| फोणे/Phonem Ponda |
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| — city — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Goa |
| District(s) | North Goa |
| Population | 17,688 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 42 metres (138 ft) |
| Website | www.pondacity.com |
Ponda (Konkani: फोणे Phonem,pronounced [fɔɳɖɛ̃ː]) is a city and a municipal council in North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. It is located in the central part of Goa. Ponda lies about 29 km south-east of Panaji and 18 km north-east of Margao and is also the capital of Ponda taluk. Ponda is well connected by road to the Goan Capital Panaji and the main railway junction of Margao. It is the industrial centre of the state of Goa with many large factories and industrial estates. Ponda is also the fastest growing city in Goa with a population of approximately 20,000. Goa's major engineering college, the Goa Engineering College, is located at nearby Farmagudi. Ponda is popularly known as the Cultural Capital of Goa.
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Ponda is located at .[1] It has an average elevation of 42 metres (138 feet).
Ponda lies strategically along the NH-4A highway connecting Panaji to Belgaum in the neighboring state of Karnataka.
Ponda formed part of the Novas Conquistas or the "New Conquests" of the Portuguese. It was ruled by the Sonde Rajas under the Vijaynagar Kingdom or the Bijapur Sultanate. The territory of Ponda was not under Portuguese rule in the 16th Century and hence was seen as a safe haven by the Hindus fleeing persecution by the Jesuits and Portuguese. Later Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conqured it from Bijapur Sultanate in 1675. It remained in the hands of Marathas till 1764. Saundekar raja was the vassal of Maratha Chatrapati who ruled this territory. The forests of Ponda were ideal places for Hindus to form make shift temples with the Idols they had salvaged from the broken temples of Sashti (Salcette). These make shift temples were slowly renovated as the Hindus prospered again and now most of the Major Hindu temples in Goa are found here. The Portuguese eventually took over the area in 1791 from the Raja of Sonda along with Quepem, Canacona and Sanguem. It began as an administrative center with the establishment of administrative offices and court and soon became a commercial center. Most of the area known as Ponda today was a part of "Quela" (Kavalem) village. However religious zeal of the Portuguese had ebbed by the 18th century and Portugal itself had seen many political and religious changes due to the prevailing inquisition. Therefore Ponda continued to have a Hindu Majority even during the Portuguese rule. Ponda was known as Antruz during Portuguese rule.
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Ponda had a population of 17,688. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Ponda has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 80%. In Ponda, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. Konkani and Marathi are widely spoken languages.
Government engineering college of Goa is in Farmagudi, part of Ponda town.National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR) is also in ponda.The Kamakshi Higher Secondary School is located at Curti, Ponda. St. Mary's high school, S.S.Samiti's I.V.B.D. High School,A.J.D.E Almeida high school, Goa Engineering College (Farmagudi), S.S.Samiti's Higher Secondary School of Sciences,G.V.M.'s College of Arts and Science, P.E.S. Shri Ravi Sitaram College of Art's & Science Farmagudi Ponda Goa, Dada Vaidhya High School Curti are some of the prominent schools and colleges located in Ponda. The only and best ayurvedic college and hospital i.e. BSP's gomantak mahavidyalay and research centre with kamakshi arogyadham is also located in ponda at Shiroda.
There are regular bus services from Panaji and Margao and they depart from the Kadamba Transport Corporation bus stand on the outskirts of the town. There are also buses to nearby villages and towns leaving from here. The interstate buses also depart from the Kadamba Transport Corporation bus stand. There are buses regularly between Dharwad,Hubli, Belgaum and Ponda run by KSRTC.The national highway 17B connects Ponda to Vasco via Verna . The national highway 4A connects to Belagavi and Panaji.
Ponda is industrial centre of Goa. There are many industrial estates in and around Ponda . Some are Kundaim,Bethorda ,Tisk.
Ponda is also the gateway to Goa's wildlife sanctuaries, both the Bondla and the Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and also the Dudhsagar Waterfalls. The Butterfly conservatory run by the Butterfly Conservatory of Goa (NGO) is an interesting place for nature enthusiasts. It is at Pisgal, Priol and very close to the Tropical Spice Plantation. It is open for visitors.
Nearby cities: Margao, Vasco da Gama, Panaji Nearby beaches: Colva, Benaulim, Majorda, Betalbatim, Betul, Canaguinim, Agonda, Palolem, Rajbhag, Polem.
As mentioned before, Ponda was a safe haven for Hindu temples. The many Hindu temples in the area include the famous being the Mahalasa Narayani at Mardol, The Shanta Durga temple, Mangueshi Temple, Ramnathi , Mahalaxmi, Nageshi and Navadurga I temples. Gram daivat of Ponda and nearby kavle area is Shri Kapleshwar situted at Kapileshwari. Thus, Ponda is known as the "Temple Town of Goa."
Safa Masjid, a mosque built in 1560 by the Bijapuri ruler Ibrahim Adil Shah I is there. It is one of two Islamic shrines that escaped destruction by the Portuguese in Goa. It is very close to the town of Farmagudi.