Cuncolim is a town in

South Goa district South Goa district is one of two districts that comprises the state of Goa, India, within the region known as the Konkan. It is bounded by North Goa district to the north, the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state to the east and south, wh ...

in the state of Goa,

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

Etymology

The name 'Cuncolim' is derived from the fact that the village was known as 'Kumkumahalli', the place where '' kumkuma '' (

vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its corresponding color. It i ...

) is produced.

Geography

Cuncolim is located at . It has an average elevation of .

History

It is a former village, now with a municipal council of its own, in the south Goa sub-district (''taluka'') of

Salcette Salcete ( Konkani: ''Saxtti''/''Xaxtti''; pt, Salcette) is a sub-division of the district of South Goa, in the state of Goa, situated by the west coast of India. The Sal river and its backwaters dominate the landscape of Salcete. Hi ...

. It is part of the AVC (Assolna-Velim-Cuncolim) network of villages. Historically, there are twelve ''Vangodds'' (clans) of ''Ganvkars'' (landlords) in the village. Their names, in order of precedence, are as follows: Mhal, Shetcar, Naik, Mangro, Shet, Tombddo, Porob, Sidakalo, Lokakalo, Bandekar, Rounom and Becklo. Cuncolim was the site of the Cuncolim revolt in 1583. Those killed on the Christian side included five

Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

who were later beatified as the " Martyrs of Cuncolim". The village of Cuncolim was the original site of the famous temple of Shree Shantadurga before almost all the villagers converted to Christianity and the temple was demolished.''Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians'', Alan Machado Prabhu, I.J.A. Publications, 1999, p. 103. The few remaining Hindu families took the idol of Shree Shantadurga to

Fatorpa Fatorpa is a village in Quepem taluk, South Goa, Goa. There are two famous temples of Shree Shantadurga in this Village. Geography It is located at an elevation of 147 m above MSL.http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/33/Fatorpa.html Map and we ...

where the new temple of Shree Shantadurga Cuncolikarin stands today.Goa's First Revolt Against Portuguese Rule in 1583

Demographics

Cuncolim has population of 16,623 (7,924 males, 8,699 females) with 50.42% being Hindu, 37.58% Christian, and 11.82% Muslim as per reports released by India’s Population Census 2011. Other religious minorities are present in trace numbers. The village’s native Christian community consists of Goan Catholics originating from

Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the co ...

noblemen, known as Chardo, presently numbering 3000. Cuncolim also houses a

Scheduled Tribe The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...

community of 738 and a Scheduled Caste population of 157 individuals as per Population Census 2011.

Education

It has 5 high schools namely Our Lady of Health, Cuncolim United, Infant Jesus, Maria Bambina Convent and St. Anthony High School (formerly known as Hutatma Rajanikant Kenkre Memorial High School). Higher secondary needs are catered to by Maria Bambina and United Higher secondary, former has Arts and Commerce stream whereas latter has both the streams in addition to Science. Cuncolim United College is the only college in Cuncolim which mostly has students from areas surrounding Cuncolim and also there is Graduation College namely Cuncolim Education Society of Arts and Commerce which provides Degree Course of B. A and B. COM for students of Cuncolim and surrounding areas . Prabal's Institute of Commerce and Computer Education has been imparting typing and computer skills for the last 25 years. The permanent campus if National Institute of Technology, Goa will be at Cuncolim.

Culture

Cuncolim has a unique traditional village

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been dev ...

, involving 12 bunds (water-gathering centres). It has also 12 residential clans (or vangodds). Cuncolim Union is one of the social organisations formed by people of this area.

Government and politics

Cuncolim is part of

Cuncolim (Goa Assembly constituency) Cuncolim Assembly constituency is one of the 40 Goa Legislative Assembly constituencies of the state of Goa in southern India. Cuncolim is also one of the 20 constituencies falling under the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency. Members of Goa Leg ...

and South Goa (Lok Sabha constituency).

Places of interest

Cuncolim is home to the Molanguinim Cave, small waterfalls and the Nayaband Lake.

References

External links

Cuncolim
on GoaHolidayHomes.com {{Localities in and around Margao Cities and towns in South Goa district