South Goa Excursion: Hindu Temples and Tropical Spice Plantation

2026 September 23

After the morning yoga session and a good breakfast, we start our first Goa exploration tour by bus. After an hour's drive with our Indian tour guides and a German-speaking tour guide, we have already learned a lot about Goa, its culture, and its inhabitants: The smallest Indian federal state was strongly influenced by Portuguese colonial rule (1510 to 1961). The Christian culture of the Portuguese and the local Hindu culture influenced each other. This is why the Hindu temples we visit today feature otherwise unusual bell towers and chandeliers. In general, Goa still seems to be subject to strong Western influence. For example, the birth rate in Goa, unlike in the rest of India, is very low.

The average marriage age for women is 25, instead of 16 as elsewhere in India, and the per capita income is four times higher than the national average. Is it any wonder then that the favorite sport of Goans is football? Arriving at the "Shri Mangesh Temple," dedicated to the god Shiva, we learn that during the Inquisition around 1560, many Hindus fled from the Roman Catholic coastal areas to the interior and rebuilt their destroyed temples there. This was also the case for the "Shri Mangesh Temple."

The Shanta Durga Temple

After visiting the Shanta Durga Temple, the journey continues to a tropical spice plantation, where we are greeted with flower garlands and a delicious meal. To our great delight, there are three elephants in front of the plantation, which actually looks more like a jungle, and some of us even dare to ride an elephant.

Refreshed and invigorated, an interesting guided tour of the spice plantation awaits us, which offers space for many tropical spice and ornamental plants in mixed cultivation. This plantation has been cultivated by families for many generations, who receive 1/3 of the harvest for their work.

Those who wish can conclude with a cool splash of water on their neck from a ladle – very refreshing in the heat. After everyone has sufficiently stocked up on spices, the journey back to the hotel begins, where a yoga session with Jadranko Miklec and a fireside chat with Dr. Raju and Dr. Schrott await us today.