Bicholim
Encyclopedia
Bicholim is a city and a municipal council
in North Goa district in the state of Goa
, India
. It is a town in the territory of Goa, and the headquarters of the concelho (district) of the same name; the Concelho of Bicholim, located in the north-east quarter is one of the seven that make up the Novas Conquistas
or New Conquests, territories added to Goa comparatively latter than the first three of the Velhas Conquistas
. The town is located about 30 kilometres from the capital Panjim. It is in the mining heartland of Goa.
(PrabhuSarDesai's of Sankhali/Sanquelim) It was taken over by Portuguese
in late 18th century as part of New Conquest.
, Bicholim had a population of 14,913. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Bicholim has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 84% and female literacy of 75%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
constitutes a major chunk in the economy of Bicholim with about 36% of the population working for a single iron
ore mine owner (Souza Mineralia Pvt. Ltd. owned by M.M.P. DeSouza who formed a partnership with the Dempos, the Dempo clan took over the mines underhandedly and it is now taken over by Sesa which has been merged into Vedanta).
Wednesday is the market
day where people in and around Bicholim gather in the main market region for trading small goods/commodities.
institute, a number of hospitals, temples, churches and mosques, and a protected site, pandava caves.
Some of the prominent temples are the Shanta Durga temple and the Mahadeva Temple.
The Shanta Durga temple is close to the banks of the river, which is a tributary of river Mandovi.
The church of Our Lady of Grace dominates the city square
. The high school run from the precints of the church complex is one of the prominent schools of Bicholim.
A historic monument
Nimuz ghar (possibly Namaz Ghar) stands on the hilltop prominently overlooking the town of Bicholim. The monument was built to commemorate the victory of the combined Muslim
and Hindu
forces over the Portuguese.
Another prominent landmark of the town is the Tribunal started by the Portuguese to deal with civil and criminal cases after the Nova conquesta.
As in other communities of Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi or Chawath is a celebrated with its own unique touch in Bicholim. A folk dance called 'Ghode Modni" which has a cavalry theme is a specialty of Bicholim.
dotted with serene lakes and majestic waterfalls. The tranquil Mayem lake is a major tourism
destination in Bicholim. Located amidst rolling hills and surrounded by a countryside, the lake is one of the most pristine nature
spots in Goa. The Goa Tourism Development Department has developed a boating
area and a resort here.
and steel
fabrication, plastics, mining
equipment, rolling mills, bus
body, etc.
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
in North Goa district in the state of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is a town in the territory of Goa, and the headquarters of the concelho (district) of the same name; the Concelho of Bicholim, located in the north-east quarter is one of the seven that make up the Novas Conquistas
Novas Conquistas
The Novas Conquistas are a group of seven administrative districts or concelhos of mainland Goa, India, which were added onto Goa at a comparatively later date than the original three concelhos that make up the Velhas Conquistas....
or New Conquests, territories added to Goa comparatively latter than the first three of the Velhas Conquistas
Velhas Conquistas
The Velhas Conquistas or “Old Conquests” are a group of four concelhos or administrative districts in Goa which were incorporated into Portuguese India in the 16th century...
. The town is located about 30 kilometres from the capital Panjim. It is in the mining heartland of Goa.
History
A part of Bicholim was once part of Kingdom of Sawantwadi till late 18th century, but the major part was of an independent landlordLandlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
(PrabhuSarDesai's of Sankhali/Sanquelim) It was taken over by Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in late 18th century as part of New Conquest.
Geography
Bicholim is located at 15.60°N 73.95°E. It has an average elevation of 22 metres (72 feet).Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Bicholim had a population of 14,913. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Bicholim has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 84% and female literacy of 75%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Economy
MiningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
constitutes a major chunk in the economy of Bicholim with about 36% of the population working for a single iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
ore mine owner (Souza Mineralia Pvt. Ltd. owned by M.M.P. DeSouza who formed a partnership with the Dempos, the Dempo clan took over the mines underhandedly and it is now taken over by Sesa which has been merged into Vedanta).
Wednesday is the market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
day where people in and around Bicholim gather in the main market region for trading small goods/commodities.
Socio Political
Bicholim has 3 primary schools, 4 secondary schools, a polytechnicInstitute of technology
Institute of technology is a designation employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system...
institute, a number of hospitals, temples, churches and mosques, and a protected site, pandava caves.
Some of the prominent temples are the Shanta Durga temple and the Mahadeva Temple.
The Shanta Durga temple is close to the banks of the river, which is a tributary of river Mandovi.
The church of Our Lady of Grace dominates the city square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
. The high school run from the precints of the church complex is one of the prominent schools of Bicholim.
A historic monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
Nimuz ghar (possibly Namaz Ghar) stands on the hilltop prominently overlooking the town of Bicholim. The monument was built to commemorate the victory of the combined Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
forces over the Portuguese.
Another prominent landmark of the town is the Tribunal started by the Portuguese to deal with civil and criminal cases after the Nova conquesta.
As in other communities of Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi or Chawath is a celebrated with its own unique touch in Bicholim. A folk dance called 'Ghode Modni" which has a cavalry theme is a specialty of Bicholim.
Mayem Lake
Bicholim has an idyllic landscapeLandscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
dotted with serene lakes and majestic waterfalls. The tranquil Mayem lake is a major tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
destination in Bicholim. Located amidst rolling hills and surrounded by a countryside, the lake is one of the most pristine nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
spots in Goa. The Goa Tourism Development Department has developed a boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
area and a resort here.
Arvalem Caves and Waterfalls
The Arvalem caves, also known as 'Pandavas Caves,' are ancient rock cut caves dating back to the 7th century. These are excavated into the laterite hill consisting of two major chambers and a residential chamber. The cave complex draws tourists and archeologists alike.Bicholim Industrial Estate
Set up by the Goa Industrial Development Department, the Bicholim Industrial Estate located at Honda is home to more than 50 industrial workshops and manufacturing units specializing in a range of products and services such as aluminiumAluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
fabrication, plastics, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
equipment, rolling mills, bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
body, etc.