If Hampi is to be described in a single word, it would be Majestic. The capital city of the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire still takes your breath away, six centuries after its downfall. Team Grounded took a trip to Hampi from our studio this January. For anyone living in Goa, Hampi is an ideal destination for a road trip, just 6.5 hours away. On day 1, we visited the stunning Virupaksha temple complex and the surrounding Hemakuta hill.

The nine-tiered Gopuram of the Virupaksha in itself is an architectural masterpiece. The temple complex is a must-visit site for every architecture/history enthusiast, with its intricate detailing dating back to the 7th century.

The Virupaksha Temple

The highlight of our day was the stunning sunset from atop the Hemakuta Hill. The play of light over the historic temples nestled amidst the beautiful boulders of the Hampi landscape was simply breathtaking. The evening sun seemed to echo the grandeur of the once magnificent Vijayanagar Empire to its visitors.

Sunset from atop the Hemakutas

Pushkarani at the Krishna temple

The twin Champa trees framing a Hanuman temple.

Immortalizing the moment through art. Sketch by our Ar. Shrunkhala & Intern Prajakta.

Team Grounded at the Hemakuta Hills.

Photograph Credits: Members of the team at Grounded.

Grounded in Goa is a series that documents the everyday beauties and joys of living in Goa. For anyone looking to move to Goa, it offers a glimpse into Goa's undeniable connection with nature, a life lived in harmony with the fertile land, changing skies, and the giving waters.

Also read - What To Look For While Buying A House in Goa and Designing a House in Goa

Grounded in Goa is a series that documents the everyday beauties and joys of living in Goa. For anyone looking to move to Goa, it offers a glimpse into Goa's undeniable connection with nature, a life lived in harmony with the fertile land, changing skies, and the giving waters.

Also read - What To Look For While Buying A House in Goa and Designing a House in Goa

Image sourced from the internet.

Sweet summer memories for most of us involve climbing mango trees to pluck all the fresh fruit our hands could possibly reach. The mangoes of Goa are second to none, and the state is among the producers of the highest number of varieties of this delicious summer fruit. However, one particular local Goan mango trumps all others - Mankhurad!

Also known as Goa Mankur, Kurad, Malcorado, Corado etc, Mankhurad first entered the Goan belt in the early 1600s with the Portuguese travelers. With a cultivation history that spans centuries, this Goan variety has grown to become only sweeter with time. Today, the Portuguese Malcorado, is shipped all across India for its distinct taste and finds its way to the Goan summer table as fresh fruit, as well as jams, compotes and ice creams.

Life around the Mankhurad at Navovado

We were lucky to find five full grown, fruiting, and gloriously canopied Mankhurad trees on site when we began our design-development project Navovado. We have consciously preserved the vegetation and designed a modern Goan house around these magnificent mango trees that give us fresh, bountiful harvests in the summer and are a glorious green sight for sore eyes throughout the year.

It has been more than a year since I last visited Goa and I find myself often turning to memories of fresh Goan food, a definite shortcut to paradise. Here is a collection of some incredible recipes, food documentation, a list of restaurants and some stunning art brought together by their celebration of Local Goan food.

Food reporting is at once an incredible guide to the local cuisine and a reliable way of mapping the life and times of a particular place and culture. Joanna Lobo is a freelance writer from Goa, and finds a way to magically weave her experiences of living in Goa into her stories about Goan food. Here is a collection of essays and stories from her. I particularly recommend - How I Tried (and failed) To Master The Goan Bebinca Cake.

The Goan Sorpotel. Illustration by Anna Vu.

For someone in Goa, looking for the best seafood joints, we have a list curated by LBB. The list looks at offbeat restaurants that are typically not on the tourist map, but wildly popular for their authenticity among the locals. Find the restaurants here.

On the other hand, if you wish to visit Goa from the comfort of your homes, here is something you could look at. Goya Journal does a wonderful job of mapping Goan food history and diversity. Find their articles on Goan Food here.

Great food nourishes the body and great art nourishes the soul. What could be better than them coming together? We love this visual recipe of the famous Goan Xacuti Curry, created by illustrator Shruti Prabhu. In her words: “Goan cuisine is strongly influenced by the Portuguese, since they ruled Goa till 1961. Xacuti (Chacuti in Portuguese) is spicy curry made either with chicken or crabs. The roasted spices give such a lovely aroma to this recipe. You can tone down the heat by reducing the number of chillies.”

