Goa - Holy Cross Chapel at Baradi

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

On our way back from Cabo de Rama Fort we decided to make a short de tour to the Holy Cross Chapel of Baradi. 

Road to Baradi Chapel

 As always it is fun driving on these smooth deserted roads with thick forestation on either side of the road and blue skies for  company.  What more should I ask for?

Cross in Church premises

There are signboards put up on the road plus if you ask the locals they will guide you to this place as it is a very famous Shrine. Many miracles have taken place here. The Shrine is visited by people from all over Goa during the Novena's. Novena's are held for Nine days before the Feast. Not sure about the history of this place. 

The Shrine (Chapel) was closed when we reached. Services are held in the morning and evening. We were not alone, we had a few dogs for company. I guess they are the local dogs and they kept following us in the premises. 

Church

There are Two main Cross in it's premises. Prayed that my blog goes places :)  and then headed to see the amazing view The Chapel had to offer. 

As the Chapel is atop the hill the view is indeed beautiful. As it was a hot sunny day we could see the sea in a distance, heavily congested coconut trees hiding houses in them and a couple of water bodies.

Lamp post with a rosary hanging on it

Life here is so SUSEGAD meaning slow. 

After mesmerizing our self in the view we headed off to Margao City. 

Goa - 17th Century Chapel of Todo O Bem in Verem

Monday, February 23, 2015

While returning from Fort Aguada, we missed our turn and so traveled by this road. The Betim Verem Road. The signboard you see in the below photo is located kist before th Verem junction.

Sign board on the Betim Verem Road

When I suddenly spotted this board, Chapel Built in XVII Centuary. I got curious and so we decided to take a de tour and check out the Chapel. But before that I asked the locals for the name of the road, to which they replied that it was the Betim Verem Road. 

Chapel of Todo O Bem

We asked a couple of locals about the whereabouts of it and they asked us to go straight on the lane and it would lead us to the Chapel.

The Chapel is named,  Chapel of Todo O Bem. Which means All that is Good. 

Chapel Door

Now we reached the Chapel, but it was closed. How do I get in. I saw these two kids playing football. I asked them, they told me that the key is with Gonsalves Uncle. 

Now Gonsalves Uncle stays outside the Chapel premises.

Another view of the Chapel

Knock Knock, the door was opened by the maid, I inquired if they had the key to the Chapel. She asked us to wait. 

Gonsalves Uncle, asked us if we were with the press, to which I informed that we are travel bloggers and blog of historic places on earth. He informed that he would show us the place but we would have to give a small donation just for the up-keeping of the place. To which we readily agreed.

Inscription

The Chapel as a small garden around it. The Chapel was single storey structure painted white with the borders in blue. It had statues of two saints above the wooden door and a silver bell atop it. Not sure who the saints were but they looked like St. Anthony.

Uncle asked us to wait at the main entrance, he then walked to the side entrance, got in and opened the main door for us.

Chapel from the inside

The sculptured arc that housed the door was very old. It had a inscription atop it too. Now this is surely 17th century stuff.

The Chapel looked like a Church from the inside. Main Altar, Pulpit, pews, mezzanine floor and Sacristy too. 

Spiral staircase

Uncle, told us that services are held here on zonal feast days. He informed us that the mezzanine floor is for the choir. A spiral staircase led to the mezzanine floor. I started climbing it and it gave out rickety sounds. I immediately receded. 

Uncle also told us that the Chapel was renovated in 1998.  Now the alms received as donation helps in the up-keeping of the chapel. 

Goa - Fort Aguada

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

After visiting Reis Magos Fort we headed off to Fort Aguada.

History of Fort Aguada

A little bit of history about this place via the photo.

It took us around 30 minutes to reach here. 

Moat to enter the Fort

Have to say that this Fort is again very well  maintained. Also it gathers a huge crowd. Both locals and foreigners. 

The fort calls and external walls

Old Light House in Fort premises

There is no fee to view this fort unlike Reis Magos, the timings are from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. This fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. 

Old Light House and underground dungeons

The Fort is not tall in height also there is a moat to enter the fort. The fort is 3/4 on land and 1/4 exposed to the sea. The fort has an internal wall and external wall. in the rains water gets filled between the walls. It had historic significance, refer to photo for the history bit. 

View of the fort from the fort walls

Again this fort is made of chire. Prime stone used in the construction of houses and forts in Goa. Certain entrances or rooms in the fort premises are under lock and key. Maybe due to hideous activities which happened there. The fort has a light house and under ground dungeons which are closed to the public. There is no shade within the fort premises. There is a small house which is closed and no trees in it. 

