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Children of Goa’s soil.

The men and women who break sweat in the fields of Goa belong largely to the Gauda tribe, among the original settlers of the land. Farming has been their calling for thousands of years, and generations of Goans owe their nourishments to the labours of this hardy stock. Now with the relentless march of concretization, the walls are closing in on them as the acreage of arable land shrinks rapidly.

These portraits are from the fields of Taleigao, a village once renowned for its fresh produce.

Sitabai Canconkar

I met Sitabai first in 2008, and then 10 years later in December 2018, it was a delight to find her again on the same patch of land.

Farmer Sitabai Canconkar, Taleigao, Goa

Sitabai Canconkar – in 2018
Panasonic LX100 II

 
Siatabai Canconkar - Fields at Nagale, Taleigao, Goa

Sitabai Canconkar – in 2008
5D, 24-105L

 

Suresh Kundaikar

Turning the soil
5DS, 100-400L IS II

 
Suresh Kundaikar of Nagale, Taleigao, Goa

A moment of rest
5DS, 100-40L IS II

 

Suresh Kundaikar
Panasonic LX100 II

 

Draupadi Tivrenkar

Draupadi Tivrenkar of Taleigao, Goa

Toil
5DS, 100-400L IS II

 
Draupadi Tivrenkar in Taleigao, Goa

End of the day
Panasonic LX100 II

 
Draupadi Tivrenkar of Taleigao, Goa

Draupadi Tivrenkar
5DS, 100-400L IS II

 
Vegetable fields of Taleigao, Goa

Fruit of their labours – Taleigao, Goa
Panasonic LX100 II

An earlier post on this subject is here.

 
 
Category: Food, Goa, Life, PortraitTag: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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by Rajan Parrikar

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Goodness in red.

The Goan love of fish is well known. Not so well known is our fondness for tambdi bhaji (lit. red vegetable).

Fish curry, rice, and tambdi bhaji complete the trifecta of the ideal Goan meal. Capped by a relaxing siesta, it is the recipe for a good, healthy, and productive life. In Goan homes, this leafy vegetable is cooked simply with freshly grated coconut, green chilli and salt.

Commonly referred to as Red Amaranth or Blood Amaranth, tambdi bhaji is known to botanists as Amaranthus Cruentus. The cultivation of tambdi bhaji and other forms of traditional Goan produce is now under severe stress with the widespread supplanting of fertile fields with ugly concrete.

These images were taken in Taleigao. In the first two, rows of tambdi bhaji are backlit by the low sun. In the next post, we shall meet the men and women who give life to this soil despite all odds.

Backlit Tambdi Bhaji (Red Amaranth) in the fields of Taleigao, Goa

Carpet of Red
5DS, 100-400L IS II

 
Backlit Tambdi Bhaji (Red Amaranth) in the fields of Taleigao, Goa

Backlit
5DS, 24-70L f/2.8 II

 
Tambdi Bhaji (Red Amaranth) in the field of Taleigao, Goa

Tambdi Bhaji (Red Amaranth) in the fields of Taleigao, Goa
Panasonic LX100 II

 
 
Category: Culture, Food, Goa, LandscapeTag: , , , , , , , , , ,
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by Rajan Parrikar

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  • Nandkumar M. Kamat - February 21, 2019 - 6:50 pm

    Tambdi bhaji photographs speak for themselves as one pities the last generation of farmers of Taleigao who are enveloped by the tentacles of fast spreading Urban octopus. I have always stressed on their effective model of micro-irrigation and sustainable organic farming and they toil to market the fresh farm produce near the roads and it is agonizing to see people bargaining for even five ₹.

    Amaranthus is an easy to cook tasty vegetable but it must be washed very well before preparation.

