Journal Home Page: https://www.jpad.copalpublishing.com CONSCIOUS Journal of Planning, Architecture and Design July–December 2021 Vol. 1(1), pp. 78–83 URBANISM https://www.jpad.copalpublishing.com An initiative of Copal Publishing Group The Architectural Evolution of the Shared Heritage and the Portuguese Influence: Case of Old Goa aUzma Khan and bSarmistha Chatterjee aAssistant Professor, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Bhopal bAssistant Professor (senior scale), Manipal School of Architecture and Planning (MSAP), MAHE ARTICLE DETAILS Abstract: Goa, the Indian state located in the southwestern region of the country across the Arabian sea, inhibits a unique cultural heritage owing to the vast layers of history it manifests. Peer-Reviewed on June 10, 2021 It has resulted in the transfusion of various architectural styles over time for the evolution of Accepted on June 14, 2021 shared heritage, an amalgamation of local and the foreign. It can be defined as the marker of Published online on August 12, 2021 its diverse and varied native community knitted together through space, time and the common heritage; to be passed on to future generations. The study area for this research focuses upon the architectural heritage of the Portuguese capital, Velha Goa. The historic site consists of Key words: more than fifty archaeological and state-protected monuments. The intangible and tangible Shared heritage, Architectural heritage, heritage is knitted together through the past four centuries, celebrating itself as a living heritage Old Goa blended with the local culture. The study analyses the influences of local culture and indigenous knowledge systems through the built typology of churches situated in Old Goa through archival Corresponding author email: research, documentation, stakeholder analysis and surveys. The study is significant to draw inferences from the traces of distinct architectural heritage prevalent at the regional level to ensure the sustenance of its legacy and knowledge systems. 1.1 Introduction knowledge systems blended into one. With over centuries India is a country with a long-standing documented history of history and many overlays in architectural paradigms, of approximately 5000 years and oral narratives dating ‘Imageability’ (Lynch 1960) of the Indian cities can be studied almost 10,000 years. The various daily life practices, social to understand the complex network of patterns, influences, and cultural engagements, food, dance, music, traditional borrowed traditions, collective memories and shared knowledge systems have seen many transformations owing cultures stirred together, creating a syncretic architectural to its rich cultural diversity. The term ‘shared’ is almost evolvement. The spice route along the Malabar Coast of the synonymous as indicative of a period of these adaptations Indian subcontinent, connecting it to various global capitals, and transformations. It would be rightfully agreed amongst drew significantly in the cultural exchange of ideas and many professionals, discussants, scholars, researchers and knowledge. Its impact was implied in architectural heritage non-researchers that varied influences have been gradual as well. The influence of temple architecture of the Cholas but have shown a clear progressive development in the built was noticeable to the far extent of the temple of Angkor heritage. Wat located in Cambodia; and consecutively, the tradition of influence in regional architectural styles is carried out People since time immemorial have been subject to throughout the medieval ages to the colonial times where migration and changes in occupation due to various reasons the influence of Dutch architecture in Kerala, Portuguese such as war, famine, lack of natural resources or provision architecture in Goa, French architecture in Bengal, and the of better opportunities in a foreign land (Karsten 2012). British architecture in Delhi can be seen in many instances Thus, they also carried a new cultural ethos into a new land, across the Indian subcontinent. Each of these styles had much ensuring their cultural legacy. Various architectural styles in to borrow and contribute to the evolution of architectural different regions of the country have unique characteristics styles of later period or shared heritage study. that evolved over time due to various cultures, traditions, and 1The term was introduced by Kevin Lynch in his book ‘The Image of the City’ where he discusses the mental image invoked by a physical object and its environment in the observer’s mind. The same has been an important method of evaluation of the urban. 