Sushrut Bidwai

Fort Kochi

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 02:03:32 +0530

Fort Kochi

I visited Fort Kochi for 5 days to experience Kochi Biennale

My initial plan was to spend 2 days exploring the festival and then do some sight seeing around Kochi.

However after just the first day I decided to just explore fort kochi.

I enjoy walking around. Discovering little things. Pretty streets.

Fort Kochi has plenty of them.

Even though houses are modern and contemporary, they still show beautiful aesthetic taste of people.

Every street had its own personality.

Some feel like you are in old Calcutta. Some feel like a peth in any old Maharashtra city. Some feel like Fontainhas in Panajji, adorned with artwork. Some feel like a high street in a small Italian village.

It is a very walkable place, except for the heat. Most streets do not have tree cover.

Garbage problem has been mostly solved. At least it is way better than most cities.

There are few curious book stores, run by knowledgable people. Almost every cafe is an art cafe.

It does not offer much nightlife, except for Francis and couple of other spots.

I was too tired to party after having walked 10km everyday!

Things to do

Jew town - rich history, beautiful shops and cafes, especially Mocha Art Cafe.
Chinese fishting nets - Slightly overrated, but still worth checking out. Sunsets views from there are gorgeous.
Kathakali performance - I attended the one about Kichak vadh. Extremely well produced.
Local food - highly recommend Seagull restaurant. Kingsih curry! Make a booking in advance if you want seats with good view.
Walk around, explore streets.
Spend an evening in Francis, most people who come there are friendly, easy to meet new people. Gets superbusy on Saturday nights.

Biennale Festival

Highlight was to see screening of movie We are Faheem and Karun and listening to Onir talk about making the movie.

The art installations were quite good, especially student biennale.

The venues are spread all around Fort Kochi, and requires lot of walking around.

I had bought a weeklong access for Rs 1000. Only 3-4 venues require entry fees.

All performances are free to attend, but you do need to acquire a token due to limited seating, available 30mins before start time.

Fort Kochi is worth visit if you are interested in exploring vibrant cities that are culturally rich. Worth visiting during Biennale festival.

Essential Tremors

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 19:06:11 +0530

Essential Tremors

Essential tremor (ET) is a common neurological disorder causing involuntary, rhythmic shaking, primarily in the hands and arms during action, though it can also affect the head, voice, or legs, disrupting tasks like writing or drinking

I have had essential tremors since I remember.

I only got diagnosed with it when I was around 30 years old.

Lived experience

My hands almost always have a mild tremor. In certain anxiety inducing conditions, it is visible.

Growing up, I have had two seizures. One resulted in mild trauma on teeth, I essentially went from standing upright to face down on hard floor.

The other one was on a playground, did not result in any injuries.

Both times, I was taken to doctors and so on, but they could not figure out it is due to tremors.

How it affected my life?

My hand writing is aweful. Resulting in lower marks than I deserved.

I was often called clumsy, prone to breaking things. Or not paying attention.

Especially when visiting someone else’s house, I would often get bullying looks from certain family members.

After growing up, it did affect my dating life a little bit. At least until I got diagnosed and could explain the condition to myself and to my date.

Learning a string musical instrument was very challenging and I gave up trying. It is possible to learn, of course. But initially very challenging.

Minor adjustments to manage

Use heavier pens. Of course nowadays writing by hand is not required as much. But if you know a kid who is in schoold and has really bad hand writing, worth investigating and getting a heavier pen.
At home I use beer mugs for beverages. They have nice handles, and are half-pint sized so, you don’t fill them up to the edges.
Lifting weights - this has done wonders to tremors. Especially compound movements like deadlifting and RDLs.
In social situations, just order something that does not trigger drinking/eating anxiety. No soups for example. If option available, order in a to-go cup, or carry one that has a lid.

Note to parents - this is not a common conditions. So if your kid has tremors, make sure you notice signs. Handwriting is almost always a giveaway.

Failures of Modi

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:37:53 +0530

Assessing 11 Years of Modi’s Governance

After nearly 11 years in power, questions arise about the Modi administration’s lasting impact.

It has been almost 11 years since Narendra Modi came to power. Following what many considered the disappointing governance under Manmohan Singh, there were high expectations that the new government would bring significant change. Unfortunately, those hopes have largely faded.

