Madgaon
|
Margao Madugao |
|
|---|---|
| City | |
Margão City Square
|
|
 Margao
Margao
|
|
| Coordinates: 15°16′25″N 73°57′29″E / 15.27361°N 73.95806°ECoordinates: 15°16′25″N 73°57′29″E / 15.27361°N 73.95806°E | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Goa |
| District | South Goa |
| Sub-district | Salcete |
| Government | |
| • Chairperson | Dr. Babita Prabhudesai |
| • Vice-chairperson | Dorris Texeira |
| Area | |
| • City | 15.10 km2 (5.83 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 22.1 km2 (8.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • City | 87,650 |
| • Metro | 106,484 |
| Demonym(s) | Madgaonkar (मडगांवकार) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 403601/2 |
| Telephone code | 0832 |
| Vehicle registration | GA-02-, GA-08- |
| Website | MMCMargao.gov.in |
Margao (pronounced [mɔɽɡãːw]), historically known as Mathagra, is the second largest city by population, and the commercial and cultural capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of Salcete taluka and South Goa district. By road, Margao is located approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi) from the capital Panjim, and 27 kilometres (17 mi) from Vasco da Gama.
Margão is the Portuguese spelling with Madugão being used in Konkani. It was called Madgaon in Marathi. It is derived from the Sanskrit Maṭhagrām which means a village growing towards the east. In Ravanphond, now a suburb of Margao, there are shrines of Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath. The abode of Nath medicants was called a Matha (Monastery). Madagao was called Mathagrama on account of Vaishnavite Math belonging to Dvaita sect which was founded in the latter 15th century and shifted to Partagali after the establishment of the Portuguese power.
Margão in pre-Portuguese times was one of the important settlements in Salcete and known as Matha Grama (the village of Mathas) as it was a temple town with nine Mathas in temple schools. Its replacement in 1579 was destroyed by raiders along with the seminary that had been built alongside it. The present church was built in 1675.
The initial settlement of Margão grew from the site of the ancient Damodar Temple. The original temple was demolished and the temple tank was filled up to be replaced by the Holy Spirit church and church grounds. The deity Damodar (a form of Lord Shiva) was carried across the Zuari Agranashini river to the Novas Conquistas in which the Sonde rulers resided. While the western side of the Holy Spirit Church developed as a market place, the settlement grew on the eastern side, that is, the Borda region, with the church at its core and extended outwards.
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