GOA
Goa is a state
on the southwestern coast of India within the region known as the Konkan, and
geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats It is
surrounded by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to
the east and south, with the Arabian Sea forming its western coast It is
India's smallest state by area and its fourth-smallest by population Goa has
the highest GDP per capita among all Indian states, two and a half times as
high as the GDP per capita of the country as a whole The Eleventh Finance
Commission of India named Goa the best-placed state because of its
infrastructure and India’s National Commission on Population rated it as
having the best quality of life in India (based on the commission’s “12
Indicators”) It is the third-highest ranking among Indian states in human
development index.
Panaji is the
state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city The historic city of
Margão in Goa still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who
first voyaged to the subcontinent in the early 16th century as merchants, and
conquered it soon thereafter, whereupon Goa became an overseas territory of the
Portuguese Empire, part of what was then known as Portuguese India, and
remained as such for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961
Goa’s official language, which is spoken by a majority of its inhabitants, is
Konkani.
Goa is visited
by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year because of
its white-sand beaches, active nightlife, places of worship, and World
Heritage-listed architecture It also has rich flora and fauna because it lies
on the Western Ghats range, a biodiversity hotspot.
History
Rock art
engravings found in Goa are the earliest known traces of human life in India
Goa, situated within the Shimoga-Goa Greenstone Belt in the Western Ghats (the area composed of metavolcanics, iron formations, and ferruginous quartzite),
yields evidence for Acheulean occupation Rock art engravings (petroglyphs) are
present on laterite platforms and granite boulders in Usgalimal near the west-flowing
Kushavati river and in Kajur In Kajur, the rock engravings of animals,
tectiforms and other designs in granite have been associated with what is
considered to be a megalithic stone circle with a round granite stone in the
center Petroglyphs, cones, stone-ax, and choppers dating to 10,000 years ago
have been found in various locations in Goa, including Kazur, Mauxim, and the
Mandovi-Zuari basin[20] Evidence of Palaeolithic life is visible at Dabolim,
Adkon, Shigao, Fatorpa, Arli, Maulinguinim, Diwar, Sanguem, Pilerne, and
Aquem-Margaon Difficulty in carbon dating the laterite rock compounds poses the problem for determining the exact time period.
Early Goan
society underwent radical change when Indo-Aryan and Dravidian migrants
amalgamated with the aboriginal locals, forming the base of early Goan culture.
Early
history
In the 3rd
century BC, Goa was part of the Maurya Empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor,
Ashoka of Magadha Buddhist monks laid the foundation of Buddhism in Goa Between
the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD, Goa was ruled by the Bhojas of Goa
Chutus of Karwar also ruled some parts as feudatories of the Satavahanas of
Kolhapur (2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD), Western Kshatrapas (around 150
AD), the Abhiras of Western Maharashtra, Bhojas of the Yadav clans of Gujarat,
and the Konkan Mauryas as feudatories of the Kalachuris The rule later passed
to the Chalukyas of Badami, who controlled it between 578 and 753, and later
the Rashtrakutas of Malkhed from 753 to 963 From 765 to 1015, the Southern
Shares of Konkan ruled Goa as the feudatories of the Chalukyas and the
Rashtrakutas Over the next few centuries, Goa was successively ruled by the
Kadambas as the feudatories of the Chalukyas of Kalyani They patronized Jainism
in Goa.
In 1312, Goa
came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate The kingdom's grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 it was forced to surrender it to Harihara I of the
Vijayanagara empire The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory until
1469 when it was appropriated by the Bahmani sultans of Gulbarga After that
dynasty crumbled, the area fell into the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur,
who established as their auxiliary capital the city known under the Portuguese
as Velha Goa (or Old Goa).
Portuguese
period
The Se
Cathedral at Old Goa, built in 1619, is an example of Portuguese architecture
and is one of the largest churches in Asia.
In 1510, the
Portuguese defeated the ruling Bijapur sultan Yusuf Adil Shah with the help of
a local ally, Timoji, a privateerThey set up a permanent settlement in Velha
Goa This was the beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa that would last
for four and a half centuries, until its annexation to India in 1961 The Goa
Inquisition, a formal tribunal, was established in 1560 and was finally
abolished in 1812.
From the latter
decades of the eighteenth century, the territory of Goa was composed of two
segments: the central nucleus of the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests) -
Bardez, Ilhas de Tiswadi, and Salsete, these territories had been under
Portuguese administration since the sixteenth century; and the Novas Conquistas
(New Conquests) - Bicholim, Canacona, Pernem, Quepem, Sattari, Sanguem -
territories that had been successively added through the eighteenth century.
In 1843, the
Portuguese moved the capital to the Cidade da Nova Goa, today known as Panaji,
from Velha Goa By the mid-18th century, Portuguese Goa had expanded to most of
the present-day state limits Simultaneously, the Portuguese lost other
possessions in India until their borders stabilized and formed the Estado da
Índia Portuguesa or State of Portuguese India.
