Gleðileg Jól, Feliz Natal, Merry Christmas!
A small selection of churches from around Iceland.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/12/21/christmas-2023/
Rajan Parrikar
Portraits from rural Goa.
Met these two while meandering in Canacona, Goa. They were heading into the
jungle for work – farming, looking after cows, clearing brush, gathering
firewood, the kind of work that requires exertion of limbs. Life for these
folk begins early in the morning with a
I just received the sad news of the sudden passing of Valmiki Faleiro.
Just a couple of months ago we enjoyed a round of beautiful email
exchanges. His new book had been published (I bought a copy on Amazon) and
we reminisced about Goans in the Indian Armed Forces that we both
personally knew.
last month in a store in Goa that imports
idols from Pen in advance of the festival.
Note: Pen (पेण) is pronounced like “pain” but with the retroflex slip
‘n’, a sound not found in English.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/09/13/ganesha-s-from-pen/
Rajan Parrikar
have around.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/09/18/ganesh-chaturthi-2023/
Rajan Parrikar
a street vendor in the village of Ribandar, Goa.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/08/21/naga-panchami/
Rajan Parrikar
I came across these two, decorated in Indian tricolour themes, on the
grounds of the Mahalakshmi Temple in Panjim, Goa.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/08/14/the-future/
Rajan Parrikar
h on offer, too.
This is currently the finest restaurant in Goa.
Rajan Parrikar
Monsoon mood.
At Rajabaga beach in Canacona, South Goa.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/08/12/saree-on-the-beach/
Rajan Parrikar
/catch-of-the-morning/
Rajan Parrikar
Sunday evening I returned from the temples in Mashel via Banastari
bridge. Barely an hour later, a ghastly murder took place there.
A drunk woman in a Mercedes mowed down an innocent couple from Divar.
There was another fatality as well.
Recognise it for what it is: a MURDER, not an accident.
First of all, I don’t read Goanet anymore and only come here for the
very occasional post. For years it has become an echo chamber for
anti-Hindu rants (disguised, of course), all of them low-IQ. I reached
a point where I couldn’t motivate myself to stay on, even in my usual
post-only mode.
I
tion serves as a synopsis of Goa's uniquely
profound Hindu tradition.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/06/01/temples-of-goa/
Also available on YouTube & Vimeo -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3L1m4H59ks
https://vimeo.com/831998551
Best,
Rajan Parrikar
.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/05/02/monte-de-guirim/
Rajan Parrikar
Part 2 of the photo essay.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/02/23/men-of-goa-2-2/
Rajan Parrikar
This portfolio is a distillate of my meanderings in Goa over the past
15 years. The second installment will follow later this week. The
Women of Goa series was posted recently.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/02/20/men-of-goa-1-2/
Rajan Parrikar
This is Part 2 in the series of portraits of Goan women collected over 15
years of flâneuring. Where the name of the lady was recorded it is cited.
Part was posted a couple of days ago.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/02/08/women-of-goa-2-2/
Rajan Parrikar
Portraits of Goan women collected over 15 years of flâneuring are presented
in two parts. The second segment will be posted in a day or two. Where the
name of the lady was recorded it is cited.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2023/02/05/women-of-goa-1-2/
Best regards,
Rajan Parrikar
...Frederick!
I would like to extend my thanks to Frederick for excavating my earlier
posts and showing what a prescient guy I have been. Next time I’m in Goa
one round of chao & bhaji-puri for him will be on me. Thank God for Goanet
archives.
The Swiss have since shown themselves to be wise to
In November 2022 the Goa Heritage Action Group released a special print
edition of their magazine Parmal at a function held in Panjim. This issue
is devoted entirely to Music and carries the title Aicat Mozo Tavo (Listen
to My Voice).
Included in the magazine is my essay on the contributions of
A scoop of ordure by Indian columnist Jug Suraiya deposited in my mailbox
impels me to briefly emerge from my self-imposed hibernation on Goanet.
Goan social media has been agog since yesterday over his column. I’m not on
Facebook but I received several forwards in my messaging apps about the
Roland-bab,
I don't write to get anyone's approval. I don't seek 'Likes.' In other
words, you can characterize me any way you wish; I don't give two
pins.
In Goa and especially on Goanet, the reflex when you don't like what
one has to say is: "Arre, to communal murre!"
Like "racist" "sexist"
Patrice Riemens wrote:
>Aloha,
>Funky how two lines that were probably ironic (spending time shooting
>pics on a giant iceberg ;-) can attract such a long rejoinder ...
