WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024
The recent spate of newspaper articles pertaining to the repairs that need to be carried out on the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, a World Heritage Property under the custody of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) made me nostalgic and I decided to pick up my pen to jot down my perspective on the ‘preservation of the monument’.
I am an archaeologist by profession, having carried out
conservation of protected heritage properties while working for ASI for more
than three decades at different stations within the country and abroad. I served
two tenures in Goa, as site manager and officer in charge of the World
Heritage from 2003 to 2009 and 2014 to 2016. Hence I am aware of the
significance of the property as protected monument and as a
Church and its international status as a designated World
Heritage Property, as also of its intangible value, since the sacred
relics of St Francis Xavier are preserved within the Basilica and their
exposition are held every ten years. Moreover, I have made presentations of the
Basilica’s upkeep and its conservation at local, national and international
platforms.
During this period, I was asked pertinent questions, on the
status of conservation of the Basilica, the methodology adopted, funds required
for its upkeep, availability of skilled workers, plan of disaster management
and on its management module.
Having made the above statement, my mind goes back to
July 7, 2017 when I was presenting a research paper, at an International
Conference in Lisbon on ‘Preserving Transcultural Heritage: Your Way or my
Way’, the title of the paper being ‘Preserving The Exfoliated Weathered Fabric
of Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa: Approach - Approach Conflict’. Here,
while making a strong case for treatment of the exposed laterite core of
the facade and walls of the monument, I stopped midway and my mind
wandered and wondered for a few seconds as to why I am presenting this paper in
Portugal when it should be presented in India. However, the paper has been
published and is in public domain for critical review. The suggestion is for
first treatment of the exposed surface with a ‘Laterite Pack’ or replacement of
damaged portion by fresh mature laterite brick cut to size. The former
technique has been implemented at the St Augustine Complex, Old Goa and at
a Buddhist Site at Dhamnnar in Madhya Pradesh by the author and his
team. Secondly, if need be with the consent of stakeholders, the
treated surface could be covered with a sacrificial coat similar to that of
other Churches and Convents in Old Goa, ie lime plaster.
This methodology has been presented to the Panel of Experts
(POE) of ASI and has been forwarded to the Expert Committee for their approval.
For record, the Basilica was deplastered by the erstwhile Portuguese government
in Goa as a conservation policy as that prevalent in Portugal in 1950s.
Now, let us glean into what is conservation and what is the
policy of conservation in India and abroad. Conservation is an ongoing process
to retard the aging process as a result of decay/deterioration due to the
vagaries of nature and negative intervention of humankind; to prolong the life
by nurturing both natural and human made objects, with a belief that we
would preserve it in its original form as much as possible; to be transmitted
to the next generation as a historical tangible evidence of the past
events without being tampered. Further, each generation contributes their
inputs to this chain, either in the form of repairs or restoration.
Thus, the contemporary present is blessed with the sum
total of the past, which we designate as Historical Sites and Monuments.
Hence, the present generation has the obligation to protect, preserve
and manage these assets of the bygone era. Now, let us view if is it
really happening.
UNESCO’s, International Charters and Manuals on Conservation
and their policies, practices, profess preservation of these monuments and
sites for posterity. The member countries in general and India in particular,
have also been inspired to frame their own guidelines, combining the
international regulations with its own time-tested module to draft its own
Policy on Conservation, 2014. This complements the Acts of the Parliment – The
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and Amendment
and Validation Act 2010.
Making a generalisation, these documents speak volumes in theoretical framework on good practices to be adopted. However, the ground reality while implementing these concepts in the field situation appears to undergo subjective interpretation. Thus, the decision making and decision taking is inconsistent due to intervening variables. Like, varied skills of the artisans, non-availability of raw material, inappropriate technology and the most significant is the inconsistent application of mind, even though we may have followed the Conservation Manual in principle and spirit. The resultant end product, after following due process, would either be harmonious with the original structure or be completely incongruous.
Needed, roadmap for
future
The first step in preserving the Basilica is to protect the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site. This can be done by safeguarding
its significance and historical value, retaining its physical and
cultural authenticity, protecting its integrity as a single unit and
having a strong legislation and management to safeguard any negative
interventions within the property itself, which is the core area and the buffer
zone surrounding it, as spelt out in the nomination proposal.
Let us glean on the four parameters and see where
infringement has happened which could jeopardise the World Heritage Listing of
the property. Firstly, the significance is retained. Secondly, the authenticity
is sufficiently maintained since no major intervention has taken place and even
then all repairs and conservation was undertaken as per the norms using period
material and retaining the original fabric. Thirdly, integrity has been
sufficiently retained even though a de-notified national highway is bisecting
the property, which needs to be pedestrianised in the near future. Fourthly,
legislation is in place – AMASR Act 1958 and amendment 2010 – which demarcate
the area into Protected, Prohibited and Regulated areas which overlap with
the UNESCO terminology – core and buffer zones.
Further, it’s obligatory for the state party to follow the
‘Operational Guidelines’ and the status of the property is monitored
every six years through the periodical reporting undertaken by the state party
and submitted to UNESCO, though no funds are given by UNESCO for the
conservation of the World Heritage Property nor sought by the State Party. Thus
the tag is only for branding and creating awareness amongst the community on
the historical significance of the site.
Then, where is the problem and why is there so much of a hue
and cry in the papers. The answer is simple. Lack of communication between the
major stakeholders, that is owner of the property – Church Authorities –
and the custodian of the property – Archaeological Survey of India. One
refers to the structure as a ‘Church’ and other addresses the same as a
‘Monument’. To one, it is of immense spiritual value and to the other it is a
World Heritage property. So the two, as in the past years, should have sat
together and listed short term, intermediate and long term strategy for the
repairs and conservation of the assets. Agreed, there could be
shortfalls from either side, but since conservation is an ongoing process
a document – Management Plan – is mandated and state of conservation be
documented on priority to address all the conflicting issues that need to
be addressed in next five years.
Hence, let good sense prevail amongst the stakeholders and
settle the conflicting issues internally by carrying out preventive
conservation round the clock, while planning major interventions after
following due process and detailed documentation.
The way forward is to frame a functional Management Plan in
which the State government can take the lead and expedite the scheme envisaged
in 2007 by the writer and also the then Collector North Goa, Keshkamat to
formulate an ‘Old Goa World Heritage Management Authority’ similar to the
one at Hampi World Heritage Site. The final draft had been forwarded to the
State Law Ministry for vetting and notification by the competent
authority. However, it got stalled, not due to administrative will but due
to the political equations that existed at that point in time at Old Goa.
I conclude by confessing that delisting of the property by UNESO is not the immediate concern of the custodians. The property was listed in 1986 and the evaluating body, the ICOMOS even then had suggested that the property be listed as World Heritage and simultaneously be declared World Heritage in Danger, so that all the regulations of management and safeguarding of historical context and conservation can be first put in place. Now is the time to sit across the table and settle the differences amongst the stakeholders and carry out the planned and time bound conservation for the preservation of the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
(The writer is an archaeologist and has served two terms in Goa with the ASI)