Many supporters of Modi point to his administration’s infrastructure achievements: roads, airports, toilets, and bringing water to villages. While these project-based successes are commendable, effective governance extends beyond project execution.

A comprehensive government must excel in:

Law and order
Policy formulation and implementation
Institution building and reform

Modi’s administration has underperformed in these three critical areas, suggesting it may be time for another BJP leader to take the helm.

Law and Order

While external terrorism has been largely contained, internal security concerns continue to grow. Stone-pelting incidents during festivals remain commonplace. Disturbing cases of mass sexual violence, such as those in Beawar and Ajmer, persist.

Extremist groups have managed to block major roadways near the national capital for extended periods—not once, but twice. Such disruptions would have been unthinkable in previous eras.

There has been insufficient effort to modernize policing, improve criminal investigations, and deliver timely justice.

The criminal justice system fails to instill fear in wrongdoers. Courts remain overburdened and inefficient, with numerous procedural loopholes. Few citizens would consider the police or courts as their first recourse when seeking redress.

Policy Implementation

Though there have been modest achievements in foreign policy, domestic policy implementation has been largely disappointing. Modi campaigned on promises of “minimum government,” leading voters to expect significant reforms in governance structures, including reducing the scope and authority of the unelected bureaucracy.

However, several policy shortcomings are evident:

The GST implementation has been problematic
Regressive tariffs on essential electronics like laptops echo the protectionist policies of the 1970s and 1980s
Urban infrastructure continues to deteriorate, with overcrowded cities lacking adequate public spaces
The Right to Education Act remains unchanged, making quality education prohibitively expensive
The combined burden of direct and indirect taxation remains high
Government size has expanded rather than contracted
Hydrogen and ethanol policies lack coherence and effectiveness
Bureaucratic red tape and corruption persist
The withdrawal of farm laws represented a significant policy retreat
Privatization efforts, beyond Air India, have stalled

These represent just a sampling of the policy failures.

Institutional Reform

I mistakenly believed Modi understood the importance of reforming institutions established during the socialist era under Nehru and Indira Gandhi. This assumption has proven incorrect.

There have been negligible efforts to reform the bureaucracy, judiciary, police, and other governmental institutions. Instead, these entities have grown in both size and influence.

Military recruitment stands as perhaps the only area where reform has been attempted, though the necessity of these changes remains questionable.

Hindu-Centric Initiatives

Beyond the construction of the Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370, many Hindu-related causes remain unaddressed:

Temples continue under government control
The RTE Act’s provisions that disadvantage Hindu institutions remain unchanged
The Citizenship Amendment Act awaits implementation
Hindu refugees continue living in poor conditions
The National Register of Citizens initiative appears abandoned
The Waqf Board maintains its privileged status
The Uniform Civil Code remains unimplemented
Other contested religious sites in Kashi and Mathura remain unresolved
Addressing illegal immigration has not been prioritized

Conclusion

Every supporter should consider one crucial question:

If the Modi/BJP government loses power, how difficult would it be for a subsequent administration to revert to the socialist, lawless, and corrupt governance of previous eras?

The sobering answer is that such a regression would be quite straightforward. This vulnerability represents perhaps the most significant failure of Modi’s governance—the absence of enduring structural reforms that would safeguard India’s progress regardless of which party holds power.

Communication

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 16:15:41 +0530

Mastering Written Communication: A Guide for Young People

Many young people struggle with written communication. This guide aims to provide valuable tips for improving your communication skills in both personal and professional contexts.

Good communication clearly conveys intent, content, and desired outcome.

When crafting any written message, try to build empathy for the person reading your text, email, or message. This mindset will help you communicate more effectively.

Understanding and Conveying Intent

The Importance of Clear Intent

Consider this typical interaction where Person 1 (P1) is trying to arrange a date with Person 2 (P2):

P1: Hey, it's been nice interacting with you online. Shall we get together for coffee this weekend?
P2: Nah, I have a busy weekend ahead.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with P2’s response, it fails to address P1’s main intent: determining if P2 is interested in escalating their relationship from online to offline.

A Better Approach

Here’s a more effective way to convey intent clearly:

P2: Hey, I'd love to catch up for coffee! This weekend is quite busy, but I'm free next Saturday if that works for you?

This response clearly communicates interest while also managing expectations and demonstrating schedule management skills.

Remember: In modern dating, a clear “yes” means yes, and anything else essentially means no.

