Welcome to Goa |
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.
But then, Goa is much more than just beaches and sea. It has a soul
which goes deep into unique history, rich culture and some of the
prettiest natural scenery that India has to offer.Much of the real Goa
is in its interiors, both inside its buildings and in the hinterland
away from the coastal area.
About Goa
The Coolest Place in India
'Now our road takes us to the magnificent kingdom of Goa.The people
of this kingdom are strong, prudent and very hardworking. The kingdom of
Goa is the most important in India.It is civilized, having famous
orchards and water. It is the coolest place in India and it is the most
plentiful in foodstuffs.'
'The white people make a practice of
going to the kingdom of Goa to enjoy the shade and the groves of trees
and to savour the sweet betel.'
These revealing remarks on Goa
come not from the hippies or 'flower power' generation of the sixties
and early seventies who thronged the beaches of Anjuna, Vagator and
Arambol in search of salvation and 'peace'. These remarks were made over
five centuries ago by the Portuguese Ambassador to China who visited
Goa around the year 1511. They serve as a vivid precursor to the
generations that followed in our times to the fabled land of Goa.
In
those tumultuous and rebellious times in the sixties, it was then not
the 'sweet betel' that was the prime attraction but a different kind of
'weed'. But Goa, since those days of the angry generation, has moved on
to attract a multitudinous, peaceful and cosmopolitan school of visitors
from all around the globe.
Down the corridors of time Goa has
been different things to different people. To the Portuguese conquerors
it was 'Golden Goa', the El Dorado, the 'Rome of the East'. Such was its
beauty and grandeur, that a traveller was moved to remark: 'Whoever has
seen Goa, need not visit Lisboa'-Lisbon, which was then the grand
epicenter of the Portuguese dominions.
Some decades later, the
early 17th century French traveller Francois Pyrard wrote: 'Whoever has
been in Goa may say that he has seen the choicest rarities of India, for
it is the most famous and celebrated city, on account of its commercial
intercourse with people of all nationalities of the East who bring
there the products of their respective countries, articles of
merchandize, necessaries of life and other commodities in great
abundance because every year more than a thousand ships touch there
laden with cargo.'
Pyrard continued with near prophetic veracity:
'as for the multitude of people, it is a marvel to see the number which
come and go every day by sea and land on business of every kind.One
would say that a fair was being held every day for the sale of all sorts
of merchandise.'
While the contemporary traveller may not come
to modern, thriving Goa 'for the sale of all sorts of merchandise', the
'fair' is still very much on. The traveller is here to find something
different: a balm on the busy mind, to enjoy days of freedom on Goa's
magnificent beaches, to parasail or swim with the tide of fellow
visitors from all around the globe, to savour its unique cuisine and
imbibe its spirits, to take a long and invigorating trek in its
unexplored interiors, to marvel at its majestic temples and churches, in
short, to be at one with the most friendly people in the country.
In
the sixties and seventies, it was, as we have remarked, a haven for the
hippies. Since then Goa has moved on to fullfledged Statehood, its own
Council of Ministers, a magnificent new Assembly complex, its citizens
among the most literate in the country with a per capita income the
highest in the land. At the hub of this prosperity, is the Tourism
industry. At the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), we take a
humble bow in acknowledgement, in some small measure, of putting Goa on
the tourist map of our country.
But we also acknowledge that Goa does not require a massive sales drive.
Goa is a multifaceted jewel in the crown of India
It is a frame of mind and body, spirit and soul.
Goa is an unfading memory.
It is joy and nirvana.
Goa is India's smallest State-with the largest heart.
Area
The state of Goa covers an area of 3,702 sq. km.
Capital of Goa
Panaii is the capital of Goa.
Languages
At present, Marathi and Konkani are two
major languages of Goa. Hindi, the national language of India, is well
understood in Goa. In major towns, English is widely used in writing and
conversation.
On the other hand, Portuguese, the language of the
colonial rulers and the official language till 1961 before liberation,
notwithstanding the official patronage and a compulsory medium of study,
failed to make a dent in the mind of the majority of Goans.
It
remained only the language of the elite but alienated the masses. Thus
just after the departure of the Portuguese, Portuguese lost all its
favour and usage. However, very few - particularly the older or
pre-liberation generation - still use Portuguese.
Thus Goa is a
multi-lingual state, thanks to its diverse history of thousands of
years, which has seen people of various regions, ethnic races and
religions from India and abroad coming over to and settling in Goa,
while influencing the local language.
Natural Resources
Rivers
The
major rivers flowing through the state are Mandovi, Zuari, Terekhol,
Chapora and Betul. The other major rivers include the Tiracol, Chapora,
Sal and the Talpona.
