Notes on a visit to the Goa Chitra Museum in Benaulim--April 2009 http://www.goachitra.com/index.html St. John the Baptist church road, Mondo-Waddo, Benaulim, Salcete Goa - 403716 India Relationships are formed, things fall apart and yet others come together. While not many were watching a small museum has come up in Benaulim. A couple of people have written about it, but it needs more publicity and better analysis of what has happened, promises to happen, as well as what the trove that is its collection will allow individuals of all persuasions; the scholar, museum goer and the Goan who visits it.
Although relatively compact in terms of space, it manages to do justice to its staggering collection by exhibiting an eclectic ten percent of its holdings. The collection comprises of castaways from about 300 houses across Goa. Its an ethnographers delight and also for us who exist in our temporality. The entire collection is in the vicinity of, I believe 40,000 objects, which makes one wonder if this number is a mistake since it is hard to take in. I say this having seen many museums of individual collectors around the world. The holdings of the Goa Chitra Museum is the collection of one individual--its creator Victor Hugo Gomes Coteto. http://www.goachitra.com/collections.html The entrance to the museum is through a set of doors which formerly graced the Chapel of Padre Jose Vaz (at Sancoale, I would think). That indeed is a touch enough to light one up with embarrassment at how such things come to pass. Did the doors decide to fly to Benaulim? Perhaps two of the seraphs brought them over on that rare break from singing praises? Certainly, Metatron and Jahoel. Jokes aside, the loss of one place of worship, is the gain of Goa Chitra Museum in Benaulim. The spell is cast upon taking that first step over the umbro (threshold), and Victor Hugo takes over. Victor Hugo is quite unassuming; intermittently sparking agitation that lights as a subtext to his consciousness. What possessed an individual barely in his twenties to walk with purpose collecting objects unique to life Goan--works of Goan aesthetic and furthermore ethic. Where would one have the opportunity to see over fourteen types of ploughs alone, designed for various soil types and to be used at specific times and situations. In seeing those ploughs, measures, or musical instruments, essentially what comes to mind is that one is seeing the Goan community through time as it faces "eternity." Victor Hugo has sought the names of the implement's by painstakingly (normal for scholars, btw) cross-referencing various dictionaries, compiling his own as well as meeting Goans from across Goa. In any case it's a lot of work. His training in restoration/conservation surely helped him see things that are no longer within the purview of most Goans. The objects are displayed in a simple but welcoming setting. They range from ploughs, measuring containers, grinding stones, grinding mills, jewellers tools, a unique cane juicer/crusher too (whose angular teeth chiseled on the curve is admirable and a high order of technological thinking), jars, antique rain wear, fabric, and more. The museum is only one piece of the multi-faceted life of Victor Hugo and his lovely wife. The entire estate is a self-sustaining system--his home, farming without synthetic fertilizer, pits for composting, and vermiculture, water purification plant, other holistic activities--all pointing to a balanced lifestyle . The workers appear to be a contended band, and that cannot be faked; their faces are focused and content in their labor: a work force comprising of Manipuris guarding the estate, a family from Karnataka, another family from a Northern state, a Sikh poet hammering and chiseling with the forbearance of a craftsman, a young girl who does not give anything away while serving you a glass of something cold. She is elegant and of sweet accord, something one sees only rarely. There is community here. There is a leader, and those who work for him have been allowed to maintain their dignity. This is not a public, which indecisive politicians are only too happy to see as a congeries of little people. These individuals have minds. I believe they are also insured. To maintain this collection and keep it accessible would cost around 3 lakhs rupees, a month. This includes but is not limited to security, tagging, close-circuit cameras and so on. Basically, this is not an excessive amount considering what is at stake. Victor Hugo wants to keep admission free but Goa Chitra Museum accepts contributions. He is adamant that this is for the children in Goa, and when he says, he seems to holds himself in check for fear of getting teary-eyed. That is a sign of passion, of inwardness, and perhaps a lot of reflection about Goa and its future--its children. I feel that business houses and politicians could and should provide money with no strings attached. By that I mean no name of say Mr & Mrs Money Bags' khapar panjoba or aaji or prodigal dead scions on the museum, nor any control however well intentioned by bureaucrats for that matter. He does not need a "philanthropic ogre" (expounded by Octavio Paz). Do it because Goa matters. I feel that others could help by offering a range of ideas from designing books, cards, picture books, even pickles perhaps, etc., etc., to web services--I mean individuals and collectives who knows what they are doing including designing databases linked to clouds with well thought out information architecture, that can bring up comparative objects along with relevant information. When local or overseas Goans plan their Goa trips, it would be a good thing to set aside some time to take in just that little bit of Goan ethnography in Benaulim on each trip. Then one's own arrow would make its mark from Benaulim into the world--wherever that leads you. venantius j pinto +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NB: Thanks Reena (Martins) for pointing me in VHGCs direction. Another Coteto is our very own Helga do Rosario Gomes. ..