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BEACHES OF NORTH GOA

Introduction of Goa

North Goa beyond the north of River Mandovi with a long stretch of Beaches namely Betim, Reis Magos, Sinquerim, Candolim, Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, Siolim, Chopdem, Morgim, Mandarem, Asvem, Arambol, Querim, and Terekol.

BETIM, GOA

Across the Mandovi River linking Panaji with the north goa beaches Betim is the fishing and boat-building village. There is a ferry that shuttles to Panaji's old steamer jetty. The village is inundated with traffic during day. Here you will find a small Sikh temple or Gurudwara, whose gleaming white Mogul domes and saffron pennant are visible from opposite shore.

REIS MAGOS, GOA

The coastal road veers inland to a small market crossroad.A Hindu tree shrine, 20 mts., before this marks the turning to Reis Magos, 3 K.M., west of Betim Bazaar. Reis Magos Church was built in 1555. Historians believe the original church was constructed on the ruins of an old Hindu temple and the bas-relief lion figures flanking the steps at the ends of the balustrades lend credence to the this theory, being a typical feature of Vijayanagar temple architecture in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Two viceroys of Portuguese are buried inside the church. The centrepiece of the church's elaborately carved and painted recedes, behind the high alter is a multicoloured wood relief showing the Three Wise Men - or Reis Magos, after whom the village is named . Each year this scene is re-enacted in the Festa dos Reis Magos held in the first week of January during Epiphany. Crowning the sheer-sided headland immediately above the church, Reis Magos fort was erected in 1551 to protect the narrowest point at the mouth of Mandovi estuary. These days the bastion surrounded by sturdy laterite wall studded with typically Portuguese turrets is used as a prison and not open to the public but you can climb up the steep slope to the ramparts for the view over the river.

The first tourist beach of North Goa is also the site of Aguada Fort, one of the best preserved Portuguese coastal forts. West of Reis Magos, a long laterite Peninsula extends into the sea bringing the seven kilometers long Calangute beach to an abrupt end. Fort Aguada which crowns the rocky flattened top of the green headland is the largest and best preserved Portuguese bastion in Goa. Built in 1962 to guard the northern shores of the Mandovi estuary from the attack by Dutch and Maratha raiders, its name derives from the presence inside of freshwater springs-the first source of clear drinking water available to the ships arriving in Goa after long sea voyage from Lisbon. Now is the Goa's largest prison.

The fort can be reached by heading south past the Taj village towards Nerul and turn 1 K.M when you see a right lane striking uphill towards the woods. In 1970 this picturesque spot known as Sinquerim Beach was the first place in Goa to be singled out for upmarket tourism and to some extent that has continued even until today. Fort Aguada Beach Resort, one of the cluster of three Taj Group hotels, is also here. The other unusual feature of the fort is the four story Portuguese lighthouse erected in mid 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia. A New lighthouse outside the complex replaced the function of the original. Superseded by a modern lighthouse only erected in 1976, it is used to house the colossal bell salvaged from the ruins of the monastery of St.Augustus in Old Goa which now hangs in Panaji's Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. This beach is well known for water sports, as there are two or three water sports companies which operate from this beach.

A 45 mints. bus ride from the state capital, Calangute is Goa's busiest and most commercialised resort of the state. The Charter boom, combined with a huge increase in the number of Indian visitors, is burden on Calangut's infrastructure. Buses from Mapusa and Panaji pull in the market at the centre of Calangute. The beach is walkable distance from here. The road from the town to the beach is lined with Kashmiri -run handicraft, boutiques and Tibetian stalls selling Himalayan curios and jewelry. The quality is high and so are the prices. The beach itself is nothing special - its sand shelves steeply but is more than large enough to accommodate the large number of high season visitors. To escape the muddle, head fifteen minutes or so south of the main beachfront towards the row of old wooden boats moored below the dunes. This is virtually hawker- free zone, you will only come across team of villagers hauling in hand- nets at high tide or fishermen fixing their bamboo sunshades. Night life here is mostly restricted to Tito's which is in Baga Beach, open until 11 p.m., other popular hangouts are Pete's bar and Bob's Inn.

10 K.M west of Mapusa is basically an extension of Calangute, you can't find out where Calangute ends and Baga begins. Lying in the lee of a rocky, wooded headland, the only real difference between the two is that the scenery here is marginally more varied and picturesque. A small river flows in the sea at the top of the village. Most of the action revolves around the sandy square and the bus park close to the river mouth, below a broad spur of white sand. Baga has developed more rapidly than anywhere else in the state and now the main road running across the village is lined with gaudily lit bars, tandoori terrace and handicraft shops. One of the few developments of Baga's burgeoning tourist scene has been the emergence of the flea market, held here on Saturday on the headland beyond the box bridge, it kicks around 4 p.m and lasts till the cool hours till 11 pm. All the usual handicrafts, jewellery and snacks stalls are represented and there's temporary stage for the visiting local musician. Baga's nightlife is the liveliest in Goa. Here you will find the perfect blend of Western and Goan culture.

