ALT GOA. See Goa In A Different Light

Beyond the beaches and beer, decadence and debauchery, #ALTGOA explores the other side of Goa that is authentic, inspiring and purpose driven. A digital series of curated conversations with people who have been drawn to the alternate Goan lifestyle, made disruptive career choices, and eventually made Goa their home, it explores an emerging alternate culture that thrives on eclecticism. This is Goa in an altogether different light. A glimpse of its evolving culture, through its people and their pursuits.

ALT GOA Episode 01 | ft. Aritra & Abhijit (Part 1) | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. The first part of our freewheeling chat with Aritra Mukherjee & Abhijit Poddar from Planet Goa magazine – the most widely read destination magazine in the state. Where they speak about their journey, giving up the big city life, finding purpose through explorations and discovery, and navigating through an enviable work-life balance in Goa.

ALT GOA Episode 02  | ft. Aritra & Abhijit (Part 2) | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. The concluding part of our conversation with Aritra Mukherjee & Abhijit Poddar from Planet Goa magazine. Where they talk about life in Goa, people & places, uplifting experiences and some challenges.

ALT GOA Episode 03 | ft. Meghna Kapoor | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. We speak to Meghna Kapoor, Founder, KYO Spaces and Blue Lotus. Meghna runs a boutique co-living and co-working space out of a 140 year old heritage Portuguese villa and conducts yoga & wellness retreats. Having lived and worked in New Delhi, Mumbai and London, she now runs a solo enterprise in idyllic Goa, turning her passion into a sustainable entrepreneurial venture. Here she talks about the choices she made, the lifestyle changes that happened along the way, and the joys of simplifying life. Find out more in our curated conversation series, as we explore individual journeys, and deconstruct an emerging but alternate Goan lifestyle and work culture.

ALT GOA Episode 04 | ft. Hansel Vaz | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. We explore the fascinating story of Goa’s exotic local spirit Feni, and it’s significance as a part of Goan tradition, culture, history & heritage. Hansel Vaz, Founder of Cazulo Premium Feni, took us through a distillery walk and a masterclass in Feni appreciation in Goa, and  here is an excerpt of our conversation. Where he talks about making Feni fashionable and taking a bit of this truly Goan spirit out to the world. This is about his Feni journey, brand Cazulo, and how he is innovating with Feni cocktails to capture the imagination of a new set of young urban consumers. This is the story of an alternate Goan spirit.

If you are in Goa, the ‘Cazulo Premium Feni Experience Tour’ is a must-do. Hansel Vaz conducts the tour & tasting session every fortnight for a small group by appointment. To book a seat, call +91.8605008185.
Location: Fazenda Cazulo at the foothills of Cansaulim Monte, Goa
Cost: INR 2,000 per person (inclusive of food & alcohol)

ALT GOA Episode 05 | ft. Shallu Sharma | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. In this episode, we feature mosaic artist Shallu Sharma, who quit the hectic city life 7 years ago, and found the perfect setting in Goa to pursue her art and craft. This is her story about getting out of her comfort zone, working and living in Goa, and raising children in an alternate environment. Another truly alternate Goa story that reveals a new dimension about the place, it’s people and their pursuits.

ALT GOA Episode 06 | ft. Isha Anand | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. Meet Isha Anand, Founder & Curator of SPANDA Goa – an immersive festival that is an exploration of the sonic universe. She was born and raised in a family from the film industry in Mumbai. Her mother is a costume designer and an actor, and her father is an illustrious film director. But she chose her own path. Lured by the sound of music she found her calling in Goa, where she created SPANDA. Bringing together musicians, therapists and experts to explore a world of healing & well-being through music & sonic expressions. A passionate traveller and environmentalist, Isha is now deep diving into an alternate universe, studying the effect of sound and music on the human mind, body & soul. Keep discovering the other side of Goa. It’s an interesting place brimming with interesting people.

ALT GOA Episode 07 | ft. Gurpreet Sidhu | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. A conversation with Gurpreet Sidhu, Co-founder of People Tree, who has been a pioneer of sorts in her quest for an alternate lifestyle in Goa. Back in the 90’s, she started off by selling hand painted tees with funky messages at the flea markets of Goa. And that’s how People Tree was born. Starting it’s journey from Delhi, People Tree now has a popular design studio & store in Assagao, with a new studio coming up in Aldona. It’s a credible art & design collective with a strong social conscience, that is cause-led and purpose-driven. Gurpreet has been an inspiration for a generation of creative millennials along the way, building an authentic community that is powerful, yet playful. Here she speaks about living in Goa, empowering people and enriching lives through art & design.

ALT GOA Episode 08  | ft. Mudit Sibal | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. A freewheeling chat with Mudit Sibal, Tech Consultant and Owner at Cafe Dona, an earthy laid back pizzeria in Aldona village, Goa. A Lawrence School Sanawar alumni, Mudit went on to study in the US, worked in NYC, before coming back to Delhi, and then made a conscious choice to live and work out of Goa. Here he talks about his journey from NYC to Aldona, and how Goa has opened up new opportunities and influenced his current state of being.

ALT GOA Episode 09  | ft. Sonny Singh | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. LA-based architect and designer Sonny Singh came back to India to open The Cube Gallery in Moira, Goa. An avant-garde space that combines an experimental art gallery with a boutique and cafe, it has a set of Loft Residences and workspaces for Art Residency and site specific projects. Very chic. Very spiffy. The Cube Gallery has firmly placed Moira in the contemporary art world map. For Sonny personally, living in Goa is like being in paradise. Where he chooses to live an urban village life of solitude with his three children. And gets to express his vision through some cool & edgy curation at The Cube Gallery. Hear him speak his heart out.

ALT GOA Episode 10  | ft. Apurva Kothari | See Goa in a Different Light | Travel & Lifestyle | #LTDxGoa | #LTDTravels. Apurva Kothari is a man with his heart and mind in the right place. The entrepreneur founded fashion clothing brand ‘No Nasties’ in 2011, with no background in fashion or business whatsoever. It is India’s first 100% organic, sustainable, fair trade & ethical fashion brand that works directly with cotton farmers and helps improve their lives. Deeply affected by the plight of farmer suicides in India, he quit a comfortable life in the US and settled in Goa to start his social ‘for-profit’ enterprise. His brand is not just a fine example of a sustainable fashion enterprise, but is also benchmarked globally in terms of design and quality. Listen to his story. It will only strengthen your belief in the fact that if you want to see change, you got to be it.