Daman Blog

Aug 10, Meet Noel Gama of Discover-Daman

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:49:57 GMT

Author and web copywriter, Noel Gama speaks about his passion for Indo-Portuguese culture

Feb 6, World Daman Day 2008

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:54:00 GMT

A report on the biggest global party of Damanenses celebrating World Daman Day 2008

Feb 6, World Daman Day 2010

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:50:44 GMT

Press Release! World Daman Day 2010 is your ticket to the biggest worldwide party of lovers of Daman (Damao), a former Portuguese enclave on the western shores of India...

Feb 6, Viva Damao! World Daman Day Celebrations

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:48:54 GMT

20th August... the biggest worldwide celebration of Damao's unique Indo-Portuguese culture by people of Damanense origins.

Feb 6, Why Daman... Budget Travel is not the only reason!

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:36:14 GMT

Daman is your budget travel ticket to a former Portuguese enclave - a sleepy, yet bustling, town soaking up the sun on the western shores of India.

Jan 11, Portuguese language classes in Daman

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:30:39 GMT

Happy to inform that I received a letter from the ambassador of Portugal acknowledging the receipt of my book, "Culture Wise India," and promising all help in starting a Portuguese language course in Daman!

Jan 11, World Daman Day 2010 announced!

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:30:39 GMT

The 3rd World Daman Day is being celebrated on the 20th of August 2010 worldwide but of note are: Leicester, Peterborough, London, Daman, Portugal, UAE, Canada, Macau and the USA.

Nov 14, Portuguese language classes in Daman

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:04:12 GMT

The ambassador of Portugal came on a one-day (unofficial) visit to Daman along with the Goa-based Consul General on the 12th of November 09. Though I couldn't meet them, I was able to get my letter, requesting their intercession for starting Portuguese language classes in Daman, delivered.

Nov 11, Mario Miranda gets Spain's highest civilian honour!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:40:25 GMT

Daman-born, Mario Miranda became the first Indian to receive Spain's highest civilian honor - the "la Orden de Isabel la Catolica" at a function held in his 300-year-old Casa de Miranda in Loutolim, Goa on the 9th of November 09. The honour comprises the cross of the official of the Order of Isabel and a citation from Miguel Neito Sandoval, tourism counsellor, director of the tourism department and the embassy of Spain in India. Mario, a family friend, considers himself a Damanense though he is of Goan descent. To read more about Mario, check him out on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Miranda#Biography

Aug 25, Football match - 'Damao v/s 'Portugal'!!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:11:19 GMT

Despite being in a country dominated by cricket, football, a Portuguese legacy, continues to remain Damans favourite sport with Damanense footballers enjoying local celebrity status!

Aug 20, 2nd World Daman Day today!

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:41:28 GMT

Today is the 2nd World Daman Day being celebrated worldwide along with World Goa Day. In Daman itself, the grand finale is on the 30th of August 2009.

Aug 16, World Daman Day being celebrated in Holland today!

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:06:55 GMT

Damanenses in Holland celebrate their first-ever World Daman Day on 16th August 2009. In Daman itself, there'll be a football match between two local teams viz., 'Damao' vs 'Portugal' at 5pm in the countdown to the big day on 20th August 2009.

Aug 11, Chemical spill along Devka Beach

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:23:19 GMT

The source of the black, viscous and crusty spill over the water and in the sand along Devka Beach (as also the entire South Gujarat coastline) is still not known. According to a report in the Times of India of 11th August 2009, The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) is looking into two possibilities viz., industries along the coast and a mid-sea tanker. As a consequence of the spill, marine life has disappeared and tourists are leaving, disappointed.

Aug 3, Countdown to 2nd World Daman Day - 20th August 09

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:05:47 GMT

A football match has been scheduled for 16th August 09, 5pm, in Daman (Football ground, Big Daman) as part of the celebrations leading to the 2nd World Daman Day 2009!

Jul 29, Domino's Pizza opens outlet in Daman!

