Corjuem in Eyes of Benny (Author Actor ) Written by Benny D'Mello

 

A narrow strip of road parallel to Mandovi River takes you across a chain of three islands – Chorao, Calvim and Corjuem. Chorao being the largest of all islands in Goa has its own credentials but we are talking about Corjuem – the last in the chain and one of the smallest islands of Goa. 

 

Embraced by the banks of Mapusa River, this tiny island has its own identity and contribution to the Goan heritage.  It is fortunate to have its own school, chapels, temples, a fort, fields, farms, bars, restaurants, a resort, recreation club, shops, mills and several houses within its confines.

 

This tiny island, which never saw four wheelers on its mud-roads until the 70’s has gone through a major transition of late.  Life before that was slow, tranquil and simple.  Corjuem was severed from the other elegant parts of Goa and villagers had to avail of small canoes to get across and trod the muddy roads with their shopping bags. Our ancestors had thoughtfully constructed brick platforms called ‘dovorné’ on the mini-highways of Corjuem. Although most are in ruins now, these platforms were shoulder-high and conveniently constructed under trees to enable people to shred off their burdens and rest for a while before resuming their journey. Bullock-carts were used to carry lumbers on the macadam roads.

 

There were no electricity or streetlights in the village until the 70’s and all households had elaborate oil lamps for the night and battery powered radios to keep in touch with outside world. The wealthy ones had the hand-wound 38RPM record gramophones where the needles had to be changed after every second record.   Late night travelers used candles in coconut shells to get to their destination.

 

Even in such circumstances, Corjuem was able to give birth to prominent sons and daughters who have excelled in various domains. If some have gone way ahead in businesses, high profile jobs and IT field, others have dedicated their lives God and serving as priests and nuns throughout the world. The present Archbishop of Karachi was also born and brought up in Corjuem. Then again, there are a few other samples who are licking the wounds inflicted by their forefathers.

 

Corjuem was once called the ‘foxes’ village but the current landscape has left no space to these natural predators of fowls and other domestic animals.  Spotting a fox in Corjuem these days is like finding polar bears in the Arabian Gulf. The demise of these animals has brought about the migration of unique birds like the peacocks to this island.

 

The main chapel: dedicated to Our Lady of Mae de Deus, this chapel was constructed 150 years ago. Apart from the main sanctorum, the chapel has residence for priests, compound and a giant cross.

 

The annual feast of the Patron is nothing short of an Oscar ceremony.  Red carpet et all.  Villagers and guests attend this event attired in their best outfits. Only the fortunate one will have a new dress stitched for the occasion.  The others show off with the ‘vistid’ that was specially prepared for a relative’s wedding or her own engagement a few months back. In the gents’ section, nothing much has changed since the early 80’s. Dias uncle’s pomfret tie, Francis bhatkar’s crumpled (60’s) suit, Uncle Robert’s trade-mark umbrella etc. gives you the feeling that time has stood still for the last few decades.

 

The club: The Corjuem recreation club was established in 1940’s and known as the ‘Corjuem Gymkhana’. If you are under the impression that it’s the place to sweat out the extra weight you have gained during festive season or meet local body builders, YOU ARE WRONG!  Its nothing like the name suggests. This is a place where you sit with your cronies to drink, play, gossip and pass your time. Topics become spicy and interesting as the pegs are gulped down.  Imagine a statement coming from somebody who can hardly hear a bomb exploding at his doorsteps saying, he has enough money to establish his own airline from the petro-dollars he has earned before being chased out by Saddam Hussain from Kuwait. He wants to call it 'Kasti Airways' named after the fine diaper worn by toddy tapers and fisher-folks in Goa. He wants the corporate logo on the tail to be a thin red cloth in-between two buttocks designed by the famous cartoonist - Mario Miranda and the color to be 'faded-green' reflecting the extinct hills of Corjuem and 'dark-red' resembling the surrounding rivers that are polluted by Chowgules and Dempos who are determined to take the last granule of iron-ore from the neighborhood. Passengers will be served wet towels immediately upon boarding dipped in fresh coconut feni along with caju seeds and ‘chevris-paum’.  The in-flight cuisine will comprise of mainly pork sorpotel with san'nas and 'chicken kafreal' specially prepared by Café Aurora. The monsoon menu will include frogs and catfish fresh from down below.  The cabincrew will be attired in red ‘kundbi’ dress of nylon material tailored by Xavier's from Mapusa.  The take-off briefing will be prerecorded by ‘beddo-Jose’ whose unique voice sounds like gurgling with a pair of beetle-nuts in your mouth. Each toilet will have a pig and when grown, will be sold to Cafe Aurora for re-cycling.

