Safa Masjid

Location	Shahpur, Ponda, North Goa district
Highlights	Islamic architecture, massive water tank with 'meharab' designs
Festivals	Id-Ul-Fitr and Id-Ul-Zuha
Trivia	The biggest mosque in Goa

The Safa masjid is a prominent Islamic shrine in Ponda, commonly regarded the citadel of Hindu pilgrimages in Goa. Built in 1560 by Ibrahim Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur, the Safa mosque survived the havoc wreaked by the Portuguese colonizers as part of the Inquisition process. During the reign of the Bijapur Sultan, the region witnessed a proliferation of mosques and Ponda alone was home to 27 of them.

Also known as the Shahouri masjid, the Safa masjid presents an elegant spectacle with typical Islamic arches decorating the walls. The mosque was located at the center of a sprawling complex of gardens and fountains remnants of which can be witnessed today. The rectangular prayer hall of the mosque rests above a high base and is capped with a pointed terracotta tile roof.

The massive water tank within the mosque premises is another attraction. Featuring small chambers decorated with 'meharab' designs, the tank is located to the south of the prayer hall unlike most mosques where it is located outside the main entrance. This mosque is a venue of celebration during festivals of Id-Ul-Fitr and Id-Ul-Zuha, by the local Muslim community. 

How to Reach Safa Masjid 
The Safa Masjid is situated 2 km west of the centre of Ponda town. There are rickshaws available at the main Ponda bus stand which can take you to the site of the Safa Masjid.

Tambdi Surla (GOA)

Mahadeva Temple, Tambdi Surla

The most ancient temple in the whole of Goa is located at a place called Tambi Surla which is approximately 65 kms from the capital city of Panaji and 12 kms from the border crossing post of Mollem. Tambdi Surla itself is in the midst of a forested area accessible via a 22 kms route from the main town of Valpoi in Sattari Taluka. The temple itself is built in Jain style in the twelfth century. There are some interesting details about the construction itself which has led to debates about the actual origins of the temple. The temple is built in a place which is quite inaccessible and away from the main settlements of the time. The size of the temple is quite small as compared to the size of the average Goan temple. And finally the top part of the temple has never been completed The small, beautifully carved and perfectly proportioned black basalt temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is reminiscent of the temples at Aihole in neighbouring Karnataka. The temple has survived Muslim invasions and Portuguese persecution, in its almost perfect condition mainly due to its remote location in a clearing deep in the forest at the foot of the Western Ghats which surround the site in a sheer wall of impenetrable vegetation. The temple is located at the foot of the Anmod Ghat, which connects Goa to the state of Karnataka. It is considered to be the only specimen of Kadamba-Yadava architecture in basalt stone preserved and available in Goa. The Kadamba dynasty ruled Goa between the tenth and fourteenth centuries and built the temple from the finest weather-resistant grey-black basalt, carried across the mountains from the Deccan plateau and lavishly carved in situ by accomplished craftsmen. The intricate carvings created by these craftsmen adorn the interior and the sides of the building. The temple faces east so that the rays of the rising sun fall on the deity at the crack of dawn. There is a small mandap (pillared hall) and the inner sanctum is surmounted by a three-tired tower which is incomplete or which has been dismantled sometime in the distant past. Bas-relief figures of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, with their respective consorts appear on panels at the sides of the temple. Surprisingly the mandap is covered with a roof of plain grey sloping slabs. The river Surla flows nearby and can be reached via a flight of stone steps. There is a headless Nandi (bull, Shiva's vehicle) in the centre of the mandap, surrounded by four matching columns. The symbol of the Kadamba kingdom, an elephant trampling a horse is carved on the base of one of the columns. There is a linga (symbol of Lord Shiva) mounted on a pedestal inside the inner sanctum and local legend has it that a huge King Cobra is in permanent residence in the dimly lit interior. The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated with all pomp and gaiety at the temple by the local people residing in surrounding villages.

MoviesAajkal

Indian Box Office Collection

The Dark Knight Rises 

Seems Steady at the Indian 

Box Offic

After making a somewhat decent 2.50 Crores on it’s 1st Monday at the Indian Box Office, The Dark Knight Rises’ box office collections on Tuesday is again 2.50 Crores. The movie, it seems is pretty stable at the multiplexes and many are loving it. Positive word of mouth publicity and reviews have added wings to the movie. You wish it was a Bollywood release and it would definitely been a contender for the 100 Crores Club. The Dark Knight Rises’ total box office collections as of now is 22 Crores.

Cocktail To Hold Another Couple Weeks at the Domestic Box Office?

Cocktail has indeed proven a point by doing pretty well for a movie with a niche audience. After making a fair 55 Crores in it’s 1st week at the Indian Box Office, the movie went on to collect about 11 Crores in its 2nd weekend. 2nd Monday saw a huge drop collecting merely 1.70 Crores. Tuesday saw a further drop with just 1.50 Crores and Wednesday approx 1.30 Crores. Cocktail‘s domestic box office collections as of it’s 2nd Wednesday in theaters is 70.5 Crores.

Bol Bachchan 3rd Week Box Office Collections

Bol Bachchan is sure to make Rohit Shetty hit a hattrick in the 100 Crore Club. The movie has done exceedingly well in the past 3 weeks and is all set to enter the 4th week with the expectation of touching the magic figure. After it’s 3 week run at the Indian box office Bol Bachchan so far has grossed a 94.05 Crores. The Thursday box office collections of the movie was around 0.75 Crores which is not at all bad for a movie in it’s 3rd week. Bol Bachchan grossed an approx figure of 10 Crores in it’s 3rd week at the Indian Box Office. Another week at the Box Office guarantees Bol Bachchan the 100 Crore destiny.