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'Goa' (
Konkani: गोंय ''goṃya''; ''govÄ''; ) is
India's smallest
state in terms of area and the
fourth smallest in terms of population. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the
Konkan, it is bounded by the state of
Maharashtra to the north, and by
Karnataka to the east and south, while the
Arabian Sea forms its western coast.
Panaji (Panjim) is the state's capital,
Vasco da Gama (Vasco) the largest city, while the historic city of
Margao still exhibits the influence of
Portuguese culture. Portuguese merchants first landed in Goa in the 15th century, and annexed it soon after. The Portuguese
colony existed for about 450 years (one of the longest held colonial possessions in the world), until it was taken over by India in 1961.
[3][4]
Renowned for its
beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. Goa is also known for its temples and
world heritage architecture including the
Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, which makes it one of the biggest Christian pilgrimage sites in Asia. Goa also has rich
flora and
fauna, owing to its location on the
Western Ghats range, which is classified as a
biodiversity hotspot.
Origin of name
The name ''Goa'' came to European languages from the Portuguese colonisers, but its precise origin is unclear. The Indian epic ''
Mahabharata'' refers to the area now known as Goa, as 'Goparashtra' or 'Govarashtra"' which means a nation of cowherds. 'Gopakapuri' or 'Gapakapattana' were used in some ancient
Sanskrit texts, and these names were also mentioned in other sacred
Hindu texts such as the ''
Harivansa'' and the ''
Skanda Purana''. In the latter, Goa is also known as "Gomanchala". Gove,
Govapuri, Gopakpattan, and Gomant are some other names that the region is referred to in certain inscriptions and texts such as the ''
Puranas''. It has also been known as "Aparant".
History
Main articles: History of Goa
Goa's history stretches back to the 3rd century BC, when it formed part of the
Mauryan Empire.
[ A Summary of the Early History of Goa (2000 BC - 1500 AD) ] It was later ruled by the
Satavahanas of
Kolhapur, around two thousand years ago and passed on 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
Chalukyas of Kalyani, rulers of
Deccan India.
[ Lonely Planet Goa, , Paul, Harding, Lonely Planet Publications, 2003, ] The
Kadambas, a local Hindu dynasty based at Chandrapura, (present day Chandor - Salcete), laid an indelible mark on the course of Goa's pre-colonial history and culture.
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 the
Vijayanagara empire. The Vijayanagara monarchs held on to the territory until 1469, when it was appropriated by the
Bahmani sultans of
Gulbarga. After that dynasty crumbled, the area fell to 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
Calicut (Kozhikode) in
Kerala, followed by an arrival in what is now known as
Old Goa. Goa, then a term referring to the City of Goa on the southern bank of the
River Mandovi, was the largest trading center on India's western coast. The
Portuguese arrived with the intention of setting up a colony and seizing control of the spice trade from other European powers after traditional land routes to India had been closed by the
Ottoman Turks. Later, in 1510, Portuguese
admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the ruling Bijapur kings with the help of a local ally,
Timayya, leading to the establishment of a permanent settlement in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). The Portuguese intended it to be a colony and a naval base, distinct from the fortified enclaves established elsewhere along India's coasts.
With the imposition of the
Inquisition (1560–1812), many of the local residents were forcibly converted to
Christianity by missionaries, threatened by punishment or confiscation of land, titles or property. Many converts however retained parts of their Hindu heritage. To escape the Inquisition and harassment, thousands fled the state, settling down in the neighbouring towns of
Mangalore and
Karwar in Karnataka, and Savantwadi in Maharashtra. 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. Goa soon became Portugal's most important possession in India, and was granted the same civic privileges as
Lisbon In 1843 the capital was moved to
Panjim from Velha Goa. By mid-18th century the area under occupation had expanded to most of Goa's present day state limits.
After India gained independence from the British in 1947, Portugal refused to accede to India's demand to relinquish their control of its enclave. Resolution 1541 by the
United Nations General Assembly in 1960 noted that Goa was non-self-governing and favoured
self determination. Finally, on
December 12,
1961, the
Indian army with 40,000 troops moved in as part of
Operation Vijay. Fighting lasted for twenty-six hours before the Portuguese garrison surrendered. Goa, along with
Daman and Diu (enclaves lying to the north of Maharashtra), was made into a centrally administered
Union Territory on India. India's takeover of Goa is commemorated on
December 19 (Liberation Day). The UN
Security Council considered a resolution condemning the invasion which was vetoed by the
Soviet Union. Most nations later recognized India's action, and Portugal recognized it after the
Carnation Revolution in 1974. On
May 30,
1987, the Union Territory was split, and Goa was elevated as India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.
