BEAUTY OF GOA(PANAJI)

State Profile

Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. It is located in West India in the region known as the Konkan. The state covers an area of 3,702 square kilometers with 1,457,723 inhabitants. The state is bordered by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Arabian Sea. The capital city of Goa is Panaji. Konkani is the most widely used and official languages of the state. Other languages that used here are Marathi and Portuguese. The state has the quality of life in the county with excellent physical infrastructure and it has 87% literacy level. 

Physiography (Mountain and Forest)

The hilly zone of Goa lies in the western side. The hills and mountains are covered by monsoon forest where “Kumari” Cultivation is also done. A dominant feature of the physiography of Goa is frequency of moderately high spurs of Western Ghats, altering deep valleys through which run a number of rivers providing a network of waterways. The two longest rivers in Goa are Mandovi and Zuari. 

Climate

The Climate of Goa is moderate and humid throughout the year. The temperature, throughout the year ranges between 31°C and 21°C. The warmest days in the year are in May, and the coolest mostly in the month of February. 

Humidity throughout the year is high. The southwest monsoon operates over the entire area which registers a fairly high rainfall. The weather is pleasant towards the later part of the monsoon which is June - October and bracing and enjoyable during winter that is November to February. 

Historical Impact 

Goa was a part of the Mauryan Empire, around third century BC. The Satvahanas of Kolhapur, and the Chalukyas of Badami, took over the governance later. Other dynasties followed, including a short-lived Muslim invasion, until the Vijayanagar Empire established itself for almost a century. This era ended with the arrival of the Sultans of Gulbarga, from whom the rule passed on to Adil Shah of Bijapur. Soon, the Dutch, English, French and Portuguese, all began struggling for its possession. Ultimately, in 1510, the Portuguese conquered Goa, with Alfonso de Albuquerque leading the invasion. Having ruled for around four centuries, in 1961, fourteen years after the country's independence, the Portuguese had to leave Goa.

State is known for what

Goa, popularly known as ‘the pearl of the east', is famous for its churches, age-old ruins,palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves, ferry rides, and bubbly folk music.

Transportation

Goa presents a varied relief throughout its length and breadth and is well connected to the rest of India by road, rail, air and sea routs.

Airways

Dabolim Airport is the only airport in the state which operates Domestic and international flights. . Dabolim Airport is serviced by the Air Arabia, Indian Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines,Go Air, SpiceJet, Jet Airways, and Qatar Airways. Another international airport at Mopa is proposed for the development of the state.

Roadways

The state transportation is widely depends on the private operators linked to the major town to rural area. The Government Kadamba Transport Corporation also connects to the major part of the city and some remote part of the state. Other than the buses there also other kind of transportation available likes Taxi, motorcycle taxi, and Auto Rickshaw.

Railways

The South Western Railway and the Konkan Railway are the two rail lines that are available in Goa. The entire length of the railways is 79 kms. The south western railway is developed during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama with Belgaum, Hubli, and Karnataka via Margao. The Konkan Railway was built during the 1990s, runs parallel to the coast connecting major cities on the western coast.

Seaways

The Mormugao harbour near the city of Vasco handles mineral ore, petroleum, coal, and international containers. Much of the shipments consist of minerals and ores from Goa's hinterland. Panjim is on the banks of the Mandovi, has a minor port, which used to handle passenger steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the late 1980s. There was also a short-lived catamaran service linking Mumbai and Panaji.

Time zone, Currency and No. Of Districts

Throughout the India, the time zone is same of all the States i.e. Indian standard Time +5:30

The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The new Indian rupee symbol. INR is derived from the Devanagari. The first series of coins with this new rupee symbol was launched on 8 July 2011. The modern rupee is subdivided into 100 paise though this division is now theoretical; as of 30 June 2011, coin denominations of less than 50 paise ceased to be legal tender. Bank notes are available in nominal values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and higher denominations. Coins of the rupee are available in 1, 2, 5 and 10. Paise coins of the rupee have nominal values of 50,and lower denominations have been officially withdrawn.

The state is Goa is bifurcated into two districts. Those are North Goa and South Goa.

Historical Monuments / Architecturally Significance building/ Mansions : Tomb, Statue

• The Gate of the College of St. Paul, 
• The Viceroy`s Arch, 
• The Gate of the Palace of Adil Shah

are the historical monuments present in Goa.

• The Gate of the College of St. Paul was once the principal institution of Jesuits in India for imparting knowledge on Christianity was built over the ruins of a mosque south of St.Cajetan's church at Old Goa in 1542

  

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• The Viceroy`s Arch is one of the gates of Adil Shah's Fort at Old Goa. It was renovated by the Portuguese and was the gateway to Goa for Portuguese Governors. It was again completely re-built in 1954.

  

• The Gate of the Palace of Adil Shah is the palace of Adil Shah at Old Goa was the most prominent building with magnificent lofty staircases. It was the residence of the Portuguese governors till 1695, and was afterwards used by them on festive occasions.

  
  

Hill stations

Amboli is the most famous hill stations in Goa. It has an altitude of 690 meters and is lying in the Sahayadri Hills of Western India. The hills of Amboli village serves the basis for the Krishna River called the famous “Ganges” of south India. Incredibly high rainfall from this hill attracts the tourists the most.

