Nachinola is a small village in
North Goa district, Goa, India. It is situated in
Bardeztaluka (sub-district) between the villages
Moira and
Aldona. Nachinola is divided into three vadde (village sub-divisions) that are called Vainguinn, Zoidar, and Borvonn. For administrative purposes, Panarim, a vaddo of Aldona, is also considered to be a part of Nachinola. Nachinola village is hidden from the main road that passes through it and connects
Mapusa to Aldona.
Population
In 2011, Nachinola had a population of 2,725 and a literacy rate of 88.6%.[1] It had 645 households. Of these, 1,360 were male and 1,365 female. In the 0–6 years demographic were 252 children, comprising 144 male and 108 female. Of its population, 2,191 – 1,105 males and 1,086 females – were literate. The
Census of India also showed Nachinola to cover 244.05 hectares (603.1 acres).[2]
The Nachinola
comunidade, or ancestral village community, is considered to be one of the twelve Brahmin comunidades of
Bardez.[citation needed]
Church
The church in Nachinola was built in 1676; it is dedicated to
Bom Jesus and celebrates the feasts of
Santissimo Sacramento e Bom Jesus (1 January) and
Sta. Ana (June). The
Jesuit Fr. Moreno De Souza wrote that the small church lies tucked away in a corner and does not get noticed much.[3]
Engineer-author José Lourenço describes its architecture as Mannerist Neo-Roman in style. It is large with three bays and three storeys. Its main door has a bracketed arch. The frontispiece has
Rococo curves flanking a broken pediment that frames a relief of the
Sacred Heart. Spear finials top the frontispiece. Twin bell towers with balusters and finials are of the urn type.[4]
Nachinola and its neighbouring village
Ucassaim have a unique relationship in participating in each other's feasts. Nachinola celebrates its Bom Jesus feast on January 1 each year and Ucassaim celebrates the feast of Saude Saibinn (Our Lady of Good Health) on the first Sunday of February, the confaria (a church local body) of each village invites neighbouring confraria, parishioners and parish priest for the feast of the other.[5]
The cemetery was expanded and blessed by Goa Archbishop
Filipe Neri Ferrão on June 20, 1998.[3]
Temples
According to Rui Gomes Pereira, prior to conversions, the area had temples devoted to Ramanatha, Malkumi (Mahalakshimi), Gram-purusha, Ravalnatha, Vetall and Gopinatha.[6]
Deities Vetall, Ramanatha, Mahalakshimi and Ravalnatha were shifted to
Advalpale of Bicholim, due to religious intolerance in colonial Goa. Vetall was the main deity and the others were affiliates. There are believed to have been other deities in the temple.[6]
The comunidade (traditional village body) consists of twelve vangors (clans). Its members, known as gaunkars, are of
Brahmin ancestry. Mahajans at the Advalpale temple use the common surname Nashnodkar, tracing to their village of origin. They belong to castes of
Gaud Saraswat Brahmins,
Daivadna Brahmins, ironsmiths,
Marathas and
Bhandaris. Earlier, according to Gomes Pereira, the village had as its gaunkars people with the surname of Porobo (Prabhu).[6]
Institutions
Nachinola has its own panchayat (local assembly).[7]
Nachinola also has a home for the aged, called the Bom Jesus Home for the Aged.[8] It is run by the Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA Sisters).[9]
The
Caritas orphanage Obra de Proteção a Mulher, one of only two homes in Goa that are
adoption agencies, is run by the Congregation of Sisters Adorers Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and of Charity (AASC).[9] It is a creche for children under seven years of age.[10]
According to one version of how the village got its name, a talented dancer called Nola would be encouraged to dance with pleas of "Nach go Nola, nach go Nola" (Do dance, Nola); this saw its name change from "Nachnola" to "Nachinola".[11]
In the news
During the
2020 lockdown in Goa during the
COVID-19 pandemic, Nachinola was in the news when some of its villagers took to helping those in need.[12] In August 2020, farmers from Nachinola complained waterlogging in their fields was destroying crops because the drains had not been de-silted and the problem was ongoing for two years. They had approached the
BardezZonal Agricultural Office over this issue and sought an inspection.[13] Village youth undertook clean-up drives.[14]
^
abArchdiocese of Goa and Daman Directory 2012-2013. The Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, Archbishop's House, Altinho, Panjim. 2012. pp. 81–82.