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Goa - Rome of The East

CHURCHES

TEMPLES

BEACHES

MARKETS

AREA : 3702 sq Km's
POPULATION : 13,43,998 (2001 census)
LANGUAGES : Konkani , Marathi, Hindi, English.
LITERACY : 77%
CROPS : Rice, Coconut, Areca nut, Cashew, Millets, Sugarcane, Forest produce.
MINERALS : Iron Ore,Limestone,Bauxite,Clays,Silica and Manganese Ore.
INDUSTRIES : Cashew Nuts, Fertilizer, Fisheries, Food Canning, Liquor, Shipping and Tyres.
ROADS : Surfaced - 3880 Km's (National Highways - 229 Km's.)
RAILWAYS : 80 Km's (approx)
AIRPORT : Dabolim ( Vasco )
SEASON : October to May
CLIMATE : Sub Tropical

According to Hindu Mythology, it was lord Parshurama, the sixth Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who needed a virgin stretch of land to perform a Yagna [Fire Sacrifice]. So while journeying through the sahyadri ghats Lord Parshurama shot an arrow from the mountains in to the sea. Lotus Lake at Benaulim beach where the arrow landed rose a mass of fertile land from the seabed - the long lost land of Gomantaka - Goa. Famous for its soft white sands beaches, mesmeric sunset, and for the laid back attitude of its inhabitants, the state of Goa has been renowned as one of India's most irresistible holiday destination ever since the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama

sailed down the malabhar coast in 1498 in search of "Christian and spices". He found neither, but the fort he founded at Cochin resulted, twelve years later, in the erstwhile Muslim port and its hinterland becoming a Portuguese colony, which it remained until 1961.These day the region's easygoing ambience, good food, and warm winter climate have made it one of the most popular spots in south Asia to unwind and enjoy the simple, undemanding pleasure of life on the beach. The very word Goa may be synonymous in some circle with hedonistic hippy holidays, but in reality, each of the countless beaches of this 100 kilometers long state seems to attract its own different kind of tourist from Bombayites on weekends breaks, to fortnighting European holidaymakers, as well as long stay shoestring travelers. Moreover, the fabled palm fringed coastline lapped by the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, is only part of the picture. Separated from the rest of the India by the jungle covered hills of the western ghat Goa's hinterland and most densely populated area is the alluvial strip inland from the beaches- a lush patchwork of paddy fields, coconut plantations whitewashed churches, and gently meandering rivers.

Goa's 450 years under Portuguese domination produced a unique. Syncretic blend of East and west that is at once exotic and strangely familiar Christmas, Easter and carnival are celebrated as enthusiastically by the 30 percent Christian minority as Diwali, Shigmo and Durga puja are by the mainly konkani speaking Hindus. The state separate identity is discernible in other ways too, most visibly in its Latin influenced architecture of churches and Portuguese style influenced houses. The local cuisine consisting of fish curry and rice is the stable diet of most goans, but there also exist a vide variety of international cuisine served at Restaurant and beach shacks. Another market difference is the prevalence of alcohol, beers can be as cheap has 70pence for a 650ml bottle.

Thanks to a fecund tropical climate and the well watered soil of its seaward side, Goan farmers grow a wide array of crop ranging from rice, the main staple, to cashew s, areca and fruits for export on the coast itself, coconut cultivation and fishing are still main sources of income. Goa's other big money spinner, of course is tourism. Lured her in 1960s by the locals' apparently permissive stance on drink, drugs and nudity not to mention abundant cheep food accommodation- the first foreigners to take advantage of the new state's pristine beaches were the "Hippies". As the region's fame spread however the marginal minority was gradually squeezed out, leaving the more accessible stretches of coastline near Panaji free for development as mainstream resort.

The legendry full moon parties have also survived, despite numerous police crackdowns, and continue to attract thousands of travelers, especially around the Christmas New year period. Which beach you opt for when you arrive largely depends on what sort of holiday you have in mind. Heavily developed resorts such as Calangute and Baga in the north offer more "walk in" accommodation, shopping and tourist facilities than elsewhere. Even if you don't fancy crowded bars and purpose-built hotels, it can be worth heading for these centers at first, as finding places to stay in less commercialization is generally more basic and harder to come by, In the south Colva and Benaulim are more commercialized resorts. The rest of the south is situated with Five star category hotels. To get a taste of what most of the state must have been like twenty or thirty year ago, you'll have to travel further a field to Arambol, a sleepy fishing village cum hippy hang out in the far north or to Agonda and Palolem, near the Karnataka border, where, tourism has made an impact only in the last few years.

