Divar
Encyclopedia
The island
of Divar ( Divaddi, pronounced d̪iːwaːɽiː) (derived from the word Dipavati or 'small Island' in Konkani
) lies in the Mandovi river in the India
n state of Goa
.
on the south-east side, Ribandar
, on the south-west side and Narve on the north side, all by ferry. A launch also connects Divar to the city of Panaji from further north-west, in the village of Vanxim. The Konkan Railway
passes through the village and the nearest stop to the village is the train station at Karmali
.
The drive to the village is scenic, with paddy fields and wooded hills lacing the roadway, very typical of the Goan countryside. Though in a manner equally typical of modern Goa, of late the paddy field
s lie fallow and overrun with weeds, along with your odd crocodile that came through when the levees were purposely broken in early 2000.
pilgrimage and hosted the ancient temples of Shree Saptakoteshwar
,Shree Ganesh and Shree Dwarkeshwar besides others. These were destroyed by Portuguese zealots in the 16th century in their drive for the Christianization of Goa
.
The Portuguese left crocodiles around the waters of the island
of Divar and cut all food and other supplies in order to prece-cute the locals to get converyed.
The Current Cemetery near Church at hilltop once housed Ganesh Temple which was razed by the Portuguese and the Hindus had to take the Ganesh Idol and rehabilitate it in village of Khandola near Marcel. The ancient site of Hindu pilgrimage is called Porne Tirth (Old pilgrim spot-in Konkani) even today. Rui Gomes Pereira in his book Goan temples and deities writes, " The original temple (Of Shree Saptakoteshwar) was constructed in the 12th century by the kings of Kadamba Dynasty. Shree Saptakoteshwar was the patron Deity of the Kadambas. The temple was destroyed by the sultan of the Deccan in the middle of the 14th century and reconstructed at the same locality by Madhav Mantri
of Vijaynagar at the close of the same century. It was again destroyed by the Portuguese in 1540."
Prior to its destruction, the temple used to attract more than thirty thousand Hindu pilgrims from Goa itself during its annual procession. The Saptakoteshwar idol was shifted to Narve in Bicholim
after the destruction of the temple by the Portuguese. The present temple in Narve, Bicholim was rebuilt by ShivajiRaje Bhonsale the Great Maratha leader.
A Jesuit priest Fr Francisco Sousa documented the religious importance of "Divar" in his book Oriente Conquistado (Conquest of the orient) around the latter quarter of the 16th or early 17th century. Fr. Sousa testifies that "Divar was as much venerated by the Hindu Brahmins as the Holy land by us, on account of a temple of many indulgences and pilgrimages..." Rui Gomes Pereira details further stating, "The linga of the temple, made of five metals - gold, silver, copper, iron and bronze" was later relocated in Bicholim. And on the foundations of the same temple a prayer and catechism house was constructed in 1563,
According to Dr Olivinho J F Gomes, Professor of Konkani, Divar was one of the first places the Portuguese ventured to convert locals to Christianity, targeting primarily the Brahmin community.
The original inhabitants of this island were people who once lived in Old Goa but had to desert during a disastrous plague that greatly reduced the population of Old Goa.
Piedade, a small village is spread at the bottom of a small forested hillock on which there is the Church of Our Lady of Compassion. The island is dotted with well maintained, elegant Portuguese
villas. From the top of the hill, superb panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including Old Goa, the capital of Goa, Panaji, the meandering Mandovi river, and the bridges across it can be seen.
Dom
Matheus de Castro
(c. 1594−1677) the first Indian Bishop
of The Catholic Church, was a native of Divar. He was consecrated Bishop of Chrysopolis by the Vatican
and sent to India
during the Viceroyalty of Conde
de Aveiras (1635-1640), as Vicar Apostolic for the Kingdoms of Idalxa, Pegu and Golconda
. His Nephew Dom
Thomas de Castro
was consecrated Bishop
of Fulsivelem by the Vatican
in 1671. He was appointed Vicar Apostolic for the Kingdoms of Cochin, Tamor, Madurai
, Mysore, Cranganore, Cannanore and the Coast of Canara
. Both Uncle and Nephew were at constant loggerheads with the Padroado
.
Fr. José Antonio Gonçalves of Divar, initiated the Conspiracy of the Pintos
; planned rebellion against Portuguese Rule, in 1787. He was Professor of Philosophy at the (former Jesuit) College of Maddel, Chorão.
in Old Goa was originally donated by the master of a sinking ship who'd made a vow that, were he to survive his fate, he would donate the ship's bell to the first church village, town, or city his vessel touched. It so happened that that island was Divar. In keeping with his promise, he donated the bell to the church of Divar, which is located on a high hillock. Unfortunately though, every time the bell was struck, it shattered the windows of the church and the houses in the vicinity, so a deal was struck and the bell was exchanged with that of the Se Cathedral.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Divar ( Divaddi, pronounced d̪iːwaːɽiː) (derived from the word Dipavati or 'small Island' in Konkani
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
) lies in the Mandovi river in the 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...
n 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...
