Conservation, Restoration, Renovation, Destruction By Wendell Rodricks Two months ago, I spent an entire day in the deep South and South East of Goa with history professor Prajal Sakhardande. Celebrated photographer Denzil Sequeira's son Mark accompanied us as photographer. The route through this virgin Goa (soon to be destroyed if the CM does not come to his senses and withdraws some mining licenses) was spectacular in every way. Though the main object of the trip was to photograph deities and Goan objects pertaining to my book on the history of Goan Costume, what transpired was a delightful interaction with tribals, distinguished village elders and a wonderful communion with Goan flora and fauna at it's best. Near the powerful and majestic statue of Betal at Loliem, we met the charming Rahul Bose; a true old world gentleman who offered us more than hospitality. Associated with the Opinion Poll movement, Mr. Bose was a joy to listen to.
Through forests and hills glistening with multicoloured cashew fruit, riotous mayflowers in full bloom and fields of crops, we visited ancient sites, sleepy villages and areas of Goa few visit. At one temple site, near an ancient, bubbling, sacred tirth, Prajal was horrified to see a new temple built on the ancient ground. "There were many Shiva Lingams here" he lamented. Now gone ! Replaced by a rather unaesthetic temple in concrete. Made with "nouveau" money. Tasteless. Tacky. With no respect for history or culture. Last week fellow designer SavioJon called me to protest against the "renovation" being carried out at the century old Siolim church. Where once stood wood is now granite. If the destruction does not halt, the old Spanish tiles and terracotta squares will also go under granite slabs. From what I understand the 63 year band stand will suffer a similar fate. Before we jump to any conclusion and take sides on this issue, let's hear what museologists extol today. Old museums once had, or still have, a department called "Restoration". Till towards the end of the century, the Restoration department restored ancient objects to their former glory. A torn 1920 beaded flapper dress at the national Costume Museum in Lisbon was restored so beautifully before my eyes that it looked set to dance the Charleston today. Five old ladies (self christened "As Velhas") worked their nimble hands through kilos of sequins and beads using pure silk dyed to a perfect shade. When I carried the dress to set it out for public display, I knew I had a very precious object in hand, almost a hundred years old and yet very newly restored. The archive in Lisbon is a wondrous treasure trove of very early pieces, some dating to Napoleonic times and even as early as 16th century. I worked like a crazed scientist and looked at the entire Lisbon archive over 3 months. Every single button, feathered fan and silver coin purse went through my always gloved hand. Three months later I was working with Dr. Valerie Steele, celebrated author and director of the Costume Museum at FIT, New York. In New York it was another archive altogether. The objects were not older than 1900. But amazing no less. Always greedy for knowledge I again went through the entire archive in air conditioned splendour (v/s the stifling airless Lisbon museum). I cannot explain the emotions that run through a costume aficionado when one holds a Dior gown that was worn by Evita Peron. Or handle a shoe worn by Jacqueline Kennedy. It is pure heaven. The NY collection was so vast and so modern (every important couture garment from the latest season is in the collection; grace of enthusiastic American donors and a grand budget to buy garments) that Armani jackets are regularly given to FIT student classes so that they can be ripped open and taken apart for students to study the pattern pieces, padding, etc. There was one glaring difference between the two museums. The New York museum had no Restoration department. Valerie said "Restoration was an older way of handling antiquities. Now we have a Conservation Department. We simply conserve the garment in the best way we can. So all holes, burns, tears and imperfections are retained". "What a pity that the public will never see the original glory of the garment", I lamented. "Oh yes ! If we want, we can make a duplicate. But as per new international museum laws we must not introduce new threads / fibres, new sequins or modern sewing. It will alter the weight of the garment and cause more harm to the garment". Words of wisdom coupled with modern technology, that should apply to the temple with the vanished lingams and the Siolim church today. Energy needs to be directed towards conserving (not restoring) our monumental treasures. Sometimes, flush with cash, priests bungle their way through centuries year old temples and churches leaving behind a sad legacy that can ruin a building. By introducing new material, moisture, balance and different levels of expansion can bring a building crashing down. If there is money please use it for proper lighting, better sound systems, powerful tiny speakers, computers, etc. Let the glorious temples and churches built by our ancestors not be destroyed by priests with an all too brief tenure. We are not architecture experts and definitely not authorities on old buildings. What is impressive is our ancestors wisdom to use porous stone, tile and paint which allow monuments to breathe. Seal that porosity and we are asking for doom. On the other hand, people must not forget the very real and contributing effort made by many priests who have the interest of the church / temple and community at heart. Too often I hear villagers grumbling about why their priests should have a computer or an air conditioner. Why not ? They deserve earthly comforts and new technology. In the case of restoration v/s renovation v/s destruction, the lethargic Archaeological Survey of India needs to move out of their dusty offices, visit our monuments and do a proper report on restoration. I am sure the Archbishop and his office have the interest of cultural conservation at heart. They need to set out a standard and save churches from "modernizing" crusaders who can create dangerous and unaesthetic alteration to the old churches we Goans are so proud of. Last week I visited the Moira church. Apparently made by Belgian jewellers and gold merchants in 1636 and restored in 1936 I was ecstatic to see the beautiful old Moira tiles and the most splendid "Stations of the Cross" I have ever seen. In French, Spanish and English, the Stations of the Cross in the Moira church are museum worthy. In the Sacristy of the church I was delighted to see old vestments and banners neatly hung inside a glass case. The Moira church is truly a jewel. God bless the priest, the knowledgeable Sacristão Ubaldo da Cunha, his son and the parishioners who have so lovingly tended to this church. Overlooking the fields I saw a holywater font abandoned in the garden. It is a "historical" font that once had, as it's base, an ancient Shiva Lingam (now in the garden of the Archaeological Museum, Old Goa) discovered by a German lady. The font needs to be retrieved from the garden and given place of honour. It is the duty of us all : The Archbishop, the temple authorities, the Archaeological Survey of India and the public to learn about our local monuments and conserve them with the dignity and honour they so justly deserve. -------- The StyleSpeak column above appeared in the July 2008 issue of Goa Today ====