Effective Scheduling

As an adult, you should be capable of managing your schedule at least two weeks in advance. Here are some tips:

Use a calendar system that integrates well with your email.
Set up automated vacation responders when you’re away.
Add all appointments, including personal ones, to your calendar.
Use intentful language when setting up meetings.
Be specific with your availability. Instead of “Let me know if you’re in town on the 18th, maybe we can meet up,” try “If you’re in town on the 18th, I’m free in the morning for a catch-up.”

Handling Last-Minute Cancellations

Life happens, and sometimes last-minute cancellations are unavoidable. When they occur:

Communicate as soon as possible: “I’m sorry, something unforeseen has come up. Can we reschedule? Here are a few times that work for me.”
If the other person is traveling to meet you, try to cancel before they’re supposed to leave.
If you miss a meeting entirely, don’t ghost. Instead, say: “I dropped the ball on our scheduled appointment. I’m extremely sorry. Can we please reschedule? Let me know your availability, and I’ll accommodate it.”
Use considerate language. Say “unforeseen circumstances” rather than “something more important came up.”
For a busy day, cancel early (preferably the night before) rather than at the last minute.

Managing Deadlines

Most people understand that deadlines are not urgent. The push for urgency usually stems from a lack of trust in a new or unreliable relationship.

If you consistently do what you say you’ll do by the agreed-upon time, most people won’t bother you about deadlines.

Tips for deadline management:

Set realistic targets for yourself to build trust.
Communicate proactively if you’re going to miss a deadline.
Provide updates without being prompted.
When starting a new professional relationship, clearly communicate your approach to deadlines and scheduling.

Choosing the Right Communication Channels

Every person has a preferred communication channel. Find out what it is and stick to it.

For example, some people dislike unscheduled phone calls due to anxiety. If someone has communicated their preferred method (e.g., email or text), respect that choice for non-urgent matters.

Using multiple text-based mediums (emails, WhatsApp, SMS) can make it difficult to organize information and increase the chances of missing something important.

Conclusion

Effective written communication is a crucial skill in both personal and professional settings. By focusing on clear intent, proper scheduling, respectful cancellations, deadline management, and appropriate channel selection, you can significantly improve your communication skills and build stronger relationships.

Remember, good communication is about mutual respect and understanding. Always strive to be clear, considerate, and professional in your written interactions.

Hijab

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 20:32:21 +0530

Why I Support Schools That Ban Hijabs (And Why You Should Too)

All customs and rituals can be oppressive, as the social cost of opting out of them is often extremely high.

In India, a few schools that prohibited hijabs in their dress code faced protests from a small group of women. This sparked a discussion about freedom of expression and autonomy over one’s body.

I support the right of institutions, both publicly funded and private, to dictate a dress code. However, even if we set aside this argument, there’s a more significant reason for my stance:

All customs, rituals, and traditions can be oppressive by nature. The cost of opting out of them is often enormous. This high cost is one of the reasons why religion as a cultural practice survives.

By allowing institutions to ban hijabs, we:

Increase the cost of opting in to these customs
Support affected women and their parents in negotiating with their communities

Conversely, by allowing hijabs, we:

Raise the cost of opting out of these customs
Embolden communities to pressure affected women and their parents to comply

In essence, by permitting hijabs in schools, we have inadvertently failed Muslim women who wish to have a choice in the matter.

It’s crucial to recognize that this issue is complex and multifaceted. While respecting religious freedoms is important, we must also consider the potential consequences of our policies on individual autonomy and social dynamics within communities.

Workout

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:43:46 +0530

My Fitness Journey: What Has Worked for Me in My 40s

I have been working out for the last couple of years, and I’d like to share what has been effective for me. This post is intended for people similar to me in age and lifestyle who are starting their fitness journey for the first time in their late 30s to early 40s. Please note that this advice may not be suitable for everyone.

What Has Worked for Me?

Within 10-15 minutes of waking up, I go for a walk 5-7 days a week. I do a 5K weighted walk¹ at a decent speed, preferring the same route every day.
I’ve modified my diet to stop eating around sunset, with 7 PM being the latest. I start eating again at around 7:30 AM.
My last meal is usually a warm salad consisting of boiled green and colored vegetables topped with a very small quantity of fatty sauce or dressing.
I do a total body split workout 2-3 times a week.

My Workout

My goal is to compensate for muscle loss due to aging and potentially improve aesthetics.

