Colva is one of the heavenly places present in India. It is a beach located in the Salcete village of South Goa. Colva is known for a lot of things including food, pubs, bars and beaches. The buildings in the area reflect the Portuguese style of architecture. The Union Ministry has taken Colva beach under the “Iconic Tourist Sites Development Project”. Through this initiative, the government plans to work on the infrastructure and tourism in the area and make it a better place for visitors.
This beautiful coast includes 4 villages- Colva, Vanelim, Gandaulim, and Sernabatim. Initially, these 4 villages were under the jurisdiction of the panchayat. Their duties included everything from collecting the revenue, issuing the trade licence to taking care of the overall development that takes place in the area. Colva was loved by the Portuguese, hence they would come and visit this place every now and then. They believed that this place offers them relaxation. Today, this area is covered with buildings and villas. Every weekend, we can see a huge crowd coming to enjoy the sunset. The beach sees its peak in October when people in large numbers come and visit the famous church – Colva church, which was founded by the Roiz family in the year 1630.
Portuguese architecture in Goa
Colva is more serene and calm than the other beaches in North Goa. The total stretch of Colva beach is around 2.4 km. A part of the beach has white sand powder that can be seen along the shore. The seashore is also home to beautiful coconut and palm trees that extend up to Bogmalo beach in the North and towards Cabo de Rama in the south. The tourist industry in Colva is well equipped and offers great restaurants and hotels for people coming from all over the world. Guest-houses, shacks, restaurants and pubs, everything can be found around the area. Lifeguards can always be seen around the beach. It is also one of the longest beaches in Goa.
History of Colva
Colva was a vast barren land with a beautiful view of the Arabian Sea around it. Later, some people from the fishing community, also known as Harim, inhabited the region and ultimately settled there. The Mughal empire built a lot of forts and defences around, which made it difficult for people to settle there. Later, the Portuguese came and settled on this barren land, making it one of the most famous places in Goa today.
During the 18th century, one of the ascendants of Diogo instructed the people of Colva to plant coconut trees to increase the productivity, security and value of the land. Diogo Rodrigues is now known as the Lord of Colva. He was the one behind the architecture of Colva and who initiated all the work in 1551. His idea was a pure reflection of Portuguese culture in Colva. The houses were built in a manner that did not face the sea to avoid any attack from the enemy. Today, we can see the entire coastline flooded with coconut trees.
Language and people
The local language of Colva is Saxtii. It is a Konkani dialect, which was originally spoken by Indo-European people. Colva has a majority of Roman Catholics along with Hindus and Muslims. The famous Mangueshi/Mangeshi temple shows how slowly and steadily the Hindu population is expanding in Colva. Along with this, the people are also influenced by a Hindu God called Saraswat Brahmin. One can witness a rich amalgamation of different cultures in the region. Nevertheless, the majority belongs to Christians and is slowly progressing towards a Hindu populace. There is a healthy community set up in the region and respect for all cultures can be seen clearly.