| Church
of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
This striking
whitewashed edifice is Panaji's main church. It stands above
the square in main part of town. The original construction was
consecrated in 1541. Panaji was the first port of call for
voyages from Lisbon, so Portuguese sailors would visit this church
to give thanks for a safe crossing before continuing to Old Goa.
Mass is held here daily in English, Konkani and Portuguese.
Goa State Museum
This modern, roomy
museum has several galleries featuring Christian art, Hindu and Jain
sculpture and bronzes, and paintings from all over India. An
interesting exhibit is the pair of huge rotary lottery machines
containing thousands of wooden balls. The first draw was held
in 1947. The museum is in a forlorm area near the bus stand,
open from 9.30am to 5.30pm weekdays (Entry is free).
Fontainhas &
Sao Tome
Just west of the
Ourem Creek, these old Portuguese districts are Panaji's most
interesting areas. The narrow cobbled streets, tiled
buildings, shuttered windows and tiny overhanging balconies
Local men sip feni in tiny darkened bars and some of Panaji's best
guesthouses are in this quarter.
The Chapel of St
Sebastian stands at the end of a picturesque street in Fontainhas.
Although it dates only from the 1880s, it contains a number of
interesting features, in particular a striking crucifix that
originally stood in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa.
Other
Attractions
The Secretariat building
dates from the 16th century, and was originally the palace of Adil
Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, before becoming the viceroy's official
residence in 1759. The bizarre statue of a man apparently
about to strangle a wonen is of Abbe Faira, a famous hypnotist, and
his assistant. Born in Candolim in 1756, he emigrated to
France, where he became a celebrated hypnotic medium.
The modern
Mahalaxmi Temple is a reminder that there's a thriving Hindu
community in Panaji. For good views over the town, walk up to
the Altinho district. You can get there by walking south from
Fontainhas or following the road up past Our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception church.
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