Contemporary
period
After India
gained independence from British rule in 1947, India requested that Portuguese
territories on the Indian subcontinent be ceded to India Portugal refused to
negotiate on the sovereignty of its Indian enclaves On 19 December 1961, the
Indian Army invaded with Operation Vijay resulting in the annexation of Goa,
and Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union Goa, along with Daman and Diu,
was organized as a centrally administered union territory of India On 16
January 1967 a referendum was held in Goa, to decide the future of the Union The territory of Goa, Daman, and Diu It was the only referendum to have been held in
independent India The referendum offered the people of Goa a choice between
continuing as a union territory or merging with the state of Maharashtra and
the majority chose the formerOn 30 May 1987, the union territory was split, and
Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining a union
territory.
Geography
and climate
Geography
Goa encompasses
an area of 3,702 km2 (1,429 sq mi) It lies between the latitudes 14°53′54″ N
and 15°40′00″ N and longitudes 73°40′33″ E and 74°20′13″ E.
Goa is a part
of the coastal country known as the Konkan, which is an escarpment rising to
the Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the Deccan Plateau
The highest point is the Sonsogor, with an altitude of 1,167 meters (3,829 ft)
Goa has a coastline of 160 km (99 mi).
Goa's seven major rivers are the Zuari, Mandovi, Terekhol, Chapora, Galgibag, Kumbarjua canal, Talpona, and the Sal[34] The Zuari and the Mandovi are the most important rivers, interspaced by the Kumbarjua canal, forming a major estuarine complex[34] These rivers are fed by the Southwest monsoon rain and their basin covers 69% of the state's geographical area These rivers are some of the busiest in India Goa has more than 40 estuarine, eight marines, and about 90 riverine islands The total navigable length of Goa's rivers is 253 km (157 mi) Goa has more than 300 ancient water tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over 100 medicinal springs.
The Mormugao
harbor on the mouth of the River Zuari is one of the best natural harbors in
South Asia.
Most of Goa's
soil cover is made up of laterites rich in ferric-aluminum oxides and reddish
Further inland and along the riverbanks, the soil is mostly alluvial and loamy
The soil is rich in minerals and humus, thus conducive to agriculture Some of
the oldest rocks in the Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between Molem and
And on Goa's border with Karnataka The rocks are classified as Trondjemeitic
Gneiss estimated to be 3,600 million years old, dated by rubidium isotope
dating A specimen of the rock is exhibited at Goa University.
Climate
Goa features a
tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification Goa, being in
the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea has a hot and humid climate for
most of the year The month of May is usually the hottest, seeing daytime
temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity The state's three
seasons are Southwest monsoon period (June – September), post-monsoon period
(October – January), and pre-monsoon period (February – May) Over 90% of the
average annual rainfall (120 inches) is received during the monsoon season.
Goa features a
tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification Goa, being in
the tropical zone and near the Arabian Sea has a hot and humid climate for
most of the year The month of May is usually the hottest, seeing daytime
temperatures of over 35 °C (95 °F) coupled with high humidity The state's three
seasons are Southwest monsoon period (June – September), post-monsoon period
(October – January), and pre-monsoon period (February – May) Over 90% of the
average annual rainfall (120 inches) is received during the monsoon season.
The state is
divided into two districts: North Goa and South Goa Each district is
administered by a distri+-ct collector, appointed by the Indian government.
Panaji is the
headquarters of the North Goa district and is also the capital of Goa.
North Goa is
further divided into three subdivisions – Panaji, Mapusa, and Bicholim; and
five talukas (subdistricts) – TiswadiIlhas de Goa (Panaji), Bardez (Mapusa),
Pernem, Bicholim, and Sattari (Valpoi).
Margao is the
headquarters of the South Goa district.
South Goa is
further divided into five subdivisions – Ponda, Mormugao-Vasco, Margao, Quepem,
and Dharbandora; and seven talukas – Ponda, Mormugao, Salcete (Margao), Quepem,
and Canacona (Chaudi), Sanguem, and Dharbandora (Ponda taluka was shifted from
North Goa to South Goa in January 2015).
Goa's major
cities include Panaji, Margao, Vasco, Mapusa, Ponda, Bicholim, and Valpoi
Panaji has the
only Municipal Corporation in Goa.
There are
thirteen Municipal Councils: Margao, Mormugao (including Vasco), Pernem,
Mapusa, Bicholim, Sanquelim, Valpoi, Ponda, Cuncolim, Quepem, Curchorem,
Sanguem and Canacona Goa have a total number of 334 villages.
Government
and politics
The politics of
Goa is a result of the uniqueness of this region due to 450 years of
Portuguese rule, in comparison to three centuries of British rule, experienced
by the rest of India. The Indian National Congress was unable to achieve
electoral success in the first two decades after the State's incorporation into
India Instead, the state was dominated by the regional political parties like
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the United Goans Party.
Government
In the
Parliament of India, Goa has two seats in the Lok Sabha (House of the People)
The lower house of the Indian Parliament, one representing each district, and
one seat in the Rajya Sabha (Council of the States) The Upper House of the
Indian Parliament.
