SANTOSH NAIK
While the rest of the State celebrated Liberation Day with pomp and fervour, a deep sense of pain and resentment gripped the locals of Dharban dora as they highlighted the shocking neglect of a historic site in Vadamal Bhandol, Kir lapal-Dabal Panchayat. The site, an old Portu guese-era house, once served as a vital nerve centre for the underground resistance move ment. Cloaked by dense forests, the house was used by freedom fighters to hide from coloni al authorities and as a secret hub to relay strategic messages across the State. Legendary figures such as Ramakrishna Sahakari (alias Dada Bhat), Jagannath Patil, and Shamba Tilve operated from this location, coordinat ing efforts for the liberation struggle. Most significant ly, it is the site where free dom fighter Dulba Parwar attained martyrdom after being shot dead by a Portu guese officer. In the years following Liber ation, the structure was repur posed as a primary school
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However, over decades of administrative apathy, the historic house has been abandoned and left to rot. Today, the front portion of the building has already collapsed, and the remainder of the site is in a state of ruin. Marking Liberation Day with a visit to the dilapidated site, local resident Pratap Sawant Desai, along with other villagers, demanded the immediate construction of a me morial. “It is a matter of great regret that the government has not yet taken note of the immense contributions made by local freedom fighters. This is a site where DulbaParwar gave his life. A memorial is essential so that future genera tions know the history of this struggle,” locals said. Locals pointed out that the land belongs to the Kirlapal Panchayat. Former sarpanch Ashok Patil had reportedly made repeated efforts over a decade ago, petitioning the government to build a memorial at the site, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. They have urged the government to take concrete ac tion to preserve the crumbling walls that once shielded the architects of Goa’s freedom.
