By Casey Monteiro
Sattari has got a new landmark. Besides the treks and sanctuaries, here's another reason to come visiting – the 'Aamchem Daaiz' Museum, which has an assortment of exhibits, painstakingly collected by its founder Gopinath Gawas.
For Gopinath, collecting things of heritage value was never a mere fascination, but rather a dedication towards honouring the ancestral practices of Goa.
However, he never imagined his collection would expand so much that he would start a museum some day.
It was only when his collectibles crossed over three thousand that he realised that a museum would be a fitting tribute to these artefacts.
PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE
“I want the youngsters to know and value our Goan heritage,” says Gopinath, who is the in-charge of the Vivekanand Dnyan Mandir High School, in Keri, Sattari.
Gopinath doesn't look to any other museum for his inspiration. If he has to, it’s towards the people who are close to him that he finds inspiration.
He says, “My mother inspired me to protect our heritage. Her knowledge of folk songs was very strong. She would always tell me ‘Our ancestral traditions and practices, that are so rich, have to be preserved.’ ”
Gopinath speaks of the influence of his uncle on him, “When I was in high school, I would go along with my uncle to take part in the traditional Shigmo in the village. He, too, would tell me how all these had to be nurtured and taken forward.”
WHAT’S INSIDE
One can see different types of utensils used for storage, implements, agricultural tools, coins, water pots at this ethnographic museum.
Gopinath says that among the tools at the Aamchem Daaiz museum are items of pottery, copper-brass utensils, glass bottles, utensils, radios, cassettes, old phones, watches, old liquor bottles, different kinds lamps, weights, measures, pipes, nails, bowls, cans, keys, cameras, mirrors, cups, caps etc.
Gopinath calls these the key to understanding the history of our elders.
GENEROUS CONTRIBUTORS
“People have generously given to the museum once they came to know of my interest in collecting such items,” says Gopinath. He recalls an instance when a contractor gave him a huge chiro (stone) used in the construction of old bridges in Goa.
The museum, which is currently housed in shops, taken on rent, will have its own permanent place in Sattari by next year, informs Gopinath.
Gopinath, who has hosted TV shows on the heritage of Goa, has written books documenting Goa's intangible heritage. Some of these include Goan Dhalo Folk Songs, published by the Goa Konkani Academy and Ghole Ghole, a book of his poems.
On the anvil are Valee Maajee Bolee, a cultural heritage book; and Kavalaas, a book on Goa's festivals.
LOCATION: Aamchem Daaiz Museum
WHEN TO VISIT: Open on all days, except Thursdays
TIMINGS: 9.30 am – 6.30 pm
CONTACT: +91 8308833020 | +91 9420769009
ENTRY FEE:
General public: ₹ 100
Students (Std I to Std XII): ₹ 20
For every school, four teachers get free entry pass
