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THE PORTAlS WALK
This is an idea wa1k that you through a mix of
Goa’s Hindu and Catholic houses in a journey
through Panjim’s historic past.
A good starting point for this walk would be
at the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier in Portais,
Panaji. The little wooden statuette in the niche
in the front façade is probably borrowed
from a smaller altar inside. The Saint lived between
1506 and 1552, the last ten years of which he
spent pioneering extraordinary missions in the
East. Responsible for masterminding Christian
evangelism in India, Malacca, China and Japan,
he was the first missionary to turn local caste
system, languages and perceptions to advantage.
The Feast of the Saint falls each year on 3rd
December and a big fair is held in the grounds
of the Basilica de Bom Jesu, Old Goa, where the
mortal remains of his body are placed. Attend
the Mass that is celebrated during the Feast if
only to feel the reverberating effect of the Saint’s
sway over both Christians and Hindus.
The North-South axis of this capela is something
of a curiosity. Most chapels and churches in Goa
face the East or the West. When they faced the
East, the rays of the setting sun from the West
showed off glass windows behind naves to full
advantage. When they faced the West, it allowed
streaming rays of the setting sun to bathe the
nave in a soft, mellow light. Faceless concrete
blocks that pass off as residential buildings
today sadly surround the Chapel, dedicated to
Goa’s patron saint and divine benefactor.
Leave the Chapel to the left and walk into portais,
where a lovely mix of Hindu and Catholic houses
awaits you. The walk takes you to the two natural
springs at the end of the road and to the famous
Fontainhas or Latin Quarter. There is a sense
of mystery in this walk. You never know what to
expect each time the road turns! The first house
that a merit a look is a while house on the right
as you enter the street. Admire its cast -iron
railings which appear to be carved in filigree
work. Corbels, reminiscent of church pulpits,
support the first floor balcony. There is a well
in the Front garden and the finials on the posts
supporting the cast -iron fencing are also an
obvious borrowing from a Christian religious building.
Take a look at the old jackfruit tree in the compound.
The jackfruit bears its bolster-shaped fruit in
May-June with the fruit hanging precariously on
the trunk of the tree. An unkempt boungainvillea
in virgin white forms a bower in the South and
before you move on, take a look at the mullions
that Form a ‘V’ on the French windows
on the upper floor.
As you move on, do not miss the striking indigo-blue
house on the left. Take a look at the layers of
country tiles on the roof that give the house
its soft, moulded look. The verandah railings
in turned wood are the obvious work of a Goan
master craftsman. As you walk on ahead, be sure
to look at the masterpiece on the left at the
top of the supped street. Panaji is the only city
in India that has stepped streets. This is probably
a hangover from its Portuguese days. Set high
above the hill, its numerous steps, wooden balusters
and perforated stone balustrades give this house
poise and distinction. The perforated laterite
balustrade has an interesting resemblance to a
compound wall giving this fenceless house an illusion
of being within a compound.
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