Salcete

Salcete (IPA: [/'saːlsɛt/]; Romanised Konkani: Saxtti or Xaxtti, IPA: [/'saːʂʈiː/ or /'ʂaːʂʈiː/]; Goan Konkani: साष्टी / षाष्टी, Sāṣṭī / ṣāṣṭī ^?), also spelt as Salcette, is a region situated in southern Goa state on the west coast of India.[2][3][4][5]

Not to be confused with Salsette Island.

Salcete Saxtti / Xaxtti Salcette
Taluka (subdistrict)
Location of Salcete in South Goa, Goa
Coordinates: 15.212450°N 74.07323°E / 15.212450; 74.07323
Country	India
State	Goa
District	South Goa
Headquarters	Margao
Settlements (as of 2011)	2 cities 11 towns 35 villages
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	2,94,504
Demonym(s)	Saxtticar

In Konkani, the local language, the region is known as Saxtti or Xaxtti and the natives are referred to as Saxtticar or Xaxtticar (IPA: [/'saːʂʈiːkaːɾ/] / [/'ʂaːʂʈiːkaːɾ/]; साष्टीकार / षाष्टीकार, Sāṣṭīkār / ṣāṣṭīkār).[2][6][7]

Salcete is derived from the Sanskrit word "षट-षष्टि" ṣaṭ-ṣaṣṭi[lower-alpha 1] meaning 'Sixty-six'[8], after the tradition that sixty-six settlements were established by the Saraswat Brahmin families who had emigrated to Salcete from northern India.[9]

In 1917, Mormugao seaport along with thirty-one settlements were carved out of Salcete territory to form the Mormugao taluka.[10] The remaining thirty-five settlements encompass the contemporary Salcete taluka of the civil district of South Goa.[11] Margao serves as the administrative headquarters of both Salcete taluka and the South Goa district.[12]

History

King Viramarmadeva of the Kadamba dynasty issued a copper-plate inscription in 1049 CE concerning a grant of a piece of land called Tudukapura in Kudtarika agrahara of Chhat sathi desha. This inscription suggests that Chhat sathi refers to modern Salcete, known as Sāshṭi in the local language.[13]

Salcete territory

Environs typical of houses in rural Salcete

The original sixty-six settlements of Salcete are as follows[14]:

1. Sernabatim
2. Vanelim
3. Colva
4. Seraulim
5. Gandaulim
6. Duncolim
7. Betalbatim
8. Nuvem
9. Calata
10. Gonsua
11. Majorda
12. Utorda
13. Nagoa
14. Verna
15. Loutulim
16. Camurlim
17. Ambora
18. Raia
19. Rachol
20. Curtorim
21. Nesai
22. Macasana
23. Guirdolim
24. Chandor
25. Cavorim
26. Paroda
27. Mulem
28. Sarzora
29. Talvorda
30. Veroda
31. Cuncolim
32. Betul
33. Velim
34. Ambelim
35. Assolna
36. Cavelossim
37. Chinchinim
38. Deussua
39. Carmona
40. Orlim
41. Varca
42. Sirlim
43. Dramapur
44. Dicarpale
45. Davorlim
46. Aquem
47. Telaulim
48. Navelim
49. Margao
50. Benaulim
51. Adsuli
52. Cana
53. Mormugao
54. Vadem
55. Chicalim
56. Dabolim
57. Sancoale
58. Cortalim
59. Quelossim
60. Cuelim
61. Arossim
62. Cansaulim
63. Velsao
64. Pale
65. Issorcim
66. Chilcona

Salcete taluka

Salcete taluka comprises nine comunidades: Benaulim, Betalbatim, Colva, Curtorim, Loutolim, Margao, Nuvem, Raia, and Verna.

The subdistrict consists of two cities, eleven towns, and thirty-five villages as per the 2011 Census of India.

