Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

within the

Konkan The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the

n states of

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

to the north and

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

to the east and south, with the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

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 Lists of countries by GDP per capita list the countries in the world by their gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The lists may be based on nominal or purchasing power parity GDP. Gross national income (GNI) per capita accounts for inflows ...

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 The Eleventh Finance Commission of India was appointed by the President on 3 July 1998 for the period 2000-2005. Members * Prof. A.M. Khusro, Chair * Shri N.C Jain * Shri J.C Jetly, IAS (retired) * Dr. Amaresh Bagchi * Shri T.N. Srivasta ...

of India named Goa the best-placed state because of its infrastructure, and India's

National Commission on Population National Population Commission (राष्ट्रीय जनसंख्या आयोग) is a commission of the Indian government. It was established in 11 May 2000. It is chaired by the prime minister with the Deputy Chairman Planning ...

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 the

human development index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, whi ...

Panaji Panaji (; also known as Panjim) is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river estuary ...

is the state's capital, while

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link E ...

is its largest city. The historic city of

Margão Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river and is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district. It is Goa's second largest city by population aft ...

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 Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms. Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...

it soon thereafter, whereupon Goa became an overseas territory of the Portuguese Empire, part of what was then known as

Portuguese India The State of India ( pt, Estado da Índia), also referred as the Portuguese State of India (''Estado Português da Índia'', EPI) or simply Portuguese India (), was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a se ...

, 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 very close to the North Western Ghats rainforests, one of the rare biodiversity hotspots of the world.

Etymology

After the Bahmani-

Bijapur Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur district of the Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluk. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural ...

i city of Goa was captured by

Afonso de Albuquerque Afonso de Albuquerque, 1st Duke of Goa (; – 16 December 1515) was a Portuguese general, admiral, and statesman. He served as viceroy of Portuguese India from 1509 to 1515, during which he expanded Portuguese influence across the Indian Ocean ...

in AD 1510, and made the capital of the ''

Estado da Índia The State of India ( pt, Estado da Índia), also referred as the Portuguese State of India (''Estado Português da Índia'', EPI) or simply Portuguese India (), was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a se ...

'', the city gave its name to the contiguous territories. The origin of the city name "Goa" is unclear. In ancient

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

, Goa was known by many names, such as ''Gomanchala'', ''

Gopakapattana Gopakapattana or Gopakpatna (also known as , in Sanskrit, in Konkani, in Marathi, in Kannada) was a prosperous ancient port city in the west coastal Indian state of Goa, that served as capital under the reign of different Hindu dynasties ex ...

'', ''Gopakapattam'', ''Gopakapuri'', ''Govapuri'', ''Govem'', and ''Gomantak''. Other historical names for Goa are ''Sindapur'', ''Sandabur'', and ''Mahassapatam''.

History

Prehistory

Rock art engravings found in Goa are one of the earliest known traces of human life in India. Goa, situated within the Shimoga-Goa Greenstone Belt in the Western Ghats (an area composed of metavolcanics, iron formations and ferruginous quartzite), yields evidence for Acheulean occupation.

Rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

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 centre.

Petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

s, cones, stone-axe, and choppers dating to 10,000 years ago have been found in various locations in Goa, including Kazur, Mauxim, and the

Mandovi The Mahadayi/Mandovi River (''Mandovi'', pronounced ), also known as Mahadayi or Mhadei river, is described as the lifeline of the Indian state of Goa. The Mandovi and the Zuari are the two primary rivers in the state of Goa. Mandovi joins wi ...

- Zuari basin. Recently these petroglyphs have been included in the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Evidence of

Palaeolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

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 a 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 The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...

, ruled by the Buddhist emperor, Ashoka of

Magadha Magadha was a region and one of the sixteen sa, script=Latn, Mahajanapadas, label=none, lit=Great Kingdoms of the Second Urbanization (600–200 BCE) in what is now south Bihar (before expansion) at the eastern Ganges Plain. Magadha was ruled ...

. Buddhist monks laid the foundation of

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

in Goa. Between the 2nd century BC and the 6th century AD, Goa was ruled by the

Bhojas of Goa Bhojas of Goa were a dynasty that ruled Goa, parts of Konkan, and some parts of Karnataka from at least the 3rd century AD to the 6th century. Goa came under the political sway of the Bhojas who ruled this territory in feudal allegiance to the Maury ...

Chutu The Chutu dynasty (IAST: Cuṭu) ruled parts of the Deccan region of South India between first and third centuries CE, with its capital at Banavasi in present-day Karnataka state. The Chutus probably rose to power as Satavahanas feudatories, and ...

s of

Karwar Karwar is a seaside city, ''taluka'', and administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district lying at the mouth of the Kali river on the Kanara coast of Karnataka state, India. Karwar is a popular tourist destination and with a city urba ...

also ruled some parts as feudatories of the

Satavahana The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the late ...

s of

Kolhapur Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarter of the Kolhapur district. In, around 2 C.E. Kolapur's name was 'Kuntal'. Kolhapur is kn ...

