Panaji
About the city
Panajim or Panaji's history goes back to the Purta Dharmas - the charitable deeds of Gandagopal Kelima whose grandfather Kalapa was entrusted with the administration of Panajim by the Kadamba king, Shasthadeva (1007-1050), a good and a glorious king who "by his works redressed all the wrongs in his kingdom". This is gathered from an inscription of the Kadamba king, Vijayaditya I, dated February 7, 1107, and refers to Panajim as Pahajani Khali - Pahajani from which Panajim supposedly got its name and Khali probably refers to the creeks and backwaters abounding in the area. The first few Portuguese chroniclers, soon after the conquest of Goa, refer to Panajim as Panaji or Ponji which is said to mean "Land that never gets flooded". According to one Portuguese philologist, the word Pongy is derived from Panch Yma Afsumgary or five wonderful castles where the Muslim king, Ismail Adil Shah, and his wives used to live. Its name was later changed by the Portuguese into Panajim. When Old Goa collapsed in the 19th century, Panajim was elevated to the status of a city on 22nd March 1843 and was renamed `Nova-Goa' (New Goa). After liberation in 1961, it came to be known as Panajim.Panajim originally was a neglected ward of Taleigao village. It was, in fact, a large coconut palm grove interspersed with ponds, backwaters, creeks, canals, sand dunes and paddy fields. The only conspicuous construction existing in the locality was the 15th century castle built by Adil Shah on the left margin of the Mandovi River.
On December 1, 1759, the Viceroy Dom Manuel de Saldanha de Albuquerque, Count Of Ega, shifted his residence from Panelim (near Old Goa) to Panajim. For this purpose, the old castle of Adil Shah was totally remodeled and a palace was built where, at present, the Government Secretariat stands. This has been the administrative and political seat of Government since then. It is here that the future of the State is decided and molded.
Panaji, the capital of the small but vibrant state of Goa, is a tiny city that packs in a large punch. The church on the main square, the Baroque architecture, pretty villas, cobbled streets and interesting buildings give Panaji a distinctly Portuguese ambience. The city lies along the left bank of the Mandovi River - piled up against terraced hills, a jumble of concrete buildings with whimsical balconies and red-tiled roofs, bleached clean churches and a riverside promenade that is just right for an evening stroll. The Old Portuguese quarter of Fontainhas, a charming section of town with its narrow cobbled streets, quaint taverns, tiny pubs and bars, is a nostalgic kickback to the days of yore.
For many centuries, Panaji was a simple Konkani port surrounded by marshes and defended by a hill-fort. The Portuguese corrupted the name of Panaji, which means "land that never floods," to Panjim. In 1843 it was made the state capital when Old Goa, the capital, silted up. The Portuguese did much to perk up Panjim, draining the surrounding marshes and raising public buildings over it, yet the new capital could not quite replicate the grandeur of Old Goa. However, Panjim has a friendly laidback atmosphere and a welcoming, cheerful soul unlike any other capital in the country.
Since Panjim is the first place to be seen when you land it Goa, its impressions remain etched in your mind. While Panjim does not have too many tourist spots in the way of monuments or well-known picnic sites, what it does have is a singularity of character that exudes a sense of hospitality.
St Francis Church Panaji is laid out in a typical grid pattern that is centered on a church square. It has beautiful, red roofed houses with stucco walls that are built in Latin style, and have well-laid gardens. Avenues lined with statues and trees add to the old world charm of this place.
As you drive into the city, even the newer monstrosities on Altinho can't erase the elegance of this old colonial town, with its shaded boulevards and heritage mansions. Adding a dab of Portugal to its shapely temples, and a touch of local levity into the haughty customs of the Iberians, Panjim's combined heritage is neither Portuguese nor Indian, but affirmatively Goan. The graceful Mandovi, tolerating all comers from laden barges to cruise boats full of noisy revellers, holds the history of Goa in its waters. Along the Mandovi the Portuguese sailed into what is now Old Goa, displacing the Adilshah of Bijapur and scattering the terrified local populace out of their imperious way. They stayed over for four centuries, in the bargain changing the landscape of Goa forever. Along the riverbank near Panjim, a white-washed church rises high out of the rich green paddy fields of Britona. The thick mangroves of Chorao dotted with birds crowd the river to the east. Across from the capital, boats full of holidaying revellers share the water with ferries from Betim Jetty. and, in the west, the ruined forts of Reis Magos and Aguada still keep a close watch on their river. This is a perfect picture of Goa, every inch covered with palm trees, every sleepy village full of character. and then there are the beaches. There's always something to discover around Panjim, where every beach, every village is a weekend destination in its own right. There's never enough time to exhaust all possibilities in the eternal Land of Good Times.