In English the term for this gambit is, "to parlay."
> And that
>while both seem to agree on many points (regarding Goa,
On Wed, Nov 9, 2022 at 8:35 PM Rajan Parrikar wrote:
>
> At the Bhagavati temple in Mashel, Goa.
>
> https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/11/09/repose/
>
>
> Rajan Parrikar
>
A few observations as I head back to Iceland.
1) I am among the less-than-handful of Goans extremely fortunate to have
been able to maintain a frequent and significant physical presence in Goa
despite having a primary residence abroad. This arrangement of having my
feet firmly planted
Contrary to what is claimed in the header and in the dribble under it, Goa
won and for a very good reason. The "Festival of Filth" got canned.
The people who lost are the anti-Hindu muckrakers pretending to be
scholars, and their local Leftwing handmaidens who got caught trying to
sneak one in.
Yesterday I went to Caritas in Panjim to see my old friend Soter D'Souza.
They don't make men like Soter anymore: scrupulous to a fault, gentle, and
with the constitution of a yogi. And very, very Goan.
If you seriously want to probe the roots of the current disaster that Goa
has become, then you
At the Bhagavati temple in Mashel, Goa.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/11/09/repose/
Rajan Parrikar
I never thought there would come a day when I agreed with a decision of the
Goa government but today was that day. The govt. cancelled (or postponed)
the "Festival of Ideas."
You have to concede points to the local Leftist anti-Hindu brigade for
sheer chutzpah. They were hoping to sneak in a
Well-prepared Goan tambdi bhaji is one of life's great pleasures. It is the
only constant on my daily lunch plate when I'm in Goa. See this link for
more on this wonder food -
https://blog.parrikar.com/2019/02/21/tambdi-bhaji/
While the basic template in preparing tambdi bhaji is well
,
tarka, and sense of Dharma, all of which again would lead me to choose Dr.
De Sequeira because - see (1).
r
On Sun, Nov 6, 2022 at 9:40 AM Rajan Parrikar wrote:
>
> 10 years ago I had written "The Case Against Mopa." It can be accessed in
the Goanet archives here. I would not chan
10 years ago I had written "The Case Against Mopa." It can be accessed in
the Goanet archives here. I would not change a word were I to write it
today.
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2012-April/135035.html
Today the monstrous project is a fait accompli. The buzz is now about
beauty presents a challenge.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/11/05/a-spin-through-taleigao/
Rajan Parrikar
Is there anything good at all to say about the Goa of today?
My answer: Only that it is more tolerable than any other urbanised sprawl
in India. That remains our only boast.
To any Goan over 50 years old who grew up with the kind of life we once
took for granted, current-day Goa is a disaster on
1) Over 2 weeks ago I wrote about the marvelous new food outlet The Goan
Ladoo -
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2022-October/198662.html
We have been regulars there all these days and I am pleased to report that
the quality and service remain of a very high standard. Try it
I see that Goanet approves re-writing of history then, and the practice of
going to the primary sources.
But these nods seem rather selective. Every time a historian or filmmaker
or scholar outside the Harvard-approved coterie publishes anything that
re-examines the airbrushed history fed to us
A couple of separate but related observations of the times we live in.
1) The "Science Guy"
This specimen is now found all over the world, and is almost wholly of the
Leftwing/Woke/progressive persuasion, a devotee of the retarded teen Greta
Thunberg.
He or she hectors you about "climate change"
around, we must profusely
thank Pankaj Mishra and his fellow Hinduphobic douchebags. Please keep up
your good work, VM-bab!
Best,
r
On Mon, Oct 31, 2022 at 10:27 AM Rajan Parrikar wrote:
>
> To George’s broader point - Hindus/Indians are not outside the ambit of
criticism or condemnation
A pre-sunrise drive took me through the villages of Bardez all the way to
Siolim and then to Morjim. Before I even got out of Miramar, it was
shocking to see the beach and the road taken over by Biharis for their
chhat puja. Who gave the mandate for this demographic transformation of
Goa? Is this
To George’s broader point - Hindus/Indians are not outside the ambit of
criticism or condemnation (of course!). I myself am severely critical of
Indians/Hindus and Indian/Hindu ways (although I tend not to see things
through the “Hindu” lens all the time) to the point where some Hindus see
me as
>I also appreciated Pankaj Mishra’s scathing, no-holds-barred commentary in
*The Guardian*:
>“Sunak’s carefully trimmed career pathways to plutocratic chic make him
resemble a human
>pinstripe rather more than the devout Hindu in loincloth – Mahatma Gandhi
– who helped
>the sun set on the British
1) I must have said something very important because it stirred Shri
Frederick Noronha from his slumber. Alas, my participation on Goanet is
sporadic. When I am in Goa I tend to follow it. When I’m away, other than
quickly scanning the archived headlines I seldom click through the entries.
