School excursion to Goa, 24-29 March, 2015

Well known as the "Pearl of the Orient", Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as Konkan. No wonder then that it became the destination for the excursion to match the School theme, namely, The States along the Western Coast of India.

The scenic beauty and the architectural creativity of its temples, churches and old homes make Goa a firm favourite with travellers from around the world.

Goa is also much more than just beaches and the ocean. It has a soul which delves deep into a unique history, rich culture and some of the natural scenic beauty.

We, a group of three staff members and 26 excited students from classes 10 - 12 made our way by Rajdhani Express on an educational and fun-filled trip to Goa. The 26 hour long journey did not feel exhausting and all we could hear through the ride was a cacophony of excited, high-pitched voices planning the next 3-4 days!

On reaching Madgaon the next afternoon, we were transferred by an air- conditioned coach to our hotel, Whispering Palms in Candolim which is roughly an hour and a half drive from the station. The three days that followed were a virtual transportation to paradise!

We began with a visit to The Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, where our guide explained its significance and history. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is an excellent sample of Baroque architecture. The Basilica of Bom Jesus was constructed in 1605 and is an important destination for Christian pilgrims from all over the world. One of the important attractions here are the mortal remains of the missionary, Saint Francis Xavier which greatly intrigued our students.

Our next stop was Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim, which was built in 1541 as a chapel by the Portuguese and was later replaced by a larger church, as it stands today, in an impressive shape of a wedding cake! The exterior of the church is painted dazzling white and is also built in Baroque style. It was the location of an old port where ships sailing from Lisbon made their first stop and sailors disembarked, before they proceeded further inland into Old Goa, which was the capital till the 19th century.

Among our other stops were the various beaches of Goa namely Candolim, Anjuna, Dona Paula, Baga etc. The visits to these beaches were interspersed with physical fitness activities, namely an early morning jog, beach volleyball and warm-up exercises.

We walked through the streets of Panaji (Panjim), the state capital located on the banks of River Mandovi and admired the old Portuguese houses.

Goa was liberated by the Indian army from Portuguese colonisation on December 19, 1961 and became a union territory along with the enclaves of Daman and Diu. On May 30, 1987 Goa was conferred statehood and became the 25th state of the Indian Republic.

We were shown Goan dances on a sun-down cruise on the river. We climbed aboard the Santa Monica, the pride of the Goa Tourism Department. This luxury launch is built on a twin hull and is used for evening cruises with live cultural programmes presented by the best cultural troupes of Goa. We watched one such performance and were mesmerised by the colourful costumes and choreography of traditional folk dances such as the dekhni, the fugdi and the corridinho, a representation of the synthesis of Indian and western traditions, love, historical narratives and political resistance. A live DJ at the end of the cruise amused the children who joined in on the floor.

Last but not the least was a visit to Fort Aguada in North Goa, built in 1612. Fort Aguada is a picturesque fort situated on Sinquerim Beach. Aguada is Portuguese for "Watering Place and the fort was built by the Portuguese rulers for the purpose of offering fresh water to passing ships in the Arabian Sea.

On a lighter note, we stepped into the forts premise to feel transported to the numerous memorable Bollywood movie scenes shot here and students posed in great animation to the shutter bugs..The Dil Chahta Hai moment, they captioned it!

We boarded out train back in great reluctance. But soon enough the anticipation of imminent beginning of the academic year and the summer camp lifted spirits spontaneously.

Filed by Ms. Mithu Ghosh.