Forests
The state has a
total forest cover of more than 1,424 sq. km covering almost one-third
of the total area. Forests provide important products namely bamboo,
Maratha barks, chillar barks and bhirand. These are of great economic
value for rural mass. Coconut trees are present in almost the whole of
Goa except in the upper regions. Goa’s vegetation also includes cashew,
mango, jackfruits and pineapples.
Minerals
Goa
is rich in mineral resources. Major minerals include iron ore,
manganese, ferro-manganese, bauxite and silica sand. Iron and manganese
mining industries are the backbone of Goa’s economy.
Beaches
Crescent Beaches
Shaped like the new moon, Goa's beaches are known the world over.
Fringed by swaying palm and coconut trees with cool and comfortable
shacks offering a variety of refreshments, Goa's 103 km coastline is
blessed with the most enchanting beaches lapped by the Arabian Sea. And
almost all of them are swimmer friendly with the assured presence of
lifeguards on all the popular beaches.
Sun, Sand, Surf and the Sea
105
kms of Konkan coast stretches across the state of Goa providing a wide
range of choice in beaches to suit everybody's needs. There are unspoilt
pristine stretches of sand for the solitude seeker and there are those
ones jammed with people in every square feet of sand.
There are
beaches far from human habitation with very basic or sometimes no
facility for accommodation. Then there are some with ultra modern
comforts like internet cafes, massage centers, gyms, swimming pools,
night clubs, etc. With such an enormous choice, one might feel confused
about which one to take.
But on the contrary, it's quite easy to
plan an itinerary for getting suntan allover the body. Taking the
capital Panaji and the next major city Margao as base points, all the
beaches can be visited in a stretch. North from Panaji lies the most
famous beach of Calangute.
From here onwards to the northern tip
of the state, swaying palms and shimmering sands stretch giving an
enchanting sight. The further north, the emptier the beaches become. The
same can be said about the silvery sands, which stretch down southwards
from Margao. Right from Colva, the famous silvery white sand beach,
there is an uninterrupted continuity in beaches. The more you move south
the lonelier the beaches are.
When it comes to beaches, the visitor is spoilt for choice.
Tourists enjoying monsoon sea showers at Donapaula jetty in Goa
North Goa Circuit
This stretch begins from the headland of Fort Aguada just outside Panaji
city and moves up north towards the border to Maharashtra. Right from
the Fort Aguada Beach Resort, an interrupted stretch of sand lies
awaiting tourists, sunbathers and party animals.
Sinquerim,
Candolim, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim and Arambol are the
beaches that can be covered in the North Goa Circuit.
Candolim
Candolim is the first beach that can be approached from the city of Panaji. But most part of it is acquired by the Fort Aguada beach resort and other package tourist companies. Though it is difficult to find individual accommodation here, there are a few hotels with restaurants attached.
The nearest place to find tourist information and
travel agencies or other facilities, is Calangute. One highlight of
Candolim is the Parasailing and Water skiing facility, besides other
sports available here.
Calangute
Calangute is the beach to which everyone heads for the moment they land
in Goa. So it is natural that it is overcrowded in both in peak and off
seasons. This huge seven kilometer sweep of sand located 15 kms from
Panaji, is called the 'Queen of Beaches'. All the travel agencies and
tour operators have a base here from where bookings are done for most of
all the other beaches.
Years of tourism has brought in a
tremendous change in the scenario and therefore, hotels and guesthouses
stretch uninterrupted from Calangute to Baga. The village of Calangute
has all basic facilities like post office, banks, foreign exchange
offices, resort companies, all kind of eateries and medical facilities.
The number of internet cafes in Calangute might totally exceed the
number in the entire city of Panaji.
Huge showrooms filled with
exquisite handicrafts from Kashmir, Tibet, Indonesia, Rajasthan and
other exotic places line up the main road running towards Anjuna. But
the beach as such is not the best of all. There are neither swaying
palms nor are there any traditional boats lying there to add variety.
The waves are bigger and heavier here due to the rapid drop.
Baga
This is part of a 30 km stretch of beach coastline along the west coast
of Goa by the Arabian sea that begins at Fort Aguada continues as
Sinquerim Beach, then as Candolim Beach and merges into Calangute Beach
and then to Baga beach and then Anjuna Beach and then to Vagator Beach
finally ending at Chapora Beach and Fort.
As compared to
Calangute Beach, it is quieter and isolated. Its scenic beauty, with the
creek, the Retreat House perched on the hill and the lack of local
tourist buses all have contributed to its unique beauty. It is more
popular with western tourists who love to use it as a base for water
sports and fishing in the area.
