More than just a famous restaurant

Known for its scenic settings,

heritage architecture

and a

popular eatery

,

Betalbatim

, a coastal village in

Salcete taluka

, is an epitome of village life
Visitors to Goa may know this village for its

famous restaurant

, Martin’s Corner, but there is more to Betalbatim than its popular eating house. This verdant village is one of the few largely untouched repositories of the true Goan idyll left in the state.

A drive through the charming South Goan coastal village that covers all of 447 hectares will take one past several impressive and imposing Indo-Portuguese architecture houses, a nearly four-century-old church and several pretty chapels to four pristine beaches.

Locals Edgar Martires, Dr Manuel Fernandes and Minu Antonio Fernandes from Ranvaddo, Nagvaddo and Pockvaddo, respectively, opine that it is a combination of its scenic settings, heritage architecture, illustrious sons and the famous restaurant that sets the village apart from others.

Talking about the origins of the village’s name, author Valmiki Faleiro refers to an excerpt from his unpublished book ‘From Mathgram to Margao (Salcete village thumbnail sketches).’“got its name from the erstwhile presiding deity of the village, the demon-god Betal (betal-batti, batti means place). Another theory is that the village name derives from Betal-bhatti (sandy waste of the king of spirits). A huge 12th century idol of Betal found in the village, but in a decapitated state (the original idol must have been at least eight feet tall), with a scorpion on its belly and a huge phallus, is displayed at the ASI Museum in Old Goa as A.C.C. No. 14,” says Faleiro.

Martires adds to Faleiro’s interpretation of the etymology of Betalbatim. “The Konkani word for Betalbatim is Betpatte. It was officially called Betalbatim by the Portuguese, which remains till today,” he says.

The tiny village is land locked on three sides and shares borders with Majorda in the North, Nuvem and Seraulim in the East and Colva in the south. On the west, the Arabian Sea laps its shores.

It’s seven wards includes Ranvaddo, Nagvaddo, Pockvaddo, Thonvaddo, Binvaddo, Chaulvaddo and Gonsuavaddo.

SARPANCH'S TAKE
The first floor of the panchayat ghar is under construction and once ready will house a conference hall and office. An upgraded sports ground is being built near the church. It will have a visitors’ stand and changing room. The latter is likely to be inaugurated in December. The village is facing a problem with malfunctioning of LED streetlights on at least 148 electric poles
constancio miranda

RESIDENTS' SPEAK
The people of Betalbatim were traditionally ‘Betpattekar poders’ (bakers from Betalbatim). They excelled at bread, ‘bol’ (a sweet round bread made with coconut) and ‘kanknam’ (hard ring-shaped bread)
Edgar Martires | Resident, Ranvaddo

The villagers of Betalbatim are involved in a variety of professions and occupations like fishing, horticulture and farming. They are hardworking and spend their spare time in prayers
Dr Manuel Fernandes | Resident, Nagvaddo

RENOWNED RESIDENTS
Late Dr Jose Cota | First villager from Betalbatim to become an MLA. He was elected to the fourth legislative assembly of Goa, Daman and Diu from the Benaulim assembly constituency

Late Fr Conceicao Rodrigues (sfx) | The founder of Agnel Ashram in Verna. Padre Conceicao College of Engineering at Verna is name after him
Late Innocencio Cota | Administrator of Margao (in Portuguese-ruled Goa)
Late Clodomiro Pereira Carvalho, Late Antonio Pereria Carvalho | Regidors (village heads in Portuguese ruled Goa)

Dr Oscar Rebello | Medical practitioner and social activist
Jose Remedios Rebello | Ex-chairperson of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education

Francisco Xavier Pacheco (Mickky) | Former three-term MLA who became the first cabinet minister from Betalbatim

Carafina Pereira | Founder of Martin’s Corner
Clifford Rayes Miranda | Presently, coach of the development side of FC Goa. In his heydays he was an attacking midfielder who played for India (2005-2014). In the domestic circuit donned the colours of Dempo sports club
Minu Antonio Fernandes | Village chronicler and deputy sarpanch
Edgar Martires | Village chronicler, retired high school teacher. He has taught at St Jude’s High School in Betalbatim, Our Lady of Destero in Vasco de Gama and Holy Spirit Institute in Margao
Wilson Fernandes | Hotelier. Started his professional career as a medical doctor

HERITAGE TRAIL
* Ancestral house belonging to the Fernandes family - Dating to 1689, this palatial house at Nagvaddo has been used in many film shoots, including Konkani — Nirmon, the 1966 classic by Frank Fernand, and Miranda House — and Hindi (Simba).
* Directorate of sports multipurpose hall - Located at Binvaddo, 100m from the Our Lady of Remedious Church, this sports complex built in 2002 provides infrastructure for sports like table tennis and badminton, among others
* Our Lady of Remedios Church - Constructed in 1630 by the Jesuits and rebuilt in 1807, the feast of this church is celebrated on the third Sunday of January
* Lourdes Chapel - Located at Thonvaddo, the picturesque chapel is believed to be the oldest in Betalbatim. The village has five other chapels — Holy Family Chapel in Ranvaddo, Our Lady of Sorrows in Nagvaddo, St Sebastian’s Chapel in Pockvaddo, St Anthony’s Chapel in Binvaddo and Cristo Rei Chapel in Gonsuavaddo
* Ancestral house of Pereria Carvalho - Located at Binvaddo, this 350-year-old beautiful house produced two generations of regedors (village heads) in Portuguese Goa
* Thonvaddo Beach - Like the Lovers Beach, Sunset Beach and Gonsua Beach, the quiet Thonvaddo beach is frequented by both locals and tourists
* Dr Jose L Cota Memorial Hall - Founded in 1982, the social club is an important landmark in the village. It sits along the Colva-Majorda road. The hall is used for hosting parties, receptions, conducting meetings and staging cultural activities
* Martin’s Corner - This restaurant tops the most-frequented list not only in Betalbatim, but also in Goa. It is located at Binvaddo
* Msgr Inacio Rosa Rebelo road - The road connects the Betalbatim-Colva road to the Nanu Resort road. It is named in memory of Rosa Rebelo, a philanthropist from Thonvaddo
* Government primary school - It is located next to the village panchayat at Binvaddo. Dating to before 1948, this institute for formative learning has Konkani as its medium of instruction
* St Jude’s High School - The village’s only high school was founded in the 1970s

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