Ramnathi, Goa: On every trip to India, we first visit our ancestral Ramnathi Temple in Ponda, Goa. On the cab ride from the train station, you are taken-in by the lush fields rimmed by coconut trees swaying in the breeze, beautiful bungalows on either side of the road, with folks just hanging out on the porch watching life go by, and cows grazing in the fields. And every time I think to myself, “I could live this life. I just need a small house, over there by the fields.”

We usually spend a few days at the temple guest house (Rs 40/night; approx $1/night) before moving on south along the Konkani coast. Smack across the temple was this beautiful rice field. I couldn't avoid the trees without actually getting into the field, so I tried framing the field with the trees. Enjoy! or as they say in Goa, Devu baren karo!

August 2002, Canon Elan II, 28-135 IS, 200 ASA Velvia Slide, scanned and exposure adjusted

Posts Related to Ramnathi and other temples in Goa:

• Visiting Ramnathi, 2009
• Ramnathi Devasthan, A Konkani Temple, 2005
• Dassara: Celebrating Devi’s Grace
• Flower sellers at the Ramnathi Devasthan
• Goa Snippets, 2004
• Chai Time 2 (at Ramnathi)
• Chat Time (at Ramnathi)
• Mangeshi Devasthan
• Mahalakshmi Devasthan
• Sacred Places: Avalanche of Christian Aid in India