Angling is an addiction for some. For some it’s a time-killing hobby. For many it’s a simple means of carrying home a bundle of fresh fish for the curry pot.
It really does not take too much to go fishing on any day of your choosing, even if you are here on a quick holiday. It’s safe, it’s cheap, it’s hands-on and it teaches you to be patient. And that’s not a small virtue, considering the busy lives we lead.
How to go about organizing a cheap angling trip? First, there’s a small shopping list. You need a ball of fishing line, appropriate hooks (small hooks for small fish, big hooks for the meaner ones), a fishing rod (you can make do with a simple line and hook too) and of course bait.
Goa’s river bridges provide excellent fishing opportunities, especially at night. If you are careful to keep clear of the traffic on the bridges like the ones across Mandovi, which connects Panaji to Porvorim, Siolim, Nerul and Velsao, it already has regular anglers lining up along the railings looking for a bite nearly everynight.
Squeeze up some bait onto the hook and swing the line over the railing and wait like the rest do. Look for an unusual wiggle of the line or jerks, which means a fish is trying to take a piece of your bait. If you do feel one, just snap it and pull the line back up. You may have just fished out your prize.
Popular spots: The Mandovi and old Patto bridge in Panaji. Bridges at Siolim, Nerul and Velsao.
Tambdi Surla
Bereft of colour or concrete, there’s something beautifully pure and mystic about the ancient Mahadev Temple in Tambdi Surla.
Carved from sheer stone, the 12th century temple dedicated to Shiva, stands solemn by itself under a dense canopy of trees in the remote Goan village located almost 60 kms from Panaji. Reckoned as one of the oldest temples in the state, it was built in the Jain style during the reign of the Kadamba-Yadava kings, who ruled the region of Goa and other contiguous areas during the ancient period.
Made from solid basalt rock, which may have been hauled all the way from the basalt-rich plateaus of the Deccan region, the temple is one of the very few which survived invasions and the destruction of temples by subsequent rulers.
A journey to the temple should not be missed out on, especially because the picturesque drive to Tambdi Surla village itself makes it worth it. Just behind the temple is a small stream where you can stretch your feet into (not in the monsoons, when it becomes a fearful torrent) after the long drive. A small hour-long trek along a path right behind the temple, takes you to a waterfall, where a dip in the cool water, would make the trip all the more memorable.
Mahadev Temple
Tambdi Surla in Sanguem
How to get there: Hiring a taxi is the most preferred route. One can stop along the way at one of the many small street kiosks for a refreshing drink of fresh coconut water or a steaming cup of tea.