Vagator
This beautiful beach is located about 22 Kms from Panaji and is situated
in Bardez taluka. This is part of a 30 km stretch of beach coastline
along the west coast of Goa by the arabian sea that begins at Fort
Aguada continues as Sinquerim beach, then as Candolim beach and merges
into Calangute beach and then to Baga beach and then Anjuna beach and
then to Vagator beach finally ending at Chapora beach and Fort.
The
beach adjoining Anjuna is secluded, crescent shaped and situated on the
Caisua bay along the Chapora river basin, in the shadow of Chapora
fort. During the tourist season, it is a favorite venue for mid night
parties. There are a number of buses that run from Mapusa and Calangute
Beach to Vagator. The nearest interstate bus station is at Mapusa, the
KTC bus station.
Anjuna
It is located about 18kms from Panaji and is situated in Bardez taluka.
This is part of a 30 km stretch of beach coastline along the west coast
of Goa by the Arabian sea that begins at Fort Aguada continues as
Sinquerim Beach, then as Candolim Beach and merges into Calangute Beach
and then to Baga Beach and then Anjuna Beach and then to Vagator Beach,
finally ending at Chapora Beach and Chapora river and Fort.
The
Village of Anjuna is a five square mile enclosure nestling between the
Arabian Sea and the hill overlooking the beach. This beach is known for
its swaying palms, soft sands and natural beauty. It has an unusual
rocky formation overlying a cove of white sand and black rock that juts
into the Sea.
Sinquerim
With a magnificent 17th century fort which has now been converted into a
prison. It is one of the best beaches in Goa with international class
facilities for water-skiing, para-sailing, fishing, scuba-diving and
wind-surfing.
You can stay here either at the Fort Aguada Beach
Resort, Taj Holiday Village or at the Aguada Hermitage which is situated
on the hillside, overlooking the sea.
Sinquerim is located some
13 km from Panaji. Taj Hotel group has set up the Heritage Complex here
which dominates the headland around the historic Fort Aguada. There is
uninterrupted firm sand from here all the way to north to Baga and if
you want a long beach walk, there cannot be a better place to start
from.
Miramar
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.
The beach is crowded with locals and tourists alike on
most days. The Dhempe College of Arts and Science is located here and so
is the memorial to Goa's first chief minister, the late Dayanand
Bandodkar. A lovely golden beach of soft sand gridled with palm trees
facing the blue Arabian Sea, is the nearest to Panaji.
Aguada
Aguada beach is almost synonymous with the top-notch Fort Aguada Hotel
complex, a superb hotel that is built on the cliff, around the remnants
of the early 17th century Portuguese fort. Although access to the beach
is not possible through the hotel grounds, which are private, you can
walk along Aguada beach, for in India private beaches do not exist.
The
hotel has been constructed in three parts, consisting of expensive
cottages on the upper reaches of the hillside, the fort jutting out to
sea, and a delightful Goan village, with individual cottages. Drawn by
the clientele of the hotel, Aguada beach has cafes, itinerant vendors of
everything from Kashmiri carpets to massages, and a good range of water
sports.
Calangaute Beach
South Goa Circuit
Another major base to begin the beach conquest is from Margao, the
second most important city in Goa. This railway junction connects Goa to
all major cities in the coastline like Mumbai, Mangalore and Kochi.
Beginning from Majorda beach, a 20 kms long silvery white sand stretches across till the headland of Cabo de Rama.
Velsao, Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor and Betul beaches are all interconnected.
Palolem
It’s a beach of white sand facing a blue bay between two headlands. The
little wooded islands on the northern headland look interesting but as
we’ve never ventured onto any of them we don’t know what landing on them
would be like.
If you’re interested, try to persuade one of the
fishermen. This is also a fishing beach to ferry you across. They do
offer to take you out to spot dolphins. Tourists have discovered Palolem
and so there are a few shacks selling seafood snacks, souvenirs and
clothes of the shapeless, bright, informal kind. Panaji, the capital, is
more than 70 km away.
There are beautiful beach huts and family room to
choose from in Palolem. Try to avoid the weekends, as there is a big
crowd of picnickers who throng the beach on weekends.
There are
now beautiful beach huts and family rooms to choose from in Palolem.
Further south is the cove of Colomb where you can enjoy peace and quiet.
Two kilometres away from Palolem is Rajbag Beach which is isolated and
stretches all the way to the mouth of the Talpona River. And then on to
Galgibaga Beach which is the second nesting site in Goa for turtles.
Further south is Agonda Beach.
Agonda
If you continue driving towards Panaji from Palolem, the next beach is Agonda.
