Hippies in Goa

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HIPPIE IN GOA

The alternative way of life inspired by ideas of the peace, love and travel, hippies have deep impact on world culture. Goa is the one of the few places where old hippies continue to live and collect the sunshine.
The first hippies arrived to Goa at the end of the 60th of the last century and stayed for a long time on the beaches of Anjuna, Vagator and Baga that have fascinated them. Goa attracted young people with the cultural isolation, beauty of the tropical nature and the atmosphere of spirituality reigning there. They felt free, released from fetters of conservative morals of old Europe.
At first the hippie tourism in Goa was limited to several groups of the young people playing music and smoking a pot round the fire on a beach. The population of Goa remained if not indifferent, then slightly curious to “naked white golden-haired people on a beach”, according to an old Goan from Vagator.
The meetings and the parties arranged by the growing mass of arriving hippies began to attract young audience from all over the world. In the 80th instead of a simple fire came huge full moon parties, instead of psychedelic rock — electronic music, and instead of hashish — opium and heroin from North India. With it began the problems: the number of addicts and fatal cases from overdose began to increase. Goa gets the world fame as paradise for addicts and admirers of techno music. Then the protest movement of the Goan families followed, anxious about safety of the children. The authorities had to take measures and to forbid the strong music outdoors and any noise after 10 o'clock in the evening.
But simultaneously another transformation was progressing. The hippie was fated to give a powerful stimulus to development of the tourist industry in Goa. In 1971 in Goa the first luxury hotel was built. The western coast of India gradually starts to acquire characteristics of the large sea resort. From the 90th direct charters from Europe become more frequent, paving the way for mass budgetary tourism.
The hippies who have got used to nakedness had to put on. Today many of them continue to live in Goa and often gather with friends to share nostalgic memories of romanticism irretrievable passed 60th.

Comments

  1. Brian Chambers3 March 2020 at 15:33

    I did the trip with my Mum and dad and 4 younger sisters in 1971. I was 9 yrs old. climbed budda of bamyan, seen camel throat slit in Bamyan street, went to Ban Der Mer, slept in VW combi minus 15 deg, we were about the 3rd last car through Paki India border before the war started, we stayed at military compond in Agra and were attacked by paki jets, rocket hit where I was standing just minute after my Dad told me to come inside house, went to Goa and camped at Baga beach just down from the monastery where hippies hung out, there are only ruins there now. Loved the trip. Goa was the last place my family was altogether and happy.

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