In 1961, when the shameless Portuguese fidalgos were finally dislodged from independent Indian shores, Gujaratis were delighted to discover that the new Union Territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, a geographical nightmare for many, was their very own dream come true. For the Prohibition that benighted their lives was absent in these centrally governed enclaves, three out of four of them enclosed on all sides by the state of Gujarat. The land condemned by the teetotalling legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and the homemade beverage mantras of Morarji Desai had much to thank for in 1961. Even today, if you're not a teetotaller or even if you are join in the fun at Silvassa.

This sunny colonial town is still to get out of the cocoon of its not-so-ancient history and come to terms with the new, pseudo-liberalised India. That the legs of culture are brushing against the skirts of technology is evident in the cyber cafes and fast-food stalls mushrooming on Naroli Road, a barometer of the city's mood and behaviour. Silvassa gives off a pleasant air of relaxation. It's not so developed that you feel out of place. Nor is it so underdeveloped for it to be in a sad state of neglect. The town is at present just about right, and it is in this state of bloom that Silvassa welcomes you.