Portugal-based Prof Walter Rossa doesn’t need an introduction to Goa. He has been visiting the state for over three decades and has seen the state evolve in different forms. From a researcher to now a visiting lecturer at the Goa University, his lectures are even richer in content. A professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, Department of Architecture will deliver a course for students of Goa and the general public at Goa University from July 4 to 11 on the ‘Heritage(s) of Portuguese Influence: Insights on the Indian Ocean shores’ from 2.30 pm to 5 pm. The lecture is organised by GU’S Directorate of Visiting Research professor programme under the JH Cunha Rivara Chair in Indo-Portuguese Comparative Studies and Portuguese and Lusophone Studies. The course is divided into six sessions and will be held on July 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11. The course will focus on topics such as specificity of the heritage of Portuguese influence, European cultural matrixes on an Atlantic Mediterranean periphery, Catholic architecture, Goa’s Hindu architecture and the dawn of Goa’s identity.
Prof Walter Rossa is professor at the Department of Architecture, and researcher at the Centre for the History of Society and Culture of the University of Coimbra. He also holds the UNESCO Chair in Intercultural Dialogue in Heritages of Portuguese Influence.
Speaking about the course in Goa, Prof Walter explains, “The course is always the same but different aspects are added to each course, heritage of Portuguese influence in Indian Ocean with the focus on Goa. It is where the Portuguese influence is absolutely seen and does not matter whether it is strong or not. It matters that it exists. The Hindu influence in Goa is bigger than the Portuguese one, so we cannot dismiss the Hindu influences and of course, they are relevant. This year, there is a session that will be given by a PhD student from Delhi whose PhD was focused on the ‘Hindu Temples of Goa’ and its relation with Portuguese architecture. We also have Hindu influence in the Catholic architecture. My point of view is always seeing the cultural interchanges between both cultures and those from the Mughal Empire. The idea is to see heritage as a meeting point for diverse cultures.”
Prof Walter first presented this course in 2013, returning to Goa in 2018, 2019, 2022 and now 2023. He adds, “The focus of my course is to discuss Goan identity from Portuguese perspective but also from the post-colonial theoretical approach. My theoretical frame of post-colonial where many Hindu scholars have a relevant role in establishing the way of change in that post colonial lens.”
Even though Prof Walter comes across a new batch of student every academic year, he finds each batch fantastic and diverse. “I have very young people who are studying different courses in the university as well as some colleagues also who are professors at the university and I have people from the civil society. I once had a judge from the Tribunal Court in Goa and one priest too was a student. I learn more than I teach. I update the course as I show and discuss what I learnt in the previous year. They engage and put forward their views and problems and sometimes they don’t agree with my point of view but we discuss it and is always enriching for most part,” he says.
Interestingly, this year, Nirmal Kulkarni will be joining Prof Walter on the lecture on Hindu Temples. “When it comes to Hindu temples, I am not a specialist and I speak on only things I know. Nirmal Kulkarni is a person who knows a lot about the subject and I include his knowledge in the course as well. Nirmal is my PhD student and he will be joining me for one of the sessions,” he says.
Being away from the state, Prof Walter still keeps in touch with the daily happenings including those, which will affect Portuguese heritage in Goa. “From a foreign perspective and in the long term I don’t see it as a good thing. I have my opinions but I never give my opinions on how Indians or Goans can damage their heritage. It is a local issue and I bring my knowledge to this course at the University. I have been always welcomed. If I am not welcomed, then I won’t return. That is up to Goans and Indians and not with me.”
On the contrary, there are many books being written on Portuguese influence in Goa. “It is good to hear that there are new books on the subject coming out and it cannot be refused that there is a Portuguese influence in Goa and it is irrefutable that Portuguese has influences from many places including Goa and India and we have good things and bad things too. I am very sensitive to the history of the freedom fighters too and I acknowledge it quite well. I think that after 60 years of Goa’s liberation, discussing the power of Portugal over Goa is not even a question. The huge question is how Goans and Indians want to deal with that part of the heritage. As I am not an Indian, I leave it up to the Goans and Indians but it will be difficult to erase completely the Portuguese influence in Goa,” he adds.
He further elaborates, “One of my exercises when I arrive in Goa is to go to the library and ask what new books are out and it’s interesting that many things are published every year. Somehow, many of them are repeated from what have been published before, including old photos, maps and drawings but some Goan historians bring new approaches, which is very welcome. One of the things I am trying to follow is the Goan diaspora.”
Prof Walter has been visiting Goa since 1994 and in 1997, he invited the Principal of the Goa College of Architecture, Panjim, Dr Ashish Rege, to deliver a lecture in Portugal. As a regular visitor to Goa since the 1990s, he has seen a huge change to the landscape of Goa. “There is a lot of development and there is an improvement in the living conditions of the population and that is the main issue. The most important heritage are people and there is no heritage, if there is no recognition. I feel that Goans recognise that. I have seen heritage buildings in Goa are better conserved with the contribution of many institutions but many from the Indian government. Tourism is always one of the biggest discussions in international forums, right from UNESCO to the local authorities. Tourism is a huge problem we have to deal with globally and in Goa, it is massive and can be destructive too, because not only they do not know how to behave in certain places but they jeopardise heritage sites too. This is common to all heritages sites in the world and we are discussing this in depth because my university is also a heritage site. I think the change is for better because of the very simple reason of the way people now live compared to the time I came to India for the very first time.
He further explains the reason to discard the usage of the term Indo-Portuguese. “Indo-Portuguese is an expression that I don’t use. For me, Indo-Portuguese is something that doesn’t exist. It is a concept that we must dismiss from the history of architecture and the history of culture. The way I see things, Goan architecture is different from architecture of Portuguese influence that can be seen in Sri Lanka or Daman or the Northern Province. Each place has its own architecture with influences and I work in places where there are Portuguese influences but it is not Portuguese heritage. It is all Goan architecture so it is Goan heritage,” he explains.
Besides the time he spends at the Goa University with the students, Prof Walter looks forward to his visits to Goa. “I like to enjoy with my friends in Goa. The last time I was in Goa, I had a motorbike and I used to travel to various places including paddy fields. I was interacting with people, trying to understand what they feel is heritage and what it means to them. It is a very interesting interaction. In fact, when I come to Goa I would love to talk to people I know and people I just met,” concludes Prof Walter who made journeyed to Varanasi before arriving in Goa.