Margao

Margão is the Portuguese spelling, with Madgao being used in Konkani. It was called Madgaon in Marathi. It is derived from the Sanskrit मठग्राम (Maṭhagrāma) which means a village of monasteries.

In Ravanphond, now a suburb of Margao, there are shrines of Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath.[3] The abode of Nath medicants was called a Matha (Monastery). Madagao was called Mathagrama on account of Vaishnavite Math belonging to Dvaita sect which was founded in the latter 15th century and shifted to Partagali after the establishment of the Portuguese power.[4]

Margão in pre-Portuguese times was one of the important settlements in Salcete and known as Matha Grama (the village of Mathas) as it was a temple town with nine Mathas in temple schools. Its replacement in 1579 was destroyed by raiders. The present church was built in 1675.[5][6]

While the western side of the Holy Spirit Church developed as a market place, the settlement grew on the eastern side, that is, the Borda region, with the Holy Spirit Church, Margao at its core and extended outwards.

Margao is located at 15°16′25″N 73°57′29″E. It has an average elevation of 10 m (33 ft).[8]

By road, Margao is located approximately 33 km (21 mi) from the capital Panjim, and 27 km (17 mi) from Vasco da Gama.

Nestled on the banks of the Sal River, Portuguese style mansions dot its landscape. One of the fastest growing cities in Goa, its fast growing suburbs include Aquem, Fatorda, Gogol, Borda, Comba, Navelim and Davorlim.

Margao features a tropical monsoon climate. Summers are warm whereas winters are mild. Summers last from March–May when the temperature reaches up to 32 °C (90 °F) and winters from December–February when it is usually between 20–28 °C (68–82 °F). Monsoons occur from June–September with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. The annual average rainfall is 2,881 mm (113.4 in).

As of the 2011 census of India,[10] Margao had a population of 87,650.[2] Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. It had an average literacy rate of 90%; male literacy was 93%, and female literacy 86.8%. In Margao, 9.8% of the population was under 7 years of age. With a population of 106,484 in the metropolitan area, Margao is second largest Urban agglomeration in Goa.[2]

Margão is home to many schools and colleges, the alumni of which have made significant contributions to Goa's cultural and scientific landscape. Most schools function in accordance with the curriculum prescribed by the Directorate of Education and the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.The oldest, the Loyola High School (Goa) near the Old Bus Stand, is a Jesuit-run school. Other prominent schools include Bhatikar Model English High School (established in 1935) named after its founder Late Pandurang Raya Bhatikar[11][12] and Mahila & Nutan High School which was established as Samaj Seva Sangh's Mahila Vidyalay for girls in 1933 and started co-ed intake in June 1972.[13] Schools affiliated to central boards include Vidya Vikas Academy which is affiliated to the CBSE board and Manovikas High School affiliated to the ICSE board.[14] The other educational institutes in Margão include St. Joseph High School[15] at Aquem, Govt. High School Vidyanagar, Holy Spirit Institute,[16] Presentation Convent High School, Fatima Convent High School,[16] and Perpetual Convent High School located in Navelim.

The colleges in Margão include The Parvatibai Chowgule College which was housed in Portuguese Military Barracks opposite Multipurpose High School in Vidyanagar. The college moved to its present location in 1972 under the direction of then principal Prof. P. S. Rege. Shree Damodar College of Commerce and Economics and Govind Ramnath Kare College of Law provide post secondary education in Commerce and Law respectively. Schools such as Shree Damodar Higher Secondary School Of Science and R.M.S Higher Secondary School focus exclusively on higher secondary education. There are also ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) which impart technical education. Don Bosco College of Engineering located at Fatorda is the sole technical degree granting institute in the town.

Konkani is the most widely spoken language in Margão, followed closely by English. Portuguese is still spoken and understood by a small number of people. Hindi is also spoken and understood by a majority of the city's population as a laguage to converse with non-konkani, non-english speaking people. The dialect of Konkani in South Goa differs notably from that spoken in North Goa. Marathi is also understood to a significant level. A sizable fraction of the flower and vegetable merchants converse in Kannada.

'Camara Municipal de Salcete' Margão city hall - by night

Margão Municipal Garden, located in the heart of the city.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, picture taken from the Monte Hill.

The town has many sights and destinations. These include the Mercado de Afonso de Albuquerque which roughly translates to closed market and colloquially known as "Pimplapedd" or "Pimpalakatta", the municipal building (Câmara Municipal), the municipal garden named after benefactor Prince Aga Khan, Anna Fonte (natural springs), Old Market or Mercado Velho, Holy Spirit Church, grand colonial mansions such as the Seven Gables House, the chapel at Monte Hill.

Some of the town suburbs include Pajifond, Aquem, Gogol, Borda, Malbhat, Madel, Kharebandh, Old Market, Navelim and Comba, the last two being the oldest parts of the town.

Pandava Caves Located in Aquem Behind St. Sebestian Church

There are a number of churches and temples in Margão, since the population has almost equal numbers of Hindu and Roman Catholic followers and a Muslim minority. The famous churches in Margão are the Holy Spirit Church, the Grace Church, The St Sebastian Church in Aquem (The Old St. Sebastian Chapel, popularly known as the Pandava Copel still stands next to the modern St. Sebastian Church) and the Monte Hill Chapel, the famous temples are the 'Damodar Temple' (Saal), the 'Hari Mandir', the 'Maruti Mandir' at Davorlim the 'Saibaba Temple' at Davorlim, the 'Shiv Temple' (Ling) at Fatorda near Nehru Stadium (which is the original Temple of Damudora). There are two mosques in Margão, one in the Malbhat area and one on the Monte hill. There is also a Jain temple and a Jama'at Khana for the Khoja faith in Pajifond. There is also a Muslim community of Nizaris living in Margão.

The town is also claimed as the cultural capital of Goa. A cultural center named 'Ravindra Bhavan' was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat in July 2008 at Fatorda which is also an Official Venue For International Film Festival of India . It also has Goa's biggest sports stadium, the Nehru Stadium at Fatorda.[23] The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan was held in 1964.[24]

Some of the theatres in Margão include the Gomant Vidya Niketan, OSIA Multiplex, Vishant and Lata; in addition to Goa's biggest theater, the Metropole. Inox has recently launched a multiplex with a capacity of 904 seats. The Gomat Vidya Niketan is a premier centre for arts in the town.

People from all over Goa congregate at the special market to buy spices and dried fish to be used during the oncoming rainy season.

The usual specialities that are found in the cuisine of Goa are also to be found in Margão. The curry of Margão is a praised local speciality. Cans of curry of Margão are currently exported to Portugal and elsewhere.

Margão is also the name of a brand of spices sold in Portugal.

• Media related to Margao at Wikimedia Commons
• Margao travel guide from Wikivoyage