History

History records that Goa formed part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3 rd century BC. It was followed by the rule of the SATAVAHANAS of Kolhapur and then the BHOJAS who formed their capital at Chandor. From 580–750 AD the CHALUKYAS of Badami had their sway over Goa until the SILHARAS took control in 1086 AD.

Guhalla Deva of the Kadambas, originally from Mysore, consolidated his hold over Chandor in the 11 th century AD till the 13 th Century AD. On a pilgrimage to Somnath, a sudden storm threatened the Kadamba King and his armada, at the mouth of the River Zuari. Arab traders, who lived in a settlement by the riverside, rescued them and in gratitude, the Arabs were allowed to carry on their commercial activities in the kingdom.

As their kingdom prospered, the Kadamba rulers built a navy that was unbeatable in its time. Chandor, their capital, was now too small. They then moved to Goa Velha, where only the massive tank of the temple of Goddess Chamunda remains today. The monastery on the hill at Pilar houses the museum that has notable collections of this period.

Jayakeshi-I 1052–1080 AD proclaimed himself as Lord of the Konkan and Emperor of the Western Seas. On his death, Goa fell into the hands of the CHALUKYAS of Kalyani and later to the YADAVAS of Devgiri.

Muslims held sway from 1312-1370 AD over the Konkan region. However with the break up of the Tughlak Kingdom, it was the Bahamani Sultans who then controlled Goa.

Madhav Mantri, who headed the army of Harihara of Vijaynagar, reclaimed and ruled Goa as the Viceroy. He fortified its Ports and through these, Arab steeds were imported for use in the Vijaynagar army. In 1469, the Bahamani vizier Khwaja Mohammed Gawan of Gulburga laid a two-year siege of Goa's seaside forts and ended Vijaynagar's rule.

Yusuf Adil Shah, the adopted son of Gawan, moved his capital to Ela in OLD Goa in 1498. He later built himself a palace in Panaji, which today houses the Secretariat. His rule lasted for 12 years. On 25 th November 1510 he lost Goa for good to Afonso de Albuquerque, a Portuguese, who had taken the city earlier in March that year. This Portuguese rule lasted for 450 years.
On 19 th December 1961, troops of the Indian union marched into Goa. By choice Goa remained a Union territory of the Indian Union for 26 Years and on 30 th May 1987 Goa attained its Statehood. In August 1992, Konkani, the Mother tongue of Goa was included in the Indian constitution.