Living near a beach with vibrant colored houses versus living in the NCR region, where possibilities are endless. Does architecture and surroundings affect a person's life?
For the past 19 years, I had been living in Ghaziabad. My home there did have windows, but the sun did not wake me up like that!
Every part of that house had a childhood memory. My father moved to Goa for work, so our second home was GOA.
I woke up to the smell of something cooking in coconut oil, which was very unusual for me. Next I heard someone singing a song in his balcony, very unusual again!
As my mother pushed the curtain on one side, the sunlight that came was an elixir after so many black hours.
Waking up, leaving for college, working the whole day, coming back & exercising, chilling with friends, and off to sleep! This was a never-ending wheel.
While some have moved to Goa to chase their careers, I moved to escape the hamster-wheel.
Now, most of you must be thinking,
“Aww! You are so lucky”
“What else do you want in life?”
“I wish I was in Goa.”
I am pretty familiar with these phrases because when I tell any of my friends that I am living in Goa, they shoot me up with such expressions :)
When my father had told me about this news, I was pretty pumped up too. Goa meant sun, sand, surf, and beaches for me.
I thought to myself: chilling at the beach, which is just walking distance from our apartment, swimming, enjoying the delicious seafood, meeting new people, going to churches would be my schedule for the fun week.
Living in one of the most fun cities; this bubble burst very soon.
Living in Goa is much more about relaxation and peace. If you compare it with living in NCR, it is quite different.
Let us see, how:
People
Ghaziabad being near to the capital, has more people who are running with the pace of life. They know what they want to do and what is the easiest way for them to get what they want in life.
The biggest difference in the people here I felt, people are calmer in Goa. They are not running. They are ambitious, focused and hardworking, but at the same time they value all the good things happening in their life other than just work.
Work-life often consumes you so much that it affects your personal life. For example, in Goa where I stay, the commercial area closes in the afternoon. The shopkeepers have lunch and take a nap. I never saw this before. This is an example of valuing yourself, as well as work.
When you’re absorbed in a job for 12 hours a day, you don’t have time to pursue your hobbies or your interests.
I met a successful businessman the other day. I remember meeting him 5 years back and meeting him now. There was an evident change.
We invited him over for dinner. He came well dressed, as always. He used to have a frown and tension on his face.
He looked very stressed and worried whenever we used to meet him. So, no jokes around that guy. Nothing could make him smile.
But today as I opened the gate, I saw a man whose smile was from east to west. He opened his arms and greeted me. I felt very curious to see this change in the man.
I walked with him to the living room. I watched him the whole evening making jokes and discussing work with a lot of positivity. I wanted to know what had happened that resulted in such a cool uncle who used to be so strict and stressed.
He was standing alone in the balcony holding his beer and enjoying the view. I went up to him with a lot of courage.
I said, “Hey uncle! Can I ask you something?” He nodded in approval. I asked, “You look so positive, what brought out this change in you?”.
He smiled and said, “Life is simple but we insist on making it complicated. I used to worry about things that were not in my hand or the things that I cannot control. Living here made me look at smaller things in life and how happy can a person be in just a little.”.
I understood how a place affects a man just by seeing him.
People here live near nature. I hear the sound of the tides from my balcony. It felt very weird for the first few days.
But, if you close your eyes and let the wind brush your face and you hear the water, you will forget all your worries within minutes.
My father told me once, “The magic can happen within 6 deep breaths.”. This is the beauty of nature and fresh air.
Art & Architecture in Goa
We, as a family, really enjoy long drives. We were new to Goa and decided to pay a visit to the famous Immaculate Conception Church.
It was Christmas time and Goa was very fascinating for us. Beautiful lights around all the buildings made it look magnificent.
There was a park near the church, where we heard a band performing. We walked there and saw five middle-aged men performing. They were having the time of their life.
(Playing Ya Ya Maya Ya – Remo Fernandes)
Each of their faces were feeling so amazing, performing. The audience did not care who was looking or what they were wearing; they were just having fun.
Soon a beautiful lady invited my mother to join them and eventually, all of us were part of the wonderful group.
After we finished dancing and meeting the band, I realized something, we had just left home for a long drive and could never imagine art being so respected and enjoyed in such a way.
Little things.
We met lots of new people and made friends in a completely strange land just by ART.
One thing which was very strange to me was the color of buildings in Goa. Back in Ghaziabad, I had never seen a building colored in bright tones of pink, yellow, blue, red, or purple.
Ever wondered why?
There are many reasons according to me. First, it adds character and drama to the place. These make it different from rest of the cities.
I even believe looking at these bright colors with a clear sky really elevates your mood especially for a person who has just seen simple colors in the outer facade of the buildings.
These colors with the trees do add up to beautiful scenery. Also, it is safe to put these bright colors in buildings here, because Goa has a tropical monsoon climate and these bright colors would not trap heat.
Third reason might be because of the Portuguese influence in their architecture. The tiled-roofed houses in eye-catching shades, standing solid, untouched by the rush of time, bring alive Goa’s Portuguese past.
In Goa, I could not make out the financial status of a person by his car or house. Everyone lives here simply and you can never make out the money they are earning by their house or car.
In the past, I have seen people show off their cars and get lavish interiors done just to prove that they can afford “expensive” stuff.
I have met a lot of people who get a car unnecessarily just to show that they can do much better than their rivals. This has resulted in their own downfall. Does your car matter so much?
I could never understand this logic. Goa is true to their context. I love that. People are simple and enjoy life.
As I read on HAPPHO
"Most of the Goan houses are roofed with tiles, held up by wooden joists and rafters. The idea is set on old European homes, from where these homes take a cue. The cornices holding the roof are also distinct in being clad in country tiles, thus lending the roof projection. The façade has large windows and interesting details. Most of the houses resemble holiday cottages quiet in line with the themes and vibe of Goa itself!
Symmetry has a huge role to play in the design of Goan homes. The entrance to the house led to a porch – the traditional and famous Balcao. From this porch, one enters the Sala – the largest room of a Goan home, meant for entertaining visitors. The Sala led directly into the courtyard around which various rooms would be placed."
People have civic sense. The lanes too are very clean, quite unlike the scene in most cities of India. It rains cats and dogs here, but I have never seen roads filled with water. They have excellent drainage which makes it a clean and beautiful place.
People and Architecture
I believe there is a very strong relationship between people and architecture. Imagine a building: Just a building, no people in it. What is the use?
It is just a body without life in it. People make a building what it is meant for.
Since architecture mirrors the local material and culture. It also tells about how people function in that space.
Does architecture affect human behavior? I will say yes, it affects our senses, our moods, our emotions, and our behavior.
Imagine yourself in a dark room versus a room with large windows fresh breeze and abundant sunlight. Your mood will be different.
Learning
From a person who had Instagram posts about parties and cafes, I have more posts about nature, wind, beach, birds, and sky.
"Life is too short to worry about what is in store for you and what you missed. It is just about taking long deep breaths in the fresh air and enjoying what you have today. Today is a present and you must enjoy every bit of it."
Reetika was introduced to arts in the form of Kathak at a very young age. That was the starting point where she realized how art expresses emotions and feelings.
Being a learner who loves knowing stories from different people with different backgrounds, she loves food, and more than that loves making people eat. She likes to call herself a Filmy, Foodie and Funny!
You can reach out to her at reetikatandon25@gmail.com for further info.
Recommended Reading - The City Speaks: Urban Storytelling for Planning