History of Goa

The beach capital of India - Goa used to be a part of the Mauryan Empire during the 3rd century B.C. The Satvahanas of Kolhapur followed by the Chalukyas of Badami, governed Goa later. A few other dynasties tried to rule over Goa, which they did though for a short while. This included a small time Muslim invasion too. The Vijaynagar Empire had a strong hold on Goa and it established itself for close to a century. the Vijaynagar Empire had to give in Goa to the Sultans of Gulbarga. From the Sultans the control over Goa moved into the hands of Adil Shah of Bijapur.

After the domestic rulers the foreign powers began the big fight for Goa. The Dutch, English, French and Portuguese all wanted Goa. It was in 1510 that the Portuguese finally succeeded in conquering Goa under the leadership of Alfonso de Albuquerque. The Portuguese ruled over Goa for over four centuries. Though India had achieved its independence in 1947 Goa was under the Portuguese for fourteen more years till 1961. The strong Portuguese influence can still be felt in Goa. The temples, churches and forts all stand in testimony of the rich history of Goa.

We conduct special tours that let you experience the history of Goa. Visits to the various spots in Goa associated with its past are popular with many tourists.