Mapusa Travel Guide
Mapusa
Travel
Mapusa (pronounced as Mapsa by the locals) is Goa's third largest
town and the capital of the northern Bardez taluka. It is mainly a
market town for the surrounding beach areas of Calangute, Candolim,
Anjuna and Baga among others. Even its name is thought to be derived
from the Konkani word for a measure - "map" and the phrase
fill up - "sa".
It is a fairly small town with mostly modern building spread around
the slopes of a small hillock called Altinho. It lies about 13 kms
from the capital city of Panaji and on most days there is hardly
anything to entice the casual visitor to its environs.
Mapusa lies 13kms from Panaji, and has an even blend of residential
and commercial establishments and gardens. The beaches nearest to
this town are the Anjuna and Chapora beaches. The
Kansarpal-Kalbadevi temple, believed to be about 800 years old lies
14 km from Mapusa. There's not much to see in Mapusa, though the
Friday market is worth a visit.
The ramshackle market town of Mapusa is the district headquarters
of Bardez taluka . If you arrive by road from Mumbai and plan to
stay in one of the north Goan resorts, you can jump off the bus here
and pick up a local service straight to the coast, rather than
continue on to Panjim, 13km south.
A dusty collection of dilapidated modern buildings scattered around
the west-facing slope of a low hill, Mapusa is of little more than
passing interest in itself, although on Fridays it hosts a lively
market. Mapusa market was first heard in the 1580 by a Dutch
Chronicler, who even described it as the "Bazaar Grande".
The popularity of Mapusa as a market center grew out of ancient
festivals in honour of the God Kanakeshwar Baba, venerated at the
Bodgeshwar Temple. The festivals attracted large crowds seeking to
fulfill their individual wishes, which needed pots and oil lamps as
offerings to propitiate the Gods. Both Mapusa's location at the hub
of commercial activity and its proximity to a place of religious
pilgrimage have caused the Mapusa market to grow to its current size
and scope.
Getting There
By Rail:
Mapusa is the pass through point for all buses travelling to and
from Goa to Mumbai, Pune and a number of other destinations. So the
bus stand near the main square at the entrance to the city is a busy
hub of activity with hundreds of travel agents stalls for
inter-state travel bookings.
Most local buses for all the nearby beaches of Calangute, Baga,
Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, and Arambol and other surrounding areas
leave from the Kadamba bus stand on the southwest edge of town.
Motorcycle taxis are also available near the main town square and
are often the quickest mode of transport to the beachside. Tourist
Taxis charges are considerably more, so it is best to share the fare
with four or five other travellers if possible.
By Road:
The Konkan Railway coming in from Mumbai stops for a few minutes at
the Tivim (Thivim) railway station which lies at a distance of 12
kms from Mapusa. There are rickshaws and tourist taxis available
here to take you to the nearest beach hotel or resort. Here too, it
is best to share the ride with as many passengers as possible and
also to fix up a fare for the trip before starting the journey.
Tourist Attractions
Terekhol Fort
On the north bank of river Terekhol, with a church within it's
walls, lies the Terekhol Fort. At present it has been converted into
a hotel. A ferry, between 6 a.m to 10 p.m, runs from Querim and
Terekhol in every half hour.
Arambol
A large and sprung out village near the seashore, Arambol Beach is
an uninterrupted and stunning stretch of curving sand, still
unspoilt in comparison to other beaches in Goa. Arambol Beach can be
approached by a road which winds across the plateau and down through
the cashew trees. Arambol Beach is one of the many sun-kissed
beaches in Goa which is a sheer delight to tourists who travel to
Goa for beach vacations.
