Keri: Ganje, a remote village in Ponda taluka of Goa, holds the legacy of a bygone-era port that was widely used to transport goods to the ghats. Historically part of Sattari taluka, Ganje now falls under the Usgao panchayat. The village is presided over by the deities Shantadurga and Ganjeshwari.
Melaulim and Its Hamlets
In the Guleli panchayat, the village of Melaulim comprises five hamlets: Shel, Dhada, Paikul, Murmune, and Maigini. This area is inhabited by tribal communities and a non-tribal agro-horticultural population. The Melekar community, primarily engaged in agriculture and horticulture, plays a significant role in the village's socio-cultural activities.
According to Umesh Melekar from Shel-Melaulim, the Khot people who originally lived in Golaulim later settled in Melaulim. Villagers from Ganje also migrated there over time. Besides the goddess Sateri, the village worships Ganjeshwari, depicted in a standing posture.
The Historic Ganje Port
During the pre-Portuguese period, the Ganje port served as a vital link connecting the hinterland through the Mhadei river. Amey Kinjawadekar, an archaeology student, notes that after Goa's liberation, improved road connectivity led to a decline in the port's usage. The Mhadei river originates in Degao, Karnataka, and enters Goa at Cadwal in Sattari. It is known as the Mhadei until Ganje; after crossing Ganje and entering Usgao, it becomes popularly called the Mandovi.
Unique Stone Sculptures
Historian and archaeologist Vithal Mitragotri discovered three stone sculptures of Mahishasurmardini depicted in a boat. In his book Socio-cultural history of Goa (1999), Mitragotri emphasizes that no such images of Mahishasurmardini shown in a boat have been published from any other part of India, whether in terracotta, painting, bronze, or stone. Consequently, these sculptures are considered unique in Indian art history.
