Reason
to Smile: Yet another title that needs no introduction. A place known
for its insanity, energy and zombie effect, I got to see the other side
of Goa too this time.The moment I read a post on an event on Goa- Coastal Forts from Shikhar Ved, I was surprised and inquisitive as hell to know whether Goa can have a place that can sooth souls apart from giving you sleepless nights with food and drinks. I was delighted to know after the trip that it does :)
Goa has many forts (obviously some parts of the forts have been ruined) that can capture your hearts and make you fall in love with them. We visited a few of them over a weekend with limited time that we were left with.
Forts
like Chapora, CaboDeRama, Marmugoa, Reis Magos, Aguada, Sinquerium and
Corjuem were among-st the ones that had beautiful and static structures
without any severe damages or walls with love birds signing off their
identities :P It is sad to see when the youth doesn't understand that
these magical and spiritual walls built to represent a magnificent
history don't need their autographs all the time :P
Chapora Fort - The fort overlooks the Chapora river and hence its name. However, there is a more interesting name given to this fort i.e. ‘Dil Chahta Hai’Fort. The name literally translates to ‘the heart yearns’ and
the reason for this quirky name is that a Bollywood film with this
title was shot back here in 2001. When the movie became a blockbuster, a
sweeping hit, striking a chord with the young generation, people
started identifying this fort with the name of the movie only.
Corjuem Fort - It was a military fortress for the defense of Portuguese India. It is smaller than the other forts in Goa, but it gives a good view of the surrounding river and land.The fort also has an interesting incident in which an ambitious Portuguese woman named Ursula e Lancastre, who determined to see the man's world, dressed like a man and traveled the world. She landed up at Corjuem as a soldier but was later captured and stripped.
CaboDeRama Fort - It is the largest and one of the oldest forts of Goa. The
cape and the fort are named in honor of ancient Indian epic "Ramayana"
hero. It is believed that this place became a home to Rama and his
beloved wife Sita during their fourteen-year exile from Ayodhya. From
the top of the fortress really magnificent view onto the Arabian Sea
and the Goan coastline appears to the eye. It is also interesting to
visit the small church of Saint Antonio located on the territory of the
fortress. Near the fortress Cabo de Rama Beach is situating.
Marmugoa Port - Ever
since it was accorded the status of a Major Port in 1963, the Mormugao
port has contributed immensely to growth of maritime trade in India. It
is the leading iron ore exporting port of India with an annual
throughput of around 27.33 million tonnes of iron ore traffic.
Reis Magos Fort - The Reis
Magos Fort, owned by the Goa government and listed under the Goa
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, is the
oldest fort in Goa. It has been restored to serve as a Cultural and
Heritage Center. From
its origin as a defense fortress, to being used as a jail and then a
hospital, the fort has served the state since 1493. It was abandoned in
1993 and started showing signs of neglect and deterioration.
Sinquerium Fort - The
fort stands overlooking the Sinquerim beach and bisects the shoreline
into two. This fort was constructed in the year 1612. The is an
extension of the larger upper Aguada fort. The lower fort consists of a
bastion and a section of fortified wall on both sides. During the 16th
and 17th Century ships used to anchor next to the fort.The main
intention of building the fort was to guard Goa against the Dutch and
the Marathas. The fort served as a reference point for vessels coming
from Europe. On the right hand side of the fort lies the Taj Holiday
Village resort. In the distance one can see the Candolim beach and the
river princess stranded amongst the waves. Between the Taj holiday
resort and the lower fort lies the Sinquerim beach. On the left hand
side of the bastion is a fortified wall and rocky outcroppings.
Aguada Fort - Overlooking the vast expanse of ‘seeming to be endless’ blue waters in front of it, Fort Aguada is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Goa.
It receives a lot of tourist traffic all around the year. Reasons are
that it’s excellent for sightseeing and also that it stands as a
testimony to the glory of Portuguese empire. Interesting features of the
fort include Aguada LightHouse and Aguada Jail. 
The
romantic side of Goa with beaches totally cleaned up and seemed
untouched gave me shivers down the spine. I had an image of the place
totally flawed and dirty with beer bottles and edible stuff littered all
around. I was indeed surprised to learn that the Govt has taken huge
initiatives to invite volunteers and locals for the clean, hygiene and
spotless place that it has become.We were a group of 7 folks who were happy to roam around the Goa roads that has soul, peace and tranquility to offer for a change. The cameras we carried jumped to joy too ;) The sunsets were the best to picture with selfies and white waves as background. My FB display picture looks fabulous now :P
Not
that I want to flood this blog with descriptions of the forts but as
they say - pictures speak a thousand words. I have ensured that my phone
camera does a good job for a destination like that and emits justice to
the editing that I performed before posting the album.Keep Smiling till my next adventure dive :)
http://blognehamehta.blogspot.com/2018/04/goa.html
Reason to Smile: The
joblessness no matter how critical it may seem doesn't affect my travel
life. There is nothing more that I can love about that. This time I got
another chance to visit Goa. I was fortunate enough to explore those
parts of Goa that I had not visited. I was there for a week and let me
try and list them for my memories.
- Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary is located in South Eastern Goa. It constitutes one of the vital corridors of the Western Ghats and covers an area of 211.05 km. Netravali or Neturli is an important tributary of River Zuari,
which originates in the sanctuary. Forests mostly consist of moist
deciduous vegetation interspersed with evergreen and semi-evergreen
habitat. It is adjacent to Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve, Karnataka on the eastern side, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa on the southern side and Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park on the northern side which in turn forms a contiguous protected area along with Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa and Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka. The
Netravali falls / Savari Waterfalls is located in the Netravali
Wildlife Sanctuary in Sanguem taluka, East of Goa. A walk through the
sanctuary takes you to a picturesque view of the source of the
waterfall. When the summer heat becomes unbearable, nature lovers trek
to the perennial Savari waterfall which is really a memorable
experience. Savari is a small hamlet in Neturli or Netravali village of
Sanguem, which got its name on account of an indigenous species of tree
called Bombax ceiba, locally known as Savari. It is the only perennial
waterfall among-st the rest of the falls in the sanctuary. Other reduce
to a trickle after the monsoon wanes. One has to trek about 3 kms and
descend to the waterfalls located inside the sanctuary.
- Palolem Beach is situated in Canacona in southern Goa, India.
The beach attracts many international tourists, mainly during the
winter season between November and March. It is considered to be one of
the region's most beautiful beaches. Palolem Beach is largely
unspoiled and is inhabited by both local fishermen and by foreign
tourists who live in shacks along the shore or in the main village
itself. It is about one
mile (approximately 1.61 km) long and is crescent-shaped; one can view
the entire beach from either end. Both ends of the beach consist of
rocks jutting out into the sea. The depth of the sea increases
gradually, being shallowest at the northern end of the beach, making it
safe for average swimmers, and the currents are not fast.
- Morjim is a Census Town in Pernem, Goa, India; it is situated on the northern bank of the Chapora River estuary. It is home to a variety of birds and is a nesting site for Olive ridley sea turtles. The village has become known as "Little Russia" because of the concentration of Russian immigrants living there.
- Ashwem beach is in North Goa, between Morjim and the Mandrem beach.
It is a part of a long stretch of sandy shore that starts from the
banks of the Chapora River, in the south, and extends all the way to
Ashwem. Also referred to as Ashvem, it is 31 kilometers from Panaji via the NH 66 and is 54.7 kilometers from Vasco da Gama. Ashwem
is very close to some other fantastic beaches of North Goa. Morjim,
another nesting site of the Olive Ridley turtles, is just 2.8 kilometers
away. Arambol is 6.9 kilometers
further north. Vagator is half an hour by road. Just beyond Vagator is
Anjuna. Even Baga, Calangute, and Candolim are not too far away. Many
like to set up base at Ashwem as it is a peaceful place, and go on day
trips to these north Goa beaches. The beach at Ashvem is wide and
desolate. It is actually part of the same stretch of sand that runs
from the Chapora River in the south, and ends here, but Ashwem by itself
is 1.5 kilometers long. First there is Morjim beach, then there is
Marbela beach, and finally Ashwem beach, and then after a gap and a
creek meeting the sea, there is Mandrem beach. Ashwem is mostly sandy,
but in some parts, you can see volcanic rocks on the beach. The rocks
shaped by shellfish, have a unique shape.
- Kala Academy is an
interesting world of art and culture which is surely bound to hold your
attention the moment you step in. If you are an art connoisseur or even
someone who just wants to have a good look at Goan culture through
paintings or handicrafts, Kala Academy is
the place for you. You will notice that the building’s architecture,
which is done by the famous architect Charles Correa, is a masterpiece
in itself. Its lush gardens, elegant benches and a sweeping view of the
adjoining landscape is a visual treat. The place has paintings from some
famous artists like Paritosh Sen, Chavda, Gopal Adivarekar, Paritosh
Sen, Laxman Pai, Hebber and Bendre. Kala Academy plays
a perfect host to the International Film Festival of India, showing 3
to 4 screenings every day during the festival. There is an exclusive
library as well which boasts of having a wide range of transparencies,
musical spools, reference material and books in its collection.
