This bright morning, let us turn our attention away from all the miserable news and drop into a little village in south Goa, where my old friend Varuna has begun blogging.
Those who have benefited from reading my Free Your Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Political Economy might recall that it was Varuna who composed all the little verse that grace the book.
Life In a Goan Village is a new blog, and it takes a fascinating look at many aspects of village life in Goa – from the creepy crawlies that invade your home if you live with Nature, to the local drunk, who turns out to be a woman.
Today’s post is on urbanization and cities. Varuna notes that our cities are unlivable and she also reveals that there is enough land in India – even on the Konkan coast – to build great new cities from scratch.
Here is the relevant para:
“Whenever I drive along the Konkan coast or in the hills of the Western Ghats, I see all around me miles and miles of beautiful empty land. Beautiful and quite uninhabited. I see spectacular views of rolling hills and of the glittering silver sea. And I imagine people fleeing the city and settling down in this idyllic landscape; living in cottages (no skyscrapers) amid trees and gardens. I imagine children running free, learning how to climb trees and recognise flowers and fish, shells and birds. Naturally, as in all idylls, the state is only too happy to provide electricity and water.”
Ask me. I have always felt that a new urban movement is what the country needs.
Continuing with Goa, here is another piece of news worth a blog post: That Goa’s education minister is a Class 7 pass who submitted a false affidavit claiming higher qualifications than that. A criminal charge has been filed.
As in the rest of the country, even in Goa the politicians are rotten. Education must most certainly be taken away from them.
Those who have benefited from reading my Free Your Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Political Economy might recall that it was Varuna who composed all the little verse that grace the book.
Life In a Goan Village is a new blog, and it takes a fascinating look at many aspects of village life in Goa – from the creepy crawlies that invade your home if you live with Nature, to the local drunk, who turns out to be a woman.
Today’s post is on urbanization and cities. Varuna notes that our cities are unlivable and she also reveals that there is enough land in India – even on the Konkan coast – to build great new cities from scratch.
Here is the relevant para:
“Whenever I drive along the Konkan coast or in the hills of the Western Ghats, I see all around me miles and miles of beautiful empty land. Beautiful and quite uninhabited. I see spectacular views of rolling hills and of the glittering silver sea. And I imagine people fleeing the city and settling down in this idyllic landscape; living in cottages (no skyscrapers) amid trees and gardens. I imagine children running free, learning how to climb trees and recognise flowers and fish, shells and birds. Naturally, as in all idylls, the state is only too happy to provide electricity and water.”
Ask me. I have always felt that a new urban movement is what the country needs.
Continuing with Goa, here is another piece of news worth a blog post: That Goa’s education minister is a Class 7 pass who submitted a false affidavit claiming higher qualifications than that. A criminal charge has been filed.
As in the rest of the country, even in Goa the politicians are rotten. Education must most certainly be taken away from them.
I am new reader of your blog, having come across it through a post on India Uncut..Am thoroughly enjoying your writing so far.. Especially posts like this one!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Goa, I am currently here working for a mining major, and the education minister you speak of is my local MLA! He has a truly "Godfatherly" persona in these parts. He very recently became minisdter after much political wrangling, and was allotted a portfolio a few weeks after election, when nothing else could be found for him, most probably.
"Education must most certainly be taken away from them."
ReplyDeleteThey don't seem to have much of it anyway :P