið
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Kerið' Volcanic crater lake. Our attempted foray into the southern Icelandic Highlands this morning was thwarted half way by high winds and blowing drift snow. En route we stopped by Kerið. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/05/kerid/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Diwali 2013
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Diwali 2013' Festival of Lights. Diwali greetings to all! This year the Hindu Festival of Lights, signifying the triumph of good over the forces of darkness, will be celebrated on November 2. In Goa, the symbolism for the festival draws on the tale of Krishna destroying the demon king Narkasur. Giant effigies of the demon are built [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/11/01/diwali-2013/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Bare Mountain
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Bare Mountain' In the Nevada desert. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/30/bare-mountain/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] The Smile
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'The Smile' Vilasini Ravul was working the paddy field in the village of Talarna in north Goa when I asked her to pose for a portrait. These are rural folk, not accustomed to having a lens pointed at them, and she was understandably shy and nervous at the same time. I tried to make some [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/28/the-smile-2/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Bikinis
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Bikinis' Peaks in the desert. Dusk settles over the Amargosa Valley between Death Valley, California, and the town of Beatty, Nevada. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/25/bikinis/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Living History
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Living History' This evening I had the rare fortune of photographing not one but two nonagenarians, both of them in my immediate family: my father Motilal Parrikar and maternal uncle Dr. Vamona Sinari. We went up the hill in Panjim to the old Liceu (Lyceum) buildings where my uncle did his pre-medical schooling. The complex [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2012/02/16/living-history/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Sunrise at Reynisfjara
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Sunrise at Reynisfjara' Splash of colour on a cold, winter morning. Moments after sunrise near the cliff of Reynisfjall, south coast of Iceland. The Reynisdrangar basalt stacks are seen at the right. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/09/sunrise-at-reynisfjara/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] The Cowherd
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'The Cowherd' On a mountain pass. Chorla Ghat in northeast Goa, on a stormy monsoon morning. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/04/the-cowherd/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Lómagnúpur
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Lómagnúpur' The highest freestanding cliff face in Iceland. The word Lómagnúpur is a compound of lómur (red-throated diver) and gnúpur (cliff). It is among the most remarkable sights in south Iceland. Mt Lómagnúpur (767 m) features the highest cliff face in Iceland, with a vertical rise of more than 600 m. It forms the southern end [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/10/01/lomagnupur/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] A Goan Pastime
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'A Goan Pastime' Football, rain or shine. This setting in the village of Harvalem in the shadow of the Western Sahyadri range in northeast Goa is spectacular. I am sure the local politico and his whores (read builder buddies) will find a way to cure this. Once a common sight, today not-so-common, since coconut orchards are being depleted at [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/23/a-goan-pastime/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Ísafjarðardjúp
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Ísafjarðardjúp' Fjords within a fjord. Ísafjarðardjúp is the largest fjord in the Westfjords region of Iceland. The word is constituted from Ís (ice) + fjarðar (fjords) + djúp (deep). Several smaller fjords open into it. Two interpretations of a single frame taken looking westward along Ísafjarðardjúp are offered. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/21/isafjardardjup/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] The Crematorium
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'The Crematorium' Where you check out. वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि ग्रह्णाति नरो पराणि । तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णानि अन्यानि संयति नवानि देहि ।। Just as a person casts off worn-out garments and puts on others that are new, even so does the embodied soul cast off worn-out bodies and take on others that are new. Chapter 2, Shloka 22 [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/14/the-crematorium/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Midnight in Skagafjörður
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Midnight in Skagafjörður' Magical light of Iceland. These are scenes of a summers' night I spent cruising along Skagafjörður in north Iceland. Being all alone around midnight on the edge of the fjord, with the quiet landscape around me drenched by the low sun, was an unforgettable experience in shuddering before the beautiful. I had a good [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/13/midnight-in-skagafjordur/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Ronald G. Wayne
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Ronald G. Wayne' Apple's forgotten co-founder. It is well known that Apple Computer was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Not as well known is that there was a third co-founder - Ronald Wayne. With Jobs and Wozniak wet behind the ears at the time, Ron was the adult in the room. He [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/11/ronald-g-wayne/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Sauðhúsvöllur
