Panaji

Goa, formerly under Portugese control, was incorporated into the State of India, on December 1961. It bears a character quite distinct from the rest of India. The Goan landscape is dominated by Portugese style buildings, paddy fields, coconut groves, diplapidated forts and vibrant markets. The remnants of the Portugese colonial rule is still reflected in the life-style of the Goans. Its capital Panaji, is one of India's smallest and most pleasant state capitals lying on the south bank of the Mandovi River, it became the official capital of Goa in 1843. While most tourists pass through Panaji on their way to the beaches or to Old Goa, but the town is well worth exploring.

The crystal clear waters of River Mandovi flows through the city. Many foreign tourists can be seen roaming about the city through the bank, enjoying the blissful sight of the colourful ferries passing through the river. The place where Mandovi meets the sea is dotted with rocky cliffs. Mountain Altinho, a hillock rising suddenly from the plains of Panaji, offers a good view of the city. The state-run bus services operate from Kadamba bus stand, situated at Patlo near a small creek at the mouth of the Mandovi River. The long distance interstate buses are avalaible from here. City-buses ply through Miramar beach to Donapanla. You can enter the city of Panaji after crossing the bridge at Patlo. A couple of minutes walk from the GPO is the huge mansion that houses the tourists resort. The Mandovi flows on the other side. You can take a walk around the river bank for sight-seeing. There is the Ferry-Ramp, Captain of Sports Jetly, the Secretariat, Municipal Garden etc. Then you come across the impressive building that houses Panaji's main church above the square in the main area of town. It is called the Church of Our lady of the Immaculate Conception. The city is centred around this church. A walk in the town will lead you through quaint bunglow-type houses having red-tiled roofs and well-manicured lawns. It is a pleasant experience passing through the calm and serene boulevards comprising mostly of Gulmohar and Ecasia trees. Many tourists prefer seperate trips to North and South Goa, after putting up Panaji for a couple of days. Since a package-tour is unavalaible, most travellers prefer to explore on their own. The Jumma Masjid, few minutes walk from the main church, is situated on the Dada Vaidya Road. Further up is the Mahalaxmi temple. Take an auto-rickshaw via the eighteenth June Road for a trip to Goa State Museum. You can walk up Altinho to visit the Patriaih palace-the residence of the Bishop. The road, lying beside the river leads to Niramar beach (3 km away) and Donapanla (7 km away). Water Sports have been arranged there at the confluence of Zuari River and the Arabian Sea-surrounded by lofty mountains on all three sides. Tourists prefer enjoying the sunset. Bird-watchers will enjoy a trip to Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary on a nearby island which is easily accessible by a ferry permission from Panji's Forest Office is nessecary prior to the trip. Birds, from far away places flock to the 178 sq km area, full of dense mangrove forests. However, most tourists, unaware of this blissful destination, prefer a river-cruise on Mandovi.

Boats can be hired for a day to visit Old Goa. Many foreiners, preferring isolation, go for a trip to the remote islands. One would love cruising along the river during sunset. Launches like Santa Monica, Radhika and Malabika arranged for popular one hour sunset cruise and sundown cruise. There is also a daytime trip called Pleasure Coursie. A special mention can be made of the cruise on a full-moon night. The entire state of Goa will open out with it's diversecharms before your eyes if you buy tickets for GTDC's North Goa sight-seeing and South Goa sight-seeing as well as these river cruises. South Goa and the jungles Molem form a part of Dudhsagar Package trip. But the package tour doesnot suffice for many a visitor because the beaches, the grand old churches and the city of Panaji are not explored adequately explored.

Lying on the bank of River Mandovi, old Goa, contains huge churches and cathedrals which date back to the Portugese rule. The Arches logical Survey of India has converted some of the old buildings into museums. Before Panaji, Old Goa was the capital. It was founded by Usouf Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur, after wresting it from the ruler of kadamba dynasty. Govapuri was the name given to Goa by Hindu rulers. Extremely impressed, Adil Shah even planned to shift his capital to Old Goa. His dreams were shattered with the Portugese conquest. They laid waste the city, destroying its temples mosques, Adil Shah's palace etc.