I
...by latching on to my word "traditional" while not engaging with the
actual content.
It should have been clear that "traditional" was meant in the sense of
"accepted." At any rate, I hereby amend "traditional" to "accepted."
The hypocrisy of the liberals the world over is a sight to behold.
Frederick Noronha wrote:
>But then, isn't Hinduism just a "way of life"? FN
No, it most certainly is not "just a way of life." That is a
kindergarten-level understanding of Hindu Dharma.
To some gambling in the casinos in the Mandovi is a "way of life." To Osama
bin Laden and his fellow jihadis,
What does “saving Goa” mean any more?
The whole idea is absurd.
Right now the best that can be done is, you “save” your own vaddo from yet
another hotel or construction project. That is, if your vaddo is not
already under the control of Mr. Singh or Mr. Bansal from Delhi. Your
larger village has
Mervyn-bab:
Thank you for the counterpoint.
I very much hew to the traditional view of what a country is. The goal of
the elected leadership of a country should be first and foremost the
protection and furtherance of the interests of its own citizens, not to be
globalists working for some
Frederick Noronha wrote:
>If you had not spent so many years photographing Iceland, Goa might have
been
>saved? FN
First of all, I spent many, many years - 16 and counting - photographing
Goa, traveling the length and breadth of Goa, photographing its surviving
beauty as well as its takedown. I
Beautiful column. Kudos to Vivek-bab.
r
A day late and a dollar short. Slam the barn door shut after the horse has
bolted. Take your pick of idiom.
In 2008 I went to 40+ panchayats via RTI and got documents of all the
construction taking place in their jurisdictions. On my time and coin. The
papers from Old Goa showed extensive
Yesterday I was asked by someone who is aware of my nativist feelings for
Goa what I thought of Rishi Sunak’s elevation to the PMship of the UK and
if I was proud of a Hindu ascending to the post.
My response - if I were a Niz Britonkar, I wouldn’t like it. Internal
consistency in this matter is
Good Bamon and Bad Bamon
by Rajan Parrikar
The progressive Leftwing brigade never tires of telling us that Goa was
betrayed by Timappa, the bamon. This serves 2 of their primary goals. One,
absolve the Portuguese. Two, and this is central, use Timappa to crap on
the bamons and Hindus of today
A quick scan of the Goanet archives (which is how I access the group)
reveals an advanced stage of dormancy. Is Goanet dying or even dead? The
entries have reduced to a trickle. Goa-related commentary almost wholly
issues from Vivek-bab. What happened to the others? His opinions are
The rightwing American radio and media firebrand, Dr. Michael Savage, would
often say on his shows that “liberalism is a mental disorder.” What he
referred to as “liberalism” wasn’t its meaning in the classical sense, but
the radical Leftwing politics best exemplified in today’s excrement-smeared
of Deepavali.
PS: I will make a post on my Photo Blog in a few days. The Narakasur images
featured will be from the eardrum-splitting-music-free zones.
Rajan Parrikar
lter it through the
'progressive' lens to fit a certain narrative. I don't need any 'culture
theorist' (a strange term for a pompous prick) to tell me what is and isn't
Art, and what is and isn't Hindu tradition.
Ruminations on Narkasur
by
Rajan Parrikar
(Goanet, Oct 2009, revised Nov 2012)
W
Mood in Goa’s capital.
Vignettes collected in Panjim over the past couple of days. All images
taken with the iPhone 14 Pro.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/10/23/panjim-potpourri/
Rajan Parrikar
[Quote from VM-bab's column]
“There are limitations on how much of the "story" a camera can tell,” says
veteran journalist, Frederick Noronha. “Yet, JoeGoaUk does a fascinating
job of reporting on the grassroots, and informing us about culture
(especially tiatrs, for which he has earned some
I finally skimmed through Vivek-bab’s “Adeus, Panjim?” and came away
perplexed. I mean, what exactly is the “news” here?
