| Parra | |
| Settlement Type: | village |
| Pushpin Map: | India Goa#India |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Goa, India |
| Coordinates: | 15.5667°N 73.7833°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Goa |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | North Goa |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Konkani |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 403510 |
| Registration Plate: | GA |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Nearest city |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Mapusa |
Parra is a village on the outskirts of Mapusa town Bardez sub-district, North Goa, India. It has traditionally been known as a village that has grown luscious watermelons. In recent times, the village is facing considerable urbanisation and social change.
It is close to the town of Mapusa and the villages of Saligao, Calangute, Assagao, Anjuna and Vagator. And has rice fields
The Parra church is dedicated to St. Anne. According to José Lourenço, the Parra church, dedicated to St. Anne (Santa Ana or Santana), was built in 1649 and its feast is celebrated on the Sunday on or after July 26 each. year.[1] By way of history, the rectorate of St Anne was established to cover the villages of Parra, Canca and Verla, all adjoining villages in the same locality. Earlier, the village was affiliated to the Nagoa Church, in another adjoining village. The first church was destroyed in 1683, but rebuilt with a vault in 1688. Its cemetery is said to have a "fine Rococo facade".This church is built in the Mannerist Neo-Roman style. It is of large size with three bays and three storeys. A gable wall is visible behind the frontispiece. There are twin bell turrets which have "pagoda like" roofs. The finials are of a spear type. A curved pediment crowns the apex. There is a large porch with arched openings which has a flat roof with a balustrade.
The Parra Church was earlier home to the Franciscan Rectorate of St Anne.[2] It covered the neighbouring villages of Parra, Cança and Verla, and was established between 1650 and 1653. It was initially affiliated to the Parish of Nagoa.
Parra's first church was burnt down by the Marathas in 1683, and rebuilt in 1688, as currently existing.
Parra is today home to a number of religious Orders and congregations of religious women. These include:
Other institutions include chapels without chaplains in the parish:
Parra covers a fairly vast land area, but most of it is agricultural land with pockets of residential land. A resident of Parra is popularly known as a "Porrikar". Parra used to be famous for sweet, red watermelons.
A controversy broke out in 2019 over "cleanliness tax" imposed on tourists clicking photographs on one of the scenic roads of the village.[3] Meanwhile, a court case emerged over the lack of footpaths following the expansion of the Parra-Mapusa main road in Parra.[4]
Former Goa chief minister and ex-Defence Minister of India Manohar Parrikar was a most notable person who traced his ancestral roots to Parra, as reflected in his surname.
Parra's Catholic population is estimated at 4000, and the Feast of St Anne Church is celebrated on the Sunday that falls on or after July 26 each year.
Parra's PIN (postal index number) code is 403510.