The narrow alleys of Chootad may not really look like the touristy streets of Goa, its simple fisher folks may not be your average ‘bead-and-beard’ hippy crowd, neither will you run into an array of souvenir shops nor ‘sea-facing restaurants’ anywhere in the vicinity. But look beyond the coquettish veil and you will discover a private piece of white sandy haven that is yet to be eroded by tourist explosions and mass recreation.
An accident find in our little drives of exploration – Chootad
is now a little secret family hide-out..a place of party, play, reverie and
rejuvenation..a small opening that leads us to the mighty ocean, endless white
sands and coconut trees.
A morning of ‘sunning’ and ‘sanding’ at Chootad is a morning
well spent..the sea roaring a baritone, the waves whirling into frothy whites
and the white sands extending it arms and almost softening into the blueness of
the skyline above..Devoid of all the trappings of a ‘polished’ tourist hub, the
sea at Chootad is a mix of raw energy
and soft humaneness, an authentic version of a beach that simply offers you the
sea, sand and sun..free elements that you can experience without splurging on
expensive ‘sea-side’ experiences and yet to be devoured by tourist crowds.
We sipped our morning tea as the salty breeze caressed our
sleepy faces, watching the fisherfolks deftly guiding their boats into the
sands…their faces beaming with innocent smiles amidst a happy display of their
morning catch – a pail of crabs and two big sting rays…!As the sun brightened
above, we waded into the waves and passed on the reins to the water that was
ready to take control. We were rocked and rolled as per the mood of the
sea..turning impatient at times, a
tantrum another and sometimes resting into a soft lazy murmur..
After an endless foray into the waters, we lay spent and
sand-strewn in the waters - the sea brute yet calm ..teaching us a lesson or
two on how little our ego and our being is – amidst its gargantuan strength..it’s
mighty roar turning us timid but yet so playful that we were but forced to join
the celebration by the sands…Little we could do as we surrendered to its might,
mood, swings and more…literally ‘going with the wave’ as we bid adieu to the roar…a
silent promise that we would be back for more..
