Panaji

"Historical accounts of this place date back to Kadamba King Shasthadeva (1007-1050). An inscription of the Kadamba King Vijayaditya I, dated 7 February 1107 refers to Panajim as Pahajani Khali. Another interpretation of the name is that Panji or Ponji is said to mean the “land that never gets flooded”. Yet another interpretation is that it is a variation of Pancha Yma Afsumgary or five wonderful castles where the Muslim King Ismail Adil Shah and his wives used to live. The name was later changed to Panjim by the Portuguese and when Old Goa collapsed in the 19th century, Panjim was elevated to the status of a city on 22 March 1843 and was renamed “Nova Goa”. After Liberation in 1961 it was known as “Panaji”... Panjim was originally a neglected ward of Taleigão village. The only conspicuous construction was the 15th century castle built by Adil Shah on the left bank of the Mandovi. Viceroy Dom Manuel de Saldanha de Albuquerque, of Ega, remodelled the old castle and a palace was built which was later used as the Government Secretariat."

"Among Goa’s cities, Panaji is great place simply to wander with the old quarters, Fontainhas and Sao Tome still bearing a distinctive Portuguese influence."

"Much of the area on which Panaji stands was originally marshland...in around 1500 came under the control of Muslim leader Yusuf Adil Shah who built a fortress to guard the entrance to the Mandovi, which was later known as Idalcoa’s palace under Portuguese rule."

"Afonso de Albuquerque took the fort in 1510 and reinforced it initially after occupation and again in November after reoccupation... It is said that he was in such a hurry to complete the strengthen the fortifications before the next Muslim attack that even his officers were pressed into manual labour. **Paul Harding, in “Goa (2003)”,"

"The small church built, around 1540 (where the present huge church Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception stands), was the first stop for the Portuguese sailors celebrating their safe arrival in India."

"In 19th century, as Panjim developed, in 1834 it became known as Nova Goa...and in 1843 it was recognized by the Portuguese government as capital of Goa."

"Panjim loses much by close inspection."

"After Goa’s independence the city was renamed Panaji...a new flashy assembly complex was built, on a hill to its north in 2000."

"Archaeologically, the St Inez Roman mooring stone with a distinct carving of Neptune reveals a story of booming Roman trade voyages touching Panaji port. Panaji was always respected as a relatively safe port and a hilly, wooded place with natural springs, lakes which supplied fresh water to the ocean going ships. The Portuguese did try to create a miniature Lisbon when they raised the city of Panaji to capital status in 1843 but while doing this they maintained a fine balance between open and developed spaces, land and water and created tree-lined avenues where only swamps existed."

"The river Mandovi and the hillock of Altinho have historically been the determining factors for the city. During the 3rd century BC, Panaji and the rest of Goa were part of the Mauryan Empire."

"A historical city known for its rich culture, architecture and built heritage situated on the bank of Mandovi estuary, Panaji is the important centre in terms of Indo-Portuguese cultural heritage, having a number of natural, built, tangible and intangible sites and monuments."

"The unique cultural atmosphere is the result of the long absorbed 450 years of Portuguese rule. The influence has left a deep impact on the local traditions in all spheres and has formed a distinct cultural identity of the people. St. Francis Xavier was an instrument to carry with him the gospel of Jesus but more than that he also carried a way of life of people, their ethos and a rich culture."

"The city of Panaji is on the verge of getting developed from being part of fishing village of Taleigao in 1510 to a developed city in Goa. The evolution of the city has marked the achievement with the rise of many high rise buildings as a benchmark."

"The Fontainhas area continues to be a focal point for Heritage tourists and travellers with a taste of past glories. Interest in Panaji’s heritage buildings is worldwide. There are still clusters of quaint old houses in particular on one street in Portais and around St. Sebastian Chapel..."

"Panaji during relatively dry season-December to May is an architect’s, traveler’s, painters’, photographers’, poets’ dream."

"Episodic flooding in Panaji even during low tides is directly linked to rapid urbanization and consequent damage to existing drainage systems."

"Panaji is to be developed as a city that is environmentally and economically sustainable, a city that is a mixture of heritage and modernity, a city that cares for its citizen, a city that cares for its tourist, a city that maintains it culture, a city that provide high quality infrastructure services and facilities, a well managed clean, green and safe city that provides and better present and bright future to its people."

"The city’s architecture is the surest sign that Goa evolved independently of the rest of India. In the small old quarters of Fontainhas and Sao Tomé, winding alleyways are lined with Portuguese-style houses, boasting distinctive red-tiled roofs, wooden window shutters and rickety balconies decorated with bright pots of petunias."

"Secretariat building dating from the sixteenth century, colonial era building originally the palace of the original ruler Adil Shah, which was the Viceroy’s official residence in 1759, now houses less exciting government offices."

"Chapel of Saint Sebastian, has crucifix first brought to Panaji in 1812 from Old Goa after the Inquisition was suppressed. It is considered an unusual piece since Christ’s eyes are open – rather than shut as is customary - and legend has it that this was done to instill fear in the hearts of those being brought before the dreaded Inquisitors."

"...the strange and compelling statue of man bearing down upon a supine female form depcits one of Goa’s most famous home grown talents, Abbe Faria, an eighteenth century Goan priest, father of ‘hypnotism’ and friend of Napolean in full melodramatic throes."

"18 October – ... Onor is a small place by the Sea-side, but a good Port of indifferent capacity, which is formed by two arms of Rivers, which (I know not whether both from one or several heads) running one Southward and the other Northward meet at the Fortress, and are discharg'd with one mouth into the Sea. The habitations are rather Cottages than Houses, built under a thick Grove of Palms, to wit those which produce the Indian Nuts, called by the Portugals Coco; and by the Arabians Narghu. But the Fortress is of a competent circuit, though the walls are not very well designed, being just as the Portugals found them made by the people of the Country. It stands upon a high Hill of freestone, and, it being very capacious, not onely the Captain lives there, but most of the married and principal Portugals have Houses in it, very well accommodated with Wells, Gardens, and other conveniences. The streets within the Fortress are large and fair, besides a great Piazza sufficient to contain all the people of the place in time of a siege. There are likewise two Churches, one dedicated to Saint Catherine, and the other to Saint Anthony; but ordinarily there is but one Priest in Onor, who is the Vicar of the Arch-Bishop of Goa; and therefore in Lent other religious persons always go thither. Out of the Fort, in the country, is the Bazar or Market, but a small one, and of little consideration; nothing being found therein but what is barely necessary for sustenance of the inhabitants."