The Archeological Society of India and the Church have differing opinions on what should be done to restore and preserve the Basilica do Bom Jesus in Old Goa. The red brick church has been etched into the memory of the current generations of Goans and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But there is a dire need to slow down the deterioration of the church.
At a recent lecture in Panaji, the ASI chief archaeologist M Taher said that the laterite structure was deteriorating and stated that he has written to ASI Delhi to undertake a preservation project that would use a ‘laterite pack’. This pack involves the mixing of laterite nodules with brick powder and lime mortar, which is then packed into cracks and gaps to strengthen the structure. This method was used in a project in Bhopal to restore a series of caves cut from stone. The ASI are the experts in restoring and preserving monuments and other areas of archeological interest in India. They have been responsible for the restoration of historical projects here in Goa. But here is where the ASI had come up against a ‘brick wall’ of sorts. The Rector of the Basilica, Fr Savio Baretto, is not content with the fact that the laterite pack would end up covering the church and make it look white, taking away from the red brick look that is has sported for a while now. He suggested finding other methods to preserve the structure.
Both parties though, the ASI as well as the Church, have the monument’s best interests in mind and hence they need to find common ground. The Church is the physical and spiritual custodian of the Basilica do Bom Jesus and they need to be taken into confidence when one of their ‘wards’ needs to be looked at. They have every right to express an opinion. But, at the same time, the ASI know what they are talking about when they state that the monument must be preserved. Of course, there may be modern methods out there that could strengthen the Basilica’s future. What is of essence now is that an independent study be conducted. The Church no doubt has a department that looks after the welfare of monuments across the world. They would ideally be apt at restoring the Basilica, alongside the ASI. However this needs to happen quickly. The Basilica is around 410 years old and since its exterior has faced the elements for that long, surely there will be parts of the structure that need immediate attention.
At the same lecture in Panaji, an architect from the ARTIS Institute of History of Art, Lisbon spoke of a Portuguese restorer who was known for de-plastering monuments to give them a more ancient and medieval look. This probably meant that somewhere earlier, in thee 1950s, the Basilica was a white structure and not the red brick one that Goans currently identify with. If that is the case, then it means that only the current generations of Goa know the Basilica as a red brick structure.
But what is more important is that Goans identify with this structure as a towering monument of religion in the State. Perhaps the fact that it is white or red shouldn’t really matter, as long as it stands tall for decades and centuries to come.