Under the Portugese, the city grew rapidly in size and splendor. Some of the Portugese churches and architectural edifices have survived the test of time and continue to enthrall the visitors. Some of the churches are Basilica of Born Jesus (famous throughout the Roman Catholic world for containing the mortal remains of St.Francis Xavier), Se Cathedral (the largest of the churches in Old Goa) etc. The state of Goa abounds in such churches.-Church of St.Cajetan, Church and convent of St. Monica, Church of St. Augustine (in a deplorable state of ruins), Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi etc. The destruction of many a church was accelerated by two devastating epidemics that struck during the Portugese rule.

Old Goa and Panaji were called Velha Goa and Nova. Goa respectively (meaning New Goa) by the Portugese. The capital was shifted to Panaji in 1843.

GTDC's sight-seeing package tours from Panaji

North Goa Tour

A trip is organised to Panaji Handicrafts Emporium, Mapusa town, Sree Saptakateshwar temple, Mayem Lake, Vagator- Anjuna-Calangute beach and Fort Aguada. Time : 9.30 a.m to 6.00 p.m

South Goa Tour

A trip is arranged for visiting churches of Old Goa like the Basilica of Born Jesus, se Cathedral, Shri Manguesh and Shri Shantadurga temples, Margao town, Colva beach, the port of Marmagaon, Pillar Monastary, Donapaula, Miramer Beach. Time : 9.30 a.m to 6 p.m.

DudhSagar Special

The first day of this package is similar to the South Goa tour. The tourists are then taken to Bondla Sanctuary. A night-stay is arranged after that at the resort of Molem sanctuary after a visit to the Tambdi Surla temple. The bus returns to Panaji after a visit to Dudhsagar falls in the morning. Time : 10.00 a.m to 6 p.m. (the day after).

Goa is sufficiently explored if you take these trips. Apart from these, there are Village darshan, Tirakal Fort Special, Beach Special etc tours. Of these, the Tirakol Fort special takes you to quite a few number of pristine beaches which donot form a part of any of the above-mentioned tours.

How to go

29 km from Panaji is Goa's airport, Dabotim, lying on the coast near Vasco-da-gama. There are flights to and from major cities in India like Delhi,Bangalore,Chennai, Cochin, Calicut etc except Agra and pune-where the flights only operate one way (i.e no direct Agra-Goa service is there).

In 1998, Goa was made accessible by train with the inaugaration of the kohkan Railway linking Mumbai with Mangalore. The main Konkan Railway station in Goa is Margao (33 km from Panaji) expresses and passenger trains stop at most other stations along the line. From Panaji to Margao the bus-ride of almost 1 and 1/2 hours.

011 Margaon Express, departing from Mumbai's CST railway station at 22.40 in the night, reaches Margao next morning (10.45 a.m). From Mumbai's Kurla you can take 2619 Lokmanya Tilak Matsyagandha Express, which arrives at 23.10 in the night at Margao, after starting at 13.40 in the afternoon. The afternoon train from kurla, 6345 kurla-Ernakulam Netravati Express arrives at Margaon at 8.30 p.m. The Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ernakulam-Lakswadeep Express can be boarded from Kalyan (near Mumbai). The train starts at 10.30 a.m. But you have to be prepared for a night hault at Margao, since when it finally reaches there, it is 19.40 in the night.

Panaji is well -connected with the rest of India by road, especially with the neighbouring Maharashtra, Karnataka etc.

Mumbai's-Panaji route's 594 km are well-covered by innumberable government, as well as private buses. From Pune and Mahabaleshwar, it takes roughly 12 hours each to reach Panaji.

Accomodation

GTDC's Tourist Hostel, (#227103, 223396) has rooms ranging between Rs 600 (non-AC) to Rs 1000 (AC), Patlo Tourist Home (#225715),227972) offers rooms between Rs 100 (dorm) to Rs 400, Miramer Beach Resort (# 227754, 221741) charges double-beds for Rs 700-900.

Remember

The rates of private hotels in Goa fluctuate according to peak season and the number of tourists visiting the state. You will land in troubled waters if you donot book a room in advance during the peak season. Tourists are believed to be herded into balconies of hotels and guesthouses in the chilly winter months, especially during Christmas and New Year. However, if accomodation is still a problem, try finding rooms in the towns of Mapusa or Ponda, where the rooms are comparatively less in demand. There is no dearth of rooms even at areas near the calangute beach. All these places are about an hour's journey from Panaji.

