- Mapusa
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Mapusa — town — A street in Mapusa
Coordinates 15°36′N 73°49′E / 15.60°N 73.82°ECoordinates: 15°36′N 73°49′E / 15.60°N 73.82°E Country India State Goa District(s) North Goa Mayor Population 40,122 (2001[update]) Time zone IST (UTC+05:30) Area
• 15 metres (49 ft)
Mapusa (Konkani: म्हापशें mhapxem [mʱaːpʃɛ̃ː]; [mʱaːpsaː]) also spelt at Mapuca, Mhapsa or Mapsa is a town in North Goa, India. It is situated 13 km north of the capital Panaji. The town is the headquarters of Bardez Taluka. It is located on the main highway NH-17, linking Mumbai to Trivandrum. Under Portuguese rule, the town's name was spelt Mapuçá.
Contents
History
Even before the Aryans, or Marathas, or Sultans or the Portuguese invaded Goa, this was an agrarian community with a well established Gaunkari or Community Farming System, where villages formed associations, worked on community land and shared profits. Market day was a major event, with goods brought in from every district to one central area. Mapusa has thus remained a prominent market center for many centuries.
Geography
Mapusa is located at 15°36′N 73°49′E / 15.60°N 73.82°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 15 metres (49 feet).
Mapusa has a tropical climate with temperatures ranging from a high of 37 °C in summer with high levels of humidity to a low of 21 °C in winters.
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Mapusa had a population of 40,122. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Mapusa has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 73%. In Mapusa, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Economy
Mapusa vendor selling vegetables
Mapusa is close to one of the main centres of Goa's tourism industry. Mapusa's proximity to many beaches in the north Goa makes it a suitable base during the tourist season (November to April). Because it is a mainly commercial town (for locals) with a large resident population, Mapusa has only a limited number of hotels and accommodation.
Mapusa comes alive on Friday, the traditional market day also known as Mapusa Friday Market. People from surrounding villages and towns come to Mapusa to sell their wares. This fair has a lot of local flavour (unlike some other tourist-oriented fairs or markets) and specialises in agricultural produce, vegetables, locally-grown fruit, spices, clothes and even plants (mainly during the monsoon planting season).
Every Friday, the Mapusa Market bulges at the seams, with seemingly every square inch of space occupied by sellers with only just enough room for the prospective buyers, the alleys between the regular stalls being occupied with temporary mats and boards. From lottery tickets displayed in great swathes to barber shops, the bazaar caters for almost every requirement imaginable. There is the fish street, dried fish of all possible varieties and whole fresh fish from baby shark and squid to the ubiquitous bangda (mackerel). Fresh fruit and vegetables are gathered together and beautifully displayed, from huge sweet potatoes, and pumpkins and the local shiny red brown Moira bananas to the tiny fresh beans and other pulses.
Education
Mapusa houses several prominent Goan educational institutions, including Saraswat Vidyalaya, St. Mary's Convent High School, St. Brittos, New Goa High School, St. Xavier's College, and St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School.
Famous people from Mapusa
References
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Mapusa
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
External links
Categories:- Cities and towns in North Goa district
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