aboutGoa-inner

The temple of Sri Bhagwati is quite unique and is dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati who is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The Shri Bhagwati temple is an ancient temple in Goa. It is said to be more than 500 years old and is situated by the side of the main road.The Portuguese rule was quite disadvantageous for the existing temples in Goa as they had to face destruction and devastation at the hands of the foreign rulers. Very few temples survived the wrath of the invaders. Shri Bhagwati Temple is one of the few temples that were allowed to stand. The presiding deity of temple is Goddess Bhagwati in Ashtabhuja (eight hands) form. On a high pedestal in a standing position the Goddess Bhagwati is also very imposing. At the entrance of the Bhagwati temple, visitors are welcomed by two life size statues of elephants in standing position, made of black stone.The main festival celebrated at this temple is Dussehra. The festival is one of the main attractions here and is celebrated with gaiety from Ashwin Shuddha Pratipada to Poornima. At that time more than twenty five thousand devotees assemble at the temple.Shri Bhagavati temple complex has five temples, main temple being of Shri Bhagavati, other temples are of Shri Sateri, Shri Dev Ravalnath, Shri Dev Bhivangi Panchakshari & Brahma (Shri Vishnu, Shri Ganapath, Shri Shankar).

The Magnificent Radha Krishna Temple at the BITS Pilani Goa Campus in Zuarinagar, Sancoale Vasco is becoming the popular tourist spot in the State of Goa. This temple is an architectural wonder. During night time the temple is well illuminated with designer lights and looks fabulous.

The little state of Goa, located on the western coast of India in the verdant Konkan region boasts a long and varied history. Variously ruled through the ages by Hindu and Muslim rulers as well as the more recent Portuguese colonists, the land itself has imbibed a variety of customs and traditions which blend those of all the various communities which call it home. Goa today of course, has been greatly modernised to keep up with the ever changing times and technological progress. However, all of its history is still a large part of the culture and atmosphere of the state. If you’ve ever wondered what a Goan village would have been like a hundred years ago, wonder no more. With the setting up of ‘Ancestral Goa’ you can visit a miniature village which has been planned and executed in minute detail.

Located at the back of the Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi, this museum contains many important and beautiful artefacts of the Portuguese rule in India. Its treasures are divided amongst eight galleries. The most important of these are considered to be the portraits of the long-dead Viceroys and Governors of Goa. The museum also has a phenomenal collection of stamps, religious artefacts and other such treasures. Where to Go Housed in the convent formerly attached to the heritage Church of St. Francis of Assisi, this museum is in the heart of the most historic part of Goa, i.e. Velha Goa. It is close to a number of other monuments in this place, like the Se Cathedral, the Church of St. Cajetan, the Bom Jesus Basilica, St. Augustine’s tower and the Nunnery of Santa Monica as well as the Museum of Christian Art that is housed there. When to Go The Archaeological Museum of Goa is open from 10am to 5pm from Saturday to Thursday. It remains closed to the public on Fridays. Although this museum in Old Goa sees the maximum number of visitors during the height of the tourist season, from October to May, it is also a great way to spend a rainy afternoon during the monsoon months. What to See The extensive collection covers the Portuguese rule in Goa, and also the pre-historic and early historic and late medieval periods of Goan history. The museums treasures include lovely fragments of sculpture from Hindu temple sites in Goa, and some Sati stones, i.e. stone which once marked the spot where a woman immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. Besides these there two larger than life bronze statues, portraits of the Viceroys of Goa, spanning the 400 year Portuguese rule, postage stamps, coins issued by various Hindu, Muslim and Portuguese rulers, wooden sculptures, pillars, hero stones, Persian and Arabic inscriptions and Portuguese weapons comprised of rifles, swords and daggers. Visitors are greeted by a bronze statue of Afonso de Albuquerque in the visitors lobby along with maps of seafaring routes and maps of Goa. There are also pictures of various historical monuments in Goa, Daman and Diu. The first gallery is the Key Gallery which shows a timeline of the history of Goa through the artefacts on display, starting with middle and upper Paleolithic stone tools, Microliths and a few Neolithic Celts. Visitors will also find the excavated materials from Chandor; one of the ancient capital cities of Goa. The ground plan of an ancient Brahmanical temple and early historical antiquities; cast copper coins of 3rd century BC, copper nails, rings, etc. are also on display.