Tara Leisure Travel Pvt Ltd

30/12/2014

07/11/2014

Dudhsagar Falls (meaning Sea of Milk)

is a four-tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River. It is 60 km from Panaji by road and is located on the Madgaon-Belgaum rail route about 46 km south of Madgaon and 60 km north of Belgaum. Dudhsagar Falls is amongst India's highest waterfalls with a height of 310 m(1017 feet) and an average width of 30 metres (100 feet).

Lower half of Dudhsagar FallsThe falls is located in the Bhagwan Mahaveer sanctuary and Mollem National Park along the Western ghats. The waterfall forms the border between Karnataka and Goa states. The area is surrounded by a deciduous forests with a rich bio diversity. The falls are not particularly spectacular during the dry season but during the monsoon season however, the falls are fed by rains.

01/11/2014

Fort Aguada

The fort was constructed in 1613 to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas. It was a reference point for the vessels coming from Europe at that time. This old Portuguese fort stands on the beach south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi River. It was initially tasked with defense of shipping and the nearby Bardez sub district.

A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop by. This is how the fort got its name: Aguada, meaning Water. Crews of passing ships would often visit to replenish their fresh water stores. On the fort stands a four-storey Portuguese lighthouse, erected in 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia. Built in 1612, it was once the grandstand of 79 cannons.

It has the capacity of storing 2,376,000 gallons of water, one of the biggest freshwater storages of the time in whole of Asia. This fort is divided in two segments: the upper part acted as fort and watering station, while the lower part served as a safe berth for Portuguese ships.Fort Aguada was the most prized and crucial fort of Portuguese. The fort is so large that it envelops the entire peninsula at the south western tip of Bardez.

30/10/2014

Sunset Cruises

This is an hour long cruise which takes guests out on a leisurely sail down the River Mandovi from the Santa Monica jetty in Panaji. While the vessel sails serenly down the river past the beautiful Adil Shah Palace that was once the first building in Panjim City.

While you sail down the river local boys and girls treat you to some Goa's best known folk dances, the dekhni and the fugdi. They sing mandos and finally give over centrestage to live musicians or a DJ and the guest can then sing and dance and generally make merry. This cruise is a huge success with people of all ages, men, women and children.

The cruise then takes you past the Panjim riverfront past the jetty and old colonial buildings on past the Promenade with its lovely tree lined avenues past Miramar where you sit and watch one of Goa's spectacular sunsets. You can see the spread of the Mormugao Port and the mass of the Aguada Fort and as the shadows lengthen you find yourself transported back in history.

29/10/2014

Beaches in Goa

Goa's beaches cover about 125 kilometres (78 mi) of its coastline. These beaches are divided into North and South Goa. The North Goa beaches are Anjuna, Arambol, Baga, Bambolim, Calangute, Candolim, Chapora, Dona Paula, Miramar, Morjim, Sinquerim and Vagator, these are more commercial and touristy with an abundance of mostly low and medium budget tourist accommodations.

South Goa is where most higher–end hotels and private beaches are located. The south Goa beaches are Agonda, Benaulim, Bogmalo, Canaguinim, Cavelossim, Colva, Majorda, Mobor and Palolem. A notable exception in South Goa is Palolem Beach which features basic accommodation and is one of the most visited beaches in Goa.

The further north or south you go, the more isolated the beaches get. Some of the more popular beaches are Colva, Calangute, Baga and Anjuna. These beaches are lined with shacks that provide fresh sea food and drinks. Some shacks arrange special events to attract more customers. Below: Anjuna, Calangute, Palolem, Baga and Colva beach.

28/10/2014

St. Francis Xavier

The Relics of Saint Francis Xavier's are found in the old capital of Goa, Old Goa. They are kept in a silver casket, elevated inside the Bom Jesus Basilica and are exposed (being brought to ground level) every 10 years, the 450+ year old sacred body of St Francis Xavier is brought down and the case displayed for veneration for pilgrims in Se Cathedral, Old Goa. The Pope Francis is also expected to visit Goa in November for this event. The last exposition was held in 2004 from 21 November 2004, till 2 January 2005. It was the 16th exposition to be held in succession. The XVII Solemn Exposition of the sacred relics will be held this year in 2014, beginning from 22 November and concluding on January 4th, 2015.

Relics of Saint Francis Xavier are also found in the Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit) Church, Margão, in Sanv Fransiku Xavierachi Igorz (Church of St. Francis Xavier), Batpal, Canacona, Goa and at St. Francis Xavier Chapel, Portais, Panjim.

23/10/2014

Continued....
History of Goa: Early Origins....

The Portuguese in Goa

The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut, in present day Kerala in 1498. This discovery and the establishment of a new sea route to India around the Cape of Good Hope gave an impetus to to the Portuguese who wanted very much to exploit it to their advantage and profit from it. They soon realized that they had to have a permanent trading post established to effectively do so. Repeated attempts to do just that along the malabar coast ( controlled by the Zamorin of Calicut) of India proved difficult and finally they decided to try their luck northwards along the coast.

