Live life susegad

Although it might seem like one Susegad is not a selfhelp book Author Clyde DrsquoSouza who has written the title that releases today says itrsquos an account of everything he loves about Goa the state he hails from As Goans wersquove witnessed the caricaturisation of a word that is intrinsic to our identity Susegad in Konkani stems from the Portuguese word lsquosossagadorsquo or in English lsquoquietrsquo Over time the term has been addled with a new translation mdash laziness DrsquoSouza addresses this in the book too but puts the spotlight on all the goodness of the state and its people that it encapsulatesDrsquoSouza a creative director who works in Mumbai was approached by publisher Penguin Random House India to write this book DrsquoSouza dives into the history of the state before unpacking the term in depth by touching upon Goarsquos food music traditions and lifestyle and interviews with prominent Goenkars like musician Remo Fernandes artist Subodh Kerkar and heritage feni maker Hansel Vaz DrsquoSouza captures susegad as a balanced way of life with three elementsCulture The mix of the Indian Hindus and Portuguese Catholics was key to finding peaceClimate The humidity in Goa can make one sluggish in the afternoons and thatrsquos when Goans take their afternoon siesta which is where the lsquolazyrsquo label comes from ldquoWhile Goans do take their afternoon siesta itrsquos not like they donrsquot work when they are not taking their siesta Now even science tells us that an afternoon nap is beneficialrdquo DrsquoSouza saysThe book also comprises facts about Goan dishes like bebinca PicsWikimedia CommonsHabits Goans are respectful towards the environment and their habits and rituals are rooted in it mdash take the drying of Bombay Duck or lsquobombilrsquo for instance that is carried out before the arrival of the monsoon when fishermen canrsquot head into the seaKey tipsTo incorporate the susegad way of life DrsquoSouza suggests you follow the three Mrsquos meditation mindfulness and living in the moment ldquoMeditation is synonymous with sitting down breathing and chanting But it could also mean cooking your favourite dish Mundane things are meditativerdquo he explains Mindfulness he adds is to simply acknowledge a situation mdash good or bad mdash instead of dwelling on what could beTo live in the moment on the other hand is to be conscious of yourself and your environment ldquoGoans know the monsoon is coming so itrsquos time for lsquopurumenthrsquo or stocking on dried fermented salted or vinegary foodrdquo DrsquoSouza sharesClyde DrsquoSouzaWhat DrsquoSouza calls lsquoinsourcingrsquo is another nuance to susegad A lot of urban folk he believes have started outsourcing too many things contrary to what Goans do mdash like plucking their own mangoes and pickling them DrsquoSouza elucidates why this is key to achieving susegad ldquoWhat was supposed to be convenient has now become a discomfort Like first you start outsourcing your lsquojhaadu pocharsquo At the beginning it sounds good but then you start outsourcing everything mdash you lsquoUber itrsquo or lsquoZomato itrsquo Eventually wersquoll be outsourcing our lives and there wonrsquot be anything to do Doing things yourself keeps you content and you wonrsquot have time to ponder on things that make you sadrdquoDrsquoSouza says that writing this book was therapeutic for him Itrsquos an experience he hopes readers will take away with them tooWhat the Goans sayFor chefrestaurateur Meldan Drsquocunha of Bandrarsquos Soul Fry susegad is a term that only comes to life in Goa ldquoWhen I think of it I think of the good life in Goa mdash the culture heritage and the way of life associated with the old days It is all about being happy and itrsquos a philosophy I still practise in life Itrsquos about being happy and is intrinsic to Portuguese influencesrdquo he saysHaima Simoes is a social mediaconsultant who along with partner Shruti Venkatesh made history as the first samesex couple to be featured on Februaryrsquos cover of a leading fashion magazine As someone who shuttles between Mumbai and her hometown Goa she equates susegad with contentment ldquoIt means enjoying the little things life has to offer As much as I enjoy the hustle and working hard having grown up in Goa Irsquove learnt to draw boundaries mdash be it work or relationships of any nature Susegad for me means taking time out for myself enjoying a good swim at the beach on weekends taking a break whenever necessary It doesnrsquot translate to being lazy or overly laidbackrdquo she shares