Margao

Margao is the second largest city by population, and the commercial and cultural capital of the Indian state of Goa. It is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district.EtymologyMargão is the Portuguese spelling with Madugão being used in Konkani. It was called Madgaon in Marathi. It is derived from the Sanskrit Maṭhagrām which means a village growing towards the east. In Ravanphond, now a suburb of Margao, there are shrines of Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath. The abode of Nath medicants was called a Matha (Monastery). Madagao was called Mathagrama on account of Vaishnavite Math belonging to Dvaita sect which was founded in the latter 15th century and shifted to Partagali after the establishment of the Portuguese power.HistoryMargão in pre-Portuguese times was one of the important settlements in Salcete and known as Matha Grama (the village of Mathas) as it was a temple town with nine Mathas in temple schools. Its replacement in 1579 was destroyed by raiders along with the seminary that had been built alongside it. The present church was built in 1675.