 

Fort: The Corjuem Fort was built in 1705. It has an impressive courtyard, a central well and an altar dedicated to St. Anthony. Goa has eleven takukas and the Corjuem fort lies exactly on the border between Bardez and Bicholim Talukas. The past three centuries had taken their toll on the walls and interiors of this magnificent monument but thanks to Archeological Survey Department of India, this fort has been recently restored to its Old Glory. Many Indian and foreign tourists visit this place, which overlooks the maroon mining hills of Sirigao. This place is also frequented by locals especially in the evening to pray and enjoy the soothing breeze before retiring for the day. The silent monument is then left for lovers who come there for a little privacy and late evening snacks.

 

Bridge: The development of Corjuem took a major leap when the cable-stayed bridge was completed in October 2004. Lot of Bollywood (Bombay) and Lollywood (Goan) movies are shot on this bridge because of its unique structure.  This bridge has opened several avenues for development of the island.  All village roads are re-done and the second bridge is almost complete on the other side of the island, which will act as a short-cut link between Bardez and the northern talukas of Goa. Plans are to install a capsule lift for the bridge, have a restaurant close by to cater to tourists visiting this unique bridge.  It’s only the third of its kind in the whole of India. The Government of Goa also has plans to include water sports and other attractions in this picturesque village. This in turn has increased the value of land and properties in Corjuem. People who prefer a quite life, away from noise pollution and yet at a convenient place are vying for a piece of land in Corjuem.

 

Life: the routine life starts early morning with joggers and churchgoers on the roads. While the birds herald the sunrise with their sweet songs, the bakers are busy distributing their oven hot bread around the houses.  The next to follow are the milkmen and fishmongers. As the day advances, the volume of traffic increases. These are normally school children, office workers and people traveling to town for their groceries.  Obviously, every person in the village is known to the other and strangers are easily spotted.  New houses stand beside huge ancestral homes with plenty of mango, jackfruit and tamarind trees around. Although most of the houses now have tap water, all houses in the village have their own well.

 

Every ward in the village has its own chapel and the annual feasts are celebrated with pomp and gaiety. These feasts come after a weeklong ‘ladianhas’ in the evenings. Evening-visits to the neighbors are a norm. One can often hear guitar or violin music at a nearby house or bar accompanied by singing in falsetto and seconds by local crooners.

 

The monsoon has its own charm and festivities.  The St. John and St. Peter’s feasts are celebrated on the 24^th and 29^th of June respectively by jumping in selected wells. Fruit salads, wine and feni is distributed by those families who were privileged to have either a wedding / offspring in the family or constructed a new house during the year.   

 

Like the rest of Goa, re-baptizing is a common practice amongst Corjuem-kars.  With names like Bhatkar, Polaskar, Fon’no, Pipirmit, etc. even postmen’s job is made easy while distributing the mail.  If ‘Kalvekarn’ and ‘Pipirmit’ are gossiping about ‘Fon’no”, you will know that they are talking about your neighbor ‘Kustulo’ who just fell from his grace due to an illegitimate affair with Salu Irmao’s housemaid. People call him 'anquar pai' for the 'Padmashree' he has been awarded for his deeds. ‘Fon’no’ in turn has nothing better to say about ‘Kalvekarn’. The poor lady has not figured out yet how rumors have originated that she takes special taxi from Mapusa to empty her bladder in her chilly plantation in Corjuem.

 

If name-calling is not enough, common names are dragged to give it a slang texture.  For example, Nicholas is called ‘Niklo’ Thomas is called “Thomso’ and so on.

