How tourism came into existence in Goa.
PANAJI: Goans feel proud to have tourists in our tiny state. They feel tourists are “Atithi devo bhava” a famous Sanskrit phrase “Guest is God“ this is a declaration from the Upanishads that embodies the traditional Indian Hindu-Buddhist philosophy of treating guests and due to this tourism has grown multi-fold in the state. A bizarre incident in Panaji wherein an old man beating a female tourists with a stick as he was getting disturbed in his siesta on the famous Fontainhas street where there are famous architectural designs.
Now tourism industry has brought sea change in all spheres of life besides changing its economy, business expansions, trade, transport, relations and et al. But sometimes unique behaviour of our Goan brothers against visitors earn criticism also. And if it is continued, then tourists will hunt for some other place like Kashmir, Shimla, Ooty, Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, Kerala, Kanyakumari etc etc.
Now tourism is not only restricted famous beaches, drinks and watching birds in Salim Ali Sanctuary, Dudh Sagar, Bondla Wild life sanctuary, Molem, Cotigao, Mhadei, Netravali Mahaveer etc but it has brought in religious tourism, health tourism, hinterland, village life, education, Architecture, Art and Culture and many more People also visit temples in Mangueshi, Mardol, Churches in Old Goa and heritage sites in Old Goa and other places. Architectural designs of Portuguese era in Fontainhas and Maruti temple located in Panaji on a Hill top.
Our tiny Goa is on the global tourist map now as a result it has been receiving lakhs of tourists from all over the world annually and many domestic as well as foreign tourists have patronised Goa and they keep visiting when ever they feel like relaxing.
Actually Goa was recognised by the foreigners since 1970. They came, saw, discovered Goans as peace loving, susegado, hospitable and started leading a life of a freedom seekers and were living naked on the beaches and smoking drugs and spending months under the small shacks made up of palm leaves on the beaches.They were spending their holidays for months and move after tanning their bodies during hot summer season with oil massage. But they never used to interfere with the locals and locals were also happy to get sufficient amount of money for their stay in a small room as such many houses on the coastal belt were converted into lodges and many female foreigners too were roaming with the local boys or landlords’ daughters and sons and gave them AIDS plus heafty cash and the beach belt started growing economically with meals and bounds.
They were having gala time on the infamous beaches like Bagah, Anjuna, Candolim, Calangute, Sinquerim etc and made them world famous due to their presence domestic tourists started flocking to see their nudity. Dining nude, dancing nude, playing nude, and sleeping nude and swimming nude in the water and conveying the philosophy that they were born nude and living nude and will die. Slowly and surely tourism started growing more and more and started spreading its tentacles to other areas aa a result many vigilant Goans also started opposing it as it was reflecting directly on the lives their young minds besides impacting Goan culture and tradition.
On Wednesday residents of St Tome, St Sebastian and Fontainhas met the CCP mayor Rohit Monserratte and wrote to Panaji MLA regarding their woes and promised them to look into their grievances and they will meet all the other heads of the government department. They want them to bring certain discipline in the street and would meet again in future. Whole idea is to have some system in place, they added.
