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Many rulers have fought to gain control over Goa - the jewel on India's West coast.
Goa was part of the Mauryan Empire in the 3rd Century B.C. It was then ruled by the Satavahanas of Kohlapur, the Chalukyas of Badami, was taken over briefly by Muslim rulers and then came under the control of the Vijayanagar Empire for almost a century. The Sultans of Gulbarga came next followed by Adil Shah of Bijapur. With the entry of the European powers into the Indian Ocean, the Portuguese, English, Dutch and French all attempted to gain control of this strategically located port. In 1510, Goa came under Portuguese rule, headed by the Governor Alfonso de Albuquerque.
The Portuguese remained in Goa even after India gained independence, and finally left in 1961 when Indian forces entered the state. In the 1960's and 70's, as the hippie movement spread around the world, Goa became a popular hippie hangout. In the 1980's and 90's Goa became a tourist destination for holidaymakers worldwide with chartered flights bringing in holidaymakers in search of sun, sea and sand. In 1987 Goa was declared a state of India. The areas of Daman and Diu were declared a Union Territory. Goa's popularity as a holiday destination has increased with time as the tourist infrastructure has continuously improved.
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