Zoo/Parks/Jungles/Gardens

Sahakri Spice Farms and Pascoal village is a great place to which has full of plants and animals. Sahakari Spice Farms is a great place to observe and learn about the various spices grown in this garden. It can be a very good learning experience for the entire family.

       In this farm there even elephants. Everyone can bathe the elephants and take a ride on them aswell. Pascoal Spice Village is another great spice plantation that is located in the Khandepar village, 8 km northeast from NH4A. One end of the property is bounded by the RiverMandovi. It is boasts a wide variety spice plants, flowering plants and cash crops such as cashew nuts, coconuts and arecanuts.

National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries

Bondla Wildlife sanctuary, Bhagvan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wlidlife Sanctuary, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, The Mollem national park are some of the famous wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Goa.

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary is located at a distance of 38 kms from Margao. The specialty of this sanctuary is the presence of mini zoos, sprawling deer park in natural habitat, botanical and gardens of roses.

Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary has coverage of around 240 kms. The valleys of this sanctuary are the main attracting factor. Many vital geological and historical features play in this sanctuary.

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary is the second largest wildlife sanctuaries of Goa and covers up to 105 square kms. Many avian fauna and reptiles lives in this Sanctuary.

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is situated at the western tip of the island of Chorao alongside of the river Mandovi. It covers an area of 1.78 square kms. The Sanctuary is also covered with many species that flourishes in these mangrove areas. Diversity of birds too makes often visit to these places.

The Mollem National Park situated in the heart of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary in the state. It is a place rich with many wildlife species. The park covers an area of 107 sqkm and it is abundant with dense forests. This Park is located 65 km away from Panaji.

Palaces/Forts/Museums/Art Galleries

1. Deao Palace, Idalcao palace, Goa state museum, Corjuem Fort, Chapora Fort are the popular palaces, forts and museums of the state.
2. The Deao Palace is built in 18th Century. It is located in Quepern. The palace is one such beautiful, soothing and charming example on the banks of the Kushawati River.

   

3. The Idalcao Palace is built during 14th century by Sultan Adil Shah from Bijapur. Presently the palace houses the secretariat. Next to the secretariat is the bronze statue of Abbe faria,believed to be the father of hypnotism

   

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4. Goa State Museum has several galleries featuring Christian art, Hindu and Jain sculptures and bronzes, and paintings from all over India.
5. The Soundekar’s palace known as the Shivteerth Palace proudly displays its royal insignia on its façade and its interiors take yoou back to those mysteriously charming eras of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

   

6. Corjuem Fort is situated 4km north of Pomburpa. It was built in 1705 by the Portuguese.

   

7. The fort has a rather interesting story. One Ursula e Lancastre, an ambitious Portuguese woman determined to succeed in a man's world, dressed like one and traveled the world.
8. Chapora Fort is situated 22 kilometers from Panaji. The fort is made of red laterite and was built by the Portuguese in 1617.

   

Tourist Spot: Trekking, Boating / Spots / Race course /Golf clubs

Water Sports, Parasailing, Jet-skiing are some of the interesting tourist sport activities in the state,

1. Goa is a paradise for water sport lovers. The long coastal area offers a wonderful opportunity to indulge in all sorts of water sport activities in the state.
2. Parasailing can give a high to anyone by a mere thought of it. Parasailing is also called Parascending. This adventure is a recreational activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle while attached to a parachute.

2. Jet-skiing is regarded as the ultimate Water sport for speed lovers. It is one of the most thrilling water sports activities amongst all the other water sports. It is done by sitting on a machine, which can be accelerated by using an accelerator.

Temples/Pilgrimage Centers/ Mosques/ Churches/ Jain etc.

• Se Cathedral,
•  St. Cajetan Church, 
• Shri Shantadurga Temple,
•  Shri Mahalsa Temple,
• Shri Mangesh Temple are the most famous churches and temple of the state.

  

Se Cathedral church is a famous church in state. It is the largest Church in the whole of Asia. The construction of this pilgrim started in the year 1562. The most exciting features of this pilgrim is the “Golden Bell” which is the largest bell in Asia.

St. Cajetan Church was built in the year 1655 and has a very classical appearance with a four niches on the front which bears the statues of apostles.

Shri Shantadurga Temple is the most largest and popular temple in the state. It is built in the year 1713 which is dedicated to the Goddess ShantaDurga. This temple is located at a distance of 3.5 kms from ponda.

Shri Mahalsa Temple is located at Mardol. It is constructed in the year 1567. This temple has a gorgeous pillars and slatted windows. It is dedicated to Mohini who is a female form of Lord Vishnu.

Shri Mangesh Temple is located at Priol which is in Ponda and is dedicated to Lord Mangeshi considered to be a form of Lord Shiva. This was built in the 18th century and is considered to be a most important one of all Hindu temples.

Celebrations/Festivals/ Dance/ Music

Dance

The most popular dances of Goa are

1.  Goff Dance,
2.  Kunbi dance, 
3. Lamp Dance, 
4. Dekni dance,
5. Mussal Dance.

Goff Dance is mostly performed during the month of March and is a very colorful dance that mainly attracts the tourists.

