Exercise parks, Skating rink and promenades for walks
One thing that is nice about Panjim is that it is full of parks or Jardims as some are called. Not mass areas of greenery but with dots of greenery all over the city. Visiting the local parks and gardens may not really interest you but if you are missing your fitness routines then there are some options in these places. Among these leisure places are those where one can indulge in some exercise as they are outdoor gyms. They are not always in the best of condition but an option either way.
Outdoor gym parks can be found in the Nina Pinto park in Campal area and at the Miramar beach, just a little beyond the Miramar circle towards Dona Paula. In addition there is a rough skating rink at the Youth hostel in Campal, right by the sea.
For those with an affinity for walks, besides the Joggers Park at Caranzalem, there is one also at Altinho. The Jardin Garcia da Orta near the Panjim Church also finds takers for walks. All these have dedicated walking tracks.
However if going around in circles is not your cup of exercise and you prefer the straight line, than the normal wide footpaths are also available. The Mandovi river front wide footpath is considered to be one of the first promenades in the city. You will find plenty of visitors frequenting this trail for want of selfies with the casino vessels and the Atal Sethu bridge in the background or the neon signs across the river in late hours.
The Mandovi Promenade
But my favourite is the recent river side promenade by the stretch from Kala Academy right upto Miramar. With plenty scope for rest as and when one is tired, you will see the cruise boats with music, a light house, fishing and rendez-vous along. Slightly off the main road, the best place to cut into this promenade is by taking the road going to Fab india or the indoor Campal Sports complex. You will find plenty of parking here.
The Miramar River side
The Campal Canopy of trees
Another stretch is the Campal canopy of trees some of which are over 100 years. This is right by the main road from Panjim to Miramar. It is so short that you might actually miss it and drive pass it. The broad canopy of trees should give you a hint of being in the right place. It reminds me often of the walking paths abroad. Broad, cemented pavers, relatively clean and shady in the literal sense.
The Central Library and Mangrove Walk.
I am not sure whether social media has affected the reading habit during holidays. However, for the bookworms there is a state of art public library worth a visit for sure. The Krishnadas Shama Goa State Library, located in the Sanskruti Bhavan at Patto Panaji, is impressive in its facilities and layout. It takes the business of reading quite seriously, literally.
At the entrance, is a water fountain (mostly dormant might I add) , and its travelling bus library (spotted when it is at a break). At the foyer there are repurposed sculptures as well as an exhibition hall for artists. The library is housed among a massive space of six floors. The ground floor houses the offices, conference hall and other administrative rooms. The first ground floor handles the issue and returns along with a reading hall. Access to the reading hall is free for all. One can just walk in for a break and read the newspapers or magazines. The choice of reading material is good. This hall itself is pleasant for its lighting, air conditioning and seating arrangements. And it is silent indeed.
On the second floor at one side is a section exclusive for children, that includes books, toys, video library and of course a huge audio-visual room. The other side is for browsing. The third floor houses the circulated books. The rest of the floors are dedicated to the reference section, Portuguese section and rare books. There is also a facility for a night reading cum study hall. The library registration fees are nominal at just Rs. 200 for a lifetime membership wherein one can borrow one magazine and novel for a period of 30 days. There are also other membership options that allow for more books to be borrowed. All one requires is a copy of photo identity proof along with residence. You are issued a smart card. The library also has its own inhouse publications that are available for sale. It is quite a thriving space with a lot of events being hosted every now and then. Perhaps the only ideal thing missing right now is a coffee machine as it does not have a cafeteria attached to it. But there are plenty of cafes and eating options within a hop, skip and jump radius.
Central Library
Mangrove Boardwalk
A bonus to the library visit is the Mangrove Boardwalk just behind the library. It was closed for renovation a while back but it should be opened by now. Its platform is made of wood and designed by a renowned Goan architect Gerald Dcunha. Though relatively small it does provide a space away to be in nature. The stillness and quietness of this green patch is so unbelievable that it is difficult to imagine that one is actually just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city.
For more details on the library visit http://centrallibrary.goa.gov.in/
The 5th Edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF).
