Sun, sand and surf – an apt description for Goa? But Goa is much more. Ancient temples and ancient churches? Yes. Portuguese colony? carnival city? The original hippie haunt? Yes again! Beach Paradise, the holiday capital of India… the list goes on.
Goa, ‘Pearl of the Orient’, is located in southwestern India in the coastal belt known as Konkan. Although it is naturally blessed with a fortuitous combination of long beaches, forested hills and fertile plains, Goa’s potential as a vacation spot is the result of a potent combination of historical events and the absorbing ability of its own captivating spirit.
Goa, past and present
Divinely attributed to Lord Parshuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Goa’s ancient rulers included the Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Silahar, Chalukyas and Bahamanis.
More recently, significant from the point of view of tourists, Goa became a coveted colony of the Portuguese, remaining so until liberation by the Indian Army gave it the status of Union Territory, later elevated to State. of the Indian Republic.
It is to this fact, perhaps more than any other, that a holiday in Goa owes its special appeal. Because, if Goa had been a British colony, history would have been written very differently. Under Portuguese rule, Iberian culture found a melting pot ready to amalgamate with Goa’s original sensual and playful spirit. The best of what both worlds had to offer was assimilated into a single town, leading to a flourishing of aesthetic, musical, and even culinary arts.
The spirit of Sucegado – carefree enjoyment and quiet peace is probably Goa’s most important, yet intangible, export to the leisure holiday industry. Also reflected in its ‘happy’ acceptance of the Portuguese cultural encroachment is Goa’s inherent adaptability and willingness to blend, qualities that make the tourism and holiday industry very useful.
A melting pot of races and religions, the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures in its own unique spirit of joy and self-indulgence is what attracts Indian and foreign tourists, choc-a-bloc, to vacation in Goa.
Such a thriving vacation destination on the world tourism chart, Goa has many attractions to offer. Carefree beach in the true spirit of Sucegado, adventure, water sports, high culture, churches and the alluring anachronism of Old Goa, wild parties, culinary adventures… The Goa vacation tourist is charmingly eclectic in his calling.
Beaches Holidays in Goa
The undisputed beach capital of India, Goa’s coastline is lavishly dotted with sand and waves: from popular tourist spots where you generally see more skin than sand, to unspoiled havens worth discovering.
Starting from Calangute in North Goa, clustered around Panaji, the capital of Goa, and further down, Margao in South Goa, are the most popular beaches on the tourist circuit. These are densely surrounded by the usual tourist agencies: hotels and facilities offering modern luxuries, restaurants, shops, resorts, entertainment centers, spas, resorts, the works.
Outside of this ring, north of Calangute or south of Margao, Goa’s beaches become refreshingly more pristine and uncrowded. There, it’s just the sea, the sand washed by the waves, bright or, alternatively, shaded by abundant palm leaves, and you!
Some of Goa’s Popular Holiday Beaches
Vagator: 22 km from Panaji, this crescent-shaped beach in the Chapora River basin, in the shadow of Fort Chapora, is a quiet place to relax, but during the Christmas season it is a scene for nightly farewells.
Anjuna – 18 km from Panaji, nestled between the sea and the hill, this is a scenic beach with magnificent natural beauty that makes for a great vacation.
Baga – One of the North Goa beaches, it is comparatively more empty and surrounded by scenic beauty.
Calangute: A favorite with tourists, Calangute in North Goa, 15km from Panaji, is the ‘Queen of Beaches’. The downside of Christmas rush means this stretch of sand is packed at any time of year.
Sinquerim – 13 km from Panaji, Sinquerim is a popular vacation beach for its water sports facilities offering jet skiing, parasailing, diving and surfing.
Miramar – Located just 3km from Panaji, it understandably sees a tourism rush and is dotted with vacation homes of the rich and famous. However, located at the mouth of the Mandovi river where it meets the sea, it is interesting for its view of the Aguada fort.
Aguada: Famous for the 17th century Portuguese fort, it has now been converted into a hotel. Although its grounds take up much of the surrounding area, the beach is open to tourists in general.
Agonda: Secluded, this beautiful expanse of silver sand is refreshing – just the holidays to relax on the sand and listen to stories of the sea. Nearby Cabo de Rama is historically interesting. Local legend has it that Lord Rama stayed here with Sita during his exile.
Majorda: A local version of the ‘Ramayana’ says that Ram was kidnapped as a child and raised in Majorda. Later, the Jesuits discovered here the best punch in Goa and today’s Christmas attractions are still the bakeries, the best in Goa.
