VIVA Nostalgia

experience of what was and,in most measure,still is the essence of Goa: history,culture,architecture and,of course,food.

It’s not easy to reach Palacio. A long winding road through the heart of Goa takes you to Quepem district,in the south. Here,you need to navigate your way carefully through the lush green fields punctuated with palm trees that without much warning shrink into a narrow less-trodden path with the river flowing rapidly on either side. From there on,while the vegetation gets denser,the population starts to perceptibly thin down,and just as you start wondering whether the promised Portuguese house would ever come,it suddenly emerges in front of you,like the early morning sun,in all its yellow and white brilliance.

While 100-year-old Portuguese houses are not uncommon in Goa,Palacio remains the only existing one with the ornate gardens that were once ubiquitous in Portuguese homes. And as Reuben and Celia Vasco da Gama welcome you into their home-cum-museum-cum-restaurant-on-order,their youthfulness,a trifle in contrast with the obvious weight of history in every corner of the 18th century 11,000 sq ft abode,you know you are entering a world far removed from quotidian life.

“When we bought this place in 2002,it was in ruins,” says Reuben,an engineer who also restored the 16th century Fort Tiracol in Goa. Restoring the Palacio was a labour of love,which he accomplished along with his wife Celia,a microbiologist. With their two children,they live in the sprawling place,and have the onerous task of preserving it. “The place was so unusual,and its artefacts and furniture pieces,so preciously ancient that we knew we just had to keep it the way it was meant to be originally,” says Reuben of his heritage home in Quepem,built in 1780 by Jose Paulo,the man who founded Quepem town. After his death,Palacio was occupied by a priest of the church,and then by nuns who ran it as a home for destitute women till it finally came into the hands of the present owners.

After buying the place,Reuben and Celia decided to go to Portugal where they studied the local architecture and gardens,and then returned to Goa to begin the three-year process of restoration. The most challenging part,perhaps,came from the two acres of terraced gardens,with each level representing a different geometrical design. “There are 228 geometrical designs in the garden,” says Reuben,as he leads the way up the steps to the chapel-like hall that gives way to the main hall. “Since it was occupied by a priest,there is no ball room here,as most large houses had in those days,” he says.

Instead,each of its 15 rooms contain gems,like a 130-year-old stamp collection that provides a graphic narrative of the 450 years of Portuguese rule in Goa,the chest of camphor that opens out into a desk,doors made of oyster shells instead of glass,ancient measuring systems of iron,and stolid wooden cupboards that open up to become toilets and basins.

The best part of the property,though,is probably the Belvadere — the large dining area at the back,overlooking the Kushvati river. “In the olden days,the river was the only way to access the house,” says Celia. “People would come here by boat.”

The deck-like area jutting out towards the river provided the Vasco Da Gamas with an ingenious idea to preserve the place. Since 2005,the couple has been playing host to small groups of people wanting to experience not just the Portuguese ambience,but also authentic Portuguese cuisine. “This is not a running restaurant. We cook only on order. People need to call up in advance and tell us when they are coming,and in what numbers. We then convert this Belvadere area into a dining section for them,and I cook authentic Portuguese cuisine,” says Celia.

Before the meal,the guests are taken around the house (that also functions as a museum for the public from Monday to Thursday,10 am to 5 pm) even as its history is narrated by Reuben,who,by now,knows it like the back of his hand. After that,Celia takes over,with her kitchen dishing out the best of Rissois De Camarao (Portuguese Shrimp turnovers),Fofos de Queijo (cheese balls),boiled red rice,Goan mutton curry,pumpkin pie,bebinca and crème caramel. “I have seven people to help me I do the real cooking myself,” says Celia,who has honed her culinary skills to perfection over the years.

Taking in a minimum of four to a maximum of 100 guests at a time,Palacio has,over the years,become a favourite with famous Goans like Wendell Rodricks and Mario Miranda. “People get to know of us by word of mouth and we like to keep it that way,” says Reuben,who adds that Bollywood stars too have begun to visit them of late.

While meals here range from Rs 500-600 per head,there is no charge for those who simply want to walk around the museum. “We have a donation box,but it’s completely voluntary. Maintaining a place of this expanse with all its intricate furniture pieces and memorabilia is not easy —hence,these few steps to make the task easier for us,” says Reuben. “There’s not much money in what we do,but the satisfaction is huge,” says Celia.

Of course,over time,some contemporary changes have crept into the house,like a modern bathroom,a television set for the children,and a more efficient kitchen,but these have done little to take away the old-world charm that pervades the place.

“The only message we want to put across is that heritage everywhere needs to be preserved and promoted,” says Reuben,as he polishes a hundred-year-old metal piece,while Celia puts a chocolate cake into the oven,for her children and the group of eight expected that evening. Life as unusual for the Vasco da Gamas.