A decade back, very few Goans knew that the Fontainhas
Spring also known as Fonte Phoenix had a long tunnel attached to it where the
water level would rise in the monsoons with rain water seeping through its
walls from the overlooking hills. Did you know that there is a memorial for
Prince Henry the Navigator at Campal? These are some interesting facts that
will be brought in focus for the Heritage Walk Festival.
The second edition of the festival that is curated by Goa
Heritage Action Group (GHAG) will feature heritage and nature walks beginning
today, April 1 to 16 as the festival gets grander this year. This is the third
in the series, but the second standalone festival after last year’s festival
held in April itself. Compared to last year’s 14 walks, this year, the team has
gone all out to curate 25 heritage walks all around Goa led by resource
persons, who are renowned in their chosen fields of research and experience.
There are so many stories waiting to be retold and through
this heritage walks, the right version of it will come to light, not just in
Panjim but so many other parts of the state. Every story will be told by
experts in their fields, through their lens and extensive research.
Conceptualised by Heta Pandit and Jack Sukhija of GHAG in collaboration with
the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), the walks are held with the
intention of making each participant of the festival, a proud ambassador of the
state of Goa, by educating and inspiring them to learn more about the natural,
built and oral heritage they live amidst.
The current edition of the festival is organised by Heta
Pandit, Jack Sukhija and Harihara SS from GHAG, in collaboration with GCCI with
design and communication by Shubha Pradha Somashekar, and Amrita Mohan, and
walk leaders from four walking tour companies in Goa.
Founder member of the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG) and
its vice-chairperson, Heta Pandit says, “Walking tours are the best way to
learn more about a place. Even if you see something every day there is always
something new to learn. All our heritage tours turn us into ambassadors of Goa
and Goan heritage. We’ve been conducting heritage walking tours before but this
edition is the most exciting of them all. 25 walks over 16 days! And every walk
is curated by an experienced resource person. Besides it’s not so Panjim centric.
This time we’re going to Cotigao, Colva, Margao and Vasco.”
Member of GHAG and Chairman of GCCI’s Tourism Committee,
Jack Sukhija, is happy with the initial response and bookings. “Each part of
Goa has a unique story which even the locals don’t know about living in the
same locality for years. This year, we have gone beyond Central Panjim and
there will be Cotigao Sanctuary Walk, Loutolim Heritage Walk, Life &
Legends in the village of Colva, Assagao Garden Walk, Port City Walk, Vasco,
Saligao Village Saunter and Goan Hinterland Experience, Rivona. The first
edition was excellent and many people from other cities were inspired to try to
do these heritage walks in their cities,” says Jack.
Depending on the walk, each leader, comes with a unique
perspective or understands a certain landscape through their subject of
interest. It could be plants, trees, animals, birds, monumental architecture,
domestic architecture, written history, and oral history. A member of Goa
Heritage Action Group, Pritha Sardessai, has been instrumental in curating
different events over the years. She will be conducting a night walk for this
edition. “Since this is a new edition, we have added many more walks. I am
excited about the Panjim by Night walk which I will be conducting after a very
long time on April 14 at 8 pm. All the participants will meet near the Divja
Circle and then we will head towards Patto Bridge and Old Secretary and Abbe
Faria’s statue ending the tour at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church,
Panjim,” says Pritha.
Sanjeev Sardessai is a noted historian who will be leading
the Campal Heritage Walk on April 4 at 4 pm. “There are quite priceless
artefacts in Campal which 90 percent of the people pass by every day without
realising its importance. Once you know these facts, you will be amazed. We
will be starting the walk at Francisco Luís Gomes Gardens at Campal, head to
Ponte de Portugal, Military Hospital which was a jail earlier, Prince Henry the
Navigator memorial, Kala Academy, Forest Department, Cannon of Banastari, Light
House, Pergola, Old Goa Medical College, Ponte de Minerva and back to the
starting point. It is absolutrley amazing to see the participation of
youngsters for these walks which shows a positive future for heritage in Goa,”
concludes Sanjeev.
