The Name Game

Indian cities often use two names. Many locals call Mumbai Bombay; we caught a bus in Kochi/Cochin to Bangalore/Bangaluru; and our second stop in India was to the Goan city of Panaji/Panjim. These changes often reflect a break with a colonial past, but not always, and political correctness doesn't seem to be of much import. So I'll be referring to our destinations by the spelling or pronunciation I can handle best.


Panjim is the sleepy remnant of Goa's colonial trading hub. Portuguese is the language of choice for street signs, restaurants, and even some locals. The city's main square is dominated by a church rather than a temple. The High Court of Goa was housed in a the best preserved example of the cities colonial architecture.


Panjim was also home to Aaron's first galub jamun. A dense, sphere of fried dough, in this case immersed in rabdi, a steaming mix of rice pudding and pistachios.

xoxo Jessie