As one who remembers Panjim just after the 4 year incubation period of the infection referred to by Rajanbab, I too can attest to the True Delight it was to walk in that once lovely and clean city. It also was a city of gracious residents and business folks - all of who joined their counterparts in "gorrment" offices for their post-prandial siesta. And then, the shops would open for the evening business between 3:30pm and 7:30pm.
Personally, I remember it as a very civil city. And then, came the "equalization"..........by which Panjim joined the other cities and became a place of broken hillsides and ..... just broken. jc Pardon any Typos. This IPad does some curious auto- corrections On Aug 27, 2012, at 11:19 AM, "Rajan P. Parrikar" <[email protected]> wrote: > To Goanet - > > > The flyer for the Non-Motorized-Zone (NoMoZo) event in Panjim challenges us > to > imagine the city without cars. I don't have to imagine any such thing. I > grew up > and lived in a Panjim that was essentially car-free, a pedestrian's delight, > and the > finest city in India, visually and for its quality of life. That was a > Panjim that India > had not infected (and let it not be forgotten that the Portuguese gave us > this once-great city). > > This entry is not a criticism of the organizers of NoMoZo. Au contraire. > Their > initiative is admirable. Their conception of the event needs overhaul. > > Why does every outdoor space in India today have to be a noisy racket? Have > people > here completely forgotten what peace and quiet are all about? Have you no > sense > of what a refined city space looks and sounds like? Look at the abomination > on > the Mandovi with the cruise boats blaring away. In essence you have > duplicated > that on the streets. > > If you get cars off the road, you don't replace them with another tamasha. > Last > Sunday (Aug 19) I was dodging kids racing by on bicycles while simultaneously > ducking out of the way of a misdirected football. The pavements had all > manner > of other obstructions. In short, one nuisance was replaced by another. > > To the guys and gals who organize the NoMoZo, please read this and reconsider: > > LET THE CITY JUST BE! Let it beat to its own natural rhythm. You get the > cars > off for a few hours - and that should be it! El finito. That's the end of > your job. You > don't have to plan events, dances, stalls and all that tinselly din. NoMoZo > ought > to be a NoEventZone as well. You could have a jatra once or twice a year, if > you must. But keep the monthly NoMoZo's cacophony-free. > > Regards, > > > r
