Been to Goa last year during the Independence Day weekend. But always wanted to visit again. So, when my family visited me in Hyderabad, we thought - why not Goa again?
Journey started from Kacheguda railway station in Hyderabad at 9.05pm. Had heard that this is a very picturesque ride through the Western Ghats – would include the night in the train and we would reach Madgaon between 2-4 pm the next day depending upon the weather in the Ghats.
At 3am in Guntakkal, our rakes got detached from Prasanthi Express (Bengaluru bound) and got linked to Amravathi Express (coming from Howrah). The train went through Madikera, Hospet and Hubbali and finally entered Goa. The ride between Londa and Castlerock station is usually 3hrs. That’s when the journey comes alive. For any forest/wild life lover, the journey is heavenly and is itself an experience. The long train meanders through the dense forest of Western Ghats and if you are lucky you can spot deer, monkeys, boars and birds. And of course, during the journey you will see multiple waterfalls including the famous Dudhsagar falls. You will pass through more a dozen tunnels too.
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| Somewhere in the Western Ghats |
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| Dense evergreen rain forest |
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| Train taking a meandering route |
At 4pm reached Madgaon and checked in our hotel. We could hear the roar of the waves and Colva beach was 3-5 mins walk. It is off-season and less crowded, so everything comes at a lesser cost and there is peace. Best part is - Goa is completely green during this time of the year and you literally smell the earth and vegetation. Everything is so pure and beautiful.
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| Amigo Plaza Hotel at Colva |
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| Colva Beach |
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| Clean and clear beach |
In the evening had a delightful supper at Kentuckee Seafood restaurant. We spent the evening at the beach, mostly resting and arranging the logistics for the next day’s trip.
Next day, we started around 9.30am. We intended to drive through North Goa to Aguada Fort and on the way back, plan to spend time in Panjim (Capital of Goa) and would be back after visiting cathedrals and temples.
It being a Sunday and offseason, there was hardly any traffic. The ride by the Mandovi River was truly refreshing. We decided to stop at Dona Paula – a film shooting destination and it’s here only that you saw Singham thrashing the goons. At this point Mandovi and Zuari meet rivers and merges into the Arabian Sea. Really beautiful place – there are options for boating and kayaking too. We were busy enjoying the view and taking snaps.
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| Ravaging waves at Dona Paula |
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| Crabs living on the edge |
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| Dona Paula Viewpoint |
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| The Men in the family |
We headed towards the Miramar beach situation right in the middle of Panjim. Always great to have such a beautiful beach in the city – if you don't believe, check with someone in Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Delhi.
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| Buying and Selling at Miramar Beach |
After a 40 min drive, reached the 17th century Aguada Fort. Strategically built at the mouth of the Mandovi river and overlooking the Arabian Sea, it was built to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas. It had docks for Portuguese ships as well as chambers for gunpowder, freshwater, bastion and also prisoner. The lighthouse was active until what 30 years when it was closed. After this tryst with the sea and the raw beauty of the sea, we headed back towards Old Goa. On the way - we had a sumptuous Goan lunch at Lembranca.
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| View from Aguada Fort |
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| Strategic view point to ward off invasion |
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| Inside the Aguada Fort |
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| The lighthouse |
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| Tourists taking a break after exploring the huge fort |
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| Light house was in operating state till 30 years ago |
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We headed towards the Basilica of Bom Jesus (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the adjoining Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina. Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the oldest churches in India. It contains the body of the St.Francis Xavier and is displayed in the public every 19 years, last it was displayed in 2014. The Saint is supposed to have a miraculous power of healing. Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese and it houses a “Golden Bell” one of the largest in the world. The churches also had their museums with several historical artifacts.
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| Inside Basilica of Bom Jesus with my father |
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| That's my brother - enjoying the beauty of the cathedral |
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| Basilica of Bom Jesus (top) |
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| Basilica of Bom Jesus - One of the oldest churches in India |
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| This is my second visit to the cathedral |
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| Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina |
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| The garden outside the cathedral was really well maintained |
Finally, we ended our day with the visit to Shanta Durga and Mangueshi temple. Shanta Durga temple, which is 450 years old, is situated at the base of the hill with lush green vegetation. The temple has pyramidal roofs with a dome, owing the European influence in the architectural styles. Mangueshi temple is also 450 years old dedicated to Lord Shiva.
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| Mangueshi temple dedicated to Lord Shiva |
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| The temple stationed in the lap of the hills |
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| The holy waters |
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| My ma at Shanta Durga temple |
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| Fusion of architecture styles: Indo -European |
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| The holy pond outside the Shanta Durga temple |
It was raining and we headed back to our base, chilled at the beach and had a finger licking dinner at Praie de Colva. Our sea food platter had it all be it crabs, lobsters, squids, prawns and what not!
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| Searching for the right place to dine |
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| Dinner Time! |
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| Goan crab curry |
We spent the next day exploring Colva. The Colvan population comprises mainly Indians and migrants from Portuguese Colonies such as Brazil, Mozambique, Guinean islands, Angola etc. Dialect is Konkani (saxtti). Other languages are Portuguese, English and Hindi. Colvans are primlarily Roman Catholic with some Hindus and Muslims. Tourism is one of the main source of income. Mostly people are fishermen and their staple food is rice and fish. ‘Bebinca’ – an egg-based multi-layered sweet dish is very famous here.
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| Colva Beach |
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| Simply beautiful |
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| Designs created by the waves |
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| It's another feeling to be at the beach just before the rains - ofcourse beware of the Tsunami! |
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| Just before the thunderstorm and the rain |
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| Tranquil Colva beach |
It was fun and very refreshing to spend 2-3 days in this lazy Goan village on the Arabian Sea. Enjoyed the spicy sea food and immersed in the local culture. Surely, Goa keeps calling me back!
