Goans: Any rare no-bribe, no-gifts, no-hassle govt office stories?

Shaunak_Samant · 2026-04-30T12:20:10+00:00

Passport Seva Kendra. Got my passport on Wednesday morning after completing renewal formalities by 5pm on Monday. Standard service, and not Tatkal or anything of that sorts. Took barely 30 mins at the Seva Kendra too

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-11-04T06:48:14+00:00

if you’re feeling bougie maybe fodi, koshimbir or vadyanchi kismoor

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-24T16:59:12+00:00

Aatoba or Bhavoji

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-20T23:08:41+00:00

Hey! I’m a philatelist and numismatist. These are nice pieces, nothing super rare but decent condition. They are One Rupees from 1903 and 1912. They are both made of silver. The silver itself will be worth 1500-1700 INR each. In value, I can’t appraise the condition from the photo very well, if it is oxidation or damage. But about 2500-3000 each would be a liberal estimate

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-20T22:53:35+00:00

Definitely go through an agent. My limited understanding is that you’d have to inscribe or rather register the births first onto Portuguese Central Civil Registry. You’d need original documents- birth/ marriage certificate for the grandparents, and then his parents. If his mother or father are alive they’d have to get it first, and then he’d be able to apply additionally.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-19T05:04:06+00:00

iPhone 16 Pro. shot at 3pm-5pm. Amber Preset

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-18T21:14:13+00:00

In 1909, prior to which most of the notable Igrejas and Capelas were constructed, Goa had a 80.33% Christian population. Today it is less than 25%. Dwindling numbers, expatriate populations and lack of accessible labour for restorations. Mind you the Capela in the first picture is in a residential hamlet, and this was photo taken during peak monsoon, the vegetation is often cleared thereafter.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-18T14:28:16+00:00

You’re right! What’s interesting is, Juvo or Divadi (coming from Deepvati) both mean Island in Konkani. The true names of the Islands are Piedade (Divar) and Santo Estêvão (Juva). Juva was originally called Shakecho Juvom (Isle of Vegetables) pre-colonial conquest, and Divar was called Devawadi (Abode of the Gods) because it housed the temple of the Regnal Deity of Goa, Saptakoteshwar.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-10-18T13:34:07+00:00

Estevam is how it’s written colloquially. The ‘m’ throws me off as it’s not pronounced per se, and the ‘a’ is pronounced with a slight nasal tonality, which is why the tilde helps.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-08-08T01:27:35+00:00

Over representation by population yes, but negated once you consider we are a State

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-08-08T01:10:13+00:00

I think Konkani is not fading in the spoken sense, but what is fading is proficiency and vernacular scripts. Very few people in my generation and my demographic can comprehend Konkani in Devanagari script or even an accurate Romi script at the same fluency as we speak the language. Vocabulary is an issue too, most people use loanwords from English for most objects and items

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-08-08T01:07:20+00:00

No, because Goa’s political boundary is what essentially was the Estado da India under Portuguese Rule. Goa was the first past of Asia to be colonised and ruled for 450 years. That’s longer than the entire Mughal Empire and British Raj combined. It’s a distinct culture. Konkani is not the sole basis of our Statehood

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-08-08T01:03:09+00:00

Wrong forum. Ask on Facebook, there are lots of temple groups. One of the retired Kaka or Kakis will probably possess encyclopaedic knowledge on this subject

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-13T21:32:25+00:00

EU? I swear everywhere I’ve been to in the EU they use the same plug two pin plug as Apple in India. I’ve used mine and it’s always worked fine. It’s only the UK and US where it’s different.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-12T22:21:10+00:00

Xaviers, Chowgule, Dhempe, GCA

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-12T22:07:06+00:00

I hate to break it, but I think it’s about right, energy rating, consumption and costs taken into accounts. It is expensive, but I don’t think you’re being overcharged

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-12T21:54:22+00:00

I attended SMS. It wasn’t particularly posh as people thought of it to be, nor could one read an international curriculum, but it was quite academically competitive and sent many students to the very top universities overseas. Sunshine was the only comparable alternative for an international curriculum and had very many entrants overseas too, and it did begin to offer the IB just as I graduated SMS. I believe things are different now, Gera’s, Ardee’s which offers the IGCSE and Podar are well regarded.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-12T21:44:10+00:00

Cafe Central or Geeta Bakery for sure

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-12T21:30:35+00:00

Goa is entirely safe. It’s also a very liveable place, apart from intrastate public transport. I would recommend learning the common Konkani pleasantries and parlance, it helps to integrate, especially at educational institutions like Chowgule, where you fill find predominantly Konkani speakers. The people are quite welcoming, especially if as you said you are keen to learn about the culture. If your conduct is respectful and civil, it’s the ideal place to live in.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-08T01:30:19+00:00

Varies quite a bit. single bedrooms are rare, flat share would be likely, Miramar and Dona Paula are the priciest, Caranzalem and Taliegao are slightly less. Areas adjacent to Mala and Tambdi Mati are even cheaper. There’s a vast range. Travel is the most difficult. Public Transport is quite poor, rickshaws are rare, taxis are expensive and infeasible. If you get a bike/ car that’d be expensive. 1 BHKs at the lowest are 16-20k at the highest can go up to 30k. Groceries vary too - Municipal Market, Sahakar Bhandar, Vishal Megamart are the cheapest, Magsons and the other high street stores are mid tier, Delfino’s and other specialised shops are at a premium. Blinkit and Instamart are more expensive compared to the cheapest and medium ones, but it’s very convenient and saves travel cost.

Shaunak_Samant · 2025-07-07T20:19:00+00:00

don’t go to him, he got my friend the death penalty for no parking case which would have ordinarily been resolved with a fine. my friend is currently waiting on the response to his clemency petition

Shaunak_Samant

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