The Christmas Carnival

An article never published The Christmas Carnival by Soter D'souza Goa celebrates its ‘Parivartan’ Christmas this year. I heard some caroling children in saffron Salcete sing, “I saw Mommy kissing P...last night.” The ‘Griha Adhar Yojana’ has certainly brought cheer to their mommies this Christmas considering the soaring prices and flourishing black market for gas cylinders. Those Goans in traditional occupations broke out singing, “Hark the Herald Angels sing, P is the new born king!”, after they got news about the new scheme of a thousand rupaiyas per month announced for the season. The choral symphony of retired sea-farers is busy rendering the traditional carol “I saw three ships...”. Now there is also terminology such as 'Christmas Carnival' slowly picking up in Goa. Probably it is about a new version of the Parivartan Santa Claus who will keep Goan spirits high from Christmas till Carnival time. So while the schemes bring cheer to the ever increasing tribe of Goan and migrant beneficiaries of government doles, it is to be noted that now the shelf-life of most of the latest schemes is only five years. The parivartan research team has discovered that schemes kept for too long on shelf could loose their potency for confusing the mental faculties of the electorate. Having shorter shelf-life for schemes could now have two political implications. One, it gives a subtle message that you continue voting the party to power if you would like that the scheme continue for another 5 years. The second is probably a new emerging trend to beat the curbs on election expenses set by the Election Commission of India and cutting down the financial burden on the political party for bribing the voter during elections. This is all about innovative techniques of getting the voter to pay for his own bribe over a period of 5 years preceding an election. So even though some may claim to be parties with a difference, ultimately the white corruption through Corporations and Societies continues. The way to defeat the Right to Information Act is by keeping the State Information Commission topless. To resist the devolution of powers and funds to the village governments just keep the State Finance Commission naked. Excuses for celebrations can only be expected to increase in Goa with a growing tribe of over-enthusiastic team of young ministers in Government. Goa has become a favorite toy-land for our young politicians with their imaginations flying wild. They dream about cable cars, race courses, film cities and high-rise watch towers overlooking the blue sea. If tourism has to survive then tourists have to be encouraged to look out at the vast sea because should they look eastwards in search of the much publicised green hills, they may be shocked to see only shades of grey and red brought about by the absence of Regional Plan, mining and new building regulations. The shortage of land to satisfy the greed of the tourism lobby and young politicians may soon find projects designed for underground red-light areas and casinos. Goa has become a favoured destination for any human activity ranging from thinking fests to sex jamborees. The herbal massages have become very popular and a complicated affair at the same time. It is now about choosing between a vegetarian massage and non-vegetarian massage. With massage parlours being raided by the cops, an eye wash of course, you can always enjoy one at your home with even the option of choosing the sex, nationality, region, religion and skin colour of your masseur. For those who have too much black money that needs to be blown up or turned into white, Goa’s tourism provides the off-shore magic at the casino scrap yard. If you are a Goan or have to be accompanied by children to a casino, even though Goa’s best politician of the year boasts about a law banning Goans and youngsters from going to casinos, you just need not worry. Sources reveal that the casinos have now found a way out to allow the entry of youngsters by demarcating gaming areas and non-gaming areas. It is just like visiting a brothel not to have sex. So do not be surprised to see Goans and tourists with their kids continuing to walk out from the casinos after midnight. Times are such in Goa that Goans have no choice but to increasingly remain indoors during Christmas and the New Year because the roads are no more meant for sane motorists. Venturing out on the streets only runs the risk of spoiling your Christmas and not seeing a New Year. You could well land up being one of those for Government’s statistics on road accidents after being knocked dead by some lunatics among the hordes of tourists descending on Goan roads who are high from sniffing dope and gulping spirits at the invitation of the tourism department. Goa’s tourism is about unrestricted profanity and promiscuity so that the Government can fill its coffers. The ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ has assumed new heights where the Goa Government increasingly expects that Goans should forgo their fundamental rights to accommodate visiting cannibalistic tendencies that lay siege over the roads and even the private spaces of the locals. The Health Minister should consider making provisions for expanding the capacity of IPHB to accommodate the Goans going crazy from an over dose of jarring music, deafening fire works all through the night, clogged roads, air pollution, overflowing sewage tanks and mounting garbage dumps. With the mining sector having a blue Christmas after the courts stepped in to spoil the free-for-all party, it is probably now time for Goans to start calculating the ecological and social foot-print of this new emerging 24X7 Tourism Carnival in Goa. For in economics we learn that ‘human wants are unlimited.’ As was amply demonstrated in the mining sector, greed tends to forget that other citizens too have their rights to a restful sleep and free movement. Five beach beds per shack and a 11 p.m. deadline for music just do not seem sufficient, yeh dil maange more! Goa’s tourism is fast degenerating into unrestricted booze, drugs, sex, noise and crime. This is more like the story about the camel and the Arab. It is only by displacing the 1.5 million existing Goans will the tourism department be able to accommodate its target of 6 million tourists. So dear Goans, make the best of this Christmas because you do not know whether you will ever have a chance to celebrate Christmas the Goan way in future. With the extent of social pollution, there is no guarantee that the snow will remain white for next Christmas and that your Santa may get his visa in time. The government is already thinking of infiltrating Gujaratis, Kanadigas and MP-ites in the Carnival parade. Tourism in Goa is no more about sharing the rich culture, heritage, music, customs, traditions and natural beauty of Goa. It is about profanity and promiscuity, catering to the carnal and savage tastes of the moneyed tourists to pay for the politician santa’s doles and goodies. Christmas Carnival is about exploiting the season and destroying Christmas.