The
Curca
spring:
A
possible
ancient
Jewish
se1lement
in
Goa,
India.
by
Ivar
Fjeld
13th
of
March
2015
ivarDeld@yahoo.com
1
This
report
has
been
sent
to
the
Chief
Minister
of
Goa,
Shri
Laxmikant
Parsekar
with
c.c
to:
1.
The
Minister
of
Defense,
Shri
Manohar
Parrikar
2.
Deputy
CM
of
Goa,
Shri
Francis
D’Souza
3.
The
Governor
of
Goa
4.
The
Department
of
Tourism,
Goa
5.
The
Archeology
Survey
of
India,
Goa
Circle
6.
The
Goa
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
Industry.
7.
The
Department
of
History,
Goa
University,
prof.
PraUma
Kamat
8.
MLA,
St.Andre,
Goa,
Shri
Vishnu
Wagh,
9.
Israel
AnUquiUes
Authority,
Dr.
Gideon
Avni,
Jerusalem.
10.Hebrew
University
in
Jerusalem,
Dr.
Shalva
Weil.
11.Chairman
and
Managing
Trustee,
Mr.
Solomon
Sopher
.
Sir
Jacob
Sassoon
ChariUes
and
Allied
Trusts,
Mumbai
12.
NaUonal
Israel
Tourism
Office
Mumbai,
Mr.
Judah
Samuel.
13.
Consular
General
of
the
state
of
Israel,
Mumbai.
14.
President
and
councilor
of
Indian
Jewry,
Mr.
Albert
I
Talegawkar.
15.
Architect
Rajesh
Kenkre
in
Goa.
16.
Shavei
Israel,
Mr.
Michael
Freund,
Jerusalem.
17.
Jawaharlal
Nehru
University,
Prof.
Pius
Malekandathil.
2
This
photo
is
possibly
taken
in
1987
3
The
gallery
wall
had
collapsed
when
the
site
was
cleansed
in
2002
4
An
architect
has
made
this
drawing
5
The
pool
is
8X13
meters,
and
from
1,5
to
2
meters
deep.
With
steeps
6
The
stones
have
fallen
into
the
pool
7
The
arches
are
decorated.
The
floor
has
colored
Ules.
8
9
The
se1lement
is
more
than
3.000
M2
in
private
ownership.
10
10
reasons
why
this
can
be
a
site
of
Jewish
origin:
• 1.
The
Cairo
Geniza
documents.
• 2.
Gaspar
Da
Gama
• 3.
Not
claimed
by
Catholics,
Muslims,
nor
by
Hindus.
• 4.
The
records
of
the
onslaught
of
the
Portuguese
in
1510.
• 5.
Located
above
a
Hindu
dominated
village.
• 6.
Panoramic
view
over
city
and
harbor
of
Gopakapa1ana.
• 7.
"Haunted
land".
• 8.
The
bid
to
remove
Judaism
from
the
soil
of
Goa
• 9.
Spring,
bath,
mikveh
• 10.
A
possible
13th
century
Jewish
structure
11
1.
The
Cairo
Geniza
documents
Abraham
bin
Yiju,
(1120-‐1160
CE):
Allan
B.
Hassun
(
1116-‐1117
A.D).
“As
in
the
case
of
Yiju,
we
follow
his
story
In
Hussun
we
find
another
Jewish
from
le1ers
he
wrote
in
Hebrew
while
at
merchant,
making
commercial
voyages
Sindabur
(Goa)”.
There
are
a
total
of
70
from
Aden
to
Sindbur
(Chandrapura)
le1ers
of
Abraham
bin
Yiju
among
the
Aoer
carrying
out
trading
Geniza
Documents”.
transacUons
in
the
port
of
Sindabur,
he
proceeded
to
Munaybar
(Malabar).
Source:
Private
blogg
MariOme
India:
Trade,
Religion
and
h1ps://landokope.wikispaces.com/When
Polity
in
the
Indian
Ocean
+Asia+was+the+World
By
Pius
Malekandathil,
page
25.
h1p://historicalleys.blogspot.in/2009/12/
GlobalizaOon,
Pre
Modern
India,
another-‐jewish-‐trader-‐allan-‐bin-‐
edited
by
Nagendra
Rao
(page
159).
hassun.html
12
1.
