Calizz The Heart of Goa

Calizz Museum Goa

Welcome to “Calizz Goa”, a living museum of Goan life through the ages. At “Calizz Museum Goa” (which means 'HEART' in Konkani') you will discover the soul of Goa. Spread across several acres by the Candolim beach Goa, it is a veritable treasure trove of artifacts. All belonging to the private collection of Shri Laxmikant Kudchadkar.

 Calizz Museum Goa is a place which cannot be defined in a few words. It is one of a kind in the world, situated in Candolim "the nerve center of tourism activities in Goa".Calizz Museum Goa which means Heart in the local language Konkani spoken widely all over Goa is a perfect mélange of old and new traditions, beliefs and architectural influences, not only that it is a veritable treasure trove of artifacts and antiques

Houses at Calizz :

At the entrance of Calizz Museum Goa there are two refurbished colonial mansions which were built in the Portuguese-era in the year 1804. The architecture of the mansions at Calizz Museum Goa is a perfect blend of Indian and European styles. The mansions are as much as an example of intelligent conservations as it is an evocation of the past, using a carefully selected furniture and art while providing comforts unknown in the 18th century. The walls remain lime-stucco plaster, while the roof covered with Manglorian tiles.

The main house in the Portuguese era was built by a lady known as Dona Bertha who lived in this mansion with her three sons and a daughter, she was a lady with values and respect for the old customs and ethics set by the ancestors
The large and spacious rooms in Calizz Museum Goa retain the old flavor using period furniture and elegantly furnished with antiques. The rooms at Calizz Museum Goa have beautiful frescoes on the walls and stenciled borders at the entrance at each door. In coastal Goa, where the sea, the sand and a sunny climate encourage a languid pace of life, verandhas and patios are a defining part of the architecture, designed and built to catch the welcome breeze and to encourage much family activity to take place outside.

To learn the importance of the trading in the Portuguese Goa there is a Tobacco house which was used for the trading of Tobacco which was undertaken by the family members of Dona Bertha as a part of the family tradition of following a trade which was started by the ancestors. The Tobacco house explains the various tools which were used for the trading of tobacco as Goa was a major port of Asia from where various things were traded and it was the first European colony which was made in Asia. Following the Tobacco house is the Carpenter's hut which shows the vision of a Carpenter who played an important role in the completion of the goan houses as it was a job of creating a masterpiece of art from wood. The last house of the Portuguese era is the fisherman's hut which accompanied by a very old boat which was used for shipping in the olden days.

After the completion of the tour of the Portuguese era comes the most interesting part of Calizz Museum Goa “The Pre Portuguese era” it is a platform which explains the difference in the culture and customs and the architecture of the houses. The first house in this era belongs to "Laxmibai" wife of a Hindu Brahmin Goan Hindus had a very little furniture within the house almost all the activities were carried out on the floor on "mats", "patts" or "baithaks". This minimal use of furniture further accentuated the flexibility of interiors.

Last house of the pre Portuguese era is the landlord Gopala Pilgaonkar's house which shows the influence of various dynasties which ruled Goa before the arrival of the Portuguese It also shows the glimpses of Hindu mythology in different forms and the methodology which is used is very simple in the form of small theaters with sound and light systems. In addition to this is the gallery of Raja Ravi Varma, he was an Indian painter who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His paintings are considered to be among the best examples of the fusion of Indian traditions with the techniques of European academic art.

Artifacts at Calizz Museum Goa

The collection of artifacts and antiques at Calizz Museum Goa is one of the finest in the world. The amazing numbers of artifacts cross the limitation of chronology, region and style and they fall into a category of their own. The collection in the Portuguese era reflects the most beautiful objects of Indo Portuguese art both civil and religious, from furniture to inlaid ornamentation.

Goan traditional artistes have indeed carved a niche for themselves with a number of handicrafts that have been known by the connoisseurs from different parts of the world. They are infact a mirror of Goa’s perennial glory and beauty. The blend of Indian and Portuguese culture is amply reflected in the arts and crafts fashioned by the Goan artisans.

Pieces of furniture, crockery etc, became, not just status symbols in gregarious and self conscious society but were collected for their craftsmanship values as well.

The Collection at Calizz can be broadly classified under the following categories:

Furniture : In the way that a craftsman ran a groove or carved a flower or even planed a board, we can sense whether he respected what he was making or was merely working for wages.

Goan Hindus had very little furniture within the house almost all the activities were carried out on the floor. The minimal use of furniture further accentuated the flexibility of interiors. Before the Portuguese came, thick grass, bamboo and palm fond mats were used for sleeping and a low four legged stool called the “patt” for sitting upon.

In Calizz Museum Goa the collection of different types of chairs, armoires, cabinets, drawers, is remarkable foe e.g. a collection of Planters chairs, these chairs were designed with excessively long arms so that a weary planter could elevate his legs on its arms, which allowed the swelling in his feet and lower legs to subside so that the boots could be removed easily. This is just one example; there are more than 500 chairs at Calizz Museum Goa.

The furniture which is found in Goa is made up of Hardwoods like Teak, rosewood etc because these were less attractive towards mold, mildew and insects. The art of wood carving is well known among Goan

Glassware : At Calizz Museum Goa there is a huge collection of glassware starting from a wide range of soda bottles, Big Glass jars for the storage of vinegar, wine and different types of liquids. Collection of different types of shot glasses known as Copish. Different types of crystal ware, Decanters, Flatware, Glasses, wine goblets and beer glasses etc. the collection of glassware is quite different and rare in other words one of its kind in the world.

Metalware  : Brass metal has been moulded into different shapes and designs and excellent creations like tree oil lamp with flower motifs, traditional oil lamps (also known as “Divli” in the local language).Hanging oil lamps (also known as Lamandivo), candle stands (castisali), statues and water containers etc. Calizz is a house of many of the things mentioned under metal ware.

Pottery : Goa has a long tradition of impressive progress in the field of handicrafts. The primitive of pottery that has transcended many generations still continues to lend character to Goan houses. The potter’s community scattered in specific hamlets of Goa create utensils, pots, decorative flowerpots, bowls, figurines of Gods, saints and also some religious motifs. Lots of pots were also brought from Macau in which sugar from China was imported. The collection of these pots at Calizz is marvelous

Miscellaneous : Besides all the major things there is a huge collection of different types of miscellaneous things which date back to 1800’s and even older than that.

The Garden Of Lost Plants at Calizz Museum Goa

Plants drifted in fro other parts of the world carried in by the winds. Green Goa is still the haven for plants. And as the rocks and beaches speak of Goa’s past, the plants and the trees of Goa speak of the time that followed. At Calizz naturally created “Garden of Lost Plants” shows you the different medicinal herbs, Plants and Trees which are available all over Goa but probably people don’t look hard enough to search for them.