(2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD), Western Kshatrapas (around 150 AD), the

Abhira The Abhira tribe is mentioned in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. A historical people of the same name are mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea''. They are thought to be people who moved in from eastern Iran in the aftermath of ...

s of Western Maharashtra, Bhojas of the

Yadav Yadav refers to a grouping of traditionally non-elite, Quote: "The Yadavs were traditionally a low-to-middle-ranking cluster of pastoral-peasant castes that have become a significant political force in Uttar Pradesh (and other northern state ...

clans of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

, and the Konkan Mauryas as feudatories of the

Kalachuri The Kalachuris (IAST: Kalacuri), also known as Kalachuris of Mahishmati, were an Indian dynasty that ruled in west-central India between 6th and 7th centuries. They are also known as the Heheya Kingdom, Haihayas or as the Early Kalachuris to d ...

s. The rule later passed to the Chalukyas of

Badami Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from CE 540 to 757. It is famous for its rock cut monumen ...

, who controlled it between 578 and 753, and later the

Rashtrakuta Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...

s of

Malkhed Malkhed originally known as Manyakheta (IAST: Mānyakheṭa, Prakrit: "Mannakheḍa"), and also known as Malkhed,Village code= 311400 Malkhed (J), Gulbarga, Karnataka is a town in Karnataka, India. It is located on the banks of Kagina river i ...

from 753 to 963. From 765 to 1015, the Southern

Silhara The Shilahara Kingdom (IAST: Śilāhāra; also Sinhara, Shailahara, Shrilara, and Silara) was a royal dynasty that established itself in northern and southern Konkan in 8th century CE, present-day Mumbai and Southern Maharashtra (Kolhapur) du ...

s of

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 patronised

Jainism in Goa Jainism flourished in Goa during the rule of Kadamba dynasty. Broken sculptures of the Jain Tirthankara Suparshvanatha, belonging to the period of the Goan Kadamba ruler Shivachitta Permadi Dev, were discovered in an old Jain temple in Jainko ...

. In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the

Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).

. The kingdom's grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 it was forced to surrender it to

Harihara I Harihara I, also called Hakka and Vira Harihara I, was the founder of the Vijayanagara Empire, which he ruled from 1336 to 1356 CE. He and his successors formed the Sangama dynasty, the first of four dynasties to rule the empire. He was the eldes ...

of the

Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...

. The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory until 1469 when it was appropriated by the

Bahmani sultans The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan,

Gulbarga Kalaburagi, formerly known as Gulbarga, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kalaburagi district and is the largest city in the region of North Karnataka (Kalyana-Karnataka). Kalaburagi is 6 ...

. After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell into the hands of the

Adil Shahi The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi, was a Shia,Salma Ahmed Farooqui, ''A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century'', (Dorling Kindersley Pvt Ltd., 2011), 174. and later Sunni Muslim,Muhammad Qasim Firishta's T ...

s of

, who established as their auxiliary capital the city known under the Portuguese as Velha Goa (or Old Goa). Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla (12th century).jpg, The Mahadev Temple, attributed to the Kadambas of Goa, in what is today Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park Kadamba.PNG, Gold coins issued by the Kadamba king of Goa, Shivachitta Paramadideva, 1147–1187 CE

Portuguese period

In 1510, the Portuguese defeated the ruling Bijapur sultan Yusuf Adil Shah with the help of a local ally, Timoji, a

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

. They set up a permanent settlement in ''Velha Goa'' (Old Goa). This was the beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa that would last for four and a half centuries, until its annexation by India in 1961. The

Goa Inquisition The Goa Inquisition ( pt, Inquisição de Goa) was an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition in Portuguese India. Its objective was to enforce Catholic Orthodoxy and allegiance to the Apostolic See of Rome (Pontifex). The inquisition primaril ...

, 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 {{Unreferenced, date=November 2008 ''As Velhas Conquistas'' or "the Old Conquests" are a grouping of the areas in Goa which were incorporated into Portuguese India early in the sixteenth century AD; as these areas underwent urbanisation they were ...

'' (Old Conquests)—Bardes, Ilhas de Goa, and Salcette—which territories had been under Portuguese administration since the sixteenth century; and the ''

Novas Conquistas The Novas Conquistas or "New Conquests" are a group of seven ''concelhos'' (administrative subdistricts or municipalities) of Goa and Damaon, officially known as Portuguese India. They were added into Goa in the eighteenth century AD, a comparat ...

