Goa's beaches bear the brunt of unchecked weekend tourism

TRANSFIGURED

Goa's beaches wear a different look as the long holiday weekend has brought a tourism tide, transforming the familiar into a shoddy spectacle as the one seen in this picture.

CHANGING PROFILE

This time, the profile of tourists is different. They are mostly domestic tourists with little sense of dress code on the beach. And so, it was not out-of-place to see saree-clad women venturing into the sea.

THE HEALING TOUCH

Goa's allure is such that it deters no one. Everyone wants to feel its healing touch - the shifting sand under their feet as waves recede from the shoreline.

TRAMPLED & DEFILED

Some of the beaches are overrun by hordes of humanity. Here is a beach with crowd similar to overcrowded Ganges in Rishikesh. Some of the men clad in their obnoxious vests trampled the very essence of the State's tourism ethos.

IN CONTRAST

While the local women of Goa embrace the State's beach vibe, the incongruous presence of tourists cloaked in burqas created a stark, unsettling contrast.

HYPNOTIC CHARM

The ubiquitous "I love Goa" white t-shirts with scarlet heart icon, worn by most tourists, is nod to Goa's hypnotic charm. This coastal paradise is like magnet drawing everyone to it.

INFUSED WITH GAIETY

Goa's beaches throbbed with electric energy as the salty sea breeze gently blew through the tourist crowd, infusing them with gaiety.

DISGRACE

Then, there were some tourists, who in blatant disregard to rules, consumed alcohol on the beach, and even get away with it. There was no one to check them.

SHOWING DEFIANCE

The fluttering red flag, spelling danger, on many beaches did not dissuade the weekenders. Lit with a spirit of adventure, they courted danger as they spilled into every nook and crevice of the beach.

NEXT: Dirty pic: Weekend tourists greeted by filth on Miramar beach