Goa Currency – Rupees
When Goa grew as a major tourist center for India, all information about Goa became highly important. When tourists visit Goa in large numbers, they will be looking for reliable and trust worthy information on all aspects of high importance to Goa. Information that is highly important is the currency of Goa.
Goa uses the currency of the nation called India. The currency of India and hence Goa is known as rupee. The value of rupee is told in paise and 100 paise forms one Indian Rupee.
You will get Goan currency in various denominations including 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. you will also get coins for Rs.5, Rs.2, Rs.1, 50 paise, 25 paise etc. the rupee notes for 2 and 1 are rare to find in Goa. You will have to be extremely careful in handing the currency notes of 500 and 100. They have a similar appearance which will make people confused when using this.
You will never be allowed to take the currency of Goa outside the borders of India. You will never be permitted to purchase in Indian Rupees in the foreign countries as well. Whenever you arrive Goa or any other airport of India from a foreign country, you should get the foreign currencies exchanged for Indian Rupees there itself. You can approach any State Bank of India branch for this and you will get the exchange done for a low exchange rate.
Money exchange can also be done from the hotels, resorts or private changers. You can cross check the exchange value before trying for an exchange into Goan currency.
Goa Love For Music
Goa is a land of wonders with enough elements with it to bring tourists. This includes the beautiful culture, religions, dance and of course music of Goa.
Goa has a unique style of music. This is in born in the blood of every Goan. In fact this is there in them ever since they are brought up by their parents. The Goan schools also encourage music of all kinds. This mainly included singing, playing instruments along with creating beats.
Goans show a great interest to listen to music all the day round, even at houses and special occasion. In fact they can’t even imagine a day or festival without music. All Goan festivals are related to some kind of music. One of their main entertainments is dance and each Goan dance has a different and unique music connected to it.
Another interesting thing about the Goans love for music is that, they love and encourage all classes of music. This includes the western, classical and mix styles. Their band music is a fusion of all these wonders in Goan music. It is not something that they use only during the night parties. But Goans consider music as a special essence of life.
The love of music by Goans has highly contributed to the growth of tourism in this land. People were attracted to the rhythm of music seen in Goa. This was particularly one of the main reasons why tourism flourished on the Goan beaches. Still then Goans didn’t consider this only as a means of earning money.
Goa Religions Are Clearly Blended
Goa has always tried to go hand in hand with their culture and history which have influenced their life so strongly. Such a living is seen in the religious harmony found in Goa. The blend of religions is praise worthy that Goa is never facing any kind of problems related to religious beliefs and customs.
The total population of Goa can be divided based on religion as Hinduism – 65%, Christianity – 30%, Muslims – 3% and Sikhs – 2%. It was the rule by the Portuguese that brought a great change in the religious thoughts of Goans. There have been a rapid growth of Christianity and many Hindus converted into Christians which had a great effect in the religious history of Goa.
At the same time, Goa cannot be considered to be purely filled by Christians. There are temples and churches on the same line which is the clear evidence of the beautiful blending of religions in Goa. All religions celebrate all festivals and feasts together in Goa. The beliefs are over came by their spirits to join together and enjoy the beauty of all celebrations that are part of the culture and tradition of Goa.
When you visit this beautiful tourist spot, you will find Hindus in churches, Muslims celebrating Hindu functions and Christians going for Hindu festivals. Goans exhibit a firm faith and trust in the custom and tradition of other religions too which added to the expansion of the fame of Goa to other countries as well.
How To Move In Goa
Goa is a favorite tourist destination for local and foreign tourists. This tourist importance to Goa came from various important attractions of Goa including culture, religion, music and dance. This relevance for tourism increased the importance for guiding people with details on how to move in Goa.
Soon after you land in Goa, you must choose accommodation in a suitable place so that, you will be able to reach all places of Goa with minimum travel. The mode of transport can be selected depending on the places you are planning to visit. Some of the places have a specialty in Goa that you will be able to reach such places in scooter or cycle. In such cases, you can try to get a bike for rent and try for an adventurous trip which will add color to the whole journey.
