Prutha Goa

Author Jessica Faleiro ’s maiden novel, Afterlife: Ghost Stories from Goa , was published in 2012. She remembers suppressing her latent talent as a writer for as long as she was a student and untill she had graduated in Environmental Policy as an environmental scientist. She worked in research and policy and as a lobbyist before engaging her desire to write as a hobby. Soon it became evident that writing was an intrinsic part of her being and she says, ‘I’m happiest when filling a blank page with words, and creating stories and poems generated by something deep within myself. …at some level within myself I did always want to be a writer.’ Born in Goa and brought up in Kuwait, Jessica is a globetrotter of sorts having lived in Goa, Mumbai, Miami, Paris and London, and travelled to Afghanistan, Haiti, the Philippines and other countries for work. Her many travels have naturally given her the impetus to write travel features. She also writes essays, poems and articles which have appeared

Imagine being lulled into a state of tranquillity at the sound of drum beats. This is a condition identical to that of a baby within its mother’s womb, being granted the solace of protection with the regular beat of its mother’s heart. This would be an ideal situation to remedy the ravages of modern stressors and the emotional wear and tear of daily life. A drum circle provides that nectar of life to revive mind and spirit of many an individual weathering a tumultuous life. A drum circle is one of many forms of music therapy. The idea arose from ancient cultures that used drumming in various rituals including those celebrating harvests, marriage and manhood. African culture has been prominent in inspiring the concept of drum circles, stirred by the love of music among the numerous tribes. Music and beats are part of their daily routine – be it walking, hunting, farming, etc. The Djembe, a percussion instrument typically used in a drum circle is also referred to as an African Conga. Mic

By Maya Lin Noronha 'Don’t tell me you’re going to college dressed like this.’ ‘Yes! Why?’ 'There is no way you are stepping out of this house wearing such a cleavage revealing top!’ 'What’s wrong with it?! All my friends dress like this. Stop being so old fashioned!’ 'I don’t care about how everybody else dresses up. You are my child and you will dress modestly. Go and change right now!!’ 'Just because you dress like a relic from the Dark Ages, don’t expect me to follow suit!’ A conversation like this is enough to suggest the presence of a teenager in the home. You can blame it on the turmoil of hormones, peer pressure or anything else but the adolescent years spell a period of emotional tumult and chaos for both parents as well as teenagers. Theirs is a different world and unravelling the mystery of adolescent angst poses a mighty challenge to most parents. Stepping in tune with your resident teen can be the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest. In the 21st Century