Welcome! While you are here, get to know about the Raia Panchayat and the Raia village.
About This Website
This is the official website of the Village Panchayat of Raia (V. P. Raia / Raia Panchayat).
About Raia Panchayat
The Raia Panchayat is the functional institution of grassroots governance for the village of Raia located in the Salcete taluka of South-Goa district of the state of Goa in India.
The office of Raia Panchayat is located on the first floor of the Panchayat Ghar building, next to the Church of Our Lady of Snow.
About Raia Village
Raia (Rai) is a scenic village on the outskirts of Margao in Salcete Taluka in South Goa District of Goa State, India. It is located six kilometres east from the district headquarters of Margao and 35 kilometres from the State capital Panaji.
According to former Indian Union minister Eduardo Faleiro, Raia “derives its name from Agni Mukha Roy, one of the earlier Kadamba kings who established his headquarters in this village.” Faleiro cites Fr. Jorge Sequeira to suggest that, in the past, the village was known variously as Rayanagara, Rajapur and Rayapur, and with the decline of the Kadamba dynasty it became known simply as Raya and then Raia.
The earlier ruling empire of the Kadambas are believed to have brought the deity of Kamakshi to the village, the temple of which was destroyed during Portuguese rule, with the deity being shifted across the river to Rai Shiroda, a locality on the other bank of the river beyond the then Portuguese territory.
Raia was the first village in Salcette to have been Christianised, when its populace was converted en masse to Christianity in 1560.
Raikars (villagers of Raia) are known as wag (tigers). Raia hosts a harvest feast, locally called the Konsache Fest in Konkani, which is celebrated on 5 August every year.[9] The feast Mass is celebrated at Our Lady of Snows Church, Raia.
You can read more about Raia here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raia,_Goa