Saligao Serenade

[This article was initially written in 1992-93 by a team from the ward Mollebhatt in Saligao, in association with Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas, and published in the Souvenir of the sesquicentennial celebrations of St Anne’s Chapel (1843-1993). The team comprised Idalina Rego, Lucy Cordeiro, Cassiano D’Lima, Eleuterio Remedios, Vanessa Godinho, and Sylvia & Joaquim Vaz. The version reproduced below was modified and updated by Fr Nascimento in June 2004]

How did the ward Mollebhatt in Saligao get its name? One version is that the place known as Diulacho Sorvo (property of the temple) was a sacred place dedicated to Lord Vetal in the Pre-Portuguese era. In order to have sufficient flowers for the daily morning puja, every house had a flower garden known as fulancho mollo, hence the name Mollebhatt. Some people refer to the ward as Mollembhatt or Mollembatta. There is a traditional dulpod sung in this ward and it goes as follows: Read the rest of this entry »

 [This article was initially written in 1992-93 by a team from the ward Tabravaddo in Saligao, in association with Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas. The team comprised Idinha Remedios, Brigida Vaz, Vanessa Godinho, Preciosa dos Remedios, and Mr & Mrs Joaquim Vaz. The modified version reproduced below also contains inputs from Jose Remedios (Tabravaddo/Mumbai) and Olinda Remedios (Tabravaddo)]

Tabravaddo, a ward in Saligao located in the north eastern portion of the village, was known in the pre-Portuguese era as Oddleam Maddachem Bhatt or Lamb Maddachem Bhatt. The name was changed to Tavoravaddo, some time in the early 18th century, because it was home to the growing clan of the family that used the name Tavora. There is a good possibility that the first Hindu member of the family—probably Sinai Salgaokar—converted to Christianity and was baptised during the reign of viceroy Rui Lourenco Tavora (1609-12). The surname of the viceroy, Tavora, must have been given to that first member of the clan during baptism, as was the custom prevailing at that time. The name Tavoravaddo in all likelihood got corrupted to the current Tabravaddo over time. Read the rest of this entry »

by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

[This piece was written by Fr Nascimento in May/June 2004. It’s possible that much has changed since then. Please do pitch in if you have any updates - Val Souza]

The famous CHOGM Road beginning at the Airport in Vasco Parish passes through the villages of Chicalim, Sancoale, Cortalim, Agassaim, Goa Velha, Siridao, Bambolim, Santa Cruz, Panjim, Alto Porvorim, Sangolda, Saligao, Calangute, Candolim and ends at Sinquerim. During my sojourn last week in Saligao, I walked along a part of this CHOGM Road, beginning at Reddeachi Xim in Mollebhatt, until the end of Pequeno Morodd (Dakhtem Morodd).

This road from Saligao passing alongside St Anne’s chapel towards Sangolda was called Estrada de Dom Pedro during our younger days. On the left hand side of Reddeachi Xim there is a muddy road leading one to ‘Aquem Zor’ and a board indicating the way to Club West End. On the right hand side is the Ximecho Khuris, followed by a shop of Diogo Fernandes and Remedios Industries. The vast fields extending up to Monte de Guirim and beyond brought old memories of the green vegetation and plenty of rice and Congueo and other vegetables that we ate when we were kids. Read the rest of this entry »