Needless to say, apart from being a hot tourist destination, Goa is also filled with
places that have immense heritage value. World Heritage Day offers the
opportunity to raise public awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage
and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as to
draw attention to its vulnerability. The day is celebrated with an aim of
educating people about protection, preservation and propagation of world
heritage sites as these are invaluable assets for humankind. But is enough
being done to protect the heritage sites, some of which are World Heritage
Sites, in Goa?
While talking about protecting heritage
sites, awareness and maintenance usually hog the limelight. But there’s much
more that needs to be done to tackle the issue at its root. Architect Ketak
Nachinolkar, who specialises in restoration, says, “Protection of heritage
sites should be a continuous process that evolves and is reviewed at regular
time intervals. The maintenance of structures is one part of it, but the larger
part is education. Sensitising people about the context of the heritage site,
including it in local syllabi and making people aware of the heritage in their
backyard and neighbourhood… all of it is necessary. People need to know what
their heritage is. Their sense of belongingness and pride needs to be awakened.
They need to be made to realise that they are a part of this. Then, other
things will fall in place.”
A self-confessed student of history,
popularly known as a person who possesses deep knowledge about the history of
Goa, Sanjeev Sardessai believes that ‘Goan heritage’ as we know it, is merely
ten per cent of what Goa actually possesses. Sardessai says, “The actual
heritage of Goa lies around us. But our education system and the most illogical
policy makers have kept Goans away from the Goan land. At no point from nursery
up to college are the younger generation brought in contact with the richness
that is Goa. Today, if you want the heritage to be kept safe then the new
generation should be shown where that heritage is.”
Nachinolkar feels that in order to
preserve the tangible heritage, the focus has to go beyond a particular
monument. He says, “People need to be educated about the context and the
setting of the monument. The contextual reference to these monuments in its
entirety needs to be given to the people.”
Sardessai also believes that along with
the tangible heritage, the intangible heritage needs to be preserved, too. He
says, “If a visitor to the state asks a Goan about what souvenir to take home
from Goa, we mostly hear about the cashew nuts, feni and Bebinca. Is Goa
represented by only these three things? Goans do not know about their own food
and culture. This needs to change.”
Protecting heritage
and heritage sites of Goa is certainly not a task of one, but an activity that
needs active
participation from the people of Goa. We all need to come together to preserve
these sites so that our future generations can also enjoy their legacy. Perhaps
the most important way to celebrate World Heritage Day is to search out those
locations near you that count as World Heritage Sites, and pay them a visit.
Before doing so, research the site and find out what steps are needed to
protect it, and respect them during your visit. Don’t let an important site
disappear from the world – do your part on World Heritage Day to raise
awareness and preserve it for future generations.
