Bom Jesus Church, Goa - Walking Through History!

This Church is located in Old Goa, Panjim. It's quiet beautiful and well maintained with gardens surrounding from all sides.

A beautiful exterior

The church is called "Bom Jesus" meaning 'good Jesus' or 'infant Jesus' to whom it is dedicated. The facade has letters 'HIS' on it at the top - which are the first three letters of Jesus in Greek.

The Basilica is considered to be the best example of baroque architecture in India, is a UNESCO world heritage site.

'IHS' - first three letters of Jesus in Greek

Timings

The main attraction o this church is undoubtedly - Body of St. Francis Xavier, which is over 400 years old and still in good condition!

The coffin of St Francis Xavier

A little history about St. Francis

• He Died while en route to China on December 2, 1552
• The Body was first taken to Portuguese Malacca and two years later brought back to Goa, India (after two years, body was as fresh as the day it was buried)
• His remains are displayed in a glass container encased in a silver casket in Basilica.
• St Francis's body is exposed for public display every 10 years.

  Next event will be held from 22-November-2014 to 4-January-2015

  Mark your calenders!

The body of St. Francis

Close up...

Some of the interiors of church...

It would be good to get a Guide to get more insights on the history of this Church. There is ample parking space and eateries outside.
You can also visit 'The Church of St Francis of Assisi' and 'Se Cathedral' nearby.

It's a good 1-2 hours visit...

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Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa

This one's located in the heart of Goa - Panjim (and thus it's also called - Panjim Church). It was one of the first churches to be built here (around 1500 BC!).

The Church looks simple, but impressive with beautiful and well maintained structure as well as it's surroundings. It has also been a part of numerous Bollywood movies. 
It's a picturesque location, don't forget your camera (Sadly, photography is not allowed inside the Church).

The Church Square is well maintained with ample greenery.

Front View

From the top, you can get a great view of the lovely Panjim city.

Church Square

Tip 1: Try to visit the church in evening, it get's beautifully lights up making it look more awesome.

Tip 2: Every year on 8th December, the feast of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church is celebrated. During this time, the church is beautifully decorated with lights and also a fair is organized on the square.

It's a worthy 1-2 hour visit.

Cheers!

A fun filled Saturday @ Ingo's Night Market - Goa

This is not just ordinary Goa'n market which you'll find near all the beaches. It's different in many aspects and that's what makes Ingo's a must visit in Goa!

Note: A fun filled *Saturday* since it's a 'Saturday' Night market. Do plan your visit accordingly.

Located in Aprora (Near Baga and Calungate beach), this one is not difficult to find. The market is situated in a huge open area with ample parking space, sometimes it's a bit difficult to find the spot because of the heavy rush... The parking and entry is free (there are guards and metal detectors on all the entry gates).  

 

Entry Gates

Yes, It's a drug free zone :)

We stopped at Ingo's for a quick detour but ended up spending the whole evening there! 

 

A little history first:

The market was started in the 70's by a German guy called Ingo. Anyone was allowed to pay up and open a shop. Started as a low key affair where people used to collaborate to open small shops and trade along with enjoying their beers, this has now become a phenomenon in Goa.
 

 

What all is here?

In simple words -- Shop + Eat + Enjoy!

 

Shop-o-holic

A variety of shops and stalls where all kinds of stuff is available at great bargain. Also, other than that we found a lot of unique stalls by the foreigners. The designs are good and unique, & also at a good bargain!

A maze of numerous such lanes make the market.

A lot of foreigners can be seen here.

 

Some nice artifacts I saw there...

Puppets...

Interesting Fact: Almost every local Goa'n shopkeeper there speaks fluent Russian! We were amazed by their communication skills. An owner of one of the shop told me that there are a lot of night schools in Goa teaching Russian (almost everyone learn it as approximately 80% of the tourists in Goa are from there).

If you are skillful, there is a lot of scope of bargaining..!

 

Food Food!

There is a dedicated space reserved for the food stalls... and we found a mix of all the international cousines being served there. All the best restaurants have a stall there... A great place to try out all the different cousines at one place!

 

Yes!

The food Stalls..!

Kebabs.. Burrito's...

And the Fun!

Music is everywhere. There is a stage in the middle of the market where many visiting artists from all over the world perform. There are lot's of performances which can't be missed. There is a seating area and a bar around the stage (which is most occupied all the times). We saw some awesome jam sessions and performances by a visiting Dutch couple...
There are a couple of restaurants with a dance floor (and a DJ) also.

Photo booth... tag along in FB!

The live performance...

Ingo's is definitely a fun filled evening. Try reaching there early (by 5-6PM) to get the most of it!

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