Hi Mates, we are very happy announcethe most awaited Tour to Goa on 5th to 7th Nov ’11 (starting on 4th night.)
Goa, a one spot destination for the Indian tourists.. it has got forts, beaches, churches, temples, party, resorts, sanctuaries, adventures…. and a lot many things.
One of the Top 5 destinations in the world, Goa is the 25th state of the Indian Union & it is a State within a State, with an unique Four Century – Old Portuguese Heritage which sets it apart from other tourist places of interest because of its culture, traditions & religions in Modern India.
With the few among the finest beaches on the subcontinent, Goa museums, churches, temples, religious places, the climate is at its best… thus offering any visitor the best of what it has got.
The tourist inflow from abroad & India itself is making Goa – the No. 1 tourist destination & CALANGUTE being explored by all the tourists visiting Goa without fail, and TMI Surely don’t want to miss this..
The places that we will try to cover in this tour are:
1) Beaches – Chapora, Vagator, Anjuna, Baga, Calangute (water sports), Dona Paula, Colva
2) Forts – Aguada, Chapora
3) Temples – Mangeshi, Shanta durga
4) Church – Old goan churches, Basilica of Bom Jesus,
5) One evening at cruise
6) Big foot museum
7) One night ride in goa
Visit to crocodile park and birding ( Optional Charges not included)
Some information on the places that we will visit:
Beaches
1. Chapora beach
Chapora Beach is on beach in Goa that has managed to perfectly combine its traditional boat building and fishing heritage with the introduction and growth of tourism.
Compared to other Northern Goan beaches, Chapora is well populated by tourists from around the world.
2. Vagator Beach
This beautiful beach is located about 22 Kms from Panaji and is situated in Bardez taluka.
The beach is secluded, crescent shaped and situated on the Caisua bay along the Chapora river basin, in the shadow of Chapora fort. During the tourist season, it is a favorite venue for mid night parties.
3. Anjuna beach
The Village of Anjuna is a five square mile enclosure nestling between the Arabian Sea and the Hill overlooking the beach. The beach is known for its swaying palms, soft sands and natural beauty. It has an unusual rocky formation overlying a cove of white sand and black rock that juts into the Sea.
4. Baga beach
This is a quiet and isolated beach. Its scenic beauty, with the creek, the Retreat House perched on the hill and the lack of local tourist buses all have contributed to its unique beauty. It is more popular with western tourists who love to use it as a base for water sports and fishing in the area.
5. Calangute beach
Calangute is the beach to which everyone heads for the moment they land in Goa. So it is natural that it is overcrowded in both in peak and off seasons. This huge seven-kilometre sweep of sand located 15 kms from Panaji, is called the ‘Queen of Beaches’.
6. Dona Paula beach
Named after Dona Paula de Menezes, the daughter of a viceroy (in Portuguese India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias. Dona Paula Beach is informally also referred to as Lovers Paradise.
The Dona Paula Beach is also a major tourist attraction due to a myth attached to the place. According to this, Dona Paula is entombed in the Cabo Chapel, the residence of the Governor of Goa and is supposed to be seen emerging from the moonlit waves wearing only a pearl necklace. Several tourists as well as locals guided by this myth visit the beach for a glimpse of Dona Paula. The Cabo Raj Bhavan is situated at a scenic spot of Dona Paula. It is also home of a historic British war-graves cemetery. After the end of Portuguese rule in Goa in 1961, Dona Paula became a fashionable residential area and address.
7. Colva beach
Colva is a white sand beach in the South Goa district of Goa, India. Colva beach is one of the longest in the world (24 km). On the weekend, the crowd explodes with locals as well. The beach also gets particularly busy in October, when hoards of pilgrims come and visit Colva Church. The area is well developed with plenty of budget hotels, beach shacks, food stalls, and small restaurants and bars. However, the development hasn’t been extended to nightlife, which is minimal apart from a few places. The beach is constantly monitored by the lifeguards and the swimming area is flagged with colored flags.
Forts
1. Aguada fort
Fort Aguada is a well-preserved seventeenth-century Portuguese fort standing in Goa, India, on Sinquerim beach, overlooking the vast expanses of Arabian Sea.
The fort was constructed in 1612 to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas. It was a reference point for the vessels coming from Europe at that time. This old Portuguese fort stands on the beach south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi river. It was initially tasked with defense of shipping and the nearby Bardez District.
A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop by. This is how the fort got its name: Aguada = Water. Crews of passing ships would often visit to replenish their fresh water stores. On the fort stands a 4-storey Portuguese lighthouse, erected in 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia. Built in 1612, it was once the grandstand of 79 cannons, a moat around the fort also protected it.
Fort Aguada was the most prized and crucial fort of Portuguese. The fort is so large that it envelops the entire peninsula at the south western tip of Bardez. Built on the mouth of river Mandovi, it was strategically located and was the chief defence of Portuguese against the Dutch and Marathas.
2. Chapora fort
The Chapora Fort occupies an important position which, in every direction commanded distant approaches. Rising above the wide Chapora River, long before the Portuguese arrived in Goa, was a fort in place of the present one built. Even after the Portuguese acquired Bardez, the fort changed hands several times and was much sought after. Trying to end the Portuguese rule in Goa, Prince Akbar joined his father’s enemies, the Marathas in 1683 and made this place his base camp and it became the northern outpost of the Old conquests. After the Portuguese recovered from a scary experience with the Marathas they learnt that they had to strengthen their northern defences and provide shelter to the people there, but not until 1717 this present fort was built.
