December 31, 2008 -Auld Lang Syne

Bad day at Devaaya
This is what the December issue of Outlook Traveller had to say of the resort in Diwar. "Unfortunately it's all downhill from there (before this the writer describes the resort design and architecture.) No vehicles allowed inside; but why we should have to find the reception desk unaided we don't know. The plastered walls show cracks, the marble in the bathrooms is stained. You share your poolside buffet with crows, the pool with pigeons. The room service menu is whimsically withdrawn. With the property soon to be re-launched as a Wellness resort, the staff seems unsure of what they offer (or don't.) F&B is scary. Only one restaurant is operational-a blessing, given the kitchen hygiene (from black-rimmed teacups to vein-in prawns.) The fare is largely North Indian. Hardly anything Goan, barely any sea food. Yet the one time I have Goan fish curry, it's miles ahead of the rogan josh."

The writer goes on to say: "Trouble is, when the rest of the service grates on the nerves, meals are nigh inedible and peace refuses to come, the knots in your spine don't ease up. We can only hope the place sorts itself out, and soon! Mind you, the Outlook Traveller went invited expenses paid to Devaaya where the ESG threw a huge party last year and where I met an East European film journalist who had terrible things to say about ESG's organization skills. The ESG off course would call all these indigestible (pun intended) facts yellow journalism.

Goan!
Point is Victor Albuquerque who is reported to have said in Diwar that he was prepared to hot mix the islands' wretched roads for free if he was given the contract, doesn't think it is necessary to serve Goan food despite his wanting to contest the Panjim assembly election because as he told me at the bash "Goa is going to the dogs." There is fair comparison here, though on paper it doesn't appear so. Because when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is Verna's Leonaras is an example. It holds a Konkani film exhibition every IFFI to make a point and recently even held a Konkani music festival. It's hard to be a genuine Goemkar.

Selling of Goa
I mean that literally because I was given a bunch of tourist literature produced by the tourism departments of Kerala and Karnataka distributed by their respective IAS officers at the helm and who, I must say are extremely articulate. And by articulate I mean apart from lucid and coherent, being savvy. Because you can be an English professor or reader at university but still not be savvy. In comparison what Goa produces can only be described as rubbish.
Karnataka with hardly a tourism industry to boast of has three separate well designed booklets titled 'Maidan Circuit' 'Southern Circuit' and 'Malnad Circuit' -as their names suggest each targeting different areas of the State. The department also has a 229-page book that gives every conceivable bit of tourist information and a beautiful coffee table book as well. Add a KTDC booklet describing 'The Golden Chariot' the 19 luxury tourist train to all the above.
Even the map of Karnataka the department produces is far better than the map of Goa ; produced by the tourism department if only you can lay your hands on one. It is the size of an opened newspaper (admittedly Karnataka is huge) and on the reverse side is all the information a traveler needs. By comparison the only good maps of Goa are produced by a private party and circulated free so that the latter, ironically, can earn advertising revenue. As for the tourist literature produced by Kerala, it would just not make sense comparing it with what the tourism department or GTDC (with claims of having ISO 9001:2000) has produced over the years.

Asses of the masses
But if you get the opportunity do view the English DVD titled Panchakarma produced by Kerala Tourism. Also visit http://www.karnatakatourism.org/ and http://www.keralatourism.org/ and compare them with http://www.goatourism.org/ or http://www.goa-tourism.com/ and you seriously wonder what goes on in Narvekar's mind when he talks about gifting Goa an IT industry. You could in fact look at the website and tourist brochures of one of India's youngest state Chattisgarh with no tourist industry and Goa's brochures will still be pitiful.

Reality bytes
Next, look at the Road Atlas produced by Indian Map Service and on the Goa section. Page 58 describes Goa from the Gomanchala, Gopakapattam, Gopakapuri, Govapuri, Govarashtra bygone eras through to the Satvahana empire and Kadambas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas and Silharas; the fact the Portuguese ruled, Goa as a UT and a State; but among all these tongue twisters there is no mention of Calangute, Colva, Candolim or any of the items that Goa's flying circus sells abroad. Then look at the other pages on different states. Obviously the GTDC and tourism department aren't doing their homework.