Goa Travel Guide

Goa which shines as a Lodestar in the firmament of tourism is a multifaceted destination. Known as the “Pearl of India” it is more beautiful than Switzerland.
The ambience of Goa is unique and vastly different from the rest of India. The world famous majestic Western Ghats which adorn the state’s eastern skyline offer a wide spectrum of landscape wild life and colours. Swaying palms miles of golden sun and sands lush abundant greenery and mangrove forests blue skies and pale hills… A magnificent hybrid of oriental and occidental baroque architecture set in a tropical landscape… an incredible cultural heritage unique cultural synthesis of east and west a rare blend of yesterday and tomorrow…

Deities living side by side in their elegant temples magnificent churches and mosques. International cuisine with local flavour. Scrumptious seafood feni fruits and the spices of life. The land of fun and frolic and hardwork as well. Such are the treasure of Goa.

Rudyard Kipling certainly did not have Goa in mind when he made his famous comment-“East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet”. For there is no other place in the world that represents so perfect a blend of the orient and occident as Goa!

The 450 years of colonial Portuguese rule have imparted a distinct Latin ambience to the state of Goa that makes the Western tourist feel very much at ease. But despite its Western form the soul and content of Goa remains essentially Hindu with a tradition going back 2000 years!

There are many fragrances to Goa. And its charm lies essentially in the fact that it’s possible for every tourist to find exactly what he is looking for in this little haven. A holiday destination in India for all seasons.

Goa’s unique architectural tradition with its fusion of many styles and tradition its magnificent old homes with their priceless antiques and its temples and churches make it an ideal place to soak in culture.

For the more energetic its varied landscape offers a wide range of sports ranging from football and water sports to trekking. Goa is nestled between the Sahyadri Ghats to the East and the Arabian Sea to the West and is an emerald fleck on India’s Western shore. It is a 50 minute flight south of Mumbai.
Much as it is famous for its beaches Goa is also famous for its historic churches and temples. The unique culture of Hindu, Christian Muslim and Portuguese makes for a fascinating potpourri of architecture religion language and cuisine. The friendly and hospitable people reflect in their moods and manners and way of life the ethos of a rich cultural heritage. A happy distinctive blend of East and West a splendid blossom of the all embracive Indian genius for synthesis laced with “Alegria” the Goan spirit of laughter good fellowship and affection. It’s no wonder that God is called the “Pearl of the Orient”.

Brilliant lush green fields of irrigated paddy surround villages and hamlets with white painted churches standing out against occasional empty patches of startling red soil. In the background are the jungle-clad hills. Pizzas of churches cool temple tanks shady Goan houses and elegant mansions splashed with the colour of bougainvillea lend the atmosphere of lethargic Portuguese villages.

With some of India’s finest beaches Goa has long been popular as a place for relaxation. Yet inland Goa predominantly Hindu has much to offer with interesting temples around Ponda and the 12th-13th century site of Tambadi Surla. The former Portuguese enclave of Goa has beckoned travellers for many years with its palm-fringed beaches liberal attitudes and renowned ‘travellers’ scene.

Gleaming Portuguese-style whitewashed churches paddy fields dense coconut palm groves and crumbling forts guarding rocky capes make up the Goan landscape. Markets are lively colourful affairs and siesta is widely observed during the hot afternoons. Goans love to celebrate and this is reflected in huge number of feasts and festivities.

Goa is a land with a glorious past. A past that extends far beyond its four and a half centuries of colonial rule. Indeed history has played an immense role in shaping the Goan psyche. For during the course of its past Goa has welcomed into its midst a conglomeration of different races and people. Infact it is the only state in India offering a composite of cultures. And its uniqueness lies in the fact that while creating a delicate synthesis of various cultures Goa has retained its inherent soul. The essence of Goa lies in its marvellous expanse of palm-fringed beaches and azure-blue seas all warmed by the sun and local hospitality. Goa is all about relaxed lifestyle enlivened by the Goan love for music and dance spiced up by its superb cuisine. That’s why Goa is also known as a gourmet’s paradise.

The climate is just the type to chill out and have fun. Summers on the golden sands winters in the warm waters or soaking in the Goan rains-Goa is exhilarating round the year. An experience in the hinterlands of Goa fills the heart with more than just tranquility. There is more to Goa than sun sand the natural beauty. The allure is quite distinct form the rest of India-its not just the familiar remnants of European colonialism or the picture book exoticism that make it seem so accessible it’s the prevalence of a form of social and political progressiveness that westerners feel they can relate to. 

History

It’s not surprising that a land so heavenly should have its origins in a similar fashion. According to legend Lord Parashurama an incarnation of Lord Vishnu shot an arrow from the Western Ghats into the Arabian Sea.

He then commanded the sea to recede upto that point. And reclaimed the beautiful land of Gomant. More recently Goa’s history stretches back to the 3rd century BC when it formed part of the Mauryan Empire. It was later on ruled by the Kadamba dynasty from the 2nd century AD to 1312 and Muslims invaded it from 1312 to 1367. In 1370 King Harihara of the Vijaynagar Empire captured it. Only to lose it to the Bahmani dynasty of Bidar in North Karnataka. They established Old Goa in 1440.

By this time Goa was already an important trade centre for horses with the Vijayanagar empire. When the Portuguese arrived Adil Shahs of Bijapur were the Kings. The Portuguese under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque captured the city and made it the capital of the Portuguese empire in the east.

The “Golden Period” of Goa was between 1575 and 1600 when the natural harbours and wide rivers helped the sea-loving Portuguese control the spice trade in the Indian Ocean.

The Marathas nearly defeated the Portuguese in the late 18th century. But it was not until 1961 that the Indian Government ejected the Portuguese from the sub continent. This worked in favour of the Portuguese Government who had lost their ability to control its far flung empire. Originally Goa was a Union Territory along with the former Portuguese enclaves of Damiu. 30th May 1987 it became a full state of the Indian Union.

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