Mapusa is located about 13 km from Panjim and is one of Goa's main commercial centres. It is known as Mapsa in the local terminology and under Portuguese rule, was written as Mapuca. This city is the gateway to most of Goa's famous beaches in the north. Mapusa is most famous for its weekly Friday markets that have gained an incredible reputation among tourists. The market has a lot of local flavour with people from surrounding villages and towns coming to buy and sell their various products such as agricultural produce, locally-grown fruit, dried fish, toddy vinegar, spices, clothes and other items.
Mapusa is the main market town in northern Goa. Mapusa is pronounced by the locals as "Mapsa". xe "Dudhsagar Waterfalls" It is about 15km north ofxe "Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary" Panaji and about 10km inland from the Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, and Vagator beaches. If you are coming from Mumbai by bus, you can get down here and then head to one of the northern beaches.
The colourful market town of Mapusa is the main population centre. There's not much to see in Mapusa, aside from a raucous Friday market (8am-6.30pm) that attracts hordes of vendors and shoppers from all over Goa. Unlike the Anjuna market it's a local event where people shop for cheap clothing and produce, but you can also find a few souvenirs and textiles here. If your idea of India has yet to extend beyond the beach bubbles then this is a great place to see an authentic slice of small town India.
Mapusa is said to have developed by the grace of Lord Bodhgeshwar who has a temple dedicated to him. The increasing number of devotees visiting the temple gradually paved way for the market that sold essential material needed for puja.