Goa: A village where shops still pay Rs 3 per month as rent

While we live in 2019, shops in the village of Pilgao in

Bicholim

taluka still pay the same rent originally decided during the Portuguese era.


A walk through the streets of Tar Wada in Pilgao reveal that shops here still pay Rs 3 per month to the owners of the premises.

Among the biggest landowners in the village is the Rebelo family, and though the third generation, Ricardo, Deric and Kevin, do not reside there, they still follow the footsteps of their grandfather, late Dr Inacio José Damaso Bento Rebelo, who purchased a large of area of land in the village.

“Our tenants and mundkars have been like family members to us for three generations,” says Kevin. Like their grandfather, the current generation intends on helping the local community and farmers of the village. “We were the first ones to give an NOC for acquisition of 30,000 sqm of land for a canal in the village, or to settle disputes, or allow locals free access to water sources for personal needs,” says Rebelo.

Pilgao, also known as Piligao, is linked to Indian mythology and history. “The Pandavas, during their 12 years of exile, passed through our village. Similarly, Shivaji and his son Sambhaji, passed through our village en route to Naroa,”says Umakant Parab Gaonkar, a resident of Gaonkar Wada.

Village chroniclers give two differing opinions on the etymology of the word, Pilgao. One section feels it is connected with peepal trees (ficus religios), also called ‘sacred fig’ in English.

“The village derives its name from the ‘peepal’ tree as it once enjoyed a thick cover of ‘peepal’ trees,” says Arvind Pandurang Sainekar of Vargao.

Others, however, say that the meaning of the word ‘Pilgao’ is linked to the presence of ‘pirs’ (Muslim saints or holy men). “Pilgao is derived from ‘Pirancho Gao’ (‘village of ‘pirs’). There are two shrines built at Tar Wada and Bag Wada on the tombs of the graves of Muslim saints,” says Sheikh Abdul Shaikur of Tari Wada. The village also has a Goan Muslim population.

Like other villages of Goa, Pilgao is grappling with waste management issues. “Everybody must change their attitude and take responsibility of keeping not only their places clean, but also their surroundings,” says Gharso Surlekar of Tar Wada.

Surlekar further adds that Pilgao Sports Club (PSC), which was established on January 1, 1984, has done a commendable job in collecting plastic waste. “PSC has collected 1 tonne of plastic waste over the last four years,” he said.

Pilgao, which is home to 3,200 people, is surrounded by the village of Naroa on one hand and Mandovi river on the other. Traditionally and historically, Pilgao has its own comunidade/gaunkari or village commune. It has a seven-ward panchayat, while its traditional wards are Sarmanas, Tar Wada, Math, Sai Wada, Gaonkar Wada, Deul Wada, Gimone, Vargao, Bag Wada and Madhla Wada.