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".
It is a fairly small town with mostly modern building spread around the slopes
of a small hillock called Altinho. It lies about 13 kms from the capital city
of Panaji and on most days there is hardly anything to entice the casual visitor
to its environs.
But come Friday morning, the whole town has a lively look when the famous weekly
Friday Market begins. The market attracts people from all over Goa who come
here to buy and sell their wares. Everything from fresh and dried fish, incense,
spices, fruits and vegetables to souvenirs from other states of India is available
here.
Local Goan specialities such as spicy sausages (chouriços) and the Goan
spirits such as toddi and cashew feni are much in demand amongst locals and
outsides. Another item to look out for is the magnificent banana crop from the
nearby village of Moira. Most of the items are sold after a few rounds of bargaining
and the prices are usually much lower than anywhere else.
Most of the items are piled up in heaps on the sidewalks, with most of the vendors
being colourfully dressed womenfolk from the nearby villages who come here to
sell their produce. The market also draws a large number of foreign tourists
from the nearby beach areas who come here to stock up on their provisions.
Mapusa does not have many tourist sites worth visiting. There are a few colonial
era Municipal building on the Altinho hill, a fairly modern temple of Lord Hanuman
just a few minutes from the main bus stand and most importantly the Church of
Our Lady of Miracles about 2 kms east of the market area.
The church is also known as St Jerome's locally and dates back originally from
the year 1594 when the first edifice was built. Since then it has been rebuilt
several times, most recent reconstruction being in 1961. During the Liberation
of Goa that year, the Church was razed by a fire which was allegedly sparked
off when the retreating Portuguese army tried to blow up the nearby bridge to
stall the advance of the Indian army.
The Church of Our Lady of Miracles has a beautiful gabled facade but is more
famous for its annual feast than for its architectural splendour. Since the
Church is located on the original site of an ancient Hindu temple, the Hindu
community also considers it sacred area. Consequently, in a fine display of
communal harmony that exists in Goa, the annual feast held on the 16th day after
Easter is enthusiastically celebrated by Christians and Hindus alike.
The other famous shrine is that of Lord Bodgeshwar, located on the outskirts
of the town in the middle of some rice fields, which is beautifully lit up at
night and draws thousands of devotees for its annual Jatra (festival).
HOW TO GET THERE
Rail: Mapusa is the pass through point for all buses travelling to and
from Goa to Mumbai, Pune and a number of other destinations. So the bus stand
near the main square at the entrance to the city is a busy hub of activity with
hundreds of travel agents stalls for inter-state travel bookings.
Most local buses for all the nearby beaches of Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator,
Chapora, and Arambol and other surrounding areas leave from the Kadamba bus
stand on the southwest edge of town.
Motorcycle taxis are also available near the main town square and are often
the quickest mode of transport to the beachside. Tourist Taxis charges are considerably
more, so it is best to share the fare with four or five other travellers if
possible.
Road: The Konkan Railway coming in from Mumbai stops for a few minutes
at the Tivim (Thivim) railway station which lies at a distance of 12 kms from
Mapusa. There are rickshaws and tourist taxis available here to take you to
the nearest beach hotel or resort. Here too, it is best to share the ride with
as many passengers as possible and also to fix up a fare for the trip before
starting the journey.
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