 

Ask anybody in the village about “Niklo” who was on a controlled feni diet till his father-in-law was alive. Now the feni is controlling him. In case you smell feni in Corjuem, be sure that a bar or Niklo is somewhere around. The drinks are taking their toll on him. He is falling apart. It was the brain first, now his teeth are vanishing. He gracefully justifies the demise of his canines by saying that his milk teeth are finally falling and he will get a new set of teeth soon. High hopes at this age. The chances of getting horns on his head are far better than getting the teeth back.

 

Another character in the Gymkhana neighborhood is Television Pinto (a.k.a. TV Pinto). There’s nothing he has not done in his life. In case your TV or music system breaks down, go to TV Pinto. Ask him about his shop or massage business and be prepared for a lengthy sermon till your eardrums burst. His talks are usually about things, which he thinks he has done in the past. He is the master of blending facts with fiction.

 

Some people are not easily forgotten although they are long gone. Any new chick in the village called for a disco party and Uncle Minin was the unfortunate guy to bear the brunt of our raging hormones. He has an enormous house with a hall to accommodate substantial volume of people. When thousand words were not enough to convince Uncle Minin to have the party at his place, a peg of feni from Ramakant’s Tavern used to do the trick. The excitement started right from his word ‘okay’. The deadline was always 10pm to stop the function but the poor old chap was kept awake till the wee hours of the next day.

 

Modern saloons have taken over from the door-to-door barbers who were known for their blunt tools and primitive accessories. Shaving creams and after shave lotions were unknown during their time and the customer had to settle for a lifebuoy or Hammam soap as a pre-shave and disinfectants like salt water and vinegar as after-shave. These barbers were masters of all trade. Right from fixing umbrellas and house roofs to getting rid of the most stubborn mole on your body.

 

Then there were others like ‘Kundlik’ Pollo. Also known as ‘the beast of burden’. He looked and smelled like a beast but was strong enough to carry the heaviest trunks and gunny bags on his head. Customers feared to walk behind him because he often gave vent to his occult pressure from behind. We call it ‘back-firing’ for cars and other vehicles.

 

Apart from mothers, there was another person in Corjuem who faithfully supplied milk to each and every house in the village. Was his milk urn magical ?? If not, how was he able to increase the milk quantity after the birth of every new child? His name is Dasharath Polle, our very own Cadbury Man. Today, he has retired and keeps away from the cattle due to his vision problem. It seems he mistook his ox for a cow and got kicked in-between the legs when he squeezed the oxen’s testicles, thinking it was the cow’s udder. The muscles on his right hand prove that he has done a lot of milking in his life.

 

What about uncle ‘Polaskar’? The cartoon character Popeye reminds me of ‘Polaskar’ who always had a pipe in his mouth and was famous for his half-baggy brown pants. When my waist was 26”, I used to borrow his pants for dramas. Minus his teeth, the poor chap was forced to spit out his words. Yes, it was a combination of spit and words. Dare to ask him something? Where were the phones those days? Hardly anybody knew his real name. Others who fall in this category are ‘Pipirmit’, ‘Kalvekarn’ ‘Saddam Hussein’ and ‘Padro’. The modern generation will never know their real name but these people are the real stars of Corjuem.

 

“Khor” in konkani means “strong” and ‘juvem” means “island”. The amalgam of these two words gives true meaning to the place and people, living or dead, on this lovely island.

 

 

Cheers

 

Benny

 