Geography and climate
Goa is famed for its sunny beaches.
Goa encompasses an area of 3,702
km² (1,430
sq mile). It lies between the latitudes 14°53'54" N and 15°40'00" N and longitudes 73°40'33" E and 74°20'13" E. Most of Goa is a part of the coastal country known as the
Konkan, which is an escarpment rising up to the
Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the
Deccan Plateau. The highest point is the
Sonsogor, with an altitude of 1,167
metres (3,827
feet). Goa has a coastline of 101
km (63
miles).
Goa's main rivers are the
Mandovi, the
Zuari, the
Terekhol,
Chapora River and the
Betul. The Mormugao harbour on the mouth of the river Zuari is one of the best natural harbours in South Asia. The Zuari and the Mandovi are the lifelines of Goa, with their tributaries draining 69% of its geographic area. Goa has more than forty estuarine, eight marine and about ninety riverine islands. The total navigable length of Goa's rivers is 253 km (157 miles). Goa has more than three hundred ancient
tanks built during the rule of the Kadamba dynasty and over a hundred medicinal springs.
Most of Goa's soil cover is made up of
laterites which are rich in
ferric aluminium oxides and
reddish in colour. Further inland and along the river banks, the soil is mostly
alluvial and
loamy. The soil is rich in minerals and
humus, thus conducive to plantation. Some of the oldest rocks in the
Indian subcontinent are found in Goa between
Molem and
Anmod on Goa's border with Karnataka. The rocks are classified as
Trondjemeitic Gneiss estimated to be 3,600 million years old, dated by the
Rubidium isotope dating method. A specimen of the rock is exhibited in the
Goa University.
Goa, being in the
tropical zone and near the
Arabian Sea, has a warm and
humid climate for most of the year. The month of May is the hottest, seeing day temperatures of over 35 °
C (95 °
F) coupled with high humidity. The
monsoon rains arrive by early June and provide a much needed respite from the heat. Most of Goa's annual rainfall is received through the monsoons which last till late September.
Goa has a short cool season between mid-December and February. These months are marked by cool nights of around 20 °C (68 °F) and warm days of around 29 °C (84 °F) with moderate amounts of humidity. Further inland, due to altitudinal gradation, the nights are a few degrees cooler.
Subdivisions
Talukas of Goa. Talukas in purple shades belong to
North Goa district, and orange denote
South Goa.
The state is divided into two
districts:
North Goa and
South Goa.
Panaji is the headquarters of the north Goa district and
Margao of the south district. Each district is governed by a
district collector, an administrator appointed by the Indian government.
The districts are further divided into eleven
talukas – Talukas of North Goa are
Bardez,
Bicholim,
Pernem,
Ponda,
Satari and
Tiswadi, the talukas of South Goa are
Canacona,
Mormugao,
Quepem,
Salcete and
Sanguem. Headquarters of the respective talukas are Mapusa, Bicholim, Pernem, Ponda,
Valpoi, Panjim,
Chaudi, Vasco, Quepem, Margao and Sanguem.
In the
Parliament of India, Goa has two seats in the
Lok Sabha, one representing each district, and one seat in the
Rajya Sabha.
Flora and fauna
Main articles: Flora and fauna of Goa
Forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424
km², most of which is owned by the government. Government owned forest is estimated at 1224.38 km² whilst private is given as 200 km². Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The
Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. In the February 1999 issue of ''
National Geographic Magazine'', Goa was compared with the
Amazon and
Congo basins for its rich tropical biodiversity.
Goa's state animal is the
Gaur, the state bird is the Ruby Throated Yellow Bulbul, which is a variation of
Black-crested Bulbul, and the state tree is the
Asan.
The important forests products are
bamboo canes,
Maratha barks,
chillar barks and the
bhirand.
Coconut trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring the elevated regions. A large number of
deciduous vegetation consisting of
teak,
sal,
cashew and
mango trees are present. Fruits include
jackfruits,
mangos,
pineapples and
blackberries.
Foxes,
wild boars and
migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The
avifauna includes
kingfishers,
mynas and
parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers.
Crabs,
lobsters,
shrimps,
jellyfish,
oysters and
catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high
snake population, which keeps the
rodent population in control. 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.
