Panaji or PanjimIn brief about Panaji in Goa IndiaPanaji (Panjim) Facts Location: The capital of Goa lies on the south bank of the Mandovi in Tiswadi Taluka in Central Goa, 593 km south of Mumbai. Getting There Ferries : Ply between Panjim and Betim, Ribander and Chorao Island from 7 am to 7 pm Things to See and Do in Panaji or (Panjim)Any resident will tell you that Panjim is a walker’s paradise. There are treelined avenues and promenades and the best possible walking areas are any of the quiet winding lanes on Altinho. Favourite times to walk through Panjim are sunny mornings or evenings in the monsoon. I’d recommend a pair of comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water.All roads lead to Church Square, dominated by the towering Immaculate Conception Church at the heart of Panaji, so this is a good place to begin. Turn your back to the church and face the Municipal Garden. Emidio Gracia Road goes behind the church immediately to the left, leading straight to the heritage precinct of Fontainhas and continuing down to the Ourem Creek, where it meets the Rua de Ourem, which runs down to the Patto Bridge. The next left from the church is Boca de Vaca Road which leads up to the Mahalaxmi Temple, the Boca de Vaca spring and into Altinho. The road straight ahead is 18th June Road, one of Panaji’s busiest. It goes almost all the way up to Campal near Miramar Beach in south-west Panaji, where it meets MG Road, Jose Falcao Road is on your right, and leads straight to the Mhamai Kamat House and Abbe Faria statue, on the east end of MG Road, MG Road begins at the entrance to Panaji from Ribander and skirts Panaji all the way to Campal. Mirroring the curve and length of MG Road is the waterfront Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, which begins at the Ribander end as Avenida Dom Joao Castro. AltinhoThis hill (pronounced Aal-teenyu), is at the centre of Panaji, and rises gently from the river and sea fronts. It was originally a long ridge called Oiteiro de Conceicao or Hill of Conception. Today it looks like two hills after a road was cut through. This 302-m long section, known as Corte de Oiteiro, was cut through the ridge to connect the residential area of Fontainhas to Altinho.The tree-lined heights and quiet winding lanes of Altinho offer spectacular view of the capital city and its waterfront. There are no shops, light traffic and fascinating old mansions and town houses belonging to some of Goa’s oldest families, bungalows of government ministers, bureaucrats and the Bishop’s Palace. Bishop’s Palace, AltinhoIf you are in Goa on Christmas Eve, you must attend the open-air Christmas Mass in the courtyard of the Bishop’s Palace, built in 1894. The service is conducted under a star-spangled sky with a cool breeze blowing through the casuarinas the line the courtyard. A larger-than-life statue of Jesus Christ holds his arms out to the congregation. At the stroke of midnight December 25, star lanterns stung up in the trees light up and Mass begins.Walk up the stone flagged steps to the palace, which has twelve crosses commemorating the Stations of the Cross, tracing Christ’s walk up Calvary to his crucifixion. This stairway dates back to 1886, when Dom Valente, the first Patriarch of Goa decided he wanted a separate palace for himself, away from diseased and dying Old Goa. Jogger’s Park, AltinhoFurther up the Altinho Hill is Jogger’s Park. The view is even better from here. Jogger’s Park has two main roads leading away from it. The one going east takes you to Bhatlem and Mala and a truly beautiful Maruti Temple which is lit up at night. The road going west takes you down to Campal and Kala Academy.The Travelling GoddessA short walk down the road is the cow-shaped Boca de Vaca Spring with its clear, sweet water that people in the neighborhood still use for drinking. Near the spring is the Mahalaxmi Temple, which dates back to 1818. The deity has done a lot of traveling. Brought to Goa in the 16th century by traveling Brahmins, it was carried from place to place within Goa to escape desecration at the hands of the Portuguese. It was later taken by one Raghavendra Mhamai Kamat from a stable in Taleigao to his house, the Mhamai Kamat house by the Panaji waterfront. Kamat then took the deity to Mayem in Bicholim Taluka, where it stayed until 1817, when his descendant Narayan Mhamai Kamat had a dream about the deity. Taking this as a sign that Mahalaxmi wanted him to take her home, he brought the idol back to Panaji, and took permission to build this temple which was completed in 1819. The original deity lies in a small box in the rear wall of the temple, facing the present day main idol of Mahalaxmi.Kala