Goan Villages - Corjuem by Joel D'ouza

GOAN VILLAGES

GOAN VILLAGES

CORJUEMRiver-Rimmed Jewel
PANORAMIC Corjuem forms a dainty bead in the river-rimmed necklace of the emerald islands, which are enveloped by silvery rivers or their tributaries, comprising Goa’s rich heritage and natural grandeur. The little known island, an appendage of Aldona village in the Bardez taluka, is bedecked with undulating landscape and lies just about 10 km-drive east of Mapusa town. The Mapusa river, which emerges from the jungles of Dumacem and Amthane, drains itself in the Mandovi river at Penha de France, which hitherto had set apart Corjuem from mainland Aldona.
Every Goan island has a date with country-crafts and flat-bottomed ferries. The crafts of either kind has sailed into the pages of Corjuem's history with the advent of the lovely FCONS-built bridge, whose foundation was laid on 30 May, when Shripad Y Naik was a Union Minister of State for Roads, Transport and Highways. The Rs.20.70 crore cable stayed, 235-metre bridge, which is the fourth of its type in the country, has curtailed the drive between Bicholim and Panaji by 6-8 kilometres and by 15 km between Aldona and Panjim.
The landmark's pylon rises 45 mt in height, and is lit with floodlights. It is already a part of the tourist's list of attractions. The foundation was done using a hydraulic rig, for the first time in Goa, for speedy construction, which eventually saw that it was completed ahead of schedule.
Within about 1000 metres after landing from the ferryboat, the first landmarks that greets a visitor is the white-washed chapel dedicated to Mae de Deus (Mother of God). The chapel was constructed in 1854 by Joao Felipe Ferreira from Divar, at his own cost plus some contribution from the islanders.
Corjuem, however, falls under the jurisdiction of the Aldona parish with St Thomas as the patron saint. The earlier chapel of St Anthony was in the Corjuem Fort. The Catholics celebrate two main festivals, that of patroness Mae de Deus on the first Sunday after Easter and the second one of St Anthony on June 13.The two-mile long and a little less than half-a-mile fertile island is home to industrious people who culture bewitching greenery by raising the vharvem of fragrant flowers, tendlim, chillies and piao, and rice. However, with constantly breaching bunds, river water winds its way into paddyfields and even spoiling fresh water wells. Some of the older people believe that the water table reduced and that the river water must be seeping inland.
The island sends three elected panchas to the Aldona-Corjuem panchayat. Corjuem comprises eleven vadde: Cuxem, Primeiro Vaddo, Segundo Vaddo, Podwal, Sinkeri, Colomb, Baga, Barazon, Novi Khazon and Khursachi Muddi. It is at Khursachi Muddi that new houses and bungalows have sprung up recently, fuelled largely by Gulf returned wealth. Otherwise, hardly any housing space is available amidst the 350 odd houses, with a population of around 2000. The people once earned their livelihood by raising vegetables in the traditional vharvem. With the increase in the mining activity at neighbouring Poira in Bicholim, menfolk sought employment there. Others found jobs in government departments and private companies elsewhere in Goa, or travelled to the Gulf to better their future.
The entire island once belonged to a big landlord named Ferreira, who lived in a grand mansion with an impressive arched entrance, seen from the erstwhile ferry point. Since then the Ferreira house has changed ownership and now houses the Indian Overseas Bank. As and when the locals could afford, they purchased their small plot and built a house. However, Fr Condilac Olegario Nazare, the founder of the Mae de Deus High School, is said to have obtained plots in a sort of auction held by the Ferreira family, and made it easier for other needy landless islanders to own their plots.
