| "Goa, India’s smallest state, is not only a great holiday destination, it also offers photographers an unusual opportunity to shoot events, people, architecture or landscape, all at one place. " |
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If Kerala is God's 'wone' (pardon my 'Mallu') country then Goa is His second home. A sprawling ecologically furnished, luxurious retreat handcrafted under the direct supervision of the Supreme Architect. Mind you, no postcard-perfect pictures of pristine beaches and lurching coconut palms nor any tourist's eulogy; can quite prepare you for the experience that it is.
 | | Fontainhas, an old Portugese part of town is the 'Latin quarter of Town'. The bright colours of the walls are signature of the Portugese Goa. In erstwhile Goa, the Portugese insisted that every house be painted fresh after the monsoons and in bright colours. Churches were always painted white. |
A bit of advice, if you want to really do Goa; do yourself a favour and give it a week or two. Anything less is a waste of time, even sacrilege to the languorous Goan spirit, anything more and you'll have trouble dragging your relax-soaked feet back to where you came from.
It's best to spend the first two days ridding your system of the touristy clichés that abound. Do the Calangute beachshacks by night, swing by the hippie joints atop Anjuna (Nine Bar is a great place that shuts at well, nine!), bargain on the Baga junket for Tibetan wares, street fashion and exotic jewellery. Amble along the sunset sands.
Eat, drink and be feni-merry.
When done, pace yourself and walk towards Goa's bohemian yet rooted soul. One that resides in every hearth, heart and head.
 | | Before the advent of electricity, the only thing which kept wayfarers from terrors of night were candles that burnt on wayside crosses. Not all of them are worshipped today, but one still sees the occassional withered garland or melted wax, that relives the past. |
Truth be told, there are prettier natural locales in India (The Mangalore coast for instance would ring a note higher than Goa on the beauty scale) but the charm lies in the person that she is. Goa welcomes you with a reassuringly tight Aunty hug that stays with you forever.
Many mistake the 'sussegad' (unhurried) spirit for lazy nothingness. Not true. I have yet to come across a place that is more efficient, genial and benevolent in its manner towards tourists. A non-invasive hospitality pervades every nook and granny. Everything works like clockwork (a grandfather's clock no doubt, but it works).
Goa is a quirky intersection between the big, bad but convenient bustling city and the sleepy hollow of a village. Bursting with eccentricity, it lines a photographer's lens with subjects that are impossible to capture anywhere else.
 | | Built for defence: wanted to show what the original purpose of the Fort Aguada was for, rather than incorporate a wide shot that would show the light house. |
Meander through its streets and sometimes mud ways and you'll discover that it is visually a historical, architectural and even anthropological delight.
Ancestrally retained Portugal villas nestle between palm fronds and casuarina trees. Local taverns dot the landscape with a generous cauldron of local brew and an equally interesting mix of characters who consume it.
Particularly quaint is the old area of Fountainhas also known as the Latin quarter of Panjim. It had been turned into an art and heritage precinct, for the Fountainhas Art and Culture Festival held every year.
 | | The Shree Naguesh Temple (near Ponda). In the foreground is the Deepstambh, which is very unique to Goa. The architecture of temples around Goa is a mix of Hindu, Muslim and Portugese styles. |
Narrow cobbled alleys weave through a collection of closely-knit houses with tiled-roofs, over hanging balconies and carved pillars that were freshly painted and lit for the event.
Every aesthetic crevice threw up an interesting place like one serving tea, another selling scarves while yet another cut hair. Photographers and artists too find superlative expression amidst these baroque-styled structures as did Neville Bulsara in his camera's tryst with Goa.
Another place is Old Goa the city of nobility. Embellished by ornate palaces, beautiful buildings and majestic churches, the architects who constructed these churches sought inspiration from Italian architects, some of whom were Jesuits. Resemblances of churches in Rome, which had a touch of the renaissance with baroque confined to the interior hence sprang up.
 | | I wanted to capture the magnitude of the Churches of Goa. But using a single frame meant that the image would be subjected to extreme distortion. So, to show the scale, I framed this pew on one of the outer walls of the Church of St Francis of Assisi and waited for someone to come by. |
Of particular interest are the Church Of Francis of Assisi, Church of St. Cajetan and Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Fontainhas.
When you're done with the city, take a ferry across to the innumerable islands like Betim, Diwar or Morjim (also a nesting place for Oliver Ridley turtles) you're bound to come away with an indelible impression as I did on mine to one called Chorao. Travelling under the stars in an open-aired jeep, across the river, into the outback, braving the winds as well as some highly animated, but wrong directions from an inebriated country bar owner; we (made our way to the highest point in Chorao called Ray Christ.
 | | Goa is at the crossroads of development. On the one hand, you see the most sophisticated of machines and on the other hand you see the dogged Opel from half a century ago still in as good a condition as possible. |
A sparse elevated ruin of a structure housing a monarchical statue and overlooking the island. Even under the pitch black blanket of darkness, we could see His outstretched arms spread across the sky. From there on I knew, I was not about to forget Goa in a hurry.
A Photographer's Delight
The 'sussegad' attitude permeates into everything that is Goa. Change has not touched Goa in too many ways apart from what is evident on the tourist-infested beaches. When one looks at the fields, the temples, the people and the houses in the villages and the Churches—one is transported to a bygone era. That is the essence of Goa I wanted to capture in my images. So I stayed clear from the clichés and the beaches. I like Goa for a lot of things—laid back attitude, the friendliness of the people, the opportunity to shoot a slice of history becomes an enjoyable task. It was like doing an anthropological study using images.
 | | Contrary to popular belief, Hindus form a majority of the population though Goa is more known for its churches, masses and feasts. |
For a photographer Goa has everything, be it the opportunity to photograph events, people, architecture or landscape, in one basket. It is not bustling with activity and that has a very positive rub off when photographing. It allows you to think before shooting and gives you no chance to be trigger-happy. You have to 'make' the picture.
—Neville Bulsara
Neville's Gear
Camera
Canon EOS 5 (Film)
Canon 10D (Digital)
Lenses
Canon EF 20-35, EF 28-105, 100mm f/2.8
Macro, 75-300 EF USM3
Filters
Cokin Graduated ND (on film)
Cokin Poloriser circular
Films (if used)
Fuji Velvia, Provia
Tripod
Manfrotto
Bag
Lowepro Mini Trekker
Scanner
Nikon Coolscan LS30
GETTING TO GOA
Air
There are daily flights to Goa from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Railway
Goa is wellconnected to metros like Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore
Bus
A number of private operators run daily buses between Goa and cities in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat.
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