Panaji:
This is the capital of Goa, and the North Goa district. It is situated on the
banks of the river "Mandovi". It is connected to the mainland by bridges.
The origin of the name Panaji or Panjim has many explanations. Some of them
include it being the corrupted version of "Ponjy" said to mean "the
land that never floods". The Portuguese called the city "Panjim"
and after liberation it has seen its name changed to "Panaji".
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Panaji
Margao: Margao, often called the commercial capital of Goa, is the capital
of the southern taluka of Salcette and also of the South Goa district. Because
of its location, it serves as a service and transport hub to the areas of south
Goa. It is a typically crowded Goan town, with chaotic, noisy traffic and quite
a few architectural reminders of its Portuguese past. Margao is Goa's second
largest town and a bustling commercial centre.
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Margao
Mapusa: Mapusa (pronounced as Mapsa by the locals) is Goa's third largest
town and the capital of the northern Bardez taluka. It is mainly a market town
for the surrounding beach areas of Calangute, Candolim, Anjuna and Baga among
others. Even its name is thought to be derived from the Konkani word for a measure
- "map" and the phrase fill up - "sa".
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Mapusa
Ponda: Ponda can be described as the Hindu heart of Goa. It is famous
for the five important temples that are situated around the town, and also has
the largest mosque in Goa. Most of these temples look relatively new as they
have been restored after being destroyed by the Portuguese. That explains why
there are no temples around the coast, which was the prime territory of the
Portuguese. Ponda is also an important transport link.
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Ponda
Vasco: The area came under Portuguese rule around 1543, and within a
few years, it was transformed into one of western India's busiest ports. The
Portuguese built a fort at Sada, near the tip of the land jutting into the Arabian
sea. This allowed them to effectively control the movement of ships into the
Zuari river.
The industrial town of Vasco-da-Gama, named after the Portuguese voyager, lies
around 30 kms away from the capital city of Panaji and is spread around the
base of the peninsula which leads to the Mormugao harbour
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Vasco
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Vasco
