Overcrowding? Yes. But why does Goa have ghost villages?

Who doesn’t like Goa? Many like it strongly enough to want to move there for good. Their numbers seem to keep growing every year and have even sparked concern on the ground over ‘demographic change”, over-construction, and the crowding of a tiny state. But away from the allure of beaches and the pull of its laidback “susegad” lifestyle, another phenomenon continues uninterrupted: the exodus of Goans to foreign lands. In fact, it has by now emptied entire localities, turning vibrant neighbourhoods into “ghost villages”. Those who leave appear to take something of Goa with them; something almost irreplaceable, say the ones left behind. Tradition Takes A Hit Nearly 10km from capital city Panaji lies Goa Velha. It takes pride in the penitential Procession of Saints — a 17th Century tr