    This is an useful site for Amaranthus farmers. https://www.asiafarming.com/amaranth-farming

    We find at least 10-12 different Tambdi bhaji varieties locally. Government would finish this diversity by pushing some hybrid seeds. I enjoyed visual anthropology of Tambdi Bhaji and congratulate Dr. Rajan for capturing the serene landscape and natural colours in their pristine “avatar”.ReplyCancel

  • Bob_B - February 21, 2019 - 5:47 pm

    Fascinating story and photos. I have eaten amaranth grain, but didn’t know that the leaves were also edible (and so beautiful).ReplyCancel

Only in Iceland.

One Fall afternoon in 2014, my friend Kristinn Ingi Pétursson and I were meandering in the mountains of Borgarfjörður Eystri in East Iceland. Our plan to fly over this rugged terrain had just fallen through as the Cessna aircraft meant to take us had not returned from a routine maintenance check.

Soon we espied a small aircraft flying overhead and Kristinn Ingi called the control tower at Egilsstaðir airport for details. Then he texted the pilot. Within minutes the aircraft was on the ground in nearby Bakkagerði. In any event, with its low wing the Falconar proved unsuitable for our aerial photography needs.

The airman Kolbeinn Hilmarsson, all of 18 years at the time, was logging in flight hours. Today he’s a First Officer with WOW Air.

Kolbeinn Hilmarsson of Egilsstaðir, Iceland, in his Falconar

Kolbeinn Hilmarsson – at the Bakkagerði airstrip
5D Mark III, Zeiss ZE 50 f/2 Mark Planar

 
Kolbeinn Hilmarsson of Egilsstaðir, Iceland, with his Falconar plane

With his Falconar
5D Mark III, Zeiss ZE 50 f/2 Mark Planar

 
Kolbeinn Hilmarsson with his Falconar plane

Engine tune-up
5D Mark III, Zeiss ZE 50 f/2 Makro Planar

 
Kolbeinn Hilmarsson of Egilsstaðir, Iceland, in his Falconar

And off he goes…
5D Mark III, 70-200L f/2.8 IS II

 
Kolbeinn Hilmarsson of Egilsstaðir, Iceland

Kolbeinn Hilmarsson
5D Mark III, 70-200L f/2.8 IS II

 
 
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by Rajan Parrikar

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In the lower register.

A sublime symphony of light as the final rays of a sub-Arctic winter evening splay across Esja. Vignettes of the mountain are followed by a panorama.

Esja - last light, Reykjavík, Iceland Esja - last light, Reykjavík, Iceland Esja - last light, Reykjavík, Iceland

Esja - last light, Reykjavík, Iceland

Symphony of light
5DS, 100-400L IS II

 

Panorama of Esja - last light, Reykjavík, Iceland

Panorama of Esja – Reykjavík, Iceland
5DS, 100-400L IS II
Click on the image for larger version

 
 
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by Rajan Parrikar

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In the glacier’s shadow.

Built in 1903, the church on the ancient farm Ingjaldshóll is the oldest concrete church in Iceland. Christopher Columbus is said to have spent time in this area absorbing lessons from the experienced Viking seafarers before embarking on his voyage to the Americas. The farm lies in the shadow of the Snæfellsjökull glacier near the village of Hellissandur.

The second image below is from October 2010, a month when churches in Iceland are illuminated in pink to mark the Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Ingjaldshólskirkja in Hellisandur, Iceland

Ingjaldshólskirkja
5DS, 24-70L f/2.8 II

 
Ingjaldshólskirkja in Hellisandur, Iceland

Dusk near Snæfellsjökull
5D Mark II, 70-200L f/2.8 IS II

 
 
Category: History, Iceland, Landscape, ReligionTag: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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by Rajan Parrikar

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  • Nancy - February 8, 2019 - 8:54 pm

    Your pictures so precisely depict the solemness, beauty and uniqueness of my favourite country, ICELAND.ReplyCancel

    • Rajan Parrikar - February 9, 2019 - 9:34 am

      Nancy – Thank you. I identify completely with your feelings about Iceland.ReplyCancel

  • Bob_B - February 6, 2019 - 8:33 pm

    The second one is my favorite.ReplyCancel