Panaji has terraced hills, concrete buildings with balconies and red-tiled roofs, churches, and a riverside promenade. There are avenues lined withgulmohar,acacia and other trees. ThebaroqueOur Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church is located overlooking the main square known as Praça da Igreja. Panaji has been selected as one of a hundred Indian cities to be developed as asmart city under theSmart Cities Mission.[3] Panaji's HDI is almost around 0.80, and is considered to be the best amongst other major Indian cities.
The city was built with stepped streets and a 7-kilometre-long (4-mile) promenade on a plannedgrid system after thePortuguese relocated the capital fromVelha Goa in the 17th century.[4] It was elevated from a town to a city on 22 March 1843.[5]
The city was renamed fromPanjim inEnglish toPanaji, its present official name in the 1980s. ThePortuguese name isPangim. The city had been renamedNova Goa (Portuguese for "New Goa") when it officially replaced the city of Goa (nowOld Goa) as the capital ofPortuguese India, though the Viceroy had already moved there in 1759.[citation needed]
The justification of the modern wordPanaji is derived from the wordspanjani andkhali, which meana boat anda small creek respectively, inSanskrit. Thus the modern word Panjim is believed to be a corruption of the old wordPanjanakhani as inscribed on the discovered Panjim copper-plates dated 1059 CE, belonging to the rule of Kadamba king Jayakesi I.[6][7] According to legend, this northern capital city was mentioned in a stone inscription ofKadamba king Jayakesi I dated 1054 CE as 'Panjanakhani', giving him the epithet ofPadavalendra which isKannada forlord of the western ocean.[8]
Panaji was made the first neighbourhood of "Nova Goa" (New Goa) capital ofPortuguese India, after a devastating epidemic decimated the population of theCity of Goa in the mid-18th century.[9][10]
Panaji was annexed by India with the rest of Goa and the formerPortuguese territories after theIndian annexation of Portuguese India in 1961. It became a state-capital on Goa's elevation to statehood in 1987and between 1961 and 1987, it was the capital of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. A new Legislative Assembly complex was inaugurated in March 2000, across theMandovi River, now full of casinos, in AltoPorvorim. Panaji is also the administrative headquarters ofNorth Goa district.
During the2011 census of India,[12] Panaji had a population of 114,405. Males constituted 52% of the population and females 48%. It had an average literacy rate of 90.9%; male literacy was 94.6% and female literacy 86.9%. In Panaji, 9.6% of the population was under 7 years of age.
Panaji comprises three major religions, with Hinduism being the majority with 64.08% followers, Christianity with 26.51% followers, and the smallest being Islam with 8.84% followers. 0.4% of the population count as other which include Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh followers.[13]
Panaji features atropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classificationAm). The climate in Panaji is hot in summer and equable in winter. During summers (from March to May) the temperature reaches up to 32 °C (90 °F) and in winters (from November to February) it is usually between 31 °C (88 °F) and 23 °C (73 °F).
Themonsoon period is from June to October with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The annual average rainfall is 2,932 mm (115.43 in).
Climate data for Panaji (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2012)
The heart of the city is thePraça da Igreja (Church Square) where the Jardim Garcia de Orta (municipal garden) with the PortugueseBaroqueIgreja de Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição, originally built in 1541. Other tourist attractions include the old and rebuilt Adilshahi Palace (orIdalção Palace), dating from the sixteenth century, theInstitute Menezes Braganza, the Chapel of St. Sebastian and theFontainhas area—which is considered to be the old Latin Quarter—as well as the nearby beach of Miramar. Panaji hosted the relics of SaintJohn Bosco (also known as Don Bosco) until 21 August 2011 at the Don Bosco Oratory.
One of the capital city's most discerning assets is the Mahalaxmi Temple. Located on the Dada Vaidya road (Rua de Saudade during the Portuguese times), the Mahalaxmi deity is the chief object of veneration for all Panjimites, irrespective of caste, class, sex or creed.[18]
Thecarnival celebrations in February include a colourful parade on the streets. This is followed by theShigmo / Xigmo, orHoli. The Narkāsūr parade on the night before Diwali in the city is very colourful.