Kunbi is performed by the tribal women of Goa and is one among the earliest dances of Goa.

Lamp Dance is a very difficult dance to be performed and those who perform this dance would be balancing lamps on their heads and is usually performed during the festival called Shigmo.

Mussal Dance is called as the warrior dance. The performers of this dance are the Kshatriyas of Chandor and will be holding a traditional weapon called as the Mussal.

Dekni is a dance performed by women and is a very traditional dance.

Music

Mando is a music that is well known for its romantic expression. This music has mixed styles of both Portuguese and Indian and is mostly sung by the Catholics.

Suvari is a folk music and the tune and beat are the most exciting features of this music. The instruments that are used in this music are the Ghumat, Cymbals, Sharnel and Shehnai.

Goan Music is a very popular music. It has different styles in it. This music is played in almost every street corners of Goa.

Festivals/Celebrations

• Shivratri, 
• Basant Panchami, 
• Ramnavami, 
• Gokul Ashtami, 
• Ganesh Chaturthi,
• Dusshera, 
• Diwali,
•  Govardhan Puja are the most famous festivals

  

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Educational hubs

Goa University is only state university present in this state. It was established in 1985 and merged with the Centre for Post Graduate Instruction and Research of the University of Bombay that functioned at state-capital Panaji. Colleges present here are,

1. Birla Institute of Technology & Science
2.  Goa Engineering College 
3. Government College of Arts and Commerce
4. Goa Engineering College
5.  Goa Institute of Management
6. Goa Medical College
7. Goa college of architecture
8. Goa College of Pharmacy

Hotels (Five star, Four star, three star) and facility.

1. Some of the most famous hotels and resorts include Phoenix Park Inn, 
2. Dona Sylvia Beach
3. Resort, Sand Castles Holiday 
4. Homes, Hotel Goan Heritage, 
5. Victor Exotica Beach Resort 
6. Ramada Caravela Beach Resort Phoenix Park Inn is situated at the heart of Candolim and serves all the Indian and international cuisines. This is a 3 star hotel and has 92 well-decorated accommodations.

   

Dona Sylvia Beach Resort is located at Salcette one of the place in South Goa. This is a 5star resort which provides a view of the Cavelossim Beach.Sand Castles Holiday Homes is located at Miramar Beach which is one of the cities in North Goa. This is bounded by beautiful garden space and is within a walking distance from the Miramar Beach.

Hotel Goan Heritage is situated at Calangute a place in North Goa. This is a 3 star hotel and is located on the garden sands of the famous beach Calangute.

Victor Exotica Beach Resort is situated at Candolim one of the city in North Goa. This was constructed over 26 acres and has a gorgeous garden space.

Ramada Caravela Beach Resort is located at Varca a place in South Goa and is a five star resort. The visitors may also enjoy the game of golf as this resort provides plenty of space for this sport.

Tourist Dept. Office / Conducted Tourist operators / Guide facility.

Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd and information center is located at the different places through the state. The department conducts the tour or offers the tour package according to our needs with the official and experienced guide facility.

Hospitality

Goa has one of the best qualified professionals in Hospitality.Some of the well-equipped hospitals of Goa are,

1. Apollo Victor Hospital
2.  Vrundavan Hospital Research Centre
3. Manipal Hospital
4. Goa Medical College & Hospital Bambolim
5. Bhandare Hospital

Shopping Centers/Malls/Business Centers

The market of Goa doesn’t restrict itself within a particular area and is widely spread across this state.

1. Panjim market is the most popular among the other market places in Goa. The showroom in this market is the main fascinating factor among the others.
2. Mapusa is very famous for its products like Coins, handicrafts, antiques, dried fish and spices among the many other famous collections in this market.

   

3. Night Bazaars is well known for its amusement especially during the night time where the music along with dance would be performed. Shopping in this market would surely be a lifetime experience.

Cinema Halls/Film Cities

Some of the most famous cinema halls are

1.  Cine Samrat, 
2. INOX Leisure Cinema, 
3. Cine Alankar, 
4. Cine Vasco, 
5. Niagara Cinema,
6.  Shivam Cinema,
7.  ine Vishant, 
8. El Monte Cinema,
9.  Cine Paradise 
10.  Hira Talkies.

    

Food Habits

Goa is famous for its

1.  seafood. 
2. Fish, prawns, 
3. mussels, 
4. oysters, 
5. crabs
6.  lobster dishes are the specialty of the region

   

Safety and precautions

There are many important features of vacation. It is not an option but a compulsory measure that has to be taken while travelling anywhere. General safety and precautions are,

1.  First aid tool kid is the most important one that everyone has to carry while travelling.
2. Travelling at night is unsafe.
3. Keep a photocopy of your passport and all other important documents in a safe place.
4. Don't share taxis with strangers.
5. Make a note of emergency exits, stairwells, fire escapes and emergency plans at hotels.
6.  And always have local police and ambulance number to make emergency call.
7. Goa has plenty of such tourist locations. Each location speaks in volume almost its uniqueness.