Panaji Travel Guide
Population : 85,000
S.T.D Code : 0832
Called Panjim by the Portuguese, Panaji
is the state capital of Goa. Unlike many capital cities, Panaji has a
distinct unhurried character. It is situated on the southern banks of
the Mandovi River, which makes this town all the more charming.
Typical of a Goan town, Panaji is built around a church facing a
prominent square.
The town has some beautiful Portuguese Baroque style buildings and
enchanting old villas. The riverside, speckled with brightly
whitewashed houses with wrought iron balconies, offers a fine view.
Trudge around town in the cobbled alleys to see quaint old taverns and
cafés with some atmosphere, and practically no tourists.These
are a good places to travel and meet the local people.
¤ The Main Attractions
The Largo da Igreja Church Square is a fine illustration of the
awesome Portuguese Baroque style. The Church of the Immaculate
Conception is easily one of the most elegant and picturesque monuments
in Goa. Built in 1541 a.d., atop a high, symmetrical, crisscrossing
stairway, the church is a white edifice topped with a huge bell that
stands in between two delicate Baroque style towers. David Gentleman,
the well known illustrator says “ I drew outside it as evening
mass went on within: the music (harmonium and violins) that drifted
out was a pretty blend of Indian and European, the congregation as
docile and contented as my daughters once seemed as snowflakes in
their school nativity play”.
Trave to riverside, there one come across some fine government
buildings, passport office situated along the riverside boulevard in
Panaji. is s In the 16th century, the edifice was the palace of Adil
Shah (the Sultan of Bijapur). The Portuguese took over the palace and
constructed the Viceregal Lodge in 1615. In 1843, the structure became
the Secretariat, and today it is the Passport office. The Braganza
Institute, houses the tiled frieze which depicts the ‘mythical’
representation of the colonisation of Goa by the Portuguese.
Fountainahas is a lovely old residential area amidst shady cobbled
streets connecting red-tile-roofed houses with overhanging balconies,
much like a country town in Spain or Portugal. |
