From dangerous stunts on palm tree-lined streets to the colourful colonial era wards of Panjim, the race and desire, especially by tourists, to get the perfect photograph, reel or video to upload on social media sites is encroaching on the privacy of Goans.
Earlier this month, I drove through Fontainhas, a heritage ward of Panjim, at 9 am and there were two groups of tourists on the streets shooting for photographs and videos.
I thought it was an early hour for this, but I was wrong, for a couple of days later, I had to go to Fontainhas at 7 am, and there was already a group of tourists doing the same.
I wonder if I were to go there an hour earlier if there would already be tourists doing the same.
This week, at around noon, there were tourists – domestic and foreign – milling all over the place, slowing down the flow of vehicles in their quest for the perfect shot and, in the midst of it all, a pre-wedding photoshoot in progress.
You got it right, it is not just the tourists, but local Goans, too, who want a little bit of the heritage area for their memories.
This week, at around noon, there were tourists – domestic and foreign – milling all over the place, slowing down the flow of vehicles in their quest for the perfect shot and, in the midst of it all, a pre-wedding photoshoot in progress.
Like a magnet, Fontainhas and Sao Tome attract all kinds of tourists who come with digital cameras in hand or their smart phones and iPhones that capture perfect pictures. What these two wards offer is an ambience different from what others do, and incomparable with other cities.
Here you have narrow lanes, vibrantly-coloured houses, a vista that takes you back to the past, heritage value that makes the backdrops enviable and, when posted on social media sites, also sends more tourists hurrying to get a picture of the same.
Just run a search for #fontainhas on some social media sites, and you have thousands of pictures of the ward, well of people posing in the middle of the road or against doorways or windows of buildings in the ward.
What you have happening in the wards of Fontainhas and Sao Tome, during the daylight hours are groups of tourists alighting from four-wheelers that have been haphazardly parked, careening through the lanes on their rent-a-bikes, all walking along the lanes scanning the area for the perfect spot for a picture.
If there is already somebody posing at that spot, they wait, it’s like a queue system that does not need supervision.
If there is already somebody posing at that spot, they wait, it’s like a queue system that does not need supervision.
It doesn’t matter that there are boards stating no photography on most of the buildings in the wards. It doesn’t matter that there are Goa Tourism Boards cautioning tourists of disturbing the residents.
It doesn’t matter that, in their quest for that perfect social media moment, they are inconveniencing commuters on the street. It doesn’t matter that from the upper storeys, residents are frowning in distaste at the antics taking place against the walls of their homes.
The residents of the wards have reason to complain, and have lots of complaints, ranging from people seated on their vehicles, on their doorsteps, placing their feet against the walls and leaving dirty footprints, congesting the streets.
Surely this is not acceptable, and the least one expects is proper behaviour from the tourists, they are, all things considered, guests and should not abuse their welcome.
Surely this is not acceptable, and the least one expects is proper behaviour from the tourists, they are, all things considered, guests and should not abuse their welcome.
While Goa welcomes tourists and has always been the good host, the visitors should also reciprocate by not overstepping the boundaries. And here, the boundaries are not disturbing the peace of the residents of the heritage areas of Fontainhas and Sao Tome.
Not only are they disturbing the peace of the people, but encroaching upon the privacy of the residents and that is not acceptable.
Even passersby are not safe. Walk on these streets and you are likely to have a camera pointing at you as there will be somebody on the other side of the road posing for a picture.
Imagine, therefore, the residents of the area who have this happening to them all through the day.
Mere boards cautioning the tourists of respecting the residents and avoiding photography is not working.
There has to be a stronger deterrent for clearly the current mild suggestions have not had any effect as the photography and videography continue.
The local authority, which is the Corporation of the City of Panaji, has to impress upon the government that the residents and business establishments of the area should not suffer just because the tourists want the perfect picture or video.