I focus on only a few key movements.
The key movements I do in almost every workout are deadlifts, rows, bench presses, and squats.
I include some isolation work for shoulders and arms.
Total time per workout, including warm-up and cool-down, is approximately 60-70 minutes.
I take plenty of rest between sets.
I alternate between legs, push, and pull movements to provide additional recovery to movement chains.
I do 2 warm-up sets with 3 reps at 50% of my working weight.
I incorporate mobility exercises.
I include some bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups.

What Has Not Worked for Me?

Most content on the internet is about strength training, focusing on actively trying to build larger and larger muscles. I’ve found it best to ignore most of this content.
Too much variety. Many exercises look fancy, but their incremental benefits are marginal at best.
Splits such as PPL (Push, Pull, Legs) or “Bro” splits².
Too many sets. I started off doing 4 sets, increasing weight slightly every set. This is what I learned in my early 20s, but it’s not effective in my 40s.

Tips

To reiterate, these tips may not be suitable for everyone:

Focus on a few key movements.
Use unilateral exercises as much as possible, at least in the beginning.
Avoid sets where weights keep increasing. Do drop sets only.
Never skip warm-up and stretching.
Don’t skip warm-up sets for compound movements.
Keep strength training to a maximum of 3 times a week. Once you start lifting heavier weights, reduce it to 2 times a week.
Take plenty of rest between sets. A minimum of 3 minutes for compound movements.
Only do 1 set for isolation work (biceps/triceps/shoulders), but get close to failure on that set.

My Total Body Split

Warm-up: 5-8 minute fast walk or slow run
Dynamic stretching
Deadlift or barbell row (3 sets)
Flat or inclined barbell bench press (3 sets)
Squat or Romanian deadlift (3 sets)
Lat pulldown or pull-ups
Inclined or flat dumbbell chest flys (3 sets)
Tricep pushdown (1 set)
Bicep curl (superset³ with triceps, 1 set)
Shoulder exercise (rotate through Arnold press, unilateral cable lateral raise, and cross-body rear delt cable pull)
5-minute cool-down

Keep your workout consistent across multiple dimensions - movements, timing, days of the week. Keep the workout as simple as possible in the beginning. And do not over-workout.

Footnotes

I carry 8-12 kg in a backpack. ↩
Total body split works well. It gives plenty of time to recover. Even if you miss a workout, it doesn’t matter much. ↩
No rest in between exercises. ↩

CAP Theorem

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:43:15 +0530

Using CAP Theorem for Decision Making in Life

The CAP theorem, originating from computer science, suggests that in a distributed system, you can only prioritize two out of three characteristics: consistency, availability, and partition tolerance (the ‘C,’ ‘A,’ and ‘P’ in CAP).

Source

However, let’s explore how we can use this theorem metaphorically to make important life decisions. This approach isn’t a strict framework but rather a method to prioritize what truly matters to us.

Applying CAP Theorem to Choosing a Place to Live

Imagine you’re deciding where to live. What are the three¹ most critical factors influencing your decision? For me, these are location, features, and budget.

Location: Where it is situated and what it offers in terms of amenities, community, and surroundings.
Features: The specifics of the home or apartment, including size, amenities, security, noise levels, etc.
Budget: The overall cost implications, including daily expenses like commuting costs and additional purchases.

How to Use CAP Theorem in Decision Making

Step 1: Prioritize Your Key Attributes

Identify the two attributes that are most crucial to you and determine which one you can afford to compromise on, if necessary. For me, location and features are paramount, while budget is flexible.

Step 2: Refine Your Priorities

Within each key attribute, further prioritize sub-attributes. For instance, in choosing a location, I prioritize access to nature, proximity to essential places like work and markets, and the neighborhood’s community vibe.

Step 3: Continuously Narrow Down

Continue applying this method to refine your priorities until you’ve identified the best options that align with what matters most to you.

Bonus: Involving Others

If the decision involves multiple stakeholders, this process can help find common ground by understanding each person’s priorities and flexibility.

Where Can You Apply CAP Theorem?

This approach can be applied to various significant decisions in life:

Choosing a new home
Deciding on a new job
Selecting a topic to learn
Planning a vacation destination
Even in relationships, identifying what qualities you seek in a partner
Determining which project to pursue next, and more

It’s essential to approach important decisions with intentionality and self-awareness about your values and priorities.