Goa has more than 33% of its geographic area under government forests (1224.38 km²) of which about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas (PA) of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. Since there is a substantial area under private forests and a large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc. plantations, the total forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area.
Economy
Fishing in the Chapora river.
Goa's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $3 billion in current prices. Goa is India's richest state with a
GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole, and one of its fastest growth rates: 8.23% (yearly average 1990–2000). Tourism is Goa's primary industry: it handles 12%
[5] of all foreign tourist arrivals in India. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists from across India come to spend the holidays.
Tourism is generally focused on the coastal areas of Goa, with decreased tourist activity inland. In 2004 there were more than 2 million tourists reported to have visited Goa, 400,000 of which were from abroad. The land away from the coast is rich in minerals and ores and
mining forms the second largest industry. Mining in Goa focuses on ores of
iron,
Bauxite,
manganese, clays,
limestone and
silica. The
Marmagao Port handled 31.69 million tonnes of cargo last year, and accounts for over 39% of India's Iron Ore exports.
Agriculture, while of shrinking importance to the economy over the past four decades, offers part-time employment to a sizable portion of the populace.
Rice is the main agricultural crop, followed by
areca,
cashew and
coconut. The fishing industry provides employment for about forty thousand people, though recent official figures indicate a decline of the importance of this sector and also a fall in catch, perhaps coupled with the fact that traditional fishing has given way to large-scale mechanised trawling. Medium scale industries include the manufacturing of
pesticides,
fertilisers,
tyres,
tubes,
footwear,
chemicals,
pharmaceuticals,
wheat products, steel rolling, fruits and fish canning, cashew nuts, textiles,
brewery products. Goa is also notable for its low liquor prices due to its very low
excise duty on
alcohol. Another source of cash inflow into the state comes from many of its citizens who work abroad and remit money to their families. Zuari Industries (2005 gross income Rs.36,302 million) and Sesa Goa (2005 gross income Rs.17,265 million) are two ''S&P CNX 500'' conglomerates which have corporate offices in Goa.
Transport
Goa's sole airport, the
Dabolim Airport, is both a military and civilian airport catering to domestic and international airlines that stop en route to other Indian destinations. In addition to regular flights, the airport handles a large number of chartered flights. Goa receives International flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Kuwait in the Middle East and from England, Germany and Russia during the charter flight tourist season. Dabolim airport is serviced by the following carriers - Air India, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, Kingfisher airlines, Go air, Spice jet, Jet Airways besides Charter flights from Thomas Cook (condor) etc.
Goa's
public transport largely consists of privately operated buses linking the major towns to rural areas. Government-run buses, maintained the
Kadamba Transport Corporation, links both major routes (like the Panjim–Margao route) and some remote parts of the state. In large towns such as Panjim and Margao, intra-city buses ply. However, public transport in Goa is less developed, and residents depend heavily on their own transport, usually motorised two-wheelers. Goa has two
National Highways passing through it. NH-17 runs along India's west coast and links Goa to Bombay in the north and
Mangalore to the south. NH-4A running across the state connects the capital Panjim to
Belgaum in east, linking Goa to cities in the
Deccan. The NH-17A connects NH-17 to
Mormugao Harbour from Cortalim, and the new NH-17B, once complete will be a four lane highway connecting Mormugao Harbour to NH-17 at another location, Verna, via
Dabolim airport. Goa has a total of of National highway, of state highway and 815 km of district highway.
Hired forms of transport include unmetered taxis, and, in urban areas,
auto rickshaws. A unique form of transport in Goa is the
Motorcycle taxi, operated by drivers who are locally called "pilots". These vehicles transport a single
pillion rider, at fares that are usually negotiated prior or after the journey (it is always better to ask locals on the correct fare before you try any negotiations yourself). In some places in Goa, there are river crossings which are serviced by the
ferry boats, operated by the river navigation departments. Goa has two
rail lines — one run by the South Western Railway and the other by the
Konkan Railway. The line run by the
South Western Railway was built during the colonial era linking the port town of Vasco da Gama with
Hubli in
Karnataka via Margao. The Konkan Railway line, which was built during the 1990s, runs parallel to the coast connecting Mumbai to the
Malabar Coast.
The Mormugao harbour near the city of Vasco handles mineral ore, petroleum, coal and international containers. Much of the shipments consist of minerals and ores from Goa's hinterland. Panjim, which is situated on the banks of the Mandovi, also has a minor port, which used to handle passenger
steamers between Goa and Mumbai till the late 1980s.
