Geography of Goa

A look into the geography of Goa will tell you that the geography of Goa is equally steeped in richness. Despite being a tourist’s haven, it has not lost its touch with its essential ethics.

Goa is located on the western coast of India in the Konkan coastal belt. It is a land of beaches and Infinite beauty. Mahaastra borders Goa on the north, Karnataka on the south and east.

On the west, the Arabian Sea forms a stretching coastline. Goa owes its fame to this very coastline. The Rivers Terekhol (Tiracol), Mandovi, Zuari, Chapora, Sal and Talpona weave their way through Goa, and are a useful for transporting Goa's main export commodity of Iron and Manganese ore to the Mormugao Harbour.

Apart from this practical use, these waterways further enhance the beauty of this exquisitely beautiful land. On their way to the coast, these waterways form estuaries, creeks and bays breaking the sandy, palm-fringed coastline.

Panaji (Panjim) is the state capital located on the banks of the Mandovi River and Vasco-da-Gama, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda are the other major towns.

The Sahyadri mountain range ensures an ample water supply for Goa. The sea and rivers too abound in seafood - prawns, mackerels, sardines, crabs and lobsters are the most popular with the locals and the visitors.

Goa became a major tourist destination – both nationally and internationally – after the Hippies arrived in the sixties. The tourist season in Goa begins in late September and carries on through early March.

The weather in these months is usually dry and cool. After that the weather gets fairly hot around May and by end of June, Goa receives the full blast of the Indian monsoon with sudden downpours and tropical thunderstorms.

However it is also during the monsoon that Goa is probably at its most beautiful, with greenery sprouting all around.

But then, Goa is much more than just beaches and sea. Much of the real Goa is in its interior – inside its buildings and away from the coastal area. The Hindu legends and mythology tell us that Lord Parshuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, created Goa.

Over the centuries various dynasties have ruled Goa – The Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Silaharas, Chalukyas, Bahamani Muslims and most famously the Portuguese. Goa was liberated by the Indian Army from Portuguese clutches on December 19, 1961. Goa became a Union Territory along with the enclaves of Daman and Diu. On May 30, 1987 Goa received statehood and became the 25th state of the Indian Republic.