Goa's the administrative capital is Panaji in English, Panjim also spelled as Panjim in
Portuguese, and Ponjê in the local language It lies on the left bank of the
Mandovi river The seat of the Goa Legislative Assembly is in Porvorim, across
the Mandovi from Panaji As the state comes under the Bombay High Court, Panaji
has a bench in it Unlike other states, which follow the model of civil laws
framed for individual religions introduced in the days of Raj, the Portuguese
Goa civil code, a uniform code based on the Napoleonic code, has been retained
in Goa.
Goa has a unicameral legislature, the Goa Legislative Assembly, of 40 members, headed by
a speaker The Chief Minister heads the executive, which is made up of the party
or coalition elected with a majority in the legislature The Governor, the head
of the state, is appointed by the President of India After having stable governance
for nearly thirty years up to 1990, Goa is now notorious for its political
instability having seen fourteen governments in the span of the fifteen years
between 1990 and 2005.
In March 2005,
the assembly was dissolved by the Governor and President's Rule was declared,
which suspended the legislature A by-election in June 2005 saw the Indian
National Congress coming back to power after winning three of the five seats
that went to polls The Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are
the two largest parties in the state In the assembly poll of 2007, the INC-led coalition won and formed the government In the 2012 Vidhan Sabha Elections, the
Bharatiya Janata Party along with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party won a clear majority, forming the new government with Manohar Parrikar as the Chief
Minister Other parties include the United Goans Democratic Party, the
Nationalist Congress Party.
In 2017
assembly elections, the Indian National Congress gained the most seats, with
the BJP coming in second However, no party was able to gain a majority in the
40 members. house The BJP was invited to form the Government by Governor
Mridula Sinha. The Congress claimed the use of money power on the part of the
BJP and took the case to the Supreme Court, However, the Manohar Parikkar led government was able to prove its majority in the Supreme Court-mandated
"floor test".
Flora and fauna
Equatorial
forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424 km2 (54981 sq mi),[14] most of which is
owned by the government Government-owned forest is estimated at 1,22438 km2
(47274 sq mi) whilst private is given as 200 km2 (7722 sq mi) Most of the
forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state
The Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally
recognized as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world In February
1999 issue of National Geographic Magazine, Goa was compared with the Amazon
and the Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity.
Goa's wildlife sanctuaries
boast of more than 1512 documented species of plants, over 275 species of
birds, over 48 kinds of animals, and over 60 genera of reptiles.
Goa is also
known for its coconut cultivation The coconut tree has been reclassified by the
government as a palm (like grass), enabling farmers and real estate developers
to clear land with fewer restrictions.
Rice is the
main food crop, and pulses (legume), Ragi (Finger Millet), and other food crops
are also grown Main cash crops are coconut, cashewnut, areca nut, sugarcane,
and fruits like pineapple, mango, and banana Goa's state animal is the Gaur,
the state bird is the Ruby Throated Yellow Bulbul, which is a variation of
Black-crested Bulbul and the state tree is the Matti (Asna).
The important
forest products are bamboo canes, Maratha barks, chillar barks, and the bhirand
Coconut trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring
the elevated regions A variety of deciduous trees, such as teak, Sal tree,
cashew and mango trees are present Fruits include jackfruit, mango, pineapple,
and "black-berry" ("podkoam" in Konkani language) Goa's
forests are rich in medicinal plants.
Foxes, wild
boar and migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa The avifauna (bird
species) includes kingfisher, myna, and parrot Numerous types of fish are also
caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers Crab, lobster, shrimp, jellyfish,
oysters and catfish are the basis of the marine fishery Goa also has a high
snake population Goa has many famous "National Parks", including the
renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary on the island of Chorão Other wildlife
sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary,
Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary,
and Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.
Goa has more
than 33% of its geographic area under government forests (122438 km2) of which
about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas (PA) of Wildlife Sanctuaries
and National Park Since there is a substantial area under private forests and a
large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc plantations, the total forest and
tree cover constitutes 566% of the geographic area.
Economy
Goa's state
domestic product for 2017 is estimated at $11 billion at current prices Goa is
India's richest state with the highest GDP per capita – two and a half times
that of the country – with one of its fastest growth rates: 823% (yearly
average 1990–2000) Tourism is Goa's primary industry: it gets 12% of foreign
tourist arrivals in India Goa have two main tourist seasons: winter and summer
In winter, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come, and summer (which, in
Goa is the rainy season) sees tourists from across India Goa's net state
domestic product (NSDP) was around US$724 billion in 2015–16.
The land away
from the coast is rich in minerals and ores, and mining forms the second
largest industry Iron, bauxite, manganese, clays, limestone, and silica are
mined The Mormugao port handled 3169 million tonnes of cargo in 2007, which was
39% of India's total iron ore exports Sesa Goa (now owned by Vedanta Resources)
and Dempo is the lead miners Rampant mining has been depleting the forest cover
as well as posing a health hazard to the local population Corporations are also
mining illegally in some areas During 2015–16, the total traffic handled by
Mormugao port was recorded to be 2078 million tonnes.
Agriculture,
while of shrinking importance to the economy over the past four decades, offers
part-time employment to a sizeable portion of the populace Rice is the main
agricultural crop, followed by areca, cashew, and coconut Fishing employs about
40,000 people, though recent official figures indicate a decline of the
importance of this sector and also a fall in the catch, due perhaps, to traditional
fishing giving way to large-scale mechanized trawling.
