Calangute
Encyclopedia
Calangute is a census town
with a permanent population of approximately 16,000 (2001) in North Goa
, in the state of Goa
, India
. It is famous for its beach, the largest in north Goa, visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists alike. The peak tourist season is during Christmas
and New Year
, and during the summer in May. During the monsoon season, from June through September, the sea can be rough and swimming is prohibited.
, the word probably got distorted to Calangute, and has stuck until today. The name Cal is probably connected with the Hindu Goddess Kali
, worshipped by the fisher folk. There was a temple in the area of Motth. Another possibility is that it comes from Kalyan-Gutti, which means a village of art, a beautiful village. this is quite a plausible derivation. A third possibility is from konvallo-ghott, meaning a coconut with a strong pith, since coconut trees are believed to possess strong pith as the "marrow" or soft substance in the center of the plant.
, Calangute had a population of 15,776. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Calangute has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 67%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Census town
In India, a census town is one which has:# A minimum population of 5,000# At least 75% of male working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits# A density of population of at least 400 persons per km2.In Ireland, a census town is;...
with a permanent population of approximately 16,000 (2001) in North Goa
North Goa
North Goa is one of the two districts that make up the state of Goa, India. The district has an area of 1736 km², and is bounded by Sindhudurg and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra state to the north and east respectively, by South Goa District to the south, and by the Arabian Sea to the...
, in the state of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is famous for its beach, the largest in north Goa, visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists alike. The peak tourist season is during Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
, and during the summer in May. During the monsoon season, from June through September, the sea can be rough and swimming is prohibited.
Etymology
The village was originally named Kolongutt, though with the invasion of the PortuguesePortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the word probably got distorted to Calangute, and has stuck until today. The name Cal is probably connected with the Hindu Goddess Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
, worshipped by the fisher folk. There was a temple in the area of Motth. Another possibility is that it comes from Kalyan-Gutti, which means a village of art, a beautiful village. this is quite a plausible derivation. A third possibility is from konvallo-ghott, meaning a coconut with a strong pith, since coconut trees are believed to possess strong pith as the "marrow" or soft substance in the center of the plant.
Divisions
Calangute is divided by a ward (vaddo) system which breaks it up into:- GauravaddoGauravaddoGauravaddo is the most southernly ward of Calangute, Goa, India. It borders Calangute on the north by Candolim, the paddy fields and the Calangute Hill on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. It is divided into two parts by the main road from Calangute to Sinquerim that passes throughout the...
(east & west) ward of the "Gaudds", or more probably of "gauri" (milk diary) - Agarwaddo ward of salt pans ("agor")
- Tivaivaddo A ward near the seashore
- Naikavaddo ward that used to be resided by Naik community
- Maddovaddo ward full of coconut trees ("madd")
- Porbavaddo ward that used to be resided by porob community ("prabhu")
- Dongorpur & Boa-Viagem city of hill, because it lies on the hill
- Umtavaddo according to tradition, the people from Carambolim came to Calangute on camels, during an epidemic there, they were Prabhus
- Chobravaddo probably there was more "khobrem" there (copra=coconut) dried for extracting oil
- Sauntavaddo the ward where the Saunte (Savant) resided
- BagaBagaBaga may refer to:*Bhaga, the Old Persian and Sanskrit for "god"*Baga , a king of ancient Mauretania;*Baga people of Guinea;*Baga , a Part of village Calangute in Goa, India;*Baga beach in Goa, India, an extension of Calangute;...
derived from the goddess Bhagvati, since there was a temple in her honour, which gave the name to the river and the ward, also called Vaddol, because of the muddy conditions there (usually considered a part of Calangute)
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Calangute had a population of 15,776. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Calangute has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 78% and female literacy of 67%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Notable residents
- Bruno CoutinhoBruno CoutinhoBruno Coutinho is a football player from Goa, and winner of the Arjuna Award in 2001, a national Indian award for excellence in sport.-Former Indian captain:...
- Captained the Indian football team. In his playing days, he was considered the Sachin Tendulkar of Indian football; as the team played better with him around; and, in his absence, the rest of the team appeared to go into their shell.