There is an interesting tale associated with the origin of the name ‘Verna’, which is the Portuguese corruption of ‘Varunapuri’, literally meaning city of the Sea God.
Varuna means God of the Sea and Puri means city. Other than River Sal in the north-east, there is no sea nearby, hence, the other interpretation of the genesis of its name could be true.
A romantic story, it tells of a boy named Vishnu who fell in love with a girl called Aruna. For some reason, the lovers were killed by the village folk, and their bodies were set ablaze. It is believed that Aruna was later born in the form of a flowering plant, and it is from her that the village derived its name – Varunapuri.
Aruna means dawn and just as dawn signifies freshness, Verna with its many springs and tanks was known for its cool and refreshing climate. Even the Portuguese nicknamed the village ‘Terra de Frescura’ (Land of Coolness).
