Pedrito Fernandes and his family from Quepem have gifted an important piece of the Goan mining history that is a unique 1040’s tipping wheelbarrow to Goa Chitra Museum, Benaulim. As informed by the Victor Hugo Gomes, Curator of Goa Chitra Museum it is a new addition to their museum, a priceless Wheelbarrow (Hattgaddo in Konkani and Carrinho de mao in Portuguese) that was used during the Portuguese era in the Goan mining industry.
“We are forever indebted to our patrons and families in Goa who entrust us with their priceless objects as custodians of Goa’s heritage at Goa Chitra Museum”, he stated. He said that this 1940’s hand cart is not only important because of its age and purpose but also because of its easy tipping mechanism. It has a box-type platform (Kas) of 38” x 30” x 12” Size which could carry 1 ton of iron ore at a time. This open box can be raised by pulling a single liver at its front end, thus enabling a load to be discharged easily.
“This hand-propelled vehicle used for carrying loads has two wheels and is guided by a single person using two handles at the rear. It has a fixed-latch manual locking and unlocking system for the rear door or flap (Fadk) for tipping. Another unique feature of this cart is that it has three hooks attached to the body so that the cart could be lifted to weigh the contents before loading into bigger vehicles or the entire loaded cart could be lifted from the mining pit and then rolled to the dumping site”, he stated. Victor said that the Wheelbarrow is restored to its original and usable condition and proudly displayed in the Goa Chakra Museum; a museum of wheels dedicated to the ancient modes of transport.
