The island of Divar (derived from the word Dipavati or 'small Island' in Konkani) lies in the Mandovi river in the Indian state of Goa.
It is located approximately upriver 10 km (6 mi) from Panjim. The Island is connected to Old Goa on the south-east side, Ribandar, on the south-west side and Narve on the north side, all by ferry. A launch also connects Divar to the city of Panjim from further north-west, in the island-village of Vanxim. The Konkan Railway passes through the village and the nearest stop to the village is the train station at Carambolim.
The drive to the village is scenic, with paddy fields and wooded hills lacing the roadway, very typical of the Goan countryside.
nitially, there were three Communidades in Divar : Piedade, São Matias (now Malar), Goathias. The Piedade Communidade was later sub-divided into two, Goltim and Navelim. According to legend, the original inhabitants of this island were people who once lived in Old Goa but had to desert during a disastrous pestilence that heavily decimated the population of Old Goa.
Spread at the bottom of a small forested hillock, Piedade, is a small typical Goan village. The Church of Our Lady of Compassion sits on top of this hillock overlooking the horizon. From the top of the hill, superb panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including the meandering Mandovi river and Old Goa can be seen. Well maintained, elegant Portuguese villas can be seen dotting the island. The famous Bonderam festival is celebrated in Divar, on the fourth Saturday of August during the monsoon with great fanfare and attended by thousands of tourists and locals. In recent years, the inflow of non-Goans has changed the demographics, skyline and landscape of the village(s).
Malar:
Another typical Goan village, São Matias (now Malar) lies close to the island-village of Vanxim; which also part of the Malar Panchayat. The Konkan Railway passes through Malar, the nearest stop on the mainland is the train station at Carambolim. Ferry Connection from Narva to Narva- Bicholim, also Ferry Connection from the Island to Old Goa, and Ribander. The São Mathias Church was built by the Portuguese over 400 years ago. The St Mathias Sports Club is situated on the main road of the village. The locals here tend to have their own identity from the rest of the island. They celebrate Bonderam in the more traditional way with absolutely no floats.
The Island of Divar was a famous site of Hindu pilgrimage and hosted the ancient temples of Shree Saptakoteshwar, Shree Ganesh and Shree Dwarkeshwar besides others. Many were destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th century in their drive for the Christianization of Goa.
The Current Cemetery near Church at hilltop once housed Ganesh Temple which was razed by the Portuguese and the Hindus had to take the Ganesh Idol and rehabilitate it in village of Khandola near Marcel. The ancient site of Hindu pilgrimage is called Porne Tirth (Old pilgrim spot-in Konkani) even today. Rui Gomes Pereira in his book Goan temples and deities writes, " The original temple (Of Shree Saptakoteshwar) was constructed in the 12th century by the kings of Kadamba Dynasty. Shree Saptakoteshwar was the patron Deity of the Kadambas. The temple was destroyed by the sultan of the Deccan in the middle of the 14th century and reconstructed at the same locality by Madhav Mantri of Vijaynagara at the close of the same century. It was again destroyed by the Portuguese in 1540."
Prior to its destruction, the temple used to attract more than thirty thousand Hindu pilgrims from Goa itself during its annual procession. The Saptakoteshwar idol was shifted to Narve in Bicholim after the destruction of the temple by the Portuguese. The present temple in Narve, Bicholim was rebuilt by Shivaji Raje Bhonsale a Great Maratha leader.(Raje Shivaji initiated the reconstruction and re-establishing the deity at present place. The orders were carried out by Temple "vishwastha" shri Shivram Desai)
A Jesuit priest Fr Francisco Sousa documented the religious importance of "Divar" in his book Oriente Conquistado (Conquest of the orient) around the latter quarter of the 16th or early 17th century. Fr. Sousa testifies that "Divar was as much venerated by the Hindu Brahmins as the Holy land by us, on account of a temple of many indulgences and pilgrimages..." Rui Gomes Pereira details further stating, "The linga of the temple, made of five metals - gold, silver, copper, iron and bronze" was later relocated in Bicholim. And on the foundations of the same temple a prayer and catechism house was constructed in 1563,
According to Dr Olivinho J F Gomes, Professor of Konkani, Divar was one of the first places the Portuguese ventured to convert locals to Christianity, targeting primarily the Hindu Brahmin caste, thus creating the Roman Catholic Brahmin community.
The original inhabitants of this island were people who once lived in Old Goa but had to leave during a disastrous plague that greatly reduced the population of Old Goa.
The Church of Our Lady of Compassion is located in the village of Piedade; which though small, is one of the island's largest villages, that has great panoramic views. The church which was designed by a Goan priest is known to be the first Christian structure erected here and is a charismatic building dating from the early 1700s.
The Our Lady of Compassion church atop a hill is situated at the site of an ancient Hindu temple which is believed to have been destroyed in the late 15th century by the Muslims. Masonry of this temple seen by Albuquerque from his ship in 1515 when he returned to Goa for the last time was incorporated into the church.
To the south side of the church of Our Lady of Compassion one can see a remnant of the illustrious Kadamba era. One will also come across a chapel enclosed in a tiny walled cemetery which is known to have been converted from the former Hindu shrine. The Ganesh temple was earlier housed here and after being razed by the Portuguese the deity was later shifted to its present site at Candola.
The fragment of ornate stone tracery that can be seen in the window is known to have been carved in about the same time as the foundation of the Shiva (Mahadev) temple of Tambdi Surla. Also the carving and painted plaster decoration on the ceiling is thought to be original