With its fluorescent painted palm trees and infamous full-moon parties, Anjuna 8 K.M west of Mapusa is Goa's most alternative". Designer leather and Lycra may have superseded cotton kaftans but most people's reason for coming here are same as they were in 1970: drugs, dancing and lying on the beach. One of the main reason of Anjuna enduring popularity as a hippy hangout is the beach. Bathing is generally safer than at most of the nearby resort especially at the southern end. The season in Anjuna starts in early November when most of the long staying regulars show up. Anjuna's Wednesday flea market is the hub of Goa's alternative scene and the place to indulge in souvenir shopping. Buses from Panaji & Mapusa drop passengers at various point s along the tarmac road across the top of the village. The cross roads have couple of small stores and a taxi stand.

Barely a couple of Kilometers of cliff tops and parched grassland separate Anjuna from the southern fringes of its nearest neighbour, Vagator. Dominated by the red ramparts of Chapora fort, Vagator's broad white sandy beach known as Big Vagator is undeniably beautiful. Far better to head down to the next cove south. Backed by a steep wall is Little Vagator beach is more secluded and much less accessible than either of its neighbourAt the southern end of the beach, a row of makeshift cafes provides shade and sustenance for the predominantly Israeli crowd. Nearby, a sculpted Shiva face stares contemplatively out of a rock, and a fresh water spring trickles through a lush tangle of vegetation into a shady pool at the foot of the cliff which is ideal for washing off the salt after swimming. Like Anjuna, Vagator is relaxed, undeveloped resort that appeals to the travellers on tight budget. Buses from Panaji and Mapusa, 9 K.M east pull in here every fifteen minutes near the main road near Chapora. From here one kilometre walk over the hill and down the side of the beach you'll find most of the villages accommodation and restaurants.

On the banks of river Chapora barely fifteen minutes away by from Chapora is Siolim. There are limited social bars and cafes to hang out. Accommodation is tin apart from guesthouses along the main road, most of the places to stay are little houses in the woods, most of them are rented out for the whole winter to long-stayers. Ferry crossing at Siolim is the gateway to the remote north Goa which operates every 15 mints.

On the banks of river Chapora to the north is Chopdem. There are limited social bars and cafes to hang out. Accommodation is thin apart from guesthouses along the main road, most of the places to stay are little houses in the woods, most of them are rented out for the whole winter to long-stayers. Ferry crossing at Siolim is the gateway to the remote north Goa which operates every 15 mints.

A seemingly endless expanse of soft white sand stretches north from, rounding a rocky headland where the local fishing fleet is beached, after which it widens and empties completely. The car ferries to cross the river Chapora from Siolim will get you here.

3 K.M from Morgim is Mandarem, with its palm-fringed dunes and acres of space is perfect. Apart from the odd fisherman or tourist buzzing along the hard sand at low tide, the only sign of life are a couple of makeshift cafes serving tea, soft drinks and rice. The accommodation here about lies a couple of K.M north of Mandarem, in the scattered village of Asvem.

Few K.Mt., from Mandarem lies Asvem sheltered in the shaded of a palm grove. There are limited social bars and cafes to hang out. Accommodation is thin apart from guesthouses along the main road.

Of the fishing settlements dotted along the north coast is Arambol, 32 K.M Northwest of Mapusa is remotely geared for tourism. If you are happy with basic amenities this is the most appealing village in this area. Beyond an idyllic, rocky bottomed cove the trail emerges to "Paradise Beach" a broad strip of white sand hemmed in on both sides by steep cliffs. Behind it a small freshwater lake extends along the bottom of the valley into the thick jungle. Fed by the boiling hot springs the lake is lined with sulphurous mud. Buses to and from Panaji pull into Arambol every half hour until noon, and every ninety minutes thereafter.

Querim is at least three miles long and half a mile wide. Every evening fishermen emerged in the estuary in their dugout canoes. The incredible thing about the estuary is the bird life that can be seen like kingfisher, brown eagles and an endless list of wading birds. This is a bird lovers paradise.

The very northern part of Goa Terekol is wild, beautiful, unspoiled and totally uncommercialised and is one of the last idyllically peaceful spots in Goa. North of Arambol, the sinuous cost read climbs to the top of a rock, undulating plateau, then winds down through a swathe of thick woodland to join the River Arondem, which is then follows for 4 K.M through a landscape of vivid paddy fields and coconut plantations dotted with scruffy red-brick Villages. The fort, which was captured by the Portuguese in 1776 with St.Anthony's church in the middle, is set spectacularly on the hilltop. From the battlements one can look across to Querim Beach. To cross the Terekol River takes twenty minutes on an ancient Goan ferry operates every 30 mints.

