καιρός remembered

Anjuna beach cafe

Anjuna may not be the most beautiful beach in Goa, but this beach café certainly lives up to Goa’s reputation. The rather busy ‘interior’ of the open bamboo structure exudes an atmosphere of total relaxation at the same time. The whole scene is a bustling but very pleasant one. We could think of it as a photo puzzle and ask: how many people – in whole or in part – can we see here? The answer is: 9, or 11, if we count the people on the poster as well.

What strikes me most is the monumental statue of the ‘lingam and yoni’ at the centre of the scene. We recognise it as an object of Shiva worship in the thousands of temples, shrines and open-air stone monuments dedicated to him throughout India. But we wouldn’t necessarily expect to see it here in this café. Although, actually, it doesn’t look entirely out of place here. The stone sculpture depicts Shiva and his consort Parvati in sexual union, as the phallus (lingam) and the vagina (yoni). It symbolises the ultimate celebration of life; Shiva and Parvati as an example to all people. So yes, why not here, in this sensual beachside café in Goa?

Photo of the week: Anjuna beach, Goa, India 2012