5/5 Cycle Rider O. 3 years ago on Google
According
to
Francisco
de
Souza
S.J.
the
name
Verna
comes
from
Uranna
(SanskristVaruna)
meaning
“Dawn”
because
the
village
is
very
fresh
and
cool
as
it
has
many
fountains
and
tanks
which
make
the
land
fertile
(OrienteConquistado
Part
II.
Co.I,
Div.I
No.23)
Indeed
Verna
Village
is
blessed
with
four
natural
springs/fountains
viz
Paton
in
Cumborda
Ward,
‘VellemTollem’
in
Poriebat
Ward,
“Uddo”
in
Ambulor
Ward
and
the
one
in
Senaulim
Ward
a
few
meters
away
from
the
Senaulim
Chapel.
Incidentally
“Uddo”
spring
is
the
source
of
the
River
Sal
which
is
the
third
biggest
river
of
Goa
which
finally
empties
out
at
Betul
in
the
Arabian
Sea.
It
may
be
of
interest
to
note
that
the
waters
from
all
the
above
springs
finally
flow
into
the
river
Sal
at
Verna
itself.
It
is
said
that
the
waters
of
the
Paton
and
Senaulim
springs
had
medicinal
properties
and
in
earlier
days
when
no
pollution
due
to
garbage
etc.
was
there
people
would
make
it
a
point
to
have
bath
at
these
springs.
As
is
the
case
everywhere,
the
rampant
tree
and
hill
cutting
and
pollution
has
decreased
the
flow
of
water
at
these
springs.
There
is
also
a
big
lake
in
the
Bamborda/Ambulor
wards
which
provides
water
extensively
for
the
rabi
crop.
The
water
was
being
utilized
in
far
away
wards
of
Manzo
and
Dulape
for
agricultural
purposes.
Verna
village’s
economy
was
primarily
agrarian
as
the
village
is
blessed
with
innumerable
paddy
fields
and
vast
tracts
of
coconut
plantations.
The
farmers
practiced
dual
cropping
system
viz.
kharif
during
the
monsoon
season
and
rabi
during
the
months
of
December-March
with
the
help
of
water
from
the
lake.
During
the
latter
season
the
villagers
would
also
grow
vegetables
and
water
melons
etc.
not
only
for
their
home
consumption
but
also
for
sale.
The
coconut
cultivation
was
traditional
with
no
irrigations
facilities
available.
The
other
important
occupation
of
the
village
was
pottery
which
was
confined
to
the
Cumborda
Ward.
Presumably,
the
word
“Cumborda”
appears
to
have
derived
from
the
word
‘Cumbar’
meaning
potter.
Different
types
of
earthen
pots
were
being
made
here
to
be
used
for
agricultural
purposes,
for
cooking,
for
gardening
etc.
The
earthen
pottery
from
Verna
was
famous
in
the
neighbouring
villages
as
well
as
Margao
and
beyond.
In
the
pre-liberation
days
the
Village
had
its
own
civil
administrative
set
up
consisting
of
Regedor,
Juiz
Popular,
Junta
Local,
Civil
Registration,
Sub-Office
for
registration
of
births,
deaths
and
marriages
and
the
Comunidade
which
would
look
after
agriculturural
activities.
With
the
advent
of
the
Panchayati
Raj
system,
except
for
the
Comunidade,
all
other
authorities
have
been
abolished.
Today
Verna
Village
has
its
own
Panchayat
Office
Building.
A
few
years
ago
both
Verna
and
Nagoa
villages
had
one
combined
Panchayat
which
was
subsequently
bifurcated
into
Verna
and
Nagoa
Panchayats.
Today
besides
a
separate
Panchayat
the
village
can
boast
of
a
sub-health
centre,
full
fledged
Post
Office,
branches
of
3
Nationalised
Banks
besides
a
branch
of
Cooperative
Credit
Society
and
Verna
Cooperative
Credit
Society
for
distribution
of
grains
under
PDS.
The
first
Bank
to
open
its
Branch
at
Verna
was
Central
Bank
of
India
which
was
functioning
from
the
Church
Premises
where
presently
the
Parish
Office
is
functioning
and
which
has
since
been
shifted
to
Church
Commercial
Complex.
EDUCATIONAL
ACTIVITIES;
During
the
pre-liberation
days
Verna
had
its
own
Government
Primary
school
imparting
education
in
Portuguese
language.
The
School
was
named
Escola
PrimariaOficial
D.
CustodioPinho
de
Verna,
to
honour
the
first
Goan
Bishop
who
was
from
Verna.
The
first
English
language
school
was
started
in
late
1950’s
by
the
then
Parish
Priest
Fr.Hilario
Eduardo
de
Sousa
and
was
named
Holy
Cross
Church
Parochial
School,
Verna.
It
was
functioning
from
the
Parochial
House
premises.
After
liberation
a
full
fledged
English
medium
school
was
started
in
1963
by
the
late
Marie
Valadares
who
was
also
the
principal
of
the
School
till
she
retired
in
1986.
The
School
was
recognised
by
the
S.S.C.E
Board.