According to Fr Moreno de Souza, sj, (Bardezcheo Igorzo), the island’s name originates from Khor+Zunvem (khor as in khorik=deep or lower, zunvem=island). But one elderly man, we came across, maintained that it could, in fact, be khor or tough and hot-headed. He remembers hearing his older folk talk about the locals burning several country-crafts because a canoe-man had refused to ferry some islanders across the river.
Some lovely houses grace the riverine countryside. Taking a left turn near the chapel, the narrow road heads towards the largest and historic landmark, the Corjuem fort. Caetano de Mello e Castro had snatched it from the Bhonsles in 1705, whereafter it was rebuilt. The students of the Military School were trained in maneuvers at the fort, which was armed with four guns until the beginning of 1800. Since 1834 the fort remained abandoned. Recently, however, the quadrangular structure, which would serve as a superb amphitheatre with at its centre, has witnessed some repairs.
Once frequently comes across traditional fishing contraptions called mannxeo (dykes), those of which on the east overlook the massive iron-ore dumps beyond Poira. The local MLA, Dayanand Narvekar, seems to have ensured that even the narrowest lane, leading sometimes to almost nowhere-in-particular, has been tarred. Assonora provides water to Corjuem, which saw the earliest telephone connection some time in the year 1999.
The Comunidades of Corjuem are: Boa Esperanca and Fraternal. As in Aldona, the people of Corjuem are wellknown singers, mestre Tavares being an outstanding musician. It is a place peopled by simple, rural folks. Bishop Vincent Castellino and Fr Francisco Pinto are the only two names most people recall, when asked about the illustrious sons.
The age-old cultural pattern had wellknown customs like vor, xim, xiro marunk, etc, which were in vogue during the grand weddings in yesteryears, have gradually lost their glitter except for the wedding portonnem. During the Sao Joao feast, however, the menfolk still reain the tradition of jumping the wells, through only in the Cushem ward, where the dalis (trays laden with fruits and bottle of feni) are being offered on the occasion of wedding or birth in the family to the Sao Joao revellers.
The Hindu community worships principally at Shri Sateri Panchayatan Praxn temple. According to “Hindu Temples and Deities” by Rui Gomes Pereira, "The deities of the island of Corjuem were transferred to Poira in the Bicholim. The main deity is Malambadevi Satpurusha, who has six affiliate temples. Its mahajans, divided into two groups, belong to the Vaisha and Sudra-Maratha classes.”
The Mae de Deus High School and the Corjuem Gymkhana Club, which was founded by the islanders in 1946, figure among the important institutions. As far as health care is concerned, the village has no resident doctor, but there is a Health Centre, with a regular nurse while the Doctor visits once a week. Hence Aldona, across the river, is the closest place for healthcare and in case of emergencies.
Farewell to ferries
Country-craft was the sole mode of primitive transport to and from the island until the flat-bottom ferries were introduced sometime around 1973. Unlike during the post-bridge days, the daily newspaper, fish, vegetables and virtually everything remained at the Aldona bazaar. The fisherwomen, however, used to move from house to house to sell prawns and fish caught at the various mannxio (dykes).
Way back in time, a band of robbers who had attacked the Aldona church, had landed at the Sinkere tar in Corjuem. A local legend says a small boy met the robbers and advised them to abandon their ill-conceived mission. The proceeded on adamantly only to be greeted by misfortune. Aldonkar womenfolk beat them black and blue and some of the infitrators lost their lives while those who jumped into the river to swim away got washed away.
Joel D’Souza

