Team Herald
MARGAO: Noted Historian Prajal Sakhardande has made a fervent plea to preserve and protect the remnants of the old Kadamba Fort that is existing at Cotta in Chandor, which he said, is the most historical place in Goa being its first capital.
Delivering a talk on “Heritage of Chandor: The first capital of Goa”, he said that Chandor was known as Chandra Aura at that time, was the first capital of the Bhoj dynasty in the 4th to 6th Century as indicated by three copper plates existing in Shiroda whereby King Devrai Bhoj gave a land grant to some priests.
He said the name Chandra Aura later changed to Chandreshwar and then to Chandranath and finally was known as Chandrapur and explained why the names changed and said that during the Portuguese regime who changed the name to Chandor the village lay silent and dormant.
However, following an article written by Maria Ermelinda Stuart Gomes on Chandor after touring the village in 1920, a noted architect and historian began excavation in Cotta where the headless Nandi Bull and the plinth of a temple which was declared to be constructed during the Kadamba rule was discovered.
Subsequently, in 1947 the Archaeological Survey of India undertook an excavation where plinth of another temple was found along with red bricks that were used in the monuments constructed during the era of the Shatvahans.
He said that remnants of the first fort constructed by the Kadambas still exist in Cotta area though it is broken into parts. “The mud walls that had come up next to the stone walls still exist though it is being damaged now,” he said pointing out that the fort stones have long been taken away.
Admitting that people who damaged the fort may not have known its significance, he appealed to the villagers present to now at least protect and preserve the mud wall that is existing and clearly indicates that a fort was existing there earlier.
The programme was organized by Ganv Bhavancho Ekvott had over 75 people including a large number of youngsters who attended the little over one hour long talk.
