These photographs were made last month in the village of Saligao.

A short window of a few weeks in January and February brings to Goa a combination of low hanging mist and pastel skies to harmonize the marvellous pre-sunrise scene in the first image below. The foreground bed of green is the foliage of red cowpeas (alsande) cultivated at this time of the year. To the left of the frame is the hillock of Monte de Guirim and its chapel.

Trivia: Since the Cricket World Cup is currently on, I thought I’ll mention this – Saligao is the ancestral village of Anthony De Mello, one of the founders of BCCI and the driving force behind Bombay’s legendary Brabourne Stadium.

For earlier installments of Morning in Goa, go here.

Morning in Saligao
5D Mark II, Zeiss ZE 50mm f/2 Makro Planar + Singh-Ray 2-Stop Reverse GND Filter

Starting out early
5D Mark II, Zeiss ZE 50mm f/2 Makro Planar

And off they go
5D Mark II, 135L

Not long ago Goa had some of the finest fresh produce in the world, sustained for hundreds of years by the traditional farming methods of the hardy Gaudo community. The Gaude were among the first settlers in Goa and are thought to be Austric in origin.

Today the situation for Goan farming is dire and the Gaude face a grim future. Fertile fields are being wiped out overnight, taken over by builders in collusion with local politicos. Delicious local produce has now made way for mass imports from outside the state. The Gaude have no clout to resist the forces leading to their demise. As can be seen in the photos below, the tenacious few that persist have been pushed to the periphery – literally – of the market in Panjim (and other towns).

Fresh produce at Panjim market
5D Mark II, 14L II

Sorting yard long beans
5D Mark II, 14L II

Parvati Vernekar, traditional farmer from Curca, Goa
5D Mark II, 24-105L

Fresh produce at Panjim market
5D Mark II, 24-105L

Fresh produce at Panjim market
5D Mark II, 24-105L