CUMBHARJUA nestles in the beautiful backwaters of Goa, about 20 km away from Panjim by road via the Banastarim bridge, which offers a scenic, water-dominated vista. But the village bounded by the Mandovi river can be approached faster via the northernmost road beyond the magnificent churches of Old Goa. Cumbharjua is 4 km from the Banastarim bridge, 20 km from Ponda and one-a-half km from its nearest neighbour Marcela. The rural village is definitely well connected with bus transport with nearly a dozen buses taking passengers to Panjim, Ponda and Margao.

Its unevenness escapes attention quite soon as the Croatia-connected Gaundalim is reached. Gaundaulim is the Catholic ward of the predominantly Hindu-populated village of the vast Ponda taluka, located at the centre of the State. Says Braz Silveira, a management consultant from the Gaundalim, who has set up business in Panjim, "It is said that all along the route from the river, once served by a country-craft, grew sweet scented flowers, which gave Gandhaulim (gandh for scent and halli for village) it special name." He adds, "The Cumbharjua canal detaches Gaundalim from the village mainland, with a ferry helping the rustics cross it every half-an-hour. It's not a man-made canal but during the monsoons when the river Mandovi unsuited for navigation, the iron-ore carrying barges sailing down from the eastern mines, use the river route to navigate to the Marmagoa Harbour via the river Zuari."

The backward village is made up of Gaundalim, Surchebhat, Golvaddo, Talapvaddo, Khalapvaddo, Rambhuvanvaddo, Ganvantvaddo and Khadavaddo. It shares borders with Marcella, Banastarim, St Estevam and is enveloped by the Mandovi river and lush greenery. The Cumbharjua-Marcela bridge was built in 1967, before which a canoe was the sole mode of crossing the narrow river.

Delving into the religious background of the village, we are told that the two major temples of Shantadurga and Ravalnatha were shifted to the adjoining village of Marcela, to escape conversion. But the Rama-Sita temple continues till date at Rambhuvan vaddo, where the Ramnami is a cause for grand celebrations every year. The Ram-Sati temple at Ganvant is the oldest temple. Of course, there is a Hanuman Mandir at Rudra Bhat and Mahadeo temple at Golvaddo. The Shantadurga deity is originally from the Corlim village in Tiswadi. It was one of the only three centres where the celebration of the thread ceremony was permitted.

Cumbharjua's major festival is the Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated by every section of the Hindu population. During Chaturthi the village comes alive and even attracts handsome crowds from the neighbouring villages, to witness their famed sangodd. It is a rare spectacle in which at least 25 canoes participate. Carrying the idols of Ganapati on the country craft, the devotees take seven rounds of nearly 200 metres each. By that time it is dark enough, and the lamps glitter in the waters as the Ganesh idols and clay figurines are finally immersed. The locals can't remember when the sangodd ritual originated but believe that it has been observed piously for more than a century.

The village appears to be thickly populated, being a home to nearly 10,000 folk. Of course, the houses are small, nondescript ones except for the majestic mansion of Inacio da Sa. Painted yellow several years ago, the palatial house looks totally rundown now and it is only occupied by the local electricity department's office. On the other side of the narrow road, stands a small shrine belonging to the house. There are hardly any Catholic families on the Cumbharjua mainland and hence they have just a couple of small chapels but their parish church is of Sao Braz, built by the Croatian sailors, at Gaundalim, on the western bank of the river. The St. Francis Xavier chapel, affiliated to the S. Braz Parish, was founded by the Jesuits in 1655. It was renovated by the Major of the Regiment of Artillery, Ludovico Mourao Garces Palha, the Baron of Cumbarjua, in 1860.

Of course, the Dhume house (with seven wells) and those of Lawande, Kenkare and Vithallbhatt houses, which lie in ruins, comprised the major landmarks of the riverine village once upon a time.

The village has given birth to man of eminence and stature, but when one walks around the rustic surroundings for more information, the simple, friendly folk merely mention some popular names like those of Dr Shyam Bhandari (of Panjim's Bhandari Clinic); Anant R S Dhume, Director Land Survey (B 1911); Dr Shreekrishna Bhalchandra Kenkre, Obstetrician & gynaecologist; Vasant Chodankar, Principal of Marine Institute (Britona). Sonu Naik was the biggest landlord.

