Stretches of endless silver sand and white surf beaches wetted by the rush of the
'azure'arabian sea, the revelling of late nights over the local feni brew,the tarvernas,
white churches and temples resting against plush green padding fields and coconut trees,
the nostalgic atmosphere, longer days of sun, sand and sea, in other words --
Welcome to Goa
But there's so much more than the sun, sand and trance. The allure of Goa is that
it remains distinct from the rest of the other Indian states, and is yet small enough
to get hold of and explore in a myriad of d ifferent ways. Its not just the familiar
remnants of European colonialism that make Goa seem so accessible, but rather the
prevalence of Christianity and some form of socio-political progressiveness that
tourists most notably Westeners, can relate to. Although Hindus outnumber Catholics
by 70-30, there are more skirts and pants than saris, and its people display a sense
of liberality and civility which you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere in India.
Goa is perhaps the only place in India where shorts and tank tops and skimpy outfits
are not frowned upon anywhere except at religious locations.
This former Portuguese enclave located on the western coastof India has enjoyed a
prominent bookmark in the travellers diary since the early days of the 1960's, when it
became a favorite place for 'hippies', thanks to cheap accommodation availability and
freely availability of drugs, and the fascination of roaming like Adam and Eve, stark
naked on the beach - both of which are banned
Travellers in Goa feel at home, 'hang out' around, be mellow or tipsy or wear local
tribal outfits, but the once upon a time hippies have now been replaced by backpackers,
ogled eyed Indian tourists scampering about the place in hope to see naked westerners
on the beach, and a large number of foreign charter tourists, perhaps escaping the
winter in Europe, on a 2 week holiday jaunt to this beautiful haven
The palm-lined coastal plains, the wooded uplands and beaches so still and endless,
create an illusion of lethargy - laziness or Sosegado, the local term. But in reality,
Goans are hardworking, full of song, dance and merriment. Tourism is the main money-
spinner and the majority of the population is engaged in related business. On the coast
itself, coconut cultivation and fishing ( both in-shore, with small boats, canoes and
hand-nets, and off shore, with modern trawlers) are still the main sources of income.
The discovery of iron in the hills to the east has also generated considerable revenue,
and the economy is further fuelled by the stream of remittance cheques sent home by
expatriate Goans working in Mumbai, the Gulf states, Europe and the U.S.
Blend of East & West -- Goa's 450 years under Portuguese domination produced a
unique, syncretize blend of East and West that is at once exotic and strangely familiar:
Christmas and Carnival are celebrated as enthusiastically by the 30-percent Goan
Christian population as Diwali and Durga puja are by the Goan Hindus. The state's
separate identity is discernible in other ways too, most visibly in its Latinate
architecture, but also in a preference for a fish- and meat-rich cuisine. Another
marked difference is the prevalence of alcohol. Beer is cheap, and six thousand or
more bars around the state are licensed to serve it, along with the more traditional
tipples of feni, the local hootch, and toddy, a derivative of palm sap.
Being the highest literate state in the union territory of India, Goa has come
along way now from just being a beach haven. Apart for its distinctiveness, progress
in fields of Education, Information Technology and Industry have scaled to new heights
and all round development. But still a lot needs to be done as bureaucracy is seen as
the major hindrance towards all round ddvelopment of the state.
Facts on Goa:
Country : Goa, India
Area : 3660 sq km
Population :
Capital City : Panaji
Airport : Dabolim (29kms from Panaji) Railhead: Madgaon (25 kms from Panaji)
People : Goans
Language spoken: English is widely spoken and understood. Konkani (The Official State
language) and Hindi are the other languages used for communication.
Religion: Hindu, Christian and Muslim
Time : Five and a half hours ahead of GMT.
Climate : Maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius.Minimum temperature of about
15degrees Celsius.Rainfall is upto 900 mm in the monsoons June-August).
When to visit Goa:
Goa's lifestyle is best experienced during the winter months between October and
end of February. At any other time, you're likely to either roast under the sun or find
yourself threatened by the downpour of the seasonal monsoon rains that lash the state
between the months: June - August and a little in September. The months of January,
Februaryand March are the best for witnessing Hindu festivals and celebrations. January
has the colourful festival of Shantadurga Prassana, February, the 3-day zatra of Shri
Mangueshi, and in March is the festival of Holi, called Shigmo.
The month of March, 'Carnival' - is an event celebrated by Goan Christian
community. It is a 3-day festival of fun and merry making and colourful floats, a 3 day
orgy just before the 40-day Lenten period of fasting. Huge parades through the cities
are organisedwith bands, floats and dances and balls in the evenings. The final
day concludeswith thefamous red-and-black dance held by the Clube Nacional in Panjim.
The origins of carnival are apparently the hedonistic feasts of ancient Rome and
Greece. It madeits appearance in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, where it metamo
-rphosed into the very Latin singing-dancing. The carnival is presided over by King
Momo,who on the opening day declares the countdown to fun and merry making. Hotel
bookings must be done in advance for carnival as the festival attracts thousands
of tourists.
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