Demographics
A native of Goa is called a
Goan in English, 'Goenkar' in Konkani, 'Goês' (male) or
'Goesa' (female) in Portuguese, and a 'Govekar' in Marathi. Goa has a population of 1.344 million residents, making it India's fourth smallest (after Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh). The population has a growth rate of 14.9% per annum. There are 363 people for each square kilometre of the land. 49.77% of the population lives in urban areas. The sex ratio is 960 females to 1000 males.
Hinduism (65.8%),
Christianity (26.7%) and
Islam (6.8%) are the three main religions in Goa.
[6] Roman Catholicism reached Goa during the period of
European colonization, which began in 1498 when the Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama arrived on the
Malabar coast. There is also a small community of
Sikhs that make up 0.1% of the population. Goa's major cities include
Vasco,
Margao,
Marmagao (also known as Murgaon or Mormugão),
Panjim and
Mapusa. The region connecting the last four cities is considered a ''de facto''
conurbation, or a more or less continuous urban area.
The official language of Goa is
Konkani. Following the end of Portuguese rule, the most widely used languages are
Konkani and
Marathi.
[7] Konkani is the primary spoken language;
English and
Marathi for official, literary or educational purposes;
[8] and other languages including
Hindi and
Portuguese. Language is a controversial issue in Goa, over which an agitation was fought between two contending pro-Konkani and pro-Marathi camps between 1985–87. Most of the
Goans united and fought for Konkani as their mother tongue. After the agitation ended in 1987, a complex formula grants 'official language' status to Konkani, while Marathi is also allowed to be used "for any or all official purposes." Given the bitter rivalry between the two lobbies, clubbed with a maudlin issue has resulted in a stalemate over the actual implementation.
Portuguese, the earlier language of the elite, has been hit by shrinking numbers, though a small number still prefer it as the medium for discourse at home, and a few Portuguese books have even been published in recent years.
English, viewed as a language of opportunity and social mobility, is widely understood by the many of the state residents.
Culture
An example of traditional Portuguese-influenced Goan architecture.
Mangueshi Temple, a Hindu temple in Old Goa.
The most popular celebrations in Goa are
Christmas,
Easter Sunday,
Ganesh Chaturthi,
Divali,
New Year's Day,
Shigmo and the
Carnival. However, since the 1960s, the celebrations of the Shigmo and carnival have shifted to the urban centres, and in recent times these festivals are seen more as a means of attracting tourists. Celebrations for all festivals usually last for a few days and include parties and balls.
Western English songs have a large following in most parts of Goa. Traditional Konkani folk songs also have a sizable following.
Manddo, the traditional
Goan music which originated in the nineteenth century, is sung and danced on special occasions. Goa is also known for its
Goa trance music. In the year 2006, the AIR FM channel ran a program "Goa Top 10", which listed the most requested tracks of the week. During analysis, it emerged that the song "Faithful" by
Lobo had an unusually high, consistent popularity, in spite of not being a fresh track. Thus, this song is arguably Goa's favourite English song, and has been referred to as Goa's English anthem. It has been found that Goans have a preference for
pop music,
soft rock and
ballads over
hard rock,
hip-hop, etc.
Some traditional Goan dance forms are
dekhnni,
fugdi, and
corridinho.
Rice with
fish curry is the staple diet in Goa. Goa is renowned for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes.
Coconut and coconut oil is widely used in
Goan cooking along with
chili peppers,
spices and
vinegar giving the food a unique flavour.
Pork dishes such as
Vindaloo,
Xacuti and
Sorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Catholics. An exotic
Goan vegetable stew, known as
Khatkhate, is a very popular dish during the celebrations of festivals, Hindu and Christian alike. Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special
Goan spices that add to the aroma. A rich
egg-based multi-layered sweet dish known as
bebinca is a favourite at
Christmas. The most popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is
feni; Cashew feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut
feni is made from the sap of toddy palms.
Goa has two
World Heritage Sites: the
Bom Jesus Basilica and a few designated convents. The Basilica holds the mortal remains of
St. Francis Xavier, regarded by many Catholics as the patron saint of Goa (the patron of the
Archdiocese of Goa is actually the Blessed
Joseph Vaz. Once every decade, the body is taken down for veneration and for public viewing. The last such event was conducted in 2004. The Velhas Conquistas regions are also known for its Goa-Portuguese style architecture.