78 ©Author(s) 2021. This article is published with open access at https://jpad.copalpublishing.com Vol. 1, No. 1; July–December 2021 Uzma Khan and Sarmistha Chatterjee, Conscious Urbanism, Vol. 1, No. 1, July–December 2021 The study discusses the architectural heritage of Old of various architectural styles over time for the evolution of Goa, also known as Velha Goa, which gained prominence in shared heritage, an amalgamation of local and foreign. the 15th–18th century under Portuguese rule and resulted in Table 1.1 Timeline of various dynasties of Goa the Indo-Portuguese style of architecture. Structures in Velha Goa that remain today are markers of their former occupation Time Period Dynasty of a place by the various rulers. With each successive layer, 3rd Century BC Mauryas people exchanged and ‘shared’ their differing cultures, skills 2nd Century BC to 6th Century AD Bhojas and experience to create a built expression that has become distinctive to a particular place (Shared Built heritage, 578 AD to 753 AD Chalukyas ICOMOS). The Portuguese rule, which spanned over 450 753 AD to 963 AD Rashtrakutas years, is prominent in the state’s architectural heritage, 1312 AD Delhi Sultanate traditions, cultural practices, and cuisine till date. 1370 AD Vijayanagara 1469 AD Bahmani Sultanate 1.2 Shared Heritage 1489 AD Adil Shahi Heritage is defined as “the combined creations and products 1511 AD Portuguese of nature and man, in their entirety that make up the 1961 AD Annexation into India environment in which we live in space and time (Petti, Trillo and Makore 2019). Heritage is a reality, a possession of the community, and a rich inheritance that may be passed on, 1.4 Estado da India’s Built Cultural Heritage which invites our recognition and our participation” (ICOMOS and Its Evolution 2008). Thus, shared heritage is essentially the prime identity The state of Goa, an erstwhile group of islands ruled by the formed by layers of memory of the place. It is constantly Bijapur sultanate and Vijayanagara Empire (Pandit 2008) subjected to changes as the main driver and marker of before the Portuguese arrival, was an important landmark its diverse and varied native community knitted together under the spice route. The beginning of the 15th century through space, time and the common heritage to be passed marked an era of colonial development under the Portuguese, on to future generations (Elizabeth 2010). the first imperial power in Asia (Pearson 1988) with emerging catholic institutions, chapels, basilicas and churches in what This is the case in many instances of cultural heritage came to be known as Estado da India (Portuguese Indian throughout the vast geographical expanse of the Indian state). The exchange of trade and ideas took place across subcontinent. The cultural vibrancy and architectural built the maritime spice route (Figure 1), expanding west into the heritage of Goa are a resultant of this phenomenon of cultural Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal along the Malabar Coast in the exchanges reaching its zenith under various monarchies Indian subcontinent (Disney 2009). Discovered by Vasco da and rulers who always brought with them a foreign culture Gama in the year 1497, the capital was developed under the subsequently to amalgamate with the local and create an influence of art and architecture from the native land to be identity of its own by involving a wide range of community developed into earmarks of Venice and Rome in the context (Silberman, 2006). of trade and religious prospects, respectively (Chakrabarti 1.3 The Context of Old Goa 2001). The study area for this research focuses upon the The architectural developments in the 16th century in architectural heritage of the Portuguese capital, Velha Goa were inspired on the lines of the urban character of Goa. It was established in the 16th century across the River Lisbon. The grand development scheme consisted of several Mandovi and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in distinct projects being envisioned, namely the largest church 1986 (WHC UNESCO 1986). The testimony to the glorious and convent supported with other significant institutions heritage, presently a historic site, consists of more than 50 such as the first medical college, printing press and public archaeological and state-protected monuments, and seven library in Asia. The Portuguese language – lingua franca – of prominent churches out of the sixty built by the Portuguese Indian Ocean trade from the 16th century onwards remained remain today in the former capital. Thus, the intangible the medium of communication between many South Asian and tangible heritage is knitted together through the past states till it was replaced by English in the 19th century. 450 years, celebrating itself as a living heritage thoroughly (Kanekar 2018) blended with the local culture. With the establishment of the capital at Velha Goa, also Goa, the Indian state located in the southwestern region of called as Rome of the orient, there was a need for physical the country across the Arabian Sea, exhibits various instances infrastructure to accommodate the administrative, cultural of shared heritage owing to the vast layers of history from the and religious institutions. Thus, the site across River Mandovi, 3rd century onwards under the reign of Mauryas followed by preceded by backwaters and mangrove forest, was chosen the Vijayanagara dynasty, Bahmani Sultanate, Ahmad Shah, for the behest where the architectural remains from the Portuguese and eventually its integration with the country of earlier dynasties were also located.