AcademyDesigned by Charles Correa, Kala Academy is intriguing in its use of structure and space. There is an auditorium named after Dinanath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar’s father, who hailed from Goa. There are also two mini theatres for theatre workshops, an open air theatre, a recording studio, a music library, art gallery, practice rooms, visitors rooms, a canteen with no walls that looks out onto a pretty garden and the river beyond, and exhibitions halls. At any given time, you’ll find some of Goa’s finest artistes and stage personalities sipping a cup of coffee here. Kala Academy taps and promotes local musical and dramatic talent by holding festivals throughout the year. It is also the new venue of the prestigious International Film Festival, moved to Goa permanently from New Delhi.Location: DB Bandodkar Road, next to the Children’s Park, Campal. The Panaji RiverfrontWell east on the riverfront road from the Kala Academy are some of the city’s most well-known sights and the Panjim Jetty, where small craft like barges, yachts and trawlers snooze in the sun. Here is where you’ll find the Caravela, a floating casino that cruises the Mandovi. Apart from the casino, they have a full service bar and restaurant, as well as entertainment with a live band on the top deck.A little further is the statue of Abbe Faria, the brain behind the Pinto Revolt of 1787 that attempted to overthrow the Portuguese. It failed and the fled to France, while 13 of his co-conspirators were hanged in the public area opposite the GPO. The statue outside the Idalcao Palace shows Abbe Faria hypnotizing a woman. Adil Shah’s palace, corrupted to Idalcao in Portuguese, is next to the Abbe Faria statue. This is Panaji’s oldest surviving building, built by the Sultan of Bijapur. The palace was remodeled in 1759 for the use of the Viceroy, the Count of Ega. The moat encircling the palace was filled and made into a road. Post liberation, it morphed into Goa’s Secretariat, legislative assembly and other government offices. The legislative assembly has since moved to its new location across the Mandovi. Opposite the Idalcao Palace stands the Mhamai Kamat House, the ancestral home of Raghavendra Mhamai Kamat, who built the Mahalaxmi Temple. The temple still houses the original deity brought to Goa in the 16th century by traveling Brahmins. Boat Cruises in PanajiA stay in Panaji is incomplete without a ride on one of Goa Tourism’s Santa Monica cruise boats that take you either west to see the sunset, or east to the island of Chorao. There is generally a live band playing and everyone’s nice and jolly, but the best part of the cruise is floating down the river, especially during the Christmas – New Year season when Panaji’s entire riverfront is outlined in fairy lights. If the cruise is an early evening one, grab a seat in the front of the ferry and watch the banks of the River Mandovi roll smoothly past.Cruise Fee : Rs. 100 per head GTDC also offers other boating trips from Panjim Jetty. On Tuesdays and Fridays, take a backwater trip which includes a guided tour of a spice plantation with lunch, a soft drink and snacks for Rs. 550 per head. On Saturdays they offer a dolphin-spotting trip for Rs. 250 per head, including a soft drink and snack. Goa Carnival CelebrationPanjim comes alive during the Carnaval (Carnival) to celebrate the last days of meat-eating before the season of Lent. Shigmo, with its parade of floats and performers, coincides with Holi. The city at night is draped in a mantle of fairy lights for Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali celebrations and Christmas. Shopping in Panaji or (Panjim)Browse through the Panjim Corporation Market in Campal. You get everything here from local and exotic fruit and veggies to fish. The fisherwomen are fascinating; true aristocrats, they know they have what every Goan craves – fish. Buyers come to eye fat tiger prawns, mackerel, kingfish, squid, crabs, pomfret, mussels, oysters… the list if endless, the odours rich. The Goan fisherwomen treat all supplicants with equal disdain. There are also stalls selling clothing, shoes, bags, electronic items, spices, flowers and sweets.For branded shopping, head to colourful MG Road, which is also where you’ll find all the liquor and wine shops. Where to stay in Panaji / Hotels in PanajiAll travelers will find something to suit their budget in Panaji. Take your pick: five-star and three-star hotels in Panaji Goa, inns, guest houses, lodges, dorminatories, apartments on rent by the day for the season.The Mandovi, is by far the best option. It offers a spectacular view of the Mandovi River meeting the Arabian Sea from the top floor. Its Rio