Land of the rising sun

There are two theories to how the village of Uguem got its name. The first suggests that it symbolises ‘ugovap’ (Konkani for rising), lying as it does at Sanguem’s east. The second associates it with the process of germination, which involves the sprouting, or rising, of shoots from the earth. Either way, the name suits the village perfectly.

Located barely 26km from Goa's commercial capital Margao, and 61km from Panaji, Uguem has largely succeeded in maintaining its rustic charm. The village is devoid of apartments and over 60% of its 4,000-strong population is agrarian. No wonder then that its verdant fields and expansive mango and cashew orchards stand testament to the love affair its people have with their soil.

“Uguem is among the state's distinct villages as its sons and daughters share an ancestral bond with the land. Unlike other villages that have been witnessing rapid transformation, it has managed to keep its quaintness intact. This is despite the fact that some of the locals have had a brush with mining in the past,” says chronicler Alfred Fernandes, who resides in Novovaddo.

The picturesque village is also home to the Selaulim dam, the state's largest water reservoir. Completed in the year 2000 and spread across 24sq km, the dam is considered to be the lifeline of South Goa.

Uguem is bordered by Sanguem town and the villages of Bhati and Kalay. It comprises seven panchayat wards that are further divided into traditional 'vaddos'. These include Devlamoll, Pedamoll, Udamoll, Bamonmoll, Voilovaddo, Funtermoll, Cormonne, Novovaddo, Vikasnagar, Damal, Pajimol, Ponsamoll, Chireabandh, Bodermoll, Dessaiwada, Valkini Colony No 1, Saudimoll, Temchivaddo, Sadibagh, Cotarli, Zorivaddo, Gaunkarvadda, Mugoli, Kamtibagh, Maragan, Pangal and Tariakormone.

That the village remains rooted in its agrarian ancestry is evident from its spiritual inclinations. Folk researcher Pandurang Phaldesai says that apart from the main deity Hemaddev, locals have traditionally invoked two affiliate deities, Siddheshwar and Vagro. “The latter, a tiger spirit, was propitiated by agricultural and pastoral communities from ancient times to seek protection of their cattle,” he explains.

Sarpanch’s take
Broadening the village's existing roads and constructing new ones is a priority. The panchayat also seeks to pass a resolution requesting the government to regularise around 500 houses that have come up over the past 15 years. State authorities need to focus on creating environment-friendly livelihood opportunities here
Arjun Naik
Residents Speak

Uguem is blessed with an abundance of flora and fauna. It is also home to the majestic Selaulim dam. The Hemaddev temple is an abode of the village's 'gramdevta' (main deity), who is considered to be an avatar of Lord Shiva
Sanjay Vasant Parwar, Devlamoll

The village has a rich cultural history. The vadekars who headed Devlamoll, Funtermoll and Cormonne, would carry a sword to symbolise leadership. They were called to initiate any significant event, be it a wedding, harvesting of the first grain or thatching of houses
Victorino S Colasso, Devlamoll

POPULAR IN THE VILLAGE

Sebastiao Colasso, Manuel Colasso & Minguel Colasso | Served as ‘vadekars’ from pre-Liberation days right up to the 1980s

Satyawan Parwar | Harmonium player

Crispino Fernandes | A businessman, who was the first in the village to own a truck

Piedade Fernandes | Assistant commissioner of excise and trumpeter, known as Piety Sir in tiatr circles

Alfred Fernandes | Former vice-principal of St Xavier’s College, Mapusa

Victorino S Colasso | Village chronicler and accounts officer at the directorate of accounts, Margao

Cristavao Fernandes | Tiatrist

Sanjay Vasant Parwar | Village chronicler

Jack Paul Colasso | Goa police sub-inspector

Dinesh Gomes | Asst electricity engineer

Dinesh Bhandari | Junior PWD engineer

Heritage Trail & LOCAL Landmarks

Hemaddev temple

Is over 500 years old and is located in Devlamoll. Its ‘zatra’ (pilgrimage festival) is celebrated in February

Mahadev temple
Protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, this temple lies close to Selaulim dam. It was originally located 17km away in the village of Curdi, which was later acquired for the Selaulim irrigation project and has been submerged since

Our Lady of Piety chapel
Affiliated to the Church of Our Lady of Miracles in Sanguem, the chapel in Voilovaddo was founded in 1828 and was reconstructed in 1995. Its feast is celebrated on the second Sunday of November

Voilovaddo Zor
This natural spring once catered to the village's drinking and irrigation needs. It presently lies neglected

Ancestral home of the Fernandes family
Considered to be the village's oldest residence, this house is over 150 years old. It lies in Novovaddo

Timblo mining pit
Now brimming with water, this large crater in Chireabandh is proof of the village’s earlier tryst with the iron ore mining industry that had provided around 500 people with jobs

Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Pilar
The Funtermoll-based centre, which is run entirely by nuns, operates a play school in the village

Uguem Rising Club Football GroundIs a hotspot for villagers to play football and lies close to the Chapel of Our Lady of Piety

Government Primary School
Located at Voilovaddo, this institution was established soon after Liberation. Marathi is its medium of instruction

Uguem bridge
Constructed over the Uguem river in 2003. It links the village to Kalay and Karnataka