Goa Information
About Goa
Variously known as "Pearl of the Orient" and a "Tourist Paradise",
the state of Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal
belt known as Konkan. The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural
splendours of its temples, churches and old houses have made Goa a firm
favourite with travellers around the world. But then, Goa is much more than
just beaches and sea. It has a soul which goes deep into unique history,
rich culture and some of the prettiest natural scenery that India has to
offer.
Goa Arts
& Crafts
Goa is a land of crafts and craftsmen, where aesthetic quality finds a natural
expression. Goa has a rich and magnificent tradition of the classical arts.
Over the years, Goans have excelled in poetry, music and the fine arts.
The exquisitely carved rosewood and teak furniture, the terracotta figurines,
the classic brass items and the unique gold jewellery designs all speak
of an age still valuable in this technology obsessed world.
Goa Carnival
Although introduced by the Portuguese who ruled this territory for over
50 years, from 1510 to 1961, the three-day festival primarily celebrated
by Christians, has absorbed Hindu tradition-bound revelry and western dance
forms, and stimulated by the artistry of the Goan genius turned into a pageantry
of singular effervescence.
Goa Cuisine
Visitors to Goa tend to think that food and drink in Goa means the famous
fish, curry, rice and feni package. And for most Goans these are indeed
the three basic necessities of life -- fish, curry and rice. They combine
to make a heavenly daily meal for the average Goan. But Goan cuisine, like
the land itself, has many flavours and tastes with its vast treasure trove
of culinary delicacies.
Goa Culture
Goas cultural traditions literally stretch back to the dawn of civilization.
Despite successive onslaughts and the ravages of alien occupation, Goas
cultural traditions have displayed amazing resilience with stimulation by
every fresh challenge. To a large extent, Goas cultural heritage was
enriched by a slow but unremitting process of absorption and assimilation
of the more congenial features of alien culture. The focal point being the
symbiosis of Latin and local cultural strains.
Goa Entertainment
Although Goa was made famous for its encouraging attitude towards doing
nothing more than lounge by the beach, it's startling just how much else
there is to do. Whether it's at the break of the dawn or dusk, midnight
or noon, there is no end of fun and frolic in Goa. The state is plushed
with variety of options for the amusement of tourists. If one is longing
for a drink check out the pubs and bars situated at all the beach sides
and major cities. Or just hangout at the local shacks on the beach any time
of the day and enjoy the oceanic panorama.
Goa Language(Konkani)
Goa is a multi-lingual state, thanks to its chequered history of thousands
of years, which has seen people of various regions, ethnic races and religions
from India and abroad coming over to and settling in Goa, while influencing
the local language. At present, Marathi and Konkani are two major languages
of Goa. Hindi, the national language of India, is well understood in Goa.
In major towns, English is widely used in writing and conversation.
Goa Lifestyle
Goans as the people from Goa are known around the world, have a unique lifestyle
which reflects the perfect blending of the cultural influences that they
have experienced over the centuries. By nature, Goans are warm, friendly,
easy going and large hearted. They live life in style and at a leisurely
pace. They are passionate about dance, music and art which is in their blood
and they love their food and feni.
Goa People
Goa's isolation from the rest of India for more than four centuries under
the Portuguese rule, its geographical borders in the form of the Sahyadri
ranges and the tidal rivers have managed to give the people of Goa a unique
and separate identity. The people of Goa prefer to call themselves Goans
and not Goanese as mentioned in guidebooks and brochures. Goans are very
much aware of this unique identity; they are proud of it and guard it fiercely.
Goa Shopping
Pottery & Terracota are traditional crafts with utility-cum-decorative
items produced by the potters with artistic perfection and realistic finish.
The items produced include flower garden pots, bowls with floral designs,
figures of saints, Gods' and Godesses' and animals, ashtrays and pen holders.
etc.
Goa Travel
Tips
No trip is ever perfect in every way. There are always those little things
which remain in your memory long after your trip is over. So we have compiled
a list of useful tips which might help in making your trip a lasting memory
of a lifetime. These tips are by no means a comprehensive list but they
will help you plan your trip before your embark on it and also when you
are actually in Goa.
Goa Weather
Goa's balmy tropical weather means that temperatures don't fluctuate much,
hovering between 24° C to 29° C all the year-round.
But at the peak of summer in the month of May, noon temperatures often cross
33°C. The Goan monsoon which lasts from June to September adorns Goa
with greenery all around and tourists are now coming in to see Goa at her
beautiful best while taking advantage of monsoon discounts from the hotels
and resorts.
Goa Wildlife
The rugged western ghats make it an ideal haven for many species of birds
and animals and also provide a corridor for migration. The western ghats
called the Sahyadris in Goa, extend for a total of 600kms in Goa of their
total length of 3702 kms. The widest belt of forests along the western ghats
is in Goa and neighbouring Karnataka state. The high rainfall accounts for
this because the elevation of the mountain range here is lower
Goa History
The origin of Goa or Gomantak as it is also known, is lost in the mists
of time. In the later Vedic period (c.1000-500 BC), when the Hindu epic
Mahabharat was written, Goa has been referred to with the Sanskrit name
Gomantak, a word with many meanings, but signifying generally a fertile
land.
North Goa
North Goa is known and loved as a land of golden beaches, palm trees, paddy
fields and wooded hills. Its churches, temples, shrines and forts tell its
history. It is associated with music, the famous Goan cuisine and most of
all with a peace-loving , smiling people.
South Goa
South Goa District covers the entire southern part of Goa state. Arabian
sea is to the west of district, North Goa district to the North and Uttar
Kannada district of Karnataka in the East and South. South Goa is situated
between the latitudinal paralles of 15 degree 29' 32" N and 14 degree
53' 57" N and longitudimal parallels of 73degree 46' 21" E and
74 degree 20' 11" E. From noth to south and from east to west the district
spans a distance of 86 kms and 40 kms respectively. The total geographical
area of the district is 1966 sq kms.
Warning: main(http://www.acgil.com/google-ads.html) [
function.main]: failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
in
/home/goaindi/public_html/goa-information/index.html on line
405
Warning: main() [
function.include]: Failed opening 'http://www.acgil.com/google-ads.html' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/php4/lib/php:/usr/local/php4/lib/php') in
/home/goaindi/public_html/goa-information/index.html on line
405