It’s chaos now in Agonda. What with the new Turtle Nesting Legislation and the 28% tax! Nobody knows what is going to happen. – Terry Fernandes, owner of our resort

Agonda beach in Goa has been our secret retreat since we first came here ten years ago. Most savvy travelers eschew Goa because of its reputation for overcrowded beaches,noisy bars and general mayhem. But Agonda is different. It is a small fishing village made up mostly of descendants of the masala mix of Portuguese and Indians. Its quiet calm and absence of discos and nightclubs is the major draw for Indian and European visitors looking for a peaceful escape. There is an easygoing balance between the locals and the tourists.

Last year it was discovered that some Olive Ridley turtles had nested on the beach. Each of them lays hundreds of eggs between November and April and the incubation period is forty to fifty days before the babies can swim out to sea. The government decided to set up “Turtle Nesting” zones for eventual development as tourist attractions and enacted legislation prohibiting any and all structures within two hundred twenty meters (about 700 ft.) of the shoreline. Marine turtles are considered “vulnerable species and have the highest protection status.”

Agonda’s economy is primarily based on tourism. Local merchants protested to the government and managed to get a temporary stay order. If the stay is overturned Agonda will effectively cease to exist, as almost all of the lodgings, stores and restaurants are within this arbitrary boundary, and will have to be razed.

I saw no signs of turtle nesting anywhere on the beach and the constant zipping around of the beach patrol truck certainly doesn’t do much to show that the government is serious. It is astonishing that they would imperil a flourishing community.

Living in California I have the utmost respect for environmental protection, but the priorities seem a bit lopsided in a developing country like India where human needs are overwhelming.

After our exhausting thirty six hour journey we experienced some initial disappointment at the changes in our beloved beach experience. We were saddened to hear that our favorite chef and friend,Frances,was in a motorcycle accident and was was forced to close his restaurant where we dined nightly. (Notice that I say “dined” not ate- he was a master chef and a true artist in the kitchen and I looked forward to his nightly creations.) The political demonstrations due to the new citizenship laws enacted by Prime Minister Modi, as well as the bankruptcy of the travel agency Thomas Cook have also had a major impact on tourism.

Our disappointment was short lived as the wonder that is India kicked in.

Last night was a “live music” performance featuring a father and his eight year old daughter, Meghan,visiting from Bangalore. While he calmly played the guitar, this diminutive energizer bunny belted out “Purple Rain” and “This Girl’s on Fire”. She was enthusiastically enjoying the attention of being in front of a crowd of appreciative listeners. She was cute and she knew it.

When her set was over she came over to the table where I was sitting with a young Belgian couple because she saw me mouthing the words to a song her Dad was singing. “How do you know the words?” she gushed. Satisfied that I knew a bit about music she then started jumping up and down, flicking back her long black hair like an MTV diva, and proclaimed “I want to be a singer!” Dressed in a pink flowered jumpsuit her attitude belied her eight young years, and she didn’t stop jumping for an instant. I asked her how long she thought she could keep on jumping up and down and her response came quickly with a mischievous smile- “Forever”.

The audience was made up of first time visitors to India, long time expats as well as young and old Indian families.Everyone was having such a good time that we didn’t care if sometimes her voice didn’t quite hit the right notes. This sense of family and community is the Agonda that I love.

Thankfully the old adage “The more things change, the more things stay the same” proved true.