Medium-scale
industries include the manufacturing of pesticides, fertilizers, tires, tubes,
footwear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and
fish canning, cashew nuts, textiles, brewery products.
Currently,
there are 16 planned SEZs in Goa. The Goa government has recently decided to
not allow any more Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Goa after strong opposition
to them by political parties and the Goa Catholic Church.
Goa is also
notable for its low priced beer, wine, and spirits prices due to its very low
excise duty on alcohol Another main source of cash inflow to the state is the remittance, from many of its citizens who work abroad to their families It is
said to have some of the largest bank savings in the country.
In 1976 Goa
became the first state in India to legalize some types of gambling This enabled
the state to levy taxes on gambling, thereby strengthening the economy.
Goa is the the second state in India to achieve a 100 percent automatic telephone system with
a solid network of telephone exchanges As of September 2017, Goa had a total
installed power generation capacity of 54788 MW Goa is also one of the few
states in India to achieve 100 percent rural electrification.
Demographics
Population
A native of Goa
is called a Goan Goa has a population of 1459 million residents as of
2011,[better source needed] making it India's fourth-smallest (after Sikkim,
Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh) There are currently 394 people for each square a kilometer of land which is higher than the national average of 382 per km2 Goa is the
state with the highest proportion of the urban population with 6217% of the
population living in urban areas The sex ratio is 973 females to 1,000 males
The birth rate is 1570 per 1,000 people in 2007 Goa also is the state with the lowest proportion of Scheduled Tribes at 004% Estimates put the migrant or non-Goan
Indian origin, a population at over 40% of the resident population, with a
state government study projecting that by 2021 the migrant community will
outnumber the native population.
Languages
The Goa, Daman,
and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani in the Devanagari script the the sole official language of Goa but provides that Marathi may also be used
"for all or any of the official purposes" Portuguese was the sole official the language during Portuguese colonial rule The government also has a policy of
replying in Marathi to correspondence received in Marathi There have been
demands for according Konkani in the Roman script official status in the state
There is widespread support for keeping Konkani as the sole official language
of Goa The entire liturgy and communication of the Catholic church in Goa is
done solely in Konkani in the Roman script.
Konkani is
spoken as a native language by about 6611% of the people in the state, but
almost all Goans can speak and understand Konkani Other linguistic groups in
the state per the 2011 census are speakers of Marathi (1089%), Hindi (1029%),
Kannada (566%), Urdu (283%), and Portuguese language (1%).
Historically,
Konkani was neither the official nor the administrative language of the many
rulers of the State Under the Kadambas (c 960 – 1310), the court language was
Kannada When under Muslim rule (1312 - 1370 and 1469 - 1510), the official and the cultural language was Persian Various stones in the Archaeological Museum and
Portrait Gallery from the period are inscribed in Kannada and Persian During
the period in between the two periods of Muslim rule, the Vijayanagara Empire,
which had control of the state, mandated the use of Kannada and Telugu.
Religion
According to
the 2011 census, in a population of 1,458,545 people, 661% were Hindu, 251%
were Christian, 83% were Muslim and 01% were Sikh.
According to
the 1909 statistics in the Catholic Encyclopedia, the total Catholic population
was 293,628 out of a total population of 365,291 (8033%) Since the 20th
century, the Christian population of Goa has been facing continual decline This
is caused by a combination of permanent emigration of native Goans from Goa to
cosmopolitan Indian cities (eg Mumbai, Bangalore) and foreign countries with the
mass immigration of non-Christians from the rest of India since 1961, which has
made the native Goans a virtual minority in their homeland
The Catholics
in Goa state and Daman and Diu union territory are served by the Metropolitan
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, the primatial see of India, in
which the titular Patriarchate of the East Indies is vested
Tourism
Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with lower tourist activity inland In 2010, there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, about 12 million of whom were from abroad. As of 2013, Goa was a destination of choice for Indian and foreign tourists, particularly Britons and Russians, with limited means who wanted to party. The state was hopeful that changes could be made which would attract a more upscale demographic
Goa stands 6th
in the Top 10 Nightlife cities in the world in National Geographic Travel
Notable nightclubs in Goa include Chronicle, Mambos, and Sinq.
One of the
biggest tourist attractions in Goa is water sports Beaches like Baga and
Calangute offer jet-skiing, parasailing, banana boat rides, water scooter
rides, and more Patnem beach in Palolem stood third in CNN Travel's Top 20
Beaches in Asia.
Over 450 years of Portuguese rule and the influence of the Portuguese culture presents to visitors to Goa a cultural environment that is not found elsewhere in India Goa is often described as a fusion between Eastern and Western culture with Portuguese culture having a dominant position in the state be it in its architectural, cultural or social settings The state of Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and temples The Bom Jesus Cathedral, Fort Aguada and a new wax museum on Indian history, culture, and heritage in Old Goa are other tourism destinations.
