Encyclopedia
Goa is
India's second smallest
state in terms of area after
Delhi and the fourth smallest in terms of population after
Sikkim,
Mizoram and
Arunachal Pradesh. It is located on the west coast of India, in the region known as the
Konkan, and is bounded by the state of
Maharashtra to the north, and
Karnataka to the east and south. The
Arabian Sea bounds it to the west.
Panjim is the state's capital, and
Vasco-da-Gama its largest city. The second largest and most historic city is Margao with the most western Portuguese culture.
Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century, and annexed it soon after. The Portuguese
colony existed for about 450 years, until it was liberated in 1961.
Internationally renowned for its
beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic tourists each year, and has become one of the most popular holiday destinations for European travellers.
Besides beaches, Goa is also known for its
world heritage architecture including the
Bom Jesus Basilica. Goa also has rich
flora and
fauna, owing to its location on the
Western Ghats range, which are classified as a biodiversity hotspot.
Origin of name
The name
Goa came to European languages brought by the Portuguese colonisers, but its precise origin is unclear. The Indian epic
Mahabharata refers to the area now known as Goa, as 'Goparashtra' or 'Govarashtra"' which means a nation of cowherds. 'Gopakapuri' or 'Gapakapattana' were used in some ancient
Sanskrit texts, and these names were also mentioned in other sacred
Hindu texts such as the
Harivansa and the
Skanda. In the latter, Goa is also known as "Gomanchala". Gove,
Govapuri, Gopakpattan, and Gomant are some other names that the region is referred to in certain inscriptions and texts such as the
Purana is the name of a genre [i] of Indian written literature [i]. ...
s. It has also been known as "Aprant".
History
Goa has a long history stretching back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the
Mauryan Empire. Goa was later ruled by the
Satavahanas of
Kolhapur around two thousand years ago. It eventually passed to the
Chalukyas of Badami, who controlled it between 580 to 750. Over the next few centuries Goa was successively ruled by the Silharas, the
Kadambas and the
Chalukyans of Kalyani, rulers of
Deccan India.
In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the
Delhi Sultanate. However, the kingdom's grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 they were forced to surrender it to Harihara I of
Vijayanagara. The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory for the next hundred years until 1469, when it was appropriated by the Bahmani sultans of Gulbarga. After the dynasty crumbled, the area came under the hands of the
Adil Shahis of Bijapur who made
Velha Goa their auxiliary capital.
In 1498,
Vasco da Gama became the first
European to set foot in India through a sea route, landing in
Kozhikode in
Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as
Old Goa. The Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing complete control of the spice trade from other European powers after traditional land routes to India were closed by the Ottoman Turks. Later, in 1510, Portuguese admiral
Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings on behalf of a local sovereign, Timayya, leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement in Velha Goa . The Portuguese intended it to be a colony and a naval base, distinct from the fortified enclaves established elsewhere along India's coasts.
With the imposition of the
Inquisition , many of the local residents were forcibly converted to
Christianity by missionaries, threatened by punishment or confiscation of land, titles or property. Many converted, however retaining parts of their Hindu heritage. To escape the Inquisition and harassment, thousands fled the state, settling down in the neighbouring towns of Mangalore and
Karwar in Karnataka. With the arrival of the other European powers in India in the 16th century, most Portuguese possessions were surrounded by the
British and the
Dutch. Portuguese possessions in India were a few
enclaves along India's west coast, with Goa being the largest of these holdings.
An interesting development of the 18th century in Goa is the Conspiracy Of The Pintos in 1787 which was inspired by the
French Revolution. This was the first ethnic rebellion against Portuguese rule in Goa. Goa soon became their most important possession in India, and was granted the same civic privileges as
Lisbon. The Portuguese encouraged its citizens to marry local women, and to settle in Goa. However among the local population this was looked down upon. Progeny of these unions called the mestiço were favourably considered by the Portuguese rulers. Subsequently, a senate was created, which maintained direct communications with the king. In 1843 the capital was moved to
Panjim from Velha Goa. By mid-18th century the area under occupation had expanded to most of Goa's present day state limits.