When I made the documentary “The Rape of Goa” in 2008, Frederick (recipient
of a recent puff piece by Vivek-bab) and his cohort claimed that I was
exaggerating, that my zoom
The news from Goa is dismal. I wish I could bring good tidings during this
Deepavali festival season. This isn’t just my view. Comparing notes with
some of my confrères - a few of them fervent ‘bhakts’ - reveals a
thoroughly dispirited Goan.
But today I want to share something much more pleasant.
>The pb with Rajan P is that, but for the first term of his
self-description (or
>is it 'derision'? ;-), all the parties involved in the Panjim Casino ...
'casino' (shameful
>mess, in Italian) also fit that description.
Patrice,
I doubt they fit that description. Even if they did, I can disagree
The one thing that hits you in the face as you enter Panjim are the large
ad cut-outs for casino companies on every electric pole lining the streets.
It is the stamp of the lowbrow, vulgar culture that has descended on this
once-great town. It is also an emphatic statement that Panjim is now for
The Earl’s cap.
Frolic of light and shadow in the strange, desolate terrain near Langjökull
glacier in the Central Highlands. This manner of selective illumination of
the landscape is one of Iceland‘s great delights.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/10/13/jarlhettur/
Rajan Parrikar
Some weeks ago, Florida Governor DeSantis shipped a group of illegal aliens
to the elite liberal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard, home to America’s
superrich and famous. It was a brilliant political stunt, calculated to lay
bare and unmask the disgusting gits who call themselves 'liberals.'
Barry
This installment of the Autumn saga includes vignettes from the beautiful
Aðaldalur valley that opens out into Skjálfandi Bay.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/10/09/fall-tales-from-iceland-adaldalur/
Rajan Parrikar
One of the hallmarks of the writings of Leftwingers, Progressives,
‘Liberals’ - whatever label they may identify with - is purveyance of
selective memory and facts. They are experts at - and have a long legacy of
- redacting history even while simultaneously accusing nationalist Indian
Hindus of
can be, lies in the
Highlands.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/29/fall-tales-from-iceland-fnjoskadalur/
Rajan Parrikar
Inhabited since the settlement times, Bárðardalur in the North is among the
longest valleys in Iceland. These morsels of autumn colour were picked up a
few days ago.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/27/fall-tales-from-iceland-bardardalur/
Rajan Parrikar
[Re-sending. I mistakenly hit the Send key before checking the draft.]
One of the curious observations about ‘Progressives’ is, when presented
with naked muslim thuggery and criminal activity, they turn into instant
skeptics. They arm themselves with doubt, there is a lot of nuance to the
One of the curious observations about ‘Progressives’ is, when presented
with naked muslim thuggery and criminal activity, they turn into instant
skeptics. They arm themselves with doubt, there is a lot of nuance to the
apparent muslim misconduct, they tell us, and that neither our eyes nor
social
The tiny village of Bifröst was aflame today. In Norse mythology, Bifröst
is the “rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard (Earth) and Asgard, the
realm of the gods.”
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/21/fall-tales-from-iceland-bifrost/
Rajan Parrikar
Bergs, bums, & breasts.
Seen last evening on the Diamond Beach (Fellsfjara) near Jökulsárlón.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/14/photo-session-au-naturel/
Rajan Parrikar
Water colours.
Sand spit in Önundarfjörður, Westfjords of Iceland.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/12/holtstangi/
Rajan Parrikar
.
This is Garðakirkja just outside Reykjavík awash in the golden light of the
setting sun.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/09/06/gardakirkja/
Rajan Parrikar
ound.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/30/ganesh-chaturthi-2022/
Rajan Parrikar
-trek-edition/
Rajan Parrikar
The beautiful Nossa Señhora, Mãe De Deus (Our Lady, Mother of God) Church
in Saligao, Goa, photographed over several years in diverse conditions.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/25/mae-de-deus-church-saligao/
Rajan Parrikar
of the landscape that, under
certain conditions, make you think you are under the spell of Photoshop
sorcery.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/23/icelandic-highlands-gems-01/
Rajan Parrikar
All areas of North Goa leading to Mopa to become one mega colony populated
by Delhi p*gs. Yesterday you got a sample of the type who will come here
(many are already here) - the abusive, uncouth woman lawyer assaulting a
security guard in Noida, the video clip of which is all over the web now.
-2022/
Rajan Parrikar
. But with these
benisons also come isolation and brutal weather. The long and dark winters,
exacerbated by frigid northerly winds, make for a very hard life, more so
for a farmer.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/15/mundi/
Rajan Parrikar
Apropos of this link posted to Goanet -
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2022-August/198255.html
I read Vivek-bab’s column regarding plans to destroy the last remaining
patches of Goa’s wilderness.
