Visiting South and Old Goa

ॐ

Visiting South and Old Goa 

The famed Baga beach

       As we happened to reach Goa on Monday evening, we had not planned for much for that day, taking into consideration the fact that flights at times get delayed.  The furnished apartment that I had booked for our stay in Goa was in North Goa and in Arpora locality.  As the Baga beach was the nearest and in a walking distance, we decided to visit this destination in the evening.   Baga is located at the north end of the contiguous beach stretch that starts from Sinquerim, Candolim and stretches right up to Calangute.  We spent the evening enjoying the various activities taking place in the beach and also enjoyed the sun set from the Beach.  The beach has a long row of colourful umbrellas with sitting decks placed below them in a neat row all along the coastline.  Since we had placed ourselves in a serviced apartment, we through it fit to have our dinner at the beach side shack and then head back to the apartments.   Accordingly, we decided to dine at the famed shack, called as St. Anthony’s running since the 1960’s and we enjoyed our evening to the hilt, as the ambience as well as the food was worth every penny spent.

Here is a short video of the Baga beach

Early next morning, as scheduled by us, especially it being a Tuesday, we had decided to visit the temples in South Goa and the Churches in Old Goa. Accordingly, we started in the hired vehicle early in the morning, so as to avoid the stinging late morning/afternoon sun.  The first destination visited by us in South Goa was the famed Balaji temple, which is situated in Kunkulied village.  The temple whose full name is Tirupati Balaji Padmavati temple and it is placed amidst a lush green complex, with a carpet of grass that is interspersed with flowering plants, provides for a soothing experience.  The temple complex consists of the main temple, housing a tall statue of Lord Balaji and similar in appearance to the deity in Tirupati.  Next to this main temple is a smaller temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Goddess Padmavati and this temple complex too like all the other temples in south India has a tall ‘dhwaja stambha’.  Despite having started early, walking on the paved path was next to impossible due to the heat and we had to trudge alongside on the green grass.  Having paid our obeisance in the temple, we proceeded further to visit the next temple in South Goa.

The entrance to the famed Balaji temple

The lush green temple complex of Balaji temple

  The most famous temple destination in South Goa is the Mangeshi temple, which is about 450 years old and dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated in Ponda.  The main features of this temple is the seven story lamp tower called ‘deep stambha’ and a magnificent water tank that is considered to be the oldest part of this temple complex.  Apart from this there is also a prominent Nandi Bull in the temple precincts.  Earlier the temple was well exposed for viewing, however, at present the corridor in front has been covered thereby obscuring the temple façade to some extent.  It is one of the most beautiful temples in Goa and is a must visit destination.

The magnificent 'Deep Stambh' in Mangeshi temple

The corridor in front of the main temple in Mangeshi

The water tank in Mangeshi temple

          We retraced our way back to Old Goa to visit the old churches there, as it was the part of Goa that housed the Portugese invaders and they had developed many churches in the region over the centuries.  These churches are really an architectural wonder in their own rights.  The first of such church that we visited was the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which is famous for housing the mortal remains of St.Francis Xavier and is also an UNESCO heritage site.  No amount of narration would truly portray the architectural beauty of this church and I would rather let the photographs do the talking.

The outer facade of Basilica of Bom Jesus

The inside view of the altar of  Bom Jesus church in Old Goa

An ornate altar inside the Bom Jesus church

Another close up view of the altar inside Bom Jesus Church

A painting inside the church of Bom Jesus depicting remains of St.Francis Xavier

The next church that we visited was the Se Cathedral that is located right across the road, opposite to the Basilica of Bom Jesus.  The main entrance of the cathedral has Latin inscriptions of Corinthian columns. Out of the eight chapels in the Church, two have ornamented perforated wooden screens and remaining six panels have scenes of Saint Catherine’s life carved on them. This filigree carving gives a royal look to the place. The Chapel of Blessed Sacrament is famous for decorated wall and ceiling painting. The arches of the altars are decorated with old paintings. One can also find many small statues, wooden figures and other artefacts.  The Se Cathedral also holds a huge brass bell called as Golden Bell that is the largest in Goa. The main altar of the church stands as a dedication of Catherine of Alexandria.  Only a pictorial representation can do justice to the beauty of this church as well and you may enjoy the photographs.

A panoramic view of Se Cathedral

View of the altar of Se Cathedral

Close up of the altar in Se Cathedral

One of the statutes inside Se Cathedral

Chapel of Blessed Sacrament inside Se Cathedral

St. Catherine of Alexendria inside Se Cathedral

          By the time we were finished with visiting the Churches, we were totally famished and being a Tuesday, we had to have a vegetarian food only and hence as advised by our driver, we headed for Krishna Restaurant to have our lunch, which is in the vicinity in Old Goa.  The driver dropped us there and went for lunch, but thereafter, despite calling on his mobile number umpteen number of times, it was found to be unreachable and with all the camera equipment in the car, there was a sense of panic that set in and just as I was about to approach the local police, the driver came in claiming that his mobile has malfunctioned and thereafter, we headed back to our service apartment.  I am putting this incident on record so that all those who follow my blog do not leave their costly equipment in their hired vehicles to avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Family having lunch at Krishna Vegetarian Restaurant

      

Here is the link to a short video of the tour

Goa - the land of Sun, Sea, Sand & S....?

