[Goanet] Books on Goan Houses
I wanted to read up on Goan architecture. Unfortunately when they were in print I didn't buy books about Goan houses as at the time they were a bit expensive and I didn't have enough money at the time. However fortunately for me my neighbour from Moira Leroy Veloso who collects books about Goa did buy some important ones so I borrowed a few from him. I'll write about the books I borrowed before delving into what I own myself. One of the more authoritative ones was Houses of Goa. It was first published by the architect Gerard da Cunha and Architects Anonymous in 1999. The book went into a second edition in 2000 and a third edition in 2006. Its text was written by Hera Pandit and Annabel Mascarenhas and the photographs are done by Ashok Koshy. The book has a foreword by Gerard da Cunha. Wtiting about Goan houses inevitably forces the writer to delve into history, for houses are the product of one's times. This is something which Houses of Goa richlh acknowledges as it explains how and why Goans built houses in the way they did over the ages. For instance the authors throw up the concept of the 'inward looking' traditional Hindu houses as compared with the post conversion 'outward looking' Christian houses. The old Hindu houses were ones where the women were to be shielded away from the eyes of outsiders. Hence while they had a lot of space indoors in the form of an inner courtyard called a raz-angounn the outside of the house was one which blocked the view to outsiders as to what way happening indoors. After many Goans got converted to Christianity the houses changed dramatically. The houses, especially those of the rich, began to be designed to display the class of the owners. They were meant to be like works of art, something that someone could marvel at from outside. On the inside furniture became important where in Hindu architecture there was little furniture. At the same time there were features of of embellishment borrowed from church architectural features like striking windows and gates. This post is getting overlong so I'll stop here. But the work of Heta Pandit et al is something well worth reading and pondering about if one wants to understand Goa. Augusto
Re: [Goanet] Books on Goan Houses
A couple of other things need to be said about Houses of Goa. It's a gloriously produced coffee table book. The paper is excellent and so is the printing. The photos used to illustrate it are also very good. Besides the pictures of houses the authors also use lots of paintings of older times to illustrate what they say. If I have any reservations about this lovely volume it's that I wish they had indicated the locations of the houses they photographed as it would have enabled us to go and see them. Also I wish that they had referenced all their claims in a more scholarly manner as again the citations would have enabled the reader to go back to those works. Augusto On Sat, 16 May, 2020, 6:17 PM augusto pinto, wrote: > I wanted to read up on Goan architecture. > > Unfortunately when they were in print I didn't buy books about Goan houses > as at the time they were a bit expensive and I didn't have enough money at > the time. > > However fortunately for me my neighbour from Moira Leroy Veloso who > collects books about Goa did buy some important ones so I borrowed a few > from him. I'll write about the books I borrowed before delving into what I > own myself. > > One of the more authoritative ones was Houses of Goa. It was first > published by the architect Gerard da Cunha and Architects Anonymous in > 1999. The book went into a second edition in 2000 and a third edition in > 2006. > > Its text was written by Hera Pandit and Annabel Mascarenhas and the > photographs are done by Ashok Koshy. The book has a foreword by Gerard da > Cunha. > > Wtiting about Goan houses inevitably forces the writer to delve into > history, for houses are the product of one's times. > > This is something which Houses of Goa richlh acknowledges as it explains > how and why Goans built houses in the way they did over the ages. > > For instance the authors throw up the concept of the 'inward looking' > traditional Hindu houses as compared with the post conversion 'outward > looking' Christian houses. > > The old Hindu houses were ones where the women were to be shielded away > from the eyes of outsiders. Hence while they had a lot of space indoors in > the form of an inner courtyard called a raz-angounn the outside of the > house was one which blocked the view to outsiders as to what way happening > indoors. > > After many Goans got converted to Christianity the houses changed > dramatically. The houses, especially those of the rich, began to be > designed to display the class of the owners. They were meant to be like > works of art, something that someone could marvel at from outside. On the > inside furniture became important where in Hindu architecture there was > little furniture. > > At the same time there were features of of embellishment borrowed from > church architectural features like striking windows and gates. > > This post is getting overlong so I'll stop here. > > But the work of Heta Pandit et al is something well worth reading and > pondering about if one wants to understand Goa. > > Augusto > > > > > > >
Re: [Goanet] Books on Goan Houses
