If you have ever walked through Fontainhas in Panjim, you know it does not feel like the rest of Goa. The lanes are narrow and quiet. The houses are painted in bright yellows, blues, greens, and reds. It feels slow, peaceful, and almost like time has paused. But recently, a video from this very neighbourhood has started a big conversation online.
Viral Video Calls Out Tourist Culture In Fontainhas
Instagram content creator Ankit Vengurlekar shared a video from Fontainhas with a strong statement. He begins the video by saying, “This is what tourists have done to Fontainhas, Panjim.” The first visual in the video shows a banner outside one of the houses. It reads:
“No photography allowed with the backdrop of the house. You are under surveillance.”
Behind the sign is a beautiful, colourful heritage home, exactly the kind that attracts people with cameras.
As the video continues, he shows the streets filled with tourists. Some people are posing for photos; others are making reels. In his caption, Ankit did not mince words. He wrote that tourists have ruined Fontainhas and that locals are understandably upset. He said residents do not want “idiot tourists” putting their feet up on their compound walls, shifting plants, and creating noise at all hours.
His main point was simple: these are not tourist props, these are people’s homes. Fontainhas is not just a pretty spot for Instagram. It is a residential neighbourhood. Ankit said it is completely understandable why locals are reacting strongly, and many people online agreed with him.
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Nostalgic Netizens Comment On Heritage Lanes
The comments section was filled with strong opinions, mostly supporting the locals. One person wrote that they are just glad locals have not banned people from walking through the lanes completely. Another person shared a memory from 2017. They said back then, there were very few tourists. Locals were so kind that they even invited visitors inside their compounds to shoot photos. The difference, they said, is simple — respect.
Someone else remembered how peaceful the area used to be. They said you could hear the bell from a nearby bank branch because the streets were that quiet. There were also comments about civic sense. One person pointed out how local drivers often follow lane discipline and avoid honking, while some visiting tourists create unnecessary noise.
Another comment summed up a feeling many people seemed to share, “I miss the times when no one even knew Fontainhas existed. Damn the first person who posted it on Instagram.” Some people even suggested charging money per photograph. Others jokingly asked if the government should introduce yearly civic sense classes.
Social media has made beautiful neighbourhoods go viral. A single reel can bring thousands of people to one small street. And while that may be good for visibility, it can disturb the daily life of residents. Because what makes Fontainhas special is not just its colours, it is the life inside those homes.
Cover Image Courtesy: Ankit Vengurlekar/Instagram