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Goa
is the queen of India’s beach resorts, because
of the variety of beaches that it offers. But Goa is
more than just beaches, it is  lifestyle.
Apart from the beaches, it has a coastline beautifully
scarred by estuaries of seven rivers, half-a-millennium-old
churches built by the Portuguese, which gave Goa the
sobriquet Rome of India, Christian relics which make
it a pilgrimage center, a laidback lifestyle which is
a reflection of the idyllic beaches, and the irrepressible
Portuguese spirit evident in their music, dance and
general attitude. This heady mix made it the center
of the hippie movement in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Though
they are long gone, but the 40 beaches and the recently
introduced water sport facilities are a delight for
the hundreds and thousands of tourists who visit Goa
every year.
Goa
lies on the Konkan Coast,
between the Arabian Sea on the west and the Sahyadri
range of the Western Ghats on the east, and crisscrossed
by seven rivers and their estuaries. The rivers-Tricol,
Chapora, Mandovi, Zuari, Sal, Talpona and Galibaga–are
navigable and flow through paddy fields and coconut
and cashew plantations. For a long time, the topography
made it difficult for transport lines to be built, but
now there are bridges uniting the state and the marvelous
Konkan Railway connecting it directly to Mumbai and
Mangalore. The climate is equable, and the mild winter
months are particularly appealing. June-September, when
the rains lash the western coast, is the only time when
Goa is not its usual perky self.
Country:
India
Area: 3660 sq km
(1430sq mi)
Population: 1.3
million
Capital city: Panaji
People: Goan
Language: Konkani
and Marathi, with a smattering of English and Portuguese
Religion: Hindu,
Muslim and Christian
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