Well-known places in Panaji are the18th June Road (a busy thoroughfare in the heart of the town and a shopping area for tourists and locals), Mala area,Miramar beach and theKala Academy (a cultural centre known for its structure built by architectCharles Correa). Kala Academy is a place whereGoa showcases its art and culture.
Situated on the banks ofMandovi River in the heart of Panaji is ‘Old Secretariat’ building popularly known as ‘Adil Shah's Palace’.[19] It was built byYusuf Adil Shah of theBijapur Sultanate in around 1500, as a summer residence and fortress. The building was armed with 55 cannons and surrounded by a moat. The Palace was besieged by Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510[20] and in the mid-1500s the Portuguese conquerors renamed it as ‘Idalcao's Palace’[21] and was the temporary residence of the first ‘Viceroy of Goa’. In 1963 this ancient structure was renovated by Goa government to houseGoa Legislative Assembly. This structure today is 'TheGoa State Museum'.
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is a birdsanctuary named after the ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali. The sanctuary, located in the village of Chorão, near Panaji, plays host to rare and endangered bird species—both migratory and resident.
Goa is famous for its beaches, and Miramar,Bambolim, and Dona Paula are three popular beaches located near Panaji.
Dona Paula is the meeting point for two of Goa's famous rivers, Zuari and Mandovi. These two rivers meet at the Arabian Sea. The official residence of the governor of Goa, known as Cabo Raj Bhavan, is situated on the westernmost tip of Dona Paula.
Miramar Beach is one of the more crowded beaches in Goa, which remains full with local and international tourists throughout the year.
Also located near Panaji, is theGoa Science Centre which was opened to the public in December 2001. The Caculo Mall is also located inSt. Inez near Panaji. Also Madhuban Complex, at St. Inez is very popular among Panjimites.
Panaji is widely acknowledged as being both the Casino capital and Gin capital of India.
The renovated building ofGoa Medical College (established in 1842 as Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de [Nova] Goa) in Campal. The institution has since been relocated and this building now serves as the headquarters of the Entertainment Society of Goa.
Goa's only state university, theGoa University, is situated atTaleigão on the outskirts of Panaji. Some other educational institutes in Panaji are:
The nearest airport isDabolim Airport which is 30 kilometres (19 miles) away.[23] Transport is done mainly by buses.
The other recently developed airport near to Panjim isMopa Airport which is 40 kilometres (25 miles) away.[24] Transport is done mainly by buses. Mapusa is the nearest city, from where you can find ample public transport to the coastal areas in the form of buses, cabs, etc
Apart from leading national newspapers, there are few locally published newspapers which are readily available like "The Navhind Times," "The Herald," "Gomantak Times" and "The Goan".
Panaji has few local radio stations which transmit various programs of mass interest. Indigo 91.9, Big 92.7, Vividh Bharati 101.1 and FM Rainbow 105.4 are few FM radio stations available. The latter two are State-ownedAll India Radio. The annualInternational Film Festival of India (IFFI), is held in Panaji.[25]
TheGoa Legislative Assembly is situated at AltoPorvorim, about 2 km (1.2 mi) from Panaji. The hillock calledAltinho houses some major central government offices and the residences of prominent officials and politicians.
The current chief minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, resides here. The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) administers the city and its Mayor is Rohit Monserrate.[26] Vasant Agshikar is the Deputy Mayor.[26][27]
Two of Goa's premier association football clubsDempo S.C. andSporting Clube de Goa are based in Panaji and they both compete in India's one of the top-tier leagueI-League. Clube Tennis de Gaspar Dias in Miramar was founded in the year 1926 and remains among the most sought after Tennis clubs in Goa.[28] The multipurpose Campal Indoor Complex is planned in Campal besides the existing football ground.[citation needed] The Don Bosco college football grounds on General Bernardo Guedes road has been long a long established sports field in the city. It also has a football club namedFC Goa inIndian Super League.
^Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa, Daman and Diu: District Gazetteer, Volume 1. Gazetteer Dept., Govt. of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu. 1979.
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