I decided to visit a place in Goa that I haven’t been to (yes, there are still a few). Old Goa is located 10 kilometres east of the Goan capital of Panjim so it was about a 45 minute scooter ride from Arambol. Old Goa has a rich but sad history. Malaria, cholera and other diseases decimated the once glorious city...oh, and add to that a bit of Inquisition and you’ve definitely got a recipe for fun. From its peak of 200,000 inhabitants in the mid 1500s it dwindled to 1,500 in the late 1700s and it was abandoned in 1835. The capital of the region was relocated to Panjim where breakouts of disease were less frequent.
Old Goa is on the banks of the Mandovi River and I decided to start there, by the Viceroy Arch. This is probably how the majority of the residents and visitors arrived back in the city’s heyday. It was erected by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama’s grandson who himself was a viceroy so naturally there’s a small statue of his grandfather. If you recall from an early post, Vasco was a celebrated explorer but a bit of a nasty man as he cut off the ears and lips of a priest suspected to be a spy and then attached dog ears to his head!
The Viceroy Arch:
Vasco da Gama on the arch:
A ferry boat on the Mandovi River:
A hundred meters up the road known as “Rua Direita” (direct street) I found the first of four churches I would visit. It was the Church of St. Cajetan who was a contemporary of the more well known St. Francis Xavier (we’ll get to him more in a minute). St. Cajetan was known for his work in hospitals with “incurables” and being upstanding against the increasingly corrupt Roman Catholic Church. It was constructed by Italian friars and happens to be the only domed church left in Goa. The grounds outside were lovely and the church didn’t disappoint either. My guidebook told me that it was perhaps the least interesting church in the area but in the end it might have been my favourite. And I’m glad I used the guidebook as I might have missed a peculiar painting in the church. The scene has St. Cajetan lying back on some bed while he is being breastfed by an angel about 10 feet away with incredible accuracy! Very strange...
The grounds outside St. Cajetan Church:
St. Cajetan Church:
The main altar:
The “immaculate breast feeding” painting, it will be tough for you to see it but believe me, there’s a nice arcing stream of milk:
The church to myself:
I walked up to the main area where three big houses of worship are located. Number two on my church itinerary was Se Cathedral. At over 76 metres long and 55 metres wide, it’s supposedly the largest church in Asia (don’t be lying now Lonely Planet!). Construction began in 1562 but wasn’t finished until 1619 and the altars weren’t completed until 1652...90 years later...this isn’t the pyramids guys! The outside of the church looks a bit lopsided with one tall steeple on the left and I thought that that was just the design. It turns out that a lightning strike took out the right steeple in 1776 and they never rebuilt it. The remaining tower houses a bell known as “Sino de Ouro” or “Golden Bell” which is also supposedly the largest in Asia and is renowned for its rich tone, but I wasn’t too impressed. It is chilling to think that this bell rang out during the Inquisition’s trials of faith that took place here.
Se Cathedral from afar:
Now close up:
With its missing tower from a lightning strike:
Inside Se Cathedral:
The main altar:
I thought the baby doll’s dress was a bit odd:
The church bell ringing:
Right next door was the Church of St. Francis which is no longer used for worship. There was a roped off walkway that circled around the inside of the church that was adorned with many paintings and sculptures with a maritime theme. I spent all of 5 minutes in this place. Next.
Inside St. Francis Church...didn’t really take a pic of the outside:
The adjoining convent has been converted into an archaeological museum. For a whole 10 rupees (25 cents) entrance fee I decided to give it a gander. There was one cool large bronze statue of some dude but otherwise not much to note of to me. Upstairs were many paintings of former rulers which reminded me of the Dutch Palace back in Fort Kochi in Kerala.
A courtyard in the Archaeological Museum:
Out on the main grounds where three of the main churches are located:
Okay, by this point I was getting churched out but there was one more I wanted to hit: the Basilica of Bom Jesus. No, not for its name...nor the fact I would be visiting my second of only eight basilicas in India...but for the fact that it has St. Francis Xavier’s mummified body on display. I don’t know much about this guy but I do know that there’s a university in eastern Canada named after him. If he’s buried here and is known back there...this guy got around.
He was born in Spain in 1506 and he went on many spiritual missions to spread the Jesuit faith. Today it can be challenging traveling around India...I can’t imagine what it was like back then! He died of a fever on a small island on his way to China in 1552 but somehow his body ended up in Old Goa a few years later. Not sure why he’s been put in a glass coffin either but it was high up on a pedestal and you couldn’t actually see him. I guess they take him down once every ten years to parade him around on the streets, the next time being in 2014. They have to be careful though as in the past, someone bit off his little toe to keep it as a relic and his right forearm went temporarily missing too. Poor guy.
Basilica Bom Jesus:
The front of the basilica:
I love the second rule one must abide by when entering this basilica!
Inside the basilica:
The main altar...I think I’ve had enough of these for one day...
St. Francis Xavier’s resting at the top behind some glass:
A photo of a photo of the mummified saint:
After all this church business, I needed something to counterbalance it and what could be better than “Wax World”. Yes, a cheap, Indian version of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London. As my guidebook stated: “If you’re a fan of kooky representations of obscure historical figures, look no further.” I’m surprised the book said “obscure” as we did have Gandhi and Jesus in the house. Almost as good as the strange statues was the air conditioning relief inside the museum...well worth the $1 admission fee.
A roundabout with a nice Gandhi statue:
Just 100 meters away from his statue in the street, here’s Gandhi in Wax World:
Dinner Party!
The Last Supper:
And the famous scene of the manger:
After all this I was spent so I hopped back on my bike and cruised back to Arambol. A good day out sightseeing.
On the road back:
Scootering back:
Nearing Panjim:
Some “safe” electrical work going on back in Arambol. The power was turned off everywhere and every pole had a guy precariously perched doing some work.
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