Village of Famed Bananas & ‘Wise Fools’
Frederick Noronha
Moira in the times of India
Village of Famed Bananas & ‘Wise Fools’
Isidore Domnick Mendis
Lying a few kilometres away from the hustle and bustle of Mapusa town is the quiet village of Moira.
Located in Bardez taluka, Moira has gained fame over the centuries for the unique banana grown in the village as well as funny legends that its villagers have taken in good spirit.
“‘Moidekars’ (residents of Moira) have been referred to as ‘Wise Fools of Moira’ because they possess the attributes of being hardworking as well as fun-loving,” says Nazar da Silva of Sataporio Vaddo.
“‘Moidekars’ have an inherent ability to give things their best shot and have proved that they are second to none in whatever profession or occupation they take up,” he adds.
Etymologically, there are two views on the origin of the word ‘Moira’. In the brochure released on the 350th anniversary of the Moira church in 1986, noted historian Teotonio R de Souza, who hails from the Povoacao ward, states that ‘Moira’ has derived its name from ‘Moriya’ or a Maurayan settlement. ‘Mor’ or peacock often appears as an emblem of the Mauraya dynasty. If this suggestion has any foundation, the Aryan settlement in the village can be dated back to 6th-7th centuries AD,” writes de Souza.
The historian says that the first place of settlement in Moira seems to have taken place in Povoacao. The main temple in the village dedicated to Ravalnath seems to have been located near the ward, says de Souza.
On the other hand, Lawrence Joao D’Souza of Raim says that the word ‘Moira’ originated from ‘Moim’, a place in Tivim, because Moira’s early settlers came from that part of Tivim.
Moira has its own village comunidade which currently has around 3,000 members. The village has a population of 4,299 persons and is governed by a seven-ward village panchayat. Moira’s traditional wards are Povoacao, Pirazona, Cantorlim, Novo Portugal, Raim, Calizor, Atafondem, Sataporio and Bambordem.
Moira is bordered by the four villages of Bastora, Nachinola, Pomburpa and Aldona, and the Mapusa river. It’s area comprises 38,634.25 sqm.
SLUICE GATE: Locally known as ‘manos’, this spot is located at Raim and thrives with fish
RESIDENTS’ SPEAK
Moira was an agricultural village even till 1971. Apart from paddy, Moira was known for vegetables like onions, ‘tirki mirki’, tendli, ‘Moidecheo Mirsango’, ‘Voidoncheo Mirsango’. The famed ‘Moidechim Kelim’ is still cultivated here.
FLORIANO LOBORESIDENT OF PIRAZONA
Moira has hardworking daughters and sons-of-thesoil. ‘Moidekars’ should not sell their houses and land, but stay for good in this beautiful village of their ancestors. Our family is the oldest Hindu family in Moira, which has stayed here for the past 423 years.
AVDHUT PRABHURESIDENT OF ATAFONDEM
SARPANCH’S TAKE
Illumination of streetlights through LED lighting is moving at a snail’s pace. Even the work being carried out in the third ward is incomplete. The garbage treatment plant next to St Xavier’s school is almost 70 percent complete. In the drive towards a cleaner Moira, our endeavour is to have houseto-house garbage collection. -RIYA RANGANTH BELEKAR
RENOWNED RESIDENTS
Late Dr Jack de Sequeira: First opposition leader
Late Charles Correa: Architect, urban planner, recipient of Padma Shri (1972), Royal Gold Medal for architecture (1984) Padma Vibhushan (2006), and Gomant Vibhushan (2011)
Late brigadier Frank Joseph Britto: Served the British Indian army during World War II
Late Charles Dias: He ran the first pharmacy in Kenya and founding member of the Pharmaceutical Society of East Africa
Late Monsignor Terence D’Souza: Vicar general of Karachi (1973-75), founding pastor of St Francis Xavier Church, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. In 1999, the street outside the church was named after him
Late Urban Lobo: Chartered engineer, member of the Konkan Railway Realignment Committee
Late Fr Inacio D’Souza, late Fr Luis Caetano and late Fr Victor Dias: Goa archdiocese
Fr Atanasio Lobo: Former secretary to the archbishop
Goculdas Nagvenkar: Ex-FIFA certified assistant referee
Tejas Nagvenkar: FIFA certified referee
Xavier de Moira: Tiatrist
Lawrence Joao D’Souza: Expresident of Moira comunidade, president of Pirazona Sports Club and tiatrist
Lance D’Souza: Scientist
Loretta D’Souza e Shreedharan: Retired IRS officer, ex-India goalkeeper in field hockey
Teotonio R de Souza: Historian
Ramnath Belekar: Social worker
Sylvester Nazareth: Nuclear scientist
Late Erasmo de Sequeira: Ex-MP
Nazar da Silva: Village chronicler and campaigner of saving natural water sources
Agostinho Coelho: Fisherman who works the Mapusa river with his ‘poneu’ (fishing boat)