What Was The Old Name Of Goa?

India is a land with a history that stretches back thousands of years. Over the centuries, many of its famous cities and regions have been known by different names. These ancient names often reflected the dynasties that ruled them or the sacred rivers that flowed nearby. Exploring these old titles is like stepping back in time to see how India's identity has evolved. For example, the modern city of Patna was once the mighty capital known as Pataliputra. Similarly, the spiritual hub of Varanasi was famously called Kashi in ancient texts, and Prayagraj was known for ages as Pragya. Each name carries a story of culture, trade, and power. But what about the coastal paradise we visit today for its beaches and churches? Do you know what Goa was called before? In this article, we will take a look at the fascinating history and the various ancient titles given to this beautiful emerald land.

What was the old name of Goa?

The identity of Goa has shifted like the tides of the Arabian Sea. While many know it today as a coastal retreat, its ancient names reveal a legacy of trade, spirituality, and diverse empires.

The Evolution of Goa's Name

The name of this region has changed significantly over 3,000 years, influenced by Sanskrit scholars, Arab traders, and European explorers:

• Ancient Sanskrit Roots (c. 1000 BC – 500 BC): In the Mahabharata and early Vedic texts, the region was called Gomantak (meaning "land of cows" or "fertile land"). Other sacred titles included Gomanchala and Govarashtra.
• The Port Cities (100 BC – 1400 AD): For centuries, the name "Goa" actually referred to a specific port town rather than the whole region. It was known as Gopakapattana and Govapuri under the Shilahara and Kadamba dynasties.
• International Variations: Global traders gave it their own labels. In the 2nd century, the Greek geographer Ptolemy called it Chersonesus. By the medieval period, Arab merchants referred to it as Sindabur or Sandabur.
• The Portuguese Naming (1510 AD): The Portuguese, led by Afonso de Albuquerque, conquered the city of Ela from the Bijapur Sultanate in 1510. They adopted the local name "Gove" and turned it into Goa.
• Modern Transition (1961–1987): After the Indian Army liberated the territory in 1961, it was initially part of the Union Territory of "Goa, Daman and Diu". It finally became the 25th State of India on May 30, 1987, retaining the name 'Goa' globally.

10+ Lesser-known Facts about Ancient Goa

• Goa contains trondhjemite gneiss rocks that are over 3.4 billion years old, making it home to some of the oldest crust on Earth.
• Cuneiform records from 2200 BC suggest Sumerians called Goa "Gubio" and likely influenced the unique "Gavkari" village farming system.
• The Usgalimal rock carvings prove humans lived in Goa 20,000 years ago, creating complex "labyrinth" patterns long before modern civilisations.
• Geological evidence of buried seashells at the foothills of the Western Ghats suggests the Goan coastline was physically uplifted from the sea by tectonic activity.
• Geological evidence of fossilised seashells found far inland at the foothills of the Sahyadri mountains suggests that ancient Goa's coastline was physically uplifted from the sea by massive tectonic shifts.

• A 4th-century bronze bust with Hellenic features found in Goa suggests it was a key port for Greek and Roman mariners during the Iron Age.
• Ancient Gopakapattana (Goa Velha) was a world-renowned centre for bone-setting and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
• Over 20% of Goa lies within the Western Ghats, a UNESCO-recognised biodiversity hotspot that hosts species found nowhere else on the planet.
• Goa hosted the first printing press in all of Asia in 1556, initially intended for religious texts but later advancing regional literacy.
• Ancient records indicate that Goa was a pivotal hub for the "Spice Route", connecting the East to the Roman Empire via the Arabian Sea.
• Ancient Goan villages were built around "Khazan" lands, a sophisticated man-made reclaimed ecosystem that prevents saltwater from entering fertile fields.

Who Is Known As The Father Of Goa?

Tristão de Bragança Cunha (1891–1958), popularly known as T.B. Cunha, is revered as the "Father of Goan Nationalism". An electrical engineer educated in Paris, he returned to Goa to launch the first organised movement against 450 years of Portuguese colonial rule. In 1928, he founded the Goa Congress Committee to link Goa's struggle with India's broader independence movement. His fiery writings, such as Four Hundred Years of Foreign Rule, successfully awakened Goans' political consciousness, ultimately leading to the state's liberation in 1961.

Where Is Goa In India?

Goa is located on the southwestern coast of India, nestled within the rugged Konkan region. It is India's smallest state by land area. Geographically, it is bounded by Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east and south. To its west lies the vast Arabian Sea, which provides the state with its famous 100-mile golden coastline. The state is physically separated from the Deccan Plateau by the towering Western Ghats (Sahyadri Range), creating a unique landscape of lush forests and coastal plains.