Historic
sites and neighborhoods
Goa has two
World Heritage Sites: the Bom Jesus Basilica and churches and convents of Old
Goa The basilica holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, regarded by
many Catholics as the patron saint of Goa (the patron of the Archdiocese of Goa
is Saint Joseph Vaz) These are both Portuguese-era monuments and reflect a
strong European character The relics are taken down for veneration and public
viewing, per the prerogative of the Church in Goa, not every ten or twelve
years as popularly thought and propagated The last exposition was held in 2014.
Goa has the
Sanctuary of Saint Joseph Vaz in Sancoale Pilar monastery which holds novenas
of Venerable Padre Agnelo Gustavo de Souza from 10 to 20 November yearly There
is a claimed Marian Apparition at the Church of Saints Simon and Jude at Batim,
Ganxim, near Pilar, where Goans and non-resident Goans visit There is the
statue of the bleeding Jesus on the Crucifix at the Santa Monica Convent in
Velha Goa There are churches (Igorzo), like the baroque styled Nixkollounk
Gorb-Sombhov Saibinnich Igorz (Church of the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception)
in Panaji, the Gothic-styled Mater Dei (Dêv Matechi Igorz Mother of God) church
in Saligao and each church has its style and heritage, besides Kopelam Irmidi
(chapels).
The Velhas
Conquistas regions are known for Goa-Portuguese style architecture There are
many forts in Goa such as Tiracol, Chapora, Corjuem, Aguada, Reis Magos, Nanus,
Mormugao, Fort Gaspar Dias and Cabo de Rama.
In many parts
of Goa, mansions constructed in the Indo-Portuguese style architecture still stand,
though, in some villages, most of them are in a dilapidated condition
Fontainhas in Panaji has been declared a cultural quarter, showcasing the life,
architecture and culture of Goa Influences from the Portuguese era are visible
in some of Goa's temples, notably the Shanta Durga Temple, the Mangueshi
Temple, the Shri Damodar Temple, and the Mahalasa Temple After 1961, many of
these were demolished and reconstructed in the indigenous Indian style.
Museums and science center
Goa has three
important museums: the Goa State Museum, the Naval Aviation Museum, and the
National Institute of Oceanography The aviation museum is one of three in India
(the others are in Delhi and Bengaluru) The Goa Science Centre is in Miramar,
Panaji. The National Institute of Oceanography, India (NIO) is in Dona Paula.
Museum of Goa is a privately owned contemporary art gallery in Pilerne
Industrial Estate, near Calangute
Culture
Having been a
Portuguese territory for over 450 years, Goan culture is an amalgamation of
both Eastern and Western styles, with the latter having a more dominant role
The tableau of Goa showcases religious harmony by focusing on the Deepastambha,
the Cross and Ghode Modni followed by a chariot Western royal attire of kings
is as much part of Goa's cultural heritage as are regional dances performed
depicting a unique blend of different religions and cultures of this State
Prominent local festivals are Christmas, Easter, Carnival, Diwali, Shigmo,
Chavoth, Samvatsar Padvo, Dasara, etc The Goan Carnival and Christmas-new year
celebrations attract many tourists.
The Gomant
Vibhushan Award, the highest civilian honor of the State of Goa, is given
annually by the Government of Goa since 2010.
Dance and
music
Traditional
Goan art forms are Dekhnni, Fugdi, Corridinho, Mando, Dulpod, and Fado[80] Goan
Catholics are fond of social gatherings and Tiatr (Teatro) As part of its
Portuguese history, music is an integral part of Goan homes It is often said
that "Goans are born with music and sport" Western musical
instruments like the piano, guitars, and violins are widely used in most
religious and social functions of the Catholics.
Goan Hindus are
very fond of Natak, Bhajan, and Kirtan Many famous Indian classical singers
hail from Goa, including Mogubai Kurdikar, Kishori Amonkar, Kesarbai Kerkar,
Jitendra Abhisheki, and Pandit Prabhakar Karekar.
Goa is also
known as the origin of Goa trance
Theatre
Natak, Tiatr
(most popular), and Jagor are the chief forms of Goa's traditional performance
arts Other forms are Ranmale, Dashavatari, Kalo, Goulankala, Lalit, Kala, and
Rathkala Stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata along with more modern
social subjects are narrated with song and dance.
"Jagor",
the traditional folk dance-drama is performed by the Hindu Kunbi and Christian
Gauda community of Goa, to seek the Divine Grace for protection and prosperity
of the crop, Literal meaning of Jagor is "Jagran" or wakeful nights
The strong belief is that the night-long performance awakens the deities once a year and they continue to remain awake throughout the year guarding the village.
Perni Jagor is
the ancient mask dance – drama of Goa, performed by Perni families, using well-crafted
and painted wooden masks, depicting various animals, birds, supernatural power,
deities, demons, and social characters.
Gauda Jagor is an impression of social life, that displays all the existing moods and modes of human characters It is predominantly based on three main characters, Gharasher, Nikhandar, and Parpati wearing shining dresses and headgears The performance is accompanied by vibrant tunes of Goan folk instruments like NagaraDobe, Ghumat, Madale, and Kansale
In some places,
Jagor performances are held with the participation of both Hindus and the Christian community, whereby, characters are played by Hindus and musical support
is provided by Christian artists.