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Sauðhúsvöllur' Ephemeral moments. The curtain lifted for barely a couple of minutes for me to delight in this scene before fog reclaimed the setting. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/07/saudhusvollur/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Ganesh Chaturthi 2013
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Ganesh Chaturthi 2013' Salutations to the God of Intellect and Wisdom. This year the festival in honour of Ganesha will be celebrated on Monday, September 9. Excerpts from my introduction to the Ganesha photo gallery in The Huffington Post, 2010: The story is told that the elephant-headed Ganesha and his brother Kartikeya, the god of war, were once locked in a [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/06/ganesh-chaturthi-2013/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Surla Waterfall
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Surla Waterfall' Falls of the Beloved. Deep in the Western Sahyadri range at an elevation of 800 m in northeast Goa is perched its highest village, Surla. Access to this remote outpost involves a steep climb up the winding mountain pass of Chorla Ghat, and then a brief foray across the state border into Karnataka before a [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/03/surla-waterfall/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Simian Encounters
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Simian Encounters' Monkeying around. Goa is home to two sympatric species of monkey, the Hanuman Langur and the Bonnet Macaque. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/31/simian-encounters/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Church of Santa Cruz, Cavelossim
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Church of Santa Cruz, Cavelossim' Venite Adoremus Dominum. This centre of worship in the coastal village of Cavelossim in south Goa began as a chapel in 1763 and was elevated to a church in 1948. In his monograph, The Parish Churches of Goa (Amazing Goa Publications, 2006), José Lourenço cites the structure as an example of the Mannerist Neo-Roman style [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/09/01/church-of-santa-cruz-cavelossim/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] Passing of Professor Rui J.P. de Figueiredo
To Goanet - I don't know if the announcement has been posted on Goanet. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/orangecounty/obituary.aspx?n=rui-jp-de-figueiredopid=166127419fhid=7598#fbLoggedOut r PS: I remember meeting him c. 1987 when he was visiting his parents at their large home in Campal. Doutor Pachecho de Figeureido (ex-Dean of Goa Medical College) was his father, and very well known to us through my uncle Dr. Vamona Sinari who was a student of Pacheco-bab.
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Angling
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Angling' Not just a man's pastime. Seen on a drive through the village of St. Estevem, Goa. You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/30/angling/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Dhirio
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Dhirio' Prelude to a bullfight. Dhirio is the Konkani term for bullfights (bull-on-bull), a much-loved traditional sport in Goa. Although it is now banned by law, the practice continues surreptitiously. These days the duel often begins in the wee hours of the morning so that the policemen charged with preventing the fight can also place [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/29/dhirio/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Bike Gal
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Bike Gal' Outdoors on a monsoon morning in Goa. Among the benisons of my young days were the open spaces the minute one walked out of the home. Those spaces have now been thoughtlessly filled with ugly concrete. Panjim, once possessing of great charm and beauty, has been transformed into just another Indian town, a sorry [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/26/bike-gal/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] Goa Works! (NOT!)
My good friend Thomas Pindelski, who lives a few miles up the highway, has a post up today on his site (see link below) that strikes me as having some relevance to Goa. To wit, the part describing the laying of a new road. Our builders and contractors in Goa have been reluctant to adopt new technology. After all, ghati labour is very cheap and easily exploited (never mind that these same guys who exploit the poor migrants will then posture as digital humanitarians here when anyone brings up the burden they impose on Goa and on Goan resources). The usual excuse furnished is that advanced equipment is expensive. But this is a fallacy. Even a child knows that the amount of money spent on the scams of issuing and re-issuing tenders for sub-standard work year in and year out is huge when you add in the decades that it has been going on, staggering. The PWD is a monument to corruption. The plain truth is, mechanization will result not only in higher quality construction, but severely reduce the scamming of the taxpayer. And THAT is not to the advantage of the contractors, the PWD engineers, the bureaucracy and the ministers. If you cannot issue tenders every few months, how are you going to keep the cash flow going? Migrant labour can be drastically reduced through adoption of such technology but that means vote banks will be reduced as well. Here's Thomas's post - http://pindelski.org/Photography/2013/08/24/america-works/ r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Wild Mushrooms of Goa
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Wild Mushrooms of Goa' A seasonal delicacy. For about 2 weeks at the beginning of August every year, clusters of villagers dot the Goan roadside hawking handpicked mushrooms known in Konkani as olmi. These edible mushrooms grow in the wild near termite mounds in the forested hills of rural Goa. Taxonomically they come under Termitomyces. The narrow window of [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/05/wild-mushrooms-of-goa/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
[Goanet] What is wrong with this picture?
