NOVEMBER 2007 E-Magazine - Pravasi Today

COVER STORY
each year. Goa is also known for its
temples and world heritage
architecture including the Basilica of
Bom Jesus in Old Goa
Goa was liberated by the Indian
Army from Portuguese colonisation
on December 19, 1961 and became an
Union Territory along with the
enclaves of Daman and Diu. On May
30, 1987 Goa was conferred
statehood and became the 25th state
of the Indian Republic.
Having been the meeting point of
races, religions and cultures of East
and West over the centuries, Goa has a
multi-hued and distinctive lifestyle
quite different from the rest of India.
Hindu and Catholic communities
make up almost the entire population
with minority representation of
Muslims and other religions.
Panaji (Panjim) is the state
capital located on the banks of the
Mandovi river and Vasco, Margao,
Mapusa and Ponda are the other
major towns. Goa is serviced by an
international/national airport located
at Dabolim near Vasco. An intra-state
and inter-state bus network also plays
an important role in getting locals and
visitors alike in and around Goa.
The vast green expanse of the
Sahyadri mountain range ensures that
Goa has an abundance of water. The
sea and rivers abound in seafood -
prawns, mackerels, sardines, crabs
20
Pravasi Today ✦ November 2007
and lobsters are the most popular with
the locals and the visitors. Since the
arrival of the Hippies in the sixties,
Goa has been a major destination on
the itinerary of international and
domestic tourists.
Besides the natural beauty, the
fabulous beaches and sunshine,
travellers to Goa love the laid-back,
peaceful, warm and friendly nature of
the Goan people. After all, more than
anywhere else on planet earth, this is a
place where people really know how
to relax.
UTTARAKHAND
The land of Celestial Beauty
Blessed with magnificent
glaciers, majestic snow-clad
mountains, gigantic and ecstatic
peaks, valley of flowers, skiing slopes
and dense forests, this Abode of Gods
includes many shrines and places of
pilgrimage. Char-dhams, the four
most sacred and revered Hindu
temples: Badrinath, Kedarnath,
Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in
the Mighty Mountains.
A picturesque state, with a
breathtaking panoramic view of
Himalayas, Uttarakhand promises its
tourists a visit full of fun and
unforgettable moments. The unique
Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a
large number of animals, plants and
rare herbs. The mighty rivers Ganga
and Yamuna takes birth in the glaciers
of Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad
lakes, glacial melts and streams in the
region.
The National Parks situated in
this state are numerous. The Jim
Corbett National Park (the oldest
national park of India), Valley of
Flowers National Park and Nanda
Devi National Park, Rajaji National
Park, Govind Pashu Vihar National