MONUMENT VISIT REPORT

 MONUMENT VISIT REPORT

Introduction

India is a blessed country representing the amalgam of different cultures and traditions. The enormous ancient monuments and their tremendous beauty are the pride of our nation. They give us a clear picture of ancient India. The major point that attracts our attention is the way these monuments are designed. It is difficult to put always our eyes from seeing them either we see them in real or in books.

What are Historical Monuments?

Historical monuments as the name itself suggest refers to the monuments that were built during ancient times. These monuments are blessed with infinite beauty and legacy. They remind us about our rich Indian culture and heritage. Their amazing beauty of sculpture and art attracts people from different parts of India and the world. These monuments are the cultural heritage of the nation and therefore they are well protected and maintained by the government.

Historical monuments mark great significance in the history of India. These monuments are the reservoirs of our age-old tradition and culture. They give a clear picture of the ancient rulers and their dynasties. Some places of historical significance have different types of paintings and carvings. These carving and pictures give information about the people of the olden times and their way of living. People visit these places for enjoying the earnest beauty of these monuments and apart from this they also get various information related to the history of the nation.

Visit to Fort Aguada

There are different programs broadcasted on television that give us knowledge about our great cultural heritage and historical monuments. I was very curious to visit the places in reality.

Our college organized a four day study tour to Goa. The trip began on 7^th April from Thiruvanthapuram Central Railway station. We arrived in Goa on 8^th April. During the tour we visited Anjuna Beach, Vagator Beach, Aguada fort, Basilica of Bom Jesus Church, Se Cathedral Church and Colva Beach. The tour was a small recreation as well as informative too.

We reached Aguada Fort on 9^th April, morning around 11. We got our passes and entered the fort. The scenic view of the fort was very fascinating. The entire fort was built using lateritic soil bricks with a white lighthouse in a height. During our visit some sort of construction work was going which indicated an upcoming event to be organized there. Details of monuments regarding its history, ground plan and construction were displayed on boards around the monument.

AGUADA FORT

The word “Aguada” means freshwater in the Portuguese language. Fort Aguada, in Goa, was built by the Portuguese who started its construction in 1609 CE and completed it by 1612 CE. It is strategically located at the confluence of the Mandovi river and the Arabian Sea on the Malabar coast in India. It is considered to be one of the most impenetrable forts of the region.

• History

 Most of the land routes to India were under the monopoly of the Arabs who acted as intermediaries for all trade between India and Europe. It was the Portuguese traveller Vasco Da Gama who discovered a direct sea route to India in 1498 CE. Through the 16th and 17th centuries, the Portuguese presence in India was contested by the Marathas. Soon, other colonial powers such as the Dutch arrived in the subcontinent as well. Fort Aguada was built to defend against the Maratha and Dutch invaders who competed with the Portuguese for trade and territorial control in the Indian subcontinent. In 1604 CE, the Dutch Armada attacked the Mandovi river. The Reis Magos Fort, Gaspar Dias Fort and the Cabo Fort, which had already been established by the Portuguese to ward off the local invaders, proved to be ineffective against the foreign powers. Though the Dutch were eventually defeated, it was at the cost of several Portuguese ships. Two years later, the Dutch again caused disruptions by blocking the mouth of the Mandovi river, thereby closing the harbour for the movement of all ships.

It was during the reign of the Catholic King Dom Filippe of Portugal that the construction of Fort Aguada began in Goa. On site, its construction was monitored by Viceroy Ruy Tavara. The Portuguese employed Italian military architects to build an impenetrable fort in their own indigenous style.

• Fort

Laterite stones, which were locally available in Goa, were used for the construction of this structure. The broad layout of the fort traces the natural terrain by the sea and uses it to its advantage. It is built on two levels- a platform on the sea level and a formidable citadel that sits at the highest point of the hill. At the sea level, there also exist barracks, prisons, storage rooms for gunpowder, living quarters and a chapel. The fort complex was bound by thick walls which contained crenels for cannons at regular intervals. The outermost fortifications can still be found in patches by the riverside. This fort was equipped for defense against attacks from both the sea and the land. The citadel of the fort was laid out in a square shape with heavily guarded bastions constructed on three corners. These bastions were protected with the help of thick walls and dry moats. The fourth corner held the main gate of the citadel which opened out to a steep decline to the river. This gate could be accessed by a very narrow pathway and was blocked by iron spiked doors. The upper citadel at one point in time could use about 200 cannons in total, making it a formidable structure.

Aguada Lighthouse

 The Aguada fort has a tall four-storied lighthouse, built in 1864 CE that guided the ships safely into the harbour. It is one of the oldest lighthouses of its kind in the whole of Asia. This lighthouse initially used oil lamps to emit its beacon of light across the sea. We can also find a copper plate dedicated to Viceroy Ruy Tavara and the architects of the fort in this lighthouse. While this lighthouse is no longer open to the public, another built much later, in the 20th century, closer to the edge of the cliff, is open for visits. This lighthouse is called the “Aguada Lighthouse”.

·        Chapel

Another interesting structure in the fort was the chapel dedicated to “Our Lady of Good Voyage”, where the incoming ships would anchor and restock before setting out for further voyages. The title “Our Lady of Good Voyage” was used to denote the Virgin Mary and it is said to have originated amongst the seafaring communities of Portugal.