Footnotes

The number of attributes doesn’t have to be three, but it should be kept minimal to prioritize effectively. ↩

India

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 21:44:08 +0530

What People Seem to Miss About India

Development is Hard

Near Nashik, there are several tribal areas with dense forests, low education levels, and significant challenges in providing government services. One particular village lacked access to water. For 25 years, the government attempted to install a small pipeline. However, a few months after it was installed, local drunks would steal the pipe and sell it for scrap to buy alcohol. This cycle repeated over and over. Every few years, there would be significant protests, sometimes violent, demanding a water supply.

The Nashik-Yeola road was developed with a divider featuring thick plastic sheets instead of trees.¹ Within six months, all the plastic sheets were stolen for various purposes such as roofing and fencing.

It is incredibly difficult to build and maintain infrastructure in non-urban areas. While government incompetence is one factor, the lack of buy-in from the people who benefit from these services is definitely important.

Protesting is Easy

There are 4-5 trees on a road connecting important industrial areas to Nashik city. When this road was developed, there were numerous protests against cutting down these trees. People, many not from Nashik, filed court cases and won. Today, these trees still stand. So far, at least ten people have died due to accidents caused by these trees, and numerous others have been injured. These accidents almost always affect people from disadvantaged groups, who are more likely to be on the road during dark hours. In Nashik, winter fog can reduce visibility to almost nothing.

For less than Rs 1.5 lakh (approximately USD 2000), you can organize a protest against almost any project you want.² Such protests can easily get media coverage. Given India’s tight social networks around caste and the still-functioning hierarchy, it is easy to buy a caste leader and incite them to protest.

I do not remember a single project that was not delayed or affected by protests, whether it is building new schools or airports.

The presence of a protest should not be seen as a signal against the government or as evidence of a tyrannical government.

India is Diverse

India’s diversity extends beyond the number of languages, religions, and other “macro” variables. In any 1 square kilometer area of a city, you will find people from extremely diverse socio-economic strata living together. Daily wage laborers and millionaires live in close proximity to each other.

Most countries use property taxes to economically segregate their citizens, leading to vastly different qualities of services for the rich and the poor.

In India, the rich and poor alike receive the same services: bad roads, unreliable power supply, the same security, quality of education, and so on.

While the rich can spend more to access better services in some areas, it is still a hassle.

Footnotes

The reason why this road was developed before the Nashik-Mumbai or Nashik-Pune roads is a separate issue related to corruption. ↩
When I was 15, I somehow ended up at a protest because one of my friends got paid 5 Rs for each person he brought! ↩

Manifesto 2024

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:08:34 +0530

Here is what I wish to government do in next 5 years.

Monopolize Violence

Most important job of a government is to monopolize violence.

Government in last 10 years has done a decent job on securing our borders, eliminating threats of terrorism, and reducing Naxalism.

However, this government, as well as all the governments before it has done terribly on eliminating mob violence. Any group, based on ideology, religion, profession, or other categories can bring our cities to standstill. We have had protestors occupy streets for months. We routinely see violence against religious celebrations.

Irrespective of your political/religious affiliations you have to agree that there is just too much of mob violence.

Just last year we saw little kids demanding beheading of a person. Little kids.

You can look at evidence and you will find unlimited number of examples of mobs running rampage of all religious, political, and ethnic groups. Even in a small state like Manipur, gangs can acquire modern weapons and unleash a level of violence that can only be compared to a war.

A modern factory was destroyed by workers to settle pay dispute instead of going to courts!

If you had a minor traffic incident, it is very common for situation to devolve into mob violence.

All of this has to stop!

Do not let anyone occupy streets. Not for prayers, not for religious processions, not for protests.
Declare stone pelting an act of terrorism. Any structure that is found to support stone pelting, destroy it.
Increase quality and quantity of policing.
Make necessary judicial reforms to bring swift justice to people who incite violence.

Energy

The most effective thing government can do to make India into a developed economy with thriving manufacturing and service sector is provide cheap and abundant energy.

The only scalable way to achieve this is nuclear power. Solar, wind, hydro are all good supplements. But unless we invest heavily into nuclear fission reactors and research of fusion reactors we will never have enough energy to scale it.

Judicial reforms

Any functioning government is not working well if it takes years, or decades to provide justice. It reduces overall trust in the system if disputes can not be settled. It is very difficult to enforce contracts, which essential means people with economic and/or street power have lot more leverage over those who do not.