Most of the hotels in Goa are easily accessible from the center of Goa as well as important destinations in Goa. They will even arrange a trip to every nook and corner of this beautiful city. The beaches of Goa are another important place to visit in Goa. Some of the beaches are connected in a way that you can walk through the sandy shores and reach the next beach.
You will get maps of Goa where you will be able to get information on Goa. This will include details including the important tourist locations and the distances between them. You will find the ways in which these places can be reached from the major centers of Goa.
Map Of Goa – Showing Goan Beauty
Goa is famous outside the borders of India as the most beautiful place on the west coast of India. As more and more tourists flow into the state of Goa, information has to be provided to the visitors. This Goa map will be highly useful for those who are visiting the place for the first time.
Goa map should be properly designed to include all details that tourists are looking for in a map. Goa is a small state as compared to other states of India. This is a territory of 3702sqkm and is located in the Western Ghats.
Goa is bathed by the beautiful blue waters of Arabian Sea. Goan culture is a blend of various cultures and this mix of cultures had a great impact on the life of people there. The religions of Goa are so closely interrelated that the state has never faced any kind of problems and fights connected to religions.
Such a rich culture and tradition has been helpful in the growth of festivals and feasts in the state. The colonial rule by the Portuguese has never ruined these celebrations and other attractions of Goa.
Beaches, churches and temples have unique roles in the map of Goa. These are the main factors that increased the number of local as well as international tourists into Goa. Along with various tourist spots and attractions, the map of Goa also portrays some unique and rich natural flora and fauna in Goa. Hence Goa is always a place of tourist attraction and religious importance for people.
Drink To Glory In Goa - Goa Feni
Think of Goa and the first thing that comes to your mind ‘Fish and Feni’. Feni is a fermented drink made from either Cashew Fruit or Coconut Toddy. Though coconut Feni has its charm, cashew Feni is preferred by many because of its unique flavour.
Feni is still mostly made the traditional way. Traditionally the cashew fruits are crushed manually and piled in a basin carved on the rock on the hillside and a heavy bolder is kept on the top. The basin has an outlet from where the juice is collected in huge earthen pots. These pots are then buried in the soil and allowed to ferment naturally. The hot and humid climate of Goa provides the right atmosphere for fermentation. The fermented juice is then distilled in huge earthen or copper pots.
The whole distillation process takes around 8 hours and the aroma of Feni fills the whole area. The distilled liquor is graded into three – Urrac, Cazulu and Feni. The Urrac is produced from the first distillation. It is light and has the strength of 14 to 16 grao and can be consumed neat. Cazulu is from the second distillation and is moderately strong, but is no longer available in the market. Feni is got from the third distillation process and has strength of 20 to 24 grao and has a long shelf life. Although many Goans drink it neat, it may be strong for many and can be taken with ice, soda and lime cordial or tonic water or combined with fruit juices too.
The Colors Of Goa – Fairs And Festivals
Goa can never be considered as a land for mere tourism. This state on the west coast of India has a variety of cultures, festivals and dance forms which are important for the day-to-day life of each Goan.
Goa has a beautiful collection of fairs and festivals because of the variant creed and population. They always have a reason to celebrate. Even when Portuguese rule had brought about great changes in the life of Goans, they were not capable of bringing a drastic change in the beliefs and celebrations followed by Goans.
During February to March season, Goans celebrate the carnival with fun and spirit through dance performances and beautiful music. During spring, they welcome a joyous season through the celebration of colors, Shigmo. You will find traditional costumes and happiness filling Goa as a whole. The biggest Christian festival celebrated in Goa is the Feast of St.Francis Xavier. This festival held on December 3rd is a unique blend of the eastern and western cultures.