.
Location
It is located approximately upriver 10 km from Panaji (Panjim). The Island is connected to Old GoaOld Goa
Old Goa or Velha Goa is a historical city in North Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. The city was constructed by the Bijapur Sultanate in the 15th century, and served as capital of Portuguese India from the 16th century until its abandonment in the 18th century due to plague...
on the south-east side, Ribandar
Ribandar
Ribandar is an unincorporated town in Goa, India, in the district of Ilhas or Tiswaddi, lying in between the cities of Pangim and Old Goa....
, on the south-west side and Narve on the north side, all by ferry. A launch also connects Divar to the city of Panaji from further north-west, in the village of Vanxim. The Konkan Railway
Konkan Railway
The Konkan Railway is a railway line which runs along the Konkan coast of India. It was constructed and is operated by the Konkan Railway Corporation...
passes through the village and the nearest stop to the village is the train station at Karmali
Karmali
Karmali is a village in North Goa district, Goa, India.-External links:* *...
.
The drive to the village is scenic, with paddy fields and wooded hills lacing the roadway, very typical of the Goan countryside. Though in a manner equally typical of modern Goa, of late the paddy field
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
s lie fallow and overrun with weeds, along with your odd crocodile that came through when the levees were purposely broken in early 2000.
History
The Island of Divar was a famous site of HinduHindu
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...
pilgrimage and hosted the ancient temples of Shree Saptakoteshwar
Saptakoteshwar
The Saptakotishwar temple at Narve, Goa, India is considered to be one of the six great sites of temples of Lord Shiva in the Konkan area.-History:...
,Shree Ganesh and Shree Dwarkeshwar besides others. These were destroyed by Portuguese zealots in the 16th century in their drive for the Christianization of Goa
Christianization of Goa
The indigenous population of the erstwhile Portuguese colony of Goa underwent a large-scale conversion to Christianity after its conquest and occupation by the Portuguese Empire, which was led by the voyager and adventurer Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510. After conversion to Roman Catholicism, they...
.
The Portuguese left crocodiles around the waters of the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Divar and cut all food and other supplies in order to prece-cute the locals to get converyed.
The Current Cemetery near Church at hilltop once housed Ganesh Temple which was razed by the Portuguese and the Hindus had to take the Ganesh Idol and rehabilitate it in village of Khandola near Marcel. The ancient site of Hindu pilgrimage is called Porne Tirth (Old pilgrim spot-in Konkani) even today. Rui Gomes Pereira in his book Goan temples and deities writes, " The original temple (Of Shree Saptakoteshwar) was constructed in the 12th century by the kings of Kadamba Dynasty. Shree Saptakoteshwar was the patron Deity of the Kadambas. The temple was destroyed by the sultan of the Deccan in the middle of the 14th century and reconstructed at the same locality by Madhav Mantri
Madhav Mantri
Madhav Krishnaji Mantri is a former Indian cricketer who played in four Tests from 1951 to 1955. Born in Nasik, Maharashtra, he was a right-handed opening batsman and specialist wicket-keeper who represented Bombay. He is the uncle of former Indian cricket captain and Test run-scoring...
of Vijaynagar at the close of the same century. It was again destroyed by the Portuguese in 1540."
Prior to its destruction, the temple used to attract more than thirty thousand Hindu pilgrims from Goa itself during its annual procession. The Saptakoteshwar idol was shifted to Narve in Bicholim
Bicholim
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 of the same name; the Concelho of Bicholim, located in the north-east quarter is one of the seven that make up the Novas...
after the destruction of the temple by the Portuguese. The present temple in Narve, Bicholim was rebuilt by ShivajiRaje Bhonsale the Great Maratha leader.
A Jesuit priest Fr Francisco Sousa documented the religious importance of "Divar" in his book Oriente Conquistado (Conquest of the orient) around the latter quarter of the 16th or early 17th century. Fr. Sousa testifies that "Divar was as much venerated by the Hindu Brahmins as the Holy land by us, on account of a temple of many indulgences and pilgrimages..." Rui Gomes Pereira details further stating, "The linga of the temple, made of five metals - gold, silver, copper, iron and bronze" was later relocated in Bicholim. And on the foundations of the same temple a prayer and catechism house was constructed in 1563,
According to Dr Olivinho J F Gomes, Professor of Konkani, Divar was one of the first places the Portuguese ventured to convert locals to Christianity, targeting primarily the Brahmin community.
