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GOA INDIA TOURISM --» Goa Cities --» Mapusa
Mapusa
Perhaps no other town in India enjoys the weekend as does Mapusa. Come Friday
and the sluggish land will spring up to its feet, ready to let its hair
down for the whole day. The city is said to have grown with the blessings
of its own God, Lord Bodhgeshwar, whose beautiful temple nestles under a
banyan tree.Serene, secluded and sacred. Much before the Aryans, or Marathas, or the Portuguese invaded Goa, this was a bucolic community, with a well established community farming system ('gaunkari'). Market day was a major event, with goods brought in from every district from every district to one central quarter. Mapusa, over the centuries, thus became a prominent trading centre and Friday became the D-day.
Besides, this bustling city nestling at 13 km from Panjim, also evolved as a favoured gateway to many famous beaches of Goa. In a sacred sense, the most popular tourist destination in Mapusa is the Bodhgeshwar Temple.
Whether you see it by night or day, the temple, nestling under a banyan tree, offers an idiosyncratic repercussion of itself, illuminated by the light of earthen lamps and devotion. Ask the 'pujari' (priest) and he will tell you more about Bodhgeshwar, that He was a very congenial god who used to sit under a banyan tree, and that Goans of all faiths would come to him with their troubles and how he would offer solutions; a tradition that continues till today, with the exception that a divine shrine is present at the pad where he used to sit.
Try to plan a visit during the 3rd week of January to be a part of the grand 'mela' (fair) held in the temple compound. Don't forget to visit the Hanuman Theatre, just across the road. This magnificent hall of entertainment is famous for its Konkani 'tiatrs' and Marathi 'nataks'.
Drive on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Road towards Vilena Hotel and take a right turn from there to be on St. Jerome Road. This solitary road will
take you to
the Mapusa Church, which has a bizarre attraction hidden in its sleeves.
The Mapusa Church is known as St. Jerome's Church during the celebration of Saint's feast in October. Interestingly, the same divine pad of Christianity is known as the Church of Our Lady of Milagres (Miracles), when the Milagres feast is celebrated every 3rd Sunday after Easter.
If you happen to be in Mapusa during the Milagres feast, you can see hundreds of devotees - both Hindus and Christians - participating in the feast with equal endeavour. The festivities are spread over three days with a plethora of cultural activities, crowned by the Milagres Queen Contest.
| Goa Cities:- Canacona || Mapusa || Margao || Panaji || Ponda || Vasco Da Gama |
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