Culture of Goa

For the Portuguese, she was Golden Goa, the epicenter of the Portuguese empire in Asia. The Portuguese were great church builders, their desire to spread their faith an important motivation. Little wonder then that modern day Goa is a quaint blend of the old and the new, of Portuguese and Indian elements. It is also a land of great variety - with its many churches and temples; Goa has a deeply religious ambience which contrasts sharply with the highly hedonistic spirit prevalent on her beaches.

Hindu temples are as much a part of Goa as are Christian monuments. Large hotels and resorts co-exist with small hotels and paying guest accommodations; fancy restaurants with casual cafes.

The people of Goa are very friendly and extremely happy-go-lucky. They are fond of the good things in life and are certainly not caught up in the rat race. Siesta is an important part of life in Goa with shops downing their shutters from one to four the most Goans retiring for the afternoon. Though the people of Goa are of different faiths and from different cultural backgrounds, they have come together to create the easygoing Goan culture with its emphasis on good living.

Food in Goa is a very serious matter and capitalizes on the range of food products available here. Goa boasts of many different cuisines - the Konkani, the Portuguese and the Bahamani Nawabi traditions. The fruits of the sea are used lavishly in Goan food different types of fish, prawns, mussels, oysters, crabs and many more.