The village that appears once a year

The village lies between the two mountains, and the BBC reports that it was once a prosperous and fertile area of about 3 thousand people.

In 1985 it ceased to exist for the construction of the first dam of the state.

Each year, however, in May, water lowers its level, and in this period old residents meet there. The eroded earth, the ruins of houses and religious structures, the water - filled channels, are what create the sight of the extinct village.

Hindus, Muslims, and Christians lived together. It had a central temple and some small ones, a church and a Muslim mosque. The village was also the birthplace of a prominent local classic singer, Mogubai Kurdikar.

But everything has changed since Goa's release from the Portuguese in 1961. The first secretary, Dayand Bandodkar, visited the village, informing residents of the construction of the first dam, telling them that this work would benefit the entire West Goa.

The plan was ambitious: The dam built would provide about 400 million gallons [400 million L] of drinking water for various uses for the Western Goa residents.

More than 600 families were forced to move to nearby villages, where land and compensation were given. When the village appears in May, Christian and Hindu communities join the former country, organizing annual religious festivals. /Tch/