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We left Raika Apiary at 11:45 am to head to Goa Chitra, an ethnographic museum that was
situated only a few minutes away. We all were very excited to see everything the museum had
to offer. We were given a tour of the museum by two amazing speakers who explained in
detail about the various antiques in the museum.
During the first part of the tour we learnt that the museum houses the collections by Mr.
Victor Hugo Gomes, who is a restorer by profession. We saw various vehicles and their
progression and advancement through the centuries. These vehicles were collected from
various parts of India such as Goa, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. We then
headed into another section of the museum that contained everything from furniture, books,
clothes, utensils, guns, various appliances, musical instruments, typewriters, storage boxes from
when the Portuguese ruled Goa. A section also showcased hospital equipment from those
times. We were told various stories related to all the items by our guide, making the tour all
the more interesting.
We then explored another section that contained furniture, objects, equipment used in
Hinduism and Christianity, especially during religious ceremonies. Further into the museum
we saw various utensils made of mud and metal used in the olden times. We also saw various
agricultural equipment as well as household appliances specifically the heavy ones such as the
grinders used in older times. We were shown a collection of various items such as toys,
utensils, etc. that depicted the culture of Goa. The tour of the museum was backed by various
stories and descriptions that were beautifully incorporated into the tour that made the
experience interesting and enjoyable.
Once we were done exploring the museum, we were fortunate enough to meet Mr. Victor
Hugo Gomes himself. He engaged in a conversation with us and told us his vision behind
collecting all the antiques and highlighted the fact that our ancestors had sustainable habits and
were eco-friendly in their approach to life. He encouraged all of us to imbibe these qualities in
ourselves as well. There after we all sat down and enjoyed our lunch, followed by a group
photo session of the class. We then left on our way back to Mapusa. We reached Mapusa by
4:00 pm. This trip was extremely enriching and entertaining for all of us as we not only learnt
about bee keeping but also about our culture and history.
Ms. Saneeya S. Kalangutkar
(F.Y.BSc 2021-22)
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