GOA
PLACES TO VISIT
Goa is a
fascinating mixtures of Indian and Portuguese architecture. The Baroque
style is well adapted to religious and public buildings, while the
style and quality of domestic architecture is wholly different from
other colonial types. Goa is dotted with tiny picturesque villages,
temples and churches, beaches and lakes, forts and monuments and it's
architecture. Goa in the real sense is a paradise on earth.
Aguada Fort
which crowns the rocky flattened top of the
headland, is the best-preserved Portuguese bastion in goa , Fort
Aguada was built under the guidance of an Italian architect Filipo
Terzi. Built in 1612 to protect the northern shores of the Mandovi
estuary from Dutch and Maharatha raiders, it is home to several
natural springs, the first source of drinking water available to
ships arriving in goa after the long sea voyage from Lisbon. On
the north side of the fort, a rampart of red-brown laterite juts
into the bay to form a jetty between two small sandy coves The name
'Aguada' means watering place; this is derived from the large well
and several springs which provided drinking water to incoming ships.
The fort also has a four-storey light house, built in 1864. The
ruins of the fort can be reached by road; head through the Taj village,
and turn right when you see the sign. Nowadays, much of the site
serves as a prison, and is therefore closed to visitors. It's worth
a visit, though, if only for the superb views from the top of the
hill where a four-storey Portuguese lighthouse, erected in 1864
and the oldest of its kind in Asia, looks down over the vast expanse
of sea, sand and palm trees of Calangute beach on one side, and
across the mouth of the Mandovi to Cabo Raj Bhavan, and the tip
of the Mormugao peninsula, on the other.
Terekhol (Tiracol)
Fort is situated on the n orthernmost
promontory of goa on a hillock overlooking the Arabian sea. Its
vantage point was ideal for soldiers who had to keep a look-out
for enemy warships. In its courtyard is the century old church of
St. Anthony. The fort now is now converted into a tourist resort
All the rooms have an excellent view of the sea, and at night you
can hear the roar of the waves that lash the rocks below. Do not
miss a visit to the ancient chapel, and also, do walk on the ramps
of the fortifications to get a feel of the place.
Cabo Fort (Raj Bhavan)
9 km from Panaji, it lies on the peninsula
land jutting out in the Arabian Sea, at Dona Paula. Initially during
the Portuguese era, a Franciscan Convent, was attached to the fort.
This later became Cabo Raj Bhavan and is now the Governor's Palace.
Chapora Fort
Fort Located 10 km out of Mapusa, it has a
splendid view of nearby Anjuna and Vagator beaches. The fort once
in the hands of Muslim rulers before the Portuguese wrested it,
has some interesting ruins.
Mormugoa Fort
This fort near the internationally famous
Mormugao Harbour was built to protect the harbour situated near
the Vasco da Gama town. Its work started in 1624. It covered an
area of six miles in circumference, contained towering bulwarks,
three magazines, five prisons, a chapel and quarters for the guard.
It had 53 guns and a garrison with 4 officers, and was an important
fortress on the western coast. However, except the chapel and a
portion of the boundary wall, little is left of this fort.
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 kms 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 apposite the first cave. The 4th cave was probably
used for meditation and prayers and has the pedestal to hold the
'linga' in it.
Rock Cut Caves of Arvalem
These cave are also called the 'Pandavas Caves'
as folk tales say that the Pandavas stayed here during their exile.
This caves were encarved in the 5th or 6th century A.D. They have
5 compartments among which the middlemost compartment holds the
'linga' which is till today regarded with great respect. It is situated
100 metres away from Sri Rudreshwar Temple and Arvalem waterfall.
The Gate of the College of St. Paul
The College of St. Paul, 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. However, it was abandoned during the
outbreak of plague in 1570 and went into disuse. The Government
demolished this ruining structure in 1832 to carry materials for
building construction in Panaji. The only remnant of this College
is the façade in the shape of an arch with a niche at the
top and a cross crowning it. The arch that led to the College as
a gateway is built of laterite, flanked on either side by a basalt
column of the Corinthian order on raised plinth, and supported by
basalt pilasters of the Doric order.
The Gate of the Palace of Adil Shah
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. It was deserted during the epidemic
in the 18th century, was demolished in 1820 and the materials carried
to Panaji for construction of houses. Now only the gate remains
which is architecturally purely brahminical in style. Six steps
in front of the gate lead to the raised platform on which the gate
stands.
The Tower of the Church of St. Augustine
Built in 1602, the only ruin of the Church
of St. Augustine on the Holy Hill at Old goa near the Nunnery, is
a lofty 46-metre high tower defying the torrential rains. The tower
is one of the four of St. Augustine Church that once stood there.
The Church when intact was perhaps the biggest in goa . With the
religious suppression in 1835, the Augustinians deserted the church
and the convent. The neglect resulted in the collapse of the vault
on September 8, 1842. The façade and half of the tower fell
in 1931 and some more parts of it collapsed in 1938.
The Viceroy's Arch It 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. Every incoming Viceroy used to
disembark at this place. The arch was rebuilt by the Governor Francisco
de Gama (1597-1600) in the memory of his great-grandfather Vasco
da Gama. It was again completely re-built in 1954.
OLD GOA
9 km from the East of Panjim is Old Goa and
is popular for its churches and cathedrals. Some of the old buildings
are converted into museums maintained by Archaeological Survey of
India. Old Goa is the spiritual heart of Christian Goa. It has been
granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO for its extraordinarily
grandiose churches & convents.
WILDLIFE
The wildlife sanctuaries Goa are a haven for
animals. Flora and fauna is well preserved in the sanctuaries of
Goa. Thus a visit to these beautiful jungles is a must when you
visit Goa. Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary is Goa's largest wildlife preserve
with an area of 240 sq.km. It is situated close to the Molem village
at the foot of the Western Ghats, this sanctuary lies on the eastern
border of the state. It is 60 km away from the state capital, Panaji.
The sanctuary is situated amidst nature's splendor; evergreen forests
and deciduous trees encompass this preserve. The sanctuary is rich
in wildlife. It is a paradise for bird watchers. Besides flora and
fauna there are many important geological and historical features
in this sanctuary. Dudhsagar falls, about an hour's journey from
Colem by train, is a feast for the eyes. The "Devil canyon"
is another beautiful geological spot. The famous Tambdi Surla temple
is about 13 kms. from Molem. The Dept. of Tourism has built comfortable
cottages and dormitories for tourists. |
