->JosephAssisFernandes: /* Church */ added information from the Goan Churches website

2021-07-14T15:52:09Z

Church: added information from the Goan Churches website

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Raia
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Goa#India3
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Raia in [[Goa]]
| coordinates = {{coord|15|18|N|73|58|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Goa]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[South Goa district|South Goa]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body = Panchayat
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 10,706
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Konkani language|Konkani]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 403720
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 0832
| registration_plate = GA
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = Margao
| blank2_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = Curtorim
| website = {{URL|goa.gov.in}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Raia''' (''Rai'') is a scenic village on the outskirts of [[Margao]] in [[Salcete]] Taluk in [[South Goa District]] of [[Goa State]], India. It is located six kilometres east from the district headquarters of [[Margao]] and 35 kilometres from the State capital [[Panaji]].

==Location==
[[Gogol]] (two kilometres), [[Margao]] (three kilometres), and [[Aquem]] Margao (three kilometres) are nearby areas. Raia is surrounded by [[Mormugao]] taluk towards the west, [[Quepem taluka]] towards its south, [[Ponda taluka]] towards the north. Raia village lies close to the villages of [[Loutulim]], [[Ambora]], [[Rachol]] and [[Maina, Goa|Maina]].

It lies at the border of the [[North Goa District]] and the [[South Goa District]]. Ponda is North Goa District is just across Raia. Since it lies near the [[Arabian Sea]], the weather can be humid for part of the year.

Raia village falls under the [[Goa Assembly]] constituency of [[Curtorim]] for electoral purposes. Raia's PIN code is 403720 and its postal office is Raia itself.

== Population ==

For the purposes of the [[Census]], Raia is considered to be a "census town" (though it is a panchayat area) and in 2011 had a population of 10,706—comprising 5,256 males and 5,450 females as per report released by Census India 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=11 October 2020|title=District Census Handbook 2011|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/3002_PART_B_DCHB_SOUTH%20GOA.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114090651/https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/3002_PART_B_DCHB_SOUTH%20GOA.pdf|archive-date=14 November 2019|access-date=11 October 2020|website=ETrace}}</ref>

Male literacy was 90.15% and female, 84.72%. There were 1037 women for every 1000 males, indicating perhaps the high out-migration from the area, mainly for temporary employment overseas and elsewhere. Raia had 1106 children under six years of age in 2011, of whom 585 were male and 521 female.

The Christian population of Raia in 2011 was 7,574 (70.75%) and there were 2,399 (22.4%) Hindus and 705 (6.59%) Muslims. The Scheduled Tribe population was 2,968 and there were 66 Scheduled Caste members, according to the censusndia.co.in site.

Raia has a significant agrarian population, whose lives are sometimes affected by the vagaries of the monsoons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Heavy rains pelt down lives of farmers as their ready-to-harvest fields are left inundated|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Review/Heavy-rains-pelt-down-lives-of-farmers-as-their-readytoharvest-fields-are-left-inundated/165759|access-date=2020-10-11|website=oHeraldo}}</ref>

==History==

Pe. Jorge Paulino da Piedade Sequeira, a priest from the area, wrote a book titled ''Raia e Camorlim. Para a História das Aldeias,'' (Raia and Camorlim: About the History of the Villages), published by the Xaverian Press at Pilar in 1972. Camorlim is a village between Raia and Loutolim.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 3, 2017|title=Small, But Special|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/small-but-special/articleshow/56302566.cms|access-date=2020-10-12|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

According to former Indian Union minister [[Eduardo Faleiro]], Raia "derives its name from Agni Mukha Roy, one of the earlier Kadamba kings who established his headquarters in this village."<ref name="Faleiro">{{Cite web|title=Raia, my village|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Raia-my-village/155736|access-date=2020-10-12|website=oHeraldo}}</ref> Faleiro cites Fr. Jorge Sequeira to suggest that, in the past, the village was known variously as Rayanagara, Rajapur and Rayapur, and with the decline of the Kadamba dynasty it became known simply as Raya and then Raia.<ref name="Faleiro"/>

The earlier ruling empire of the [[Kadambas]] are believed to have brought the deity of [[Kamakshi]] to the village, the temple of which was destroyed during [[Portugal|Portuguese]] rule, with the deity being shifted across the river to ''Rai Shiroda'', a locality on the other bank of the river beyond the then Portuguese territory.<ref name="Faleiro"/>

Raia was the first village in [[Salcette]] to have been [[Christianisation of Goa|Christianised]], when its populace was converted ''en masse'' to [[Christianity]] in 1560.<ref name="Machado">''Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians'', Alan Machado Prabhu, I.J.A. Publications, 1999, p. 101</ref>

