The Portuguese may have left after more than four centuries of colonial rule, but Goa today finds itself under a different and more insidious form of occupation. Economic colonialism—driven by outsiders armed with massive purchasing power, political patronage, and cultural indifference—began to displace local communities, monopolize resources, and constantly reshape the state’s identity. At stake is not just land or livelihood, but the very idea of Goa.
It is against this background that Appetite, a new anthology of short stories, essays and poems, is set. Desperate to see their homeland turned into a commodity, Goans continue to push back, seeking authentic sovereignty over land, ecology and culture that prioritizes community over commerce. This collection, edited by Shivranjana Rathore and Tino De Sa, attempts to capture this struggle by looking beyond postcard tourism and sun-drenched clichés to reveal a more complex, troubled Goa.
Built around the central metaphor of appetite, the book collects the work of members of The Goa Writers – those who live or have lived in Goa. Appetite here is not limited to hunger or consumption; as one story suggests, it also means to seek, to reach, to beg. It becomes a way to connect with a place in constant flux, prompting debates about belonging, settlement and identity.
Diverse narrative
The fiction section is rooted in the local environment. Clyde D’Souza’s opening story, ‘Sorpotel’, is a darkly comic yet disturbing portrait of simmering sibling rivalry. What begins as a social gathering over beer and sorbotel (a Goan pork delicacy) turns into something terrible.
Michelle Mendonca Bambawale’s film “The Real Housewives of Assagao” lampoons entitled returnees: women who live in Delhi or abroad, who descended on their second home in Goa to promote fashion, travel and local government, oblivious to the lives around them.
Soil inevitably emerges as an ongoing problem. Pamela D’Mello’s ‘A Morning with God’ examines the misuse of the Mundkar Act – legislation originally intended to protect tenants and farmers but often used as weapons to facilitate land grabbing.
One of the quiet triumphs of the anthology is ‘The Cream of the Milk’ by renowned Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo, the only translated piece in the book. Tender and humane, it reminds readers of the centrality of Konkani to Goan identity and the importance of translation. One wishes there were more such inclusions to deepen the linguistic authenticity of the anthology.
Meghana Karanjkar’s ‘Paying Guest’ is a chilling departure in tone, a grim look at the dark side of Goa’s idyllic image where unsuspecting migrants are duped.
The poetry section feels like a welcome interlude between the narratives. The six poems range from political turmoil to intimate praise of a lover and her mother to a loving nod to Vikram Seth’s Golden Gate.
Sip it like a bitch
The essays provide the anthology’s most expansive musings, exploring Go’s past and present through appetites, writing, love, hobbies, and even hate. Victor Rangel-Ribeiro’s “Apetite for the Writing Life, Without End” is an honest and inspiring introduction that traces the century-old writer’s lifelong dedication to the craft. Next is ‘An Appetite for Memories’ by Heta Pandit, evoking food as an archive of personal and cultural history.
Alisha D’Souza’s straightforward essay on matchmaking and marriage in Goa is laced with tongue-in-cheek humour, while Pragya Bhagat offers a comical take on dating apps and modern romance. Frederick Noronha tackles the enduring taboo in ‘Why is sex a four-letter word in India?’
One of the more revealing essays is Edith Noronha Melo Furtado’s “Craving for the Chic,” which explores France’s largely forgotten cultural influence on Goa—an influence that disappeared after liberation. Mehru Jaffer’s “Such a Hunger for Hate” strikes a darker, political note, lamenting how intolerance and violence are eroding the country’s moral core.
Amidst the debate between insiders and outsiders, Seema Mustafa offers a pragmatic appeal in ‘The Wannabe Colonizers or Some Such’ – that newcomers must learn the language, respect social norms and embrace the Goan way of life.
The anthology closes with Hune Margulies’s reflective “Meditation on the Appetite for Goa,” a fitting finale that revisits migration, identity, and authenticity, asking questions about what really constitutes Goan culture.
Appetite is a fresh but layered read; creative, lively and attentive to the present moment with new perspectives on Goa. At a time when India is grappling with issues like identity and culture changes, the anthology is timely. Like Goa’s beloved feni, it demands to be savored slowly, not consumed hastily and greedily.
The reviewer is a freelance journalist from Bengaluru.
Appetite: New Writing from Goa
Ed. Shivranjana Rathore & Tino De Sa
Ebury Press
₹499
Published – 13 March 2026 06:15 IST