'' (New Conquests)—Bicholim, Canacona, Pernem, Quepem, Sattari, and Sanguem—territories which had been successively added through the eighteenth century. In 1843, the Portuguese moved the capital to the ''Cidade da Nova Goa'' (City of New Goa), today known as

(Panjim), from ''Velha Goa'' (

Old Goa Old Goa ( Konkani: ; pt, Velha Goa, translation='Old Goa') is a historical site and city situated on the southern banks of the River Mandovi, within the Tiswadi ''taluka'' (''Ilhas'') of North Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. The ci ...

). By the mid-18th century, Portuguese expansions lost other possessions in India until their borders stabilised and formed the Goa, Daman and Diu, which included

Silvassa Silvassa (Indo-Portuguese; ''Vila de Paço d'Arcos'') is a city and municipality in western India, and the headquarters of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli district. It was a part of the former Portuguese Goa and Damaon, and is today the largest city ...

prior to the Annexation, it was known as ''Estado da Índia'' in Portuguese, that is the "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 of Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union. Goa, along with Daman and Diu, was organised as a centrally administered union territory of India. On 16 January 1967 a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

was held in Goa, to decide the future of the Union 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

and the majority chose the former. On 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

Picture of GOA taken from an air craft's window

Goa encompasses an area of . 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

, which is an escarpment rising up to the Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the

Deccan Plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...

. The highest point is the

Sonsogor Sonsogor is the highest peak in the state of Goa, India, at an elevation of above sea level. It is located at the trijunction of Sattari taluka, North Goa district, Goa; and Khanapur taluka, Belagavi district, and Joida taluka, Uttara Kannada ...

Peak, with an altitude of . Goa has a coastline of . Goa's seven major rivers are the

, Zuari, Terekhol, Chapora, Galgibag, Cumbarjua canal, Talpona, and the

Sal Sal, SAL, or S.A.L. may refer to: Personal name * Sal (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname Places * Sal, Cape Verde, an island and municipality * Sal, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Ca ...

. The Zuari and the Mandovi are the most important rivers, interspaced by the Cumbarjua canal, forming a major estuarine complex. 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 marine, and about 90 riverine islands. The total navigable length of Goa's rivers is . Goa has more than 300 ancient water tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over 100 medicinal springs. Mormugao harbour on the mouth of the Zuari river is considered one of the best natural harbours in South Asia. Most of Goa's soil cover is made up of

laterite Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...

s rich in ferric-aluminum oxides and reddish in colour. Further inland and along the riverbanks, the soil is mostly

alluvial Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...

and

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...

y. 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 Mollem (pronounced mole; the alphabet m is silent) or मोले is a small village in Goa, South India on National Highway 4 near the border with Karnataka in the foothills of the Sahyadri Mountain range at the beginning of Anmod Ghat. It co ...

and

Anmod Anmod is a village in Karnataka state of India at the Goa-Karnataka border. Anmod village lies on Belgaum- Goa road route. The Goa state can be reached by descending Anmod Ghat from Karnataka. The NH 748 or 4B highway from Goa up to Goa Karna ...

on Goa's border with

. 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. Dudhsagar Falls Dudhsagar Falls () is a four-tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the Indian state of Goa. It is 60 km from Panaji by road and is located on the Belgavi–Vasco Da Gama rail route about 46 km east of Madgaon and 80 ...

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Portuguese language Portuguese ( or, in full, ) is a western Romance language of the Indo-European language family, originating in the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. It is an official language of Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and ...

(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 cultural language was

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

. Various stones in the

Archaeological Museum and Portrait Gallery Archaeological Museum and Portrait Gallery was set up in 1964, NS reorganised in 1981–82. It is run by the Government of India's Archaeological Survey of India and is situated in the former Portuguese colonial capital of Old Goa, a historic one ...

from the period are inscribed in Kannada and Persian. During the period in between the two periods of Muslim rule, the

, which had control of the state, mandated the use of

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

and

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

Religion

According to the 2011 census, in a population of 1,458,545 people, 66.1% were

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

, 25.1% were

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, 8.3% were

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

, and 0.1% were

Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...

. According to the 1909 statistics in the Catholic Encyclopedia, the total Catholic population in Portuguese controlled Goa was 293,628 out of a total population of 365,291 (80.33%). Since the 20th century, the percentage of

Goan Catholics Goan Catholics ( gom, Goenchem Katholik) are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians following the Roman Rite of worship from the Goa state, in the southern part of the Konkan region along the west coast of India. They are Konkani pe ...

has been facing continual decline caused by a combination of permanent emigration from Goa to cosmopolitan Indian cities (e.g.

