Panaji in Goa

Panaji, the capital of Goa and headquarters of North Goa District, is a small and charming city on the banks of the river Mandovi. Connected to the mainland by bridges, Panaji is dotted with beautiful, red-roofed houses, built in Latin style, modern houses, well laid gardens, statues and avenues lined with Gulmohar, Acassia and other trees. A view from atop Altinho (Hill Top) gives quiet an enthralling spectacle of the city.

Then and Now
The origin of the name Panaji or Panjim has many explanations. Its history goes back to the Purta Dharmas - the charitable deeds of Gandagopal Kelima whose grandfather Kalapa was entrusted with the administration of Panajim by the Kadamba king, Shasthadeva (1007-1050). This is gathered from an inscription of the Kadamba king, Vijayaditya I, dated February 7, 1107, and refers to Panajim as Pahajani Khali - Pahajani from which Panajim supposedly got its name and Khali probably refers to the creeks and backwaters abounding in the area. The first few Portuguese chroniclers, soon after the conquest of Goa, refer to Panajim as Panaji or Ponji which is said to mean "Land that never gets flooded". According to one Portuguese philologist, the word Pongi is derived from "Panch yma afsumgary" or "Five magnificent castles" which reportedly belonged to Sultan Adil Shah. The Portuguese called the city "Panaji" and after liberation in 1961, it came to be known as Panjim.

Panaji originally was a neglected ward of Taleigao village. It was, in fact, a large coconut palm grove interspersed with ponds, backwaters, creeks, canals, sand dunes and paddy fields. The only conspicuous construction existing in the locality was the 15th century castle built by Adil Shah on the left margin of the Mandovi River.

On December 1, 1759, the Viceroy Dom Manuel de Saldanha de Albuquerque, Count Of Ega, shifted his residence from Panelim (near Old Goa) to Panajim. For this purpose, the old castle of Adil Shah was totally remodeled and a palace was built where, at present, the Government Secretariat stands. This has been the administrative and political seat of Government since then. It is here that the future of the State is decided and molded.

Today, Panjim is not only the state capital, but also an educational, commercial and cultural center of Goa. The Goa Medical College used to be situated here (since moved to Bambolim ) and so does the Goa College of Pharmacy, the Goa College of Art, and the Government Polytechnic. The Dhempe College of Arts and Sciences is situated in nearby Miramar. It boasts of a cultural center - Kala Academy, and a number of theater complexes.

Places of tourist interest
Panjim or Panaji, the capital of Goa, may not house any great structures and well-known places of tourist attraction, but the town surely oozes with character. For any tourist planning to travel to Goa it is more than enough reason to have a look around for the sheer pleasure of it. Moreover, Panaji is also the travel hub of Goa and this is the first place to be touched up while you are landing in Goa. The town of Panaji is laid out in typical grid pattern, centered on a church square. It is a charming city on the left bank of the silvery Mandovi River. It has beautiful, red roofed houses with stucco walls built in Latin style, well laid gardens, statues and avenues lined with trees. The Church Square or Largo de lgreja is the focal point. The Church of the Immaculate Conception, designed in Portuguese Baroque style was modeled on the church at Reis Magos. The image of Lady of Fatima can be found in one of the altars.

The Idalcao or Adilshahi Palace was rebuilt by the Portuguese Viceroy Jeronimo de Azevedo. It is part of the sequence of handsome buildings, which has now become the secretariat. At Cabo, on the western tip lies the Raj Niwas which was built in mud and laterite with beautifully landscaped gardens.

Other attractions in Panaji are the library, Braganza Institute, Jama Masjid, Mahalaxmi Temple, St Thome quarter, and Sebastian Chapel.

How to travel

By Air: Travel to Goa by air is reasonably good as Goa is serviced by the international/national Dabolim Airport located on the outskirts of Panaji. Dabolim Airport is well connected with other places in India with regular flights operated by major Indian carriers like Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, and Sahara Airlines from Mumbai (Bombay), Bangalore, Cochin, Delhi, Chennai (Madras), Mangalore and Trivandrum. It also welcomes good number of charter flights directly flying from Europe.

By Rail: Panaji is connected with Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Pune, Secunderabad, and Jaipur. Madgaon is the nearest railway station. Advance reservation can also be made at the Railway Out Agency at the Panaji Bus Terminus.