The details of Goa houses that Heta et al offer is delightful. >From the craftily created gateways balcony with all sorts of ornamentation especially lions, to varied columnades, to the entrada, to the sala with the lovely decorative motifs, to the library, to the altar rooms, whether the dev ghors of Hindu homes, or the oratorios of the Catholic ones, to all the details of the furniture in different houses, to the fact that these houses used to have different kinds of palanquins (olden days cars powered by slaves, 😢) to... Ahhh... The book is delightful! Augusto On Sun, 17 May, 2020, 9:41 AM augusto pinto, wrote: > A couple of other things need to be said about Houses of Goa. > > It's a gloriously produced coffee table book. The paper is excellent and > so is the printing. The photos used to illustrate it are also very good. > > Besides the pictures of houses the authors also use lots of paintings of > older times to illustrate what they say. > > If I have any reservations about this lovely volume it's that I wish they > had indicated the locations of the houses they photographed as it would > have enabled us to go and see them. > > Also I wish that they had referenced all their claims in a more scholarly > manner as again the citations would have enabled the reader to go back to > those works. > Augusto > > > On Sat, 16 May, 2020, 6:17 PM augusto pinto, wrote: > >> I wanted to read up on Goan architecture. >> >> Unfortunately when they were in print I didn't buy books about Goan >> houses as at the time they were a bit expensive and I didn't have enough >> money at the time. >> >> However fortunately for me my neighbour from Moira Leroy Veloso who >> collects books about Goa did buy some important ones so I borrowed a few >> from him. I'll write about the books I borrowed before delving into what I >> own myself. >> >> One of the more authoritative ones was Houses of Goa. It was first >> published by the architect Gerard da Cunha and Architects Anonymous in >> 1999. The book went into a second edition in 2000 and a third edition in >> 2006. >> >> Its text was written by Hera Pandit and Annabel Mascarenhas and the >> photographs are done by Ashok Koshy. The book has a foreword by Gerard da >> Cunha. >> >> Wtiting about Goan houses inevitably forces the writer to delve into >> history, for houses are the product of one's times. >> >> This is something which Houses of Goa richlh acknowledges as it explains >> how and why Goans built houses in the way they did over the ages. >> >> For instance the authors throw up the concept of the 'inward looking' >> traditional Hindu houses as compared with the post conversion 'outward >> looking' Christian houses. >> >> The old Hindu houses were ones where the women were to be shielded away >> from the eyes of outsiders. Hence while they had a lot of space indoors in >> the form of an inner courtyard called a raz-angounn the outside of the >> house was one which blocked the view to outsiders as to what way happening >> indoors. >> >> After many Goans got converted to Christianity the houses changed >> dramatically. The houses, especially those of the rich, began to be >> designed to display the class of the owners. They were meant to be like >> works of art, something that someone could marvel at from outside. On the >> inside furniture became important where in Hindu architecture there was >> little furniture. >> >> At the same time there were features of of embellishment borrowed from >> church architectural features like striking windows and gates. >> >> This post is getting overlong so I'll stop here. >> >> But the work of Heta Pandit et al is something well worth reading and >> pondering about if one wants to understand Goa. >> >> Augusto >> >> >> >> >> >> >>
Re: [Goanet] Books on Goan Houses
The second book on Goan architecture which I borrowed from Leroy is 'Hidden Hands: Masterbuilders of Goa' which is also authored by Heta Pandit. This book published in 2003 by Heta Pandit and the Heritage Network is also out of print. This book is also a coffee table book which is sumptuously produced with lots of photographs, pictures and illustrations. The photographs are by Dina Vakil and the dedigner is Harshvardhan Bhatkuly. It's focus is a bit different from the from the Houses of Goa book as although it does deal with both secular and religious architecture of both Hindus and Catholics, it takes as its subject the builders of the houses, taken to be understood in a liberal way. It starts with an introduction which deals with 3 phases: the pre-Portuguese phase, the early phase after the Portuguese ruled Goa till 1750 and the later phase till 1950. However a further look at the table of contents gives one an idea of the direction of the book. Not only does it speak of the owners who commissioned the houses and those who planned the houses, a but also the masons, the hydro ecosystems, the agricultural ecosystem, stone craft, building craft, wood craft, clay craft, metal work, applied art, decorative art, and garden craft. Thus it does not stop with only the structures of the houses, but everything else that was used to make the house like the tools used for building; and make the house a living space like the furniture and the pots and pans and the cutlery and crockery and so on. Actually from the point of view of understanding the evolution of the Goan house this is arguably a more comprehensive book. It has profiles of 10 house owners and a mini-directory of various builders and crafts people. It also has a useful bibliography. I'll describe the book in more detail in a subsequent post. Augusto On Sat, 16 May, 2020, 6:17 PM augusto pinto, wrote: > I wanted to read up on Goan architecture. > > Unfortunately when they were in print I didn't buy books about Goan houses > as at the time they were a bit expensive and I didn't have enough money at > the time. > > However fortunately for me my neighbour from Moira Leroy Veloso who > collects books about Goa did buy some important ones so I borrowed a few > from him. I'll write about the books I borrowed before delving into what I > own myself. > > One of the more authoritative ones was Houses of Goa. It was first > published by the architect Gerard da Cunha and Architects Anonymous in > 1999. The book went into a second edition in 2000 and a third edition in > 2006. > > Its text was written by Hera Pandit and Annabel Mascarenhas and the > photographs are done by Ashok Koshy. The book has a foreword by Gerard da > Cunha. > > Wtiting about Goan houses inevitably forces the writer to delve into > history, for houses are the product of one's times. > > This is something which Houses of Goa richlh acknowledges as it explains > how and why Goans built houses in the way they did over the ages. > > For instance the authors throw up the concept of the 'inward looking' > traditional Hindu houses as