In many parts of Goa, mansions constructed in the Indo-Portuguese style architecture still stand, though in some villages, most of them are in a dilapidated condition.
Fontainhas in Panjim, has been declared a cultural quarter, and are used as a living museum showcasing the life, architecture and culture of Goa. Some influences from the Portuguese era are visible in some of Goa's temples, notably the
Mangueshi Temple, although after 1961, many of these were demolished and reconstructed in the indigenous Indian style.
Sports
A Football match in progress in a local field at Siolim
is perhaps the most popular sport in Goa and is embedded in Goan culture.
[ Football in Goa: Sport, Politics and the Portuguese in India, , James, Mills, Soccer & Society, 2001 ] Its origins in the state are traced back to 1883 when the visiting British priest Fr. William Robert Lyons established the sport as part of a "Christian education".
On
December 22,
1959 the ''Associacao Futebol de Goa'' was formed, which continues to administer the game in the state under the new name, Goa Football Association.
Goa, along with
West Bengal,and
Kerala.
is the locus of football in the country and is home to many football club in India's
National Football League, including three of the ten Premier Division teams.
[10] The state's football powerhouses include
Salgaocar,
Dempo,
Churchill Brothers,
Vasco Sports Club and
Sporting Clube de Goa. The state's main football stadium,
Fatroda (or Nehru stadium), is located at Margao and also hosts cricket matches.
[11]
In recent decades, a growing influence of
cricket is visible, in large part fueled by the massive coverage this sport gets on national television, thus making an impact even in a part of South Asia which hardly had any contact with the
British Empire. Goa now has its own
cricket team.
Field Hockey is the third most popular sport.
Government and Politics
Panaji, known as Panjim in English and earlier called Pangim in Portuguese times, and known in the local language as Ponnje is the administrative capital of Goa lying on the left bank of the Mandovi near Panaji. Goa's legislative capital is
Porvorim – the seat of the
Goa assembly, which lies across the Mandovi River. The state's judicial capital, however, is
Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay, which is the capital of Goa's neighbouring Maharashtra state), as the state comes under the
Bombay High Court. A bench of the High Court is present in Panaji. Goa contributes two seats to the
Lok Sabha and one to the
Rajya Sabha, in India's bicameral parliament. Unlike other states, which follow the British Indian model of civil laws framed for individual religions, the Portuguese
Uniform Civil Code, based on the
Napoleonic code, has been retained by the Goa government.
Goa has a
unicameral legislature consisting of a forty member
Legislative Assembly, headed by a
Chief Minister who wields the executive power. The present Chief Minister of Goa is Mr. Digamber Kamat. The ruling government consists of the party or coalition garnering the most seats in the state elections and enjoying the support of a
simple majority of the House. The governor is appointed by the
President of India. The governor's role is largely ceremonial, but plays a crucial role when it comes to deciding who should form the next government or in suspending the legislature as has happened in the recent past. After having stable governance for nearly thirty years up to 1990, Goa is now notorious for its political instability having seen fourteen governments in the span of the fifteen years between 1990 and 2005.
[12] In March 2005 the assembly was dissolved by the governor and
President's Rule was declared, which suspended the legislature. A by-election in June 2005 saw the Congress coming back to power after winning three of the five seats that went to polls. The
Congress party and the
BJP are the two largest parties in the state. In the assembly pole of 2007, Congress-led coalition won and started ruling the state.
[13] Other parties include the
United Goans Democratic Party, the
Nationalist Congress Party and the
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
Media and Communication
Main articles: Media in Goa
Goa is served by almost all television channels available in India. Channels are received through cable in most parts of Goa. In the interior regions, channels are received via satellite dishes.
Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster, has two free terrestrial channels on air.
DTH (
Direct To Home) TV services are available from
Dish TV,
Tata Sky &
DD Direct Plus. The
All India Radio is the only
radio channel in the state, broadcasting in both
FM and
AM bands. Two AM channels are broadcast, the primary channel at 1287 kHz and the Vividh Bharati channel at 1539 kHz. AIR's FM channel is called FM Rainbow and is broadcast at 105.4 MHz. Private FM radio channels available are
Big FM at 92.7 MHz,
Radio Mirchi at 98.3 MHz, and
Radio Indigo at 91.9 MHz. There is also an educational radio channel,
Gyan Vani, run by
IGNOU broadcast from Panaji at 107.8 MHz.
