Not many know Goa has two reknowed institute which studies the polar and ocean world. One is CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography which has it's headquarter in Dona Paula Goa, located by the Dona Paula Beach and the other is National Center for Polar and Ocean Research located by the headland with the majestic views of the Arabian Sea.
I have worked and researched at both the places for my projects.
I came Goa in March and I was about to leave Pune the day lockdown was announced and I had to cancel my bus tickets to Pune and continue my stay at the institute where I was residing.
Since my hometown is in Pune and cases were increasing, I continued to stay the entire lockdown period in Goa.
I have been previously to Goa for projects and study of my ocean related studies but I got to stay the whole entire summer to monsoon in Goa which is so damn beautiful.
My campus had a quarter for researchers residing and fortunately I received a whole cottage to stay and the campus had an ocean facing view as it is located on the headland.
I would workout in the morning , meditate by the ocean and in the evening watch the pristine sunset and at night post dinner with my fellow researchers and seniors we would watch the stars and we even saw geminid meteor shower and the sky glittering over the sea on full moon night.
I would go about my day errands from cooking cleaning and working on my research thesis on Antarctic go about with this routine of working out and meditating by the sea to walking in evening and watch the sunsets and at night spot the constellation of stars. When I would video call my friends they would be jealous of me locked by the sea and they being frustrated landlocked working from home.
But truly I was blessed to be in my entire lockdown by the sea and live the dream goan life.
Goa is not just of beaches, it has forests, green meadows some hidden vistas which brings an avenue to heavenly world.
Monsoon is worth relishing, you spot many peacocks in the field dancing and even watch bioluminescence in the sea late evening and at night.
The entire experience of me being locked by the sea is something I will relish for the whole lifetime and today when I am locked back again in the concrete jungle of Pune ...I feel the unrest of how fast paced life we lead with no nature and just stress.
