Margao: With the waters receding, the submerged Kurdi village in Sanguem has resurfaced once again, drawing numerous visitors eager to explore the ruins of a settlement that went underwater over three decades ago. Kurdi reappears each year for a couple of months preceding the monsoon, and the natives of this lost village have now organized two events to mark the annual reunion.
Annual Festivities at Kurdi
The annual Shree Someshwar Utsav at Kurdi will be held on May 24, featuring a pooja at 10 am, followed by bhajan and mahaprasad in the afternoon. Additionally, the annual feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel at Kurdi will take place on May 31.
History of Submergence
Kurdi village went underwater after being submerged by the reservoir of the Selaulim irrigation project. Once known for its rich produce of cashew, jackfruit, mangoes, bananas, and coconuts, the village now reveals its past as the waters recede. The relics include a centuries-old Someshwar temple, remnants of a Ganesh temple, ruins of a high school, and vestiges of the entire submerged village. An RCC building that once housed a police outpost, a grocery shop, and a teashop is another landmark bearing telltale marks of the village's history.
Cultural Significance
Hindustani classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar, mother of the legendary Kishori Amonkar, hailed from Kurdi. The ruins of her house near the Someshwar temple can still be seen. After a brief reappearance, Kurdi goes underwater once again when the monsoon sets in.