Goa – the land of Sun, Sea, Sand & S….?

Goa is the smallest state in India, area wise and has Panjim or Panaji as its capital. However, the biggest township in Goa is Vasco da Gama, which is also a port city. Geographically, Goa is bounded by Maharashtra on its North and by Karnataka on its East & South and parts of the Western Ghats also separates these two States, whereas the Arabian Sea touches the States’ Western frontiers and is also termed as the ‘Konkan’ region. The place finds mention even in the Puranas and name suggests that it was a region of Cows and referred to as ‘Govapuri’. After having been ruled by several rulers, it finally came under Portuguese rule in 1510 and remained under its rule till liberated in 1961 by India. Goa can be segregated into a few categories as per their geographical locations, as follows -

Old Goa

Was in the past acted as administrative capital of the Portuguese empire, Old Goa is blessed with old churches, chapels and convents. The conquest of Goa by Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510 led to the advent of several religious orders like the Franciscans, Jesuits, Augustinians, Dominicans and Carmelites, who left their legacy in form of many monuments that they had built in Old Goa. The most well known amongst them are -

Basilica of Bom Jesus - Built in the 16th century, it is the most popular and famous of all the churches in Goa. The mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, kept in a silver casket, are enshrined here. Dedicated to Infant Jesus, this church is now a World Heritage Monument.

Se Cathedral - It is housed in a huge complex and is the biggest of all the churches at Old Goa, its mesmerizes visitors with its sheer grandeur. This Cathedral has five bells, among them the famous Golden bell, the biggest in Goa and one of the best in the world. The church is dedicated to St.Catherine of Alexandria.

Apart from the Churches in Goa, there are quite a few well known temples in the State and one of the most visited ones’ is the Shree Manguesh temple situated about 22 kms from Panaji, at Priol Ponda Taluka. This famous temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located on a hillock surrounded by lush green hills. The temple is built in a typical architectural style that is prevalent in this region.

However, Goa is most popular state for the various beaches that are strewn around in this region. The beaches can be segregated as per their geographical locations as follows -

NORTH GOA

Calangute - is one of the most popular beaches in Goa. The beach is fringed with popular restaurants and hotels. This long, seven-km sweep of sand located 15 kms from Panaji, is called the 'Queen of Beaches'. The village of Calangute has all basic facilities like post office, banks, foreign exchange offices, resort companies, all kind of bars and restaurants, besides medical facilities. A large number of small & big showrooms, filled with exquisite handicrafts from Kashmir, Tibet, Indonesia, Rajasthan and other exotic places, line up the main road running towards the beach.

Baga - A few kms down the Calangute beach is another beach known as the Baga beach. It is a part of the 30 km long stretch of beaches along the coastline along the west coast of Goa, which begins at Fort Aguada, continues as Sinquerim Beach, moves on to Candolim which merges into Calangute Beach and then stretches on to Baga, Anjuna and on to Vagator, finally ending at Chapora beach. However, as compared to Calangute, Baga is quieter and also more isolated. Its scenic beauty, with the creek, the Retreat House perched on the hill.

Anjuna - Anjuna beach was made famous by the ‘flower power and peace’ generation of the sixties and early seventies and later by the ‘trance’ parties. Located about 18 kms from Panaji, the beach is known for its breeze-catching palms, soft sand, and the unusual rocky formation overlying a cove of whitish sand juxtaposed with black rocks that jut into the sea. It is now famous for its weekly Flea Market, which draws legions of visitors every Wednesday and bargains can be had on apparel, footwear, jewelery, footwear, chess sets etc.

Aguada - Aguada beach is almost synonymous with the Fort Aguada that is built on the cliff and now only the remnants of the early 17th century Portuguese fort remains.

Miramar - This beachis located only 3 kms from Panaji and just across the Government Office complex. It lies adjoining the estuary of the river Mandovi as it opens into the Arabian Sea. It was originally known as ‘Gasper Dias Beach’, named after Gaspar Dias, a prosperous landlord and where a Portuguese fort once stood at the fag end of the 16th century. Miramar beach is one of the family beaches with lot of eateries and the local ‘Cruises’ nearby. The beach is crowded with locals and tourists alike on most days.

Dona Paula - is the place where two famous rivers of Goa, Zuari & Mondovi, meet the Arabian Sea. In this spectacular place lies the once secluded bay of Dona Paula, with the fine view of Marmugao Harbour. This place carries with it an aura both romantic and mythical. Here's a peek into this enigmatic scene, where Dona Paula is nestled on a rocky, hammer shaped headland. This former fishing village has now become a commercialized location for beach resorts and restaurants. With the romance and myth attached to it, tourists throng the Dona Paula beach and Jetty in search of the mystery, besides indulging in water sports. There are a number of legends behind the alleged Dona Paula Sculpture. The tourists coming here are often told fascinating stories and misguided by tourist guides. The Dona Paula Sports Club offers water-scooter, cycle, and motorboat rides. Other water sports include windsurfing, parasailing, water-skiing, toboggan ski-biscuit, skibob, sports fishing, snorkeling, harpoon fishing, kayaking, and yachting.

For watching a video please click on the link below -

http://youtu.be/5dG02vnWHj4