Velim, Goa


Velim is a large village of Salcete sub-district, South Goa district, in the Indian state of Goa.

Geography

Velim is located at. It has an average elevation of.

Demographics

Velim village has a population of 5,955 of which 2,805 are males and 3,150 are females, as per the Population Census 2011. The population is predominantly Catholic Christian, with a small number of Hindus living there. The people of Velim often refer to themselves as Vellikar or Velimcar.

History

World renowned historian George M. Moraes wrote about the Velliapura family in present-day Velim in his book Kadamba Kula, A History of Ancient and Mediaeval Karnataka. Jayakesi, the son of Shashtha-Deva, was a very powerful ruler mentioned in a stone inscription of Kadamba king Jayakesi I dated 1054 CE as Panajnakhani, giving him the epithet of Padavalendra which is Kannada for lord of the western ocean. Twelfth century copper carvings reveal that princes and lords from neighbouring kingdoms traveled to Chandrapura, in present-day Chandor, to pay homage to Kadamba Jayakesi, who was the sovereign of Konkan. “ Velliapura Viragal ” at 'Xavierian Research Centre' tell that Jayakesi himself was in a battle with his rival to retain this place Velliapura won a decisive victory, which was his southern capital. According to their resource after the 1266/1345, 16th October massacre the surviving Queen, Vinomaih devi, moved away from the furious Mohammedans in Chandrapura, and was taken into hiding in the Velliapura royal compound by the foothills of Velim. The inscription stones in Kannada found at Velim site tell that Suriya-Deva 1345CE slain-ed sovereign of Chandrapura ' his Queen 'Vinomaih-devi' died and was cremated in Velliapura by her nephew Jayeshi, son of ShankaraDeva/grandson of Purandara Deva.
Roque Santana Fernandes, a political leader from Velim, was elected twice as member of the Goa Legislative Assembly from this home constituency and was the recipient of the prestigious Tambra Patra National Award at the hands of PM Indira Gandhi for his outstanding role in Goa's freedom.

Citations