Goa - best tourism spot for beach lovers

It is doubtful whether there is another place on planet earth where the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English and the Indians feel so homely as this small pouch of land petted by the exotic waves of the Arabian sea - Goa - a land which is famous of its beaches, architecture, life style, adventures and political influences. Listed among the most desirable tourist destination of the world, Goa excites foreign as well as domestic tourists.

Though Goa is just 3702Km2 and is the 2nd smallest state of India, this place always interested the conquerors. Formed as part of the Mauryan Empire in 3rd century BC, Goa came under the rule of Satavahanas of Kolhapur (in Maharashtra) around two thousand years ago. It eventually passed to the Chalukyas of Badami, who controlled it between 580 to 750. Over the next few centuries Goa was successively ruled by the Silharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyans of Kalyani, rulers of Deccan India.

In 1312, Goa came under the governance of the Delhi Sultanate. However, the kingdom’s grip on the region was weak, and by 1370 they were forced to surrender it to Harihara I of Vijayanagar. The Vijayanagar monarchs held on to the territory for the next hundred years until 1469, when it was appropriated by the Bahmani sultans of Gulbarga. After the dynasty crumbled, the area came under the hands of the Adil Shahis of Bijapur who made Velha Goa their auxiliary capital. In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to set foot in India through a sea route, landing in Kozhikode in Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as Old Goa. The Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing complete control of the spice trade from other European powers after traditional land routes to India were closed by the Ottoman Turks.

It was portugeus who initiated the forceful conversion of the local population into Christianity following the inquition measures of the roman catholic church starting from the later half of the 16th century. With the arrival of the other European powers in India in the 16th century, most Portuguese possessions were surrounded by the British and the Dutch though portugese were able to retain rule till the place was annexed to Republic of India as a Union Territory by 1961 following a brief skirmish with the indian army. On 1974 the Union Territory was split, and Goa was elevated as India’s twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.

Presant day goa is a peaceful place inhabited by with friendly and fun loving people. The mixed culture and nostalgic surroundings adds to the mystic values of the place. Goa interests both fun seeking and serious tourists. The series of well maintained beaches along the Goan costs clubbed with the well detailed ‘world heritage architecture’ including the Bom Jesus Basilica is just what any traveller wishes for.

Goa also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which are classified as a biodiversity hotspot. This luscious forest spans 1500Km2 and comprise more than 1/3rd of the sate of Goa. Goa has many famous National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary. Other wildlife sanctuaries include the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, Madei Wildlife Sanctuary, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuaryand the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located on the island of Chorao.

Konkani is the traditional language of the place. But due to it’s western influences, english is also widely used and understood by most of the population. The Goan culture is an amalgam of all the colonial powers which influenced the land. Christians, Hindus and Muslims live in harmony and love.

Tourism is Goa’s primary industry: it handles 12 % of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: in winter (with splendid climatical conditions) there are tourist from abroad mainly from Europe coming to Goa, in summer (it is then the rainy period) tourist from India come to spend holidays here. The civilisatory heritage from the time of the Portuguese colonisation makes Goa rather intimate to European or American people, not only because of the architecture style; more over, Goa represents a very nonproblematic symbiose of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam

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