Ponda ''

taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

'' is a subdivision of the district of

South Goa South Goa district is one of two districts that comprises the state of Goa, India, within the region known as the Konkan. It is bounded by North Goa district to the north, the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state to the east and south, whil ...

, Goa state,

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. Its administrative headquarters is the township of Ponda.

Location

It is situated in central part of Goa. It hosts many educational institutes and manufacturing industries. The

Belgaum Belgaum ( ISO: ''Bēḷagāma''; also Belgaon and officially known as Belagavi) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located in its northern part along the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous Belagavi ...

Panjim Panaji (; also known as Panjim) is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river estuary ...

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

passes through this taluka. Ponda lies in the centre of Goa. It lies in the

North Goa North Goa district is one of the two districts that constitutes the state of Goa, India. The district has an area of , and is bounded by Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra state to the north and by Belgavi district of Karnataka ...

district. Ponda taluka is known as the home for many prominent temples in Goa. The name of the ''taluka'' (sub-district) is the same as the main town or city, which is also Ponda.

''Antruz Mahal''

Ponda has also been known as ''Antruz Mahal'', which the official NIC site says is "because of the concentration of culture, music, drama and poetry also houses the temples of Lord Mangesh (Shiva), Lord Nagesh, Lord Ganapati, Lord Ramnath and the Goddesses Mhalasa and Shantdurga" It has been called the "Hindu heart of Goa".

Temples, a mosque

Ponda is famous for five important temples (including

Shri Mangues Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javane ...

and

Shri Mahalsa Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javanese ...

, lying between Mardol and

Priol Priol is a village in central Goa, in western India. It is situated in Ponda Taluka, north of the city of Ponda. The Mangueshi Temple is located northwest of the village. From Mardol, Priol is around 2 km, Mardol is on Panaji-Ponda highw ...

villages) situated around the town of Ponda and within the taluka, the largest mosque in Goa. Ponda is an important transport hub.

Capital

The capital of this ''subdistrict'' of Ponda, also called Ponda (town or city), lies 28 km south east of the state-capital

Panaji Panaji (; also known as Panjim) is the capital of the Indian state of Goa and the headquarters of North Goa district. Previously, it was the territorial capital of the former Portuguese India. It lies on the banks of the Mandovi river estuary i ...

. It is some 17 km north-east of

Margao Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river and is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district. It is Goa's second largest city by population ...

History

In 1791, Ponda was taken over by the Portuguese, then ruling Goa, from the Raja of Sonda. It was annexed to what was then Goa along with the sub-districts of

Quepem Quepem is a town with a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. The town is the administrative headquarters of the Quepem taluka (sub-district). History The town was established by a Portuguese noble man Deão ...

Canacona Canacona () is a city and a municipal council in the district of South Goa, Goa state, India. Canacona taluka includes Patnem, Chaudi, Poinguinim, Loliem-Polem, Agonda, and Gaumdongre. Chaudi is the headquarters and the most developed town in t ...

and

Sanguem Sanguem () is a city and a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. Notable landmarks include the Sagameshwar Temple, Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park and the Salaulim Dam. Geography Sanguem is l ...

. Its main town was built up during Portuguese rule, first as an administrative and court centre, and later a commercial centre.

Part of Kavle

Ponda town was earlier part of kavle village. Lying along the

inland highway the avoids the Mandovi river, it is also a link between Goa and neighbouring

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...

state, via the Ponda-

highway (NH4A).

Ponda today

Goa College of Engineering is located in Farmaguddi village, in Ponda ''taluka'', on the outskirts of Ponda town. Ponda taluka serves as the gateway to Goa's wildlife sanctuaries -- Bondla and the Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.

List of towns, including census towns, in Ponda ''taluka''

* Bandora (Census Town) * Borim (Census Town) *

Candola Candola is a village and census town in Ponda Sub-District, North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is located in the ''Novas Conquistas'' region of the state.

(Census Town) * Curti (Census Town) *

Marcaim Marcaim or Madkai is a census town in Ponda taluka, North Goa district in the state of Goa, India. A number of its residents have the last name, Kamat, and belong to the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community. It is famous for is Navdurga temple, ...

(Census Town) *

Orgao Orgao is a village in Ponda taluka, North Goa district North Goa district is one of the two districts that constitutes the state of Goa, India. The district has an area of , and is bounded by Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra ...

(Census Town) * Ponda (Municipal Council) *

(Census Town) *

Quela Quela is a town and municipality in Malanje Province in Angola. The municipality has 20,949 inhabitants in 2014. It is bounded to the north by the municipalities of Caombo and Kunda-dia-Base, to the east by the municipality of Xá-Muteba, to ...

(Census Town) * Usgao (Census Town)

List of villages in Ponda ''taluka''

* Adcolna * Betora (Bethora) * Betqui (Betki) * Boma * Candepar(Khandepar) * Codar * Conxem * Cuncoliem * Cundaim (Kundaim) * Durbhat * Gangem * Nirancal * Ponchavadi (Panchvadi) * Querim (Keri) *

Savoi-Verem Savoi-Verem is a village in the Ponda taluka, North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. Area, population According to the official 2011 Census, Savoi-Verem has an area of 928.62 hectares, a total of 700 households, a population of 3,187 (com ...

* Siroda (Shiroda) * Telaulim (Talaulim) * Tivrem * Vadi * Vagurbem * Velinga (Veling) * Volvoi

References

External links

Cities and villages in Ponda Taluk
Taluks of Goa Geography of North Goa district {{goa-geo-stub