| पणजी/Panaji | |
| — capital — | |
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| Coordinates | 15°29′N 73°50′E / 15.48°N 73.83°ECoordinates: 15°29′N 73°50′E / 15.48°N 73.83°E |
| Country | India |
| State | Goa |
| District(s) | North Goa |
| Mayor | Yatin Parekh |
| Population • Density |
65,000 (2001[//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panaji&action=edit [update]]) • 1,821 /km2 (4,716 /sq mi) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
36 km2 (14 sq mi) • 7 metres (23 ft) |
Panaji (Konkani: पणजी Panaje, pronounced [pɔɳɟĩ], [pɵɳɟiː] ( listen), Marathi पणजी, usually known in English as Panjim) is the capital of the Indian state of Goa. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi estuary, in the district of North Goa. With a population of 65,000 in the city and approximately 100,000 in the metropolitan area, Panaji is Goa's third largest city after Vasco da Gama and Margao.
Panaji means “Land that never floods”. Panaji is the capital of Goa and headquarters of North Goa District, located on the left bank of the Mandovi River, piled up against terraced hills, a jumble of concrete buildings with whimsical balconies and red-tiled roofs, bleached clean churches and a riverside promenade, with red-roofed houses built in Latin style. It also has modern houses, well laid gardens, statues and avenues lined with gulmohar, acacia and other trees. The Baroque church of the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception located overlooking the main square known as Praça da Igreja, pretty villas, cobbled streets and interesting buildings give Panaji a Portuguese ambience.
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The word Panaji is etymologically derived from the words panjani and khali, which mean a boat and a small creek respectively, in Sanskrit. Thus the modern word Panaji is a corrupt form of the old world Panjakhali as inscribed on the copper-plates found, belonging to the rule of Kadamba king Tribhuvanamalla.[1]
The official name is Panaji. The Portuguese name was Pangim. The city is called Panjim in English. It has been spelt as Panaji since the 1960s. The city is called paṇaje or Ponnji in Konkani.
Earlier a small village on the river front, in 1843 the city had been renamed Nova Goa (Portuguese for New Goa) when it officially replaced the city of Goa (now Old Goa) as the administrative seat of Portuguese India, though the viceroy had already moved there in 1759.
Panaji is located at .[2] It has an average elevation of 7 metres (23 feet). Panaji has various vadde or sub-divisions, some of which are São Tomé, Fontainhas, Mala, Portais, Altinho, Cortin, Praça da Igreja, Tar (near the ferry wharf), Bazar, Japão (near Don Bosco), Boca da Vaca. Some areas outlying it are Campal, Santa Inez, Chinchollem, Batulem, Patto. Besides lying on the banks of the river Mandovi, Panaji is bounded by two creeks, locally called pői in the singular, namely Ourem and Santa Inêz creek.
Panaji was annexed by India with the rest of Goa and the former Portuguese territories, in the invasion of 1961. Panaji became a state-capital on Goa's elevation to statehood in 1987. 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 the Mandovi river, in Alto Porvorim. Panaji is also the administrative headquarters of North Goa district.
As of 2001[update] India census,[3] Panaji had a population of 58,785. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Panaji has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 77%. In Panaji, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
| Climate data for Panaji | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.6 (88.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.0 (91.4) |
30.3 (86.5) |
28.9 (84.0) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
31.6 (88.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.4 (90.3) |
31.28 (88.31) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 19.6 (67.3) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.3 (79.3) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.8 (74.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
23.21 (73.77) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 0.2 (0.008) |
0.1 (0.004) |
1.2 (0.047) |
11.8 (0.465) |
112.7 (4.437) |
868.2 (34.181) |
994.8 (39.165) |
518.7 (20.421) |
251.9 (9.917) |
124.8 (4.913) |
30.9 (1.217) |
16.7 (0.657) |
2,932 (115.43) |
| Source: wunderground.com[4] | |||||||||||||
Panaji features a tropical monsoon climate. 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 and in winters (from December to February) it is usually between 28 °C and 20 °C.
The monsoon period is from June to September with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The annual average rainfall is 2932 mm (115.5 inches).
The heart of the city is the Church Square or Municipal Garden with the Portuguese Baroque Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, originally built in 1541. Other tourist attractions include the old and rebuilt Adilshahi Palace (or Idalcao palace), dating from the sixteenth century, the Menezes Braganza Institute, the Mahalaxmi Temple, the Jama Masjid mosque, the Chapel of St. Sebastian and the Fontainhas, area in general which is considered to be the old Latin Quarter, as well as the nearby beach of Miramar. Hanuman Mandir at Mala on hill top (altinho) and its annual zatra in february is a major attraction of Panaji. Panaji also currently hosts the relics of Saint John Bosco (also known as Don Bosco), albeit temporarily till the 21st August, 2011, at the Don Bosco Oratory.
The Carnival celebrations in February include a colorful parade on the streets. This is followed by the Shigmo/ xigmo, or Holi. The Narkasur parade on the night before Diwali in the city is very colorful.
Well-known places in Panaji are the 18th June Road (a busy thoroughfare in the heart of the town and a shopping area for tourists and locals), Mala area, Miramar beach and the Kala Academy cultural center known for its structure built by architect Charles Correa. Kala Academy is a place where Goa showcases its art and culture.
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary named after the orthinologist Dr Salim Ali. The sanctuary, located in the village Chorão, near Panaji, plays host to rare and endangered bird species — both migratory and resident.
Miramar, Bambolim, Dona Paula Beach: Goa is famous for its beaches, and Miramar, Bambolim, Dona Paula are three popular beaches located near Panaji.
Also located near Panaji, is the Goa Science Center which was opened to the public in December 2001.
Dona Paula:
Dona Paula is the meeting point for two of the Goa’s famous rivers. These two rivers meet at 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:
This beach is located near Panaji. This is one of the crowded beaches in Panaji, which remains full with local and international tourists throughout the year.
Some prominent educational Institutes in Panaji are
Besides this, the only university in Goa, the Goa University is situated at Taleigao Plateau on the outskirts of Panaji.
The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) is situated at Dona Paula, on the outskirts of Panaji city. It does research in fields related to marine sciences.
The Goan government, as well as the Indian government, has its major offices in Goa.
The Goa Assembly is situated at Alto Porvorim, some two kilometres away from Panaji. The hillock called Altinho houses some major central government offices and the residences of prominent officials and politicians.
The Member of Legislation (MLA) for Panaji is Manohar Parrikar of the Bharatiya Janata Party, a former chief minister of the state. The C.C.P. (Corporation of City of Panaji) administers the city and its mayor is Yatin Parekh. The Governor of Goa, stays at the Raj Bhavan (Cabo Raj Nivas), at Dona Paula around 8 kilometers from Panaji.