South Goa is predominantly virgin countryside. The beaches of South Goa are fantastic. Most of the beaches are isolated from anything that might disturb the peace, all you have to do here is enjoy the beaches, wonderful food and hospitality of the locals. The long stretch of beaches are Miramar, Dona Paula, Vainguinim, Bambolim, Vasco da Gama, Bogmalo, Velsao, Cansaulim, Arrosim, Utorda, Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor, Betul, Cabo DA ram, Agonda, Palolem, Galjibag and Polem.

Miramar beach is located south of Panaji with a 2 K.M of dark sand stretch overlooking Aguada Bay. Though the beach is noisy and less attractive than other places in Goa, if you want a quick escape from Panaji, this is an ideal place. The best time to be there is in the afternoon when you will only find the fishermen fixing their nets and few odd cafes serving the tourist. It would be a waste spending your holiday near this beach. Buses to Miramar ply from the Kadamba bus stand every fifteen minutes.

Dona Paula, is 9 K.M south west of Panaji on the south side of the rocky hammer shaped headland that divides the Zuari and Mandovi estuaries. The views from the top of the peninsula over the Miramar beach and the Mormugao harbor are quite pleasant enough. Another attraction is the old fishing jetty which shuttles across the bay to the Mormugao harbor four times a day, this twenty minute ride is a great fun There are regular buses from Panaji till 9 p.m dropping the passengers at Institute of Oceanography, where you can usually pick up an auto-rickshaws into the town. There are lot of water sport activities in this beach.

The beach runs around in a bay from Dona Paula is Vainguinim beach where hotels stretches along much of it. The beach is totally safe from beach traders. The Jesuits had occupied this area towards the end of the 16 th century. It was an orchard, watered by two springs, that were surrounded by an acre grove.

Bambolim beach is five kilometers from Panaji, towards South Goa, via the village of Santa Crux, It is very popular among early morning swimmers and is also considered a lovely spot for a picnic.

Travellers flying into Goa land at Dabolim airport, 4K.M Southeast of unappealing Vasco DA Gama, the south's first and largest Port. Vasco is laid out in a grid, bordered by Mormugao Bay to the north, and by the train line on its southern side.

Bogmalo is only 4K.M from the airport. Mormugao peninsula's sun-parched central plateau tumbles to a flat-bottomed valley lined with coconut trees and red-brick huts. The sandy beach at the end of the cove is known as none other than Bogmalo Bay. Bogmalo is still to this day a small fishing village, with the beach being hemmed in by a pair of palm-fringed badlands. Due to its size and location there are some excellent about this beach. It is generally very clean, safe and free of persistent beach sellers. Bogmalo is very well known for its scuba diving as the boat sails out from this beach brings the guests back for a relaxing drink on the beach.

Sandwiched between Utorda Beach and Bogmalo are these loveliest beaches in South Goa. The best way to explore is to hire a bicycle which you can cycle along the whole stretch of South Goa beaches at your leisure.

Seven kilometers from north of Colva is Utorda, idyllic strip of palm-ringed shore. Towards the north is Arrosim and towards the south is Majorda Beach. The entire long stretch of beach is lovely and peaceful.

To the north of Colva, the beach stretches 5K.M towards the headland of Bogmalo and Mormugao. Further to the south is Betalbatim and Colva. Towards the north is the most peaceful beach Velsao. Majorda beach is idyllic thing in our minds about these beaches is the total solitude that you will find, as you can walk for hours on end and only pass a handful of people. There are also a few excellent shacks that sell exquisite sea food, after you have worked up a good appetite with the walking.

To the north of Colva, the sand stretches for 12K.M to meet the Mormugao peninsula. To the south of Betalbatim beach is Colva which is 3K.M along the cost, towards the north is Majorda.

Colva Beach is approximately eight kilometers from Margao, the commercial centre of South Goa. It is the most popular beach of South Goa and hence the most crowded. Colva beach has good number of beach shacks. On weekends and festivals the beach gets fairly crowded with the city crowd of Margao.

Benaulim beach is another secluded beach, along the southern coast of Goa. Here the fishermen of the village may be seen wearing their traditional red loin clothes, held up by a silver waistband. Water sports facilities are available on this beautiful white sand beach though developers are moving in quickly, but comparatively empty stretches lies between a two-mile wide on either side.

10 Kilometre stretch of pristine beach of south of Benaulim has for several years been Goa's resort beach. There are many large four and five star hotels scattered along this beach with little lies in-between. At various intervals you will find an array of shacks, some with their own sunbeds for hire and some without. One when you find your own shade then Varca beach is excellent for peace and quiet. On this beach is the fact that many of the hotels hire bicycles which you can cycle along the whole 26 K.Ms at your leisure.

