JAY JOSHI
As we gear up to observe the Goa Statehood Day on May 30, there will be assessments about how far we have come and how far we are yet to go. From infrastructure to tourism to administration, there is no doubt Goa needs change on many fronts, but one important aspect in need of change is the State’s image in the rest of India.
Its colorful history, liberal society, and natural beauty has allowed Goa to build a vibrant tourism industry, but this very factor has also created several myths and misconceptions about Goa in the rest of India. For an average Goan, questions like ‘You don’t drink despite being a Goan?’ or ‘So, you must be visiting the beach every day’ surface constantly in a conversation with people from the rest of India. Apart from this, there are many instances where simply being a Goan lends one in a tricky situation.
“Mostly there is the drinking issue,” says Iwona De Souza, an author from Caranzalem. “I was studying and Bangalore, and when I told my friends that I am from Goa, the first thing they said is ‘bring us lots of alcohol at cheaper prices.’ This could amount to smuggling!.Also, due to the ‘sushegad’ image of the state, people often tend to think that Goans are lazy and spend most of their time chilling on beaches.” says DeSouza. She however states that sharing information about the reality in Goa is an enjoyable experience.
For Abha Khedekar, a language teacher from Curti, Ponda, the problem is even worse. “I am a vegetarian. So, people are shocked when they discover that I do not eat fish. There were comments saying that in such case, living in Goa is useless, and I was not ‘utilizing the full potential of Goa’. Well, it’s my home. What can I say?” quips Khedekar.
Sen Bandodkar, a Goan who now works at a multinational corporation in Mumbai asserts that being a Goan can often harm one’s personal relations and image in unpredictable ways.
“People often approach me when they are making plans to visit Goa, requesting to suggest cheap accomodations.The truth is that I am a mechanical engineer busy shuttling between office and home. I do not have any connection with tourism industry. Such situations arise because people simply assume that Goa is a place so small that everyone knows everything here, but that is not the case,” says Sen. “Also, monied people from around here are only interested in casinos and beaches, and they think that skimpy clothing is the norm in Goa. they show little regard for Goa’s natural beauty or its history and culture. This has to change,” he adds.
“People in the rest of India form their opinion about Goa based on what they see in Bollywood films, or in tourism-related advertisements.” says Dr Rajay Pawar, professor at Govt College Quepem. “There is a need to change the concepts around which tourism-related advertising campaign for Goa is built.. The departments of Tourism, Art and Culture, and Information and Publicity could work together along with stakeholders in all linguistic and cultural communities in the state to create a more balanced picture of Goa. There has to be a sort of revival of Goa’s image through advertising. Advertising should focus on culture, traditions, heritage and history of Goa,” says Pawar.
At a time when the happy-go-lucky image of the state is being marred by various tragic incidents, there is indeed a need for the state to improve the kind of message it sends out to the rest of India about itself, said the people we spoke to.
