The beaches, the bikini-clad women, the sun, the laid-back lifestyle, there's always been an allure to Goa. Not just for the Indian but for the foreigner. It is no coincidence then that as January 1, 2000 creeps closer. It's where everyone wants to be.

Film stars, models, industrialists, socialites, designers, politicians -even the President of India-they will all be found there under a palm tree. So will some 270,000 visitors from abroad and 150,000 from India, which means it will possibly be easier to buy a plot of land than find a hotel room. For sure, as our cover story suggests, it will be the ultimate carnival. Deejays from Israel, chefs from France, champagne lunches and a 12 -day, 24-hour rave party that promises 10,000 or more guests every day. Inevitably, chaos will ride along. Law and order could be in for a stern test and traffic promises to halt indefinitely- I'm told to get to Anjuna beach will take a few miles walk. No car will make it.

To gather all this information we sent down our own army. To get a feel of the growing excitement, Principal Correspondents Anupama Chopra and Sheela Raval visited hotels, chatted with designers, met with taxi drivers and went clubbing, while the less fortunate principal Correspondent Ronbin Abreu was sent to meet police and government officials. Meanwhile Senior Photographers Fawzen Husain and Hemant Pithwa captured the action. Says Chopra :"Goa is going to find out the true definition of millennium madness." You know that when the locals say they'll be out of town.

(Aroon Purie)