Monsoon is a great time for Goans to celebrate the Sao Joah feast. Another great Goan festival is known as Chikhalkala. This mud festival is celebrated in front of the temple of Devaki Krishna.
The greatest attractions of the festivals and feasts of Goa is that all people celebrate the festivals together without any discrimination. Goans also welcome tourists to become a part of their celebrations and feasts. They have great hospitality to consider all people the same and this is the beauty of the celebrations held in Goan streets.
Dance Forms Of Goa
Goa can be considered to be a land of colors. The rich culture of Goa is splendid with various festivals, dances and music. All these have great impact on the development of Goa as a tourist center. Goa has a variety of dances which can be considered to be truly Goan in nature.
When you imagine about the dances of Goa, they are more than the night parties that you see at the beaches. The traditional Goan dance gives you a clear idea of the mindset and life of the Goans. They are capable of speaking about the culture, tradition and history of Goa. They portray the blend of the various faiths that Goans have.
Dhalo is one of the most prominent dance forms of Goa. This is the dance of Goan women dwelling in the rural area. They join in a semi circular form with hands joined across the waists. Dekhni is another traditional dance item found in Goa. This is mainly the dance form of the Christians who were converted from Hinduism during the rule by Portuguese.
The women folk of Goa participates in another dance form called Fugdi. The dance is performed as a symbol of devotion to the Hindu God, Ganesha. It is performed irrespective of festivals or other ceremonies.
The Shigmo dance form of Goa is performed during the arrival of spring. The earliest settlers from the state of Goa have a folk dance form known as Kunbi. The dance form performed using the brass lamps is known as the lamp dance of Goa.
The Rich Culture Of Goa
Goa is well known to the outside world as a tourist land. Along with this, Goa has a culture and tradition which is well praised by the visitors. This culture tied up with various interesting stories and myths have a great influence in attracting tourists along with other factors of tourist interest.
The cultural heritage of Goa is a mix of various cultures blended together effectively. This is quite different and unique from what is seen in other parts of the world and even the rest of India. You will find the presence of various religions living with close relation and attachment without any kind of hesitation.
Tradition is carried as such by Goans without any damage even when they accept modernization and trends. This is why the culture can be considered to be easy going and relaxed in Goa. The fight and arguments on minute issues and problems are not found in Goa. They have the freedom to follow the lifestyle or conservatism as they wish and no pressure is entrusted on other’s lives by any individual or party.
Goan culture is deeply connected to music. Their life has a close interaction with music in day to day routines also. This love for music is never limited to the Indian music, but also extends across the boundaries to accept western trends. Their varied taste and selection of music is same without any difference in the kind of music. They offer much to the tourists along with hospitality apart from the rich heritage that is inborn in every Goan.
Enjoy The Weather Of Goa
Goa is a small state in India. Long coast line of the Western Ghats acts as a source for gathering the tourists. Most of the tourists visit this place to enjoy its serenity. This place is filled with lush green environment. Beautiful weather and excellent climatic conditions acts as main source for attracting tourists to this place.
The coastal Konkan region and surroundings of Western Ghats retain consistent temperatures in this region. Arabian Sea is near to the Goa, it helps in maintaining equal climatic conditions in this state. Average temperature recorded in this region varies between 25 degrees and 30 degrees. Tourists can enjoy beautiful locations of this place if they visit this place between October and March. Rainy season stars from June and ends in September. Average rainfall recorded in this area is 325cms. Winter starts from November and ends in mid of February.
Maximum temperature recorded here in winter is 11 degrees and minimum temperature is 3 degrees. Summer starts in middle of March and ends in June. In summer maximum temperature is 45 degrees and minimum is 25 degrees. Tourists can visit this place in winter and summer but not in rainy season.
The impact of south west monsoon is more on this state. In rainy season humidity goes to high levels and skies become muzzy and cloudy. The downpour is quite high in the areas of Western Ghats. End of monsoon makes Goa beautiful than ever.