In 1510 under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque they laid siege upon Goa, then under Sultan Adil Shah of Bijapur. On February 17th he entered the city of Goa for the first time and met little resistance as the Sultan was engaged with his forces elsewhere. Sultan Adil Shah soon came after him with a vengeance and and on May 23rd 1510 Alfonso de Albuquerque had to flee the city of Goa. Determined to win it for good, Alfonso de Albuquerque made another attempt a few months later with the help of a Hindu Chieftain called Timoja . This time his timing could not have been more than perfect. Sultan Adil Shah had just died and the heir to the throne was the infant Ismail Adil Shah. Ela or the city of Goa was under Rasul Khan, one of his generals. After an initial attack on the Arsenal and a quick and bloody battle, Alfonso de Albuquerque victoriously entered the city of Ela, Goa on St. Catherine's Day, November 25th 1510 .

As revenge for his earlier defeat, he massacred and decimated all of the city's Muslim population over the next three days. He however spared the Hindu population and appointed Timoja as his Thanedar. By 1543, the Portuguese were able to extend their control over Salcette, Mormugao and Bardez, thus ending their first phase of expansion into Goa. The territories of Ilhas, Salcette, Mormugao and Bardez formed part of the Portugal's "Velhas Conquestas" or Old Conquests, and formed only one fifth of the total area of modern Goa. By this time, Goa became the jewel of Portugal's eastern empire.

21/10/2014

Continued....
History of Goa: Early Origins....

Muslim Conquest

In 1350 AD, Goa was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate, which brought about complete destruction to Goa, its temples and its institutions. The invaders, driven by fanatic zeal destroyed temples, murdered priests and systematically looted their wealth. Many deities got moved to safer areas, only one survives to this very day- the Shree Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla.

However in 1370, the Vijayanagar empire, a resurgent Hindu empire situated at modern day Hampi, reconquered the area. The Vijayanagar rulers held on to Goa for nearly a century, during which time its harbours were important port of arrival for Arabian horses on their way to Hampi to strengthen the Vijaynagar cavalry.

In 1469 Goa was reconquered by the Bahmani Sultans of Gulbarga.The Bahaminis created a new city to facilitate trade on the northern banks of the river Mandovi, a city they called Ela. When this Sultanate broke up in 1492, the Bahmani Kingdom split into five kingdoms, namely Bidar, Berar, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Bijapur. Goa became a part of Adil Shah's Bijapur Sultanate, which established Goa Velha as its second capital. The former Secretariat building in Panaji is a former Adil Shah palace, later taken over by the Portuguese Viceroys as their official residence. (Pic: Adil Shah Palace in Panjim and Shree Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla)

20/10/2014

History of Goa: Early Origins....

Goa was ruled by several dynasties of various origins, not as a singular kingdom but rather, several different kingdoms from the 1st century BC to 1500 AD.It was governed by absolute rulers and local chieftains whose boundaries were not clearly defined. There was no organised judicial system in those days although there may have been more order during Muslim rule. Some of these Dominions were:

Kadambas of Goa

The Kadambas ruled Goa from the 10th to 14th centuries. In the beginning, the Kadambas ruled only Sashti and a small part of Konkan. They ruled from Chandor, over a large part, but the port of Gopakapattana was not included in the early years. The Goa Kadambas were the later scions of the main Kadamba Dynasty, whose modern descendants still live in Goa. (pic: ruins of Gopkapattana in Agassaim, Goa)

18/10/2014

About Goa......

Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in West 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. Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole.[4] It was ranked the best placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.

Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is the largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. Goa is a former Portuguese colony, the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.

Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.

17/10/2014

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is an important bird sanctuary in India. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is at walking distance from the ferry ghat. Mandovi River is the nearest river to the island. Along this river, the western tip of the island is the best place to spot colorful birds and to enjoy the wonderful aspects of the nature. The bird sanctuary is named after India's famous ornithologist, Sir Salim Ali. The local and themigratory birds make it an ideal destination for the bird lovers and nature lovers. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary consists of mangrove forest plantations and mangrove scrubs along the small stretch of land of Mandovi and Mapusa River, and along the Cumbarjua Canal. These water bodies are the homeland for various amphibians and crocodiles. Starting from water fowls to migratory birds, all kinds of birds can be found here. There are some resident birds and these birds are looked after by the sanctuary, so that they can grow and regenerate in their natural habitat. The watch tower is the best place from where tourists can have a good view of the birds. The Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary remains open throughout the year and prior permission is needed from the Chief Wild Life Warden of the Forest Department, Panaji. Dusk and dawn are the best times for bird watching, apart from that nature walks are the best way to spot birds on the tree branches and tree-tops.