Sheela

Sheela restaurant, opp. St. Jacinto island.

Modso thali.

Render maddar choddta.

View of St. Jacinto island.

Wall painting in Sheela restaurant.

Hulks of rusted barges.

- Brian Mendonca 

The squint-eyed foreman

eyes me with concern 

no gas, no cylinder 

Vasco is shuttered.

The Goa Express 

leaves at 3

Migrant lads

traipse to the train.

The view from the bridge

takes in the church.

Rusted hulks

touch the shoreline.

Reggae music

helps me unwind 

Peoples lager

brewed in Goa.

Ukde tanu

in my Modso thali

'Choi, choi, choi, 

render maddar choddta'.

(Sheela bar and restaurant 

Opp. St. Jacinto Island, Goa

18 March 2026)

Notes

-foreman: floor manager

-no gas: shortage of gas due to the Iran-US conflict.

-Goa Express: 12779 Goa Express train to Delhi leaves from Vasco station daily at 3.10 p.m.

-bridge: referring to the bridge of a ship. The restaurant has an elevated deck with a view.

Locals of St. Jacinto Island opposed the bridge to the island. The church is dedicated to St Hyacinth of Poland.

-Peoples: local Goan beer brewed from Goan rice.

-Ukde Tanu: boiled rice.

-Modso: A type of fish.

-Choi: (Konkani) Song lyrics 'Look, look, look. The today tapper is climbing the coconut tree.'

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Updated 19/3/26.