goan rhapsody

Soak in the easy, laid-back susegad life at what is now one of the hottest, new decor destination in the country. Explore the old-meets-new way of life in Goa with Srimoyi Bhattacharya, Ranji Kelkar, Sandesh Prabhu, Kunal Shah, Rochelle Santimano, Bhagyashree Patwardhan and Rayashankwalker

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SRIMOYI BHATTACHARYA

FOUNDER, PEEPUL ADVISORY

In January 2021, we made a distant dream come to closure (sooner than we thought), when amidst the - pandemic, we moved to a peaceful village in the lush greens of Aldona. I felt ready to get off the carousel and surround myself with a bit more quietude, along with my family, that is now getting used to moving every few years. Before we knew it, weekend errands at luxury malls were replaced by Sunday visits to plant nurseries, and cut flowers now came straight from the garden. Nature took over the spotlight, so did living outdoors. Friends often ask, how could I move to such a remote spot after the buzz of city life - the one thing I may have been consistent about is what I was pursuing for a long time, a certain quality of life. In a very odd way, Goa gives me the same free spirited life I led in New York. Isn't a bucolic setting the ultimate, in a town so vibrant with reconverted professionals, its hub of artists and culinary destinations? Neighbours dropping a loaf of bread and shrubs from their garden, or even homemade detergent things likes these have changed my gifts to something very intimate and infinitely personal, it's literally from one home to another.

There is such a strong sense of community that it makes us feel very safe and fortunate, given that we have been living in Aldona only fairly recently. We have been visiting Goa for over a decade, and I have been shouldered by many friends through this new journey from my reflexologist, to my next door neighbour who makes the most beautiful aromatherapy oils, not to mention Ranji, my stylish friend who can whip up a meal, like a home in a delightful minute.