What is "quepem"

Quepem is a town with a municipal council in South Goa district in the Indian state of Goa. The town is the administrative capital for the Quepem taluka. The town was established by a Portuguese noble man Deão Jose Paulo, the dean (Deão) of the church in 1787 after he moved there just 5 years after the conquest of Qupem taluka by the Portuguese. He built his famous Palácio do Deão, followed by a public market, hospital, Church and other facilities for the benefit of the iinhabitants through his own expense. He was later awarded the unofficial title of Barão de Quepem by the then viceroy D. Manuel Francisco Zacarias de Portugal e Castro. Curchorem and Sanvordem are the major towns located near the Quepem town.