From ugly pimple to Indias pride Constantino Xavier December 18, 2011 Pblico (Portugal) http://jornal.publico.pt/noticia/18-12-2011/de-borbulha-feia-a-orgulho-da-india23637779.

htm APPROXIMATE GOOGLE TRANSLATION In 1954, Jawaharlal Nehru described the Portuguese State of India as an "ugly pimple" on the face of a proudly independent and anti-colonial India. More than 50 years later, this same bubble, squeezed with military force in 1961, is now a beauty sign on the face of a "new India" which aspires to becoming more Western, cosmopolitan and open to the world. Goa is now the Indian version of the Cote d 'Azur, an idyllic refuge from the chaos and social tensions that afflict urban Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore. For the typical Indian imagery, it represents an environmental paradise and offers a social freedom which is impossible to attain in the rest of ultra-conservative India. In addition, this is now the most developed state, also hosting one of the largest expatriate communities in the West. After the Portuguese and the hippies, it's now time for the Indians to discover Goa. Between November and February every year, the territory becomes one of the countrys cultural center, with a mixture of events such as the International Film Festival of India or the Goa Arts & Cultural Festival, attended by a mix of Bollywood stars, artists and intellectuals. Many stay on: there is no greater symbol of economic status than having a house in Goa. But the purchasing power of their rupees is not enough. The prospects of "Portuguese" and "Latin" Goa offer numerous opportunities for these Indian elites, in constant competition with each other, to distinguish themselves from the rest of India and its "British" and "American influence. Goan designers, writers and artists that until very recently were accused of not being "sufficiently Indian ", are now coveted and imitated for their exotic difference. Even the Government of India now recognizes the Lusophone Goa as a possible advantage for its economic interests in Brazil, Angola and Mozambique. India has eliminated many pimples and complexes of the past. I remember the amazement of Portuguese diplomats while, on a recent visit to Lisbon, an Indian Navy officer hailed Goa as a symbol of "fusion of the Luso-Indian values" and referred to Vasco da Gama as "the discoverer who opened our doors the world. This can only surprise those who continue to ignore that most Indians are actually proud of what Portugal has left in India. APPROXIMATE GOOGLE TRANSLATION