| Ponda | |
| Settlement Type: | Taluka (sub-district) |
| Coordinates: | 15.4°N 74.02°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name1: | Goa |
| Subdivision Name2: | north Goa |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Ponda |
| Parts Type: | Settlements |
| Parts Style: | para |
| Leader Name: | na |
| Leader Title1: | Lok Sabha constituency |
| Leader Name1: | North Goa |
| Population Total: | 165830 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Demographics |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Literacy rate |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Rain |
| Blank Info Sec1: | na |
| Leader Title2: | Assembly constituency |
| Leader Title3: | MLA |
| Leader Name3: | na |
| Demographics1 Info1: | na |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Sex ratio 8/9 |
| Demographics1 Info2: | na |
| Registration Plate: | GA-05 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 4034XX |
Ponda taluka is a subdivision of the district of north Goa, in the Indian state of Goa. Its administrative headquarters is the township of Ponda.[1]
Located in central Goa, it hosts many educational institutes and manufacturing industries. The Belgaum-Panjim highway passes through this taluka.
Ponda lies in the North Goa district. Ponda taluka is known as the home for many prominent temples in Goa. The name of the taluka (sub-district) is the same as the main town or city, which is also Ponda.
Ponda has also been known as Antruz Mahal, which the official NIC site says is "because of the concentration of culture, music, drama and poetry also houses the temples of Lord Mangesh (Shiva), Lord Nagesh, Lord Ganapati, Lord Ramnath and the Goddesses Mhalasa and Shantdurga" It has been called the "Hindu heart of Goa".[2]
Ponda is famous for five important temples (including Shri Mangues and Shri Mahalsa, lying between Mardol and Priol villages) situated around the town of Ponda and within the taluka, the largest mosque in Goa. Ponda is an important transport hub.
The capital of this subdistrict of Ponda, also called Ponda (town or city), lies 28 km south east of the state-capital Panaji or Panjim. It is some 17 km north-east of Margao.
In 1791, Ponda was taken over by the Portuguese, then ruling Goa, from the Raja of Sonda. It was annexed to what was then Goa along with the sub-districts of Quepem, Canacona and Sanguem. Its main town was built up during Portuguese rule, first as an administrative and court centre, and later a commercial centre.
Ponda town was earlier part of Kavle village. Lying along the Panjim-Margao inland highway the avoids the Mandovi river, it is also a link between Goa and neighbouring Karnataka state, via the Ponda-Belgaum highway (NH4A).
Goa College of Engineering is located in Farmaguddi village, in Ponda taluka, on the outskirts of Ponda town. Ponda taluka serves as the gateway to Goa's wildlife sanctuaries -- Bondla and the Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, Ponda had a population of 165,830 with sex ratio of 940 females to 1000 males. Ponda Taluka has an average literacy rate of 89.21%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 93.56% and female literacy is 84.58%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 1.16% and 16.64% of the population respectively. 62.50% of the population lives in urban areas.[3]
Konkani and Marathi are among the most spoken languages in Ponda Taluka.
At the time of 2011 Census of India, 69.05% of the population of Ponda Taluka spoke Konkani, 10.66% Marathi, 8.43% Hindi, 3.52% Kannada, 2.32% Urdu and 1.15% Malayalam as their first language.[4]
Hinduism is followed by the majority of population of Ponda Taluka. Christians and Muslims form significant minorities. At the time of the 2011 Census of India 83.64% of the population of the Taluka followed Hinduism, 8.45% Christianity, 7.56% Islam and 0.35% of the population followed other religions or did not state religion.[5]