Goa with its splendid beaches and balmy weather is more than just a tourist resort. It has a rich and long archaeological, cultural and religious history. The Portuguese presence added piquancy to an already unique and rich brew. Goa has its own individuality with its special characteristics from the dawn of time down to the present day. Romesh Bhandari who was Governor of Goa from 1995 to 1996, had privileged access to rare research papers which go towards presenting a composite picture of a unique part of India. About the Author Romesh Bhandari was born in 1928 in Lahore. After his schooling and college education in India, he obtained his Master???s degree from Trinity College in Cambridge University. As a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, his distinguished career included ambassadorships to Thailand and Iraq, culminating in his appointment as foreign secretary before his retirement in 1986. Since then he has served the country as Lt Governor of Delhi, Governor of Tripura, Goa and Uttar Pradesh.