compared with the post conversion 'outward > looking' Christian houses. > > The old Hindu houses were ones where the women were to be shielded away > from the eyes of outsiders. Hence while they had a lot of space indoors in > the form of an inner courtyard called a raz-angounn the outside of the > house was one which blocked the view to outsiders as to what way happening > indoors. > > After many Goans got converted to Christianity the houses changed > dramatically. The houses, especially those of the rich, began to be > designed to display the class of the owners. They were meant to be like > works of art, something that someone could marvel at from outside. On the > inside furniture became important where in Hindu architecture there was > little furniture. > > At the same time there were features of of embellishment borrowed from > church architectural features like striking windows and gates. > > This post is getting overlong so I'll stop here. > > But the work of Heta Pandit et al is something well worth reading and > pondering about if one wants to understand Goa. > > Augusto > > > > > > >
Re: [Goanet] Books on Goan Houses
One thing I appreciated about Heta Pandit's style is her ability to integrate various sources and literature into her prose. Unfortunately she doesn't give scholarly citations in her work just like the Houses of Goa book possibly feeling that this is inappropriate to a coffee table book. Still it's plain to see that for instance the summary of pre-Portuguese Goa, and later history in the Introduction has been written after refering to many scholars of the subject. For instance she points to the fact that Goa has been subject to the in-migration of dozens of races over the millenia, a fact which makes interesting reading given the perennial goenkar-bhaille conflicts that we have. She points out how how housebuilding was a collective enterprise of the gaunkaria during pre-Portuguese times. The occupation of the craftsmen (they were by and large men as generally women, with the exception of the bhavins and kalavants associated with temples, were confined within the homes) were caste based. She interestingly notes that the Islamic influence has been considerably downplayed and our history has a pro-Europran bias. The palace of Adil Shah in Panjim and his harem's residence across the street in the fazenda building now housing the Directorate of Accounts and the Safa Masjid are examples of this. The early periods of Portuguese rule are dominated by the magnificent churches built in Old Goa and elsewhere. In between her narration throughout her book Pandit pays particular attention to the status of Goan women of all classes, and one of her observations is that the otherwise reprehensible forced conversion to Christianity gave Goan women their first taste of emancipation. The late phase of Portuguese rule from circa 1750 saw the Goan houses begin to gain a distinctly Goan identity. By the time this phase began, the Portuguese were weakened by wars and economic strife. At the same time the Marquis de Pombal had announced that all subjects of the Portuguese Crown were equal. All these factors led to the growing confidence particularly of elite Goans, both of the Hindu business class and of the Bamon and Chardo Catholic bhatkar class and this was now beginning to show in the increasingly ostentatious houses that they built. To be continued... Augusto On Thu, 21 May, 2020, 7:54 PM augusto pinto, wrote: > The second book on Goan architecture which I borrowed from Leroy is > 'Hidden Hands: Masterbuilders of Goa' which is also authored by Heta > Pandit. This book published in 2003 by Heta Pandit and the Heritage Network > is also out of print. > > This book is also a coffee table book which is sumptuously produced with > lots of photographs, pictures and illustrations. The photographs are by > Dina Vakil and the dedigner is Harshvardhan Bhatkuly. > > It's focus is a bit different from the from the Houses of Goa book as > although it does deal with both secular and religious architecture of both > Hindus and Catholics, it takes as its subject the builders of the houses, > taken to be understood in a liberal way. > > It starts with an introduction which deals with 3 phases: the > pre-Portuguese phase, the early phase after the Portuguese ruled Goa till > 1750 and the later phase till 1950. > > However a further look at the table of contents gives one an idea of the > direction of the book. Not only does it speak of the owners who > commissioned the houses and those who planned the houses, a but also the > masons, the hydro ecosystems, the agricultural ecosystem, stone craft, > building craft, wood craft, clay craft, metal work, applied art, decorative > art, and garden craft. > > Thus it does not stop with only the structures of the houses, but > everything else that was used to make the house like the tools used for > building; and make the house a living space like the furniture and the pots > and pans and the cutlery and crockery and so on. > > Actually from the point of view of understanding the evolution of the Goan > house this is arguably a more comprehensive book. > > It has profiles of 10 house owners and a mini-directory of various > builders and crafts people. It also has a useful bibliography. > > I'll describe the book in more detail in a subsequent post. > Augusto > > > On Sat, 16 May, 2020, 6:17 PM augusto pinto, wrote: > >> I wanted to read up on Goan architecture. >> >> Unfortunately when they were in print I didn't buy books about Goan >> houses as at the time they were a bit expensive and I didn't have enough >> money at the time. >> >> However fortunately for me my neighbour from Moira Leroy Veloso who >> collects books about Goa did buy some important ones so I borrowed a few >> from him. I'll write about the books I borrowed before delving into what I >> own myself. >> >> One of the more authoritative ones was Houses of Goa. It was first >> published by the architect Gerard da Cunha and Architects Anonymous in >> 1999. The book went into a second edition in 2000 and a third edition in