Goa has also started an independent 24 hours satellite TV channel called STV Goa News which gives news from all the different parts of the state and is presently beamed from the satellite Thaicom 5 and is a Free to Air (FTA) channel.
Major cellular service operators include
Reliance Infocomm,
Tata Indicom,
Hutch,
Bharti Airtel,
BSNL and
Idea cellular.
Local newspaper publications include the
English language '' The Herald'' (Goa's oldest, once a Portuguese language paper known as ''O Heraldo''), the ''
Gomantak Times'' and the ''
Navhind Times''. In addition to these, ''The
Times of India'' and the ''
Indian Express'' are also received from Bombay and Bangalore in the urban areas. Among the list of officially-accredited newspapers are ''The Navhind Times'', ''The Herald Times'' and ''The Gomantak Times'' (all in the English language) and ''Gomantak'', ''Tarun Bharat'', ''Navprabha'', ''Pudhari'', ''Goa Times'', ''Sanatan Prabhat'', ''Govadoot'' (all in Marathi), ''Sunaparant'' in Devanagiri-script Konkani. All are dailies. Other publications in the state include ''Goa Today'' (English-language, monthly), ''Goan Observer'' (English, weekly), ''Vavraddeancho Ixtt'' (Roman-script Konkani, weekly) ''Goa Messenger'', ''Gulab'' (Konkani, monthly), ''Bimb'' (Devanagiri-script Konkani), ''Harbour Times'', ''
Digital Goa'', and "J's House".
Education
According to the 2001 census, Goa has a
literacy rate of 82% with 89% of males and 76% of females being literate.
[ District-specific Literates and Literacy Rates, 2001 ] Each taluka is made up of villages, each having a school run by the government. However, many of the state's residents prefer to enroll in privately run schools, which offer better facilities. All schools come under the state
SSC whose syllabus is prescribed by the state Education department. There are also a few schools run by the all-India
ICSE board. Most students in Goa complete their high school using English as the medium of instruction. Primary schools, on the other hand are largely run in Konkani (in private, but government-aided schools). As is the case in most of India, enrollment for vernacular media has seen a fall in numbers in favour of English medium education.
After ten years of schooling, students join a
Junior College which offers courses in popular streams such as
Science,
Arts,
Law and
Commerce. Additionally, many join three year
diploma courses. Two years of college is followed by a professional degree. The
Goa University is the sole
university in the state located in
Taleigao and all
Goan colleges are affiliated to it. There are four
engineering colleges and one medical college in the state. The
Goa Engineering College and
Goa Medical College are run by the state whereas the other three engineering colleges are run by private organisations. The other private engineering colleges are
BITS Pilani Goa Campus, Shree Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, Shiroda, and
Padre Conceicao College of Engineering, Verna. There are also colleges offering
pharmacy,
architecture and
dentistry along with numerous private colleges offering
law,
arts,
commerce and
science.
Many residents, however, choose to take up courses in other states as the demand for a course in Goa is more than that available. Goa is also well-known in India for courses in
marine engineering,
fisheries, hotel management and
cuisine. The State also hosts a premier
business school - the
Goa Institute of Management which is autonomous and was founded in 1993 by
Fr. Romuald D'souza. Portuguese is taught in part of the school curriculum as a third language in some schools. The Goa University also offers Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Portuguese.
See also
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Patriarchate of the East Indies
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Timeline of Goan history
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Goa Trance
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Jan Huyghens van Linschoten
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Arambol
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Navelim
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Chinchinim
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Chapora Beach
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List of people from Goa
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List of Goan Christian surnames
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Houses of Goa
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Public squares in Goa
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Shanta Durga temple
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Saraswat cuisine
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Media in Goa
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Tourism in Goa
References
1. Goa
2. Marathi vs Konkani debate continues in Goa
3. Liberation of Goa
4. The Liberation of Goa: an Overview
5. Economy of Goa, from goenkar.com verified 2005-04-02.
6. http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/ 2001 Indian Census Data
7. Table 26: Three Main Languages in every State, 1991
8. The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani the sole official language, but provides that Marathi may also be used for "for all or any of the official purposes". The Government also has a policy of replying in Marathi to correspondence received in Marathi.
9. Goan football has little cause to look back
10. NFL Teams 2006/07
11. Nehru stadium
12. Odds stacked against Parrikar, Anil Sastry, ''The Hindu'', 2005-01-31, verified 2005-04-02
13. Congress set to rule Goa again Sanjay Banerjee
External links
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Government of Goa official website
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Goainformation
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