Pernem – A Tete a Tete with the city

Location : Western India, North Goa

Also known as : Pedne

Best time to visit : November to March

Local Transport : Boats, Rickshaw, Motorcycle.

Places to see : Sri Bhagavati, Sri Sapteshwar, and Sri Morarjee Temple.

Souvenir : Bamboos, brassware, artefacts, curios, old Coins, trinkets.

Pernem – Travel Chuggy

When we reach Pernem, or Pedne by road from the Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora Beaches, and then we have to travel a little way inland to get to the Main Calangute Road until we reach the river crossing at Siolim. This road runs over a low ridge of laterite hills. There is an estuary in Chapora over which boatmen paddle over sometimes. The dugouts are unstable when the passengers are too many and they cannot carry their motorbikes. Two car ferries take the passengers back and forth across the river ramp at Siolim. They are the only reliable connection mode. These are one of the main points of the journey here. Once across the river one has to head straight on until one reaches a fork in the road. Here the sign guides us to go where we need to go.

Pernem – The Tale of the City

Pernem, the Novas Conquistas region is the Portuguese way of spelling Pedne in Konkani and Marathi. The surname Pednekar indicates that the person is from Pedne or Pernem.

This is supposed to be a part of the Novas Conquistas, which means New Conquests. This place was initially taken over, and then lost. After this, it was regained from the Rajas of Sawantwadi. Sawantwadi was a state in the Northern border of Goa. This was sometimes linked to the Portuguese and sometimes with the Marathas. Sawantwadi was combined with the Ratnagiri district in 1947. Today Sawantwadi is a part of the Sindhudurg district. The Deshprabhu family owns it. This became a part of the Union Territory of Goa.

Pernem – Down the Ages

The city of Pernem is found between the Chapora and Arondem rivers. The taluka of Pernem is predominantly Hindu. This is in the Nova Conquistas area. This is Goa’s northernmost area. It is not very explored or frequented.

There is the fishing village of Arambol nearby. This attracts a lot of backpackers who come here to look for a break in a rustic environment. The coastline of Pernem is with long sandy beaches, lagoons and coconut plantations. It has very few settlements so it is not the right place for too many visitors. However, the journey from Arambol to Terekhol Fort, is a good break from the normal mundane routine and is ideal to have something to do away from the beach for a day. Today Pernem is a quiet spot where there is a fair held annually on the Kojagiri Poornima. This is held at the Shri Bhagavati Temple premises.

Travel kitty

Pernem has given immense contributions to the cultural and literary scene of Goa. The long sandy beaches, lagoons, and coconut plantations, give the place its required attraction. This is the place where the tourist find adventure and excitement with a lot of quiet and peace. A tourist coming here would find the atmosphere, ambience, and the surrounding the best for travel kitty. The sheer beauty of the beach and the blue sky coupled with the serene waters and the calmness around is the ideal travel kitty for tourists.

This is the place you will a variety of artifacts and mementos. These are made of shells, bamboos, brassware, curios, and lot of collection articles like old coins, trinkets that are made of stones and corals. There are artifacts made of papier-mâché, carved furniture and lot of beachwear, which are popular, and the favorites of the people coming here. The main thing to remember is that the shopper can bargain to his heart’s content here.

Pernem – Joie de Vivre in the City

Pernem, the quiet region is blessed with a weather that is tropical. This has moderate temperatures and there are not many fluctuations during the year. Summers are good here with the warmest month being the month of May. Cottons are good at this time. The winters here are pleasant and the outings are good in the beaches here. June augments the Monsoon season, which are with thunders and rain showers. There is a lot of greenery around which make the place a paradise.

Temples :

Sri Bhagavati and Sri Sapteshwar Temple : Pernem is predominantly Hindu and there are other temples, which are important. The Bhagavati and Sapteshwar temple are in Mandrem and are some of the famous temples, which attract many devotees. This is a much-frequented place during the seven days of “Bahjani saptah” at Mandrem. The deities are sculpted with exquisite carvings. The Shri Bhagwati temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. This is situated in the town of Pernem. It is a popular monument and it is over a modern shrine. The deity is a furious form of Parvati. It has jet black presides. A pair of majestic multicolored elephants supports the entrance to the temple.

Sri Chandeshwar Temple : This is located on the Chandranath hill. The side altar is that of Bhutnath. The famous Shiva linga is found here. The temple is on top of a hill and has been designed such that the moonlight falls directly on the Shiva linga on a full moon night.

Sri Morarjee Temple : It is situated at Morjim in Pernem Taluka. This is around 15 km from Mapusa. There is a festival called the “Kalash Utsava.” This is celebrated every five, seven or nine years. This is the main festival of the temple. It is a month long festival. The last seven days of the festival attracts devotees all over India. People from Sindhudurga and Karwar. The other festivals celebrated are Dussehra, Gudi Padva, Zatra, Divjam, and Ghode Mundim.

Beach :

Arambol Beach : This is the most popular tourist destination. These idyllic surroundings give the beach a good feel and the atmosphere is good with the right kind of ambience for a tourist. There are facilities for paragliding and dolphin spotting boat trips. A tourist coming here would enjoy the pleasure and travails of living here.

Fort :

Terekhol fort : This is located at the estuary of Terekhol River. This was an important part of the Portuguese defense against enemy forces.

Mansion :

Deshprabhu House : This is the residence of the world’s only Hindu Viscount. It is known as the Sitaram Vilas and the Viscount’s place. This is Goa’s most magnificent Hindu mansion and is a popular monument in Pernem. This was made for the sake of the aristocratic family, which fought to get an independent India from Portugal in 1961. There were 14,000 soldiers with cavalry, artillery, and elephants. The family still stays here and is a private residence. It is not available for tourists. This has a temple and a small museum too. There are many photos of the first imported care imported in Goa. This was in the 1920’s by the Raja and the photos of the past Deshprabhu.

Chapel :

Chapel : The original Chapel in Pernem was built in 1852. It was erected into a Parish in 1855. It was rebuilt in 1864. Fr. Camilio Simoes was selected as the Parish priest. It was renovated in 2002. It has 5 substations, which constitutes 11 Small Christian Communities.      

Thus in this way, the ambience and the atmosphere of the place and the way it affects the tourist’s psyche ensures that the tourist gets maximum satisfaction here. Though it is not a much-frequented spot, yet it is worth a visit.

As we leave the place we think “Let sleeping beaches lie, we will enjoy.”