Mosques

Safa Shahouri masjid 

The Safa masjid, is the biggest and most famous of the 27 mosques in Ponda taluka which was built in 1560 by Ibrahim Adilshan of Bijapur. Adjacent to the Mosque is a well-constructed masonry tank with small chambers with 'meharab' designs.

The mosque and the tank were surrounded by an extensive garden with many fountains but they were destroyed during the Portuguese rule. 
 

The two major festivals “Id-Ul-Fitr” and “Id-Ul-Zuha” are celebrated at this mosque and are attended by a large number of people, it’s a beautiful religious structure, and if you are visiting it during these two festivals you can witness some impressive pomp at the mosque. Any other time, it's interesting to this religion's presence in the mixed bag that is Goa. It has withstood the trials of times, standing as a mute witness to the winds of change as the Portuguese attempted to colonise the region. It is a place of much reverence for the followers of Islam.

The artistic side of Islamic architecture is quite evident in the arched design of Safa Shahouri Masjid. Though it lost much of its previous splendor with the withering of the gardens and the fountains around, the old world charm is still intact. The prayer room at the mosque, with the impressive terracotta roof, is another major crowd puller here.The beautiful waters reflecting the image of the prayer hall is a scene of architectural as well as natural beauty. Though it is one of the oldest mosques in Goa, with the advent of other new mosques resulted in decline of pilgrims coming to this masjid. 

Namazgah Masjid

The mosque was built by Akbar to celebrate his victory involving the defeat of the portuguese by the combined forces of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It was built on a hill overlooking Bicholim with enchanting views towards the east; it has a distinctive design layout.

It is an interesting diversion to see a tiny remnant of Muslim history. It was the first cultural Islamic monument, and was mainly used by the farmers who prayed there. The Namazgah mosque is located a further 2 or 3 km. from the Safa Shahouri Masjid in the Ponda area. Visiting the vast countryside finally culminates towards the bare mountains where a lot of mining activity is observed resulting in patches of dark red brown earth.

Viewed from this height, the town of Bicholim is spread out below and in the distance are the Sivalik Mountains with the mines to the left, and behind. A short distance to the right there is a small structure set on the crest of a bleak hillside. This is Namazgah Mosque, an interesting diversion to see a tiny remnant of Muslim history.