- The Salaulim Dam: Mid-way
through the monsoon season i.e. roughly towards the end of July,
Salaulim Dam that lies at the Southern edge of Goa near Netravali
wildlife sanctuary starts overflowing. And overflowing waterfalls steep
down into the Salaulim river. At this point in time, it deserves to be
the top attraction in Goa. An Earthen dam with a semi-circular groove
lets directs the excess water through this groove and what a sight it is
to see. The dam is a kilometer or so long and you can take a leisurely
walk on it. In the middle is this semi-circular outlet that falls at a
height of some 50 ft or so at the first level and then another 100 feet
or so into the river below. The waterfalls with so much force that it
goes up in the air like smoke and falls back on the dam like rain. From a
distance, it looks like mist or maybe steam rising from the basin of
the dam. With not many people around and greenery all around, this is a
sight to be savored.
- Arvalem Caves:
Apart from beautiful beaches, Goa has a lot to offer; caves being one
such gem. Caves in Goa narrate the story of artistic past. There are
about 25 manmade caves which have been uncovered here. One of the most
ancient structures in Goa, the rock cut Arvalem caves are situated in
Bicholim town in the northern part of the state. Locals believe that
these ancient caves once served as refuge homes to the Pandavas of
Mahabharata during their exile. The presence of five compartments in the
caves gives a strong indication that these were once the residences of
the Pandavas. On the contrary, another theory says that the Arvalem
Caves in Goa are of Buddhist origin. Housing of a huge Buddha statue in
its premises, strongly supports the statement. Despite such
contradictions about its origin, the caves does not fail to intrigue
visitors. The architecture of these edifices is simple but appealing.
With the whole of the structure cut out of Laterite stone, the caves are
contemporaries to the other famous ones in Goa. Besides admiring the
caves, tourists also have the luxury of exploring a Rudreshawar temple
and waterfall in its vicinity.
- Rivona Caves
also known as Pandava caves, Rivona caves are situated in a small
village in South Goa. It is believed that these caves were the creation
of Buddhist monks. A part of the historical tour of Goa, Rivona caves are amongst the major tourist attractions in the state. One
of the finest examples of Buddhist influence in the state of Goa, the
Rivona caves boast of laterite carvings in its structure. The carving in
the form of Pitha, which is supposed to be the seat of the teacher, is
highly captivating. Looking at the Buddhism influence in the design and
architecture of the caves plus the ambience and serenity, the Rivona
caves in Goa witness a growing number of tourist population every year.
- Rock Carvings Pansaimal:
Goa has been an inhabited area from time immemorial. The latest
discovery to support this was made as recently as 1993 when the locals
together with a team of archaeologists uncovered ancient rock carvings,
which have been dated back to the Mesolithic period (about 10,000 years
ago!) These rock carvings are open to the public although they
are submerged during the monsoon season, and casts of them have been
placed in the Goa museum.
- Mahadev Temple is a
transplanted temple originally located 17 kms south east of Kurdi Angod
on the banks of river Salaulem. The construction of the dam across
Salaulem had threatened the submergence of the temple. Hence it was
systematically dismantled and reconstructed at a place providing similar
topographical setting.
- Chandor, originally known as Chandrapura, is a village in Salcete taluka, South Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa. It lies on the banks of the river Kushavati, 10 km (6.2 mi) east from Margao.
Among the notable places to be visited in this Village like Nossa
Senhora de Belem Church, James Chapel, Monte Church, Figuerado Mansion,
etc; the Braganza house is the best. The Bragança House was
built in the 17th century. This huge house is situated on one side of
the village square. It has now been divided into two separate houses,
with a common entrance. The east wing, occupied by the Pereira Bragança
family, has a small chapel with a relic of St. Francis Xavier,
which is a fingernail. The artefacts, collected by the family over a
number of years, have added to the beauty of the house. There is a Great
Salon, a large ballroom with
the floor made of Italian marble, antique chandeliers from Europe
adorning the ceiling, and heavily carved, ornate rosewood furniture.
What stands out among the furniture is a pair of high-backed chairs,
bearing the family crest, which was given to the Pereira Bragança family
by King Dom Luís of Portugal. Most of the furniture dates back to the
18th century and is made from local seeso (martel wood), lacquered or inlaid with mother of pearl by craftsmen from Curtorim village. For antique aficionados, the house holds many delightful finds. The
west wing of the house belongs to the Menezes Bragança family. Apart
from its exquisite furniture and Chinese porcelain from Macau, it also
houses a collection of family portraits, dating back to the 17th and
18th centuries. The library is believed to be the first private library
in Goa. It has almost 5,000 leather bound books in Portuguese, English
and French collected by Luís de Menezes Bragança (1878–1938) a reputed journalist, renowned for the part he played in Goa’s independence movement.
Till my next adventure dive, Stay Tuned and Keep Smiling :)
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