Raia (with Margao, Verna, Curtorim, Loutolim, Benaulim, Betalbatim, Colva, Cortalim, Quelossim, Nagoa and Sancoale-Dabolim) was among 12 villages of Salcete represented at the ''Camara Geral do Concelho'', or the general assembly of Communidades at the sub-district or ''taluka'' level. The ''Camaras Gerais ou Agrarias'' were extinguished by the Code of Communidades of 1904 and substituted by Administrators of Communidades.<ref name="Faleiro"/> The ''Comunidades'' were cooperative associations governed by heads of family, called ''gaunkars''. Originally based on collective ownership of land by a group of villagers, this system saw a certain portion of the total agrarian produce earmarked for village welfare, a part as the government share, and the balance distributed among the members as dividend or ''jono'' (''zonn''). Over time, ''Comunidades'' lost their original character and turned into mere societies of ''gaunkars'' who had membership based on accident of birth. Non-gaunkars who came subsequently and also contributed to the development of the village had no say in the ''Comunidades'', with many ''gaunkars'' living outside the area from which they are entitled to ''jono''. Women family members also have no right to membership. ''Comunidades'' ceased to be collective farming societies, and village development activities which were the preserve of the ''gaunkaris'' (a pre-Portuguese name for the ''Comunidades'') and now entrusted to the gram panchayat.<ref name="Faleiro"/>

''Raikars'' (villagers of Raia) are known as ''wag'' (tigers).<ref name="Faleiro"/>

== Church ==
[[File:Our lady of Snows Church Raia 3.jpg|thumb|left|Church of Our lady of Snows Raia]]After conversions to Christianity, locals helped build a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows ( Nossa Senhora das Neves ).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-01-13|title=Evangelization of the Village of Raia|url=https://ivosouza.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/evangelization-of-the-village-of-raia/|access-date=2020-10-11|website=Ivosouza's Blog|language=en}}</ref>

The church was founded by the Jesuits of [[Rachol]] in 1699 and has the same Patron Saint as [[Rachol]]. The foundation for the church was laid in 1668. The church was built by the Raia and [[Camurlim]] communidades. <ref>{{Cite book|last=Lourenco|first=Jose|title=The Parish Churches of Goa|publisher=Broadway Publishing House|year=2011|isbn=978-93-80837-19-2|location=Panjim,Goa|pages=143}}</ref> The Priests who built the Raia church were from [[Santa Maria Maggiore|Santa Maria Majore]] which has a special devotion to Our Lady of Snows and so they dedicated the Raia church also to their patroness. The Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia, Goa has evolved considerably with time from the first church built of mud to the later one built of sand and brick by the Jesuits to the current magnificent structure.

The Religious Orders present in the Parish of Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia, Goa are [[Society of Jesus|The Religious Men of the Society of Jesus (SJ)]] and [[Society of the Divine Word|the Society of the Divine Word]] (SVD). The Religious Women in the Raia Parish are The Handmaids of Christ (HC). The Society of Jesus (SJ) is based at The Pedro Arrupe Institute, St Xavier Street, Damon, Raia, Goa. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) are based at the SVD Mission seminary, Raia, Goa. The Handmaids of Christ (HC) are based at St Theresa Convent, Ganapoga, Raia, Goa.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Goan Churches|url=https://goanchurches.info/church/our-lady-of-snows-church-raia-goa/|url-status=live|website=Goan Churches}}</ref>

==Harvest festival==

Raia hosts a harvest feast, locally called the ''Konsache Fest'' in [[Konkani]], which is celebrated on 5 August every year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=‘Konsachem fest’ celebrated at Raia|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/%E2%80%98Konsachem-fest%E2%80%99-celebrated-at-Raia/163845|access-date=2020-10-11|website=oHeraldo}}</ref> The feast Mass is celebrated at Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Harvest and snow|url=https://www.thegoan.net//harvest-and-snow/95.html|access-date=2020-10-11|website=The Goan EveryDay|language=en}}</ref>

==Raikars, Konkani song and other features==

Raikars of the skilled [[Daivadnya Brahmin]] (''sonar'') community were originally from Raia, Goa, and hence some members of the community carry the village's name as part of their surname — ''Raikar''.