After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to accede to India's request to relinquish their control of its
exclave. Arbitration by the
United Nations General Assembly in the 1950s ruled in favour of self determination. Finally, on 1961-12-12, the
Indian army with 40,000 troops moved in, invaded the overseas territory. After a brief skirmish lasting for twenty-six hours, Goa, along with
Daman and Diu , was made into a federally administered Union Territory. The UN
Security Council considered a resolution condemning the invasion which was vetoed by the
Soviet Union. Most nations later recognised the annexation, and Portugal recognised it after its
Carnation Revolution in 1974. On 1987-05-30, the Union Territory was split, and Goa was elevated as India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.
Geography and climate
Goa encompasses an area of 3,702 km² . 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. Most of Goa is a part of the coastal country known as the
Konkan, which is an escarpment rising up to the
Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the
Deccan Plateau. The highest point is the Sonsogor, with an altitude of 1,167
metres . Goa has a coastline of 101 km .
Goa's main rivers are the Mandovi, the Zuari, the Terekhol, Chapora and the Betul. The Mormugao harbour on the mouth of the river Zuari is one of the best natural harbours in South Asia. The Zuari and the Mandovi are the lifelines of Goa, with their tributaries draining 69% of its geographic area. Goa has more than forty estuarine, eight marine and about ninety riverine islands. The total navigable length of Goa's rivers is 253 km . Goa has more than three hundred ancient tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over a hundred medicinal springs.
Most of Goa's soil cover is made up of
laterites which are rich in
ferric aluminium oxides and
reddish in colour. Further inland and along the river banks, the soil is mostly alluvial and loamy. The soil is rich in minerals and humus, thus conducive to plantation. Some of the oldest rocks in the
Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between Molem and Anmod on Goa's border with Karnataka. The rocks are classified as
Trondjemeitic Gneiss estimated to be 3,600 million years old, dated by the
Rubidium isotope dating method. A specimen of the rock is exhibited in the
Goa University.
Goa, being in the
tropical zone and near the
Arabian Sea, has a warm and
humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, seeing day temperatures of over 35°
C coupled with high humidity. The
monsoon rains arrive by early June and provide a much needed respite from the heat. Most of Goa's annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September.
Goa has a short cool season between mid-December and February. These months are marked by cool nights of around 20°C and warm days of around 29°C with moderate amounts of humidity. Further inland, due to altitudinal gradation, the nights are a few degrees cooler.
Subdivisions
The state is divided into two
districts: North Goa and South Goa.
Panaji is the headquarters of the north Goa district and Margao of the south district. Each district is governed by a district collector, an administrator appointed by the Indian government.
The districts are further divided into eleven talukas – Talukas of North Goa are Bardez, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda, Satari and Tiswadi.
The talukas of South Goa are
Canacona, Mormugao, Quepem, Salcete and Sanguem. Headquarters of the respective talukas are Mapusa, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda, Valpoi, Panjim, Chaudi, Vasco, Quepem, Margao and Sanguem.
In the Parliament of India, Goa has two seats in the Lok Sabha, one representing each district, and one seat in the
Rajya Sabha.
Flora and fauna
Forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424 km², most of which is owned by the government. Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The
Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. In the February 1999 issue of
National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to
National Geographic, is the official ...
, Goa was compared with the
Amazon and
Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity.
The important forests products are
bamboo canes, Maratha barks, chillar barks and the bhirand.
Coconut trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring the elevated regions. A large number of
deciduous vegetation consisting of
teak,
sal,
cashew and
mango trees are present. Fruits include
jackfruits,
mangos,
pineapples and
blackberries.
Foxes,
wild boars and
migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The avifauna includes
kingfishers,
mynas and
parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers.