The
Cairo
Geniza
documents
GopakapaVana
(Govapuri)
Corresponding
to
the
hecUc
trading
acUviUes
with
the
ports
of
Goa,
the
name
of
Chintabor
(Sindabur
or
Chandrapura
of
Goa)
also
entered
into
the
famous
Catalan
map
prepared
by
Majorcan
Jew
called
Abraham
Cresques
in
1375
for
the
King
Charles
V
of
France.
One
of
the
most
visible
aspect
of
this
Development
Was
the
relaUvely
high
amount
of
capital
accumulaUon
Source:
GlobalizaOon,
Pre
Modern
India,
in
Goa,
parUcularly
in
the
hands
of
the
edited
by
Nagendra
Rao
(page
159
and
sea-‐traders
and
ship-‐operators.
161).
13
Prof.
PraUma
P.
Kamat
from
Department
of
History
Goa
University,
has
quesUoned
If
ancient
Gopakapa1ana
was
a
se1lement
of
Jewish
merchants.
14
Hanjaman
of
GopakapaVana
and
anjuvannam
of
Jewish
merchants?
“Hence
one
wonders
whatever
the
hanjuman
of
Gopakapa7an,
refered
to
above,
was
in
fact
anjuvannam,
or
a
se7lement
of
Jewish
merchants.
Anjuvannam
derived
from
anjuman,
the
Persian
word
for
community
or
associaAon,
was
the
term
used
to
describe
the
Jewish
se7lement.
For
example
the
Jewish
se7lement
of
Kudungallur
or
Cranganore
was
Prof.
PraOma
P
Kamat:
“Goa,
the
trust
know
by
this
term”.
with
trade”,
published
2009,
page
99
15
On
the
Geniza
documenta0on:
“The
Goan
port
of
Sindabur
features
regularly
in
these
le7ers
of
the
Jewish
“India
traders”.
For
it
was
an
important
link
port
of
call
on
the
Aden-‐Malabar
run
in
the
early
twelMh
century”.
Prof.
PraOma
P
Kamat:
“Goa,
the
trust
with
trade”,
published
2009,
page
99
16
10
reasons
why….
3.
Not
claimed
by
Catholics,
2.
Gaspar
Da
Gama
Muslims,
nor
by
Hindus
We
know
from
the
historical
records
that
The
se1lement
is
not
claimed
by
any
of
“Gaspar
Da
Gama”
was
the
commander
the
faith
socieUes
of
Goa.
A
not
claimed
of
The
fleet
of
Adil
Shah,
and
claimed
to
ancient
se1lement
of
this
nature
and
be
the
Prime
Minister
of
"Sabaio".
Jews
size,
in
this
area,
Is
likely
to
be
land
that
were
elevated
to
high
offices
in
the
belonged
to
a
Jewish
community.
Bahamani
sultanate,
who
ruled
over
this
area
from
1469
A.D
onwards.
The
merchants
of
Goa
were
granted
autonomy
over
local
affairs.
17
10
reasons
why….
4.
The
records
of
the
onslaught
of
5.
Located
above
a
Hindu
the
Portuguese
in
1510.
A.D
dominated
village
When
Albuquerque
captured
Goa
in
The
se1lement
area
with
the
ruins
are
November
1510,
There
was
a
massive
located
at
an
20-‐30
meter
elevaUon
manslaughter
on
the
island
of
Tiswadi
above
a
Hindu
dominated
village
and
the
(Ilas
de
Goa).
7.000
men
in
support
of
Nearby
paddy
fields.
The
se1lement
is
the
Adil
Shah
regime
were
killed,
all
over
not
claimed
by
the
local
temple
trust.
No
the
taluka.
The
Curca
spring
survived
this
Religious
structure
of
Hindu
origin
is
a1ack.
Therefore
It
is
not
likely
to
be
of
found
on
the
site.
There
are
no
records
of
Religious
Muslim
origin.
All
the
local
this
site
belonging
to
any
of
the
Hindu
mosques
and
religious
shrines
of
the
kings
of
the
Kadamba
dynasty,
who
ruled
Muslims
were
destroyed
by
the
Over
the
city
of
Gopakapa1ana.
(960
A.D
Portuguese.
to
1310
A.D).
18
10
reasons
why….
6.
Panoramic
view
over
city
and
harbor
of
GopakapaVana.
7.
"Haunted
land”
From
the
se1lement
you
have
a
180
The
local
Hindus
claim
the
land
is
degree
view
of
the
Gopakapa1ana
basin,
"haunted".
