Historic Portuguese mansion an oasis of calm in colourful India

(16 Jul 2017) LEADIN
A 425 year old Portuguese mansion in India has opened its door to visitors to offer a glimpse of its colonial history.
The much-loved home of Goa's Figeuiredo family is not only a repository of memories but a treasure trove of antique furniture and precious artifacts dating back to 17th century.
The Figueiredo mansion is now part museum and part homestay and the family hopes to keep its legacy alive in the years to come.
STORYLINE
Unlike the Goa of popular imagination - of sandy beaches and liquor shacks - Loutolim in South Goa is a quaint village surrounded by paddy fields.
Goa was a Potuguese colony until 1961 and a part of that history is visible in the Indo-European architecture of the village homes and mansions.
This is where the Figueiredo family made its home in 1590. A second part of the house was constructed 200 years later.
Age sits lightly on the sprawling, 4-centuries-old Figueiredo Mansion.
It has been lovingly preserved by the family, whose members were Portuguese diplomats, lawyers and parliamentarians.
About an hour's drive from Goa's airport, a rundown, roadside sign reads "Casa Museu V.J. De Figueiredo Loutolim" to let visitors know they've reached their destination.
A musty smell of history, memories and magnificent wooden furniture pervades the arcaded corridors with rooms on both sides.
Three generations of the Figueiredo family live in the house, each with their own connection to the priceless legacy.
Maria de Fatima Figueiredo de Alburquerque, known as Fatima, was born in this house but grew up in Portugal.
Two years ago, she left her job as an international executive and came back to Goa to help her mother - the current owner - take care of the house.
One wing of the house with rooms full of elaborate carved furniture, Belgian crystal chandeliers, Chinese porcelain pieces, art and family heirlooms has been turned into a museum.
Every artifact in the mansion has its own story, and Fatima's narrative helps in bringing some of that composite culture alive for the guests.
"This is the ballroom and all the furniture is made in Goa, by Goans, and by Hindus, Muslims and Catholics. And normally the Hindus they used to put something of their God or Goddesses or their mythology and here we see that this for sure is made by Hindus," Fatima says as she points to the figure of a Hindu God carved in the wooden chair.
The family prayer room is dedicated to the mother of Virgin Mary.
The 200 year old private chapel is paved with a mosaic of Portuguese tiles.
Nearby is an antique chest of drawers made of ivory, metal, rosewood and teak with images of lions carved into the base.
"This is the only one that exists with the four lions and also in this size. There are some around the world and there is one in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London but smaller than this one," she says.
The elegant décor of the dining room is laid out on the expansive solid teak wood floor.
Navigating through the lavish room, she points to another family treasure - a 200-year old, 60-piece crockery set made specially for the family by the East India Company.
"This is unique in the world with this design and colours. And it is in the family more than 200 years," says Fatima.
Her mother, 87-year old Maria de Lourdes Figueiredo de Albuquerque is the owner of the mansion and the guiding spirit behind the effort to preserve the family heritage.
Maria grew up in the mansion along with her sister when the family was based in the west Indian state.
Taking care of the stock of family possessions is a daunting task, says Fatima.

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