The main road from Cavelossim continues south across a two kilometre long tract of exposed rolling dunes, coming to an abrupt end at Mobor, terminus for buses arriving from Colva Benaulim and Margao In this tiny toddy-tapping and fishing village there are no less than seven ritzy resort complexes amid the coconut plantations.

Opposite the narrow peninsula occupied by the Leela Palace is the fishing village of Betul, reached either by boat or by bus from Margao via Chinchinim or Cuncolim. North of the village is the harbor for fishing vessels.

Cabo de Rama, the long boney of land that juts into the sea at the south end of Colva Bay, takes its name from the hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Cabo DA Rama , however, is more grandiose than most, commanding spectacular views north over the length of Colva beach and down the sand-splashed coast of Canacona. The easily defensible promontory was crowned by a fort centuries before the Portuguese cruised in and wrested it from the local Hindu rulers in 1763. They erected their own citadel soon after, but this now lies in ruins, lending to the laterite headland a forlorn world's end feel. The road to Cabo DA Rams, leading past Canaguinim's huge wind turbine, ends abruptly in front of the fort's gatehouse. Here you can see a crumbling turret still houses a couple of rusty old Portuguese cannons and the chapel, swathed in colourful bougainvillaea bushes.

Heading south from Cabo DA Rama, the coast road climbs through fragrant cashew forest to pass over Karmali Ghat, from which it descends against a stunning vista of wooded spurs and plains that sweep into the sea. 14 K.M southeast of Cabo de Rama, or 7 K.M Northwest of Chaudi lies a three kilometre spread of white sand beckons. Backed by three tree-covered hills, the beach ranks among the most spectacular in Canacona taluka

Palolem Beach is about 37 kilometers south of Margao. This 'C' shaped beach, with a backdrop of the Western Ghats, is one of Goa's most beautiful southern beaches. The hill at the north end is partly submerged at high tide to give the impression of an island in the middle of a calm lagoon. In this small village, accommodation is available in the form of tents and simple cottages. This beach has become one of the favourite site for overnight beach picnics among the youth of Goa. At one end lies Canacona Island, linked to the land by causeway. Palolem village lies a hundred meters from the soft golden sands of the beach, to which it is connected by a short street.

One of Goa's remote beach, Galjibag, 16K.M south of Chaudi, is reached by turning left off NH17 after a large double-river bridge. The approach to the beach, fringed by wispy fir trees, hugs the south bank of the Talpona River, passing a string of Hindu hamlets and a massive new railway bridge. You need your own transport to get here and the village. Sandwiched between two estuaries, is devoid of tourist facilities, but its tranquil beach is refreshingly unspoiled and well worth a foray from Palolem if you feel like a change of scenery.

Nestles within a stone's throw of the state border, Polem, 30K.M south of Chaudi, is Goa's southernmost beach and sufficiently secluded to have been overlooked even by the sand-hopping hippies heading between Goa and Gokarn in Karnataka. The hundred meter strip of smooth white sand, enfolded by a pair of rocky headlands, is thus far immaculately clean and unspoiled, visited regularly by dolphins and fish eagles. This is a conservative village whose inhabitants are unused to Western sunbathing habits.

The sheer inaccessibility of Goa by land has always kept it out of the mainstream of Indian History. On the other hand, its control of the seas and above all the lucrative spice trade made it a much-coveted prize for rival colonial powers. Until a century before the arrival of the Portuguese adventure Vasco Da Gama who landed near Kozhikode in Kerala in 1498, Goa had belonged for over a thousand years to the kingdom of Kadamba. In the interim it had been successfully conquered by the Karnatakan Vijayanagars, the Muslim Bahmanis and Yousuf Adil Shah of Bijapur but the capture of the fort at Panaji by Alfonso De Albuquerque in 1510 signaled the start of a Portuguese occupation that was to last for 450 years.

Meanwhile, conversions to Christianity started by the Franciscans gathered pace when St.Francis Xavier founded the Jesuit Mission in 1542. With the advent of the inquisition soon afterwards laws were introduced censoring literature and banning any faith other than Catholicism even the long established Syrian Christian community were branded heretics. Hindu temples were destroyed and converted Hindus adopted Portuguese names such as DA Silva, Correa and De'Sousa which remain common in the region. The transitional influence of the Jesuits eventually alarmed the Portuguese government. The Jesuits were expelled in 1749 which made it possible for Indian Goans to take up the priesthood. However, standards of education suffered and Goa entered a period of decline. The Portuguese were not prepared to help but neither would they allow native Goans equal rights. An abortive attempt to establish the Goan Republic was quelled with the execution of fifteen Goan conspirators.

