Much of Goa’s allure is its native Hindu culture combined with its Portugese-Christian heritage. It has a long, colourful history dating back to 300 BC when it was part of the Mauryan Empire under the Buddhistking Ashoka. According to legend, Goa was formed when Parashurama (an incarnation of Vishnu) shot an arrow from the Western Ghats into the sea and the land rose up. Under the Chalukyans of Badami (570-750AD) the capital was Chandrapura, then, under the Kadambas, it was transferred to Gowapuri (c.1050). In 1312 Goa fell to the muslims under Ala Udin Khilji who returned toChandrapura, which was razed to the ground fifteen years later by Mohammed Tughluq. Between 1370-78 Goa wasincorporated into the Vijayanagar Empire and its harbours became important for the Arabian horse trade.
By 1490 it had been conquered by the Bahmanis and then the AdilShahs of Bijapura, who made Velha Goa (Old Goa ) the Capital. In 1510 the Portugese, under Alfonso de Albuquerque, invaded Old Goa in order to secure the “Spice Route”. By 1788 they had secured their hold on all Goa , and this era became known asGoa’s “Golden Age”. Churches and cathedrals were built and the nativesforcibly converted to catholicism ( Old Goa was known then as ‘Rome in India’). In 1893, due to the silting of the Mandovi River, the capital was moved to Panjim (Panaji). In 1961, fourteen years after the British left, the Indian army peacefully ‘liberated’ Goa from the Portugese in ‘Operation Vijay’. On 30th May 1987 it achieved full statehood and became the 25th state of the Indian Union.