ALL PHOTOS ARE COPYRIGHT-FREE. MAY BE REPRODUCED WITH CREDIT TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

1. SUNDOWN AT PANJIM... the Goan state-capital. Despite growing excessively in the past few years, this is still one of India's most picturesque capitals.

2. BOOKS... ON BOOKS. Goa has a long tradition of printing and books. Asia's first printing press was set up in this region in the mid sixteenth century. The tomes above are a listing of Goan writing of past centuries.

3. SEASONAL COLOURS. After the monsoons flowers of many hues bloom. Goa's colonial experience, despite the many other problems it created, helped to boost this region's biodiversity. Portuguese rulers transported varied plants across the high-seas from distant regions like Brazil, Africa and the Far East.

4. SUNDOWN AT CARANZALEM. The red-hues of the Goan sky are particularly dominant in the post-monsoon season, after September.

5. EVENING OUTING: In the non-tourist season (June-September), Goans get a chance to reclaim their beaches. Photo shows the 'rotunda' (circular meeting point), a prominent landmark of the Calangute beach.

6. EVENING SKIES: Rain-clouds loom over the ubiquitous coconut trees.

7. MARCELA TEMPLE: Shantadurga temple entrance at the village of Marcela, in Ponda taluka.

8. LESS FORTUNATE: Migrant workers into Goa face poor living conditions, as does this child from a slum quarter outside the north Goa town of Mapusa.

9. NO SCHOOL FOR THEM: Migrant working-children seek work as scrap-collectors to make a living for their family, amidst poor wage-levels for unskilled labour.

10. OINT, OINT: These pigs seem to be having a great time!

11. SUNSET SILHOUETTES: Near the ferry-jetty, Panjim.

12. ANJUNA VENDOR: Vendor at the flea-market, in the former hippy capital of Anjuna.

13. COASTAL GIANT: Despite coastal building regulations, hotels have come up right along the beachfront, on technical grounds.

14. LOOKING AHEAD, LOOKING BACK: A traditional bullock-card on the Parra road, Bardez.

15. OFF TO THE ICY-CONTINENT: Indian scientists bound for Antarctica leave each year from Goa. The National Institute of Oceanography is also based here.

16. TURTLE PROTECTION: Citizens have teamed up with the local forest department to protect nesting turtles at Morjim, north Goa. Ironically, the villagers were also sought to be unsettled from their beach by a hotel project.

17. THE EVENING SESSION: Villagers at Raibandar gather for the evening gossip near the ferry jetty leading to Chorao island.