Private Hotels

Rs 200-400

Liberty Guest House (# 227753), Udipi Boarding & Lodging (# 228047), Flamingo (# 224765), Goa Lodging (# 226143), Elite Boarding and Lodging, V-night (# 22537), Imperial Lodge, Kareena Lodge etc.

Rs 300-600

Mandovi Pearl Guest House (#223928), Embassy (# 224768), Avanti (# 227179), Alfonso Guest House (# 222359), Park Lane Lodge (# 220238), Ambika (# 224987), Sonmark Guest House (# 224898), Four Pillars (# 225240), Orave's Guest house (# 226128), Garden View (# 227844) etc.

Rs 400-800

Hotel Aroma (# 228311), Bareton (# 226405), Mayfair (# 223317), Sunrise (# 225616), Manoshanti (# 224824), Summit (# 426736), Kenny's Hotel (# 224581), Panaji Inn (# 226523) etc. Apart from these, there are a number of upmarket places in Panaji like Panjim Inn (# 22653), and Panjim Pousada, Hotel Mandovi (# 426270), Goa Mariott Resort (# 437001) etc.

STD code of Panaji : 0832

Did You Know?

The strong christian influence in Goa is reflected in the number of festivals that follow the religious calendar. One such festival falls on the day of 3rd December, the death anniversary of St. Francis Xavier-who lies buried in the Basilica of Born Jesus. His corpse, housed in a silver casket is out of view. From the mid 19th centuary, the current cycle of 10 yearly expositions began. Old Goa and Panaji becomes over-crowded not only during Christmas, but also during the annual celebration the saint's day. The next exposition will take place in November 2004.

Did You Know?

Goa is the only state of India where motorcycle are a licensed-form of taxi. For many a traveller, having his own transport is the only way to enjoy Goa. The moment you land at Margao station or in Panaji, you can see the line of two-wheelers along with their drivers. If you are travelling, two-wheeler is no doubt the best option, since they are cheap.

For more pleasure

Try Travelling by konkan Railway during daytime. You miss out on the charming scenaries on Mumbai-Goa route, while taking a night train. The journey is through lofty wooded mountains on one side and wide blue-rivers that flow on the other. Boats with their multi-coloured sails , floating on the crystal-clear waters, take your breath away. The train passes quite a number of bridges and tunnels during the journey. The 0103 up Mumbai-Margao Mandovi Express starts from Mumbai's CST station at 5.15 a.m and reaches Margao, you can catch a bus to Panaji. Or else, you can get down at Ratnagiri station (11.20 a.m) and stay back there for visiting Ganapatipule, before coming to Goa. Ratnagiri can also be reached by boarding the 2618 Lakwadeep Express from kalyan station near Mumbai.

Remember

Most travellers prefer making Margao station the starting point of their Goa trip. But while coming from Maharashtra, a number of the stations like Pernem, Thivim, Carmali, Verna, Majorda, Survali, Margao, Valli and KanKon etc will come your way. The nearest train station to Panaji is Karmali, 11 km to the east near old Goa. The entire state of Goa is well-connected by a good network of roads. You can hire taxis, autorcikshaws and even motorcycles too. However, buses are not so popular.

Chalking out the route

Two weeks are more than sufficient for a tour Mumbai-Goa. You can easily stay overnight at Ganapatipule-Ratnagiri (2 nights), Mumbai (3 nights), Goa (4 nights). You can first arrive at Mumbai and explore the city. Board a Goa-bound train the day after from Mumbai's CST station or Kalyan at 5.15 a.m. or 10.30 a.m. respectively. In that case, you can spend the sixth and seventh nights of your trip at Ganapatipule. Alternatively, MTDC's bus as well as a night-train from Mumbai to Ganaaptipule can also be taken. In that case after haulting for a night, take a bus to Ratnagiri. An autorickshaw-on-hire will help you to explore the latter. After having lunch, on the same day, catch a train to Goa-where you can spend four nights. On the twelveth night catch the home-bound train or, better still, go to Bangalore or Hyderabad by bus to catch the return-train. You have to book the tickets of the bus-journey well in advance. A short trip to Hyderabad on the way can also be made by curtailing the days of your stay at Mumbai and Goa.