Tiatr (Teatro)
and its artists play a major role in keeping the Konkani language and music
alive Tiatrs are conducted solely in the Roman script of Konkani as it is
primarily a Christian community-based act They are played in scenes with music
at regular intervals, the scenes are portrayals of daily life and are known to
depict social and cultural scenarios Tiatrs are regularly held especially on
weekends mainly at Kala Academy, Panaji, Pai Tiatrist Hall at Ravindra Bhavan,
Margao and most recent shows have also started at the new Ravindra Bhavan,
Baina, Vasco Western Musical Instruments such as Drums, Bass, Keyboards, and
Trumpets are part of the show and most of them are played acoustically It is
one of Goa's few art forms that are renowned across the world with performances
popular among Goans in the Middle East, the Americas, and Europe.
Konkani cinema
Konkani cinema
is an Indian film industry, where films are made in the Konkani language, which
is spoken mainly in the Indian states of Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, and
to a smaller extent in Kerala Konkani films have been produced in Goa,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.
The first
full-length Konkani film was Mogacho Anvddo, released on 24 April 1950, and was
produced and directed by A LJerry Braganza, a native of Mapusa, under the
banner of ETICA Pictures. Hence, 24 April is celebrated as Konkani Film Day.
Since 2004,
starting from the 35th edition, the International Film Festival of India moved
its permanent venue to Goa, which is annually held in November and December.
Konkani film
Paltadcho manis has been included in the world's best films of 2009 list.
Konkani films
are eligible for the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Konkani The
most commercially successful Konkani film (as of June 2011) is O Maria directed
by Rajendra Talak.
In 2012, a the whole new change was adopted in Konkani Cinema by introducing Digital
Theatrical Film "The Victim" directed by Milroy Goes.
Some old
Konkani films are Sukhachem Sopon, Amchem Noxib, Nirmonn, Mhoji Ghorkarn,
Kortubancho Sonvsar, Jivit Amchem Oxem, Mog ani Moipas, Bhuierantlo Munis,
Suzanne, Boglantt, Padri, and Bhogsonne Ujwadu is a 2011 Konkani film directed
by Kasargod Chinna and produced by KJ Dhananjaya and Anuradha Padiyar.
Food
Rice with fish
curry (xit koddi in Konkani) is the staple diet in Goa Goan cuisine is famous
for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes Coconut and
coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with chili peppers, spices,
and vinegar is used in Catholic cuisine, giving the food a unique flavor
The Goan cuisine is heavily influenced by Portuguese cuisine.
Goan food may
be divided into Goan Catholic and Goan Hindu cuisine with each showing very
distinct tastes, characteristics, and cooking styles Pork dishes such as
Vindalho, Xacuti, chouriço, and Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among
the Goan Catholics An exotic Goan vegetable stew, known as Khatkhate, is a very
popular dish during the celebrations of festivals, Hindu and Christian alike
Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special Goan
spices that add to the aroma.
Sannas, Hitt,
are variants of idli, and Polle, Amboli, and Kailoleo are variants of dosa; all
are native to Goa A rich egg-based, multi-layered sweet dish known as bebinca
is a favorite at Christmas.
Some places in Goa is famous for Goa's traditional & special cuisines Ros omelet is one of the most popular snacks and street foods in Goa, it is traditionally sold on food carts on the streets.
The most
popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is feni; cashew feni is made from the
fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from
the sap of toddy palms Urrak is another local liquor prepared from Cashew fruit
the bar culture is one of the unique aspects of the Goan villages where a local bar serves as a meeting point for villagers to unwind. Goa also has a rich wine
culture.
Architecture
The architecture of Goa is a combination of Goan, Ottoman, and Portuguese styles
Since the Portuguese ruled and governed for four centuries, many churches and
houses bear a striking element of the Portuguese style of architecture Goan
Hindu houses do not show any Portuguese influence, though the modern temple architecture
is an amalgam of original Goan temple style with Dravidian, Hemadpanthi,
Islamic, and Portuguese architecture.
The original
Goan temple architecture fell into disuse as the temples were demolished by the
Portuguese and the Sthapati known as Thavayi in Konkani were converted to
Christianity though the wooden work and the Kavi murals can still be seen.
Media and communication
DTH (Direct To
Home) TV services are available from Dish TV, Videocon D2H, Tata Sky & DD
Direct Plus The All India Radio is the only radio channel in the state that
broadcasts on both FM and AM bands Two AM channels are broadcast, the primary
channel at 1287 kHz and the Vividh Bharati channel at 1539 kHz AIR's FM channel
is called FM Rainbow and is broadcast at 1054 MHz Several private FM radio
channels are available, Big FM at 927 and Radio Indigo at 919 MHz There is also
an educational radio channel, Gyan Vani, run by IGNOU broadcast from Panaji at
1078 MHz In 2006, St Xavier's College, Mapusa, became the first college in the
state to launch a campus community radio station "Voice of Xavier's".