Crabs,
lobsters,
shrimps,
jellyfish,
oysters and
catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high
snake population, which keeps the
rodent population in control. Goa has many famous
National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary,
Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuaryand the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located on the island of Chorao.
Goa has more than 33% of its geographic area under government forests of which about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. Since there is a substantial area under private forests and a large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc. plantations, the total forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area.
Economy
Macro-economic trend
This is a chart of trend of gross state domestic product of Goa at market prices by
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of Indian Rupees.
| Year | Gross State Domestic Product |
|---|
| 1980 | 3,980 |
| 1985 | 6,550 |
| 1990 | 12,570 |
| 1995 | 33,190 |
| 2000 | 76,980 |
Goa's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $3 billion in current prices.
Goa is India's richest state with a
GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole, and one of its fastest growth rates: 8.23% .
Industry
The land away from the coast is rich in minerals and ores and
mining forms the second largest industry. Mining in Goa focuses on ores of
iron,
bauxite,
manganese, clays,
limestone and silica. Agriculture, while of shrinking importance to the economy over the past four decades, offers part-time employment to a sizable portion of the populace.
Rice is the main agricultural crop, followed by
areca,
cashew and
coconut. The fishing industry provides employment for about forty thousand people, though recent official figures indicate a decline of the importance of this sector and also a fall in catch, perhaps coupled with the fact that traditional fishing has given way to large-scale mechanised trawling.
Medium scale industries include the manufacturing of
pesticides,
fertilisers,
tyres, tubes,
footwear,
chemicals,
pharmaceuticals,
wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish canning, cashew nuts, textiles,
brewery products. Goa is also notable for its low liquor prices due to its very low excise duty on
alcohol. Another source of cash inflow into the state comes from many of its citizens who work abroad and remit money to their families. Zuari Industries and Sesa Goa are two
S&P CNX 500 conglomerates which have corporate offices in Goa.
Services
Tourism is Goa's primary industry: it handles 12% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime , tourists from across India come to spend the holidays.
Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with decreased tourist activity inland. In 2004 there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, 400,000 of which were from abroad. There are several reasons why tourists are visiting Goa in increasing numbers. First, because of the historical development of the area, the inhabitants of Goa are increasingly used to contact with foreigners. Additionally, a large portion of the Goan people are Catholic. This cultural heritage from the time of the Portuguese colonization makes the country somewhat more intimate to European or American people than the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Goan culture incorporates a very nonproblematic mix of Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.
The food of Goa is a mixture of foods from Portugal, Western India and Arabia . Goa is one of the few places in India that you can go to a restaurant and order both beef and pork, which are usually served very lightly spiced; beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are sold freely.
These attributes, together with the fact that Goa’s economy is among the most prosperous in India, have won Goa the nickname "India for the beginners" – the great differences between Europe and India, very apparent in other parts of India due to large slums and other problems, are much less pronounced.
Transport
Goa's main form of
public transport largely consists of privately operated buses linking the major towns to rural areas. Government-run white-with-blue-and-red-stripes buses, maintained by a service called the Kadamba Transport Corporation, links both major routes and also some of the more remote parts of the state and taluka headquarters. In large towns such as Panjim and Margao, intra-city buses serve its citizens. Public transport in Goa is not very efficient, and most buses stop plying on routes a little after dusk.
Residents depend heavily on their own transport, usually motorised two-wheelers. Goa has two National Highways passing through it. NH-17 runs along India's west coast and links Goa to Bombay in the north and Mangalore to the south. NH-4A running across the state connects the capital Panjim to Belgaum in east, linking Goa to cities in the
Deccan. The NH-17A connects NH-17 to Mormugao Harbour from Cortalim, and the new NH-17B, once complete will be a four lane highway connecting Mormugao Harbour to NH-17 at another location, Verna, via
Dabolim airport. Goa has a total of 224 km of National highway, 232 km of state highway and 815 km of district highway.