The registration for the Serendipity Arts Festival is online and a must for entry into its venues. They used to have on the spot registrations earlier but with the festival growing larger than life each time, the organisers have requested to enrol for a digital entry for all valid reasons.
Spread throughout the city of Panjim, the festival this time from 15th to 23 rd December promises to make up for the time lost during the pandemic. The Walking Street Art Trail on ‘localgoan.com’ already highlights the contribution of the festival culturally to the state of Goa. As it tries to gets the Arts to the common man on the streets, one can be assured that there is something for everyone. Through collaborations with school at an earlier time, my daughter along with hundreds of other school children displayed their talent in the festival throughout hand drawn postcards. In fact she was proud to see her work being displayed so publicly, an opportunity I don’t think would she would get otherwise.
This time the exhibitions will be curated by various artists covering themes like the history of art and traditional crafts, including participation of studios and galleries. A special segment about Goa in ‘The Goa Familia’ is also in the making. Genres of Theatre, photography, cuisines, movement and music, and others are being showcased through workshops, talks, projects, performances and immersive experiences to visitors to the festival. If one is in Panjim, it would be advised to actually spend atleast an entire day for this free opportunity as it is an experience that is enriching.
For more go to https://www.serendipityartsfestival.com/
Walking Trails.
Walking around is the single best way to experience a place and the same goes here in the city. It buys you the luxury of pacing your walks to your need and speed, noticing little details which otherwise would have got lost from the tour taxi or bus.
Panjim is very much a walking city. The entire city save for Altinho area is a flat area with well-drawn footpaths or sidewalks. Given the history in this small city, there is plenty to see and learn walking around. There are organised walks that can be taken on demand or experienced during the different festivals organised around the city during different times of the year, like the Campal Heritage Festival, the Serendipity Festival including The Walk Festival that was started in April 2022. Soul travelling leads groups through a Food and Tavern Trail. Make it Happen organises Panjim as well as Old Goa heritage walks. Exclamations Goa curates walks according to one’s personal choices as well as set predetermined trails. You are likely to find some actual hidden gems here in their in-depth knowledge of the place that would otherwise go under the radar. Urban Sketchers have also opened their account in this part of the world for artists and anyone else who would want to try their hand at sketching.
The local ecology and history of the place is best learned from the locals some of whom are actually professionals from another walk of life but have keen interest in promoting local knowledge to all who are interested in learning. From salt pans, statues, bird watching to medicinal plants, they cover it all. They come together as required and one such group is the Community Classroom. There are of course single local guides that will do equal justice if approached and hired. You will probably require settling on a rate beforehand.
If you do see an advertisement for such walks in the local dailies, do sign up immediately as the spots are limited and literally go like hot cakes. I have experienced this. Most walks are chargeable but at a very nominal amount. You will also find free flyers of such activities in many cafes dotted around the city with more details. Best way to know of any upcoming walks is of course the good old newspaper.
The Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF)
The three day Goa Arts and Literature Festival is set to occur from 19th to 21st January this year. Started in 2010, this festival has been able to pull in crowds by getting well established names from the world of words and beyond. The festival is being launched by Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee this time.
This festival reminds me of the huge tree coming from the tiny mustard seed scenario. Starting quite modestly it has grown from strength to strength each year. This year’s edition is the first after the pandemic is intended to be on a subdued note.
The success of any such event has to be gauged on the basis of which it is able to touch and invite the common man to its doorstep. In this regard, GALF has its footsteps firmly in place. At its earlier editions the festival has had some of its speakers address younger school and college going audiences to widen the reading habit. The college that I teach at, has been a curtain raiser for the event too. This way I have had the opportunity to listen to the Late Wendel Rodrigues, journalists worth their salt and a host of authors who otherwise I would have missed listening to, in another context.
The platform over the years increased its scope from literary works to theatre, photography and music as well as a steady stream of national and foreign participation. Book launches embracing all languages, themes for intelligent discussion on contemporary topics allows one to widen their perspective. The best part of the festival has been its ability to promote local authors, local languages and local culture. This year the festival is once again stepping up to acknowledge one of its co-founders and a son of the soil, the one and only Damodar Mauzo. This year the festival is going back to its roots and is going back to Its venue, the International Center Goa, Dona Paula where it all started from.