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

Poona Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

) and foreign countries (e.g.

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

) with the mass immigration of non-Christians from the rest of India since the 20th century.Rajesh Ghadge (2015). ''The story of Goan Migration.'' (Ethnic Goans represent less than 50% of the state's residents.) The Catholics in Goa state and Daman and Diu union territory are served by the Metropolitan

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Goa and Daman ( la, Archidioecesis Goanae et Damanensis, gom, Gõy ani Damanv Mha-Dhormprant, pt, Arquidiocese de Goa e Damão) encompasses the Goa state and the Damaon territory in the Konkan r ...

, 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 1.2 million of whom were from abroad. , 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 Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

. 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 neighbourhoods

Goa has one

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

: the Bom Jesus Basilica with churches and convents of Old Goa. The basilica holds the mortal remains of

St. Francis Xavier Francis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: ''Franciscus Xaverius''; Basque: ''Frantzisko Xabierkoa''; French: ''François Xavier''; Spanish: ''Francisco Javier''; Portuguese: ''Francisco Xavier''; 7 April 15063 December 15 ...

, regarded by many Catholics as the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of Goa (the patron of the Archdiocese of Goa is actually Saint

Joseph Vaz Joseph Vaz ( Konkani: ''San Zuze Vaza''; pt, São José Vaz; kn, ಪವಿತ್ರಾ ಯೋಸೆಫ್ ವಾಸ್ ಸಂತರು ''Pavitra Yoseph Vaz Santaru''; ta, புனித யோசேப் வாஸ் முனிவர் ...

). These are both Portuguese-era monuments and reflect a strong European character. The relics are taken down for veneration and for 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 Sancoale is a census town in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It falls within the Sub-District of Mormugão and the Velhas Conquistas region. It is famous for being the hometown of Joseph Vaz, the patron saint of Sri Lanka. Chur ...

. 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 In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ortho ...

Batim Batim is a village situated in the Tiswadi taluka of North Goa district. The village received widespread publicity in 1993 due to an alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary. The parish church of Batim is dedicated to ''Guadalup Saibinn'' i.e. N ...

, Ganxim, near Pilar, where Goans and non-resident Goans visit. There is the statue of the bleeding

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

on the

Crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...

at the Santa Monica

Convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

in Velha Goa. There are churches (''Igorzo''), like the baroque styled ''Nixkollounk Gorb-Sombhov Saibinnich Igorz'' (Church of the

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth wh ...

) in

, the

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

styled ''Mater Dei'' (''Dêv Matechi Igorz''/

Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or ''Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations are " ...

)

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

Saligao Saligão () is a census town in North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It is surrounded by the villages of Porvorim, Parra, Guirim, Sangolda, Pilerne, Candolim, Calangute and Nagoa and is in Bardez Taluka of Goa. It is 10 km from ...

and each church having its own style and heritage, besides ''Kopelam/ Irmidi'' (chapels). The

regions are known for Goa-Portuguese style architecture. There are many forts in Goa such as Tiracol, Chapora, Corjuem, Aguada,

Reis Magos Reis Magos is a village located on the northern bank of the Mandovi River in Bardez, Goa, opposite to the capital city of Panjim. The village is famous for two of Goa’s famous structures; the Reis Magos Fort, and the Reis Magos Church – the ...

, Nanus,

Mormugao Mormugao is a seaport city situated in the eponymous Mormugao taluka (municipality) of the South Goa district, South district, in the Goa state, India. It has a deep natural harbour and remains Goa's chief port. Towards the end of the Indo-Po ...

, Fort Gaspar Dias and

Cabo de Rama Praça do Cabo de Rama is a medieval hillfort on the coast of Canacona, Goa. History In the 1760s, the Portuguese gained control of Cabo de Rama after the Raja of Soonda surrendered his territory to them in return for protection against Hyder Ali ...

. 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 Shri Shantadurga Saunsthan is a private temple complex belonging to the Goud Saraswat Brahman Samaj located from Panaji at the foothill of Kavalem village in Ponda taluk, Ponda Taluka, Goa, India. Shrimad Swamiji of Shri Kavale Math is spiri ...

, the

Mangueshi Temple Shri Manguesh temple (Devanagari: ) is located at Mangeshi Village in Priol, Ponda taluk, Goa. It is at a distance of 1 km from Mardol close to Nagueshi, 21 km from Panaji the capital of Goa, and 26 km from Margao. Shree Mangueshi ...