CORJUEMRiver-Rimmed Jewel
PANORAMIC Corjuem forms a dainty bead in the river-rimmed necklace of the emerald islands, which are enveloped by silvery rivers or their tributaries, comprising Goa’s rich heritage and natural grandeur. The little known island, an appendage of Aldona village in the Bardez taluka, is bedecked with undulating landscape and lies just about 10 km-drive east of Mapusa town. The Mapusa river, which emerges from the jungles of Dumacem and Amthane, drains itself in the Mandovi river at Penha de France, which hitherto had set apart Corjuem from mainland Aldona.
Every Goan island has a date with country-crafts and flat-bottomed ferries. The crafts of either kind has sailed into the pages of Corjuem's history with the advent of the lovely FCONS-built bridge, whose foundation was laid on 30 May, when Shripad Y Naik was a Union Minister of State for Roads, Transport and Highways. The Rs.20.70 crore cable stayed, 235-metre bridge, which is the fourth of its type in the country, has curtailed the drive between Bicholim and Panaji by 6-8 kilometres and by 15 km between Aldona and Panjim.
The landmark's pylon rises 45 mt in height, and is lit with floodlights. It is already a part of the tourist's list of attractions. The foundation was done using a hydraulic rig, for the first time in Goa, for speedy construction, which eventually saw that it was completed ahead of schedule.
Within about 1000 metres after landing from the ferryboat, the first landmarks that greets a visitor is the white-washed chapel dedicated to Mae de Deus (Mother of God). The chapel was constructed in 1854 by Joao Felipe Ferreira from Divar, at his own cost plus some contribution from the islanders.
Corjuem, however, falls under the jurisdiction of the Aldona parish with St Thomas as the patron saint. The earlier chapel of St Anthony was in the Corjuem Fort. The Catholics celebrate two main festivals, that of patroness Mae de Deus on the first Sunday after Easter and the second one of St Anthony on June 13.The two-mile long and a little less than half-a-mile fertile island is home to industrious people who culture bewitching greenery by raising the vharvem of fragrant flowers, tendlim, chillies and piao, and rice. However, with constantly breaching bunds, river water winds its way into paddyfields and even spoiling fresh water wells. Some of the older people believe that the water table reduced and that the river water must be seeping inland.
The island sends three elected panchas to the Aldona-Corjuem panchayat. Corjuem comprises eleven vadde: Cuxem, Primeiro Vaddo, Segundo Vaddo, Podwal, Sinkeri, Colomb, Baga, Barazon, Novi Khazon and Khursachi Muddi. It is at Khursachi Muddi that new houses and bungalows have sprung up recently, fuelled largely by Gulf returned wealth. Otherwise, hardly any housing space is available amidst the 350 odd houses, with a population of around 2000. The people once earned their livelihood by raising vegetables in the traditional vharvem. With the increase in the mining activity at neighbouring Poira in Bicholim, menfolk sought employment there. Others found jobs in government departments and private companies elsewhere in Goa, or travelled to the Gulf to better their future.
The entire island once belonged to a big landlord named Ferreira, who lived in a grand mansion with an impressive arched entrance, seen from the erstwhile ferry point. Since then the Ferreira house has changed ownership and now houses the Indian Overseas Bank. As and when the locals could afford, they purchased their small plot and built a house. However, Fr Condilac Olegario Nazare, the founder of the Mae de Deus High School, is said to have obtained plots in a sort of auction held by the Ferreira family, and made it easier for other needy landless islanders to own their plots.
According to Fr Moreno de Souza, sj, (Bardezcheo Igorzo), the island’s name originates from Khor+Zunvem (khor as in khorik=deep or lower, zunvem=island). But one elderly man, we came across, maintained that it could, in fact, be khor or tough and hot-headed. He remembers hearing his older folk talk about the locals burning several country-crafts because a canoe-man had refused to ferry some islanders across the river.
Some lovely houses grace the riverine countryside. Taking a left turn near the chapel, the narrow road heads towards the largest and historic landmark, the Corjuem fort. Caetano de Mello e Castro had snatched it from the Bhonsles in 1705, whereafter it was rebuilt. The students of the Military School were trained in maneuvers at the fort, which was armed with four guns until the beginning of 1800. Since 1834 the fort remained abandoned. Recently, however, the quadrangular structure, which would serve as a superb amphitheatre with at its centre, has witnessed some repairs.
Once frequently comes across traditional fishing contraptions called mannxeo (dykes), those of which on the east overlook the massive iron-ore dumps beyond Poira. The local MLA, Dayanand Narvekar, seems to have ensured that even the narrowest lane, leading sometimes to almost nowhere-in-particular, has been tarred. Assonora provides water to Corjuem, which saw the earliest telephone connection some time in the year 1999.
The Comunidades of Corjuem are: Boa Esperanca and Fraternal. As in Aldona, the people of Corjuem are wellknown singers, mestre Tavares being an outstanding musician. It is a place peopled by simple, rural folks. Bishop Vincent Castellino and Fr Francisco Pinto are the only two names most people recall, when asked about the illustrious sons.
The age-old cultural pattern had wellknown customs like vor, xim, xiro marunk, etc, which were in vogue during the grand weddings in yesteryears, have gradually lost their glitter except for the wedding portonnem. During the Sao Joao feast, however, the menfolk still reain the tradition of jumping the wells, through only in the Cushem ward, where the dalis (trays laden with fruits and bottle of feni) are being offered on the occasion of wedding or birth in the family to the Sao Joao revellers.
The Hindu community worships principally at Shri Sateri Panchayatan Praxn temple. According to “Hindu Temples and Deities” by Rui Gomes Pereira, "The deities of the island of Corjuem were transferred to Poira in the Bicholim. The main deity is Malambadevi Satpurusha, who has six affiliate temples. Its mahajans, divided into two groups, belong to the Vaisha and Sudra-Maratha classes.”
The Mae de Deus High School and the Corjuem Gymkhana Club, which was founded by the islanders in 1946, figure among the important institutions. As far as health care is concerned, the village has no resident doctor, but there is a Health Centre, with a regular nurse while the Doctor visits once a week. Hence Aldona, across the river, is the closest place for healthcare and in case of emergencies.
Farewell to ferries
Country-craft was the sole mode of primitive transport to and from the island until the flat-bottom ferries were introduced sometime around 1973. Unlike during the post-bridge days, the daily newspaper, fish, vegetables and virtually everything remained at the Aldona bazaar. The fisherwomen, however, used to move from house to house to sell prawns and fish caught at the various mannxio (dykes).
Way back in time, a band of robbers who had attacked the Aldona church, had landed at the Sinkere tar in Corjuem. A local legend says a small boy met the robbers and advised them to abandon their ill-conceived mission. The proceeded on adamantly only to be greeted by misfortune. Aldonkar womenfolk beat them black and blue and some of the infitrators lost their lives while those who jumped into the river to swim away got washed away.
Joel D’Souza