A spin-off of the British conflict with Tipu Sultan of Mysore (an ally of the French at the end of the eighteenth century, was the British occupation of Goa, a little known period of the region's history, which lasted sixteen years from 1797. The occupation was solely liberalization such as the restoration of Hindu's rights to worship, the nineteenth century saw widespread cvivil unrest. During British occupation many Goans moved to Mumbai and elsewhere in British India to find work.

The success of the post independence Goans struggle for freedom from Portugal owed as much to the efforts of the Indian Government who cut off diplomatic ties with Portugal as to the work of freedom fighters such as Menezes Braganza and Dr.Cunha. After a "liberation march" in 1955 resulted in a number of deaths and the state was blockaded. Trade with Mumbai ceased and the railway was cut off so Goa set out to forge international links particularly with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. That led to the building of Dabolim airport and a determination to improve local agricultural output. In 1961 Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru finally ran out of patience with his opposite number in Lisbon the right wing director Salazar and send in the armed forces. Mounted in defiance of a United Nations resolution "Operation Vijay" met with only token resistance and the Indian army overran Goa in two days. Thereafter Goa (along with Portugal's other two enclaves Daman and Diu) became part of India as a self governing Union Territory with minimum interference from Delhi.

Since Independence Goa has continued to prosper bolstered by receipts from iron-ore exports and a booming tourist industry, but it is struggling to hold its own against a tidal wave of immigration from other Indian States. Its inhabitants voted overwhelmingly to resist merger with neighboring Maharashtra in 1980's and successfully lobbied for Konkani to be granted official language status in 1987 when Goa was finally declared a full-fledged state of the Indian Union.

Even before Goa's Independence in 1961 a handful of Goans were fighting a protracted battle to have Konkani recognized as a separate language. The Struggle to preserve it was more than just a quibble over the school syllabus. It related to the whole question of statehood and identity, at a time when Goa was threatened with absorption into one or other of its large neighbors.

The problem lay in the fact that after several hundred years of foreign rule there was little sense of what the language of the people really was. Konkani, the natural language of the region had been sidelined and had failed to develop under the Portuguese. Language had become divided on caste and community grounds. High caste families mostly "Catholics and Hindu Brahmins" spoke Portuguese, English and Konkani. Lower caste Hindu families tended to speak Marathi (the natural language of Maharashtra) as a first language and some Konkani. Although Konkani was the only language spoken by almost everyone in the state it was far from standard and the local dialects and scripts (there are five scripts in all promised problems of its own.

For those fighting the battle of Konkani the first step was to have it recognized as one of the language of India rather than as a dialect of Marathi which may in Maharashtra claimed it really was. With the assistance of the linguistic experts a few enthusiasts set about proving its separate identity. The first success was to have konkani recognized in 1978 as "an important Language" by the Sahitya Academe.

After this issue was quietly dropped until early 1986 when Luizinho Faleiro introduced a bill demanding the Konkani should be declared the official language of Goa. Finally after much political maneuvering an Official Language Bill was introduced and Konkani was declared the state language with safeguards for Marathi. Konkani was added to the schedule of the Indian Constitution as the 18th national language in 1992.

As a legacy of its unusual colonial history Goa was inherited a mixture of language. Portuguese is still spoken as a second language by a few Goans, although it is gradually dying out. The official language of India is Hindi, which children in Goa are obliged to learn in school. Konkani is now accepted as the official language of the state and Marathi is also taught as a standard subject. Ironically the primary language used in many schools is none of the above - for most children are actually taught English. The arguments about continuing or abandoning this policy of placing such importance on English rage on. Most feel that continuing use of English is a distinct advantage to their children who will need it if they are to find good jobs in the future. Meanwhile children in Goa are taught three or four languages as a standard part of the school syllabus.

Two rivers divide Goa: Zuari which is 39 miles long and Mandovi which is 36 half miles long. There is a range of mountains called the Western Ghats and the highest is 3827 feet high.

Goa has truly earned the name "Rome of the East". It abounds in churches and chapels, some dating back to the 16^th century. The profusion and architectural excellence of churches include superb examples of late Renaissance, early Baroque, Manueline and Gothic. These churches have very intricate detailing and ornamentation. The most popular or the best known are the churches and cathedrals at Old Goa. But these are definitely not the only ones worth mentioning. Here are some worth visiting. They will certainly be open on Sundays; other days are variable. The ones at Old Goa are open daily.

In Old Goa, this imposing Basilica was built by the Jesuits, and consecrated to the Holy Name of Jesus on 15 May 1605. The mortal remains of St Francis xavier are housed inside. Until the church was built, they were kept at St Paul's Old Goa.

