Salcete Saxtti/Xaxtti Salcette | |
|---|---|
Taluka (subdistrict) | |
| Salcete countryside | |
| Location of Salcete in South Goa, Goa | |
| Coordinates: 15°12′45″N74°04′24″E / 15.212450°N 74.07323°E | |
| Country | |
| 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) 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 Portuguese spelling of the toponym, "Salcette" being now considered archaic in Portuguese, but still enjoying use in English. This word, "Salcette", has been derived from Goan Konkani : सासष्टी, romanized: Sāsaṣṭī—a corruption of the Sanskrit : षट्षष्टि, romanized: Ṣaṭṣaṣṭi, lit. 'Sixty-six' [a] . [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. [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]
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]
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