History of Corjuem

QUOTE: Corjuem forms a dainty bead in the river-rimmed necklace of the emerald islands, which are enveloped by silvery rivers or their tributaries, comprising Goa’s rich heritage and natural grandeur. The little known island, an appendage of Aldona village in the Bardez taluka, is bedecked with undulating landscape and lies just about 10 km-drive east of Mapusa town. The Mapusa river, which emerges from the jungles of Dumacem and Amthane, drains itself in the Mandovi river at Penha de France, which hitherto had set apart Corjuem from mainland Aldona.
Every Goan island has a date with country-crafts and flat-bottomed ferries. The crafts of either kind has sailed into the pages of Corjuem's history with the advent of the lovely FCONS-built bridge, whose foundation was laid on 30 May, when Shripad Y Naik was a Union Minister of State for Roads, Transport and Highways. The Rs.20.70 crore cable stayed, 235-metre bridge, which is the fourth of its type in the country, has curtailed the drive between Bicholim and Panaji by 6-8 kilometres and by 15 km between Aldona and Panjim.
The landmark's pylon rises 45 mt in height, and is lit with floodlights. It is already a part of the tourist's list of attractions. The foundation was done using a hydraulic rig, for the first time in Goa, for speedy construction, which eventually saw that it was completed ahead of schedule.
The island sends three elected panchas to the Aldona-Corjuem panchayat. Corjuem comprises eleven vadde: Cuxem, Primeiro Vaddo, Segundo Vaddo, Podwal, Sinkeri, Colomb, Baga, Barazon, Novi Khazon and Khursachi Muddi. It is at Khursachi Muddi that new houses and bungalows have sprung up recently, fuelled largely by Gulf returned wealth. Otherwise, hardly any housing space is available amidst the 350 odd houses, with a population of around 2000. The people once earned their livelihood by raising vegetables in the traditional vharvem. With the increase in the mining activity at neighbouring Poira in Bicholim, menfolk sought employment there. Others found jobs in government departments and private companies elsewhere in Goa, or travelled to the Gulf to better their future.
The entire island once belonged to a big landlord named Ferreira, who lived in a grand mansion with an impressive arched entrance, seen from the erstwhile ferry point. Since then the Ferreira house has changed ownership and now houses the Indian Overseas Bank. As and when the locals could afford, they purchased their small plot and built a house. However, Fr Condilac Olegario Nazaret, the founder of the Mae de Deus High School, is said to have obtained plots in a sort of auction held by the Ferreira family, and made it easier for other needy landless islanders to own their plots.
According to Fr Moreno de Souza, sj, (Bardezcheo Igorzo), the island’s name originates from Khor+Zunvem (khor as in khorik=deep or lower, zunvem=island). But one elderly man, we came across, maintained that it could, in fact, be khor or tough and hot-headed. He remembers hearing his older folk talk about the locals burning several country-crafts because a canoe-man had refused to ferry some islanders across the river.
Some lovely houses grace the riverine countryside. Taking a left turn near the chapel, the narrow road heads towards the largest and historic landmark, the Corjuem fort. Caetano de Mello e Castro had snatched it from the Bhonsles in 1705, whereafter it was rebuilt. The students of the Military School were trained in maneuvers at the fort, which was armed with four guns until the beginning of 1800. Since 1834 the fort remained abandoned. Recently, however, the quadrangular structure, which would serve as a superb amphitheatre with at its centre, has witnessed some repairs.
