Roar of the sea

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..