The casket holding the body of the saint was a gift of the Duke of Tuscany. The body of the saint is dressed in rich vestments with an embroidered coat of arms. On the right-hand side is a golden baton with 194 emeralds and at the feet is a big gold medal of King Dom Pedro II.

The Basilica's three-storey western front overlooks a forecourt, which it shares with the 'Casa Professa' (Professed House) of the Jesuits. The imposing fa�ade of black granite is remarkable for its simplicity. The first thing the visitor sees as he enters the church is the life size statue of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, which occupies the center of the main altar.

MORTAL REMAINS OF ST.FRANCIS XAVIER AT BASILICA OF BOM JESUS CHURCH Before the Professed House was built, this area was a vast square known as 'Terreiro dos Galos' because cockfights were held here. The professed House of the Jesuits was constructed in 1585, stoutly opposed by the Municipal Chamber of the city, the Santa Casa de Misericordia and the Franciscans. It was rebuilt in 1663, after a fire. The somewhat forbidding fa�ade is linked to the Basilica of Bom Jesus by a beautiful arcaded courtyard. Today there are only few Jesuit fathers who hold retreats for youngsters who occupy this building. The most important feature of the exterior of this Basilica is the west fade, more elaborately decorated than that of any other Goan Church.

Chapel of St Anthony CHAPEL OF ST.CATHERINE

In Old Goa, this chapel, on the hill near the church of Our Lady of Rosary, is dedicated to the patron saint of Portugal. It was the royal chapel. The statue of St Anthony was given the rank of captain of the army, with a salary due to his rank. This statue was even taken in solemn procession to the State Treasury Office where the treasurer would respectfully deposit, in the hands of the statue, the salary due to him. Small in proportions, the chapel has only a nave with flanking passages. The main alter has a vaulted paneled ceiling similar to that of the church of St Francis of Assisi. Clerestory windows flood the nave with sunlight.

Chapel of St Catherine

In Old Goa, as a small freestanding structure, it was the first place of worship ever to be erected in Goa after the reconquest in 1510. It was built in thanks for the victory against the Muslims and is dedicated to St Catherine because her feast day is on 25 November, the date of the reconquest.

Although small in size, this chapel was made a cathedral on 3 November 1534 and remained so until the new cathedral was built. Its fa�ade is Renaissance, a style later amplified for the present cathedral built nearby. A place card on the enlarged structure implied that the gateway of Muslim city's wall was located here. It was further rebuilt just before the Portuguese were expelled from Goa.

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

In Panaji, set in the heart of Panaji, this church was built around AD1514. Originally a chapel, it was elevated to a church in AD1600 and then renovated in AD1619. The bell of the church is second in size only to that of the Se Cathedral at Old Goa. The bell's size is explained by the fact that it was not originally in this church but was brought from the ruined Augustinian monastery in Old Goa. At the base of the church is Church Square. Red laterite steps joined in white create a dazzling pattern leading to the entrance of the church. The staircase was built in 1870. In the sanctuary, the three alter pieces are great examples of Baroque craftsmanship. A chapel in the church dedicated to St Francis Xavier is on the south side. CHURCH OF HOLY SPIRIT IN MARGAO

Church of the Holy Spirit

In Margao, first built in 1564, it was burnt down by Muslims (1571) and later rebuilt but demolished again in 1645. The final structure was completed in 1675, with a fa�ade of Ionic columns flanked by two towers, which are seen over Margao and its surroundings. The church has ten altars and two small chapels. One is dedicated to Archangel Michael, and the other to St Roque and St Peter. CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT IN OLD GOA

Church of Our Lady of Mount

In old Goa, on the summit of hillock opposite the Se Cathedral stands the Church of Our Lady of the Mound (Feast day, 8 September). Neat stone steps leads up to the top. This Where the artillery of Yusuf Ali Adil Shah fired from and decimated Alfonso de Albuquerque's forces, Albuquerque reconquered Goa in 1510 and commissioned Our Lady of the Mound as part of this votive offering for victory. Although this church can hardly be called one of the architectural jewels of Goa, from its steps one gets a splendid view of the surrounding great churches.

Church of Our Lady of Miracles

In Mapusa, this church was built in 1594 over a destroyed temple. It has an exquisite Baroque fa�ade, three alter, and the main one is dedicated to Our Lady of Miracles and is richly carved, as is the pulpit. The ceiling is intricately patterned with strips of wood. The image of Nossa Senhora de Milagres (Our Lady of Miracles) is held in great veneration, both by Hindus and Christians alike. The Hindus consider her a sister of Lairaee at Sirigao. The church was restored after a disastrous fire in 1838; it was again damaged when the Portuguese tried to blow up the adjacent bridge in 1961 while resisting India's attempt to liberate Goa.

