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GOA |
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Variously known as
"Pearl of the Orient" and a "Tourist Paradise", the state of Goa
is located
on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as
Konkan. The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural
splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa
a firm favourite with travellers around the world. |
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Destinations in Goa |
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Panaji |
Town |
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Vasco-Da-Gama |
Town |
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Margao |
Town |
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Mapusa |
Town |
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Ponda |
Town |
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Colva |
Beach |
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Miramar |
Beach |
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General Information:-
Area:
3702 square kilometres
Capital: Panaji
Population:
13,43,998
Language:
Konkani, Marathi, Hindi. |
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This is the capital of Goa, and the
North Goa district. It is situated on the banks of the river "Mandovi".
It is connected to the mainland by bridges.
It was a small fishing village with
lots of coconut trees, creeks and fields. For centuries it remained
so and was a neglected ward of Taleigao village with the only massive
structure, the Adil Shah Fort by the Mandovi river. In 1632 the then
Viceroy, Count de Linhares, Dom Miguel de Noronha built the 3.2km
causeway linking Panjim with Ribandar village. |
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Today, It is not only the state
capital, but also an educational, commercial and cultural center of
Goa. The Goa Medical College used to be situated here (since moved to
Bambolim ) and so does the Goa College of Pharmacy, the Goa College
of Art, and the Government Polytechnic. The Dhempe College of Arts
and Sciences is situated in nearby Miramar. Some of the important
parts of the city are discussed separately in the links below. It
boasts of a cultural center-The Kala Academy, and a number of theater
complexes.
Typical of a Goan town, Panaji is built
around a church facing a prominent square. The town has some
beautiful Portuguese Baroque style buildings and enchanting old
villas. The riverside, speckled with brightly whitewashed houses with
wrought iron balconies, offers a fine view.
Attractions in Panaji:
The Church
Square | The Braganza Institute
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The Church Square
A fine illustration of the awesome
Portuguese Baroque style. The Church of the Immaculate Conception
is easily one of the most elegant and picturesque monuments in
Goa. |
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The Braganza
Institute
The Braganza Institute, houses the
tiled frieze, which depicts the 'mythical' representation of the
colonisation of Goa by the Portuguese. |
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Travel Vasco Da Gama, a city that
entices travellers through its mesmerisinng city. Though a small
city, Vasco da Gama encompasses some of the breathtaking tourist
spots. Touring Vasco Da Gama will indeed be a pleasure as it will
enable you to explore the fascinating landscape. Tour Vasco Da
Gama and make your travel an incredible experience.Vasco-da-Gama
is a key shipping centre, very important for the economy of Goa,
which has a large number of mines in its interiors. |
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The Mormugao port handles heavy traffic of
container vessels and iron ore barges carrying ores and minerals to
countries such as Japan and Korea.
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Margao is situated in the
hinterland of southern Goa in Salcete taluka. It is a thriving
commercial metropolis linked by rail to the rest of India &
Mormugao harbor and the national highways. It boasts of fine
gardens, parks as well as imposing old mansions and modern
buildings. To any first timer Margao offers excellent
transportation. There are hotels, that provide comfortable rooms
and restaurants that serve delicious dishes. One can hire a
motorcycle taxi or cab to move around the city. |
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Margao is Goa's second largest city
and commercial metropolis of Salcete taluka in South Goa. It
still retains semblance of Goa’s Portuguese colonial past, and is
connected to the rest of the Indian sub-continent by rail.
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Mapusa (pronounced as Mapsa by the
locals) is Goa's third largest town and the capital of the
northern Bardez taluka. It is mainly a market town for the
surrounding beach areas of Calangute, Candolim, Anjuna and Baga among
others. Even its name is thought to be derived from the Konkani word
for a measure - "map" and the phrase fill up - "sa".
It is a fairly small town with mostly
modern building spread around the slopes of a small hillock called
Altinho. It lies about 13 kms from the capital city of Panaji and on
most days there is hardly anything to entice the casual visitor to
its environs.
But come Friday morning, the whole town
has a lively look when the famous weekly Friday Market begins. The
market attracts people from all over Goa who come here to buy and
sell their wares. Everything from fresh and dried fish, incense,
spices, fruits and vegetables to souvenirs from other states of India
is available here. |
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Ponda can be described as the Hindu
heart of Goa. It is famous for the five important temples that
are situated around the town, and also has the largest mosque in
Goa. Most of these temples look relatively new as they have been
restored after being destroyed by the Portuguese. That explains
why there are no temples around the coast, which was the prime
territory of the Portuguese. Ponda is also an important transport
link.Today
it is an industrial city with many large factories and industrial
estates nearby. |
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Goa's
only engineering college, the Goa College of Engineering is
located at nearby Farmagudi.Ponda
taluka is most famous for its temples, most of which have made
the area their home for centuries following displacement from
their original sites elsewhere in Portuguese occupied Goa during
the early days of the Inquisition. Ponda is also the gateway to
Goa's wildlife sanctuaries, both the Bondla and the Mahavir
Wildlife Sanctuary and also the Dudhsagar Waterfalls. |
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This is the most important beach in
the south circuit equipped with all modern amenities like
air-conditioned resort complexes, tourist cottages, discos,
seashell artefact stalls, refreshment stalls, eateries, guest
houses, expanding the village enormously. The Church of Our Lady
Of Mercy in Colva is famous for its miracle statue of Menino
Jesus. The road leading from the Church to the beach is where all
the facilities are located. |
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Colva is a small village in south
Goa on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It lies 39 km away from
Panaji, capital of the Indian state of Goa. Two km further ahead
from Colva is Benaulim. |
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This beautiful beach is
located about 3kms from Panaji. It lies adjoining the
estuary of the river Mandovi as it opens into the Arabian
sea. It was originally known as the "Gasper Dias
Beach".From the beach across the river is an excellent
view of Fort Aguada. Apart from its proximity to Panaji,
it is very much commercialized and a large number of
hotels and exclusive homes of Goa's rich and famous stud
the area. |
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