Ponda, Goa

Geography

Ponda is located at . It has an average elevation of 42 m.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census of India, Ponda had a population of 22,664. Males constituted 51.8% of the population and females 48.2%. Ponda had an average literacy rate of 85.2%, higher than the national average of 74.0%, with male literacy at 86.7% and female literacy at 83.5%. In Ponda, 9.9% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Religion

Hinduism

There are many Hindu temples in and around Ponda. The temples of Shri Manguesh (Shiva), Shri Nagesh, Shri Ganapati, Shri Ramnath and the Goddesses Shri Shantadurga, Shri Mahalasa, Shri Mahalaxmi are all located nearby.

Christianity

St. Anne Church, Ponda, Goa is called ‘Santa Ana Igreja em Ponda, Goa’ in Portuguese. The St. Anne Church, Ponda, Goa is popularly called ‘The Ponda Church’ locally in Goa. The original Church of Ponda, dedicated to St. Anne and St Anthony, was founded in 1700. Ponda was then a mission station administered by the Jesuits. The present Ponda Church was built later. The parish of Ponda was entrusted to the pastoral care of members of the Order of Franciscans Minor in 1957. The present parochial residence of the Ponda Church was built in 1967 and the church sanctuary was enlarged and remodeled in 1987.

The church is of Neo-Roman style and is two-storey high. Its Rococo curved apex has cherubs and statue in relief. The facade has a Gable with stained glass oculus. It has finials of urn and spear-and-ball types. It has a belfry at left with horizontal banding and tiled porch up front.

Jainism

The village Bandivade in Ponda was established by King Sripala. He also built a Jain temple of Neminatha in Ponda.

Islam

Ponda houses the Safa Masjid, one of the two 16th century muslim monuments in Goa that survived the Portuguese Inquisition. Built around 1560 by the Bijapuri ruler Ibrahim Adil Shah and situated 2 km from the core of the city in the Shapur locality, the Safa Masjid is found flanking the Panjim-Bengaluru highway. A tank for ablutions is also present in the mosque compound and has sprouted rumours about tunnels hidden underneath.

Government and politics

Ponda is part of Ponda (Goa Assembly constituency) and North Goa (Lok Sabha constituency).

References

References

1. "Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, India - Ponda".
2. [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/33/Ponda.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Ponda]
3. "Census of India: Primary Census Abstract".
4. [http://www.goatourism.gov.in/destinations/towns/169-ponda Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, India - Ponda]
5. Lourenço, José. (2005). "The Parish Churches of Goa: A Study of Façade Architecture". Amazing Goa Publications.
6. (31 October 2014). "Jain heritage dwindles as govt sits pretty". [[The Times of India]].
7. Abram, David. (2003). "Goa". Rough Guides.