Raia, together with the nearby villages of Curtorim and Loutolim, was home to, and the nursery of, many of the ''[[Mando (music)|Mando]]'' (plural ''mandde'') form of prominent Goan [[Konkani]] song.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 21, 2014|first=Newton|last=Sequeira|title=The true soul of Goa's South|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/The-true-soul-of-Goas-South/articleshow/45589608.cms|access-date=2020-10-11|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

The village is known for some prominent food outlets, including the prominent local ''Nostalgia'' restaurant. Nostalgia has been called "a restaurant that has made its name by serving authentic Portuguese cuisine",<ref>{{Cite web|title=Portugal endures & endears, as links go beyond boundaries|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Portugal-endures-endears-as-links-go-beyond-boundaries/157305|access-date=2020-10-12|website=oHeraldo}}</ref> In other parts of the village, small but noted bakeries also draw customers. Some of the local institutions have deployed solar power.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Solar power plant inaugurated at Raia|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Solar-power-plant-inaugurated-at-Raia/162537|access-date=2020-10-12|website=oHeraldo}}</ref>

== Spanish flu in 1918-19 ==

[[File:Spanish flu victim memorial.jpg|thumb|Spanish flu victims' memorial at Raia]]
The village of Raia was one of the villages in the state of Goa which is believed to have suffered badly due to the [[Spanish flu pandemic]] around 1918-1919.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fern|first=Paul|date=April 13, 2020|title=Mass graves, scattered bones, Goa's traumatic memories of the 1918 Spanish fl|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/mass-graves-scattered-bones-goas-traumatic-memories-of-the-1918-spanish-flu/articleshow/75113572.cms|access-date=2020-10-11|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

Andrew Pereira argues that Raia was among the villages most badly hit in Goa due to the 1918-19 ''Spanish'' flu pandemic. A memorial pillar stands tall outside the present cemetery of Raia, constructed in memory of the Spanish flu victims a year later in 1919. The aftermath of the Spanish flu lasted for a year till 1919.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pereira|first=Andrew|date=12 Oct 2020|title=Lost Stories Goa -- Spanish Flu|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvBcP9R3qBU|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=YouTube}}</ref>

The nearly nine feet tall tombstone bears the words – ‘E.M. (EM MEMORIA) DAS VICTIMAS DE GRIPE DE 1918 (In memory of the victims of flu in 1918).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-18|title=COVID cases in Raia remind locals of Spanish flu episode|url=https://www.navhindtimes.in/2020/09/18/goanews/covid-cases-in-raia-remind-locals-of-spanish-flu-episode/|access-date=2020-10-11|website=The Navhind Times|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Sports ==
Raia has one of the oldest sporting club in the State of Goa. Fernando Menezes, who is a doctor from Raia, Ganapoga was a student of “Escola Medica de Goa” (presently known as Goa Medical College) who formed the club and initially named it Clube Autrpelia de Raia. In 1957 the name was changed to Raia Sporting Club.

Initially players played football barefoot. Peter D’souza, Professor Silvester Fernandes, Pedro Inacio Pinheiro and late Pedro Fernandes got the club registered with the Goa Football Association. Peter D'Souza started the "Custodio Memorial Trophy" in memory of his brother Custodio D'Souza in 1971 to commemorate his memory. It is the oldest inter-village tournament in the state. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Raia SC to mark 46th anniversary of Custodio Memorial football|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Sports/Raia-SC-to-mark-46th-anniversary-of-Custodio-Memorial-football/118337|access-date=2021-02-15|website=oHeraldo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Football goes beyond passion in Raia|website=The Navhind Times|url=https://www.navhindtimes.in/2017/02/16/sports/football-goes-beyond-passion-in-raia/|access-date=2021-02-15|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Gallery==
{{Gallery
|footer= Images from Raia, Goa, India
|File:Raia1.jpg | Raia, the setting
|File:Raia4.jpg | Scenic Raia
|File:Chapels of Raia 06.jpg | Chapels of Raia
|File:Scenery of Raia 20.jpg | Temple in the village
|File:Scenery_of_Raia_12.jpg | Raia view
|File:Scenery of Raia 16.jpg | View from Raia
|File:Scenery of Raia 22.jpg | Convent in the area
|File:Raia Rachol Ferry Jetty. Goa.jpg | Raia-Rachol ferry
|File:Scenery of Raia 15.jpg | Raia Sports Complex
|File:Scenery of Raia 05.jpg | Old local homes
|File:Scenery of Raia 14.jpg | Green fields
|File:Raia2.jpg | In the village
|File:Raia3.jpg | Around the village
|File:Scenery of Raia 04.jpg | Spring at Curra, Raia
|File:Goan Fish Curry Rice.jpg | Fish-curry-rice from the village
|File:Rachol Map.jpg | Centuries-old map of the area including nearby Rachol
}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.goaholidayhomes.com/info/68/raia/ Raia]

{{Localities in and around Margao}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in South Goa district]]

Raia, Goa - Revision history

->JosephAssisFernandes: /* Church */ added information from the Goan Churches website