The original inhabitants of this island were people who once lived in Old Goa but had to desert during a disastrous plague that greatly reduced the population of Old Goa.
Piedade, a small village is spread at the bottom of a small forested hillock on which there is the Church of Our Lady of Compassion. The island is dotted with well maintained, elegant Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
villas. From the top of the hill, superb panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including Old Goa, the capital of Goa, Panaji, the meandering Mandovi river, and the bridges across it can be seen.
Dom
Dom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
Matheus de Castro
Matheus de Castro
Dom Matheus de Castro was a native of Divar, Goa, India. He was the first Indian Bishop of the Catholic Church. Consecrated Bishop of Chrysopolis by the Vatican and appointed Vicar Apostolic to the Kingdoms of Idalxa , Pegu and Golconda....
(c. 1594−1677) the first Indian Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of The Catholic Church, was a native of Divar. He was consecrated Bishop of Chrysopolis by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and sent to 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...
during the Viceroyalty of Conde
Conde
Conde is a title of nobility in Spanish, Galician and Portuguese. In English, the title is Count or Earl. The female form is Condesa in Spanish and Galician and Condessa in Portuguese. The territory of a Conde is called a Condado, equivalent to Countship or County...
de Aveiras (1635-1640), as Vicar Apostolic for the Kingdoms of Idalxa, Pegu and Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
. His Nephew Dom
Dom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
Thomas de Castro
Thomas de Castro
Dom Thomas de Castro was a native of Divar in Goa. The Holy See appointed him Vicar Apostolic of Canara on 30th August 1675. He later founded the famous Milagres Church in Mangalore, South Canara , Karnataka state, India. He was the nephew of Dom Matheus de Castro , the first Indian Bishop of...
was consecrated Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Fulsivelem by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in 1671. He was appointed Vicar Apostolic for the Kingdoms of Cochin, Tamor, Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, Mysore, Cranganore, Cannanore and the Coast of Canara
Kanara
The Kanara or Canara region comprises three coastal districts of Karnataka, namely Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada and Kasaragod district of Kerala in southwestern India. Kanara forms the southern part of the Konkan coast...
. Both Uncle and Nephew were at constant loggerheads with the Padroado
Padroado
The Padroado , was an arrangement between the Holy See and the kingdom of Portugal, affirmed by a series of treaties, by which the Vatican delegated to the kings of Spain and Portugal the administration of the local Churches...
.
Fr. José Antonio Gonçalves of Divar, initiated the Conspiracy of the Pintos
Conspiracy Of The Pintos
Conspiracy of the Pintos, also known as Conspiracy of Goa, the Pinto Revolt or the Pinto Conspiracy, and in Portuguese as A Conjuração dos Pintos, was a rebellion against Portuguese rule in Goa in 1787...
; planned rebellion against Portuguese Rule, in 1787. He was Professor of Philosophy at the (former Jesuit) College of Maddel, Chorão.
Bonderam
The famous Bonderam festival is celebrated in Divar on the fourth Saturday of August during the monsoon with great fanfare and attended by thousands of tourists and locals. Bonderam Festival: The festival is a memoir to the dispute and the fury of the Villagers over the Portuguese system of resolving the disputes. The villagers on the Divar Island often indulged in some kind of fight over the matter of ownership of their lands. To stop the disputes the Portuguese, put up flags at the boundaries. The villagers did not like this system. So they protested against the Portuguese by throwing stones at the flags. On this day a carnival ambience is created. Each section of the village has a float at the parade. Melodious music could be heard throughout the village. The gaily colored floats accompanied by colorfully dressed youngsters make a pretty picture.Potekar
Potekar festival is celebrated for three days before the start of Lent/ Ash Wednesday, where local youths wear home made masks, costumes, Cow bells; venturing around the village, receiving/demanding snacks & drinks from locals, and have licence to frighten the village children!Church bell
The huge bell which today adorns the Se CathedralSe Cathedral
The Se Cathedral in Old Goa, India, is the largest church in India, dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. It is the cathedral of the Latin Rite Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, and the seat of the Patriarch of the East Indies...
in Old Goa was originally donated by the master of a sinking ship who'd made a vow that, were he to survive his fate, he would donate the ship's bell to the first church village, town, or city his vessel touched. It so happened that that island was Divar. In keeping with his promise, he donated the bell to the church of Divar, which is located on a high hillock. Unfortunately though, every time the bell was struck, it shattered the windows of the church and the houses in the vicinity, so a deal was struck and the bell was exchanged with that of the Se Cathedral.