CHURCH WITH A PORTICO - ST. ANNE'S CHURCH, PARRA, GOA

 A major feature of this beautiful church, and a very rare one, is the portico with a terrace and a balustrade of this awesome piece of architectural wonder in an Indo-Portuguese blend. The portico also serves as a shelter when the church is full. It has an unique facade with steps leading to it from the front. It has some beautiful art - paintings along the corridors, frescoes on the ceiling and gold painted altars. All these have always fascinated me ever since I was a young lad when I accompanied my aunt and cousins for various feasts and functions, and also Konkani dramas that were held in front of this church. It was also my first inspiration for art. As a young lad growing up, I often attended major feasts at this church, walking to the church with my mother from our house in Guirim at Cumbiem Morod. As a teenager I rode on a bicycle, and as an adult on a scooter. Fond memories still persist all the more because my aunt and cousins lived in Parra, especially attending the solemn High Mass on the feast day of St. Anne, visiting the traditional fair that was held outside the church compound and then walk to my aunt's house for a delicious banquet on the grand occasion. 

In its idyllic setting against a backdrop of the hills behind the church, a beautiful straight road leads to it from Jaknim in Parra with scenic surroundings, often used as scenes in Hindi films. Flanked by breath-taking plush green fields in the monsoon season and coconut trees on both sides of the road is a sight to behold.This regional section of the road forms part of the scenic and winding road passing through the village of Guirim at Perxeth Vaddo on the Mapusa-Panjim highway through Parra Jaknim at the Tintto to St. Anne's Church, Parra Arrady, and onward to the left to Arpora, and right to Anjuna,Vagator, Chapora Fort and Siolim for a thrilling ride.

This Franciscan Rectorate of St. Anne, comprising the villages of Parra, Canca and Verla, was established between 1650 and 1653 and was affiliated to the Parish of Nagoa. This first church of Parra was burnt down by the Marathas in 1683, and was rebuilt in 1688.