New Years Day - Then and Now

Where have the days gone? New Years' combined with the Christmas season has always been a time for celebration, holidays, and tradition. Each household no matter which part of the world you come from has traditions they have all grown up with. Looking back at what it is now and what it was then, I cannot help but feel sad for the newer generations because old traditions have been long forgotten.

This was the time of the year that was really special for me. Our home was no exception when it came to our little traditions. My father always took his annual leave in December and used to be home for the holidays. Although he liked the simple traditions, he was an extravagant spender. He loved being around people, partying, dancing, singing, entertaining friends, We never missed the New Year dance each year and enjoyed every moment of it.

I live in the most beautiful state in India which is also India's smallest state. Goa always had tourists and there is not a doubt about that. However, the type of tourists has progressively changed over the years. What is plainly obvious is, unlike today, a good majority of our Goans that would normally come down during the holidays just to celebrate the holiday season in their beloved hometown, now tend to stay away. Not only that, there is a huge rush of the unruly, uncouth crowd that now roam the streets as a result of our government trying to attract the Indian tourists. The foreign groups which used to be the primary vacationers have shied away because of the other set of visitors we get now.

What used to be a manageable tourist footfall, has today exploded to unimaginable proportions, Goa has now turned into a nightmare so much so that locals do not even want to come back home or even move out during the celebrations and join the fun. It's like an invasion or in a way some sort of annual short-term mass migration. Today, the biggest difference is that the tourist outnumbers the locals on the streets. Goa registered vehicles are lesser on the streets as compared to vehicles from neighboring states.

The capital city has long since been invaded by the incoming gamblers who visit the floating casinos and yes the rules dictate that the locals are not allowed in the casinos. Parking is a mess in the city. Business for private cabs is booming throughout the year. but mainly during the season,

Alcohol is the ultimate kicker. Where there is cheap alcohol the herd follows. The majority of the population that comes in just cannot control themselves, Come new year's eve and you will see queues outside booze vendors that you do not see every day. And of course the morning of New Year's day you will see the littered streets with bottles and cans and drunken tourists sprawled on beaches and pavements from an overdose of whatever they consumed the night before.

What used to be a safe haven for us is now invaded to the extent that it is a danger to some and a nuisance to others. It is a shame to say but I think it will only get worse.

In the past, we used to have dance shows in various locations within the city. If I remember right, there were at least 4 traditional formal dances held within Panjim only. The other towns had their own sponsored dances. Entry was strictly formal which means no suit and tie, no entry. Men sure got the raw end of the deal on that one. We had live bands, and they would play till the break of dawn, A lot of the crowd would normally go from the dance to the early morning mass and then home to sleep and celebrate the rest of the day, All that is no more. Currently, there is only one New Years' Eve Ball within Panjim which still happens and the live bands are not even that great anymore. To add to that, there is a restriction on sound and timings now. But yes all of that for the most part is replaced with the Sunburn type of parties and crowd, which really does not sit well with me.

Drugs are also now a big part of the party game. Watching or reading the news almost every day these days, is like watching an edition of the 'Deja Vu Daily'. Almost on a daily basis, we see arrests of people dealing with drugs or having drugs in their possession. Let's be real. Goa always had a drug population, even among the locals but today it is just out of control.

And finally, another thing that really gets my goat is the way people are dressed, Going for mass what we see is that the current generation follows the 'shorter the better' policy. But even that I can stand. I know I may sound old school and I will say that I was not always like that. What I have trouble with is the visiting tourists who do not know to dress, These same people will not dress the same way in their home towns. They come here and automatically switch to the most scantiest and provocative clothing that barely covers anything. What is unacceptable is they come to places of worship and pose right in front of the church and worse still in front of the altar, which is shameful.

I love this place, but I almost do not want to live here anymore, That is probably why our Goans have moved on to better lives abroad. I know they still love their home but some of these reasons are what made them realize a chance for a better life outside of Goa. Politicians have become greedier, everyone wants a chance to capitalize on the tourism industry, even some of our resident Goans now want a piece of the pie. In the bargain, our Goa is slowly sinking into a 'black hole'.

I long for the traditions of old and make attempts to replicate them on certain occasions when nostalgia sets in. But I know New Year will never be the same again in Goa. In saying this, I still hope for a better tomorrow and wish everyone a very Happy New Year 2021.