It’s long and lonely, fringed with palms and casuarinas and dominated by a large hill to the south.
It’s not safe to swim out too far on this beach. There are very few facilities available here and you are needed to carry all the essentials.
Agonda
is a three kilometer long beautiful cove of white sand, safely secluded
in the palms. There are no tourists, no souvenir stalls, no
restaurants, nothing.
Just the trees, the beach, the big
beautiful ocean and you. It also makes for a great day trip from Colva
and Covelossim. For real adventure, hire a tent and camp for the night,
listening to the crashing of the sea waves.
Calangaute Beach
Mapusa Market
Not far from Agonda
beach is Cabo de Rama, untouched by most of the visitors in this region.
The atmosphere of the fort creates a sense of history and drama that
very few would fail to appreciate. The fort is named after Rama, hero of
the Hindu epic Ramayana. According to the local legends, Rama stayed
here with his wife Sita during the period of 12-year exile.
The best way to reach this beach is by a scooter or motors bike.
Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor
Varca, Cavelossim, and Mabor are the most beautiful beaches south of
Benaulim. These beaches are much cleaner and quieter than most of the
famous beaches of Goa. There are numerous beach shacks offering a
variety of Goan dishes and seafood at reasonable prices.
There
are several food joints around Dona Sylvia where you can get entire
package of good food, good drink, nice service, and a pleasant service
in quite reasonable rates. There are facilities for Dolphin watching up
river Sal.
These beaches are home to some of the most exclusive
and luxurious beach resorts in Goa. Accommodation is also available for
budget and economy class travelers though not on the beach itself.
There
are plenty of transportation facilities available to reach these
beaches from Margao. From Cavelossim village, Margao is 18 km away and
buses and autos are available easily. You can also hire taxis from
Dabolim Airport (41 – 48 km) to reach the beach resorts here. To move
locally, use cycles and scooters that are available on hire.
Colva
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.
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.
With 20 km of virgin white sands, palm
fringed, and sun drenched beaches, Colva is the most loved beach of
Goans. Colva, unlike Anjuna or Calangute, gained popularity only lately.
It was little disturbed and life moved on quietly.
While taking
a stroll on the Colva Beach, silver carpets of bangdde (mackerels) can
be viewed shimmering on the golden sands for drying. Fishermen’s motor
trawlers can be seen anchored in a line offshore. Tourists, Indian and
foreigners, as well as locals can be seen in colorful dresses, coming
either for a walk or ‘for a change of air’. Many tourists can be seen
having a sunbath on the golden sands.
The trinket stalls and the
drink stands on the golden sands under the moonlight make the evening
on the Colva Beach utterly romantic.
Majorda
This small stretch beach stretches about 5 Kms north of Colva Beach
along the coastline. The beach is the location of many hotels. It is in
no way comparable to Colva Beach that lies just south along the coast.
From
Bogmalo down south, there is Majorda beach and the Majorda Beach
Resort. Majorda is the village where the Jesuits, fond as they were of
the good things of life, discovered the best Goan toddy (sap from the
coconut palm), which they used to leaven the bread. Naturally, then,
Majorda is the place where the Goans were first trained in the delicate
art of baking European breads.
The Majordans are still Goa's
best bakers. The delights of the beach, however, were discovered much
earlier, in the mythical times when the gods above went through a lot of
turmoil. There is a Goan version of Ramayana and therein Lord Rama was
kidnapped as a child and brought up at Majorda. Later, in pursuit of
Sita, he camped at Cabo de Rama - a headland further south - where the
stretch of developed beaches ends.
Bogmalo
This beach dominated by a huge 5-star hotel located right on its edge
and is cut apart from both the North and South beach circuit. Being just
4 kilometers away from the Goa Airport at Dabolim, it is a favourite
among the elite classes and has an air of exclusivity.
Although
the resort hotel towers above the village, there are couple of smaller
places to stay. Windsurfing and water skiing facilities are available.
Benaulim
Less than 2 kms south of Colva is the more tranquil beach of Benaulim.
Benaulim is one of the few places in Goa where one can glimpse
handicrafts typical to this area. The best of the traditional rosewood
furniture is made here. Also Benaulim is famous as the place where the
legendary Parashuram's arrow landed, by which Goa was created.
About
2 km away from Colva is the Benaulim, which is more peaceful and serene
than Colva. The best thing about Benaulim is that it is still rather
undiscovered by domestic tourists even though it is a fishing beach. It
gets fairly crowded in the evenings and on weekends; it gets fairly
crowded with local visitors who get off buses about a kilometer away and
pour onto the beach.
