| THE
SAVLEM PILERNE WALK
There is a little coconut and arecanut plantation
to your right that you can walk into. It is the
perfect watchtower should the owners of the plantation
turn up to check your credentials, just hold up
your pair of binoculars or explain in American
Sign Language and they will indulge you with a
smile. Although the pond starts drying up in the
early part of the summer, it is a haven for birdwatchers
right through the winter and early spring. Watch
for painted snipe, white-breasted waterhens, pond
herons, night herons, egrets, median egrets, large
egrets, pied wagtails and white-breasted k kingfishers
on the marshy water.
You might want to spend the rest of the here
or go on. If you decide to continue, a magnificent
variety of Goan houses awaits you in the village
of Pilerne. The walk to the village is through
a wooded patch. Look out for the small shrine
under a tree on the right. This is a dedication
to what Goans call a jagrita devta, or a living
spirit. Every Goan village has one and people
believe that it is this spirit that helps you
find lost articles or locate cattle that have
strayed.
Go past the few houses on either side and turn
the corner to the left after the Chapel of the
Holy Cross. The street takes you to a curious
mix of houses in varying states of preservation.
Here you will see houses that have rather interesting
mouldings under the roof that are unique to Goa.
Country tiles have been layered under the roof
and then plastered with lime and mud to give the
top of these houses a soft, gentle form. Take
a look at St. Joseph’s School and stop for
a moment to read the tablet on the pedestal on
which the Saint’s statue stands. “St.
Josephs School 30th Anniversary (1937-1967) dedicated
in gratitude to the memory of all benefactors,
ex-teachers, ex-students, who have departed and
who live to see this day”.
What you see on this school building is a sight
that will hold you enthralled. Take a look at
the eavesboards. They are the obvious work of
Goan master craftsmen. Be sure to take a look
at the railings in wood. The floral motifs have
been borrowed from similar motifs in temple. The
entire structure is of outstanding quality. Stop
and admire the Christmas tree towards the South
of the compound as well as the gorgeous cycas
palm. A great old mango tree provides passers-by
with shade and in season, fruit. Admittedly, there
are some houses here that have a few tacky additions
made to them but by and large most houses in the
vaddo or ward are in superb condition. Of prize-winning
quality is a house called Vila Eugenio, built
in 1937. Admire the pair of soldier-boy finials
in terracotta on the roof. This large green house
has a pair of lions (painted a striking yellow)
on the gateposts. The lions are European in design.
Contrary to popular belief, lions as symbols are
not an Indo—Portuguese feature in Goan houses.
These symbols probably date to the Kadamba Period
(11th century) in Goa’s history when they
formed part of the royal emblem. Do take a look
at the front garden of Vila Eugenio. It is a typical
pot pourri of crotons, coleus and palms arranged
in seemingly haphazard fashion. A perforated compound
wall allows for the soft evening breeze to enter
the garden and make its way up into the house.
As you amble along, take a look at the wells
located in several compounds. Those squeaky iron
pulleys to help draw up water did not come to
Goa until the early 20th century. Until then,
water was drawn by lowering clay pots directly
into wells. The Holy Cross Chapel sports Goa’s
famous mother-of-pearl shell window set in an
indigenous design. The portico is a recent addition
and was probably constructed to accommodate a
growing population of worshippers. If the doors
are open, take a look at the beautiful turned
candelabra near the retable.
A rough mixture of banana and bamboo stands on
the left do not prepare you for the delight on
your right. This house, with its front porch facing
the North gets bathed in the afternoon sun. A
bright yellow ochre and postbox red house sparkling
in the direct sunshine has no parallel! Directly
opposite is the Vivenda Menezes an impressive
large family house with an equally impressive
wrought iron gate that gets offset by magenta
bougainvillea. Further, children from the Pragati
High School use the main Street as their playground
when school’s out. End your walk with a
long lasting look at the village church. The road
to the left takes you back to Porvorim. The road
in the right goes over traditional Goan manos
(sluice gate) and a few fields of paddy. Look
up at the overhanging wires and see crested larks
and drongos as they hunt for insects in the fields.
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