Welcome to Ribandar

A cyber spot to know Ribandar village and Raibondkars better.

Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Holy House of Charity)

Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Holy House of Charity)

Our Lady of Ajuda (Help) Church

Our Lady of Ajuda (Help) Church

Our Lady of Ajuda Convent

Our Lady of Ajuda Convent

Ponte Conde de Linhares  (Causeway)

Ponte Conde de Linhares  (Causeway)

Our Lady of Remedios Chapel

Our Lady of Remedios Chapel

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church

Ribandar / Mandovi Landscape

Ribandar / Mandovi Landscape

About Ribandar

Ribandar village, nests in bosom of Ribandar Hills, lapped by the Mandovi River between the main city of Panjim and Old Goa in the district of Ilhas or Tiswadi and surrounded by Chimbel, Kadamba (Ribandar) Hills and Sao Pedru village. The Rio De Ourem separates it from Panjim and forms a large marshy estuary along the Mandovi. The sole causeway that links Ribandar by road to Panjim was built way back in 1633 under the reign of a Portuguese Viceroy, Count of Linhares, after whom this causeway has obtained its name. Although, administratively and judicially, Ribandar stands alone as a village, and a part of the Panaji Municipal Corporation, the religious jurisdiction has continued to include Chimbel and Sao Pedru in the Ribandar parish.

Ribandar (spelled as R(a)ibandar – to emphasize the word “Rai”) is a very historically rich place. The name Ribandar is a combination of two words “Rai Bandar” meaning “Dock of the Royalties” or King’s Harbour. During the Portuguese regime, Ribandar Ferry Jetty was the dock of the big ships that would cargo the merchandize from Portugal and other places to Goa. The merchandize would be lifted from Ribandar and later transported to Old Goa, which was a very famous center for trade during the Portuguese rule in Goa.

The village was a home to many Portuguese noblemen who found Ribandar a safe haven to establish their somewhat elite faction within the village. The heritage homes on either sides of road still bear a witness to the once-upon a time elite society that made Ribandar their home.

Heritage places

Ribandar boasts of some famous historical places as is the case with most places in Goa.
Some of the places of interest are:

  1. Igreja De Nossa Senhora de Ajuda or the Church of Our Lady of Help, which derives its significance from the fact that the body of St. Francis Xavier was given a canon salute at this church on 14th March, 1554 and is an architectural wonder, its shape resembling that of a ship.
  2. The Santa Casa de Misericordia also known as Holy House of Charity. It was also referred to as the Royal Portuguese Hospital but presently is the Goa Institute of Management. Being a heritage structure, it has not been modified under any circumstances and is known to be Asia’s first hospital.
  3. The other significant part of Ribandar’s history is the life of Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvarez who was associated with the Jacobite Orthodox Church based in Kerala or Malabar coast and was bestowed the honor of being a Bishop of the rank Mar Julious. I as Archbishop Metropolitan for the Archdiocese of Ceylon, Goa and the entire part of India. Most old Catholic bishops claim apostolic succession from him. After his death, he was buried in a Jacobite church which is still maintained by the Jacobite preists from Kerala.


Ribandar Church

The earliest chapel, built in Ribandar between 1551 and 1554, was dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and was affiliated to the ancient church of Our Lady of Livra-Febres.

The Coffin of St. Francis Xavier

The body of St. Francis Xavier was kept in Ajuda Church for one night (night camp for the undertakers). When the body of St. Francis was brought from Malaca to the City of Goa.

Chapels

The residents of Patto celebrate the Our Lady of Remedios Chapel feast on the second Saturday of February while the residents of Fondvem celebrate Infant Jesus feast at Our Lady of Ajuda Chapel.


Local School

The Bal Bharati Vidyamandir is a tenth-grade school located in Ribandar. Mr. G.V. Shetye established this secular school some 35 years ago on a part of the family property given to him by his father. The school now has a full-fledged computer facility. After some start-up problems, the school’s first computer class was held on September 1, 1977 attended by a batch of IX-standard students.

Tiatro

Ribandar village boasts of a rich heritage of staging 2-3 tiatros annually at Fondvem, Patto and Portais vaddos on the occasion of Chapel Feasts in January, February and December and occasional tiatros celebrating the Patron Saint, Our Lady of Ajuda Feast in November. The Fondvem vaddo in their annual tiatr present a traditional Opening chorus “hymn” depicting Bible scriptures. This is a spectacular presentation, until this date maintained in its original form, has people thronging from all over Goa.

Temples

Although a small village, Ribandar boasts of four Hindu temples: Ram temple at Manaswaddo, Shri Vitoba Temple at Fornavaddo, Pandurang temple at Fondvem and another temple of the same deity at Sao Pedro or Panvel.