The Church of St John the Baptist is
situated on a hill beyond the village and worth a visit. On the arrival
of the monsoon, Feast of St John the Baptist (Sao Joao) is celebrated as
a thanksgiving. Young men wearing crowns of leaves and fruits tour the
area singing for gifts. To commemorate the movement of St John in his
mother’s womb when he was in his mother’s womb and visited by Mary, the
mother of Jesus, the young men of this village jump in the wells.
Betul
Betul is one of the most important fishing ports where all the
mechanized boats and deep sea trawlers bring in their catch. Here
headlands from the slopes of the Western Ghats protrude into the shore
giving it an imposing backdrop.
Beyond this secluded beach is
the hill of Cabo De Rama where the Portuguese have built a fort. From
the fort a great view of the sunset on the beach can be viewed. There
are very few places to stay in Betul.
Caves
Arvalem Caves
These caves are also called the 'Pandavas Caves' as folk tales say that the Pandavas stayed here during their exile. These caves were encarved in the 5th or 6th century A.D.The celebrated caves of Arvalem, found in a remote area but not far from the temple of Rudreshwar, are of great archaeological interest. Cave No. 2 has a Shivalinga with a circular top with Sanskrit and Brahmi characters dating back to the 7th century A.D.
They have 5 compartments among which the middle compartment holds the 'Linga' which is till today regarded with great respect
Top
Rock Cut Caves of Khandepar
These caves were encarved way back in the 12th century and were rediscovered in 1970. These caves are found 36 kilomters from Panaji in village called Khandepar in the Ponda Taluka.The 4 caves are situated in close vicinity, with the 1st and the 2nd one being almost linked, the 3rd is just at a distance of one meter and the 4th is opposite the first cave. The 4th cave was probably used for meditation and prayers and has the pedestal to hold the 'Linga' in it.
Waterfalls, Springs and Lakes
Arvalem Waterfalls
Descending from the temple of Rudreshwar, one catches sight of a
majestic waterfall cascading from a height of about 70 ft. to form a
sizeable lake at the bottom-a tempting sight to seasoned swimmers.
A
short distance from the regional town of Bicholim, along the road from
Mayem Lake, lies the village of Sanquelim. This is the place where the
colonial government settled its Rajput mercenaries (known as the 'Ranes') in the mid-1700s and where the same
mercenaries staged their successful uprisings during the 19th century.
Of
interest near Sanquelim are the Arvalem Caves, about a mile from the
south-eastern end of Sanquelim. A short 10-minute drive from the caves,
the Harvalem Waterfalls are worth visiting after the monsoon (in
October) when they cascade noisily through the surrounding trees, but
through the dry winter the flow is reduced to a trickle.
This
waterfall, which cascades down from the mountains from a height of 50
meters, is not as awe-inspiring as the Dudhsagar Waterfalls spectacle,
but is interesting all the same.
This waterfall is set amidst
charming surroundings, with the Rudreshwar temple in its vicinity. The
temple holds importance for the Hindus who believe in releasing the soul
on the 12th day after death. The Rock cut caves are just situated
nearby. The Government has also developed a park from which the view of
the waterfall can be peacefully relished.
Sanquelim can be easily
reached by bus from Mapusa, but you will have to walk for about half an
hour or take a motorbike taxi to get out to the caves or the falls.
The Vajra Sakla waterfall at Chorlaghat on the Goa Karnataka road attracts a lot of people.
A trekker on a monsoon trekking expedition at a waterfall in Sattari village in Goa
A trekker on a monsoon trekking expedition at a waterfall in Sattari village in Goa
Dudhsagar Waterfalls
The magnificent Dudhsagar Waterfall is perched in the high peaks of the
Western Ghats and is a sight to behold especially in the monsoons when
it is in full and furious flow. From a distance, the waterfall appears
like streams of milk rushing down the mountainside. The exhuberent and
spectacular waterfall is located in the Sanguem taluka.
Measuring
a mighty 600m from head to foot, this waterfall on the Goa-Karnataka
border, attracts a steady stream of visitors from the coast into the
rugged Western Ghats. After pouring across the Deccan plateau, the
headwaters of the Mandovi River form a foaming torrent that splits into
three streams to cascade down a near-vertical cliff face into a deep
green pool.
The Konkani name for the falls, which literally
translated means "sea of milk", derives from clouds of milky foam which
rises up at the bottom of the falls. Dudhsagar is set amidst
breathtaking scenery overlooking a steep, crescent-shaped head of a
valley carpeted with pristine tropical forest, which is only accessible
on foot or by train.