Finally, we’d be remiss if we did not mention a spectacular food tour that is happening right now across Goa, hosted by renowned chef Thomas Zacharias. Chef T Zac as he is commonly known, is popular for his #ChefontheRoad series where he drives through different parts of the country, and does everything from culinary lessons in home kitchens, to interactions with locals in villages, to foraging for indigenous seasonal ingredients, to visits to local markets, and eating out in quaint restaurants. #COTRgoa is an extensive sensory map of quintessentially Goan culinary heritage and can be found on the chef’s Instagram as well as Twitter pages.

We wish you happy adventures on your culinary expeditions. Write to us with your favourite recommendations in the comments below.

Goa Map by Sarah Martin

Goa brings to mind images of earthly paradise with its golden coast, tropical greenery, a kaleidoscope like cityscape, and endless cultural experiences of various kinds. The idea of tourism in this state started off with local villagers opening their homes and kitchens, offering to show visitors around.

Goa officially became a state in May 1987. For easy management, it was then divided into two districts - North Goa and South Goa with Panjim and Margao as their respective headquarters. While both North Goa and South Goa embody the unique Goan ‘Sussegado’ spirit and have a plethora of options to choose from, there are some key differences in what they have to offer.

In a nutshell, North Goa has been the main magnet for tourists in the state. That has its positives, as North Goa now offers an amazing range of wonderful restaurants, bars, clubs and shopping boutiques. But some have begun to view North Goa as being a little ‘too-crowded’ and commercial with frequent traffic jams. South Goa on the contrary has retained its slow old Goa vibe. The beaches in South Goa are uncluttered and mostly occupied by high-end starred hotels that maintain them in relative pristine glory. South Goa is dotted with old Portuguese mansions and has fewer new concrete apartment buildings that dot North Goa. South Goa is known for its hidden gems such as the Cabo de Rama fort, Agonda beach and the Olive Ridley hatching sites at Galgibag beach.

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A Comparison of North Goa vs. South Goa

South Goa

The beaches of South Goa on the other hand are quieter with a close connection to nature. Palolem beach, Colva beach, Butterfly beach and Benaulim beach are well known for their scenic views and the pristine surroundings.

Exploring South Goa is largely oriented around experiences in nature with places like Cabo De Gama, Rivona caves, the Rachol Fort as well as its own share of bird and wildlife sanctuaries.

The houses in South Goa speak to a different era and have a certain old world charm. The areas close to Chandor and Loutolim are known for their lavish colonial bungalows built many years ago by the Portuguese nobility. The buildings here are spaced out and far apart, with a focus on stepping out into the quiet of nature undisturbed.

In South Goa, the buzz and activity of a streetside market is found in the town of Margao, in the markets of Colem, Palolem and Caculo as well as along parts of the Colva beach. The town of Arossim in South Goa offers some of the best Goan cuisine and is known for its occasional vintage furniture markets.

The Codigo and Mollem Wildlife Sanctuaries are known for their bird-rich forest and varied flora. Several nesting sites of Olive Ridley marine turtles are also to be found in the region including Galjibag in the far south.

North Goa

Beaches

The beaches of North Goa are generally favoured by short term tourists and water sport enthusiasts.

places of interest

North Goa is home to many captivating churches, the world heritage churches at old Goa, famous forts such as Fort Aguada and Chapora Fort, the Latin Quarter in Panjim, as well as gorgeous wildlife parks and stretches for dolphin spotting.

Cityscape

North Goa is a hub of activity and urban density but it also houses beautiful Portuguese settlements and numerous quaint Portuguese churches that have stood strong for centuries. The Portuguese influence is evident in areas like Fontainhas in Panjim with narrow lanes and bright colors.

Local Markets

North Goa brims with colourful flea markets that sell everything from clothes and accessories to souvenirs, handicrafts, pottery and local products at very low prices. The Saturday Night Market in Arpora, the Anjuna Market on Wednesday, and the Mapusa Market on Friday are visited by both tourists and visitors.

Wildlife

The Salim Ali Sanctuary, near Old Goa, is heaven for ornithologists. Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary are famous reserves in North Goa