Loutolim

A lively village in Salcete lingering majestically in minds of the people and in maps, is hailed as one of the best village in Goa. Its beautiful,scenic surroundings, cool breeze, green hills and blue rivers is joy forever. The river Zuari flows along one side of Loutolim and it is surrounded by the villages of Verna, Raia, Camorlim, Borim and Quellossim-Cortalim. Loutolim village has produced great men in the form of doctors, advocates, artists, engineers, scientists, priests etc. some of whom have stepped out of their village to make a mark in life earning laurels for themselves and for their village.
Legend has it that Goud Saraswat Brahmins founded the settlement of Loutolim when they came to Goa from northern India. The word Loutolim arising from Lovótollem, is coined from a combination of the words Tollem (pond in Konkani) and a grass, Lovó, found growing in plenty around the pond. The village community was based around the temple of Shree Ramnathi. There were other smaller temples dedicated to Shree Santeri (Shanta durga) in the village. The Jesuits undertook the task of Christianization of Salsette and in 1567 A.D. The captain of Fort Rachol ordered the burning and destruction of all the temples in the village. Many gaunkars who wanted to preserve their culture and Hindu religion fled to safer grounds in the Sonde Raja territories across the Zuari river with their idols, most famously the Idol of shree Ramnathi in what was later known as the novas conquistas (new conquests). Most of those who chose to remain behind had to become Christian. The Saviour of the world Church was built in Loutolim to look after the spiritual needs of the neo-Christians. Unlike other towns in Salcette and Bardez, where churches were built over the demolished temples, in Loutolim, the plot of land where the old Ramnathi temple stood remained vacant due to some opposition amongst the lotlikars. A new temple of Shree Ramnathi was built recently at this spot. The original idol of Shree Ramnathi (see picture) now stands in an 18th century temple of Indo-Portuguese architecture in Bandivade, Ponda, Goa.
Today, Loutolim has a mixed population of Hindus and Christians, many of them of Saraswat lineage.