Temples
1. Shri Mangeshi Temple
This temple is one of the largest, most enchanting, serene and most frequently visited temples in Goa.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Mangueshi, an incarnation of Shiva. He is a kuldevta of many Hindus in Goa including the Saraswat Brahmins. He is also referred to as Saib (The Lord of Goa) by Hindus.
The Mangesh Linga is said to have been consecrated on the mountain of Mangireesh (Mongir) on the banks of river Bhagirathi by Lord Brahma , from where the Saraswat Brahmins brought it to Trihotrapuri in Bihar. They carried the linga to Gomantaka and settled at Mathagrama, the present-day Madgaon, establishing their most sacred and ancient temple of Mangesh on the banks of the river Gomati or Zuari as it is called today. Lord Mangesh is worshipped here in the shape of a Shiva linga. According to the legends Lord Shiva had manifested in to a tiger to scare Parvati. Paravati who was paranoid at the sight of the tiger went in search of Lord Shiva. Parvati was supposed to say “Trahi maam Gireesh” but instead out of nervousness she said: “Trahimangeesh”. Shri Mangueshi is the Kuldevta (family deity) of many Goud Saraswat Brahmins,Karhade Brahmins ,and Bhandaris.
2. Shanta durga temple
The temple is dedicated to Shantadurga, the Goddess who mediates between Vishnu and Shiva. The deity is also called ‘Santeri’ colloquially. Local legends tell of a battle between Shiva and Vishnu The battle was so fierce that Lord Brahma prayed to Parvati to intervene, which she did in the form of Shantadurga. Shantadurga placed Vishnu on her right hand and Shiva on her left hand and settled the fight. The deity of Shantadurga is shown as holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing Vishnu and Shiva. She is then said have gone to Shankleswari a village in Ponda Taluka (goa in which she went to Gothana (a small place in Shankleswari) to kill the demons that were harassing the Brahmins. As a reward, she was given the name of Vijaya where she is now called Shri Vijayadurga. Shri Vijayadurga shrine was located in Shankleshwari along with Shri Shantadurga and Shri LakshmiNarsimha but was later shifted to a place called Kerim in Ponda Taluka during the Portuguese invasions. .
Shantadurga is the Kuldevi (family deity) of many Goud Saraswat Brahmins, Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins, Karhade Brahmins, Daivajnas and Bhandaris.
Churches
Old goan churches:
Old Goa contains churches affiliated to various congregations, including the Se Cathedral (the seat of the Archbishop of Goa), the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, the Church of S. Caetano, and notably, the Basilica of Bom Jesus which contains the relics of Saint Francis Xavier, which is celebrated every year on 3 December with novenas beginning on 24 November.
Basilica of bom jesus:
‘Bom Jesus’ (literally, ‘Good (or Holy) Jesus’) is the name used for the infant Jesus. The Jesuit church is India’s first Minor Basilica, and is considered as one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India.
Construction work on the church began in 1594 and was consecrated in May of 1605 by Archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. This world heritage monument has emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity. It contains the body of St. Francis Xavier; a very close friend of St. Ignatius Loyola with whom he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Francis Xavier died on the Sancian island while enroute to Continental China (December 2, 1552).
The body of Francis Xavier was first taken to Malacca and two years later shipped back to Goa. It is said that the saint’s body was as fresh as the day it was buried. The remains of the saint still attract a huge number of devotees (Christian and non-Christian alike) from all over the world, especially during the public viewing of his body every ten years (last held in 2004). The saint is said to have miraculous powers of healing, and pilgrims come from all over the country.
There are many beaches, churches, forts, temples, etc to visit in Goa.. we will try to cover as much as possible.
The approx Itinerary for the tour will be as follows:
4th Nov, Friday:
Start from Dadar station at 9 pm.
Venue: Swami Narayan Temple, nr Dadar stn, Dadar (e).
5th Nov, Saturday:
Reach Goa by 10 am
freshen up,
Post lunch Site seeing (visit a fort around)
evening at cruise (as per availability)
6th Nov, Sunday:
Site seeing.
visit a beach, Water sports in the evening
boating at Mayem lake
Goa night party at Tito’s or beach party
7th Nov, Monday
Visit a few Hindu temples and some old Goa churches,
Lunch,
start return journey
reach Mumbai late night.
The Cost for the event:
> Trek Mates will pay for the food and accommodation of all the participants which will be equally divided among every member of the trek after the event.
> Rs. 500 extra will be added to the same (per person), considered as the administration charges for Trek mates India.
The approximate expense for the event will be Rs 4000/- for a single person, which includes:
> travelling
> Food and accommodations (Quadra sharing)
> water sports and club/party entry tickets are not included.
Payment details:
For ticket booking and hotel booking One needs to pay Rs 3,000 as advance before 20th oct 2011.
The amount is to be paid to the following account.
SBI a/c no: 30665796091
S/A in the name of Mr Nilesh Patil.
Ifscode: sbin0007232
Branch: Panchpakhadi, Thane.
Note:
In case the number of participants goes beyond 25, we can hire a 27 seater bus which can make our travel easier.
For registrations, contact –
Mumbai Coordinators:
Nilesh Patil: 86555 88508
Vikram Singh : 99877 61562
Manoj Kalwar : 98707 75633
Pune Coordinators :
Adhar : 99756 41375
Registrations are only through phone calls (scraps, reply to this thread won’t be considered as confirmation)
Limited seats, entry on first come first served basis.
Thanks and Regards,
Trek Mates India.
