Shopping

Shopping in the Global Village Markets

Anjuna is the site of Goa's Wednesday market, where a nonstop trance soundtrack sets the scene and a thousand stalls sell everything from futuristic rave gear to hammocks that you can string up between two palm trees on the nearby beach. It's a wonderful place to meet people from all over the world as well as Rajasthanis, Gujaratis, Tibetans -- even drought-impoverished Karnataka farmers with "fortune-telling" cows. It's a bit like London's Camden, but everyone's tanned and the weather's almost always wonderful. Come the weekend, Goa's global residents head for either of the two Saturday Night Bazaars -- Ingoe's or Mackie's -- where most of the spending seems to involve liquor and food. Ingoe's is on a larger scale, but both dole out essentially the same ingredients of live music, eclectic cuisine, and shops galore selling semi-precious stones, paintings, books, clothes, music, and handicrafts churned out by long-term international visitors.

Perhaps the most interesting market of the lot is a local affair. Once a week, folk from villages all across Goa breeze into Mapusa for the Friday Market, where they set up large tables groaning under the weight of extraordinarily large-size vegetables, strings of home-made pork sausages, basketfuls of kokum, pickles like chepnim and miscut made out of tender mangoes, prawn balchao and Bombay duck pickles, a freshly baked assortment of Goan breads, all kinds of confectionary goodies like bebinca and dodol, guava cheese, and wines. If you have space to take home a souvenir, look for the red rooster water jug -- you'll find one in every Goan home, ostensibly to chase away spirits! When you're pooped from shopping, drop into Café Xaviers (opposite the banana section), which sells refreshingly cold coffee shakes and delicious Goan sausage with poee (flat Goan bread). Another reason to come is the interesting Other India Bookstore (next to New Mapusa Clinic; tel. 0832/226-3306; www.otherindiabookstore.com), which stocks up on academic books related to issues like the environment, agriculture, and spirituality.

North of Panjim

Besides the vibrant markets, Calangute has a variety of options worth checking out. Casa Goa is a stylish boutique featuring designer wear by celebrated Goan designers Wendell Rodricks, Rajesh Pratap Singh, and Brigitte Singh as well as local artwork, silk drapes, restored furniture, a variety of antiques, and prints of Mario Miranda's cartoons (Cobra Vaddo, Calangute Rd.; tel. 0832/228-1048). Then take a look at Leela Art Palace nearby; with any luck, proprietor Ravi will be in. You might find yourself agreeing to accompany him on an exotic journey into some of the country's remotest regions, where he regularly treks to source tribal art. Also in Calangute, Subodh Kerkar Art Gallery, run by Goa's well-known watercolorist, showcases contemporary Indian art including ceramics, hand-painted chests, and Rajasthani sculptures (Gauro Vaddo; tel. 0832/227-6017). Each Tuesday (6:45-8pm; Rs 300/$7.30/£3.70), an interesting classical dance and music performance is held at the gallery.

Located in a 200-year-old Portuguese mansion, Sangolda is the lifestyle boutique venture by the dynamic duo behind the boutique hotel Nilaya Hermitage; here you can shop for unusual home accessories and furniture sourced from all over India -- from Keralan rattan loungers to Rajasthani chests. Attached is a gallery-cum-coffee-shop (Chogm Rd., Sangolda; tel. 0832/240-9309 or -9310). Also in Sangolda is Monsoon Heritage, a contemporary design studio created by internationally renowned designers Yahel Chirinian and Doris Zacheres (selected as one of the 23 most happening designers in the world by UrbanO magazine), who pair huge discarded tropical trees with mirrors and glass to create exclusive design pieces for the (very) rich and famous. You'll find their showrooms in Paris and Santa Monica, but their main base (and inspiration) is Goa (276/1 Livrament Vaddo, Sangolda; tel. 0832/240-9800; www.monsoonheritage.com). Another unique duo is Sonja Weder and Thomas Schnider, who use eco-friendly materials as much as possible and create some very striking articles ranging from furniture to lotus-leaf lazy Susans and a whole range of wall objects and gorgeous lamp shades -- all of it available at Soto Decor (Sotohaus, 1266/f, Anna Vaddo, Candolim; tel. 98-2298-3321; www.sotodecor.com). Nearby is a fun boutique called Happily Unmarried (tel. 93-2512-2150), where you can pick humorous knickknacks -- strictly for singles.

For authentic Goan souvenirs, proceed to Velha Goa Galleria (tel. 0832/242-6628) in Fountainhas, Panjim, for azulejos, attractive Portuguese-style hand-painted tiles and ceramics. They are happy to pack these delicate items carefully so that they survive the journey home. Also in Panjim, the government-run Craft Complex (tel. 0832/222-6448) stocks basic handicrafts from all over Goa. If by the end of your stay you're sufficiently hooked on Portuguese-Goan music, head for Rock & Raga (June Rd., in Rizvi Tower; tel. 0832/564-3320), which has a good selection of local bands.

Fashionistas will be pleased with the Wendell Rodricks Design Space in Altinho, Panjim (tel. 0832/223-8177). Wendell believes in affordable designer wear, and his store has everything from evening gowns to casual wear. Then there's Sosa's, a trendy fashion store stocking couture by Goan designer Savio Jon as well as other young and rising designers (E-245 Rua de Ourem; tel. 0832/222-8063). Not far from Panjim on Ribander Road, Camelot (tel. 0832/244-4503; closed Apr-Sept) is an über-chic store housed in an old villa on the Mandovi River. Surrounded by walls painted gold, fuchsia, and royal blue, you can shop for designer clothing as well as exquisite silks, objets d'art, linen, and furniture.

If you don't have time to tour any heritage homes, drop in at the Calizz museum (Bammon Vaddo, Candolim; tel. 93-2610-0013; www.calizz.com). Curators here have made an extremely impressive attempt to trace the evolution of and re-create traditional Goan homes. Each house is filled with intriguing artifacts and antiques, kitchen utensils, maps, paintings, medical paraphernalia, spectacle frames, jars, bottles, and what-have-you -- some of it several hundred years old, and painstakingly collected over the years by Laxmikant Kudchadkar. You can also see the differences in Goan-Portuguese and Hindu styles of architecture and enjoy a taste of traditional cuisine. The guided tour ends with a rather bizarre 3D display of Hindu gods and mythologies -- perhaps the only sore point in this grand affair.

Finally, for the book hungry, Broadway in Panjim (18 June Rd.) has a good selection, but it's Literatti (E/1-282, Gaura Vaddo, Calangute; tel. 0832/227-7740; www.literati-goa.com) that has the atmosphere. You can sit for hours in the terrific book cafe and read or browse or buy secondhand as well as newly published works, while at the same time enjoying a delicious brownie or a tall glass of chilled kokum (fruit drink). Ask owner Divya Kapur about any upcoming events like poetry or book readings and writing workshops.