, the

Shri Damodar Temple Shri Damodar Temple Zambaulim or Shri Damodara Sansthaan is a Hindu temple on the bank of the Kushawati RiverHindus believe that the Kushawati River is sacred and that its healing powers help to get rid of various body ailments. near the village ...

and the

Mahalasa Mhalsa (Marathi: म्हाळसा, IAST: Mhāḷasā), also spelled as Mhalasa or Mahalasa, is a Hindu goddess. She is venerated in two distinct traditions. As an independent goddess, she is considered as a form of Mohini, the female avatar o ...

Temple. After 1961, many of these were demolished and reconstructed in the indigenous Indian style.

Museums and science centre

Goa has three important museums: the

Goa State Museum Goa State Museum, also known as the State Archaeology Museum, Panaji, is a museum in Goa, India. Established in 1977, it contains departments including Ancient History and Archaeology, Art and Craft, and Geology. The museum, as of 2008, had a ...

, the Naval Aviation Museum and the National Institute of Oceanography. The aviation museum is one of three in India (the others are in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

and

Bengaluru Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

). The

Goa Science Centre The Goa Science Centre is a science museum, located on New Marine Highway, Miramar, Panjim. It is a joint project of a division of India's National Council of Science Museums National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) is an autonomous orga ...

is in Miramar, Panaji., Nehru Science Centre website. Retrieved 4 August 2010. The

National Institute of Oceanography, India The National Institute of Oceanography, founded on 1 January 1966 as one of 38 constituent laboratories of the CSIR, is a self-governing research organisation in India that conducts scientific research and studies on the unique oceanographic ...

(NIO) is in Dona Paula.NIO website
. Retrieved 4 August 2010. Museum of Goa is a privately owned contemporary art gallery in Pilerne Industrial Estate, near

Calangute Calangute is a town in the North Goa district of the Indian state of Goa. It is famous for its beach, the largest in North Goa and a popular tourist destination. The peak tourist season is during Christmas and New Year, and during the summer in ...

Beaches

Most of the beauty of Goa is present on the beaches. The coastline of about 103 km is blessed with some of the most attractive beaches flanked by the Arabian Sea. The beaches of Goa are counted among the most beautiful in the world. *

Anjuna Beach Anjuna () is a village located on the coast of North Goa, India. It is a Census Town, one of the twelve Brahmin comunidades of Bardez. It is mostly a tourist destination. Its church, St. Michael's Church, Anjuna, founded in 1595, is dedicated t ...

Baga Beach Baga a seaside town in Bardez, Goa, India. It comes under the jurisdiction of Calangute, which is 2 km south. Baga is known for its popular beach and Baga Creek. It is visited by thousands of tourists annually. Baga Beach Baga Beach is a ...

Bambolim Beach Bambolim is a neighborhood located in the southeastern part of the city of Panaji, the capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is completely located on the island of Tiswadi, one of the talukas in the state of Goa. The only allopathic medical co ...

Betul Beach Betul is a coastal village located in South Goa District, Goa, India, known for its Betul beach. It is one hour distance from Margao Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river ...

* Calangute Beach *

Candolim Beach Candolim is a census town in North Goa and is located in the Bardez taluka in the state of Goa, India. It is situated just south of Calangute Beach and North of Sinquerim. History During the late 16th century, Candolim became the first villa ...

Cavelossim Beach Cavelossim is a village in South Goa district in the state of Goa, India. The town hosts a well-known beach at the southernmost tip of the Salcete beach stretch that starts from Majorda in the north to Cavelossim in the south. The Sal Riv ...

Colva Beach Colva is a seaside village situated in Salcete subdistrict, South Goa district, Goa state on the west coast of India. Colva Beach spans about along a sandy coastline of approximately extending from Bogmalo in the north to Cabo de Rama in th ...

* Majorda Beach * Miramar Beach

Water Sports

Goa is one of the best destination in india for its tourism. Water sports are organized on its magnificent beach. Adventure sports like parasailing, jet skiing, banana riding, kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, surfing, and Bungee Jumping make Goa an exciting experience. Scuba diving is one of the best experiences.

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. European 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 Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

, Shigmo, Chavoth, Samvatsar Padvo, Dasara etc. The Goan Carnival and Christmas-new year celebrations attract many tourists. The

Gomant Vibhushan Award Gomant Vibhushan Award is the highest civilian honour of the State of Goa. It is given annually by Government of Goa to people of Goan origin for exceptional work in any field. The award was instituted by Goa Directorate of Art and Culture, Gover ...

, the highest civilian honour of the State of Goa, is given annually by

Government of Goa The Government of Goa is a state government created by the Constitution of India and has executive, legislative and judicial authority of the state of Goa. It is headquartered in Panaji, the capital city of Goa. History The governor's role is ...

since 2010.

Dance and music

Traditional Goan art forms are Dekhnni,

Fugdi Fugdi is a Maharashtra and Goan folk dance performed by the women in the Konkan region during Hindu religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Vrata or towards the end of other dances like Dhalo.According to certain historical facts, this da ...