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:49:51 GMT

Now you can order your pizza from Domino's located near Tin Batti (Three Lights) on the Devka road. Tel: 0260-2250314/15/16

Jul 29, State Festival of Daman - 3rd thru 6th August 09

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:45:05 GMT

4-day, Nariyal Poornima Utsav - the state festival of Daman launches on 3rd August. Competitions, boat races, a food festival and cultural program have been scheduled by Bal Bhavan (Tel: 0260-2230941)

Jul 20, Culture Wise INDIA debuts in Portugal!

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:12:21 GMT

Dr. Adelino Costa, who needs no introduction to Damanenses, probably is the first person in Portugal to get a copy of Culture Wise INDIA! Dr. Costa has been a good friend and mentor for a decade. We first met in 1999 during a visit to Daman when he was the Director of Fundacao Oriente in Goa and have kept in touch since. Noel Gama

Jun 25, Sao Joao celebrated in Daman

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:05:42 GMT

24th June, around 4pm IST - the overcast sky over Jampore beach in Big Daman creates the ambiance youd find on a very bright summers day at noon under a white parasol, in western India.

Sao Joao (St. Johns feast) as celebrated in Damao (Daman) is a Portuguese legacy albeit customized a little bit.

It begins with mass at around 6.30am followed by a heavy lunch of sprouted beans, pork and local liqour and then a dip in the sea.

Effigies are made by stuffing old suits with straw and firecrackers. An earthen toddy pot is used for the head which is also stuffed with straw and firecrackers. The effigies are burnt at night.

Jun 22, Daman gets its first author!

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:02:11 GMT

I've received a copy of my book, "Culture Wise INDIA: The Essential Guide to Culture, Customs & Business Etiquette" from my publisher, Survival Books Ltd., UK! The book makes me: 1. The first Damanense writer living in Daman, to author a book post Liberation; 2. The first Damanense writer to author a book in recent times given that Antonio Muniz, who authored the history of Damao was a Goan; 3. The first Damanense writer ever to write a book on a topic other than Daman:) 4. The first Damanense ever to be published by a foreign publisher; 5. The first Damanense author whose book was launched outside India and is in Western book stores. But loyal as I am to Daman, I've mentioned how and why the culture in this former Portuguese colony is different from the rest of India. The book is on Amazon.com.

Jun 22, Prelude to St. John's feast

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:26:51 GMT

San Joao (St. John's feast) is on 24th of June - looking forward to photographing the glut of the traditional, 'Val nacido' (sprouted beans) in the bazaar - it looks as if there's nothing else on display but 'Val nacido!' And 'Val nacido' is no newborn's food either - you need a shard of 'Papri' (papad) as the only piece of cutlery, to scoop out a portion of the beans and garnishing of salted cubes of pork fat, to convey it into your mouth - you eat the 'papri too - each time!' The next logical step is a swill of local liqour. Some spoilsports swig beer. A few rounds of this and then you're ready for your first clumsy plump into a surf-n-sand roller. Right - eat/drink, rinse and repeat! As easy as that! But no swimming if you've had alcohol. You only get to wallow in the murky sea water. By my calculations, high tide is around 5pm on San Joao and 9pm on San Pedro (29th June). Oh, despite the pollution (dirt, air/water pollution and corruption) in Daman, life is good in a secret place called, 'Damao.'

Jun 22, Daman's first rain of the season!

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:26:51 GMT

Daman had its first showers on Sunday afternoon, lasting over two hours. When it stopped, the sun did come out again, to give Daman that clean-washed look and to release an earthy vapor all evening. Despite the rain, Jampore beach in Big Daman was jam-packed with tourists and so was Devka beach in Small Daman.

Jun 12, Daman Fort Loses Battle For Top 7

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:35:37 GMT

Though one of the 27 nominations, the Fort in Big Daman did not make it into the "7 Wonders of the Portuguese World." However, the other two former Portuguese enclaves of Goa and Diu are among the winners and so is Macau (now part of China)

Jun 12, Dedicated domain name for World Daman Day

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:35:37 GMT

The "World Daman Day" movement gets its own domain name as preparations speed up for the 2nd World Daman Day on the 20th of August 2009.