6 Things To Do In Goa If You Are Not A “Beach” Person

  Out of the Box Adventures

Nunnery of Santa Monica A unique experience awaits at the Santa Monica Monastery, with its ancient secrets and unique artistic legacy. Back in the 17th century, the young nuns who were cloistered here in the Nunnery of Santa Monica, in Old Goa, were expected to live by very strict rules laid out by the monks. While the women had entered the nunnery to dedicate their lives to God, the circumstances in which they were expected to live out their lives here were very, very strict. This meant they were not allowed to speak, listen, read, or travel; even meeting their fam]ilies was a restricted monitored affair, if at all. The nuns of the black veil were of Portuguese descent whilst those in white veils were of native Goan descent.  There are even whispers of even more dire deeds played out in the secretive confines of the monastery. Over time, as the number of nuns entering the nunnery started falling off, the convent was closed as a nunnery after the last sister residing there died, and was reinstated as a church in 1968.

Strapped by these torturous rules created by their male peers the nuns out of sheer desperation vented their creative urges by painting the most exquisite frescoes that you can see to this day. The Chapel of the Weeping Cross lies south of the convent.

The convent is now the site of the wonderful Museum of Christian Art which houses items of rare beauty such as The Processional Banner of St. Joseph in silk and gold-embroidered velvet banner which uniquely combines ivory used to make the face, hands, and feet as part of the embroidery; the infant Jesus, The Good Shepherd carved out of a single piece of ivory, The Flemish-inspired painting of the Holy Family Blessed By The Holy Trinity and the metalwork of an infant Jesus in a canopy bed; also precious are some of the rare manuscripts on display. The collection of Christian art objects, drawn from the 16th century to the middle of the 20th century, includes sculpture, painting, liturgical objects, jewellery, furniture, and embroidery, in materials such as stone, wood, metal, ivory, and textiles.

While the convent now serves as the venue of the Museum of Christian Art; the old Monastery of Santa Monica houses the Mater Dei Institute, for the formation of the faith for women from all religious congregations in India.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites Visit Old Goa for its Christian legacy, beautifully illustrated in the line-up of churches including the iconic Basilica of Bom Jesus, Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Chapel of Saint Cathrine, Church of Lady of Rosary, Church of São Caetano, Se Cathedral, Saint Anne’s Church, and the atmospheric ruins of the Church of Saint Augustine.

There are at least three of these which deserve closer attention. The UNESCO-acclaimed World Heritage Site of the 16th century Bom Jesus Church houses the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier in in a silver casket making it a huge pilgrimage hub. St. Francis of Assisi Church is remarkable for its architectural beauty and is fabled for its stunning woodwork and murals. Se Cathedral, established by Portuguese ruler, Afonso de Albuquerque, to commemorate one of his career-defining victories in Goa is fabled for its massive Golden Bell. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is cited as being one of Asia’s largest churches with a height of 76m and a breadth of 55m.

Haunted Three Kings Chapel Ride out to Cansaulim, 10 km away from Vasco da Gama in South Goa, to uncover the mystery of one of Goa’s most haunted places. The Three Kings Chapel or Church of Our Lady of Remedios has an eerie vibe to it which has been a magnet for ghost-busting enthusiasts down the decades. The intriguing shenanigans of this Portuguese-era chapel set atop a hike up to Cuelim Hill is one for the books. Murder and mystery are closely intertwined in this gory tale involving three rival kings who want to hang on to their powers. 

It all started with a king, Holger Aluvanger by name, who had no desire to share the territories of this region in Goa with two other Portuguese kings, as stated by a new treaty. The devious Holger invited the other two contenders to a lavish dinner at the chapel to resolve their issues. But both contenders met a sorry end over the poisoned meal. Though they died Holger himself did not live long enough to enjoy his ill-gained victory. The disgrace and public humiliation that he faced on discovery of his dirty secret, drove him to drink the same poison from which he died. All three kings were buried in the graveyard at the church by the village folk.

Late-night visitors sometimes report paranormal activities here, adding to the legend that the spirits of all three kings wander around restlessly in the church complex. There are plenty of visitors who have pooh-poohed the idea of the hauntings, but the legend persists to this day. Meanwhile, enjoy those stunning views from this hilltop location.

 The Feast of Three Kings Chapel, held annually on January 6th, celebrates the day of the Epiphany (12 nights after the first night of Christmas, on December 25), of the Magi, the legendary three kings of Biblical times.

Hindu Capital Chandor Now a sleepy little village, 40km away from Panjim, in its heyday Chandor or Chandrapur served as a bustling hub of activity of governance, trade and commerce as well during the rule of the Bhojas, the Sialaras and the Kadambas. The arrival of the Portuguese served as a death knell to its fame and fortunes of this ancient capital. A visit here is still worthy of exploration of another interesting aspect of Goa.

You cannot miss the vision of the lavish mansion of the Braganza family, who are believed to have made a deal with the Portuguese to survive in those volatile times of colonial conquest.  The land of the 17th-century Menezes Braganza Pereira mansion, which presides over the village square was a gift by their Portuguese masters for the services the family had rendered over the centuries. The mansion, owned by two sisters in the family is open to tours. There’s also a story going around of a Queen from the Kadamba dynasty, who cursed the village because she believed an act of treachery resulted in the newly crowned young king Siriyadeva, her husband, being slain in a battle with Nawab Jamal-ud-din of Honavar, during her absence. To this day locals are wary of her curse!

Divar island Quit the beaches for a jaunt on the serene Divar Island with its laidback pastoral setting. A cycling tour is the best way to enjoy this great outdoors The island offers up three village settlements worthy of an explore. These are Piedade, Malar and Naroa.  

Divar was once a major Hindu pilgrimage hub as it was populated by many shrines. When wrested by the Portuguese it lost many of its attractions for the native populace. At the ruins of the 12th-century Saptakoteshwar Temple, dedicated to one of the most revered deities of Goa, rewind to the time this temple was held deeply sacred being the kul devta or tutelary deity of Goa’s Hindu kings the Kadambas (10th -14th CE).

The original temple of Saptakoteshwar was destroyed by the Bahamani Sultan of the Deccan but was reconstructed under the directions of the Madhav Mantri of the Vijayanagara Kingdom which had broken the rule of the Kadambas. Also known as koti tirtha tali, the temple, sited by a lake, was destroyed again, this time by the conquering Portuguese.  The Shiva statue which used to be once originally enshrined at Naroa was shifted to Narve at the time when the Hindu community fled from the persecutions of the colonists looking to convert the locals to Christianity in the 1500s.

Some other unmissable high points are the historic Nossa Senhora de Piedade Church, the Sao Matias Church, the Chapel of Our Lady Candelaria, and several Portuguese-style residential heritage structures. Birding and angling are other fun-filled activities at Divar.

The island gets very festive during the Halloween-style Potekar festival, held three days before Lent. The islanders also celebrate the Bonderam festival in August.

 Spice Trail The Spice Garden experience is a great way to discover Goa’s renowned culinary delights. This trip takes you to Savoi Ponda, which is about 15 km away from Ponda. Having been in the business for over 200 years this family-owned estate is a wonderful place to explore Goa’s linkages with the spice trading world of yesteryears.

Your experience here also offers a window to intercropping, the practice of growing two or more crops in proximity to each other; which means you will get exposed to the intercropping of spices with coconuts to betel nuts, from pineapples to other fruits— from the seed to fruit process. The guided tour ends with a lovely sit-down Goan meal traditionally served in mud pots and on banana leaves.