Taken this morning (Sunday) at the Chapel of the Mount Mary, Old Goa. http://www.parrikar.org/images/samples/Trash-Mount-Mary.jpg r
[Goanet] Chorla Ghat and Surla Eco-Vandalism- Addendum
To Goanet - Yesterday on a whim I went again via Chorla ghat to Surla (my 3rd excursion this week). I took my little nephew along as I wanted to show him the deeds of his fellow Goans and countrymen (and parenthetically in my mind, to train him in How not to be a modern Indian). The Ladkyacho vozar (waterfall) is glorious this time of the year and is best seen from Paikacho Sado just outside the village of Surla. We enjoyed over an hour of peace with only the sounds of nature and the view to enthrall us. Then 2 couples from Karnataka pissed on our bliss. They were loud, coarse and we saw in real time how they littered. The only people deserving of more extreme prejudice and malice are the Dilliwallahs. The men were swilling hard liquor straight out of the bottle (remember, after trashing Surla, these intoxicated guys will be driving back in dim, foggy conditions on a mountain road - a real hazard to not only their lives but the lives of other motorists and people). I spoke to the villagers in Surla and they confirm what Prof. Kamat has written in his Navhind Times piece. From their accounts, what the visitors from Karnataka have been doing amounts to sexual harassment of the village womenfolk. A short gallery is linked below (I wasn't planning to shoot the trash - I have had enough and don't do this kind of stuff any more). Finally - what is Alina Saldanha doing to do about all this? http://www.parrikar.org/images/Chorla/index.html r
[Goanet] Trashing Goa
To Goanet - I made two back-to-back excursions up Chorla ghat yesterday and today in driving rain (bliss!). The amount of trash strewn along the roadside by irresponsible picknickers is revolting. Paper plates, plastic bottles, beer cans, wrappers and other refuse foul the purity of this paradise on earth. The Chorla road has now become motorable unlike in earlier years where it was obstacle course dotted with craters. Unfortunately, this easy access has enabled a posse of urban hooligans flush with new money. How can we Goans behave like this? If we don't take care of Goa, who will? Think of what will happen when the uncouth Indian masses discover this little corner of heaven. As it is, Indians need no encouragement whatsoever in the art and science of mucking up a place. I noticed that the village of Surla is awash with revellers from Karnataka (access to this remote Goan village is from their state). The difference between Goans and those Kanadi chaps is only this: Goans come in convoys of 50 cars, the ghatis come 50 to a car. But boors they all are, to the last man (and woman). This is why I am skeptical of all the grandiose plans for Panjim and the chants of world class this and that. The 'gorement' can only do so much. We Goans have to get our act together. A world class place is built not with infrastructure and fancy technology, but first and foremost with good mental habits and robust mental furniture. Upon returning this evening, I promptly wrote to Prof. Nandakumar Kamat. He was ahead on me on this issue, and sent me this link - http://www.navhindtimes.in/opinion/urban-picnickers-spoil-chorla-ghat r
[Goanet] [Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar] Gaur
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Gaur' Goa's state animal. We were in a forest clearing near the remote Goan village of Surla (Sattari) in the Western Sahyadri range when this bull sauntered across startling us. The endangered Gaur is the largest bovine on the planet, larger than Africa's Cape Buffalo. It is called govo redo in Konkani. My first instinct was [...] You may view the latest post at http://www.parrikar.com/blog/2013/08/01/gaur/ Best regards, Rajan P. Parrikar parri...@yahoo.com
