SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: In yet another valuable find, broken pieces of yet another statue were found meters away from previous Paulistas statue sculpture.
The sculpture was found on the footpath between Barberia International and Matruchaya lodge, near the Hindu Pharmacy, Panjim. Archaeology officials were present to monitor the work in anticipation of more such antique findings.
The repeated occurrence of antique findings in Panjim during Smart City digging work has unveiled the rich heritage of the old city of Panjim and its ancient treasures.
“We have been careful in digging since we found the Paulista sculpture on April 30. We are on the lookout to find if something like that can be found here. When I was supervising we found a piece with carving. We found other pieces with carving. You can see them here. Only after we dig further, we will know if there are more pieces,” Dipika Bhomkar, Exploration Officer, Department of Archives and Archaeology, said.
Asked what the department was doing about the Paulista sculpture found on April 30, she said, “It is kept in the department and we will clean it and see. The sculpture relates to Paulists of St Paul’s College. They were missionaries. The previous sculpture relates to Paulists. It dates back roughly to the 17th Century. We have kept it in the department and we will study it. Similar sculptures are in Siridao village. This also looks like a similar sculpture. Once we clear it, we will be able to find out.”
When questioned whether more such sculpture could be found, Bhomkar said, “Only after we clear this we will come to know. Only after we open this we will find out.” Asked whether Smart City officials had informed them about the previous find, Bhomkar said, “The message went viral that there was a find. So we came here. Since a sculpture was found, we are now supervising this area. If we find something, this is a heritage. We have to protect and preserve it. We will be closely supervising the excavation work, to see if we find anything more, so that it is not damaged.”
Associate Professor of History Prajal Sakhardande said, “I have just been informed about the pieces of yet another sculpture that has been found. I have seen the previous sculpture while being unloaded at the Directorate of Archaeology. When I saw the video, I immediately thought it matches the Paulist missionary sculptures at Siridao. The beard, the crown, the musical instrument, the dog and the waist cloth are all similar and exactly match the Siridao sculpture.”
Explaining further Sakhardande said, “Who were the Paulists? Paulists were missionaries during the Portuguese rule and were part of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and graduated from the College of St Paul at Old Goa. So then Panjim became the capital in 1843. From the stone it can be made out that it is not of the Kadamba era. But one cannot rule out findings from the Kadamba era since Kadambas also ruled over Panjim.”
“There is no inscription on this sculpture, but it matches with the Siridao sculptures. Tiswadi was under the Paulists and the Dominicans and the sculpture matches with the Paulists. They must have erected a structure at the place since it is close to the Panjim church and the workers found the sculpture. I saw the sculpture at the Archaeology department and I’m convinced that it is of the Paulists,” he said.
“I have not seen the fresh pieces excavated, but since it is at the same place, it may have some connection with the previous find. There may be much more things in Panjim. So they have to be careful while digging,” Sakhardande said.
O Heraldo in its May 1 edition highlighted that a sculpture bearing the features of what experts believe to be a Paulistas sculpture had been unearthed, during the Smart City digging work near Hindu Pharmacy, in Panjim. This find was similar to the Paulistas sculpture found in Siridao.
