Author: Delma Lobo

I was born in Mapusa, the capital city of the Bardez region. I'm told that the hospital where my mother gave birth to me was situated right beside a fish market. It's a probable cause for my love of seafood. My mother hailed from Aldona and my father from Bodiem, two villages in North Goa. A narrow rivulet separated these villages a while back. Now the river is no more. When I spent my summer vacations ('50s and '60s) in either Bodiem or Aldona, a boatman ferried our family back and forth. I was baptized in the lovely St. Thomas Church in Aldona. Because of my father's work, we lived in Bombay (Mumbai now) and I lived in two locations - Mazagon (Dockyard Road) and Sandhurst Road (Umerkhadi). I attended Rosary School right across from the Dockyard Railway Station. I enjoy reading, writing, walking, watching films and cooking. I love shells, beach glass and spending time in nature. Travelling is another one of my favourite activities and provides for me a welcome perspective.
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disappearing sand – Boisar

Delma Lobo

When we were small children, our father took us on a summer vacation to a little fishing village known as Boisar. I believe it was accessible by train travel from Mumbai to Palghar and then we were taxied into the village. The original occupants of these long houses vacated them for the month of May so our family could occupy them. My father, no doubt, paid them a voluminous sum of money. He was a generous man indeed. I remember Boisar being so idyllic and beautiful. These huge sand dunes began a few feet from the edge of our house. The sand was almost white and when we reached the other side, we walked on the most beautiful beach and tried not to kick at motionless jelly fish. The neighbors would treat us all to palm toddy tapped from their own coconut palm trees. This sweet early morning sap from the trees can ferment into an intoxicating drink by the afternoon. This is when we got offered our drinks. Yum! Now, all of this was a long long time ago and things have changed. The picture you see above, depicts the story of sand thieves. The people who actually steal the sand are at the mercy of capitalizing industrialists. No doubt, Mumbai is now booming, housing needs have accelerated to the point that construction moghuls will cash in at any cost. In 2007, my sister and I sat on the beach and watched the sand thieves haul away the very sand that gave us so much pleasure on those hot summer vacations.