Blended in this setup is a village called Saligao.
A leisurely drive from Panjim to Calangute reveals the pride of the village, the 125 years old, parish church of Mae de Deus, a spiky Gothic-revival architecture which speaks for itself and the people.
Church of Mae De Deus, circa 1873
Saligao has never been the seat of any ruling dynasty; no stirring political events with far-reaching repercussions have ever taken place here. Its history records no battles, and not occupying any strategic geographical position, it has not at any point of time been of key importance in the defence of Bardez. But Saligao has an appeal distinctly its own.
The village's history does not boast of great personalities, though there have been a number of Saligaonkars who have made a mark in the professions of medicine, engineering and pedagogy and several who have occupied positions of responsibility in state, municipal, port, railway and business administration. And there have been some in the artistic field like Francis Newton Souza who now lives in the U.S.
Temple view...
Saligao is a community of Goankars who are either Catholics or Hindus. They mostly live in harmony with each other and show remarkable tolerance and respect for each others religion. The Catholics were actually converted to this religion after the conquest of Goa by the Portuguese General Alfonso De Albuquerque. Though most are of the Brahmin [priestly] caste there are quite a few belonging to other castes.
Originally a farming community, Saligao later turned to sugarcane as a subsistence crop and a rotation of cereals to keep the soil fertile. With the extension of the sugarcane plantations, the economy of the village underwent a radical change. It was these vast sugarcane plantations that led the neighbouring villages to dub Salgaokars as 'unshelantle kole', meaning foxes from the cane plantations. Today the cane plantations have vanished to be replaced by paddy.Many of the 'unshelantle kole' too have migrated to East Africa, and to other former colonies and countries around the world. Today you can find Saligaokars on all 5 continents of the globe.
But in most aspects, life in Saligao has not changed. Though modernisation has set in, it does not make itself evident. The older generation still walk or cycle to the 'tinto' or market place complete with walking-stick and hat, occasionally stopping to exchange a bit of news or greeting with a fellow villager.
Activities are centered around the Church of Mae de Deus and the Saligao Institute, founded in 1929. The first English medium schools in Goa probably started here with the founding of the St Mary's Boys School in 1900 and later the Mater Dei Institution in 1909. The St Mary's Girls School, the first boarding school for girls in Goa, is today the Lourdes Convent, one of the foremost schools in Goa.
What the village of Saligao loses in hectares, it gains in compactness, neatness and easy accessibility. One of the landmarks of the village is the Church of Mae de Deus, built in 1873, when the image of Our Lady Mother of God was installed in the church after being brought from the plague-ridden village of Daugim. Built in Gothic style, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful churches in Goa.
Through a series of these exchanges between one house and another, the boys succeeded in creating an eerie illusion, as if the souls of the dead had indeed visited the homes on the night of November 1.The practice of displacing, in good taste, continues in most Goan villages, though for some reason the tolling of the bells through the night stands discontinued.
Sormonnchi Zhor ... Click to capture the splendour. The Saligao Spring bears a lush cover during the monsoons
