Falling Down Wells in Goa
Every family house in Goa has a well. There are wells that are well looked after, with metal grates to stop leaves falling in, and there are others that no one would think about drinking as they’ve been exposed to the ravages of tourism for too long.
Coming from an industrialised society, it’s almost an act of faith for Westerners to pull water from a well and drink it. In the back of your mind you trust only what comes out of a tap or a bottle. Drinking well water is an important facet in staying healthy though as it contains local antibodies and minerals.
Just pulling water out of wells takes a little talent. You can lower the plastic lota on a rope and jiggle it about but until you get the right tipping motion, it will just float on the surface. It greatly entertains the Goans to watch a foreigner trying to pull water from a well for the first time.
Wells are a sign of the falling water table and come May and June, many wells dry up, causing real difficulties for the families that depend on them. Then everyone waits impatiently for the monsoon. They’re an integral part of Goa life and are thus guarded jealously – it’s a great testament to the Goan tolerance that the freaks weren’t thrown out after the odd hippie fell down them in the days of old.