 |  Tucked into a corner of Calangute village in Goa is the Pousada-Tauma, a pocket-sized idyll of nature, ayurveda, and Goan hospitality, and place to be this summer. |
| Five years ago, Neville Proenca was working at the Taj Aguada in Goa. "The real estate prices went through the roof last year," he recalls. He quit and sold part of his land to fund the construction of Pousada. He roped in a local architect and over the next three and a half years built the hotel literally block by block. Built with the concept of natural and traditional architecture, with a minimum use of resources, it emits a distinctly Goan glow. The walls of Goan laterite have been lifted together like a jigsaw puzzle. For this feature, masons from neighbouring states toiled a whole day to fix just ten stones. The rustic U-shaped Goan roof tiles used in Portuguese construction design were carefully chosen and 'collected' over a period of two years for use as roof finishing, since they effectively contribute to aesthetics and a cooler temperature. Pousada-Tauma open in December 1998. 'Pousada' means nest in Portuguese and 'tauma' comes from Taumaturgo, Neville's father's name. The suites scattered around the swimming pool have different motifs - the Sea, the Fields, the Mountains and the Castle. Each suite has it's own diving area and a patio with a private, detached garden or terrace. There is a fully equipped gym and chef Andrews presides over the kitchen where you can visit and observe your meal being cooked. Rachel Reuben recommends the Prawn Balchao with poay, crusty Goan bread, to sop up the thick red gravy. "The idea was to create a secluded, intimate retreat," says Neville, who firmly believes that the future of hotels in Goa lies in small boutiques like Pousada-Tauma.  Eighty per cent of Pousada's bookings are made through the net(www.pousada-tauma.com), and the Ayurvedic Centre is the biggest attraction. Staffed by five physicians and masseurs from the renowned Sitaram Ayurvedic Trust, Kerala, Pousada offers several ayurveda packages as treatments for various ailments. With Body Shop introducing a line of Ayurvedic products in Europe, Neville believes that there will soon be a significant interest in and demand for their ancient holistic healing system. Of course all this comes at a hefty price, starting at $140 per day. Alternatively, just visit the website - log on to www.contest2win.com and you could win a free three-day stay at Pousada-Tauma. | |
 | Photographs by FARROKH CHOTHIA Produced by HARSH MAN RAI Styled by RACHEL REUBEN Model HELEN BRODIE Location POUSADA TAUMA, GOA |
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