| THE
MARGAO WALK
Give the concrete structure on our left a slip
and move towards the traditional Goan house that
has a rather curious sign. TROPICAL GENTS TAILORS.
Prop Paul Fernandes. Probably specializing in
linen and gabardine suits, in the days when wearing
a suit was mandatory or all government employees,
this 19th century gem today boasts of ornamented
pillars that support its roof.
You are now looking at some of the finest houses
in Margao. You can choose to either go straight
up on Abade Faria Road or take a left turn where
the sign says COMBA on Custodio Pinto Road that
is the old market of the town. If you choose to
go to Comba, then try and do this walk in the
early hours of the evening. You will see ladies
on their seats or sopas dehucking rice or simply
taking a breather. This is what some architectural
historians call the Hindu Quarter. It is said
that these strips of land were allotted Hindu
families in the 19th century to lure them back
exile after they fled religious persecution. Since
the only pieces of land that were available in
the town were these long strips, the houses that
came up on these are also long and made up of
narrow corridors. As it often happens, the shape
and size of the land available dictated the spatial
pattern of the house.
If you decide to stay with the Abade Faria Road,
a however, you are in for a few architectural
and historical treats. Take a look at the aquamarine
blue and white house to your left. Once a private
house, this building is now the headquarter of
a business enterprise. In terms of architectural
value, 4I8 Abade Faria Road is a prestigious address
indeed. The restored house is also a fine example
of what private enterprise and business can do
for Goan architecture. Admire the building for
its mother-of-pearl shell windows, wooden railings
that hang over individual balconies and mouldings
under the roof. The balcao and balcao seats are
typically Goan. Conservation architect Raya Shankhwalkar
believes that the origins of the balcao lie in
the sopa. Look at the pitched roof over the balcao
that some say is a borrowed feature. The open
plot across the street offsets its architectural
opulence. Bamboo, teak, jackfruit and peltophorum
trees vie for a spot in the sun, in the monsoons,
through a cloud-filtered sky, this little patch
takes on the hues of an emerald.
Number 417, Abade Faria Road us its own delights
on offer. Ornamented window in deep brown stand
out against the brick red wash of the building
Small balconies on the first floor sport finely
crafted wooden railings. Look at the designs on
these railings and then compare these with the
patterns on those crafted in cast iron elsewhere
on your walk. You will see that the origins of
the cast iron patterns lie somewhere in the handcrafted
wooden ones. A moulded roofline and indigenously
crafted laterite columns complete the imagery
of this fine single storied house.
Now take a look at the indigo and green house
across the street. Set on a high plinth, this
single storied house shows off its fanlight windows
to advantage. House No. 416 on the same road is
an architectural treasure trove. Painted in a
vignette gray and green, this is undoubtedly a
masterpiece from the repertoire of Goan domestic
architecture. Admire its filigreed brackets and
patterned timber supports that hold the verandah
roof together and its extraordinary eavesboard.
A bottlebrush tree and an old frangipani grace
the frontage in the garden. Circular patterns
in stencils cover the walls so perfectly that
they could be mistaken for wallpaper. The house
may be a “bit over the top” for some
people but for a lover of Goan architecture, it
is sheer delight.
House No. 415/414 is another source of architectural
curiosity. Notice how the upper floor verandah
runs in a continuous strip supported by corbels.
Four-leafed clovers decorate the windows on the
ground floor and a rather lively version of the
Kadamba porcupine motif graces the capitals of
the Columns at the entrance.
A small house, 69 Abade Faria Road, is another
modest treasure chest crammed with architectural
features. Take a look at the timber railing in
chocolate brown with floral motifs outlined in
creamy white. The eavesboards are faint reminders
of the betel leaf, a traditional Indian symbol
of hospitality. The betel nut and the betel leaf
from Goa, one must remember, were symbols of Goan
hospitality long before the first Europeans arrived
here. “Let us to Goa and sample its betel”
was a hint dropped for the benefit of merchants
and traders all along the Malabar Coast in the
14th and 15th centuries.
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