Rico bar is the most happening night-spot in Panjim. Hotel Delmon, is a good hotel well-located near the shopping areas of MG Road and 18th June Road on Caetano Alberquerque Road. It has 50 rooms. Hotel Nova Goa is also near the shopping areas, on Dr Atmaram Borkar Road. A very popular hotel with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym, games and Ayurvedic treatment. Hotel Park Plaza, a short walk from the Menezes Braganza Institute and Betim Ferry Crossing, near the Dom Lourenco Chapel, is an excellent choice, offering Don Lorenza Restaurant, sightseeing tours and boat cruises. Hotel Manvins, at the Municipal Gardens in Church Square has an excellent location for those walking tours. It has a popular disco. Hotel Menino Regency, near the Jama Masjid on DD Vaidya Road is also a good choice, with 45 comfortable rooms. Palacio De Goa, is on Gama Pinto Road in Santa Inez, a short walk from the Kala Academy GTDC’s. Panaji Residency, is centrally located, a short walk from the secretariat and riverfront. Inns like Panjim Inn and guest houses like Afonso Guest House both in Fontainhas, the Latin Quarter of Panjim are very popular with foreign tourists. Panjim Inn has an in-house restaurant while Afonso Guest House provides breakfast. Where to Eat in Panaji or (Panjim)The best vegetarian food with an Oriental twist is to be found at Shiv Sagar near Don Bosco’s school. Good South Indian food is offered at Kamat’s, near the Church Square, and also at Rajdhani on Dr Dada Vaidya Road. For non veg, among the best options in George Bar and Restaurant at Church Square. Order a plate of sausage-pao and wash it down with chilled beer.Just round the corner next to Progress High School is Chicky Chocky, famous for sizzlers and pizza. Sahara Restaurant, opposite the Municipal Gardens near Church Square on Cunha Rivara Road has a similar menu as Hotel Sagar. Lucky, it’s associated restaurant next door, has halal biryani and Mughlai dishes. Rio Rico of Hotel Mandovi, is an old favourite, as is Quarterdeck. Goenchin, Panaji’s best address for Chinese, is also run by Hotel Mandovi, but at a separate location near the Mahalaxmi Temple on Dr Dada Vaidya Road. You must have the Hakka and fried noodles and Supreme Bawa rice. Butter chicken and Peshawari murgh are top choices at Sher-e-Punjab, opposite the Panaji Municipal Garden on 18th June Road. Avoid lunch hour if you don’t like crowds because many of the day-tour buses bring their charges here. Branco Restaurant and Bar, is up on the Taleigao Road in Tambdi Matti. Orlando and Eloy Branco’s specialty is prawn curry. They’ve opened a pub here for the 2004 season. Delhi Darbar Restaurant, is a landmark in itself on Panaji’s throbbing MG Road. It doesn’t have Goan, but great Mughlai and Kebabs and a good selection of imported wine. Barnabe Sapeco’s Hotel Sagar just above Geeta Bakery on Market Road, near the Police Station, has a fantastic pomfret recheado. Just what you want after hectic sightseeing. The prawn curry is also a must try. Hotel Venite, at the riverside end of 31 January Road, bang opposite the Court, is sadly no longer a hotel. But no need to be sorry, for its rooms are being used to expand the bar. The menu here is huge – Venite has authentic Goan, Portuguese and Mediterranean. The Loft Sapeco Restaurant and Bar, down the road from Venite near the GPO, also has a large menu. Try the vindaloo, and anything in chicken and fish. Avanti Restaurant and Bar, near the Patto Bridge on Rua de Ourem has Goan and Portuguese dishes. Particularly nice are the balchao and vindaloo. Viva Panjim, is an excellent Goan cuisine option in Fontainhas, near Mary Immaculate Convent. Around Panaji or (Panjim)Alto de Porvorim Salvador do Mundo A circular staircases takes you up to the top of what the villagers affectionately refer to it as “The Titanic”. The curator is architect Gerard da Cunha. He has stocked the museum with models and panels of old Goan houses and ancient household artifacts, donated from some of the oldest homes in Goa. The top level is an auditorium where da Cunha delivers lectures on houses of Goa in the evenings. The visitor’s book includes fulsome praise from the Governor and Chief Minister. Afterwards, walk down through a 400-year old forest of mangroves until the shore, where one can fish, or one can take a boat-ride to the island of Chorao and the riches of the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary. Above are the complete information on Panaji (Panjim) in Goa. Hope you got complete information on Panaji (Panjim), capital city of Goa India Return from Goa Panaji page to Goa-Holidays-and-Hotels Home Page
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