History Of  Panjim

Panjim 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 Panjim 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 Panjim as Pahajani Khali - Pahajani from which Panjim 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 Panjim as Panji 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 Panjim. When Old Goa collapsed in the 19th century, Panjim 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 Panjim.

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.

Tuorist Place in Panjim

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.

Largo da Igreja, the Chruch Square is an impressive and dazzling white-balustrade stairway in front of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

The Secretariat was built in1615 by the Portuguese on the site of Palacio Idalcao, the Palace of the Sultan of Bijapur, Yusuf Adil Khan. It is a many-shuttered edifice that was an erstwhile residence of the viceroy.

The Portuguese heritage of the town is well preserved in parts of it that still consist of narrow winding streets, old houses with over hanging balconies, red-tiled roofs and numerous small cafe's and bars.

The Campal, as the riverside boulevard is called, is one of the most picturesque spots in Panjim.

Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum of Goa is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is a popular tourist attraction of Goa. It is one of its kind in Asia and was set up around the year 1994 in a joint collaboration between Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and Calouste Gulbentian of Portugal. Also known as the Christian Art Museum, the museum displays the priceless collection of Goa's rich art and craft, objects made of gold and precious stones, ivory images, image of St. Francis Xavier in a silver casket, etc. A major attraction of this museum is the depiction of Christ as a symbolic shepherd watching over his flock.

Adilshahi Palace
The Adilshahi Palace is a prime tourist attraction of Panaji. Built by Yusuf Adil Shah in 1500, this palace was built for recreational purposes and for relaxing. Later, as time passed, it was fortified and served as an important defense location for the Portuguese to check on external attacks and threats. It was also the first custom check point where the cargo ships were checked. The Palace served as an official residence for most Portuguese viceroys who stayed here for sometime before leaving for Portugal. Also known as Idalcao, it is now preserved beautifully with perfectly manicured gardens adding to its splendor.

Mahalakshmi Temple
The Mahalaxmi temple at Panaji is considered to be the dwelling place of the actual Goddess of the Shakti sect. It is a beautiful temple and the image of the Goddess bears a striking resemblance to the Goddess that is at Kolhapur, the main center of worship. The temple is one of those very few temples in India that has a gallery of wooden images of Lord Vishnu. The image of the Goddess is said to have a "Linga" on her head and is considered to be a very peaceful form of the Devi.