Margao

Margao is the second largest city in the state of Goa, India. It is the district headquarters of South Goa as well as being the county seat of Salcete.

Lying on the banks of River Sal, Margao is one of the oldest cities of Goa. It is famous for the huge Portuguese style mansions that populate its landscape. It is also one of the cities with the highest rate of growth in Goa, including several suburbs, such as Fatorda, Gogol, Borda, Comba, Navelim and Davorlim.

The Margao railway station is the largest and most important of Goa because it is a point of intersection with the elevated railways of the Konkan coast and the southwest. All trains that pass through Goa stop at this station, which serves as the gateway to South Goa.

Tourism

The city has many tourist attractions. These include the closed market of Albuquerque, the town hall, the municipal garden, the springs of Anna, the old market, the church of the Holy Spirit, the Portuguese colonial mansions, and the crematorium and the Hindu Muslim cemetery, both located on the street called Miss.

There are many churches and temples in Margao, and the local population is largely either Catholic or Hindu, a Muslim minority. The most famous churches of Margao are the Holy Spirit, the Grace, and Sao Sebastiao. The temples that are the best known are Damodar, Hari Mandir, and Maruti Mandir, in Davorlim, and the Saibaba, also in Davorlim. There are two mosques in Margao; one is in the Malbhat area and another is on Monte hill.

Regional cuisine includes curry Margao, as well as other traditional delicacies of the cuisine of Goa.

Education

Margao houses several prestigious schools and colleges. One of these is the College of St. Ignatius of Loyola, run by the Jesuits of Goa. It is a school for boys, known for producing some of the best students of Goa, which often stand apart in the academic world as well as the world of sport.

The city is also known as the cultural capital of Goa. Currently, a cultural center in the area of Fatorda, to be called Ravindra Bhavan, is under construction. The only stadium in Goa is also located in this area, having been named in honor of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Demographics

According to the census of 2001, Margao had a population of 78,393 inhabitants, 51% male and 49% female. The literacy rate is around 76%, outpacing the Indian national average of 59.5%. Male literacy is 79%, and the female rate is 73%. In Margao, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.