Dear JoeGoaUK and all, I came across the following date for Sao Simao on a site for holiday homes ( www.goaholidayhomes.com/info/269/). 1596-1610. Rajan mentioned 400 years, and this year would be exactly that. Very plausible. I have a book but cannot find it. Not the OUP Goan Churches by Pereira, but another one.
The San Simao Church is on Ganxim/Gauncim hill. variously spelled/prounounced also as Gancim, Gauncim, or Gaunshi/m hill (what was referred to in your post as at the Batim hillock). The area is also referred to as Ganxim.The people abandoned the village on account of an epidemic, referred to as a plague. The rebuilding of the church was done a little over 60 years ago by Pdr. Pedru (Chinchinim Salcette). It was Pdr. Pedru, then Pdr Vigar of Batim's Guadalupe Sabinnichi Igorz. who collected money/suscriptao to rebuilt it. He would get up early in the morning, and bike it to Ganxim and get the people going. Until recently one of the altars was held in escrow at the Batim Church. Pdr. Pedru was the brother of Man. Bosc Braganza's sansupai whose house is in Batim--diagonally to the right of the church in Batim (OL Guadalupe). Another priest Pdr Longuin was Ma Boscccho paiccho bhav (tio, titiu). There is a tiny posro adjacent to the house run by the daughter-in-law of the house--Longuinho's wife The house has what looks like a coat of arms if one looks at the top, just below the eaves. Smack opposite the Church is the home of Sebastian Fernandes (my mother Otilia's godchild), They were earlier from Santana, and worked the salt pans. Bostiao is like an older brother to us. Bostiao's dad appreciated my mother and it pleased him much that my mom agreed to be his sons godmother. I never once saw him (Santan, I believe; Duming was the younger brother---awesome humans, and filled with love) sit on a chair when he visited Moms place in Batim. I would drag him as a child, but he would puff on his dumti and just say, Naaa rehh baba, naaaah reh. It may sound odd to many ears, but he maintained his dignity in his own way. As a child my mother had walked a few times all the way to Old Goa over the hills, and jungle from Batim. Where are the people of Ganxim: Some of those Ganxim people settled in Batim, and Maina, Moula, The people from the latter two villages are essentially from Gauncim (went back). Just where the toyem/lake begins in Batim is the house of Bismark, son "Vitty." Bismark's wife Philomena's mother was Tia Elvid--from Gauncim. They lived in the center of Batim next to Tia Ligur, a house has a round gallery. They were three brothers and three sisters. My mother remembered Fanchu, Franski, Antu; but essentially it was four families living together. Also many people in Batim are from elsewhere. Mhoji maim Otilia sangta: As Mummy put it: Mainyacho lok Ganximche. Adlea igorzecho fokot aslo ador (entrance). Soglem kelam tem Pdr. Pedrun kelam. To bicycletar Ganxcim vetalo---socaim lokank utoitalo, ani sanj zai poryant thuinsor gham varoitalo. Chod vavurlo. Altar soglem tennen/tannem kelam. Tennem mhojeo kazarachi chitteo vachlya. Aicolam ek San Simoa igorjecho altar Batia igorjent dovorlolo to yelo attan. Maca Arunachi (my youngest sister-in-law) Madrin sango--ti Divarchi: tenniim poixea dillele igorz ubhi korpak. Zaite lokanim poishillyanuim duddhu daddle--konkon adim adim Kuwaitui (zait Abidjan) ani pois deshan kam kortale tennim. To poilo Assnora astalo. Techea fatlean Batie Pdr. Menezes ailo. Pdr. Pedruchi buzvon: Hanv (h)assan (ducks), ani kombeo(hens) postalim. Boro gudd bandlolo. Ek ratek kattandoran guddan sorlo. Soncaim utt tor guddan kombeo mellelim, thoddin assa, soglim abuz--kattandorant tenchem rogot piyon tencam sukim kelim. Hanv roddunk laglim. Itlea mogan hanv tencho cuidad kortalim, ba ba mhuntoch davon yetalim. Maca sossu naka zalem. Oxem hanven kednan pou;;ounc naslem. Gavantlo log roddop aicon ghara ailim, ani Pdr Pedru-ui. To zanna aslo ki maca kazar zaunpak khoxi nasli. Maca convetant vosounc as asli. Hanv konak kombiank hat launk di naslim. Pdr Pedrun maka sozmailem. Otil(ia), tu zannam Joban(Job) kitlem sosslem tem. Tum zana tem nhu go? Ani teca (Job) magir zaite bhaag Devan nirmile te--ani dobrad dhan-daulat taca meuli. Roddonacam. Sod hi gosal. Di kombeo lokank. Magir lokanlim melleleo kombeo ani h/assan velim. At this point she began crying. I think she was reminded once again how over the years we too have lost in many many ways--she has always given and was in a sense expected to give away--not desire; and the one bloke who stood by her---left her side, upon passing out of the time they shared together. You can always talk to Bostiao (Sebastian) and take my name. He can take you to Man. Bosco and even to my Mothers ancestral home. I will keep at this and let you know if something else comes up. I am sure as usual that others know this kind of stuff, and have access to materials--priests, even amateur historians. But lets move on--the last time I say this. Peace people. If need be I will be more than willing to translate. Just ask. Just that sometimes one must write in Konkani. venantius j pinto > From: JoeGoaUk <joego...@yahoo.co.uk> > Subject: [Goanet] Today we visited Sant Simao Church at Batim Hillock > and the huge deep wells > > Today we visited Sant Simao Church at Batim Hillock and the huge deep wells > ? > On can see this Church (I thought it was a Chapel) from Curca bridge- > see pic. > ? > I don?t know how old is this church nor I could find any of its > history on the net. > If you do find any, please let me also know. > ? > I guess, this is the only church of Goa with no inhabitants > (Except the newest Sharma Bungalow which is built??in the name of Farm > house?). > ? > ? > The church with a group praying out in the sun > http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoaukchurches2/4334703083/sizes/l/ >