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Canacona

Agonda beach Canacona, Goa

One amongst the five taluka that make up the southern Goa, Canacona is bordered by the taluka of Quepeum in the north and Sanguem in the north east. To its south lies the state of Karnataka and the western portion has the Arabian Sea.

The history of the taluka states that it formed part of the Kingdom of Soonda, which itself was a part of the mighty Vijaynagar Empire. Later, when Hyder Ali of Mysore marched in and captured a part of Soonda kingdom, the king was forced to give away the rest of the portion to the Portuguese, given the fact that he had no one to succeed him. Canacona was merged into the state of Goa in the year 1794.

The name Canacona is a distorted version of Konkan which itself derives from Sanskrit word Konvapuram. According to a legend, the Canacona region, in the ancient times, was covered with thick forests and provided a perfect setting for meditating sages. Once, a renowned sage by the name of Konovmuni made himself a shack here and stayed. The land thus became pure by his presence and came to be known as Konvapuram.

As a tourist destination, Canacona came into limelight in the 1990's, which is pretty recent. As far as attractions of Canacona are considered, there are a quiet a decent number attractions to bind you during your trip to Goa.

Agonda Beach

This beach is just perfect if you are in search for some quiet moments to think about your life. The beach is hardly visited by any tourist and is located 10 km north of Chaudi, the headquarters of Canacona taluka. The beach is three km long and is fortunately devoid of any grass huts. The villagers of Agonda are quiet opposed to any growth in tourism in this part, and probably this is the reason why there are only two accommodation facilities on this beach.

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary was established in the year 1969 and covers an area of 86 sq km. Rated as the second largest sanctuary of Goa, the Cotigao sanctuary is home to a wide range of animals and plants. Though you will not see any Tiger or Leopard in the sanctuary, yet there are many other animals that will force you to keep a good lookout for a glimpse. These primarily include the two species of Monkey, Gaur and Wild Boar. Other animals that can make an appearance before you include Gazelles, Sloth Bears, Porcupines, Panthers and Hyenas.

Other attractions of the park include the Jeevottam Partagal Math which is quiet known for its vedic studies. Also two tribal communities, Kunbi and Velip are still living in the forest area of the sanctuary.

Shree Mallikarjun Temple

Lord Mallikarjun, an incarnation of Lord Shiva, is the presiding deity of this temple. It was initially constructed in the 16th century, however renovation work was carried out in 1778 as well. The temple houses around 60 images of various gods and goddesses in its interior. Another highlight of the temple are the huge and beautifully carved wooden pillars. The main festivals celebrated in the temple include Rathasaptami which is a chariot festival (in the month of February) and Shigmo (in the month of April).

Shree Sanusthan Gokarn Parthagali Jeevotham Math

Founded by Swamiji Shreemad Narayanateertha in the year 1475, the math is located at Parthagali. The math belongs to the Gaud Saraswat community and is premiered by the descendants of Swamiji. A few temples can be found in the math premises. There is also a banyan tree which is regarded sacred enough to be called the Tapsya Kshetra.

Fort Cabo de Rama

The fort, it is believed, draws its name from Lord Rama who supposedly spent a portion of his exile period here. The history of the fort states that it was taken over by the Portuguese from the ruler of Soonda. Later, the Portuguese lost it and gained control of it only in 1763. Still later, the fort fell into the hands of the Britishers. Today, the fort is not in a very good position, though a trek up the fort and a view of the sea from there gives you a feeling of satisfaction. There is also a chapel within the fort area which is still in use.

Fresh Water Springs

There are two worth visiting fresh water spring in Canacona that will refresh your soul tremendously. The first one of these, Puroner, is situated at the property of the Prabhu Gaonkar family. The spring water is essentially meant to irrigate the huge property, nonetheless, you can pay a visit and bathe in the fresh water of the spring as well. Some believe that the water of the spring also carry medicinal value.

The second spring Gogel boasts of a crystal clear water. The charm of the water is such that a splash seems simply irresistible to you. So just do not think, just jump into the water and satisfy yourself to the maximum.