Vivagoa

Legend has it, Lord Parshurama, on not finding a perfect place to rest and meditate, created one. By commanding the sea to recede, after shooting an arrow into it. And there by creating a mini PARADISE ON EARTH: GOA.

Nestled between the huge Sahyadri mountains on the East and the Arabian sea on the West, Goa is a land of many fragrances and flavors of sumptuous seafood and fiery Feni. Of sprawling beaches and shimmering lakes, rich cultural heritage and fun loving people. All packaged together in a dynamic, vibrant bundle called Goa.

Goa, came into its own, when the Portuguese established this port city as an important Centerport trade center between the powerful Viiaynagar kingdom and Portugal. Corals and pearls from Persia. Porcelain and silks from China, Velvet from Portugal, spices from Malaysia. It was all found in the bustling bazaars of Goa. Rivaling its more famous European port city of Lisbon.

Goa was liberated from the Portuguese rule as late as 1961 And it attained statehood in 1987 Making it the youngest Indian state. A land of temperate climate, throughout the year. It receives heavy rainfall, that transforms the verdant countryside into a garden of exotic tropical fruits and colorful flowers.
Since Afonso Albuquerque established the first Portuguese toehold on Goa, the lush coastal region of India has captured the western imagination. Yet while many today think of Goa, almost as an extension of a Mediterranean culture grafted onto Indian stock, the image is misleading.

Certainly Goa has an often magical coastline, for three quarters of the year bathed in sunshine yet never suffering the grueling heat of the Indian interior. From the sandy coves and estuaries of the north to the long palm fringed beaches of the south, sand and the warm waters of the Arabian Sea have been Goa's main attraction for foreign travelers ever since the 1960s. But it is not just the beaches that make Goa unique. The state has a relaxed and easy going feel, where the decaying buildings not of the British Raj but of the Portuguese have created a wholly distinctive atmosphere. It is still easy to get the impression that Goa is largely Christian. The coastal villages all have their beautifully white painted churches and piazza and wayside crosses, often creating a startling impression against the clear blue sky.

This great holiday destination for all die hard romantics, regularly attracts tourists from across the globe. Time and again, inviting them to savor the spirit, the fun, the magic that makes Goa so special, so exciting. It is as the Goans are fond of saying, The Fun Never Sets in Goa. Goa, with its natural resources, abundant rains, long coast line has had a long and chequered past. With a variety of mighty and powerful rulers from Hindus, Muslims, Portuguese and British dynasties. Each leaving their own stamp of identity and culture behind. And, Goa like a sponge, absorbing it. And yet retaining it’s own distinctive identity.

Yet inland Goa remains predominantly Hindu, and its position right on the border between north and south Indian influences has made its own mark on Goa's identity. Within the tiny state, barely 100 killometres from north to south and 60 from west to east, it is possible to see in microcosm something of the astonishing diversity of India beyond. Indeed, within two or three days you can easily visit the neighboring Indian states, tracking back into some of India’s great empires and kingdoms.

Goa is much more than just a place for great beach holiday. It offers a wonderful chance to begin to sample something of India itself, of which today it is an integral if still highly distinctive part. And that indeed is part of its welcoming charm.

PEOPLE
Despite over four centuries of Portuguese dominance, earlier characteristics of Goa's population are still obvious. While during the Inquisition the Portuguese made systematic efforts to wipe out all social traces of the earlier Hindu and Muslim cultures, many of their features were simply modified to conform to external Catholic demands. Thus even in the Old Conquest areas the predominantly Catholic community is still divided along much earlier caste lines.

LANGUAGE
Indian languages come in a seemingly baffling variety, many with their own scripts. Goa is located precisely on the dividing line, which separates the Indo-European languages of North India from the Dravidian languages of the South. Portuguese was widely spoken until 1961 and even today many of the older generation can speak it, but local languages remained important. The two most significant were Marathi, the language of the politically dominant majority of the neighboring state to the North, and Konkani, the spoken language of most Goans. Konkani was introduced as the language of instruction in Church primary schools in 1991 and was added to the list of recognized languages in the Indian Constitution in August 1992. None the less, very few government primary schools teach in Konkani compared with over 800 that use Marathi, but the issue is still contentious. Hindi is increasingly spoken with the influx of non Goan employees in hotel resorts. English and Hindi are widely used on road signs, bus destinations and tourism-related notices. In rural areas, however, Konkani predominates.