Colva – 39 km from Panaji and immensely popular, Colva offers a comfortable vacation with hotels, nightclubs, shops and restaurants. Colva is also famous for the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, which has the statue of Menino Jesus.
Benaulim: Less than 2 km from Colva, this charming holiday destination also has a thriving craft center that attracts tourists for its traditional rosewood furniture. The Church of San Juan Bautista on a hill is quite famous, as is the Sao Joao monsoon festival celebrated as thanksgiving.
Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor: these beaches south of Benaulim are really attractive. Cleaner and less crowded than others, they are packed with exclusive Goa beach resorts and food shacks. A vacation here also offers opportunities to spot wild dolphins.
Palolem: 70 km south of Panaji, this white sand beach is a commercial activity, including restaurants and shops. Weekends tend to get crowded here especially.
CHURCHES IN GOA – HOLIDAYS
Another contribution of Portuguese rule to Goa’s vacation potential is the appearance of splendid churches, especially in Old Goa. Originally spread with passionate fervor by the ancient rulers, Goa, the Rome of the East, sees the dominating influence of Christianity, both religiously and culturally. Visible expressions of this are the Churches of Old Goa. Historically these can be classified into the following periods, reflecting changing architectural styles and iconography.
Early Period: Written by the oldest church in Goa, Our Lady of the Rosary at Monte Santo in the ‘Manueline’ style named after King Emmanuel of Portual. It is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance with motifs representing the Portuguese seafaring. Since the construction is not adapted to the climate of Goa, tourists can see very few of them nowadays.
Baroque Period: ‘Golden Goa’, a time of hectic missionary activity including the arrival of St Francis Xavier, saw many grand churches in the contemporary European style built. These include the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the Augustinian Church of Our Lady of Grace.
Indian Baroque Period – Reflects local Goan influences in style and design, including the exterior façade and the inclusion of tropical motifs such as flowers and fruit. Among them are the Church of San Francisco de Asís and the Church of the Holy Spirit, Margao.
Rococo Period: Characterized by the smaller size of the construction but with an exquisite ornate finish with local motifs, it is also known for the use of Stucco on the exterior façade. San Esteban in San Esteyan near Panaji is a notable example.
Modern Period: From the 19th century onwards, this period saw the liberation of Goa’s churches from the rigid norms of the past as different styles flourished. An example is Nossa Senhora employing the Gothic style.
Most of the churches in Goa continue to serve their spiritual purpose, being revered by Hindus and Christians alike, while also serving as artistic and cultural attractions for tourists.
Hindu temples of Goa
Goa Hindu temple architecture is another tourist attraction of a Goa holiday, characterized by the influence of local style on the rigid architecturally rigid structure. The Maratha influence on religious architecture in Goa lies in the Deepmal or Lamptower, which is two to six stories high, decorated with oil lamps on festive occasions. Mughal influence seems to be expressed in the dome that covers the central sanctuary instead of the traditional shikhara, as well as in the Naubat Khana, a small tower at the entrance to the courtyard. The Portuguese Christian influence is visible in the curved roofs of the Mandapas.
Not many of Goa’s early temples survived the Mughal and later Portuguese invasions (the exceptions being the “Pandava Caves” dedicated to Lord Shiva, located at Aravelam and the Shiva Temple at Tambdi), in which temples were demolished and churches were erected in their place. As a result, most of the surviving temples encountered by the tourist in Goa are comparatively modern. The Mahalaxmi Temple in Panaji was the first temple allowed by the Portuguese, after much deliberation, in 1818.
goan cuisine
Food is another attraction for tourists in Goa. Sightseeing in Goa is a wonderful way to experience Goa’s inimitable cuisine, which is as much a mix of different cultural invasions as its art, music, culture and literature. The staple food for both Hindus and Christians is rice and fish curry. And while tourists’ taste buds succumb to the temptations of Ambot Tik (prawns/fish in a spicy sour sauce), Sorpotel (moist and spicy pork) and Xacuti (spicy meat dish), washed down with Feni (a concoction powerful and spicy made with cashew nuts) may be too much for the uninitiated palate. Desserts in Goa come in the form of the sinfully delicious Dodol (made from Goan coconut and brown sugar) and Bebinca (a baked dish with coconut juice and egg yolk)
Truly, this incredible potpourri of beach, nature, food and drink, culture and kitsch, religious fervour, profanity and fun galore that Goa tourism represents would be hard to find anywhere else in the world.