Corridinho The penes is a form of Portuguese folk dance, namely in the Algarve region. The origin of the dance itself is unclear and believed older, although it gained popularity in the 1800s. The name derives from ''correr'', ''to run'' which partly describe ...

, Mando,

Dulpod Dulpod is a Goan dance song with quick rhythm and themes from everyday Goan life. The plural of ''dulpod'' in Konkani is ''dulpodam''. The dulpod is a folk song, anonymous, freely improvised, and sometimes lacking in thematic unity. The tunes of t ...

and Fado. 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 ''Natak'' ( ur, ; lit:''Drama'') is a Pakistani television serial that was first aired on 3 December 2016. It airs every Saturday at 8:00pm PST. It stars Iqra Aziz, Junaid Khan and Moomal Khalid in lead roles. Summary Series explores the s ...

Bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...

and

Kirtan Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts ...

. Many famous

Indian classical Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as '' Hindustani'' and the South Indian expression known as '' Carnatic''. These traditions were not ...

singers hail from Goa, including

Mogubai Kurdikar Mogubai Kurdikar (15 July 1904 – 10 February 2001) was a renowned Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Early years and background Mogubai was born in the village of Kurdi in Portuguese-ruled Goa. Little is known of her fat ...

Kishori Amonkar Kishori Amonkar (10 April 1932 – 3 April 2017) was a leading Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Jaipur ''gharana'', or a community of musicians sharing a distinctive musical style. She was a performer of the classical genre '' ...

, Kesarbai Kerkar,

Jitendra Abhisheki Ganesh Balawant Nawathe, better known as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki (21 September 1929 – 7 November 1998), was an Indian vocalist, composer and scholar of Indian classical, semi-classical, and devotional music. While he distinguished himself ...

and Pandit Prabhakar Karekar.

Theatre

, 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 The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

and the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

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. The 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, super natural 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 Nagara/Dobe, 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 artistes. ''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 is renowned across the world with performances popular among Goans in the Middle-East, Americas and Europe.

Konkani cinema

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. The films have been produced in Goa, Kar ...

is an

Indian film The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ko ...

industry, where

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

s are made in the

Konkani language Konkani () is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Konkani people, primarily in the Konkan region, along the western coast of India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages mentioned in the Indian Constitution, and the official language of ...

, which is spoken mainly in the

n states of Goa,

and

and to a smaller extent in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. Konkani films have been produced in Goa,

and

. The first full-length Konkani film was ''

Mogacho Anvddo ''Mogacho Anvddo'' ( en, Love's Craving) is a 1950 Indian Konkani-language film. It was the first film in Konkani and was produced and directed by Al Jerry Braganza (Antonio Lawrence Jerry Braganza), a native of Mapusa, under the banner ETICA ...

'', released on 24 April 1950, and was produced and directed by A. L.Jerry 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 The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...

moved its permanent venue to Goa, it is annually held in the months of 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, 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 ''Amchem Noxib'' is a 1963 Indian Konkani-language film directed by A. Salam and produced by Frank Fernand. It is the second Konkani film, after '' Mogacho Anvddo'', which released in 1950. ''Amchem Noxib'' was a trendsetter for the fledgling K ...

'', '' Nirmonn'', ''Mhoji Ghorkarn'', ''Kortubancho Sonvsar'', ''Jivit Amchem Oxem'', ''Mog ani Moipas'', ''

Bhuierantlo Munis ''Bhuierantlo Munis'' ( en, Cave Man) is a 1977 Indian Konkani-language drama film. The first colour film in Konkani, it was produced under the banner of Chripton Motion Pictures by Tony Coutinho and Chris Perry and released in 1977. The film w ...

'', ''Suzanne'', '' Boglantt'', '' Padri'' and ''Bhogsonne''.

Ujwadu ''Ujwaadu'' is a 2011 Konkani film directed by Kasargod Chinna and produced by KJ Dhananjaya and Anuradha Padiyar as the third film ever produced in the GSB Konkani language and attempts to showcase Konkani Saraswatha tradition and culture. ...

is a 2011 Konkani film directed by Kasargod Chinna and produced by KJ Dhananjaya and Anuradha Padiyar.

Food

Goan prawn curry.jpg, Goan prawn curry, a popular dish throughout the state Vindalho.jpg, Pork ''

vindaloo Vindaloo or vindalho is an Indian curry dish, which is originally from Goa, based on the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos. It is known globally in its British Indian form as a staple of curry house and Indian restaurant menus, and is often r ...

