- Ponda, India
Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Ponda | type = city | latd = 15.40| longd = 74.02
state_name = Goa
district = North Goa
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 42
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 17,688| population_density =
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone =
postal_code =
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sex_ratio =
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footnotes =Ponda (Konkani: फोंडा/Fonde) is a city and a
municipal council inNorth Goa district in theIndia n state ofGoa . It is located in the central part of Goa. Ponda city lies about 28km south-east of Panaji and 17km north-east ofMargao and is also the capital of PondaTaluka . Ponda is well connected by road to thePanaji (Capital of Goa) and main railway junction ofMadgaon . It is the industrial centre of the state ofGoa with many large factories and industrial estates located there. Ponda also is the fastest growing city in Goa. Goa's major engineering college, theGoa Engineering College , is located at nearbyFarmagudi .Geography
Ponda is located at coord|15.40|N|74.02|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/33/Ponda.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Ponda] ] . It has an average elevation of 42
metre s (138 feet).Ponda lies strategically along the main Panaji-Margao highway and is also connected to the neighboring state of
Karnataka via the Ponda-Belgaum highway (NH-4).History
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 theBijapur 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. 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 (Salsette ). 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 withQuepem ,Canacona andSanguem . 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" 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 prevailinginquisition . Therefore Ponda continued to have a Hindu Majority even during the Portuguese rule.Demographics
As of 2001 Indiacensus [GR|India] , 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.Education
Government engineering college of Goa is in Farmagudi, part of Ponda town.The Kamakshi Higher Secondary School is located at Curti, Ponda.A.J.D.E Almeida high school, Goa Engineering College (Farmagudi), GVM's College of Arts and Science, P.E.S> College
Transport
There are regular bus services from Panaji and Margao and they depart from the
Kadamba Transport Corporation bus stand in the middle of town. There are also buses to nearby villages and towns leaving from here. The interstate buses also depart from theKadamba Transport Corporation bus stand.There are buses regularly between Hubli,Dharwad,Belagavi and Ponda run byKSRTC .Economy
Industries
Ponda is industrial centre of Goa. There are many industrial estates in and around Ponda .Some are Kundaim,Bethorda ,Tisk.
Places of interest
Ponda is also the gateway to Goa's wildlife sanctuaries, both the
Bondla and theMahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and also theDudhsagar Waterfalls.Local sightseeing
Nearby cities:
Margao ,Vasco da Gama ,Panaji Nearby beaches:Colva ,Benaulim ,Majorda ,Betalbatim ,Betul ,Canaguinim ,Agonda ,Palolem ,Rajbhag ,Polem Religion
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, TheShanta Durga temple ,Mangueshi Temple ,Ramnathi , Mahalaxmi, Nageshi andNavadurga temples.Safa Masjid , a mosque built in 1560 by the Bijapuri rulerIbrahim Adil Shah is there. It is one of twoIslam ic shrines that escaped destruction by the Portuguese in Goa. It is very close to the town of Farmagudi.Churches
*Church of Holy Spirit, Margao
*Rachol Seminary,RacholTemples
*Shree Gopal Ganapathi, Farmagudi
*ShreeMahalasa Narayani Temple, Mardol
*ShreeKamakshi Devasthan, Shiroda
*ShreeMangueshi Temple , Priol
*Shree Laxminarsimha Temple, Nagueshi
*Shree Mahalaxmi Temple, Bandode
*ShreeRamnathi Temple, Ramnathi
*ShreeShanta Durga temple , Kavlem
*Shree Sanusthan Goudpadacharya, Kavlem
*Shree Navdurga Temple, Madkai
*Shree Damodar Temple, Zambaulim
*Shree Chandranath Temple, Paroda
*Shree Navdurga Temple, Borim
*Shree Shantadurga Temple, Fatorpa
*Maruti Temple , Ponda
*Maruti Temple, Curti
*Ishwar Parwati Temple, KhadpabandMasjids
*Safa Shahouri Masjid, Ponda
*Jama Masjid , SanguemMonuments
*Cabo de Rama
*Buddhist caves, RivonaInfrastructure available in Ponda
*Branches of Banks :
Karnataka Bank ,Corporation Bank ,ICICI Bank ,HDFC Bank ,Saraswat Bank .
*Drug store / Pharmacy : Kurtarkar Pharmacy
*Restaurants around Ponda : Hotel Menino, Abiksha Palace, Cafe Bhonsle
*Internet Cafes: ebay
*Post office - Ponda Post Office, Ponda.
*Police Station - Police Station, Ponda - Tel: 722175
*Hospitals - Priolkar Nursing Home - Tel: [0832] 2314178References
External links
* [http://www.goaunplugged.com/ponda.html Ponda town]
* [http://www.indialine.com/travel/goa/ponda/ Temple town of Goa,Ponda]
* [http://www.goatourism.org/Destinations/Towns/ponda.htm Ponda tourism]
* [http://www.geocities.com/ggavaska/navadurga.html Info on Navadurga Temples]
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