Hired forms of transport include unmetered taxis, and, in urban areas,
auto rickshaws. A unique form of transport in Goa is the yellow-and-black two-wheeler
Motorcycle taxi, operated by drivers who are locally called "pilots". These vehicles transport a single pillion rider, at fares that are usually negotiated prior or after the journey. In some places in Goa, there are river crossings which are serviced by the
ferry boats, operated by the river navigation departments. Goa has two
rail lines – one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the
Konkan Railway. The line run by the South Western Railway was built during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama to Hubli in
Karnataka and passing through Margaon. The line, earlier a
metre gauge, was recently converted to
broad gauge. The Konkan Railway line, which was built during the 1990s, runs parallel to the coast connecting Mumbai to the
Malabar Coast.
Goa's sole airport, the
Dabolim Airport, is a military airport, though civilian flights are permitted when the fields can be spared from military uses. In addition to regular flights, the airport handles a large number of chartered flights. The Mormugao harbour 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. Panjim, which is situated on the banks of the Mandovi, also has a minor port, which used to handle passenger
steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the late 1980s.
Demographics
A native of Goa is called a
Goan in English, 'Goenkar' in Konkani, 'Goês' or
'Goesa' in Portuguese, and a 'Govekar' in Marathi.
Goa has at present a population of 1.344 million residents, making it India's fourth smallest . The population has a growth rate of 14.9% per annum. There are 363 people for each square kilometre of the land. 49.77% of the population live in urban areas. The sex ratio is 960 females to 1000 males. Goa's
literacy rate is 82.32%, broken down into: males 88.88% and females 75.51%.
Hinduism , Catholicism and
Islam are the three main
religions in Goa.
Roman Catholicism reached Goa during the period of
European colonization, which began in 1498 when the Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama arrived on the
Malabar coast. During the
Goa Inquisition under the Portuguese, a lot of people embraced christianity.
Goa's major cities include
Vasco, Margao, Marmagao ,
Panjim and Mapusa. The region connecting the last four cities is considered a
de facto conurbation, or a more or less continuous urban area.
Following the end of Portuguese rule, the most widely used languages are Konkani as the primary spoken language, and English for official, literary or educational purposes. Language is a controversial issue in Goa, over which an agitation was fought between two contending pro-Konkani and pro-Marathi camps between 1985-87. Majority of the Goans united and fought for Konkani as their mother tongue. After the agitation ended in 1987, a complex formula grants 'official language' status to Konkani. Given the bitter rivalry between the two lobbies, clubbed with a maudlin issue has resulted in a stalemate over the actual implementation.
Portuguese, the earlier language of the elite, has been hit by shrinking numbers, though a small section still prefer it as the medium for discourse at home, while even a few Portuguese books have been published in recent years.
English, viewed as a language of opportunity and social mobility is widely understood by the many of the state residents.
Hindi, India's national language, is also spoken as a second language. Whereas, in the past, most people spoke Konkini, nowadays Hindi is increasingly heard due to lots of immigrants from rest of India.
Culture
The most popular celebrations in Goa are
Christmas,
Easter Sunday Ganesh Chaturthi,
New Year's Day, the
Shigmo festival and the
Carnival. However, since the 1960s, the celebrations of the Shigmo and carnival have shifted to the urban centres, and in recent times these festivals are seen more as a means of attracting tourists. Celebrations for all festivals usually last for a few days and include parties and balls.
Western English songs have a large following in most parts of Goa. Traditional Konkani folk songs too have a sizable following. Manddo, the traditional Goan music which originated in the
nineteenth century, is sung and danced on special occasions. Goa is also known for its
Goa trance music.
Rice with
fish curry is the staple diet in Goa. Goa is renowned for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes.
Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in Goan cooking along with
chile peppers,
spices and
vinegar giving the food a unique flavour.
Pork dishes such as Vindaloo, Xacuti and Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Catholics. A rich egg-ba
