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Church of Our Lady of Rosary
In Velha Goa or Old Goa, crowning a hill, which was known as
the Holy hill, is one of the earliest churches, the Church of
Our Lady of Rosary. In Panajim or Panaji, as
Goa's capital is called today, the oldest Church is dedicated
to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. The huge Convent of
Santa Monica, dating from 1606, was the first
Nunnery in Asia. Today, after centuries of changing fortunes,
it has been restored and is once again a residential convent
The Rachol Seminary
The Rachol Seminary in South Goa has a chequered past.
Originally a Muslim fortress it was first converted by the
Portuguese into a church and later into a prison. In the
late 16th century, it acquired respectability as a seminary
for Theological Studies, with the Jesuits rechristening it
from College of All Saints to the College of St. Ignatius
Loyala, the name of their Founder.
The Se Cathedral
The Se Cathedral nearby is dedicated to St. Catherine, as it
was on her feast day, 25th November 1510 that Alfonso de
Albuquerque conquered Goa. Believers are awe-struck to hear of
the Cross of Miracles, which is placed in the cathedral, its
earlier church having been destroyed. People have had a vision
of Christ on this cross and the rock on which it was found was
said to spout water while, today, the cross is slowly growing.
Earlier, it was at Se Cathedral that the sacred relics of St.
Francis Xavier were shown to the public.
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
Not far away stands the beautiful whitewashed Church of St.
Francis of Assisi, which today houses part of the
archaeological museum. Exhibits include prehistoric items from
a distant tribal past as also reminders of Goa Dourada, Golden
Goa, also known as the 'Pearl of the Orient' or 'Rome of the
East' during its heyday. It was the concentration of
magnificent churches, symbol of a powerful conquering
presence, which justified this last title. In fact, the Church
of St. Cajatan, built by an Italian architect in 1651, was
modeled in miniature on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Today a
theological college is housed here. |
Goa by Rail
It is not difficult to reach Goa by trains, especially after
opening of the Konakan Railway that connects Margao and Vasco
da Gama to major cities in India. You can take trains from
Delhi 1,874 km), Mumbai (490km), and Bangalore (430 km) to
reach Goa comfortably. From the railway stations, you can hire
taxis and motorcycle taxis to reach the desired destinations.
Goa by Road
Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka state transport corporations
operate from the Kadamba bus stand at Panaji. Frank Shipping
operates a boat service between Mumbai and Panaji.
Moving around in Goa is quite easy. One can find bus as well
as car rental services. A unique experience is that of the
motorcycle taxi. Several ferry services are also available. |
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