Once frequently comes across traditional fishing contraptions called mannxeo (dykes), those of which on the east overlook the massive iron-ore dumps beyond Poira. The local MLA, Dayanand Narvekar, seems to have ensured that even the narrowest lane, leading sometimes to almost nowhere-in-particular, has been tarred. Assonora provides water to Corjuem, which saw the earliest telephone connection some time in the year 1999.
The Comunidades of Corjuem are: Boa Esperanca and Fraternal. As in Aldona, the people of Corjuem are wellknown singers, mestre Tavares being an outstanding musician. It is a place peopled by simple, rural folks. Bishop Vincent Castellino and Fr Francisco Pinto are the only two names most people recall, when asked about the illustrious sons.
The age-old cultural pattern had wellknown customs like vor, xim, xiro marunk, etc, which were in vogue during the grand weddings in yesteryears, have gradually lost their glitter except for the wedding portonnem. During the Sao Joao feast, however, the menfolk still reain the tradition of jumping the wells, through only in the Cushem ward, where the dalis (trays laden with fruits and bottle of feni) are being offered on the occasion of wedding or birth in the family to the Sao Joao revellers.
The Hindu community worships principally at Shri Sateri Panchayatan Praxn temple. According to “Hindu Temples and Deities” by Rui Gomes Pereira, "The deities of the island of Corjuem were transferred to Poira in the Bicholim. The main deity is Malambadevi Satpurusha, who has six affiliate temples. Its mahajans, divided into two groups, belong to the Vaisha and Sudra-Maratha classes.”
The Mae de Deus High School and the Corjuem Gymkhana Club, which was founded by the islanders in 1946, figure among the important institutions. As far as health care is concerned, the village has no resident doctor, but there is a Health Centre, with a regular nurse while the Doctor visits once a week. Hence Aldona, across the river, is the closest place for healthcare and in case of emergencies.
Country-craft was the sole mode of primitive transport to and from the island until the flat-bottom ferries were introduced sometime around 1973. Unlike during the post-bridge days, the daily newspaper, fish, vegetables and virtually everything remained at the Aldona bazaar. The fisherwomen, however, used to move from house to house to sell prawns and fish caught at the various mannxio (dykes).
Way back in time, a band of robbers who had attacked the Aldona church, had landed at the Sinkere tar in Corjuem. A local legend says a small boy met the robbers and advised them to abandon their ill-conceived mission. They proceeded on adamantly only to be greeted by misfortune. Aldonkar womenfolk beat them black and blue and some of the infitrators lost their lives while those who jumped into the river to swim away got washed away.The leader and some others were captured. When the leader was taken past the main altar, he identified the statue of St. Thomas as the boy he had seen earlier, who warned him not to rob the Church.

Corjuem

Corjuem is Island situated in Aldona, Bardez Taluka Goa. It is surrounded by Mandovi River towards the South is Sinquerim/ Mayem (Mayem Lake ) North is facing Aldona, East neighbours are Srigao /Bicholim and Sirsiam/ Tivim, towards West is Calvim(another Island in Goa) In 2004 it was conneted to Aldona by Cable Supported bridge.(It was third bridge in India ) At the south east end there is another bridge connecting it to Srigao/ Bicholim Taluka.
Before the bridge for generations it was connected by Tar ( Boats made of wood some what like the Kayak) and from the 1970 it was served by Ferry.

It has a famous Corjuem Fort, a Church dedicated to Nossa Senhora Mae De Deus, a Temple, a School, Mae De Deus High School and 3 primary Schools run by the Government. It has also a Club, Corjuem Gymkhana for social activities.

Agriculture and Farming were original occupations of the people. As years progessed Corjuemkars have ventured to all parts of the World to earn a living either on: Ocean/Cruise Liners, Middle East, Europe, America, Canada, Australia and all over the World.