One of the fort bastions

One thing I observed here is that there is no graffiti on it. Which is a good sign. The walls of the fort are very well maintained. Also the fort premises is very clean. So please don't dirty it by throwing wrappers and water bottles around. 

Fortification

The fort is square in shape and can be done by walking on the broad walls of the fort. The fort offers a panaromic view of the sea on one end and the land on the other. One can also see the New Light House built very close to it. 

View from the fort

The new light house is functional and open to public but for  a small fee. The light house offers an amazing 360 degree view of the surrounding. Photography is strictly prohibited here.

Church in a distance

There is no food and refreshments available in the fort and new light house premises. Outside there are a lot of stalls that cater to food and water but they charge a premium fee.

Fort Aguada

Goa - Reis Magos Fort

Monday, February 9, 2015

After visiting Dona Paula we decided to head over to Res Magos fort. 

Res Magos Fort

Res Magos Church and Fort are located in Bardez in Goa,  they were constructed on the banks of the Mandovi River,  with the capital of Goa i.e Panjim located on the other side of Mandovi River.  Res Magos is a Portuguese word that stands for the Three Wise Men.  The Three Wise Men who came to visit Jesus.  UK based Helen Hamlyn Trust along with the Govt. of India funded the restoration of the fort in 2008.  The fort has a long history commencing from 1497 till 1993. It served as a defense fortress,  a hospital and then a jail for the freedom fighters of our country. 

Res Magos Church

Why Res Magos fort. My brother had gone to Goa for holidays and he had been to this fort and the photos he showed me were amazing, hence I decided to add this fort to my itinerary.

Emblem at the entrance of Res Magos Fort

It took us more than two hour to reach Res Magos, we were intially planning to take the ferry. But we missed the ferry by a couple of minutes and hence had to travel by the Betim-Vernem-Saligao Road. But nevertheless the journey was fun. 

One of the twin stairs leading to the top of the fort

Finally we were at the entrance of Res Magos Fort.
Parking is available near the fort premises. 

Fortification of Res Magos Fort

The Res Magos church is located very close to the Res Magos Fort. But the Church was closed for renovation purposes and hence we had to photograph it from the outside only. Though we did set foot in the church,  but it was all dusty.

Now there is a fee to visit the fort. We were charged a fee of Rs.50 each to visit the fort.

Citadel at Res Magos Fort

The fort is located on a hilltop very close to the Mandovi river. It is so close that the Nerul Res Magos Road divided the two. 

We started our long and zig-zag journey along the walkaway to visit the fort via the main entrance of the fort.

Fortification of Res Magos fort with Mandovi river in the background

The fort is primarily made of chire. But what you see now is the renovated version of the fort. 

The fort is small in size,  but offers a majestic view of the Mandovi River,  the Res Magos Church and the surroundings. 

Death Hole on fort premises

As the main entrance and the only way to enter the fort premises is from top,  it is the highest point of the fort.  From within the fort, two steep staircases lead to the lower portions of the fort.  
The fort is small in size in comparison to Cabo de Rama Fort and Fort Aguada.  But the construction of the fort is amazing. 

Royal emblem on the cannons at Res Magos fort

As this fort is renovated most of the structures atop the fort are converted into Art Galleries, There are plenty of photos by Mario Miranda here. 

One of the photo galleries is placed exactly over the main entrance of the fort and has a small hole on its floor,  this was called death hole was used to throw hot oil or shoot the enemy whenever they tried to attack the fort.  

Replica structure of Res Magos Fort

One of the structures houses info on the history of the fort.  It has a small model of what the fort used to look like when it was build. 
There are a couple of cannons placed atop the fort.  Most of them, have emblems on them along with numericals. Have seen emblems on the cannons of the Moti Daman fort in Daman. The cart on which they are placed was built during the renovation of the fort. Not sure. if they still fire.  Lol. 

Photo gallery

The basement of the fort,  houses sketches and paintings on how Goa used to look like in the 16th century. This section gives a lot of info on Goa and its development by the Portuguese. This place also showcases photos of Res Magos fort before the renovation.  
The fort though small can be covered in 30 minutes flat,  plus another 2 hours just to see the photos,  sketches and history section of the fort.

Cannons atop the fort

We then headed off to see Fort Aguada. 

Slogans on Trucks

Monday, February 2, 2015

Slogans on Trucks