Food For Thought: TOI Goa reporters take a break from their hectic routine to venture into the hinterlands of Goa for some good food and fun.

#SOUTHWESTMONSOON The total seasonal rainfall recorded stands at 4,400.7 mm with a surplus of 46.7 percent. The normal rainfall for Goa is 2,999.4 mm. The southwest monsoon withdrew from Goa on Oct 15. #TOIGoaNews

Brand Goa is on borrowed life. There has been a lot of chatter over social media about #Goa and its #tourism viability. Most of it is true, some of it is false. Like the data. But what comes through when we spoke to govt officials, stakeholders and travellers is complete apathy.

LOST #CHILDHOOD A young girl takes a breather while working at a road expansion site with her parents, who are daily wage labourers, at Siolim in North #Goa. November 14 is celebrated as Children’s Day. #TOIGoaNews

#DRAMATIC #SKIES Dark #unseasonal #rain #clouds gather over St Peter’s Church at Sao Pedro, which is lit up by fading sun rays as a sudden downpour lashed Old Goa, Panaji and many parts of the state. #TOIGoaNews

The #casket of St Francis Xavier’s #relics emerges from the #BasilicaofBomJesus. Thousands of #pilgrims from all walks of life descended on #OldGoa on Thursday to witness the opening of the decennial #Exposition of the relics of #StFrancisXavier. #TOIGoaNews

SPELL-BOUND SKYWARD #Unseasonal #rain #clouds hovering over Taleigao led to a #vibrant #sky on Friday evening. Many parts of #Goa received unseasonal showers on Friday. #TOIGoaNews

With love from Hampi. Had an excellent trip with Rajesh Menon Rajtilak Naik Rakesh Mundye Sidharth Bhardwaj Now driving home. Back at work tomorrow.

A GREEN HOPE An installation of a ‘green 2025’ on the devastated stretch of mangrove forest along NH66 at Merces extends a hope that Goa will once again regain and retain its green cover, which is fast depleting on account of massive land conversion and development. #TOIGoaNews

HIGH ON IRRESPONSIBILITY Despite #police deployment for the peak #holiday rush, #tourists drink #alcohol publicly at #Calangute beach. #TOIGoaNews

THE #FAITH FACTOR Residents of Mulgao celebrated #Mahashivratri for the first time at the centuries-old Ramnath site where villagers recently found a laterite pillar structure-a small shrine with Shivlinga and Nandi. The site lies close to the Mulgao #mining corridor. #TOIGoaNews

#ANXIETY AT A ‘WALL’ TIME HIGH Anxious #parents of Class X students waiting outside an #examination centre at Cujira as Goa board-affiliated schools began their public exams on Saturday. A total of 18,871 students are appearing across 32 centres. #TOIGoaNews

BONDS THAT WITHSTAND TIME The maulvi of the Surla-Tar mosque prays for the well-being of Hindus as they are welcomed to the historic shrine in Bicholim taluka. #Muslims and #Hindus jointly seek blessings of Hazrat Pir Saheb and village deity Lord Siddeshwar. #TOIGoaNews

COMPLETED WITH #FLYING #COLOURS Workers repair the new #Mandovibridge within the protective cover of #safetynets. Painting of the crucial link to Panaji now stands completed. The bridge will be closed for maintenance till April 5. #TOIGoaNews

#Procession of #Saints at Goa Velha. Statues of 31 saints of the Franciscan order are taken around the village in a procession on the fifth Monday of #Lent. The procession is unique to the state and takes place only in Goa and Rome. #TOIGoaNews

#BHAJACAVES An ancient #Buddhist #heritage site dating back to the 2nd century BC, Bhaja #caves are the oldest caves in western India with 22 #rockcut caves. Bhaja caves are the classic example of Buddhist #architecture in #India.

#Mining activity picks pace at #Mulgao, in #Bicholim taluka. This was the first mineral block to start operations after the halt in mining activities in 2018. Only two of the 12 mines auctioned since 2022 have started operations. #TOIGoaNews

#REMEMBERING THE #SACRIFICE A large number of people participated in the #GoodFriday service at Se Cathedral in Old Goa on Friday. Archbishop of #Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao led the service. #TOIGoaNews

#UNSEASONAL #HUES Unseasonal #rain #clouds hover over Taleigao on Thursday evening as #Goa received light pre-monsoon rain. #TOIGoaNews

A LONG WALK BACK HOME: Dr. Rudresh Kuttikar returns to his department at GMC after his colleague doctors called off the protest at Bambolim on Tuesday. #TOIGoaNews epaper.indiatimes.com/article-share?…