Salcete
Saxtti/Xaxtti Salcette | |
---|---|
Taluka (sub-district) | |
Coordinates: 15°12′45″N 74°04′24″E / 15.212450°N 74.07323°E | |
Country | India |
State | Goa |
District | South Goa |
Headquarters | Margao |
Settlements (as of 2011) | 2 cities 11 towns 35 villages |
Government | |
• Deputy Collector | Jyoti Kumari, IAS[1] |
• Talukadar[1] | Prataprao Gaunkar |
Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 294,504 |
Demonym | Saxtticar/Xaxtticar |
PIN | 4036XX, 4037XX |
Vehicle registration | GA-08 |
Salcete (Konkani: Saxtti/Xaxtti; Portuguese: Salcete) is a subdivision of the district of South Goa, in the state of Goa, situated by the west coast of India.[3] The Sal River and its backwaters dominate the landscape of Salcete.[4] Historically, the sixty-six settlements south of the Zuari River formed the original Salcette territory.[5] Salcete forms a part of the bigger Konkan region that stretches along the western shoreline of peninsular India.[6]
In erstwhile Portuguese Goa, the Salcette concelho (county) located in the Velhas Conquistas (Old Conquests) was co-terminous with the undivided Salcette territory (Mormugao and Salcete talukas).[7] In 1917, the concelho was bifurcated into the present-day talukas of Mormugao and Salcete.[8] The contemporary Salcete taluka has been classified as a rurban area.[9] Margao serves as the administrative headquarters of both Salcete taluka and the South Goa district.[10]
"Salcete" is the modern anglicised spelling of the historical lusitanised version Salcette. This word "Salcette" has been derived from the Konkani word Saxtti; साष्टी; Sāṣṭī (IPA: [/'saːʂʈiː/])—a corruption of the Sanskrit word "षट-षष्टि"; ṣaṭa-ṣaṣṭi (IPA: [/'ʂaʈa-ʂaʂʈi/])[a]—meaning "sixty-six".[11] According to the Hindu mythology of the Konkan, the original sixty-six settlements of the Salcette territory were established by sixty-six Saraswat Brahmin clans who had emigrated here from North India.[12] In Goan Konkani, the natives are referred to as Saxtticar or Xaxtticar; साष्टीकार/षाष्टीकार; Sāṣṭīkār/Ṣāṣṭīkār (IPA: [/'saːʂʈiːkaːɾ/] or [/'ʂaːʂʈiːkaːɾ/]).[3] The Salcete Konkani dialect of southern Goa known as "Saxtti" is notably different from the "Antruzi" (Ponda) and "Bardescari" (Bardez) dialects of northern Goa.[13]
See also: Adil Shahi-Portuguese conflicts |
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 "Sāṣṭī" in the local language.[14]
The original sixty-six settlements of Salcette are as follows:[15]
Salcete taluka comprises nine comunidades: Benaulim, Betalbatim, Colva, Curtorim, Loutolim, Margao, Nuvem, Raia, and Verna.
The sub-district consists of two cities, eleven towns, and thirty-five villages as per the 2011 Census of India.
Salcete Taluka (Census 2011)[2] | ||
---|---|---|
# | 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 |
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, Salcete had a population of 294,464 with sex ratio of 1025 females to 1000 males. Salcete Taluka has an average literacy rate of 89.34%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 92.63% and female literacy is 86.15%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 1.17% and 11.06% of the population respectively. 72.15% of the population lives in urban areas.[16]
Christianity is followed by the majority of population of Salcete Taluka, and forms over 75% of the population in rural areas. Hindus form a significant minority. At the time of the 2011 Census of India 53.57% of the population of the Taluka followed Christianity, 34.61% Hinduism, 11.38% Islam and 0.19% of the population followed other religions or did not state religion.[17]
Konkani and Hindi are among the most spoken languages in Salcete Taluka.
At the time of 2011 Census of India, 71.73% of the population of Salcete Taluka spoke Konkani, 10.52% Hindi, 4.65% Marathi, 3.82% Kannada and 3.20% Urdu as their first language.[18]