How many of us know that neighbouring Burma had a sizable population of Goans? As a matter of fact, how many of my fellow ganv bhoins and bhaus know that there are many families in Don Vaddo today who are returnees from Burma? Yvonne Vaz and her cousins share this history. It is a rich history; a story of suffering and of human tragedy. But it needs to be told. And, it needs quiet, patient, sympathetic listeners.

A well-researched, rock-solid documentation written by a writer who knows his ammo. For anyone interested in Goan history, culture, social life, architecture, cuisine, stories from Goa and stories about Goa, I suggest you read the Political Timeline carefully. It is a summary of the history of Goa and helps us understand the backdrop against which all the action that happened prior to and in 1961.

When I first came to Goa I would visit the churches in Old Goa, like everyone else. On every visit to the Sé Cathedral, apart from the...

When I first came to live in the house in Saligão, I was warned never to raise the height of the compound wall to more than 3 feet. “Our...