Goa is a state of mind

Goa is a state of mind. I am lucky, to visit goa three times in just a span of 30 days, for three different reasons. One for a leadership event. One for a college reunion. Other is for a motorbiker event. And I get energized seeing the golden sunset on the Arabian sea, the swaying palm leaves of the coconut trees, the smell of spicy food, beautiful Portuguese monuments and the warm hospitality of the local Goan folk.

Goa is the smallest state in India. Its second highest in HDI and the richest state by per capita income. It was a Portuguese colony (like Brazil & Macau) for close to 400 years and got liberated and integrated to the Indian union of states in 1961. Goas language is Konkani. 

Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year because of its soft 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.

I was fortunate to visit three heritage monuments in November 2024.

1. Basilica of Bom Jesus
This is the most ancient church in Goa that is mostly visited by tourists. Constructed late back in the 15th century, the church has been crafted with precious stones and surreal works of impressionist painters. It consists of the remains of St. Francis Xavier that defines the finest Baroque architecture. Snuggled in old Goa, this spiritual place carries a coffin that is on display for tourists. A major crowd comes to visit this glorious church.


2. Se Cathedral 
This is the largest church in Goa. The grandeur of the church is unique and that makes it look beautiful. The church was constructed by the Roman Catholics under Portuguese rule. It is a religious place that is dedicated to St. Catherine and features the Great Golden Bell. Both above are UNESCO World heritage sites.

3. Mangueshi temple
The main temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Manguesh, an incarnation of Shiva and he is worshipped here as Shiva linga. He is the kuldevta of many Goud Saraswat Brahmins and Saraswat brahmins. This temple had its origins in Kushasthali Cortalim, a village in Mormugão which fell to the invading Portuguese in 1543. In the year 1560, when the Portuguese started Christian conversions in mormugao taluka, the Saraswats of Kaundinya Gotra and Vatsa Gotra moved the Mangesh Linga from the original site at the Kushasthali to its present location at Mangeshi which was then ruled by the Hindu kings to be more secure. The Portuguese became less zealous and more tolerant to Hindu temples after they lost a few battles to Marathas who ruled here for over 150 years. Eventually Portuguese contributed money to the temple and established peace with Hindu community.

Goa has lovely cruises on both rivers and sea. In fact there is a casino on sea too.


But the most beautiful part are the golden sunset on the beautiful beaches. The best time to visit is winter, November to January. The humidity is reasonable and climate is perfect to sip your drinks watching the sun set. See pics below 







Here is a poem dedicated to Goa from my side. 

Goa, is a state of mind,
Soak in sunshine you find,
Say bye to worry 
Say hi to merry
Ditch the hurry
Fetch the curry
Use many a penny
And Savor the feni
Goodbye, seeing time on wristwatch
Say Hello, sea and sunset watch 
Soak in sunshine you find
My friend, Goa, is a state of mind.

Nash
OCT & NOV 2024


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