About us

The CÂMARA MUNICIPAL DE PONDA. It was built between 1885 and 1896 and was probably the headquarters of "Administração das Matas" and the house of it's direct.

Ponda formed part of the Novas Conquistas or the "New Conquests" of the Portuguese. It was ruled by the Sonde Rajas under the Vijaynagar Kingdom or the Bijapur Sultanate. Not under Portuguese rule in the 16th Century, the territory of Ponda was seen as a safe haven by Hindus fleeing persecution by the Jesuits and Portuguese.

Later Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered it from Bijapur Sultanate in 1675. It remained in the hands of Marathas till 1764. Saundekar raja was the vassal of Maratha Chatrapati who ruled this territory.

The forests of Ponda were ideal places for Hindus to form makeshift temples with the idols they had salvaged from the broken temples of Sashti (Salcette). These makeshift temples were slowly renovated as the Hindus gained prosperity. Now, most of the major Hindu temples in Goa are found here. The Portuguese eventually took over the area in 1791 from the Raja of Sonda along with Quepem, Canacona and Sanguem. It began as an administrative center with the establishment of administrative offices and court, and soon became a commercial center. Most of the area known as Ponda today was a part of "Quela" (Kavalem) village. However religious zeal of the Portuguese had ebbed by the 18th century and Portugal itself had seen many political and religious changes due to the prevailing inquisition. Therefore, Ponda continued to have a Hindu majority even during the Portuguese rule. Ponda was known as Antruz during Portuguese rule.