Major cellular
service operators include Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular (merged
with Vodafone in 2018), Telenor, Reliance Infocomm, Tata DoCoMo, BSNL CellOne
and Jio
Local
publications include the English language O Heraldo (Goa's oldest, once a
Portuguese language paper), The Gomantak Times, and The Navhind Times In
addition to these, The Times of India and The Indian Express are also received
from Mumbai and Bangalore in the urban areas The Times of India has recently
started publication from Goa itself, serving the local population news directly
from the state capital Among the list of officially accredited newspapers are O
Heraldo, The Navhind Times and The Gomantak Times in English; Bhaangar Bhuin in
Konkani (Devanagari script); and Tarun Bharat, Gomantak, Navprabha, Goa Times,
Sanatan Prabhat, Govadoot, and Lokmat (all in Marathi) All are dailies Other
publications in the state include Planet Goa (English, monthly), Goa Today
(English, monthly), Goan Observer (English, weekly), Vauraddeancho Ixtt
(Roman-script Konkani, weekly) Goa Messenger, Vasco Watch, Gulab (Konkani,
monthly), Bimb (Devanagari-script Konkani).
One electronic a mailing list that is based in Goa is Goanet.
Sports
Normally other
states are fond of cricket but association football is the most popular sport
in Goa and is embedded in Goan culture as a result of the Portuguese influence.
Its origins in the state are traced back to 1883 when the visiting Irish priest
Fr William Robert Lyons established the sport as part of a "Christian
education". On 22 December 1959, the Associação de Futebol de Goa was
formed, which continues to administer the game in the state under the new name
Goa Football Association. Goa, along with West Bengal and Kerala is the locus
of football in India and is home to many football clubs in the national
I-League The state's football powerhouses include Salgaocar, Dempo, Churchill
Brothers, Vasco, Sporting Clube de Goa, and FC Goa The first Unity World Cup
was held in Goa in 2014 The state's main football stadium, Fatorda Stadium is
located at Margao and also hosts cricket matches. The state hosted few matches
of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Fatorda Stadium.
Several Goans have represented India in football and six of them, namely Samir Naik, Climax Lawrence, Brahmanand Sankhwalkar, Bruno Coutinho, Mauricio Afonso, and Roberto Fernandes have all captained the national team Goa has its state football team and league, the Goa Professional League It is probably the only state in India where cricket is not considered the most important of all sports Goan's are avid football fans, particularly of the football teams from Portugal (Benfica, Sporting), and Brazil especially during major football events such as the 'European Cup' and the 'World Cup' championships The Portuguese footballer 'Ronaldo' and Brazilian 'Neymar', are revered superstar football players in Goa.
Goa also has
its cricket team Dilip Sardesai remains the only Goan to date to play
international cricket for India.
The Indian
Olympic Association (IOA) has won the right to host the Asian Beach Games in
Goa in 2020. India (Goa) is a member of the 'Lusophony Olympic Games' which are
hosted every four years in one of the Portuguese CPLP member countries, with
733 athletes from 11 countries Most of the countries competing are countries
that are members of the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries), but some
are countries with significant Portuguese communities or have a history with
Portugal This event is similar in concept to the Commonwealth Games (for
members of the Commonwealth of Nations) and the Jeux de la Francophonie (for
the Francophone community).
Education
Goa had India's
earliest educational institutions built with European support The Portuguese
set up seminaries for religious education and parish schools for elementary
education Founded circa 1542 by Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Paul's College, Goa
was a Jesuit school in Old Goa, which later became a college St Paul's was once
the main Jesuit institution in the whole of Asia It housed the first printing
press in India and published the first books in 1556
Medical
education began in 1801 with the offering of regular medical courses at the
Royal and Military Hospital in the old City of Goa Built-in 1842 as the Escola
Médico-Cirúrgica de (Nova) Goa (Medical-Surgical School of Goa), Goa Medical
College is one of Asia's oldest medical colleges and has one of the oldest
medical libraries (since 1845). It houses the largest hospital in Goa and
continues to provide medical training to this day.
According to
the 2011 census, Goa has a literacy rate of 87%, with 90% of males and 84% of
females being literate. Each taluka is made up of villages, each having a
school run by the government Private schools are preferred over government-run
schools All schools come under the Goa Board of Secondary & Higher
Secondary Education, whose syllabus is prescribed by the state education
department There are also a few schools that subscribe to the all-India ICSE
syllabus or the NIOS syllabus Most students in Goa complete their high school
with English as the medium of instruction Most primary schools, however, use Konkani
and Marathi (in private, but government-aided schools) As is the case in most
of India, enrolment for vernacular media has seen a fall in numbers in favor of
English medium education Per a report published in The Times of India, 84% of
Goan primary schools run without an administrative head.
Some notable
schools in Goa include Sharada Mandir School in Miramar, Loyola High School in
Margao, and The King's School in São José de Areal After ten years of
schooling, students join a Higher Secondary school, which offers courses in
popular streams such as Science, Arts, Law, and Commerce A student may also opt
for a course in vocational studies Additionally, they may join three-year
diploma courses Two years of college is followed by a professional degree program
Goa University, the sole university in Goa, is located in Taleigão and most
Goan colleges are affiliated with it.
