The city of Ponda is located 29 kms. from Panaji. Ponda is a small town situated centrally in Goa. Ponda is the Hindu heartland of Goa. Near the town are the five most famous Hindu Temples and one of the oldest mosques of Goa. Most people visit Ponda for it's famous temples, such as the Shanta Durga temple, Mangueshi Temple, Ramnathi, Mahalaxmi, Nageshi and Navadurga temple. Hindus abandoned their coastal settlements and moved inland during the Portuguese inquisition, a majority of them settled in Ponda, most of whom have made the area their home for centuries. Ponda is also known for it's spice plantations and wildlife sanctuaries, most notable of which is Ponda.

When the Portuguese arrived in Goa, they destroyed every temples and mosque they could lay their hands on. As a result, old temples in Goa are not more than 400 years ago and are located in areas that were until recently considered remote. However during later years the Portuguese did away with the inquisition and adopted a more secular approach.