Where nature meets luxury

Shailesh Gupta with friends

This is the real Goa whose rustic charm will have you at hello," said a guest, enamoured by V Escapes, the gorgeous villa in the palms, tucked away in the quiet lanes of Goa's Sangolda. In many ways, the venue personified ‘susegad', often used to describe the contented life in the beach state. The five-bedroom luxury villa, sprawled across 15,000 sq ft, draws you in instantly with its idyllic setting. The sundowner party hosted by Shailesh Gupta, director, Jagran Prakashan Ltd and Midday Infomedia Pvt Ltd, saw the creme de la creme of Goa engage in an evening of merriment.

The highlight of the do was underground musician Whosane, who played psychedelic trance music. Familiar with 18 instruments, he brought out a sitar from time to time, and mixed it up with violin. Well-known decor stylist Chanda Chaudhary said, "The original plan was to get a DJ, but Whosane's music is fresh to the ears. That's what you need for a beautiful evening like this."

Overlooking the pool, the villa stood brightly lit in fairy lights and candles. The property, designed by Alan Abraham, is a perfect blend of luxury and comfort, done in earthy tones and complemented by minimalist art on its walls. Away from the hustle and bustle of Calangute, this tropical estate is a world in itself.

Delhi socialite and artist Bina Ramani, filmmaker Ashwin Kumar, chef and restaurateur Rahul Akerkar and wife Malini, Kris Bhupathi, Anu Malhotra and Lyndon Alves were in attendance at the soiree. Culinary curator Shagun Mehra laid out a sumptuous treat, with the choicest collection of cheese, crackers, multiple variants of hummus, and babaganoush, and delectable wines. It's no surprise that the bar, curated by Diageo, was the busiest corner.

As the evening progressed, the rhythmic patter of the rain outside joined the lilting tunes of the violin and the cheery laughter of friends catching up, leaving one awash in the state of susegad.