If I may first try to explain why I am referring to Goa as a Place of Happiness.
We often visit a place primarily to enjoy its natural beauty,
sometimes we visit to appreciate and enjoy the historical and the archeological wealth.
Goa has it all.
Goa has it all
In addition Goa also has an atmosphere of peace and happiness; Goa tranquilizes me with this rare wealth which not many other tourist destination can boast of. Significantly Goa has managed to retain its unique flavour in spite of becoming a popular tourist destination of the world.
I consider myself fortunate to be born in India.
We are economically a poor country by the modern definition but philosophically no less rich than many developed countries of the world.
Many of us here, even today, do not consider materialistic comfort as the main requirement for happiness. For centuries we have believed in the ethos of ‘karma’, enjoy doing a work and not think of the materialistic return. It is a difficult concept to follow in the modern time and even more difficult to appreciate by the western civilisation. In fact, urban population of many part of India is now unable to retain this philosophy as their basic ethos of existence.
Fortunately even today there are some pockets in India where majority will still follow this principle.
Their existence is not purely to achieve more and more materialistic comfort but to ‘live in peace’, notwithstanding their financial wealth.
I was born in the state of West Bengal in India where a good percentage of people still live in happiness amidst extreme poverty. I have also lived many years in Goa where I found the people were seldom interested in capitalizing on the commercial opportunities the tourist hub offers. Instead they prefer to be happy in their small sea-front fishing village hut, under the cool shade of the coconut grove.
Whoever manages a bootle of ‘feni’ (a locally brewed liqour) is surely a step closer to Nirvana.
It is difficult for the western population to understand the philosophy and often it is considered as ultimate stupidity resulting from extreme laziness. Many western tourists have utilized the business opportunity here and have started a variety of business and resorts to provide comfort to their fellow country men searching for a suitable place to stay. Many of them have settled down in Goa for the purpose.
The placid state of mind of the local people however does not get disturbed by this phenomenon.
He wants to enjoy his precious life in his own way and accumulation of huge materialistic wealth plays a very little role in the path of his life. He just wants to exist, bare minimum is all he requires for his own existance. It is his peaceful state of mind which percholates into every sphere of the atmosphere and which gives a unique flavour to this tiny state of India.
This is what makes Goa such a facinating destination for those who love peace and tranquility.
The Singing Moon on Arambol Beach, North Goa, October 2006 – ©Tilak Bera
To me Goa offers a serene and tranquil atmosphere which is only comparable to the moonlight percolating through the foliage of our minds.
Hence Goa.
Tilak R Bera | 06 Sept’ 08
What a wonderful and relaxing article Tilak. I do hope wholeheartedly that the materialistic Western world doesn’t make too much of an impact on the Indian ethos of live and let live. Goodness me! The world, more than ever, needs a culture of contentment and non-violence instead of forever striving for material wealth. Let them not wipe it out altogether.
Hi, this is Anwin from the indiblogger team. I was wondering if you will be there at the kolkata bloggers meet on Sep 21. It would be great to meet you and other bloggers from Kolkata.
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Anwin (Indiblogger)