Offerings
to
local
spirits
are
the
site
of
the
ancient
city
and
its
harbor.
placed
at
the
border
Line
between
the
This
must
have
been
a
rich
mans
area.
village
and
the
se1lement.
From
a
Chinese
po1ery
could
easily
be
picked
up
Biblical
perspecUve,
those
who
steel
from
the
ground
on
6th
of
March
2015.
Jewish
land
are
placed
under
a
curse.
The
Village
must
be
categorized
as
a
backward
area,
that
has
not
experienced
much
development.
19
8.
The
bid
to
remove
Judaism
from
the
soil
of
Goa
The
bid
to
remove
Judaism
from
the
soil
of
Goa
and
replace
the
Jewish
faith
with
Catholicism
is
well
documented.
There
is
no
reference
to
any
Jewish
Site
in
the
official
history
of
Goa.
This
book
was
published
by
Ivar
Fjeld,
and
released
during
the
events
of
the
Heritage
conference
weekend
in
Goa,
30th
of
January
to
2nd
of
February
2014.
www.gogoa2014.com
20
10
reasons
why….
9.
Spring,
bath,
mikveh
With
the
existence
of
valid
historical
records
of
Jewish
merchants
doing
trade
in
10.
A
possible
13th
century
Jewish
this
area,
this
site
is
likely
one
of
the
Jewish
structure
properUes.
While
studying
photos
of
the
Jewish
temple
of
Baku,
structures
and
The
Curca
spring
is
the
largest
spring
in
walls
of
Jewish
courtyards
in
the
this
area.
Jews
looking
for
a
place
to
se1le
Kingdom
of
CasUle
(Spain),
I
have
come
will
prefer
to
stay
close
to
a
spring.
Such
a
to
the
conclusion
that
the
present
locaUon
is
ideal
for
the
construcUon
of
private
mikveh's,
or
a
Mikveh
related
to
a
structure
at
Curca
Spring
possibly
can
be
local
synagogue.
of
13th
century
origin.
21
The
records
of
plans
of
restoring
the
site
22
December
1st
2002.
NEW
TOURISM
MASTER
PLAN:
Curca
spring,
Cabo
de
Rama
Fort,
Old
Goa
heritage
area,
the
bubbling
tank
of
Mahamaya
temple
in
Sanguem
and
the
Chorlem
Ghatare
some
of
the
new
potenUal
sites
idenUfied
in
the
Goa
Tourism
Master
Plan,
for
promoUon
in
future.
(GT)
23
Feature
1st
of
December
2002
24
Present
condiOon
of
the
spring
structure
Tomorrow’s
Vision
Goa
Curca
Spring
The
proposal
for
the
restoraUon
and
development
work
of
the
Curca
Spring
was
put
forth
by
the
Department
of
Tourism,
Government
of
Goa
in
2001.
Architects
Rajesh
J.
Kenkre
and
Rohan
S.
Timble
were
awarded
this
restoraUon
project.
h1p://www.echogoa.org/html/goa%20curca%20spring.htm
25
Subject:
Re:
spring
"ARCAR"
at
Curca
(Tiswadi)
a
need
for
development.
-‐
msg#001270List:
h1p://goanet.newirms.com
culture.region.india.goa
“Dear
Godfrey
Thanks
for
the
email
dated
29th
March
2003.
For
your
informaUon
Goa
Government
has
decided
to
renovate
the
spring”.
With
Kind
Regards,
Yours
sincerely,
Manohar
Parrikar
Chief
Minister
of
Goa
h1p://osdir.com/ml/culture.region.india.goa/2003-‐04/msg00127.html
26
The
Manohar
Parrikar
government
fell
on
29
January
2005
27
Villagers
pitch
for
Curca
spring's
development
• TNN
|
May
30,
2011,
04.41
AM
IST
PANAJI:
Curca
villagers
pitched
for
the
beauUficaUon
of
the
historical
Curca
spring,
staUng
it
has
been
lying
in
a
state
of
neglect
for
several
decades
due
to
failure
of
authoriUes
to
pursue
a
plan
for
its
restoraUon.
h1p://Umesofindia.indiaUmes.com/city/goa/Villagers-‐pitch-‐for-‐
Curca-‐springs-‐development/arUcleshow/8641376.cms
28
The
Chinese
po1ery
found
on
this
site
on
6
of
March
2015.
th
29
