Some of the early writers call Bandra a
town. John Fryer who visited Bandra in 1675 writes : "The town
is large and houses tiled; it is called Bandura…. It is also called a
village. Fr. Gomes Vaz, writing in 1576 says : "Bandra
is a very fine village". This large village was comprised of
more than 20 hamlets or 'pakhadis'. Today each of these is popularly
called a village but technically they are hamlets.
Incredibly, in 1548, when it was a flourishing town in Salsette, Bandra
was gifted to a Portuguese, Antonio Passoa, 'for meritorious service' to the
ruling Portuguese. After his death and that of his widow, it was passed on to
the Portuguese Jesuits in 1568. The Jesuits had a small hermitage on the hill
overlooking Mahim Creek, but resided in the Bandra fort. After the capture of
Bassein by the Marathas in May 1739, the Portuguese also surrendered Salsette
and Bandra. On 1st January 1775, the island of Salsette and Bandra was added to
the British domain.
From the church registers, other records and gravestones we
know the names of the extant and extinct hamlets.
The following hamlets (pakhadias) existing during the
Portuguese period - ending May 1739) may be mentioned:
i)
Chuim (Chuem) cultivators
ii)
Candely - cultivators - extinct
after 1732 - near Chuim
iii)
Rajan (Rajana) - cultivators -
Port. Rajana
iv)
Sherly(Xelalim) - cultivators -
Port. Sellaly
v)
Malla (Mallan) - culltivators -
Port. Mallem
vi)
Palli (Pall) - cultivators - Port.
Pallem
vii)
Parvar - cultivators - extinct after
1853 - between Dr. Ambedkar Road and Khar Gymkhana
viii)
Old Kantwadi ( Kantavari) -
cultivators - Port. Horta de Santo Andre - N.B. New Kantwadi comes into
existence in 1817- likewise hamlet of cultivator
ix)
Ranwar –(Ranuar) cultivators - Port. Ranoar
x)
Boran - cultivators - Port.
Dandacavar
xi)
Tank - cultivators - Port. Tanque
xii)
Patarvar - cultivators - extinct
after 1817- north of St. Joseph Convent.
xiii)
Santa Cruz - toddy-tappers and
cultivators
xiv)
Khar - Bois and
"cavoqueiros" - Port. Salgado
xv)
Cumbarvara - Bois and potters - near
Khar
xvi)
Catirvara - Bois - near Khar
xvii)
Povoacao - Portuguese and their
household staff - D’Monte Street extending to the old Slaughter House site.
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