Curtorim is a town

Town

A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...

 in the Salcette

Salcette

Salcette , is a taluka of South Goa District in the Indian state of Goa. Its administrative and economic headquarters is Margao. It is largely coterminous with a region called Sashti , which comprised, by local tradition, sixty-six villages, hence the name. However, it also includes the taluka of...

 taluka of South 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 located on the west coast of India.

Geography

Curtorim is located at 15.28°N 74.03°E. It has an average elevation of 38 metres (125 feet).

History

Curtorim was named by the 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...

. Earlier it had been called by various other names. It was called ex Codtary, then it became Coddetary, then Kardally, Cuddtari, Kuddasthali (Sthali means place). Chicalim, Quelshim, Sancoale, Cortalim

Cortalim

Cortalim is a village in Saxtti , Goa, India.The original Magueshi Temple stood in this village before it was destroyed by the Portuguese. The village is today mainly Christian....

, Verna, Margao

Margao

Margao and commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of South Goa district and of the Salcete taluka.- Etymology :...

, Raia

Raia

Raia may refer to:* Royal Australian Institute of Architects, a professional body for architects in Australia* Raia , a small village in Goa, India, about 6 km from Margao on the way to Loutolim...

, Loutolim

Loutolim

Loutolim or Loutulim is a small town in Salcette taluka of South Goa district in the state of Goa, India.-Geography:Loutolim is located at . It has an average elevation of 32 metres .- History :...

, Benaulim

Benaulim

Benaulim also known as Banavali , is a census town in South Goa district in the state of Goa, India. It is a beach town a little south of Margao in Goa, India....

, Curtorim and Guirdolim were notable Saraswat Brahmin

Saraswat Brahmin

The Saraswats are a Brahmin caste of India.- History :According to the legend, Saraswat Brahmins are Brahmins who lived on the banks of the former Saraswati River that once flowed in northern India. Although it is said that at Prayag the three rivers meet or met.the fact is that the Saraswati never...

 villages. The Daivajnas from Curtorim migrated to Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

.

Religion

Curtorim has a predominantly Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 population. The Church of St Alex is the main feature of the village. It is one of the oldest churches in Goa. It was built in 1597 amidst a scenic natural backdrop of a lake Angoddi Tollem across woods on the site of an ancient 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...

 temple

Temple

A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

 dedicated to the deity

Deity

A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....

 Ravalnath

Ravalnath

Ravalnath is a very popular Shaivite deity in west coastal region of India, figuring predominantly Goa, the Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra and some areas of Karnataka.-Etymology:...

 (a form of Lord Shiva

Shiva

Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

). The remains of the ancient temple of Ravalnath are still visible today. The church of St Alex was first a chapel church; in 1808 it was converted to a church.

Culture

A number of world class performers of western classical and contemporary music have their origins in this village. The village also boasts having perhaps the greatest no of its sons decorated for bravery in India's conflicts with her neighbours than any other village in Goa. It abounds with retired military officers. General Sunit Rodrigues was the first Goan Chief of Army staff and is presently the Governor of the State of Punjab. His majestic ancestral house, which can be seen from the Church of St Aleixo, unfortunately lies abandoned and in slow decay.Cedric Estibeiro from Dando Curtorim is one of the best musician in curtorim