Recall this entry from May earlier this year -
. In the days
following the show has only gotten bigger and better.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/11/iceland-eruption-2022-followup/
Rajan Parrikar
to
come I will do a proper post. The Icelandic Coast Guard helicopters are
seen in some of the images.
Raw video footage is attached below the stills.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/08/03/iceland-eruption-2022-first-moments/
Rajan Parrikar
Summer in North Iceland.
A wistful morning yesterday in Mývatn.
Seen in the frame are Icelandic horses, a very special breed, and the
mountain Vindbelgur (balloon) in the distance.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/31/myvatn-green/
Rajan Parrikar
Capers on the ice cap.
Morsels of Nature’s artwork picked off in quick succession at the foot of
the sub-glacial volcano Bárðarbunga as we were trying to beat a hasty
retreat from a rapidly advancing weather front.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/29/bardarbunga/
Rajan Parrikar
, their compositional felicity with the
landscape, and for lighting conditions at the time of exposure.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/24/temple-domes-of-goa/
Rajan Parrikar
://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/21/laugavegur-trail/
Rajan Parrikar
in
attendance.
These vignettes were made during a flight over the area a couple of days
ago.
Read the post here -
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/16/hrafntinnusker/
Rajan Parrikar
>projects. As the 42-year-old retailer Rohan Govenkar put it
>rather pithily on Facebook a couple of days ago: “All you
>expressing shock…
(rest of Shri Govenkar’s ‘thoughts’ filed away in the Library of Congress
archives)
I skimmed through Vivek-bab’s column and the above passage quoting Shri
nights last month I trained my lens on Perlan hoping to catch
it in varied moods. A striking feature of the dome is that it changes
colour depending on the sky, lighting conditions, and viewing direction.
A short video of my lark is attached.
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/07/03/perlan/
Rajan
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Morning Light in Goa –
2'
Chapel on the hill.
Three compositions from the same morning.
You may view the latest post at
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/06/19/morning-light-in-goa-2/
Warm regards,
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar
ra
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Eldborg'
Volcanoscape.
The beautiful Stóra-Eldborg is part of a row of cinder cones in Reykjanes,
Iceland.
You may view the latest post at
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/06/16/eldborg/
Warm regards,
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar
ra
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Helgafell'
Summer nights
Several mountains in Iceland go by the name Helgafell. In most instances
the name derives from the Icelandic word helgur (holy, spiritual).
The Helgafell featured below is in Hafnarfjörður just outside Reykjavík
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Bessastaðir, Summer
Night'
Final kiss of light.
Sunset pink last night in Reykjavík.
Bessastaðir, the official residence of the President of Iceland, is
separated by the waters of Skerjafjörður. Looming in the background, the
cone-shaped
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Hallgrímskirkja,
Midnight Sun'
Summer vibe.
Rim light on Hallgrímskirkja last night in Reykjavík. The façade of the
building is front lit by the setting sun on the northern horizon.
You may view the latest post at
https://blog.parrikar.com
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Morning Light in Goa -
1'
A delicate play.
A transition from cool to warm on a quiet, misty Goan morning in the
village of Calapur (aka Santa Cruz).
You may view the latest post at
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/06/01/morning-light-in-goa-1
Who is the "you" here, FN? Well, you have a point. Most Goans will be the
"you."
There is an extensive Konkani vocabulary for matters agri and otherwise,
much of it not yet online. Plants, fruit, and produce have long been
associated with our temple rituals. A small sample here -
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Bovine Curiosity'
Drone sideshow.
Piqued - in Goa and in Iceland.
You may view the latest post at
https://blog.parrikar.com/2022/05/27/bovine-curiosity/
Warm regards,
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar
ra...@parrikar.com
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Syðra Fjallabak:
Einhyrningur'
Prehistoric beast.
The iconic Einhyrningur (“one-horned”) in the Highlands of Iceland.
In the background of the second image is Eyjafjallajökull, the glacial
volcano that erupted in 2010 causing much disruption
Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar has posted a new item, 'Syðra Fjallabak:
Axlafoss'
Highlands gem.
The water of the Hólmsá river tumbles down the canyon to form the lovely
Axlafoss waterfall. Hólmsá itself has its source in the nearby
Mýrdalsjökull glacier. A short video follows the stills.
You may
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