Bardez is the name of a region and taluka located in North Goa. The name is credited to the Brahmin immigrants who migrated to the Konkan via Magadha in Gangetic India from Aryavarta, in the north-western part of the Indian sub-continent. Bardez is delimited on the north by the Chapora river, on the south by the Mandovi river, on the east by the Mapusa river, which originates in Bardez itself, near its capital city Mapusa, and on the west by the Arabian Sea. Bardez has many beautiful Cities and Villages one can visit. Goa, a tiny emerald land on the west coast of India, the 25th state of India's Union states, was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961. It was a part of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman & Diu till 30th May 1987 when it was carved out of a separate state. Goa covers an area of 3702 square kilometers and comprises two revenue districts namely North Goa and South Goa. Boundaries of Goa State are defined in the North Terekhol river which separates it from Maharashtra, in the East and South by Karnataka State, and West by the Arabian Sea.
Goa lies on the Western Coast of India and is 594 km (by road) away from Mumbai city. The Architecture of Goa is a combination of Indian, Islamic, and Portuguese styles. Cascade roofs have become an architectural element in Goa, Climatologically to withstand heavy rain, and these cascade roofs are beautified with ornamented fascia. The roof ends with a gutter to drain rainwater from the roof. Cascaded roofs are typical of Goan architecture. Agriculture is one of the important economic activities in Goa. The total agricultural area is approximately 1400 sq. km from which the Government owns 1200 sq. km, and the remaining 200 sq. km is owned privately.
Rice and coconut are the staple produce of Goa. Paddy is cultivated during the monsoon from the months of June to September. Mining in Goa started before 1961 when Goa was under the rule of the Portuguese. The Japanese mineral prospectors had surveyed Goa and found iron ore, manganese, and bauxite in the hilly region of the Western Ghats. The colonial Government had granted 336 mining leases, even though Goa got its liberation from the colonial Government on 19th December 1961. Down the corridors of time, Goa has been a different thing to different people. To the Portuguese conquerors, it was 'Golden Goa', the El Dorado, the 'Rome of the East'. Goa is also known for its beaches, ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda. Goa was a destination of choice for Indian and foreign tourists, particularly Britons and Russians, with limited means who wanted to enjoy.
Goan Portuguese Style Canopy.