Like most places in Goa, the Dudhsagar
waterfall too has a legend attached to its name. The legend tells the
story of this powerful and wealthy king who ruled a kingdom in the
Western Ghats. His lavish and opulent palace in the hills was surrounded
by vast gardens which were full of deers and gazelles.
The King
had a beautiful daughter, who used to enjoy taking a bath during the
hot summers, in the picturesque lake near the forest on the edge of the
King's palace grounds. It was her habit to finish her bath and have a
jug full of sugared milk in a jug made of pure gold.
One day
when she was finishing her usual jug of milk, she found herself being
watched by a handsome prince standing amongst the trees. Embarrassed by
her inadequate bathing attire, the resourceful Princess poured the
sugared milk in front of her to form an improvised curtain to hide her
body, while one of the maids rushed to cover her with a dress.
Thus
was the legend born. The sugared milk (dudh) poured down the
mountainside and continued to flow in torrents as a tribute to the
everlasting virtue and modesty of the Princess of the Ghats. The Dudh
Sagar (Sea of Milk) continues to flow to this day and attracts thousands
of visitors to one of the most popular and famous tourist spots in the
state of Goa.
A number of private operators offer special trips
to the Waterfalls and the tours operated by GTDC (Goa Tourism
Development Corpn) also have Dudhsagar Waterfalls as one of the tour
stops.
The falls can also be reached by a train journey from
Vasco or Margao. At Collem, in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary near
Mollem, there is a railway station where the train stops to pick up
passengers for the journey to the waterfalls. There are two trains a day
that stop at Dudhsagar Station and it's possible to catch a morning
train up and spend several hours at the falls before taking an afternoon
train back.
Near the top of the falls, the railway line from
Vasco to Londa crosses the mountainside, with excellent views from the
train. There also a couple of pools that you can swim in, making
Dudhsagar a great place for a day full of fun and frolic. The alternate
way of reaching the falls is only advisable between January and May,
when the level of the water in the rivers abates enough to permit jeeps
to approach the base of the falls.
A popular destination for
hikers and trekkers, the waterfall is also accessible by jeep through
the sanctuary. However, one needs to obtain permission in advance from
the Department of Forests at Junta House, Panaji.
The waterfall
Dudhsagar is one of the world's most exquisite falls. It lies high up
in the Mandovi River's watershed and so are not particularly
spectacular during the dry season. During the monsoon season however,
the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India.
Dudhsagar Falls is listed as India's fifth tallest waterfall and is
227th in the world at 310 m.
The water plummets hundreds of metres (over a thousand feet) in large
volumes during the rainy monsoon season, forming one of the most
spectacular natural phenomena in Goa. It is a major part of the Goa
ecosystem. It is a four-tiered waterfall with a total height of 310
metres (1017 feet) and an average width of 30 metres (100 feet).
How to reach
The Waterfall can be reached both by road and rail. It can be reached
by road from Panaji or Madgaon by National Highway NH4A and by train
from Madgaon railway junction or Londa
railway junction. There is a railway station called Dudhsagar Falls
(station code DWF or DDS) where trains stop for a minute or so for
technical reason (to test brakes while going downhill) but no tickets
are issued to or from this station and it is not a commercial halt for
trains. The next railway station is Collem
(Kulem) on Madgaon-Castle Rock-Londa track, 13 km from the Falls. The
railway route for reaching the falls from Goa is Madgaon-Collem-
Dudhsagar Falls. One can reach the falls from Collem railway station by a
much shorter 6 km long road. The other route is from Carambolim (Karmali Railway Station of Konkan Railways. The route is Carambolim-Old Goa-Ponda-Tiska-Mollem (total 50 km) - Dudhsagar Falls.
Ordinary cars are not suitable for the drive to the Falls and within
the forest sanctuary. One should use a four-wheel drive vehicle (SUV) as
the road is a jungle track that has fast-flowing streams criss-crossing
it at several points. The motorable track stops a kilometre before the
Falls and one has to walk one kilometre crossing over small paths carved
through the rocks at the foot of the Falls.
The Falls can be reached by train from Karnataka state from Londa railway junction on Hubli-Madgaon-Vasco da Gama route. One can get down at Castle Rock
station or Collem station and reach the Falls by road. However, one can
get down at Dudhsagar Falls railway station itself (station code DWF or
DDS) that lies between Castle Rock and Collem and walk the short
distance to the falls. Then one can come back to the same station and
take a freight train by requesting the guard and taking his permission.
All the trains including freight (goods) trains stop at Dudhsagar Falls
railway station while going towards Madgaon (but not while going in the
reverse direction)
Mayem Lake
This is the most famous lake in Goa and also one of the most popular
tourist destinations on the itinerary of all the conducted sight-seeing
tours.