Lying South of Jua (Sto Estevao island), the village owes nearly 70 per cent of the land to the Mangueshi temple. Of course, as the very name suggests, Cumbharjua (the island of potters) is known for pottery, though people along the banks of the Mandovi tributary generally thrive on fishing and by manufacturing coir products. Several among the villagers are blessed with prodigious talent, and Gangadhar Naik, Pondori Naik, Xanu Morya ani Shanu Rane are known for sculpting idols. A number of roasted gram-sellers from the village are found at the popular fairs during festivals all over Goa, particularly for the feast of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa. They reach right upto Fatorpa for the zatra.

Gaundalim or Sao Braz ward lies 5 kms east of Old Goa, on the banks of the Cumbharjua canal (connecting the river Mandovi with Zuari) and is situated opposite the island of Cumbharjua. All along the road, the ruins of the erstwhile Old Goa city covered with thick vegetation can be discerned. The village church situated on a small promontory is dedicated to St. Braz. It was built by the sailors on the pattern of a similar church back in Croatia.

In 1999, a Croatian delegation, led by their Ambassador in India, flew to Goa to have a look at the Sao Braz church. It was a nostalgic and feeling-filled visit that they paid to the eastern land where their ancestors were engaged in boat-building centuries ago. During her research in Goa, a Croatian came upon information that the Gaundaulim church was built by her countrymen. She delved into the subject further and eventually it materialised in the visit of the delegation.

They also believed that there was a big mansion of a rich Croation lady in the village but none could throw any light on it. They were filled with nostalgia to be in the land where some of their ancestors lived centuries ago and some of whom lie buried in the local cemetery.

Roads, water taps, transport and other development crept into the villages only after Liberation. Anil Fadte, who runs the oldest shop in the village, says "The village has nearly 500 wells and hence hardly require the services of the tap. Our people prefer the Marcela market for shopping as one finds all sorts of local products brought for sale from the surrounding villages." While talking of the totally absent industry, he says that the Zantyes had a large modern cashew factory here but now its shutters are down. An old woman, who dropped in to purchase a matchbox to light beedies, reminded him that "there is a factory making door-mats".

Once upon a time, Cumbharjua was known as the habitat of the crocodiles. The creatures seem to be rather shy and docile, relaxing in the mangroves lining the river banks. The locals still have a Mangeam Puja (Crocodile Puja) when they feed live chicken to the crocs every year, in the belief that the ferocious looking creatures would not attack humans. In recent times, a number of colourful motor-boats constantly plough Cumbharjua's waters with foreign tourists, who scour the clayey river banks with their binoculars to spot crocodiles. To shoot a photograph, one needs to be sufficiently alert because the muggers leap into the water the moment they detect the slightest sound.

The abundant mangroves are also harbour several species of splendid Goan birds sporting beautiful plummage, particularly the kingfishers. Birdwatching and spotting crocs has become a big business at the Cumbharjua river stretch. But the thorough experts at wildlife are young and dynamic Harvey de Souza and Neil Alvares of the Southern Birdwing, who bring groups of people on tours. It's worth being on their river cruises because they keep you informed of Goa's wildlife and every possible question on the topic. There are a couple of comfy house-boats too, some run by Joe Araujo of Santa Cruz, taking off from Gaundalim, to Bambolim beach to the Mormugao Harbour and back.

As far as the educational facilities are concerned, the Sharda Mandir High School, established in 1913, is now run by the government. The primary Marathi School collapsed a couple of years ago and no one has felt the need to restore it.

Many an architectural student visits Gaundalim to have look at the ancient, Croatian-built church on the hillock. It was quite an aristocratic residence once upon a time, says some of the villagers. A group of the European visitors posed for a photograph with the local youngsters on the parish priest's bed during the reception extended to them by the locals. Others looked at the jackfruit on a nearby tree, and asked the name of the tropical fruit. The bed naturally crumbled with the weight but the photographer had already done his job by then.

A palatial one-storeyed, ancient house with lovely motifs atop the windows, stands about 200 metres from the river. It was bestowed on to the then Captain of Ports by the Portuguese government. A family lives there now but they lack details of its past. A little beyond the house stood a beautiful arch, which opened on the placid river. However, when the ferry route was inaugurated by the Minister of Inland Water Transport, Subhash Shirodkar, on 16-9-1993, the ancient arch was pulled down to make way for the road leading to the ferry.

The Konkan Railway train now passes through the idyllic village, with a level crossing on the Old Goa-Gaundalim road and a small tunnel to the south of the crossing, enroute to the the Carambolim station, beside the famed wetlands. Search out the rustic Cumbharjua village on the Goa map, and book-mark it for a wonnderful tour, to discover the little-seen Goa's charming interior.

Joel D'Souza