Church of the Rosary or Mac De Deus Church

In Saligao, this church, in fine neo-Gothic style, was built in 1873 amidst picturesque surroundings. The shrine of the miraculous statue of the Mother of God was brought from the ruins of the convent of Mac De Deus, Old Goa. Young boys are prepared at the minor seminary here for eventual enrollment at Rachol.

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

In Old Goa, also known as the Church of St Mary of Rosary, this church was build in 1543 on the Holy Mound (Monte Santo) close to the convents of St Monica and St Augustine. Its importance is that it stands on the exact spot from where the conqueror of Goa, Alfonso de Albuquerque, witnessed the reconquest of Goa in 1510. The church bears following inscription place there in 1931: Deste alto assistiu Alfonso de Albuquerque em 25-11-1510, a recoqquista de Goa (from this hill Alfonso de Albuquerque on 25 November 1510 witnessed Portugal's reconquest of Goa). This was Old Goa's parish church from 1543. St Francis Xavier would preach here in the evening, ringing his little bell to attract large crowds. The church is the oldest complete structure to survive in Old Goa. The church's architectural style is Manueline, a blending of later Gothic and Renaissance. It is similar to the churches in Portugal such as the Church of Madelena of Olivenca noted for its fa�ade composed of large square towers. The ceiling of the church is wooden. The Church's austere, Romanesque external simplicity contrasts with the internal richness of the late Gothic decoration. Inside lies the tomb of Dona Catarina, wife of the Viceroy Garcia de Sa, whose marriage St Francis Xavier is said to have celebrated. As a whole, the church marks the beginning of Indo-Portuguese art. As the church is open only on special occasions, few visitors are able to view the simple but delightful interior with its beamed roof. CHURCH OF REIS MAGOS

Church of Reis Magos

In Verem (Bardez), set on the right bank of the Mandovi River, the church was built in 1555. It is dedicated to the Three Magic Kings. Three viceroys who died while on service in Goa are buried here. Every 6 January, the feast of Reis Magos is celebrated here. This was once the home of all dignitaries of the Franciscan order and their mission. It is built next to the Reis Magos fort, which is entirely a prison now.

Church of St Anne (Santana)

In Talaulim, dedicated to St Ana, the grandmother of Jesus Christ, this is Goa's best surviving Baroque church. It was completed in 1695 on the right bank of Siridao River not far from Pilar Seminary and has picturesque surroundings. The unique feature of this church is that it has hollow walls through which people could walk in secrecy for the purpose of confession. Best visited on Sundays, as it is sure to be open.

Church of St Cajetan

In Old Goa, standing close to the ruins of the Viceregal Palace, Italian friars of the Theatine order built this beautiful church in 1656. Though the church is small, it is clearly inspired by the Basilica of St Peter in Rome. The external architecture is Corinthian, the interior Mosaico-Corinthian. In the middle of the nave, directly under the cupola, is a well that is covered except for small opening. The green grass on the cupola is attributed to the moisture emanating from the sell. The Pastoral Centre for its liturgical services recently renovated the church. It is the only surviving domed church in Goa.

CHURCH OF ST.FRANCIS OF ASSISI IN OLD GOA Church of St Francis of Assisi

In Old Goa, the convent and church of St Francis of Assisi is next to the Cathedral. The church was first built in 1510 and rebuilt from 1521 onwards on the site of a mosque. It has the most beautiful interior of all churches in Old Goa, wonderfully enriched with gold, especially at the east end. The painted ceiling remains, as do the 17^th century wall paintings in the chancel. Portuguese tombstones carpet the nave floor. A Manueline doorway and octagonal towers flanking the fa�ade are the two unusual features in the style of the otherwise exclusively Baroque church.

Church and Convent of St Augustine

In Old Goa, a lonely tower retaining its original height of 46 meters (150 feet) overlooks the old city. It is a mere skeleton of the old square towers and the treat church, which are now a heap of ruins covered by vegetation. Yet it is impressive. A dozen Augustinian friars on their arrival in Goa built this convent in 1572. After a decade this convent was rebuilt, mainly through the efforts of Fr.Gaspar de Sao Vicente, and dedicated to Our Lady of Grace. It became Goa's richest convent, with a massive adjoining church, whose vaulted nave was one of Goa's feats of construction. During construction, the high vault fell down twice. However, the Italian architect would not give up. When built a third time, he and his only son stood under the vault and asked for a heavy cannon to be fired to test the stability of the structure. It did not fall down-until much later. Then the bell, Goa's second largest, was removed from the belfry and transferred to the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Panaji. Towards the south of the convent, the Novitiate of the Augustinians was an integral part of the convent, while the majestic 'Collegio do Populo' was for training younger brethrens. It was linked to the Novitiate by a bridge over the Rua dos Judeus (Street of the Jews). This group of imposing Augustinian buildings was abandoned when the order was suppressed.

