September 14th, 2018 by OYO Team

What if we lived in a world where we had something to celebrate everyday? A world of never ending merrymaking? Well, we might just have created such a place for you. A place that is always festive, where the celebratory mood never ends. A villa, that is so steeped in Goan culture, that every wall, room and even the tiniest decor piece speak of the festive spirit of the state! This quintessential Goan homestay, with a breathtaking view, will motivate you to live, laugh, bond and spread some cheer with your loved ones.

A different view of Goa

The enormity of this two-storeyed villa, with three bedrooms, a huge courtyard, a kitchen and its own well – will make you do a double take as you approach it from the road. But wait till you turn around and look at the view from the porch. Looking at the green expanse, towards a small lake a little ahead, and tall trees even further – you’ll forget to blink for a while. That’s the benefit of being located in the quiet area of Salvador do Mundo – you experience both nature and Goan culture in its most unadulterated form.

How it all began

The owner of the house is a man dedicated to reviving Goan festivals and traditions. He helps the locals, bread makers, fishermen, bamboo weavers organize community festivals. Every bit of the house has been designed to depict some aspect of those festivals and traditions.

 

You’ll find roosters all over, a Portuguese symbol seen mostly in Goan Catholic homes. The living room wall has twelve terracotta tiles, each dedicated to one local festival. And mind you, these are only some of the festivals Goans celebrate. “I wanted to make a gallery for the festivals the owner helps organize,” says the home’s designer Harjot. “So I drew these out and got a local potter to make these terracotta tiles for us to represent the different festivals.”

Wall of festivals

Step into the courtyard and be prepared to be amazed. Continuing with the gallery of festivals, Harjot drew murals on the wall running from one end to the other. You’ll see glimpses of Goa’s love for football, jackfruit festival and folk dancing women painted in multiple colours. This is the most colourful and spacious part of the home. Get a feel of the rural life in this huge chilling area which has a swing, cemented seating and cane furniture. You can host a party here and never run out of seats!

The clay way

One of the unique elements in the courtyard is a huge clay ghumat kept in a corner. Harjot informs, “Ghumat is something that the owner is promoting a lot. It’s a percussion instrument played at festivals. Its cover used to be made from monitor lizard skin, which was banned by the government. A different kind of leather is used now to make the instrument legally.” Smaller sized ghumats have been used as pendant lamps, which just up-levels the earthy ambience of the home. “All the clay lights were custom made for us by the local potter,” Harjot adds. Even the bamboo baskets used for lights in the house were made by local bamboo weavers.

Bread-room

You’ll learn something new about Goa in every room here. The bedroom on the ground floor has a wall dedicated to the various kinds of Goan breads sold by hawkers in the by-lanes. “The bread is sold wrapped in newspapers, so I used local Konkani newspapers as canvas to paint the different shapes of bread. The room gets its blue colour from the blue plastic sheets used to cover the bread baskets on the cycles,” says Harjot.

Chess or ludo?

Climb up the stairs and you’ll be happy to see a huge airy living room with a view. Huge windows opening out to the greenery in front provide lots of daylight. This space is dedicated to board games we grew up playing. You’ll be taken back in time as you go through the shelves here to decide what to play – ludo or chess?

Bedroom stories

Every bedroom has its own story. The one with the balcony shows off more pottery – a terracotta tiled mirror, ghumats as pendant lamps, and bedside tables made of clay pots. This room is in a world of its own, with the big balcony adding to the airiness, giving you a bigger space to spend your leisure time in.

The other bedroom has its own charm as well. There are two beds on two levels, making it a room for four people, with a wooden curtain in between. You’ll fall in love with its chic charm emanating from the floral crown wall decor, cane bedside lights and geometric-floral curtains. The floral wall art is actually inspired by the coronets worn during the Sao Joao festival in the monsoon.

Flaunt some Goan gyan

An opportunity to live in a typical Goan homestay which tells you so much about the vibrant culture is rare to come by. And we suggest you make the most of it. Besides making it your own quiet haven, you also have the option of bringing in a larger gathering of friends and family.

Between the spacious kitchen and the huge courtyard, you can even host a small function.

If the house and its festive vibes inspire you to know more about the culture, House of Goa, a museum by famous architect Gerard de Cunha, is not very far.  Head on over to take a look at his eco-friendly work, learn more about Goa’s architecture and have a cup of coffee at the cafeteria. Or you could do it the old way – take a stroll on the road leading to the lake, and go fishing there if you have the patience and skill for it.  

The home will inspire you do so much, that there will never be a minute of boredom here. Rather, you’ll be enthused to join in the festive fervour and make it a point to celebrate every day of your life!

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About OYO Team

We’re people who love to travel and it’s a pleasure to share our experiences from around the world with you here. You’ll see our favourite destinations, quirky stays and budget stay. Also the best wedding banquet halls and the most lit party destinations. You’ll also find insightful opinions about why we travel in the first place and what it’s really like out there. Enjoy the blog and please tell us what you think - feedback welcome!