Mangeshi temple, Goa

Introduction and history: The state of Goa is India’s smallest state in terms of area, which is located on the west coast of India, which is popularly known as ‘konkan’ coast. 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. Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. The temple of Shri Mangesh is located in a natural location with pleasant surroundings in Mangeshi along Goa’s Panaji-Ponda road. The temple architecture is a mix of Hindu, Christian and Muslim influences and is lit up in magnificent lights during the annual festival, which is held in January.

What to see and when to go: Goa is an excellent tourist destination where one can get to see a whole range of things starting from its beaches. Some of the main beaches include Anjuna, Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Colva, Majorda, Palolem, Benaulim and Bogmalo. It also has a huge number of temples, churches, forts, museums, sanctuaries. Under each category it offers a huge list of destinations. The humidity is at its highest in the summer and quite low from September to early March, which is the ideal time to visit the place.

Accommodation: Accommodation in Goa is plentiful with a variety of hotels, resorts and guest houses to suit every budget and every taste. There are simple and bare rooms available for the thriftiest of back-packers and five-star deluxe luxury suites for those that want to indulge their fancies. A decent budget hotel costs about 200 rupees per day.

Mode of transport: Goa is well connected by airline services to most major cities in India. All flights, national and international operate from the Goa Airport. Goa has two major railway stations (Margao and Vasco-da-Gama), both located in the southern area of the state. The South Central Railway terminus is at Vasco-da-Gama and the Konkan Railway terminus is at Margao. Besides the two main stations, the trains usually halt for a few minutes at a number of other smaller stations in Goa. Goa has a unique and very popular mode of transport known as a ‘pilot’.

Related links:
• Mangeshi temple: http://www.shrimangesh.org/
• Goa tourism: http://www.goatourism.org/