BY ARMSTRONG VAZ CUNCOLIM JAN 25;-Recently Fatorpa village played host to the Zatra in the month of Jan 2005, on 2nd Feb Cuncolkars will be celebrating the feast of Our lady of health Church. From Monday the Novenas will start every day at 8.00 a.m at Cuncolim church dedicated to Our lady of health.
This year the feast is being celebrated by the third vangore of Cuncolim. Twelve seems to be a favourable number with Cuncolkars . Cuncolim have 12 umbrellas representing the 12 Vangores of Cuncolim, then they have the twelve bunds of Cuncolim and then the twelve Vangores comprising of the original inhabitants of the place – Ganvakares of Cuncolim. Here are some of the interesting facts related to Cuncolim feast., fatorpa zatra, twelve vangores, 12 umbrella festival and the twelve bunds of Cuncolim. The Ganvkares of Cuncolim secretly transferred the diety of shri Shantadurga to Fatorpa in the face of Portuguese forceful conversion in Cuncolim. The present temple is housed at Fatorpa where the diety was transferred and kept away from the look out of Portuguese. The Shantadurga temple lies amidst the greenery of the surrounding hills and is known for a big annual fair which falls in the month of Paus (December- January) from panchami to dosom which in fact, sets the tone of all zatras of other places in Goa. The deity is worshipped by Hindus and Catholics alike which represents truly a secular character and traditional communal harmony Of Goa. The Fatorpa temple is also know for SIGMO(SONTREO ) FESTIVAL during which on panchami day (usually falls in March) the devotees commemorate the day of transfer of deity to Cuncolim from its present location Fatorpa. The colourful procession on this day wends its way through hill passes the same old route by which the deity was brought to the Fatorpa village. The diety of Shantadurga is brought in a procession from Fatorpa to Cuncolim, every year, on Panchami day in the month of Phalguna, the day on which the festival of Sontreos" (umbrella feast) is held. On the Panchami day the deity is ceremoniously taken to the original place where it was enshrined at Cuncolim, to the accompaniment of Goa's traditional music and number of red silken umbrellas. The procession passes through the waddos of Molanguinim, Biunsa, Voddy, Tolliebhatt , Markutt, Demani and from Molangini to Fatorpa The 12 umbrellas are representing the 12 vangores of Cuncolim. There is only one red umbrella. The procession was forbidden by the Portuguese government at the request of Patriarch D. Antonio Sebastiao Valent It was re-established after the Portuguese Republic was set up in 1910. The Twelve Vangores of Cuncolim- 1. Mhal- Ganvkares composed of dessai and Porob ward 2. Shetkar- Coutinho of socrecotto 3. Naik- Tavares, almeida, torcato of Murida and baga, Dessai and naik 4. Mangro- Souza”s of Biunsa and Dessai 5. Sobro- Martins of Dandora, Baga, Velim and dessai 6. Tombddo- Dessai 7. Porob- fernandes of Cuncolim and sokoilwaddo of Velim 8. Sidakali- Coutinho, Pereira and Paes of Milleavaddo, Saldhana, viera, Mascarenhas, Souza, Miranda of Dandora. 9. Lokakalli- Lourenco, Rebello, Gamam, Tavares, Faria, Vaz, Fernandes. 10. Bandekar- Aguiars, almeida of Adiband, Noronha, dessai, dias of Murida, Noronha of maddicotto, and the component of third vangores of Assolna , resident of Gadvaddo and ward of banda , almeida, souza, Gracias, martins, Melo and Saldhana. 11. Rounno- dias and dessai 12. Benklo- Dessai, Moraes and Coutinho and benkleavaddo. Besides the village of Veroda which has a separate church has also got six vangores 1. Fotto- Jacques, Moraes, britto and Noronha 2. Naik 3. Naik 4. Naik 5. zolmi 6. Porob The above mentioned family groups consist and compose of the Ganvkaria of Cuncolim and Veroda. Every year the feat of Our lady of Health Cuncolim is being celebrated by one of the twelve vangores of Cuncolim.Like wise the twelve vangores of Cuncolim have a hold over the running of affairs of the Temple at Shnatadurga Fatorpa. Veroda has a church dedicated to St. Anthony the feast which is celebrated in the month of May. Veroda villagers however earlier formed part of the Cuncolim church till the elevation of the chapel to the church in the early 80’s. The elevation of status from Chapel to church was largely due to the role played by businessman Avertano Furtado owner of Holiday Inn resort Cavelossim. Twelve bunds of Cuncolim ----------------------- In Cuncolim we have had a wonderful irrigation system know as “BARA BAND" or twelve dams or builds which are named ZOGLABAND, USKINIBAND, MOLLEBAND. VEDEBAND. SALLEBAND, FOLLEAMBAND; and DOTRABAND on Northern and Eastern side. CHIREAMBAND, OLLABAND, FONTIBAND ,DUGALEBAND and PAIRABAND and NOVEBAND on Southern and Western side Our village has perhaps more rivulets than any other village in Goa, which unfortunately due to deposits of silt and sand for over a century are no' deep enough to irrigate a large portion of the village for the second crop. Small dams which are built annually in the month of October with mud, twigs and coconut stem’s to hold or collect water in the streams that encircle the villages of Cuncolim & Veroda. The water collected is used for the production of Vangana crop The water reservoir "NOVO BANO" supplies water to the neighboring villages of Assolna, Ambelim & Velim, . the Novo band is situated between two hills. It was rebuilt by the government about in the year 1880 when the old had collapsed due to its weakness At that time the surrounding areas were flooded and animals like cattle, goats, were washed away Since it was rebuilt about hundred years ago, it was popularly known as "NOVO BAND" It was looked after by the local panchayat in earlier years. Every year it was given for auction for opening and closing the tank known as "Vagzuem tank". Unfortunately the Navo band is not being constructed for the last eight years and several cracks have developed in the band due to neglect. Once the then Cuncolim MLA Manu Fernandes had proposed to develop the lake on the lines of the Mayem Lake in North Goa. Unfortunately that proposal remained only on paper and for a couple of visits by tourism officials and officials from other department. One can see the naya band lake minus the water as one crosses the new Cuncolim police station and is one the verge of entering balli. The lake is situated on the side of the national highway No 17.