Does the supreme court really right authority to adjudicate on bail pleas? Or mandate facial masks? Or decide which trees can be cut and which can not?

Make clear lines of separation between executive and judiciary. Reform the public interest litigation framework to stop legal activism by third parties.

Governments are the biggest litigators in India.

Reduce bureaucratic waste

We have one the largest footprint of bureaucracy. Only Germany may be larger.

It is impossible to go to a dealership with say Aadhar and PAN card and drive off with a vehicle fully registered and compliant.

To run a small business with less than 50 lacs in revenue, we still have to get TAN, PAN, DIN, KYC, EPFO, GST, and many other compliances.

Why is all this necessary?

Ideally, a person should be able to start and run a small business without even needing an accountant. For example in Australia I was able to do a side hustle without ever needing an accountant for a business that generated AUD 150K in top line revenue. It took me less than 30 mins to register the business and open a bank account, all online.

Why can’t we achieve this in India? In India it took better part of 2 months to get that, after close to 100 signatures! Explanation often is that people will take advantage and game the system. We can not thrive as a country if we design our systems to make it more difficult for crooks to take advantage and in the process make it difficult for vast majority of honest law abiding citizens.

Almost always these insane levels of bureaucracy leads to corruption and waste of financial resources.

Education and government

Why are these two topics interlinked?

Look at the number of exams government or its subsidiary conducts to recruit.

This is madness. This is complete and utter madness.

The fundamental reason behind why we are not doing well in number of governance areas is these exams.

Problems with current system

Does not attract top tier talent.
Does not remove low performers from their posts.
Most recruits have no real world experience.
Good ideas do not spread quickly across the government organization. We still have been able to replicate Indore model of clean cities in the last 7 years.

One way to solve this is by scrapping the system altogether. A very radical way to do this is model the government recruitment like any private enterprise.

If you have relevant degrees (say MBA), and minimum experience required for a given post, you can apply for a 5 year contract.
Government can spend 6-12 months in training new recruits.
Provide internship opportunities to prospective recruits.
Permanent posts only after successfully completing contract.

Miscellaneous

Sell every non-defense sector PSU. Each and every one of them, starting with BSNL.
Even in defense sector PSU find ways to transfer knowledge to Indian companies. If we can build a nuclear submarine, we should have a thriving ship building sector.
Only way to support vulnerable class is via cash. Let people decide whether they want to spend the money of gas or clothes or food. Government has no business in dictating behavior. Make it impossible for even state governments to provide freebies.
Reform tax code for individuals.
Only 2 GST rates. Rate is either zero or X (12.5%?). No cess. Focus on increasing top line and not skimming.
Reduce size of large states like UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, WB. Ideally no state should have more than 30 MPs.
All metro cities should be states.
Expand railway network and invest in truly high speed railways with > 250KMPH. average speed. Given the demand for railways, it should not difficult to find private investors from Japan/EU to help build these out.
No retrospective government actions.

Goa

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:08:06 +0530

I have been living in Goa for more than 2 years now. As many people have asked how it is like living here, here’s a detailed post on the experience so far.

Why Goa?

The most common question I have received is why I chose to move to Goa.

Goa is a rural place with access to almost all urban comforts.

Pros

Access to culture

It has a fairly vibrant art scene, especially music. There are lots of indie artists, as well as a couple of large music festivals like Sunburn.

There is a very good local theatre scene, mostly due to Kala Academy. Although almost all of it is in Marathi or Konkani, there is one very good theatre in Ponda, and 2 old but still functional theatres in Mapusa and Bicholim that often have performances of popular Marathi plays.

Classical music is not as accessible, with only occasional performances.

Many Goan villages have their own festivals that are unique to them, and it is always interesting to participate in them.

The flagship arts event in Goa, Serendipity Arts Festival, happens in the second half of December and features some amazing performances in theatre, music, and dancing.

Infrastructure

None of the large home broadband/fiber companies operate in Goa. However, there are a couple of local operators, and they are good enough.

The roads are narrow, but mostly okay. Even though petrol pumps are not as many, most shops will sell a bottle of petrol.

Plenty of rental apartments and houses are available.

Food delivery apps have great coverage, providing plenty of options to order.