'' is a popular Goan curry dish in the state and around the world Chamuças.jpg, '' Chamuças'', Goan samosas Goan Fish Curry.jpg, Traditional Goan fish curry Rice with fish

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...

(''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 The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

and

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates duri ...

are widely used in Goan cooking along with

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...

s, and

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to et ...

, used in the Catholic cuisine, giving the food a unique flavor. Goan cuisine is heavily influenced by

Portuguese cuisine The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dishes of meat, fish, poultry and others. ''Culinária Portuguesa'', by António-Maria De O ...

. Goan food may be divided into Goan Catholic and Goan Hindu cuisine with each showing very distinct tastes, characteristics, and cooking styles.

Pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...

dishes such as

Vindalho Vindaloo or vindalho is an Indian curry dish, which is originally from Goa, based on the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos. It is known globally in its British Indian form as a staple of curry house and Indian restaurant menus, and is often ...

Xacuti Xacuti or Xacutti ( kok, शागोती) is a curry prepared in Goa, India, with complex spicing, including white poppy seed Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy (''Papaver somniferum''). The tiny, kidney-shaped seeds ...

chouriço Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula. In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or ...

, and

Sorpotel Sarapatel (, ), or Sorpotel, is a dish of Portuguese origin now commonly cooked in the coastal Konkan region of India, primarily Goa, Mangalore and East Indians of Mumbai Sarpatel. The former Estado da Índia Portuguesa colony. It is also prepa ...

are cooked for major occasions among the

. A mixed 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 local rice cakes and ''Polle'', ''Amboli'', and ''Kailoleo'' are rice pancakes; all are native to Goa. A rich

egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...

-based, multi-layered baked sweet known as

bebinca ''Bebinca'' or ''bebinka'', (Konkani; ''bibik'') is a layer cake of Indo-Portuguese cuisine in Goa, India. In traditional baking, Bebinka has between 7 and 16 layers, but bakeries can modify the cake recipe as per convenience and taste. It ...

is traditional at Christmas. The most popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is feni. Cashew feni is made from the double distillation of the fermented fruit juice of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from the double distillation of the fermented sap of toddy palms. Urrak is another local liquor prepared from the single distillation of the fermented cashew fruit juice. In fact 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 due to Portuguese rule.

Architecture

Costa Residence Margao.jpg, ''The House of the Seven Gables'' in Margao Galeria_em_Fontainhas.jpg, ''Velha Goa Galeria'', in

The architecture of Goa is a combination of native 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 Hemadpanti Sculpture (also spelled as Hemadpanthi) is an architectural style, named after its founder, the prime minister Hemadpant (1259-1274 CE) of the court of Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri. Architectural elements This building style was formed du ...

, Islamic, and Portuguese architecture. The original Goan temple architecture fell into disuse as the temples were demolished by the Portuguese and the ''

Sthapati Hindu temple architecture as the main form of Hindu architecture has many varieties of style, though the basic nature of the Hindu temple remains the same, with the essential feature an inner sanctum, the ''garbha griha'' or womb-chamber, where ...

'' known as ''Thavayi'' in Konkani were converted to Christianity though the wooden work and the '' Kavi'' murals can still be seen.

Media and communication

Goa is served by almost all

television channel A television channel is a terrestrial frequency or virtual number over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the terrestrial or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with ...

s available in India. Channels are received through cable in most parts of Goa. In the interior regions, channels are received via

satellite dish A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive or transmit information by radio waves to or from a communication satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radi ...

es.

Doordarshan Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest bro ...

, the national television broadcaster, has two free terrestrial channels on air. DTH (

Direct To Home Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna comm ...

) TV services are available from Dish TV,

Videocon D2H Videocon Industries Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Mumbai. The group had 17 manufacturing sites in India and plants in Mainland China, Poland, Italy and Mexico. It was the third largest picture tube manufact ...

, Tata Sky & DD Direct Plus. The

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...

is the only

radio channel Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio sta ...

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 105.4 MHz. A number of private FM radio channels are available, Big FM at 92.7 and

Radio Indigo Indigo 91.9 FM is India's first and longest running international radio network operating in Bangalore and Goa. The channel is a part of Asianet News Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. which is owned by a Bharatiya Janata Party member of parli ...

at 91.9 MHz. There is also an educational radio channel, Gyan Vani, run by IGNOU broadcast from Panaji at 107.8 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'' (Konkani in the Roman script, Roman-script Konkani, weekly) ''Goa Messenger'', ''Vasco Watch'', ''Gulab'' (Konkani, monthly), ''Bimb'' (Devanagari-script Konkani). One electronic 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

