Andrew's Church, while the relics were on their world tour. Vasco da Gama hosted the relics of Saint John Bosco, albeit temporarily, on 21 August 2011, at the St. Vasco is known for the annual Shri Damodar Bhajani Saptah fair held in Shravan month of Hindu lunar calendar preceding the festival of Nag panchami. The town is also home to several English bands from Goa, notably Lynx and Kollectiv Soul. One of Goa's premier musical groups, Diamond Orchestra, which was established in 1976, hails from Vasco. It profiles the evolution and history of Indian naval aviation through aircraft exhibits and rare photographs. However the Naval Aviation Museum near the airport is a popular tourist spot and is one of three such museums in India. Andrew's Church), located at the entrance of the city. Hollant (Issorcim) and Baina are two smaller beaches around Vasco.Īpart from the nearby beaches, the city of Vasco is bereft of any major tourist attractions, the salient monument being the 400-year-old Igreja de Santo André (St. This beach is quite risky as it has underwater currents. Tourism and culture īeaches near Vasco da Gama (up) and Mormugão Municipal Council at Vasco da Gama, India (down).īogmalo Beach is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Vasco. The Mormugao Port Trust which operates the port is the largest employer in the Vasco region and has a complete mini-township in Headland Sada which includes schools, residential complexes and amenities for employees of the Port. There are shipping and freight forwarding agents as well as offices of major mining companies based in the city. The port has berthing facilities for large cruise liners as well as a floating dry dock. This includes massive bucket wheel loaders and miles of conveyor belts. Ore which is collected on the port is handled by machinery called MOHP (Mechanical Ore-Handling Plant). Manganese ore mined in interior regions is brought to Mormugao by barges navigating the rivers Mandovi and Zuari, and then either collected in the Mormugao Port to be loaded onto bulk carrier ships or directly loaded onto the ships using trans-shippers. Vasco is heavily reliant on the port for most of its economic activity. It is thus dismissed as a political move. However, no official records have been found as to when the city was renamed. An attempt was made to change the city's name to Sambhaji Nagar, and this is reflected in a few government records. Sambhaji was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. The city is sometimes referred to as Sambhaji Nagar. His remains were eventually returned to Portugal and interred at St Jeronimos monastery. He reached Goa on 11 September 1524 but died at Kochi three months later. His initial voyage to India (1497–1499) was the first to link Europe and Asia by an ocean route, connecting the Atlantic and the Indian oceans and, in this way, the West and the East. Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was the first European to reach India by sea. It was founded in 1543 and remained in Portuguese hands until 1961, when the territory was lost to India. This city serves as the headquarters of the Mormugao sub-district. This city, in the former Portuguese territory of Goa, is named after the famous Portuguese explorer and navigator Vasco da Gama, who held the title of Governor of Portuguese India. Vasco da Gama Municipal Market in 1958, with the Clock Tower on the left The Indian Navy also has a presence with its vast campuses, which include the naval base INS Hansa. Initially built around the city's harbour as the barge-repair yard Estaleiros Navais de Goa, the area has now expanded to include more related activities. The ship-building area of Goa Shipyard Limited that builds Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels was also built there in 1957 (during the Portuguese era). It is one of the major ports of independent India. The 1888-constructed Mormugao Port remains a busy shipping route in Asia. The city was founded in 1543 and remained in Portuguese hands until 1961, when Goa ceased to be a Portuguese territory. The city lies on the western tip of the Mormugao peninsula, at the mouth of the Zuari River, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Panaji, Goa's capital, 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Margao, the district headquarters and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Dabolim Airport. It is the headquarters of the Mormugão taluka (subdistrict). It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. Vasco da Gama ( / ˌ v æ s k oʊ d ə ˈ ɡ æ m ə/), often shortened to Vasco, is a city in the state of Goa on the west coast of India.