Victor Hugo Gomes honors Goa’s agricultural heritage by creating the Goa Chitra Museum! See what Goa’s best kept secret is!
The small state of India is known for its natural beauty, tropical spice gardens, 16th-century cathedrals and rich indigenous culture. Goa has a deep respect and admiration for the bounty of nature. Artists in Goa are encouraged to express themselves through music, dance, theatre and literature, blending East and West, tradition and creativity. Goankars embody the philosophical attitude of their ancestry: laid-back, warm, and open to multiple cultures. Goa Chitra is Benaulim’s ethnographic museum, built by Victor Hugo Gomes, a Goan who was eager to preserve history.
The Archaeological Survey of India has ranked the Chitra Museum in Goa as India’s “Top Contemporary Museum”. Founded in 2009, Goa Chitra is the culmination of 30 years of Gomez love and a tribute to his ancestors and their way of life. Set against the backdrop of an organic farm, the GC Museum houses a one-of-a-kind collection of traditional farming tools and other old business practices. Originally there were only 200 pieces, and now it has grown to about 4,000 pieces! Each artifact is supported by data collected by the community’s elders and researched into how they use it in their daily lives. See what Goa’s best kept secret is!
History of Chitra Museum in Goa
This is a collection of three museums: Goa Chitra, Flagship Museum, Goa Chakra and Goa Cruti. As founder, Victor’s main goal is to educate the public about Goan history and the relevance of ancestral wisdom in the modern world. Both Goa Chakra and Goa Cruti have collections dedicated to Goa’s colonial era, while Goa Chitra has 4,000 artifacts related to the Goa Agricultural Foundation. The museum’s collection of artifacts showcases the culture of ancient Goa, preserving its universality.
“This seed was planted in my heart when I was a child and is now ready to sprout. I spent my childhood with my grandmother. She was invisible, uneducated and never left home Traveled over 30km. Whenever I ask her for a story, she tells me about her life, she is an excellent narrator! She brings to mind the image of the lovely Goa we were born into. She tells I was concerned about the Raakhandaar, the ancestral spirit that guards the land, and the streams through which these gods flowed should not be disturbed,” recalls Gomes, a professional restorer.
While working at the Christian Art Museum, he realized a disregard for aesthetic and historical assets. Although it is new, the artifacts at the Chitra Museum in Goa date back centuries. Traditional Goan tableware is often discarded or aged in many old Goan houses. Hundreds of years of wisdom and ancestral farming history will be irrevocably lost if Gomez does not focus on collecting artifacts soon. The display area includes architectural outcasts from 300 quaint Goa houses. Visitors can walk through the 12,000-square-meter grounds built with retro techniques and learn about some of the antiques on display.
Parts and objects in the museum
Goa Chitra pays homage to its founder’s ancestors and their way of life by applying the wisdom of generations. They operate on the premise that resources are not wasted if they are not needed. This is a unique collection of vintage farming equipment and trade goods. Additional materials and components preserved by the designers from nearly 300 demolished old homes combine traditional elements and innovative techniques to add a contemporary feel to the structure. In order for the new generation to benefit from the knowledge of the past, Goa Chitra works to revive ancient traditions through museum displays and outreach.
By visiting this gallery, you will learn more about nature, its influence and its benefits to human life. You see, ethnographic museums are a reflection of civilization. Therefore, the planning of the museum places great emphasis on embodying ideas of lifestyle, indigenous ways, craftsmanship, art and folklore. Information about the item, its materials, workmanship, age of use, as well as photographic evidence and interviews are included in the document.
The entrance to the museum displays religious accessories and artwork from Catholicism and Hinduism as it pays homage to the ancestors. GCM has a wide variety of exhibits reflecting the culture of Goa before the advent of electricity. Their collections are divided according to the various steps involved in the transaction.
Equipment at Chitra Museum in Goa
Local ceramics, agricultural equipment, musical instruments, old cars and sedan chairs from different historical periods are part of Goa Chitra’s collection. Other objects on display relate to rural trade and its traditional skills. According to different operations in pastoral areas, traditional agricultural equipment is displayed. Tillage tools, sowing tools, cross-cultural work tools, harvesting, cutting, pruning and marking tools, post-harvest tools and tools, agricultural processing tools and tools, irrigation tools and tools, crop protection tools, etc.
Both metal and wood storage equipment have their own divisions. Grain and liquid measurers, as well as several grocery store weights and scales, are on display. Animals were an important part of ancestral life, so there is a section in the gallery devoted to the tools used to ride them. Going through the underpass, you will come across ancient means of transport, complete with beautiful carts, carriages and sedan chairs. The museum also has an organic farm that grows a variety of vegetables, herbs, spices, sugar cane and rice, all of which are staples in the western coastal regions of India. Besides agriculture, other industries are also shown.
various tools
Tools from coopers, shoemakers, barbers, blacksmiths and masons are on display. Mason tools are explained in detail. Goa’s must-have domestic ceramics, cane handicrafts, weaving and masonry are anthropomorphized separately. Wooden and metal kitchen appliances take up a lot of space. With hunting, traditional games, musical instruments and other recreational activities on display, surprises are always lurking around every corner. Fertilizers and pesticides are made from farm waste.
Solar energy and biogas from farm household waste are smart energy solutions. Workshops are provided for children and students who want to work with artisans; assisting artisans in craft development is the museum’s main goal for visitors and participants.
Why Protect the Chitra Museum in Goa?
Materials and elements such as woodwork, doors and windows, pillars, railings, etc. salvaged by the artist from nearly 300 demolished traditional houses make up the structure of Goa Chitra, blending classic aspects with modern techniques. Victor Hugo Gomes also restored Goa’s old Portuguese mansion, preserving another aspect of our culture. He made it clear that the importance of everyday utilities cannot be overdrawn. These artefacts teach us about our predecessors and how they planned and developed the land. It must be remembered that we are borrowing the world and its resources from future generations.
That is, we live on the same planet as everyone else. It’s not about ignoring the past and focusing on the future; it’s about staying connected. In Betul, Goa Chitra will open a museum dedicated to Goa’s fishing population and marine ecology. Victor has collected some 5,000 shells, corals and fossils, contributing to the new museum’s existing shell collection. In addition, the museum is also a common platform for Goan artists and craftsmen to display their works and communicate with each other.
Admission: INR 100 per adult for 2 hours
Address: H.No. 498, near Auxilium High School, Benaulim, Goa 403716
