Archaeology dept to begin restoration of 3 monuments

Panaji: The department of archaeology intends to start restoration works at the Sakhali and Corjuem forts as well as the Jain Basti in Bandora. “The situation is different now in the time of the pandemic. We will be currently taking up these projects only,” said assistant superintendent of archaeology, Varad Sabnis.
Last restored in 1990, the Sakhali fort is among the 42 structures declared as monuments of importance by the Goa government in 1983.The fort stands 60 metres away from the left bank of the Valvonti river.
The centuries-old heritage structure has been plagued with an eyesore of kiosks dotting the fort wall’s exterior. Post restoration, there will be a museum, a senior citizens’ club and an activity area, besides other amenities inside the fort.
The Corjuem fort is located on the banks of a tributary of the Mandovi river and was of strategic importance from a trade point of view. It was also used as a military training school for Portuguese soldiers and witnessed battles against the Sawants and Bhosales during the Portuguese rule in Goa.
The present-day structure has vegetation growth on the fort wall from deciduous trees that have grown inside the structure. Cracks have also developed on the bastions.
The department of archeology is looking at adaptive reuse of the fort after it is restored. The department will restore the well and use the water to keep the surroundings green. A laterite paved pathway will be laid down around the structure.
All the scheduled deadlines for the restoration work were disturbed with the nationwide lockdown due to Covid. The department of archaeology has however managed to complete pre-monsoon works of those monuments that were likely to get damaged due to the rain. Works at the St Xavier’s chapel at Old Goa, the Jain basti at Bandora in Ponda and the Sakhali fort had begun in April after Goa obtained relaxations during the lockdown.
The restoration of Sakhali fort was expected to start in the summer but had to be pushed due to the lockdown. Some portions of the fort are vulnerable and might get affected if left exposed during the rain, Sabnis said. Major portions that were under threat at the Jain Basti have also been covered. At the chapel of St Xavier’s, the wooden roof was leaking and was fixed with Mangalore tiles before the onset of monsoon. Similarly, fixing of the roof during the pandemic was prioritised at the Saptakoteshwar temple.