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 F.C., Salgaocar, Dempo S.C., Dempo, Churchill Brothers S.C., Churchill Brothers, Vasco S.C., 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. A number of Goans have represented India in football and six of them, namely Samir Subash Naik, Samir Naik, Climax Lawrence, Brahmanand Sankhwalkar, Bruno Coutinho (footballer, born 1969), Bruno Coutinho, Mauricio Afonso and Roberto Fernandes have all captained the national team. Goa has its own Goa football team, 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 (Portuguese footballer), Ronaldo and Brazilian Neymar, are revered superstar football players in Goa. Goa also has its own Goa cricket team, cricket team. Dilip Sardesai and Shikha Pandey remain the only Goans to date to play international cricket for Indian cricket team, India. Another Goan cricketer, Suyash Prabhudessai was selected by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a base price of in Indian Premier League, IPL 2021 and for in IPL 2022. 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 University, Goa.jpg, Goa University Carmel's College for Women, Nuvem, Goa, India.jpg, Carmel College for Women, established more than 50 years ago to address the education gender gap, is affiliated to Goa University GMC building.jpg, Goa Medical College, previously called ''Escola Médico–Cirúrgica de Goa'' 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 Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, ICSE syllabus or the National Institute of Open Schooling, 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 were run without an administrative head. Some notable schools in Goa include Sharada Mandir School in Miramar, Panaji, Miramar, Loyola High School (Goa), Loyola High School in Margao and The King's School, Goa, 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, Liberal Arts, 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 programme. 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, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, BITS Pilani one of the premier institutes in India, inaugurated its second campus, the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani – Goa Campus, 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 permanent campus was finalised in Cotarli,

Sanguem Sanguem () is a city and a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. Notable landmarks include the Sagameshwar Temple, Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park and the Salaulim Dam. Geography Sanguem is locat ...

. There are colleges offering pharmacy, architecture and dentistry along with numerous private colleges offering law, liberal arts, arts, commerce and science. There are also two National Oceanographic Science related centres: 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 Government Polytechnic, Panaji, Panaji,

Bicholim Bicholim, pronounced (), also known as Divchal and Dicholi, is a town and a municipal council in North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is the headquarters of the ''Concelho'' (district) of Bicholim, one of seven that make up the No ...

and Curchorem, and aided institutions like Father Agnel Polytechnic in Verna and the Institute of Shipbuilding Technology in Vasco da Gama which impart technical and vocational training. Other colleges in Goa include Shri Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, V.V.M's R.M. Salgaocar Higher Secondary School in Margao, G.V.M's S.N.J.A higher secondary school, Don Bosco College, D.M.'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

. The airport caters to scheduled domestic and international air services. Goa has scheduled international connections to Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Oman, Muscat, Sharjah (city), 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 Mopa Airport, greenfield airport is under construction at Mopa, Goa, Mopa in Pernem taluka. It is expected to be completed by 2022.

Road

Kadamba Tata Marcopolo Starbus Ultra Ac Deluxe

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 own transportation, usually motorised two-wheelers and small family cars. Goa Pilot Vehicle

Goa has four National Highway (India), National Highways passing through it. NH-66 (ex National Highway 17 (India)(old numbering), NH-17) runs along India's west coast and links Goa to Mumbai in the north and Mangalore to the south. National Highway 4A (India), NH-4A running across the state connects the capital Panaji to Belgaum in east, linking Goa to cities in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan. The NH-366 (ex National Highway 17A (India), NH-17A) connects NH-66 to

Port from Cortalim. The new NH-566 (ex NH-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 (ex NH-4A) links Panaji and Ponda to Belgaum and NH-4. Goa has a total of of national highways, of state highway and 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 wide. In other states National Highways are grade separated highways 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 transport, rail lines – one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the Konkan Railway. The line run by the South Western Railway zone, South Western Railway was built during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama, Goa with Belgaum, Hubli,

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 passengers Steamboat, steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the late 1980s. There was also a short-lived catamaran service linking Mumbai and Panaji operated by Damania Shipping in the 1990s.

Sister states

* Hawai'i State, Hawai'i, United States of America

References

Sources

* *

External links

; Government
Government of Goa

Department of Tourism
; General information * * {{Authority control Goa, Konkan Historic Jewish communities Former Portuguese colonies Former exclaves States and territories established in 1987 1987 establishments in India City-states States and union territories of India India–Portugal relations

Etymology

History

Prehistory

Early history

Portuguese period

Contemporary period

Geography

Climate

Subdivisions

Government and politics

Government

Flora and fauna

Economy

Demographics

Population

Languages

Religion

Tourism

Historic sites and neighbourhoods

Museums and science centre

Beaches

Water Sports

Culture

Dance and music

Theatre

Konkani cinema

Food

Architecture

Media and communication

Sports

Education

Transportation

Air

Road

Rail

Sea

Sister states

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links