The quiet village of Parsem in north Goa remains frozen in time with its echt-Goan character and spirit intact. It is proud of its quirky heritage: the unusual façade of the ancient temple of Goddess Bhagwati, the nearby banyan tree said to be the largest in Goa, the magnificent old sculptures of Brahma, Vishnu, and so on.

For a place this obscure, Parsem has world-class achievements under its belt. The all-women’s professional theatre company formed here in 1917 was among the earliest of its kind. One of India’s finest musicians and the greatest Hindustani violinist of the 20th C, Sridhar Parsekar, was born in the shadow of the Bhagwati temple. He died tragically young but the villagers of Parsem haven’t forgotten him; an annual classical music festival is celebrated in his name. He also composed for Hindi and Marathi films. For more on Parsekar and his music, go here.

The title of this post is taken from an essay by Alister Miranda, and you are encouraged to read it for a better appreciation of the photographs that follow.

Note on pronunciation to non-Konkani speakers: The ‘m’ in the ‘sem’ syllable in Parsem denotes a nasalized ‘se’.

The deepastambha is characteristic of Goa’s Hindu temples but this paired arrangement at the Bhagwati temple is unique.

Temple of Bhagwati devi in Parsem, Goa
5D Mark II, TS-E 24L II

Bhagwati devi of Parsem
5D Mark II, 24-105L

Notice the kaavi art (sgraffito) on the temple walls.

Temple of Ravalnath, Parsem
5D Mark II, 24-105L

Pastoral Parsem
5D Mark II, 14L II

Subsidiary shrines adjacent to the Bhagwati temple host inestimable treasures such as these images of Vishnu and Brahma.

Vishnu at Parsem
5D, 85L II

Brahma at Parsem
5D, 85L II

Ageless Parsem
5D Mark II, 24-105L

Early morning drives through rural Goa are among life’s great pleasures.  Goan villages have a unique physical and aesthetic appeal.  The template is more or less the same:  life is anchored around the local temple or the church, a key village institution for matters spiritual as well as social.  Then there is the village ‘tinto’ – a hive of activity dotted with a tavern, cafe, barber shop, store, and local gossips.  This languid, bucolic world is now fast fading in the face of ‘development’ and out-of-control influx invasion from the rest of India.

At the end of a crepuscular photo excursion earlier this year, I stopped by the old temple of Ravalnath in the village of Mulgaon (Moolgaon). A lone figure in the courtyard greeted me, an elderly widow named Jayashree Gaonkar, as it turned out. When I inquired after her, she replied that hers’ had been a hard life but that she is now glad to have the opportunity to “sweep the courtyard for my God every morning.” We had a good conversation. When I asked if I could take some portraits, she was overcome by shyness. After some cajoling she acceded.

Jayashree Gaonkar in Mulgaon, Goa
5D, 85L II

Jayashree Gaonkar in the courtyard of the temple
5D, 24-105L

Ancient idol of Ravalnath at Mulgaon
5D, 85L II