The lake is located in Bicholim taluka in north Goa, east
of the market town of Mapusa. The region, in which the lake is located,
is mostly unspoilt countryside full of sleepy villages.
The lake
itself sits on wooded shores in a landscape of low hills. Birdlife is
plentiful here, with a variety of birds making their home on the shores
of the lake.
The placid waters of this lake are ideal for
boating. Small pedal operated boats are available for a charming boat
ride on the lake.
The lake has in its grounds a shady park which
boasts of an excellent cafeteria and several other stalls, the most
popular of which are the soft drink ones.
The GTDC-run Mayem Lake Resort offers inexpensive accommodation in self-contained cottages and dormitories.
A
short drive away from the lake is the residence and chapel of the
erstwhile count of Mayem. En route is a small water fountain built in
1927 as the plaque indicates which still supplies water to neighbouring
residents.
Worth visiting nearby in the picturesque village of
Mayem is the Kumbharwado where villagers belong mainly to the farming
community. But they do not till the lands until after the celebration of
the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.
They are engaged in an
activity of an entirely different kind. Most families of the Kumbharwado
locality make Ganesh idols out of terracotta which are shipped all
around Goa for the festival. The idol making is an art passed on from
generation to generation and produces some of the most beautiful and
colourful idols in the state.
Forts
Sentinels of the Past
Compared to Indian
standards, Goan forts are very small in size. Nonetheless, these are
historic specimen of immense military, political and economic importance
in a land crisscrossed by rivers and canals and bordered by sea on the
west. The old monuments, now in ruins are mute testimony to the joys and
sorrows, and colourful and dark events of a bygone era.
Some
are awesome in sheer size like the Ruins of the St. Augustine's Tower,
while others are marvelous pieces of architecture, such as the Gate of
the Adil Shah's Palace at Old Goa.
There are quite a few old
Portuguese forts dotted around Goa, most of them on the coast. Most of
them are in reasonable state of preservation and are worth a visit if
you have the time.
Goa has several imposing forts, though most
of them lie in ruins today. One marvels at the massive effort which was
involved when the huge laterite stones were lifted to the top of
inaccessible hills, to erect the forts.
Sans cement, steel or
mortar, the giant walls have stood the vagaries of nature for centuries,
and would have gone on to last for several centuries more were they to
be looked after properly.
The Portuguese found the need to raise
the fortresses at several strategic points facing the river mouths to
defend their new acquisitions in the East. Of course, they also acquired
forts built by the neighbouring chieftains, when the latter's lands
were annexed by the Conquistadores. However, once the defense priorities
receded, the forts too were abandoned by the Portuguese.
Aguada Fort
This is the largest and the best-preserved Portuguese bastion in Goa and
was built in 1609-12, to control the entry into the river Mandovi and
to protect Old Goa from potential enemy attacks.
A freshwater
spring - from where the fort derives it's name - within the fort
provided water supply to the ships that called there. Ringed by thick
battlements, the heart of the fort was protected by two hundred cannons
and a deep dry moat, which one still has to cross to get inside.
Strategically
located at the estuary of the river Mandovi, this fort was constructed
in 1612 as a guard against invasions from the Dutch and the Marathas.
The walls of this fort are 5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide. Little
surprise is that, the only fort that was not conquered by any invaders
during the 450 year long rule of the Portuguese empire.
The area
around the fort housed a large well and a number of springs that
provided fresh drinking water to the voyagers that arrived by ship.
"Agua" in Portuguese means water, thus the fort derived its name
"Aguada" to denote a place where water is accumulated.
Steps lead
down from the middle of the courtyard within to an enormous vaulted
cistern capable of storing ten million liters of fresh water. The other
unusual feature of the fort is a four-storey Portuguese lighthouse,
erected in 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia.
An
interesting feature in the precinct of the fort is a 13 meter high
lighthouse. This lighthouse, built in 1864, initially used an oil lamp.
It was later renovated and modernised in 1976.
This lighthouse
was home to a gigantic bell that was retrieved from amongst the ruins of
the St. Augustus monastery at Old Goa. However, the bell has now been
moved to the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception church at Panaji.
Though
the entire fort is no longer intact, some buildings that are still in
good shape have been converted into a prison. Interestingly, it happens
to be the largest prison in Goa.
En-oute to the fort, one comes
across the church of St. Lawrence, the saint of the sailors. The
Portuguese used to build churches on the outskirts of the forts to
prevent the enemy from firing at a close range.
