The demise of a tranquil Goa is upon us. Burgeoning real estate notwithstanding, the older, simpler and sussegado Goa, where families brandished their legacy in tiny holes-in-the-wall with pride and “grounded” flavour, has been replaced by larger spaces that leave little room for tradition to flourish. From an era when the shack was where fisherfolk served Goan staples, entrenched in the Goan way of life, with xit kodi and tarley freshly made, comes a volley of swanked up, deck propped, and installation heavy avatars that admittedly look chic (might) offer gourmet, yet have shed simplicity and tradition – or just turned darshini/dhaba - not Goan by a far stretch. The longing for the Goa of old eludes us as tourism encroaches on the thin pockets of locals and instead turns metropolis, lacking soul.