Goa

Goa, a state on India’s West coast, is a former Portuguese colony with a rich history. Spread over 3,700 square kilometres with a population of approximately 1.4 million, Goa is small by Indian standards. It has a unique mix of Indian and Portuguese cultures and architecture that attracts an estimated 2.5 million visitors each year (including about 400,000 foreign tourists).

Since the 1960s, Goa has been attracting a steady flow of visitors — first the hippies and returning expatriate Goans, then the charter tourists (starting with the Germans in 1987), pilgrims visiting Catholic and Hindu shrines, those opting to settle in Goa as their home, people going for medical treatment, and a growing number of those who attend seminars and conferences in Goa.

Culture

Goan culture has been shaped mainly by the Hindu and Catholic population. People are mostly easy going (‘sossegado’ in Portuguese). With better connectivity by air and rail, there has been an influx of people from neighbouring states that has led to different cultures. Many Indians from other states have now come and settled here.

How to reach?

Goa can be reached via its sole airport (Dabolim), by train, and by the many buses connecting the state with cities in India (primarily Mumbai, Mangalore and Bangalore). If you are travelling from Mumbai or Pune, car travel will provide you a journey through breathtaking scenery of the Konkan area.

By plane

The Dabolim airport in Vasco da Gama is Goa’s only airport. Some airlines fly directly to Goa, but most international flights arrive via Mumbai. Air India has international flights to Kuwait and UAE twice a week. Air Arabia has discount flights to Sharjah. Qatar Airways has flights to Doha, along with convenient connections to Western Europe, Africa and USA.

Flights can be chartered to the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and Switzerland.

Many domestic airlines have daily flights to and from Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Kozhikode (Calicut).

By train

Indian Railways connects Goa with direct train services from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore,Chennai and Hyderabad. The destination station is usually Madgaon in South Goa, one can also choose to get down at Thivim in North Goa. Travelling to Goa by train is a real pleasure as the route passes through greenery and many tunnels. Goa is also connected to Pune via the Belgaum Miraj line.

Beaches

Goa is famous for its beaches, ancient temples and churches, and the Goan carnival.

How to get around

First thing to bear in mind is that when you are visiting Goa, you are visiting a whole state, not a city. So there are several towns spread out with considerable distance between them and so it is essential to prepare, or at least have an idea of, what kind of local transportation you will be using while there.

High resolution maps are not available for Goa. For example, some popular isles are not shown in many maps.

Art & culture

Goa has a more than its fair share of museums, art galleries and libraries. You will find many government run museums in Panaji, including the Goa State museum, the Kala Academy, the Central Library and the Goa Science Centre. In Vasco da Gama, you can find the Naval Aviation Museum, a great place to see vintage aircraft.

Old Goa is a great place to see examples of Christian religious art, and sometimes, secular art. There you can find the Christian Art Museum and also a modern art gallery containing the works of surrealist Dom Martin. In Mormugao, you can find the Religious Museum of the Blessed Joseph Vaz. The Xavier Centre of Historical Research at Bardez also has a gallery on Christian Art.

Attracted by Goa’s bohemian life, many artists, painters and architects have made their home here. They too have proceeded to set up art galleries and museums. An example of this is Subodh Kerkar’s art gallery in Candolim. Benaulim also has the Goa Chitra Museum, containing the largest collection of ethnographic artifacts ever assembled in one place.

Churches and Cathedrals

It is no exaggeration to call Goa, a city of churches which are a proof of the rich history of the beach city. During the initial stages of the Portuguese rule in the city, building of church building was a favored activity, mainly because they wanted to spread Christianity and convert as many people as was possible. These churches are world-renowned as they have kept intact the old-world charm and thus are famous as tourist attractions. They are an indispensable part of the culture and society of Goa that have helped in the spread of education also. Here is a list of 5 churches you just cannot miss in Goa:

• Bom Jesus Basilica (1605) – built in 1605, this Basilica has the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, one of the patron Saints of Goa. It is known for its distinctive baroque architecture that has a display of architectural pieces in wood, stone, gold and granite. Francis Xavier died while aboard a ship and his body was taken to Malacca but it was decided that he should be buried in Goa. After 2 years, it was noticed that his body had not decomposed, that was no less than a miracle. After every 10 years, his body is put for public display in a silver casket designed in the 17th century.

• Se Cathedral – built in 1619, one of the largest churches in Asia, which took around 80 years to get constructed, Se Cathedral is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. It was built to remember the victory of the Portuguese over the Muslim rulers in the city. The building has a Golden bell that can be heard in the whole of Goa. Located in old Goa, one of the bell towers of the church was destroyed during a lightening storm. The structure also consists of 14 alters inside, with each being beautifully carved.

• Church of St Francis of Assisi – built in 1661, located on the back of the Se Cathedral, this church is a beautiful piece of ancient workmanship. The structure has striking painted panels showcasing the life of St. Francis of Assisi on the walls. The adjoining seminary has been converted into an art museum, which preserves the painting that was previously kept at the Panaji Secretariat. The church also has an octagonal tabernacle decorated in an ornate style.

• Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception -built in 1541, a famous landmark of Goa, it is the oldest church situated in Panaji. The towers of the church have a statue of Mother Mary at the front. Around 450 years old, this church was built to welcome sailors home. This church is largely visited even today by Catholic devouts and has been beautifully preserved. The bell of the church is 2nd largest in the world.

• Church of St. Catejan – built in 1700, Church of St. Catejan has a striking resemblance St. Peters Basilica in Rome. It was built by a group of Greek and Italian priest to initiate a contrast to the other churches built during the Portuguese times. On the left, there three altars dedicated to the Holy Family, Our Lady Of Piety and St. Clare and the right-side altars are dedicated to St. Agnes, St. Cajetan and St. John. Though the building is 300 years old, but has been beautifully preserved.