Ponda :

       Ponda, the Hindu heart of Goa is also known as Antuz Mahal, as it is the centre of culture, music, drama and poetry.

       It is the administrative headquarters of the talukas in Goa and has some of the state's largest iron ore mines in the outskirts of the town.

       The visitors come here to see the string of hindu temples spread around the town amidst lush landscape full of swaying palms.

       Many famous temples like Shri ShantaDurga temple,Shri Kamakshi,Shri Mahalsa, are in the belt of Ponda region. The Bhagvan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Bondla Sanctuary are located close by.

       The Other main tourist attraction is the Safa masjid, a sixteen-century Muslim monument, constructed by Adil Shah in 1560.

Ponda's History
       Portuguese could not take over Ponda for nearly two and half centuries, after their arrival in Goa. Thus it became a heven for the hindus, who escaped the inquisition in the old conquests and cross the river to settle down here.

       Ponda came officially under the Portuguese rule when it was ceded by the king of sunda in 1791 by then the Portuguese had become more tolerant towards other religions.


Around Ponda :

Keri :
       This typical village is located 8km north east of ponda town. It is endowed with exceptional scenic beauty and has rich heritage in ayurveda.

Ayurveda :
       It is the ancient healing system of India. The village has played an important part in ayurvedic healing and is well known for the vaidya family that is practicing ayurveda for generations. Dr. dada vaidya (1859-1947) used to extract medicines from various herbs and cure the patients near and far, even Portuguese officers and their families came to him for treatment.

Laterite stone mines :
       Visitors can view the process of mining of Laterite stones, which are widely used in Goa for building purposes.

Parvati madhav Plants Park :
       This park is an excellent example of the traditional goan village culture where principle of gainful co-existence of the owners and helpers family are exhibited. The plants are grown in well demarcated plots called as arboretum. In the arboretum the relation between man and plants is beautifully depicted.

Arya Cashew products factory :

       This is cashew-processing factory; here one can observe processes of steam roasting, shelling, pilling, grading and packing of cashews. All these processes involve manual labour. Cashews can also be purchased here.