Church and Convent of St John of God

In Old Goa, built in 1685, right next to St Augustine, the church is dedicated to Our Lady of Good Success. It gradually declined in importance until 1834 when the building was bought by the nuns of St Monica to be used as residence for their chaplains and confessors. It is comparatively simple in style and was completely restored by the Portuguese just before they were expelled from Goa. Franciscan nuns who run an Old Age Home now occupy the church and convent.

Church and Convent of St Monica

In Old Goa, although largely decayed now, this was Goa's only convent for nuns. It was started on the holy hill in 1606 but was finished only in 1627, because a fire destroyed the building in 1620. It took 15 years to rebuild. This vast church and convent met all the needs of the 150 cloistered nuns from the retreat of Nossa Senhora de Serra. It had vast corridors, vaulted ceilings, a courtyard called 'Vale de Liro' and a three-storey palazzo-style building containing nun's cells, penance rooms and a dungeon.

The 'penitents', either voluntarily or through persuasion, flagellated and stigmatized themselves with ropes, lather straps and iron nails. The 'recalcitrant' were cast in the dungeon, and here the Rodeira-the nun who held the keys to the outer door of the cloister-dealt with them and they were jailed for life.

In the entrance the nunnery, there was a turntable with a hand-bell by it. Until the 19^th century, illegitimate children were deposited here in the dead of night. When the bell was rung, the Rodeira would turn the table through an opening in the wall, pull the unwanted child and have it baptized. The turntable has long since been dismantled, the wall whitewashed and all memories of the practice physically erased. The 17^th century frescos on the dome have also been destroyed. Today, much decayed, it is Asia's largest training center for Catholic nuns. At present this building is also the Master Dei Institute, use by nuns of various orders for their theological studies.

SE CATHEDRAL IN OLD GOA Se Cathedral

In Old Goa, the imposing Se Cathedral was completed in the year 1631. Work had begun in 1562 and it took over 62 years to complete. The massive structure, the largest in Goa, is dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria on whose feast day in 1510, Alfonso de Albuquerque defeated the Muslim army and repossessed the city of Goa. The tower on the right fell down in 1776 and has not been rebuilt. A mosque earlier occupied the cathedral site. Its inspiration may be the cathedral at Porto Alegre in Portugal, although it differs in the plan of the apse and the transepts.

The fa�ade rises 115.66 feet to the crowning cross. The exterior is built in half-Tuscan, half-Doric style, the inside in Mosaico-Corinthian. The nave is 72 feet high; near the entrance is the Baptismal font where St Francis Xavier is said to have baptized thousands of Goan converts. The main alter is engraved with images of martyrdom of St Catherine. The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament is beautifully decorated. The north tower was lost in 1776 after being struck by lightning. The south tower accommodated what is known as the 'golden bell', due to its resonant tone. Adjoining the Cathedral, on its northwestern side, stands the Old Palace of the Archbishop.

In the neighborhood of the Cathedral was the famous Palace of Inquisition, the Senate House and the 'Estancia Real de Tobaco' or Royal Depot of Tobacco. Here you will also find the ruins of the Royal Palace and its gateway just in front of the Church of Diving Providence, or the Church of St Cajetan, as it is popularly known. The doorway suggests Indo-Muslim influence, and remains one of Muslim tombs and mosques.

ST.ALEX CHURCH St Alex Church

In Calangute, this is one of Goa's oldest churches, built in 1597 on the site of a Hindu shrine called Ravalnath, whose remains can still be seen. It overlooks the main road to Mapusa.

Our Lady of Mercy

In Colva, founded in 1630, and rebuilt in the eighteenth century on the village square, houses one of Goa's most venerated cult objects; the miraculous statue of "Menino" Baby Jesus.

METHODIST CHURCHES IN GOA

Panaji: Live-in-Apartments, 2^nd floor, General Bernardo Guedes Road. Tele.No.+91 832 2465378. English service at 9.00 a.m on Sundays.

Ponda: Mount Carmel Chapel, B-2, Neel Kamal Co-operative Housing Society, Shanti Nagar. Tele.No. 316719 English service at 10.00 a.m on Sundays.

Margao: Near Jet International Travels, Borda. Tele 9822180638, +91 832 2700297 or +91 832 2788985. English service at 09.30 a.m on Sundays.

Vasco: Westend Hotel, Opp.Anapurana Hotel, Near Market. Tele.No. 519738, 519739. Tamil service at 9.00 a.m on Sundays.

Goa has a population of about 1.34 million of which one third are Christians and remainder Hindu and approximately 10% Muslim. Majority of the population resides in Panaji by Mapusa and Margao.

Goa temperature range from 34 C maximum to 19 C minimum between October and March. Between March and May from 34 C maximum to 27 C minimum.

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