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Baga. It is a
fairly small town with mostly modern building spread around
the slopes of a small hillock called Altinho. It lies about 13
kms from the capital city of Panaji and on most days there is
hardly anything to entice the casual visitor to its environs.
Market in Mapusa
There is not much to see in Mapusa, aside from a raucous
Friday market that attracts various vendors and shoppers from
all over Goa. Unlike the Anjuna market it is a local event
where people shop for cheap clothing and produce, but you can
also find a few souvenirs and textiles here. Most of the items
are piled up in heaps on the sidewalks, with most of the
vendors being colourfully dressed womenfolk from the nearby
villages who come here to sell their produce. The market also
draws a large number of foreign tourists from the nearby beach
areas who come here to stock up on their provisions. |
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more famous
for its annual feast than for its architectural splendour.
Since the Church is located on the original site of an ancient
Hindu temple, the Hindu community also considers it sacred
area. Consequently, in a fine display of communal harmony that
exists in Goa, the annual feast held on the 16th day after
Easter is enthusiastically celebrated by Christians and Hindus
alike.
Lord Bodgeshwar Temple
The other famous shrine is that of Lord Bodgeshwar, located on
the outskirts of the town in the middle of some rice fields,
which is beautifully lit up at night and draws thousands of
devotees for its annual Jatra (festival).
Torda
Just 5 km north of Panaji, off the main road to Mapusa, is the
village of Torda, where you’ll find, on a traffic island,
Houses of Goa Museum. This extraordinary ship like building
houses a small but illuminating collection of materials
explaining the unique design and intricacies of Goa’s
traditional architecture. Inquire also about guided walks
through the mangroves surrounding the village. The easiest way
here is by auto rickshaw from Panaji.
How to reach Mapusa
By Road
Mapusa is the jumping off point from Mumbai for the northern
beaches. Mapusa is the pass through point for all the tourists
travelling to and from Goa to Mumbai, Pune and a number of
other destinations. Most local buses for all the nearby
beaches of Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, and
Arambol and other surrounding areas leave from the Kadamba bus
stand on the southwest edge of town.
By Rail
Thivim, about 12 kms. north-east of town, is the nearest
railway station on the Konkan railway. |
