PANDAVA BHUIYAR, Consua

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A pair of tiny, man-made rock chambers (note 1), rather cells, which are said to be sacred to naga (mythical serpent) and which are reputed to be the home of a king cobra (no snake whatsoever was seen on 25th January 2007 but considered to stay inside by local residents), are excavated from the south-west side of a solitary, irregularly cone-shaped outcrop of laterite (some 3 m wide and high). SITUATION 1: Item 24, is located Margao Consua, in Marmugao taluka, and 14 km from the taluk headquarters (CAVES IN GOA 2002). SITUATION 2: In a garden area in the outskirts of the wide-spread village of Consua, which lies at travelling distances of about 2 to 4 km approximately north-west of Verna (N15°21': E073°55'), which itself lies about 10 km along the road approximately north of Margao (N15°18': E073°57') and via Cortolim (N15°23': E073°53' on the south bank of the Rachol River) about 20 km short of (south from) Panjim (Panaji 15°29': 73°50'E). CAVE DESCRIPTION: Of the lef (north-west) chamber (niche?) only the south-west facing outside of an about 1 m wide and 1.7 m high rectangular entrance is visible as it had been infilled or walled off with mud (now decaying during rains). The tiny right (south-east) chamber, again facing south-west, is fully accessible. An about 0.6 m wide and 1.7 m high rectangular entrance gives access to a circa one square metre large cell, which is empty except for a small bench measuring 1 m in with by 30 cm in depth. The bench, possibly intended to place an idol or statue, is just big enough to seat one or two persons but far too small for somebody grown up to lie down. CULTURAL HISTORY: Apart from the excavated cells the laterite outcrop is devoid of artistic features. Decaying religious paraphernalia, however, indicate that the site is occasionally used as a Hindu cult spot: Suspended in the air there was on 25th January 2007 a string of dust dry Tagetes flower heads scorched by the sun and accompanied by a formerly saffrn coloured flag, then bleaching at the top end of a leaning rod and deploring former glory, while burnt incence sticks and one discarded and empty oil lamp without soot or wick littered the floor in front of the entrance. In January 2007 there were several multiple storied houses under construction in the area and a communicative neighbour kindly explained that it were mostly Muslims who invested here and now. Until recently, the sacred spot and its vicinity had been the private property of a Hindu who sold the land, including the little cult spot, in spite of his protesting community adverse to the sale. Soon after the owner had sold his land, it was learnt that he died at Bombay (far from home). This unexpected dying of an old man is now interpreted as the revenge of the annoyed god at home here. Needless to say that the sulking Hindu god's bad temper has a considerable negative effect on the property prices in the area.n coloured flag, then bleaching at the top end of a leaning rod and deploring former glory, while burnt incence sticks and one discarded and empty oil lamp without soot or wick littered the floor in front of the entrance. In January 2007 there were several multiple storied houses under construction in the area and a communicative neighbour kindly explained that it were mostly Muslims who invested here and now. Until recently, the sacred spot and its vicinity had been the private property of a Hindu who sold the land, including the little cult spot, in spite of his protesting community adverse to the sale. Soon after the owner had sold his land, it was learnt that he died at Bombay (far from home). This unexpected dying of an old man is now interpreted as the revenge of the annoyed god at home here. Needless to say that the sulking Hindu god's bad temper has a considerable negative effect on the property prices in the area.