The Coolest Place in India
'The white people make a practice of going to the kingdom of Goa to enjoy the shade and the groves of trees and to savour the sweet betel.'
These revealing remarks on Goa come not from the hippies or 'flower power' generation of the sixties and early seventies who thronged the beaches of Anjuna, Vagator and Arambol in search of salvation and 'peace'. These remarks were made over five centuries ago by the Portuguese Ambassador to China who visited Goa around the year 1511. They serve as a vivid precursor to the generations that followed in our times to the fabled land of Goa.
In those tumultuous and rebellious times in the sixties, it was then not the 'sweet betel' that was the prime attraction but a different kind of 'weed'. But Goa, since those days of the angry generation, has moved on to attract a multitudinous, peaceful and cosmopolitan school of visitors from all around the globe.
Down the corridors of time Goa has been different things to different people. To the Portuguese conquerors it was 'Golden Goa', the El Dorado, the 'Rome of the East'. Such was its beauty and grandeur, that a traveller was moved to remark: 'Whoever has seen Goa, need not visit Lisboa'-Lisbon, which was then the grand epicenter of the Portuguese dominions.
Some decades later, the early 17th century French traveller Francois Pyrard wrote: 'Whoever has been in Goa may say that he has seen the choicest rarities of India, for it is the most famous and celebrated city, on account of its commercial intercourse with people of all nationalities of the East who bring there the products of their respective countries, articles of merchandize, necessaries of life and other commodities in great abundance because every year more than a thousand ships touch there laden with cargo.'
While the contemporary traveller may not come to modern, thriving Goa 'for the sale of all sorts of merchandise', the 'fair' is still very much on. The traveller is here to find something different: a balm on the busy mind, to enjoy days of freedom on Goa's magnificent beaches, to parasail or swim with the tide of fellow visitors from all around the globe, to savour its unique cuisine and imbibe its spirits, to take a long and invigorating trek in its unexplored interiors, to marvel at its majestic temples and churches, in short, to be at one with the most friendly people in the country.
In the sixties and seventies, it was, as we have remarked, a haven for the hippies. Since then Goa has moved on to fullfledged Statehood, its own Council of Ministers, a magnificent new Assembly complex, its citizens among the most literate in the country with a per capita income the highest in the land. At the hub of this prosperity, is the Tourism industry. At the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), we take a humble bow in acknowledgement, in some small measure, of putting Goa on the tourist map of our country.
But we also acknowledge that Goa does not require a massive sales drive.
Goa is a multifaceted jewel in the crown of India.
It is a frame of mind and body, spirit and soul.
Goa is an unfading memory.
It is joy and nirvana.
Goa is India's smallest State-with the largest heart.
Goa is Forever.
Area
The state of Goa covers an area of 3,702 sq. km.
Capital of Goa
Panaji is the capital of Goa.
Population
A brief summary of the 2011 census: Goa's population is 1458545 with 739140 Males and 719405 Females. The growth of 14.8 per cent, during 1991 to 2000, is lower than the 16.08 per cent recorded during 1981 to 1990.
The sex-ratio (number of females per thousand males) in Goa is 973 in 2011 compared to 967 in 1991.
The density of population per sq km in Goa is 364 in 2001 as compared to 316 in 1991. North Goa has a much higher density (437) as compared to South Goa (300). The national figure is 324.
The literacy rate is 80 per cent. 83.3 per cent of the male and 76.4 per cent of the female population is literate.
64.68 per cent of the population is Hindu, 29.86 per cent is Christian and Muslims are a minority of 5.25 per cent.
Around 0.15 to 0.2 million of the total population of 13,43,998 are immigrants from around India who have settled down in Goa.
Principal Languages
At present, Marathi and Konkani are two major languages of Goa. Hindi, the national language of India, is well understood in Goa. In major towns, English is widely used in writing and conversation.
On the other hand, Portuguese, the language of the colonial rulers and the official language till 1961 before liberation, notwithstanding the official patronage and a compulsory medium of study, failed to make a dent in the mind of the majority of Goans.
It remained only the language of the elite but alienated the masses. Thus just after the departure of the Portuguese, Portuguese lost all its favour and usage. However, very few - particularly the older or pre-liberation generation - still use Portuguese.
Thus Goa is a multi-lingual state, thanks to its diverse history of thousands of years, which has seen people of various regions, ethnic races and religions from India and abroad coming over to and settling in Goa, while influencing the local language.
Natural Resources
Rivers
The major rivers flowing through the state are Mandovi, Zuari, Terekhol, Chapora and Betul. The other major rivers include the Tiracol, Chapora, Sal and the Talpona.
Forests
The state has a total forest cover of more than 1,424 sq. km covering almost one-third of the total area. Forests provide important products namely bamboo, Maratha barks, chillar barks and bhirand. These are of great economic value for rural mass. Coconut trees are present in almost the whole of Goa except in the upper regions. Goa’s vegetation also includes cashew, mango, jackfruits and pineapples.
Minerals
Goa is rich in mineral resources. Major minerals include iron ore, manganese, ferro-manganese, bauxite and silica sand. Iron and manganese mining industries are the backbone of Goa’s economy.
