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Sitaram and his delicacies in Cuncolim... first restaurant to open in the morning

Updated: Feb 23




Sitaram and his delicacies in Cuncolim. ....

 

"Sitaram goes to the village zatra on his village bull cart" is a famous Konkani folklore song by Cuncolim's own Robin Vaz, a song which many a Cuncolim people have a special attachment, the lyrics which were written by him and his friends and sung by them and his group many decades back.

But in the present age I met a different Sitaram, one who goes to the Cuncolim Zatra at Fatorpa, not in the bullcart anymore but his own vehicle.

But before embarking on his Zatra trip he make sure he sends the early morning pilgrims heading to Fatorpa on a culinary delight at his Cuncolim restuarant .

 

 



Sitaram is the early bird in #Cuncolim when it comes to opening his restaurant. Sitaram who runs Philip Coutinho restaurant in Cuncolim situated close to the taxi and rickshaw stand and close to the old Cuncolim Post office and in the same lane as Cairo petrol pump opens his restaurant situated on National Highway NH 66 at 4.00am and it is a spot for early bird customers who head to different directions via the National Highway from Cuncolim.

 

I happen to drop one morning at 5.30am as I was at Cuncolim church to chronicle the life and struggles of our Goan musician friends from Cuncolim and their role in the Our Lady of Health Church Cuncolim Feast Day preparations, right from the Maddi, Novenas, Vespra and leading to the feast day.

 

The musicians who kick off the novena day with the Fozne at 5.00am on novena day, ringing of church bells followed by music, while on the feast day they kick start the day with ringing of bells, Fozne followed by music in that order.

 





Having finished shooting the exploits of the musicians it was time to kick off the rest of the day with tea, bhaji and other delicacies all prepared and served by Sitaram.

 

“Yes, I am the cook, cashier and waiter, it is a one man show,” he says proudly, having been in the business for the last four decades.

 

Tragedies and jubilations have been part of  his life for Sitaram and he has taken all of them in his stride with his trademark smile.

 

After the death of his wife a couple of years back, she used to be an integral part of their business, he pulled himself and was back on his toes, but life has not been the same without his wife around, but he carries on gamely, no worries no complains.

 

Once he is in the kitchen on the cash counter and interacting with the customers is his best way to forget all his worries and carry on his life chores, serving people, reaching peoples heart thorugh food and serving them with a smile, trying to overcome the loss of his soul mate

 

Yes, Sitaram continues his daily chores fighting his way with the challenges in life.

 

His story is one of the several stories of sacrifices, dedication, and untold story of how you start from a zero and toil your way to success and do  not stop in the face of adversities of life.

 

You continue with your passion as long as you can and create culinary delights in a simple way and serve it with love and a simple lifestyle.

 

That Goa’s of the old for you, the compassion and caring for human beings, the values which are slowly and steadily fading away from the horizons.

 

Sitaram has tons of compassion and concern for human beings besides churning our culinary delights. May his tribe continue to serve Goa for many years.

 

The demographics of Cuncolim is changing much of it later in another post.

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