Salcete Taluka (Census 2011)[1]
#	Settlements	Population
Municipal Councils
1.	Margao	87,650
2.	Cuncolim	16,623
Census Towns
1.	Davorlim	15,350
2.	Curtorim	12,886
3.	Navelim	12,323
4.	Benaulim	11,919
5.	Raia	10,706
6.	São José de Areal	10,229
7.	Nuvem	9,288
8.	Chinchinim	6,908
9.	Verna	6,632
10.	Aquem	6,511
11.	Varca	5,439
Villages
1.	Adsulim	214
2.	Ambelim	2,853
3.	Assolna	3,410
4.	Betalbatim	3,551
5.	Calata	1,739
6.	Camurlim	2,247
7.	Cana	494
8.	Carmona	3,864
9.	Cavelossim	1,955
10.	Cavorim	2,228
11	Chandor	707
12.	Colva	3,141
13.	Deussua	1,479
14.	Dicarpale	3,057
15.	Dramapur	3,441
16.	Duncolim	748
17.	Gandaulim	438
18.	Gonsua	222
19.	Guirdolim	3,622
20.	Loutolim	6,121
21.	Macasana	1,972
22.	Majorda	2,813
23.	Mulem	2,799
24.	Nagoa	3,873
25.	Orlim	2,049
26.	Paroda	620
27.	Rachol	1,686
28.	Sarzora	2,270
29.	Seraulim	3,250
30.	Sernabatim	1,548
31.	Sirlim	845
32.	Talaulim	2,911
33.	Utorda	2,018
34.	Vanelim	1,860
35.	Velim	5,955
Total		2,94,504

Explanatory Notes

1. Founded by the immigrant Brahmins (circa 4–12 CE), Salcete is the Portuguese corruption of the word Sāṣaṭī, the sixty-six settlements.[15]

Citations

1. Chandramouli, C. (2015) [2010–11]. "Salcete Taluka — South Goa". Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Government of India. Census Organization of India. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
2. Sequeira, Newton (21 December 2014). "The true soul of Goa's South". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
3. Halarnakar, Tanaji D. (1990). Gram Panchayats in Goa: A Critical Study. Rajhauns Vitaran. p. 48.
4. Nambirajan, M. (2007). Coastal Archaeology of Western India: With Special Reference to Goa. Kaveri Books. p. 134. ISBN 9788174790798.
5. Rodrigues 1990, p. 231
6. Pandit, Heta; Mascarenhas, Annabel; Koshy, Ashok; Dalvi, Sunita (1999). Houses of Goa (2, illustrated ed.). Architecture Autonomous. p. 15.
7. Fernandes, Joaquim (15 February 2010). "Saxtti dialect draws the laughs on Konkani stage". The Times of India. The Times Group. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
8. Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1929). A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout. London: Oxford University Press. p. 168.
9. De Souza, Teotonio R. (1990). De Souza, Teotonio R. (ed.). Goa Through the Ages: An Economic History, Volume II, Issue VI. Goa University Publication. Concept Publishing Company. p. 6. ISBN 9788170222590.
10. Pinho, Vasco (2007). "Snapshots" of Indo-Portuguese history, Volume 1. p. 122.
11. Deshpande, Abhijeet. "Exploring Salcete, places near Margao". Indiatimes.com. The Times Group. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
12. Deshpande, Abhijeet. "Margao, the cultural capital of Goa". Indiatimes.com. The Times Group. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
13. Kadamb 2013, pp. 1–14
14. Rodrigues 1990, p. 245
15. Kosambi, Damodar Dharmanand (1962). Myth and Reality: Studies in the Formation of Indian Culture (reprint ed.). Popular Prakashan. p. 169. ISBN 9788171548705.

References

• Kadamb, S. G. (2013). Sources of History of the Kadambas of Goa: Inscriptions (First ed.). Broadway Publishing House. pp. 1–14. ISBN 9789380837314.
• Rodrigues, L. A. (1990). "The Peninsula of Salcete". In Kusuman, K. K. (ed.). A Panorama of Indian Culture: Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicitation Volume. Mittal Publications. pp. 231–246. ISBN 9788170992141.

External links

• South Goa District : Census 2011 data