Tiswadi

The word Tiswadi itself, originated in the late 1970s and it referred to thirty settlements of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmans who settled here after they migrated to Goa from Aryavarta. The descendants of these settlers now form the native Bammon (Catholic Brahman) community.

It is geographically made up of several small riverine islands within the Mandovi River forming its northern boundary, the Cumbarjua Canal making its eastern border, and the Zuari River making up its southern border.

As the native name suggests, the sub-district includes the smaller islands of:

• Chorão,
• Divar,
• St Estevam,
• Cumbarjua,
• Vanxim and
• Several other small mangrove islands and sand banks.

Tiswadi, along with the rest of Goa, regularly exchanged hands between the Muslim Bhahmani Sultanate and the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire of South India prior to the 14th century. By the 15th century, the Bijapur Sultanate under the Adil Shahi dynasty conquered Goa, and it came under Muslim rule. The City of Goa was the regional capital of the sultanates as well as a hub for the Hajj pilgrimage. Numerous temples were demolished under the rule of the sultanates. The Adil Shahi dynasty was defeated by a Portuguese–Vijayanagar alliance, and Ilhas de Goa was conquered under Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510. By the time Tiswadi was relieved from Muslim rule, Hindus formed a minority in the region, and the Portuguese started conversion efforts against the Muslim majority. The populace was made to accept Christianity or leave the islands. There was a mass exodus of natives who left the islands, for the safer havens of Ponda and the Canara, Malabar Coast, Chandgad and Joida.

The first temple to be built in Panjim was in the mid-1700s, when the Portuguese authorities granted permission to the Hindus to build their place of worship.

The evangelization of Tiswadi was spearheaded by the Dominicans, who were assigned 15 villages, and the Jesuits, who were assigned the remaining part along with the smaller islands of Chorão and Divar, by the Portuguese authorities. In 1552, the island of Chorão had a population of 300 Christians out of 3,000 and, by this time, also had a small church which was visited by a Jesuit from St. Paul's every Sunday. By the end of 1559, over 1,200 had accepted baptism. The following year, the first bishop from the Jesuit order, Dom João Nunes de Barreto, set up residence in Chorão, which eventually became a Noviciate. Most of Chorão's population converted en masse to Roman Catholicism in mid-1560.[1]

By January 1563, the Jesuit provincial claimed that Ilhas de Goa had been completely Christianized, with a population of 70,000, the great majority of which had converted in the last six years, corresponding to the terms of Viceroys Francisco Barreto and Constantino of Braganza, whose 2+1⁄2-year term saw between 25,000 and 30,000 conversions.[1]

As per the 2011 Census of India, Tiswadi Taluka has a population of 177,219 people. The sex-ratio of Tiswadi Taluka is around 966, compared to the state average of 973. The literacy rate of Tiswadi Taluka is 81.83% out of which 84.49% males are literate and 79.07% females are literate. The total area of Tiswadi is 193.64 sq.km with population density of 915 per sq.km. Out of total population, 21.19% of population of the Taluka lives in Urban area and 78.81% lives in Rural area.[2]

Panjim, Velha Goa and its monuments, Divar, Chorão

The evidence of the existence of Ilhas de Goa can be seen on historic maps.

A historic map of the island of Goa, with an emphasis on the capital city

Another historic map of the island of Goa, with an emphasis on the capital city

The island lies within the water bodies of:

• Mandovi River to the north.
• Cumbarjua Canal to the east.
• Zuari River to the south.
• Arabian Sea to the west.

Prior to the construction of the bridges, the primary commute to and from the island was done via ferry. Some have become redundant, but most are still in use, they include:

• Panjim to Betim.[5]
• Ribandar to Chorao.[6]
• Ribandar to Divar.[7]
• Old Goa to Divar.
• Daugim to Tolto in St Estevam.[8]
• Gandaulim to Cumbarjua.[9]
• Agaçaim to Cortalim.[10]

There are a number of bridges built over the last hundred years, linking the island to other parts of the mainland.

• Konkani people
• History of Goa
• Salcette
• Bardez
• Goan Catholics