Cabo De Rama Fort
Located in Canacona Taluka Cabo da Rama - Cape Rama -, takes its name
from Rama, the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana, who, along with his wife
Sita holed up here during his exile from Ayodhya. The promontory was
crowned by a fort centuries before the Portuguese cruised in and wrested
it from the local Hindu rulers in 1763.
They erected their own
citadel soon after, but this now lies in ruins; a crumbling turret still
houses a couple of rusty old Portuguese cannons. Until 1955, the
bastion housed a prison; now its only habitable building is a lonely
government observation post occupied from time to time by a couple of
young scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography.
Moving
south of Madgaon, a deviation from the National Highway going to Karwar
at Chinchinim, a quiet bumpy road goes towards the hills on the edge of
the sea. At the end of this long winding road is the lonely Cabo De
Rama. The headland of Cabo De Rama had been a fortress much before the
Portuguese ever reached Goa.
The fortress on this site was held
by various rulers for many years, and it was in 1763 that it was gained
by the Portuguese from the Raja of Sonda. It was subsequently rebuilt,
and what remains today, including the rusty cannons, is entirely
Portuguese. Although the fort saw no real action after the rebuild, it
was briefly occupied by British troops.
There is little to see
of the old structure beyond the front wall with its dry moat and main
gate, and the small church which stands just inside the walls. The
church is still used, and its pristine whitewash contrasts notably with
the blackened stone of the ruined front rampart.
The western
side of the fortress, where the cliffs drop sharply to the sea, provides
a great view both to the north and south. There is practically no sign
of life on the hilltop at all, apart from a few soaring sea eagles, and
the occasional monkey scampering between clumps of vegetation. Own
transport has to be arranged to reach the fort.
Chapora Fort
Located 10 kilometer from Mapusa, the red-laterite bastion was built by
the Portuguese in 1617 on the site of an earlier Muslim structure.
Intended as a border watchpost, it fell to various Hindu raiders during
the 17th century, before finally being deserted by the Portuguese in
1892.
Today, the fortress lies in ruins, although you can still
see the heads of two tunnels that formerly provided supply routes for
besieged defenders, as well as a scattering of Muslim tombstones on the
southern slopes of the hill, believed to be relics of pre-colonial days.
However, the main incentive to climb up here is the splendid view of
nearby Anjuna and Vagator beaches.
Though Bardez in North Goa was
ceded to the Portuguese in 1543, the security of !he territory
continued to be threatened by several enemies- the Bahamani kings from
the north, Maratha horsemen from the east and the local chieftains in
the area itself. As a result, the Portuguese built a series of
fortifications including the one in Chapora. It was constructed in 1617
only five years after work began on Fort Aguada. Frequent buses ply from
Mapusa to Anjuna and Vagator with stopover near the fort.
In
1684, the Portuguese troops surrendered to the courageous Maratha ruler,
Sambhaji. But the locals were not too pleased with this. They had a
number of conflicts with the Marathas and finally in 1717, the Marathas
withdrew their force. The Portuguese then took over again and rebuilt
the fort. The new structure of the fort was equipped with underground
tunnels that ensured a safe getaway in case of an emergency.
But
this glory was not to remain. Yet again in 1739 the Marathas captured
the Chapora fort. However, two years later, in 1741, the Portuguese
regained the fort when the northern taluka of Pednem was handed over to
them.
In 1892, the Portuguese completely abandoned the fort. What
remains today are only ruins but one does manage to see the heads of
the escape tunnels built by the Portuguese. Though, there isn't much to
see, the history lingers on.
Church
The Magnificent Symbols of Christianity
One of Goa's important institutions, Goa's famous and magnificent churches are largely a legacy of Portuguese colonization
Church
building was one of the main occupations of the early Portuguese and in
fact one of Vasco da Gama's main missions for finding the sea route to
India was to "seek Christians and spices".
Christianity was
forced upon with religious fervor by the Portuguese during the period of
the "Inquisition" with wide scale destruction of temples and this
continued till the official end of the "Inquisition" in Goa in 1812.
Most of Goa's churches were built on the very site of former temples.
The confiscated lands of the temples were handed over to the church and
the communidades. In fact, the first Hindu temple allowed to be
constructed by the Portuguese in 300 years was in 1818 at Panaji.
With
a significant population of Goans being Christians for many generations
today, the Church is an important factor in Goa's social, cultural and
religious life. For example, the contribution of the Church to education
in Goa is immense. Today the churches are all part of the Archdiocese
of Goa and function with its help, many are also protected sites.
The
architecture of Goa's churches has undergone notable changes with the
passage of time and the fashion of the era that they were built in.
The church architecture can be broadly broken down to the following periods
