04 Dec 2021  |   05:39am IST

A future for the past: A case for conserving Goa’s heritage

A future for the past: A case for conserving Goa’s heritage

Anish Esteves

Over the past few years, on myriad visits to Goa, one of the things that have struck me the most is its enchanting beautiful houses and heritage buildings. For a 'Bomoicar' like me, nothing has been as intriguing as Goa's sprawling houses that are a relic of its rich tapestried past. 

As Goa completes 60 years of liberation from Portuguese rule, one of the foremost challenges lies in conserving and restoring its heritage. Goa, having been a Portuguese colony for more than four centuries, there is a strong influence of Portuguese architecture all over this former Portuguese enclave. Just like its people, Goa's houses too are steeped in folklore, myths, and stories. Each of them has a different story to tell; they narrate the passage of History. They hold many secrets and tell you the story of how people lived, how they worked, and what it meant to them to be Goan. They are a witness to the laughter, tears, fears, music, and quarrels, long after its inhabitants have gone.

With its elegant balcao, oyster shell windows (also called carepas), Mangalore tiles roofing, and elegant facades, coupled with groves of mango, casuarina, and cashew trees surrounding them, Goa's houses have a distinct charm of their own. They are an aesthetic world in themselves. These Goan houses were built by master craftsmen and masons who toiled day and night to produce the kind of houses that lasted for generations. Many houses have been built by families who have dominated diverse fields from Medicine to Law, and from Politics to Religion. Take the case of the centuries-old Figuereido House situated in sleepy Loutolim, built by the illustrious Figuereido family which has given birth to numerous lawyers, politicians, and diplomats. Said to be older than the Taj Mahal, the house boasts of treasure troves from the colonial past.

With the onset of liberation in 1961 and subsequently the implementation of the Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1964, there was a sea change in the way landlords dealt with their tenants. It was a matter of the land no longer bringing in the money. Thereafter, many landlords struggled to maintain their rambling houses, with many selling off precious heirlooms and pieces of antique furniture to pay the astronomical repair costs. Many of these grand houses have been abandoned for decades and have become a shadow of their past splendour. With little help from the government, these buildings have become more associated with vandalism and trespassing. Many beautiful houses have fallen into disrepair and would require a huge amount of work, for them to be restored to their past glory. Some of these houses have been emptied of their precious contents by marauding antique dealers. 

There are many other reasons why Goa is losing her houses very rapidly. One, there is the cost element in maintaining these old structures. There is a shortage of experienced hands to refurbish the wooden doors and windows, repair the trusses of the roof and even remove and refit the roof tiles before the onset of the yearly monsoon. Two, in many families, there are a plethora of heirs to just one house. In this case, the families think it is better to dispose of the house and distribute the money among the relatives. Many houses have also become the subject of protracted court battles -- with families having been ripped apart because some of its members want to grab a 'larger portion' of the family estate. Three, the Politician -- real estate mafia. The real estate boom is threatening to affect the heritage structures across Goa. Dubbed as 'Portuguese houses' by real estate upstarts on the prowl from the Delhi-NCR region, these houses are rapidly changing hands these days. The politicians in connivance with the real estate mafia are out to destroy Goa’s heritage. 

So, how can Goa's precious houses be preserved? There are many ways in which Goans can maintain these slices of history. One, the adaptation of old houses as boutiques or guest houses. Many, like Panjim Inn, for example, a former residence has been converted into homestays. Two, there is also a need to grade and map all the heritage structures in the State. A robust discussion on how to have a sound architectural policy to preserve these structures is the need of the hour. Three, funding is another aspect that needs to be looked into. Families owning heritage houses need to get adequate funds and concessions, so that maintenance of their properties is easier. 

Goa's most enduring legacy is its Indo- Portuguese architecture scattered all across the state. These houses need to withstand the vagaries of time. Says Maria Inês Figueira, director of Fundação Oriente’s delegation in India that collaborates in conservation and restoration projects of public heritage structures, “The future of Goa's heritage houses will be for their owners to decide. Their uniqueness in the subcontinent panorama makes these buildings valuable not only commercially but in terms of collective identity as well. It's up to Goans and the State authorities to decide their fate.” One hopes that whatever is left of Goa's heritage houses is preserved so that future generations can witness a peek into its beautiful architecture and learn about its history. 

Reclaiming our heritage is important, lest we lose it forever.

(Anish Esteves is a student of Mass Media and Journalism based in Mumbai. He tweets @AEthejourno.)


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