As the legend goes, Goa was created when the great warrior-sage
Shri Parasurama, shot an arrow into the sea from the Western Ghats and
ordered it to recede. The spot where it touched the earth is known in
Sanskrit as 'Banali', which was modified into 'Benaulim' by the
Portuguese. In the centre of the Colva Beach, this village had fishing
and rice-farming as its major occupations only a decade ago but now, one
can see guesthouses and souvenir stalls springing up in the place of the
paddy fields. Tranquility still rules the beach with its soft sands,
pretty wooden fishing boats and palm trees. Free from jellyfish in
general, the sea is safe for swimming.
