THE FONTAINHAS
WALK
This walk takes you through the aesthetic beauty
of Panaji and exposes you to its multi-cultural
identity.
Begin this walk at the Peoples’ High School,
established in 1936. Your first stop should be
in the direction of the yellow house with a sign
on the front door saying B. CORREA. Look up at
the wooden railings on the first floor with their
white floral motifs. One should remember that
each floral motif would have seven (and not eight)
petals as seven is considered the ideologically
auspicious number in Goa. Do take a look at its
moulded roof as you head towards the building
that houses the office of the Delegate, Fundacao
Oriente. This is the office of a cultural institution
based in Lisbon with activities spanning publication
of books, music concerts art exhibitions and architectural
conservation. Drop in and see if there are any
on-going programmes that you might like to attend.
Passes are usually available on request.
The ubiquitous Goan baker’s man or pudin
whizzes past the Fundacao Oriente building exactly
ten minutes to four in the afternoon. Catch him
(if you can!) for some freshly baked Goan bread.
Turn to your right for a clear view of the Anganwadi
(Project Services Scheme, lntergrated Child Development)
building. The eavesboards of this charming brick
red house are in mint condition. The pattern on
the front facade is definitely worth a second
look, Laterite is a different stone to carve as
it crumbles under the mallet. An ingenious Goan
craftsman has allowed the laterite blocks on this
front facade to project in such as way so as to
give it a patterned look.
Opposite the Anganwadi is the Seventh Day Adventist
English School. The cast iron railings here have
been set on high floorboards. Take a look at the
single window that faces the North. It is perched
on corbels that are reminiscent of pulpit in a
church. Further, past a few examples of fine heritage
buildings lies the oasis of Fontainhas, the Panjim
Inn. Stop and have a cup of chai here or enjoy
a leisurely lunch on the upper floor verandah.
Meet with the owners of the Inn and ask to be
taken to see the Panjim Poussada where the same
owners have refurbished an old Hindu house (notice
the courtyard), filled it with period furniture
and made it into a heritage hotel.
Further up, Maureen Lodge and Afonso Guest house
have both been charmingly refurbished, keeping
conservation in mind. Take a left to face the
beautiful chapel of St. Sebastian. Even a cynic
would not miss the sense of drama at the St. Sebastian
Chapel Square. Records say that the original chapel
vas located at a site opposite the present chapel
and was dated 1818. What compelling reason necessitated
the relocation of the chapel to the present site
in 1888 is unknown. It could have been for directional
reasons. Most chapel and churches in Goa are made
to face the West. This is so that the ray of the
evening sun would fall on the nave or alter to
heighten one’s emotions at prayer. This
chapel has both historic and architectural value
in addition to its locational advantage. It dominates
a neighbourhood square and is an exquisite example
of Goan Baroque. The Chapel has three doors at
the base to accommodate two side aisles. The facade
narrows in width at the nave on the upper storey
which is then capped with the belfry. Once inside,
you will feel (and rightly so) that the chapel
is over-filled with retables, heavy Baroque furniture
and elaborately carved wooden columns. Apparently,
when the old City of Goa fell, the statue of Our
Lady of Good Counsel from the Chapel of the High
Court there was moved to this spot. Notice the
delicately crafted barrister’s portfolio
and scales in the hands of this image of Our Lady.
She was meant to inspire the advocacy of justice
during the repressive days of the Goan Inquisition.
The three heavily ornamented alcoves containing
statues of saints from a much larger church in
the Portuguese Colony at Diu in Gujarat and the
huge Crucifix has come from the Palace of the
Inquisition. It is believed that when the Inquisition
was suppressed in 1812, the Crucifix was brought
to a small chapel in the Viceroy’s Palace
and when this chapel was also closed in l918,
it was housed here. Apart from its historic significance,
what is of interest is that unlike on most other
crucifixes, the figure of Christ has the head
raised and eyes open.
Afonso Guest House has some very basic accommodation
available for tourists at reasonable prices. You
could occupy these if only for a view from your
window of the beautiful camel foot tree (bauhinia)
at the entrance of the house. Admire the flowering
hibiscus on the street, the Indian almond tree
on the side of the street and the ornamental plants
in pots on the pavement.
If you are interested in the evolution of the
Goan balcao you might want to visit Maureen Lodge.
You enter this building through a bulky masonry
gateway once popular in pre-Portuguese Goa. These
high walls and bulky gateways reiterated principles
of privacy and gender seclusion for the Hindu
and Muslim women of those times. Once in take
a look at the stone sealing on either side of
the portico. Called a sopa in Konkani, this is
believed to be a precursor of the Goan balcao.
Now take a right turn off the chapel of St. Sebastian
for a real treat. The house on your left was where
Goa’s most famous bibliographer, the late
Alexio Manuel Costa lived. Once a local landmark
in yellow ochre, it has recently been given an
indigo wash. Take a look at this little square
with its shrine and courtyard well. But for an
incongruous addition, you could be in provincial
Europe!
Walk further to Park lane Lodge, another heritage
hotel. Notice its high pitched roof over the entrance
and the beautiful garden that offset the eavesboards.
Further up is Dr. Saldanha’s Clinic with
its pointed arches, high moulded roof, plinth
and quoin. Take a look at the guava trees across
the street from the Clinic and the little shrine
of Our Lady in a niche in a wall corner. The Carlos
Xavier House next door sports beautifully crafted
wooden railings that may have been hi, inspired
by cast iron originals. Now walk back, retracing
your steps and keeping the chapel to your right
until you get to a lovely little tile gallery
next to Panjim Inn. Enjoy the afternoon breezes
as they waft through Velha Goa Galeria (Open 10
a.m. - 1 p.m., 3.30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Sundays
Closed). The gallery displays handpainted tiles
in varying size. Replicas of the Portuguese azulejos,
these tiles are designed in Portugal and manufactured
in Southern Goa. Designs vary from traditional
motifs to reproductions of drawings done by Mario
de Miranda, India’s best known cartoonist.
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