To walk by each other’s side,
in this journey called life,
in good times and the bad,
in sorrow as also in happiness;
And though you may be separated world apart,
yet still be the closest at heart,
That is what I wish for you,
a father with a heart for the two of you.
– Mo Irom
In the opening scene of ‘Bourne Supremacy‘, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) wakes up from his nightmare in a hideout in Goa (India). Then comes the jogging scene where he runs (or rather races) along the the waters edge in the beach where gentle waves of the beautiful blue sea laps the shore….that breathtaking beach is Palolem.
Palolem Beach is nicknamed the ‘Paradise beach’ and rightfully to its name it is one of the most beautiful beaches of Goa, located way down south in the Canacona municipal council of South Goa district. Stretching about 2 Kms in a crescent shape, lined with coconut trees and shielded by a small island “KanKon” slightly north-west of the beach, which actually protects it from the huge ocean waves, the beach is graced with shallow waters and gentle waves. A paradise indeed. Then there is the sunset to knock your breath out. Here is a glimpse.
The legend of Goa is unparalleled in India, the mind conjuring up images of enchantment and revelry at the very mention of the endearing name. That was how it was with me. And yes, it does live up to its name I would say. The breathtaking beaches, beautiful landscapes and distinctive heritage lends Goa a charm that attracts millions of tourists every year from across India and abroad.
Goa is India’s smallest state, a coastal paradise wedge between Maharashtra in the north and Karnataka in the south and east. Strategically located in the Konkan belt along the western sea-coast facing the Arabian sea, its has historically been a major trade port which had come under the rule and control of numerous Indian feudatories and dynasties including the famed Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty in the 3rd century BC to the Delhi sultanate in 14th century BC before it passed into the hands of the Portuguese merchants in early 16th century and being ruled as a Portuguese province for over four centuries and half, thus lending Goa a charming blend of Portuguese and Indian lifestyles and cultures. The architecture of its churches and heritage buildings bear the unmistakable Portuguese style giving it a unique charm.
Goa is a heady mixture of the hill ranges of the fabulous Western Ghats that raises from the coasts, much like an embankment to a water body, and the coastal plains which is interspersed by fabulous beaches at intervals all along the stretch from north to south. Being on the western coast facing the Arabian sea, the beaches of Goa would invariably see the sun rising from the palm topped land ridges that runs along the coast, traversing across the sky in a big loop to finally dip into the sea, casting a beautiful golden hue to the choppy waters and the shore just before it is immersed in the darkness of the night. Here are some visages I managed to capture while watching the sun rise and go down in Goa.
mo's musings 