·        Aguada Jail

Connecting the citadel and the anchorage on the lower level are parallel defensive walls. On the lower level, we find the famous “Mae de Agua” or “Mother of Water”- an incredibly large freshwater spring. This site is closed for visitors as it was used as a prison till recently. In 2015, its inmates were moved to the Colvale jail and the site was to be developed into a tourist and heritage site. A prominent statue stands in front of the prison gates. It depicts a man cradling a child and a woman breaking out of chains symbolising the freedom struggle of Goa. Behind them is the national emblem of India, the Ashokan Pillar.

 

Visit to Basilica of Bom Jesus Church

After our visit to Aguada Fort we moved towards our next destination which was Basilica of Bom Jesus Church. The church had an attractive architect work. We entered the church and the interior was covered mostly in gold plating. To the right of altar, at a height, we saw the remains of St. Francis Xavier. Later we saw many paintings and historic stuffs displayed on the way to exit.

Basilica of Bom Jesus Church

Basilica of Bom Jesus is a famous Roman Catholic located in Goa. It is one of the famous ancient Churches of the country and it is recognized as a heritage site by UNESCO. The Basilica of Bom Jesus was built in 1605 AD. The Basilica is home to the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier and is a monument typical of the classic forms of architecture introduced by the Society of Jesus, otherwise known as the Jesuits. It is the only church in Old Goa that is not plastered on the outside. The design in itself is simple, but the floor is laid with the finest marble, and was inlaid with precious stones. The retable of the main altar exhibits a huge statue of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder (along with St. Francis Xavier who was a founding member) of the Society of Jesus and below it, a small image of Bom Jesus (Child Jesus), the patron of the church. On the southern side of the transept lies the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier. This chapel has carved and gilded columns and wood-carved floral decorations. This is where the relics of the saint are kept. The Basilica also contains a modern art gallery with paintings depicting various Biblical scenes. 

·              History

The history of Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa goes back to the 16th century when Portugal was ruled by King D. Joao III. The present church, with its unique pyramidal roof and a belfry of five storeys, dates back to the 17th century, during the terms with Archbishop Alexio Noronha.

Archaeologists found a number of relics including great artistic value such as crosiers, patens, chalices and crosses during the excavation of this church in 1540. The findings testify Portuguese conquest over Goa. However, they were later put on display in a special section of the museum which was inaugurated by the Archbishop on 8th December 1987.

The first Church of Bom Jesus was built by the Franciscans in 1595 and, as a mark of gratitude for their safe arrival at Goa, they inscribed a sentence on a stone tablet over the entrance gate. “A Devoçao De Nossa Senhora Da Saude E A Arvore Da Vida Novo Mundo,” meaning built in the year 1535, to the devotion of our lady of health and for life in a new world. The inscription incidentally is still present on the façade of the west door.

In 1604, the Archbishop of Goa initiated plans for a larger church. When the foundations of the new church were being dug, some beautiful pieces of 9th-century sculpture were unearthed and kept deposited in the Archeological Museum at Old Goa.

·              Architecture of Basilica De Bom Jesus

The basilica is built in red-laterite stone façade with a mixture of Doric and Corinthian architectural style. This ancient church’s floor is made of marble and is decorated with precious stones inlaid in it. The predominant element of this church is the glided golden altar and the rest of the church is intentionally kept simple. The statue of Ignatius of Loyola (friend of Xavier and co-founder of Society of Jesus) is sculptured in an upward posture of awe. The church has three levels. It has one main altar, two chapels, and a sacristy.

Once you enter the basilica, you will walk towards the St. Anthony altar. To the left, you will find an exquisite carved wood statue of St. Xavier. To the middle, on the wall, you will find the cenotaph of Dom Mascarenhas, The Captain of Cochin. Right opposite to the cenotaph, you will find a wall with carvings of three sides of Jesus. To the bottom of this pulpit, you will find carvings of 7 figures. Beyond this, you will find the art gallery.

At the far end of this nave, you will find the main altar and two decorated small altars for Our Lady of Hope and St. Michael. The main altar holds a large gazing statue of St. Ignatius Loyola. To the southern side, you will find a beautiful chapel with wooden flora decorations and twisted columns. This chapel holds the relics of Xavier. You can also find paintings of the life of Xavier on the walls of this chapel. Right next to the chapel, you will find many portraits of various saints, a vaulted wooden door and others.

 

·        The body of St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier died on 3rd December 1552, on the Chinese island of Shangchuan, at the age of 46.

Before his final resting place in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in 1624, his body was buried in three different countries. Each time the body was exhumed, it was found to be fresh and incorrupt.

St Francis was regarded as a saint during his lifetime, and was canonized in 1662. The body, having resisted extensive decay, is now in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, where it was placed into a silver casket on December 2, 1637.

The vestments of the saint, the coffin where is lays, the casket that hold the coffin and the tomb where his relics rest having also undergone changes over the years. Numerous miraculous healings have been recorded and verified on many occasions

 

 

Conclusion

It was a very beautiful experience to visit this popular historical monument. The memories of the beauty and uniqueness of this monument are still alive in my mind.

Even today, hundreds of years after the construction of Aguada Fort, it is not difficult to comprehend the strategic importance of this structure and its historical development over the years.

Basilica of Bom Jesus is a must visit place in Goa. This Church holds various historic relevance and is the oldest Church in India. The UNESCO World Heritage Monument is worth Watching.