There are six
engineering colleges in the state Goa Engineering College and National
Institute of Technology Goa are government-funded colleges whereas the private
engineering colleges include Don Bosco College of Engineering at Fatorda, Shree
Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology at Shiroda, Agnel
Institute of Technology, and Design (AITD), Assagao, Bardez and Padre Conceicao
College of Engineering at Verna In 2004, BITS Pilani one of the premier
institutes in India, inaugurated its second campus, the BITS Pilani Goa Campus,
at Zuarinagar near Dabolim The Indian Institute of Technology Goa (IIT Goa)
began functioning from its temporary campus, located in Goa Engineering College
since 2016 The site for the permanent campus was finalized in Cotarli, Sanguem.
There are
colleges offering pharmacy, architecture, and dentistry along with numerous
private colleges offering law, arts, commerce, and science There are also two
National Oceanographic Science related centers: the National Centre for
Antarctic and Ocean Research in Vasco da Gama and the National Institute of
Oceanography in Dona Paula.
Goa Institute
of Management located at Sanquelim, near Panaji is one of India's premier
business schools.
In addition to
the engineering colleges, there are government polytechnic institutions in
Panaji, Bicholim, and Curchorem, and aided institutions like Father Agnel
Polytechnic in Verna and the Institute of Shipbuilding Technology in Vasco da
Gama imparts technical and vocational training.
Other colleges
in Goa include Shri Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, VVM's RM
Salgaocar Higher Secondary School in Margao, GVM's SNJA higher secondary
school, Don Bosco College, DM's College of Arts, Science and Commerce, St
Xavier's College, Carmel College, The Parvatibai Chowgule College, Dhempe
College, Damodar College, M E S College of Arts & Commerce, S S Samiti's
Higher Secondary School of Science and Rosary College of Commerce & Arts As
the result of renewed interest in the Portuguese language and culture,
Portuguese at all levels of instruction is offered in many schools in Goa,
largely private ones In some cases, Goan students do student exchange programs
in Portugal
Transportation
Air
Goa
International Airport, is a civil enclave at INS Hansa, a Naval airfield
located at Dabolim near Vasco da Gama. The airport caters to scheduled domestic
and international air services Goa has scheduled international connections to
Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah, and Kuwait in the Middle East by airlines like
Air Arabia, Air India, GoAir, Indigo, Oman Air, SpiceJet, and Qatar Airways
Though night operations were not permitted till recently, the military now
allows civil airlines to fly during the night A greenfield airport is under
construction at Mopa in Pernem taluka. It is expected to be completed by 2022.
Road
Goa's public
transport largely consists of privately operated buses linking the major towns
to rural areas Government-run buses, maintained by the Kadamba Transport
Corporation, link major routes (like the Panaji–Margao route) and some remote
parts of the state The Corporation owns 15 bus stands, 4 depots, and one Central
workshop at Porvorim and a Head Office at Porvorim. In large towns such as
Panaji and Margao, intra-city buses operate However, public transport in Goa is
less developed, and residents depend heavily on their transportation, usually
motorized two-wheelers, and small family cars.
Goa has four
National Highways passing through it NH-66 (exNH-17) runs along India's west
coast and links Goa to Mumbai in the north and Mangalore to the south NH-4A
running across the state connects the capital Panaji to Belgaum in east,
linking Goa to cities in the Deccan The NH-366 (exNH-17A) connects NH-66 to
Mormugao Port from Cortalim The new NH-566 (exNH-17B) is a four-lane highway
connecting Mormugao Port to NH-66 at Verna via Dabolim Airport, primarily built
to ease pressure on the NH-366 for traffic to Dabolim Airport and Vasco da Gama
NH-768 (exNH-4A) links Panaji and Ponda to Belgaum and NH-4 Goa has a total of
224 km (139 mi) of national highways, 232 km (144 mi) of state highway and 815
kilometers (506 miles) of district highway National Highways in Goa are among
the narrowest in the country and will remain so for the foreseeable future, as
the state government has received an exemption that allows narrow national
highways In Kerala, highways are 45 meters (148 feet) wide In other states
National Highways are grade-separated highways 60 meters (200 feet) wide with a
minimum of four lanes, as well as 6 or 8 lane access-controlled expressways.
Hired forms of
transport include unmetered taxis and, in urban areas, auto rickshaws Another
form of transportation in Goa is the motorcycle taxi, operated by drivers who
are locally called "pilots" These vehicles transport a single pillion
rider, at fares that are usually negotiated Other than buses,
"pilots" tend to be the cheapest mode of transport. River crossings
in Goa are serviced by flat-bottomed ferry boats, operated by the river
navigation department.
Rail
Goa has two
rail lines – one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the Konkan
Railway The line run by the South Western Railway was built during the colonial
era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama, Goa with Belgaum, Hubli, Karnataka
via Margao. The Konkan Railway line, which was built during the 1990s, runs
parallel to the coast connecting major cities on the western coast.
Sea
The Mormugao
Port Trust near the city of Vasco handles mineral ore, petroleum, coal, and
international containers Much of the shipments consist of minerals and ores
from Goa's hinterland Panaji, which is on the banks of the Mandovi, has a minor
port, which used to handle passenger steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the the late 1980s. There was also a short-lived catamaran service linking Mumbai and
Panaji operated by Damania Shipping in the 1990s.
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