Food

Good coffee and cafes are quite important to me. Goa, especially around Assagaon, Anjuna, and Vagator area, has lots of options.¹

Outside of touristy areas, you will find plenty of very good and cheap food options. If you are either non-vegetarian or pescatarian, Goa has you covered.

And it is not just local Goan or Indian food; there are now plenty of options for most world cuisines. From Lebanese to Japanese to Fusion, there are lots of new restaurants catering to a variety of choices.

Even though I do not drink much and very rarely drink cocktails, there is no shortage of choices there.

As Goa has a number of non-Indians visiting/living, it has better availability of exotic vegetables and fruits.

Community

There are many hobby groups and communities you can join based on interests. Dance is extremely popular here. Social events centered around dancing are quite accessible; just get a few lessons beforehand.

During Winter, from November to February, many localities have open markets where local artists and creators showcase their work. There are a few permanent markets, such as Hill Top in Anjuna.

Even a few book clubs, board-gaming groups, and quizzing groups are active.

If you are a member or ally of the LGBT+ community, then there are at least a couple of groups very active that organize socializing and awareness events.

Nature

Goa has many wonderful beaches. At least a few are not as busy as the main touristy beaches of Baga and Calangute.

It also has lush green forests, hiking trails, waterfalls, and natural lakes. There is plenty to explore. There are a few abandoned quarries that become lakes during the monsoon, but do not go swimming in them; they are quite dangerous.

There are lots of wildlife, especially birds, reptiles, and drunk humans.

Sports and Fitness

There are lots of football clubs and biking groups. A few government sports complexes and private sports clubs are also available. Plenty of yoga and other fitness activities are available.

Weather

While days from 9 am to 5 pm are quite hot and at times humid, mornings and evenings are quite pleasant all year round, including summer. It is a beautiful place in the monsoon.

Connectivity

Goa now has two airports and is very well connected with the rest of India. Once the new airport is fully functional, it will have even direct connectivity to major European destinations. It is also well connected to parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka by road and railway.

Cons

Infrastructure limitations

While Goa does a great job of pretending to be an urban area, it is still very much a rural area. Electricity outages, no matter what Twitter warriors say, are frequent. Roads, while good, if they get damaged, do not get fixed as quickly.

And most importantly, you cannot live here just on public transport. The bus network is extensive, but not as frequent, and many areas are not covered due to very narrow roads. Buses are not well maintained, and the timetable is more of a guidance than a rule. There are no on-demand taxi services such as Uber or Ola, and the local taxi service is run by a mafia with poor service and exorbitant pricing.

So if you are going to live here, you have to have your own transport. You can rent motorcycles and cars on a monthly basis quite easily.

Many, or most, apartments are not designed for long-term living. They are mostly designed for short-term rentals with limited storage spaces, small kitchens, and generally a bad user experience.

Support Services

It is hard to find good cooks and housekeepers. If you do not have very specific food tastes or can train someone, then finding a cook is a bit easier.

Outside of urban centers like Panjim, Mapusa, Porvorim, and Margao, it is quite difficult to find good plumbers, electricians, and other support services. The quality of these service providers is also quite low.

Goa is a rural place, so do not expect the same level of professionalism you would in say Mumbai.

Costly

As it is a popular tourist destination, many things are priced at exorbitant levels. Apartment rent, taxis, bike/car rental; the closer you are to the beach, the higher the prices.

However, there are plenty of high-quality local food options available away from touristy areas.

Substance abuse

It is a party place. People come here to have a good time, and most of it is centered around drinking alcohol. It is extremely hard to resist over-drinking and smoking in Goa. Most places are smoking-friendly, and a very large population does smoke. Other drugs are not as overtly accessible, but not very difficult to obtain either.

If you are someone who has addiction issues or has a tendency to be influenced by peer pressure, you will find it difficult to resist those in Goa.

The culture of partying does attract specific kinds of people to Goa. If you are not one of them, you may find it difficult to build friendships, as a lot of socializing happens over late-night partying.²

People

Like every other place, Goa has a mix of nice and not so nice people. Rural communities across the world are not open-minded, and Goa is no exception to that. Xenophobia, especially against other Indians, is quite common. I do not think Goa has a higher percentage of it compared to other rural communities.

Conclusion

Overall, the benefits of living in Goa far outweigh the costs.

Footnotes

I will do a separate post on just Cafes in Assagaon. ↩
Most parties/events do not even start till around midnight. Clubs are pretty much empty between 7 to 10 pm. ↩