Church of Our Lady of Augustia

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

As you exit from the Fort of Moti Daman to Moti Daman, very close to the football stadium lies the grave of Agostinho Xavier de Silva Vidigal, who was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and expired in Daman. A Church has been built over his grave.

Based on its size, I mistook it for a chapel, but it is in fact a Church.

According to the caretaker of the Cathedral of Bom Jesus, this Church is closed to the public as it is under renovation.

Church of Our Lady of Augustia

The church has been whitewashed with the artwork done up in blue. The edges of the door and the Church are painted blue.

Somehow I liked this combination of white and blue. Perhaps they should have used the same combination in the Cathedral too.

Chapel of Our Lady of Rosary

Monday, May 28, 2012

Walk straight on from the Cathedral of Bom Jesus and we reach the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary.

This chapel reminds me of the chapels in Goa, called “Copel in Konkani.” In Goa, there is one chapel in every village, but this was the first one I had found in Daman.

The architecture of the chapels in Goa and Daman is remarkably similar, but that is not surprising, considering that both places have a strong Portuguese influence.

Chapel of Our Lady of Rosary

It appeared to me that a chapel feast had recently been celebrated here as there were buntings and festoons hung at the porch of the church. This church is not accessible to public. So I couldn’t see it from the inside. But I did learn that it was built in the 17th century.

Next, I headed off to see The Church of Our Lady of Augustia.