Foremost among worthwhile attractions away from the coast are ruins of the Portuguese capital at old Goa, 10km from Panaji a sprawl of catholic cathedrals convents and churches that draws crowds of Christian pilgrims from all over India. Also very popular is the Anjuna flea market at Anjuna and the Saturday night market with food stalls, live music and entertainment held at Arpora is a sociable place to shop for souvenirs and the latest rave gear. Further inland the thickly wooded countryside around Ponda harbours numerous temples, where you can check out Goa's peculiar brand of Hindu architecture. The taluka of Salcete, and its main market town, Margoa is also littered with Portuguese mansion, churches ands seminaries, whose gabled baroque facades nose tantalizing above the tropical treeline. Finally, wildlife enthusiasts may be tempted into the interior to visit the nature reserve at Cotigao in the far south.

The best time to come to Goa is during the dry, relatively cool winter months between late September and early march. At other times, either the sun is too hot for comfort, or the monsoon rain make life miserable for everyone except the fisher folk and hoteliers, who get to sit around all day snoozing and playing backgammon. During peak season, from mid December to the end of January, the weather is perfect, with the temperature gauge rarely nudging above a manageable 32 degree Celsius. finding a room or a house to rent at that time however particularly over the Christmas and new year fort-night when the tariffs double, or triple- can be a real hassle.

SHOPPING

Panjim City

Friday Bazar Mapusa

Margoa City

Saturday Night Market

Wednesday Flea Market

Ingo`s

Mocker`s

Ponda Temples

Old Goa Churche

Panjim-Dona Paul

Spice Plantation

Waterfalls

Mayem Lake

Keri Beach

Morjim Beach

Vagator Beach

Calangute Beach

Anjuna Beach

Candolim Beach

Baga Beach

Siquerim Beach

Palolem Beach

Benaulim Beach

Coca Beach

Colva Beach

Cavelossim Beach

Majorda Beach

Varca Beach

Casualim Beach

1. That the only state in India having two official state languages is goa with Konkani and Marathi.

2. That Goa is the smallest state if India having a national highway road span of only 120kms N to S and around 80 km's E to W.

3. That Goa's official language Konkani is the only Indian language that is written in two scripts, Devnagri and Roman English script.

4. That Goa is the only state where the state where the state road transport is named after an old age dynasty called Kadamba.

5. That Goa is the second state after Orissa where the world famous Olive Ridley Turtles come to lay their eggs on Morjim beach.

6. That Goa is the state having the whole non-decomposing miraculous remains of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa.

7. That Goa is the only Indian state with an active and enforced Uniform Civil Code implemented by the Portuguese.

8. That if you are a Goan you can avail of Portuguese Nationality Passport. 9. That the first printing press of Asia was installed in Goa at St Paul's college in 1556.

10. That the first medical school of India was established in Goa set up in 1842 at Panaji, demolished in 2004.

11. That Goa is exporting 60% of India's Mineral Ore to Japan.

12. That Goa is going to be the first state in Indian to permanently host the international film festival.

13. That Goa is the only place where one can hire a two wheeler taxi called "pilots" .

14. That Goa's only airport is military airport of the Navy.

15. That the one and only one Naval Aviation Museum of Asia is located at Vasco in Goa.

16. That India has only two temples dedicated to the Brahma of the Hindu Trinity. One is in Rajasthan and the other is in Goa.17.7kms from Valpoi in the village of carambolim. It is known as Carambolim Brahma temple.

17. That Mumbai owes its daily bread to Goa more precisely, to migrant bakers from Saligao and Siolim who brought with them the blessed Pao to Mumbai.

18. That Goa, even though the smallest state in India has the highest bank saving deposit.

19. That Asia's only floating casino is launched in Goa's coastal waters at Panaji harbour known as "Caravella".

20. That India's largest laterite stone carving of St. Mirabai is at ancestral Goa at lotoullim village.

21. That Goa is the only state of India having the highest forest density cover of 33% of total land mass.

22. That Goa is exporting abo

ut 60% of India's mineral ore to Japan.

23.That the first English medium high school in Goa was established in 1896 at St. Joseph's high school, Arpora.