Chorão (Island)
|
Chorão Choddnnem or Chodna Ilha dos Fidalgos |
|
|---|---|
| Island | |
Location of Chorão (dark blue) in Ilhas de Goa (light blue)
|
|
 Chorão
Chorão
|
|
| Coordinates: 15°32′50.7″N 73°52′45.8″E / 15.547417°N 73.879389°ECoordinates: 15°32′50.7″N 73°52′45.8″E / 15.547417°N 73.879389°E | |
| Country (1961-present) |
 India
|
| State | Goa |
| District | North Goa |
| Sub District | Ilhas de Goa |
| Past country (1510-1961) |
 Portugal
|
| Named for | Island of Noblemen (in Portuguese) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Panchayat |
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 5,345 |
| Demonym(s) | Chodnekar |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Konkani |
| • Also Spoken | Portuguese, English |
| • Historical | Portuguese |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Postcode | 403102 |
| Telephone Code | 0832 |
Chorão, also known as Choddnnem or Chodna, is an island along the Mandovi River near Ilhas, Goa, India. It is the largest among other 17 islands of Goa. It is located 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) away from the state capital, the city of Panjim and 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) away from the city of Mapusa. Even today, one can visit this area and see the distinct churches, graveyards and buildings all with a Portuguese air.
Chorão is accessible by the ferries from Ribandar or Divar Island, is mainly known for its beautiful bird sanctuary. If you arrive here with your own transport it's worth a ride through the countryside to little Chorão village, with its handful of whitewashed village churches and picturesque Portuguese homes.
Etymologically the Islands name Choddnnem is derived from the Sanskrit word Chuddamonnim. Chudda means head wear and Monnim (Mani) signifies some thing worn in the shape of a necklace or a jewel of cylindrical shape.
It was the Portuguese who called it Chorão. The Portuguese noblemen found the island a pleasurable place to live and hence the name Ilha dos Fidalgos (Island of Noblemen).
Chorão Island preserves the traces of a very interesting ancient history, Brahmin and Portuguese colonizers.
'The First Wave' of Indo-Aryan migration to Goa happened between the Christian era (4th-3rd century BC to 3rd-4th century AD)this is the generally accepted timeline.Descendants of the pioneers at some stage grew into 96 clans. Ninety Six in Konkani is Shennai, from which comes the surname Shenoy or Shenvi (Sinai in the Portuguese era). Of the 96 Sinai clans 10 families settle in Chorão. The Shenvi Brahmins would henceforth go on to dominate the socio-economic and religious sphere of Goan life.
According to Historian José Gerson da Cunha Chorão was a site of an ancient Tirtha "or sacred pool". and was known as Mahakshetra or "Great country or place". The Shenvi Brahmins were much respected, were handsome, well-behaved and skillful, and that in course of time they very naturally multiplied themselves
According to Jesuit Missionary and writer Luís Fróis "These Brahmins are very polite and of keen intelligence. They are fine gentlemen, fair and well proportioned. Possessing many qualities which are not possible to enumerate. The wives of these Brahmins are a reserved type of people, steady in their habits. They are honest, naturally modest in their disposition and are devoted to their husbands whom they serve well. They do not remarry on the death of their husbands and do not use coloured dresses and since the imposition of the law forbidden sati or widow burning they shave their heads even though they may be young. Their Sons are very able men, fair, gentle in their demeanour and of good common sense".
...
Wikipedia