Sons, daughters and in-laws return to their native villages with their bag and baggage nostalgically. The nostalgia is heightened by the anxiety to meet and greet the near and dear ones after a lapse of a year or more. The nostalgia could be an evocation of the taste of delicious malcurada, kapo ponnos, kazu, churnam, kanttam, et al. Still more nostalgic may be the yearn to go the beach at Vagator, Colva, Calangute or Majorda for the annual salt-bath. Perhaps, that may not be the end of all nostalgias because what is Goa without ur'rak in the month of May, in particular, while feni would be the year-round favourite for the menfolk?

Then we have the Goan xevtalleo, vagio and the best of all on the dining table--chevrisam, sorpotel. There is no end to the amount of images which flit across a Goan's mental screen when he or she thinks of a summer vacation in Goa.

Back in the quaint village, they can put up with all the inconveniences--lack of regular public transport, shortage of milk, power, water...all that sweat an dust, getting packed like sardines in the local buses with the fuddem sor and fattim eo, some times cajoling, often rank insulting, punctuating every halt of the bus.

There may be still more things, felt and unfelt. In Goa, every one is expected to be on a holiday in May, some expect everyone to be on a holiday every time they come down to Goa. But few ever realise that April and May are the most trying, worst, hottest, noisiest, busiest and costliest months for Goans living in their native villages.

The daughter or daughter-in-law will leave Goa satisfied with the holidays, carrying pottleo of bhinn'nnichim solam, chevrisam, vinegar, salt fish, pinagr, miskutt, mangad, ponnos, et al. But for those who live here, there are dozens of things to be done before the skies open up and monsoons come down mercilessly. The roof requires retiling, wood has to be cut, dried up and stored, chillies, salt, onions, etc to be brought from the Friday Mapusa bazaar for the monsoons. The pre-monsoon chores are virtually endless. If one owns a patch of field, then the things and people for the ploughing, sowing, etc. have to be arranged. Moreover, you do not get the manaim any more as and when you want him.

Despite everything, we look forward to the month of May longingly and as the month grows, we long for the monsoons to relieve the heat. This year it could be far worse for Goa with the Assembly elections slated for June 4.

Joel D'Souza
goanow@goatelecom.com